Mr. Stegall is correct: “Conservative is a word that is almost meaningless these days.” But why? Despite whatever noble intentions the conservative movement began with, it's decision to "put its trust in princes" has bled it dry of any substance. Reagan's triumph of rhetoric over action was the disease; George W. Bush has now inflicted the mortal blow by all but eliminating even the pretense of fighting Statism. Saying that one is a political conservative now merely denotes which side one roots for in the cesspool of D.C. politics.
What's telling is that just about all the young conservatives identified in the article are employed either directly by the government or by a D.C.-based think tank or publication. For instance, the young woman chosen to speak at the Philadelphia Society is the deputy press secretary for the governor of Colorado. So basically, her livlihood depends on spinning, manipulating, or outright lying to the public in order to justify the power of the State. And this is supposed to represent the future of the Right? God help us!
p.s. Saw "Fahrenheit 9/11" last night. Too much Flint, MI; not enough Neoconology. Best footage: Powell, Rice, and Cheney (pre-9/11) talking about how Saddam had no WMD's and posed no threat to anyone.