In 1960, Barry Goldwater, the father of modern conservative Republicanism, argued that a true "conservative electorate" had to be created out of a combination of Democrats and what he called, "modern" Republicans . . . "the vast uncommitted middle" . . . people who were not "ideologically wedded" to any one party's political program.

For Goldwater Republicans (and for Reagan Republicans) . . . for the true "uncommitted middle" Jim Webb is a better candidate . . . the right candidate . . . for the United States Senate than George Allen. Here's why.

Big Bad Government

The editorial page of the Washington Post recently noted Allen's lack of "independent-mindedness." They understate their case. Allen, in fact, has been, at worst a sycophant, and at best an unimaginative, and arguably unprincipled, enabler, of a Bush-run expansion of big government and executive-branch power that makes FDR and LBJ look like small-timers.

And it's not only BIG government. It's BAD government.

Allen has kept silent, or worse, played simpering cheerleader, while Bush and his cronies CREATED some very big problems (Iraq and the failure in Afghanistan spring to mind).

Worse, he's played no productive role in helping to SOLVE other problems, especially those cascading from the ones he helped create (Katrina, Korea, Iran, congressional corruption, national healthcare, education, and the minimum wage, to name a few).

Pretending to be a Virginian in the mold of Jefferson, and a cowboy in the mold of Reagan, he's cried "stay the course" even though the best of his own colleagues understand the course is, at best, wrong, and at worst, disastrous. Goldwater and Reagan wouldn't stand for it. Neither will Webb. Nor should any real conservative.

Taxes

Allen talks low taxes, helps pass them for his rich cronies, then BORROWS the money from China and other "friends" to fill the government's coffers . . . coffers he's helped empty by a complete failure to control either spending or what amounts to theft-by-earmark by his friends. Goldwater and Reagan wouldn't stand for it. Neither will Webb. Nor will any true conservative.

Corruption

With undisclosed financial transactions of his own to worry about, Allen has been predictably reticent about taking his fellows to task when obvious violations of the law were taking place. To ask him to condemn unethical practices that his friends "assured him" were "legal" would be beyond the pale.

Not worried about Habeas Corpus in the hands of Gonzalez? Wait until legitimate gun dealers are arrested for "indirectly" giving "aid and comfort" to some undefined public enemy. Wait until the next Martin Luther King is "disappeared." Wait until Allen's friends in the power companies use the Federal courts to seize your land. Goldwater wouldn't stand for it. Webb will not.

Maturity and "Family Values"

Allen has never grown up. Sadly, for Virginia, he still epitomizes the daddy's-boy, the-law-doesn't-apply-to-me, rich-kid UVA-fraternity culture of the late '60s and early '70s. It was a culture I knew all too well . . . a culture that adopted and vociferously defended efforts to exclude women and blacks from the University . . . and blacks, Jews, Catholics, and even some of the more "embarrassing" born-again Christians from their fraternity houses.

And from a Christian perspective, who but a Pharisee of the first degree would have the unmitigated gall to accuse a Marine Captain (who took a grenade blast for one of his men) of being a "cut and run" coward.

Webb, too was a child of his times, and he, like Allen, said and did some stupid things in his youth. But for Webb, combat and the loss of friends . . . hard work, responsibility, a willingness to admit and learn from mistakes . . . and a profound ability to empathize (revealed clearly in his writing) helped him become a man, and put away foolish things. Indeed, they combined to make him the kind of officer under whose command anyone would be proud to serve . . . the kind of man one would like to be . . . and the kind of Senator Virginia deserves.

Duty, Honor, Country

Webb served and was awarded a decoration for valor second only to the Medal of Honor. He did his duty as Reagan's Secretary of the Navy, and resigned rather than do something that he believed would betray the Navy and the Country he took an oath to preserve, protect and defend.

Allen, judging from his behavior, either suffers from a singular inability to know what's right, or a flatterer's unwillingness to act in the face of criticism from his friends. Goldwater and Reagan detested such conduct. They wouldn't stand for it. Neither will Webb.

"Smart" Government

Barack Obama recently noted that our times call for behavior that is beyond Red vs. Blue, and beyond the ideological differences of the '60s and '70s. What people really want, he says, is not a debate about big government vs. small government, but leadership in the development of smart government: big where it needs to be; small where it should be.

Allen has been described by sincere endorsers of Republican Frank Wolf as a man "whose legislative contributions have been marginal at best" and "no one's idea of a heavyweight in the Senate."

I agree with The Washington Post: "Virginians deserve better and more enlightened representation. Mr. Webb offers that hope."

Webb is smart, brave, and honest . . . and the kind of man whose son becomes a soldier. Mr. Goldwater and Mr. Reagan would approve. I hope you will too, and that you will vote for Jim Webb in November.