Thank you for taking a break to be here today. You are brave to come and listen to me in particular. In an earlier career i was an attorney which is a group known not only for its brevity of speech and now for a long time ive been an academic which is a group not known for its clarity of speech so as i said you are brave to come on a friday to hear what i have to say. I thought i would begin with the 2012 election and as im sure you are aware after that election many people proclaimed the death of modern american absolutism. One commentator said the titanic is sinking referring to american conservatism. Another one observes that the conservative arguments we have heard in this election are going to be relics in a museum very shortly. Lots of people said conservatism really needed to change both its message and its methods if it so ever going to win an election again. It still being debated today. I noticed in this mornings wall street journal Governor Scott walker from wisconsin talkin
Now on booktv David Davenport Research Fellow at the Hoover Institution argues that the debate over the new deal in the 1930s laid the groundwork or todays conservative movement. This program is 45 minutes. It is my pleasure to introduce David Davenport. [applause] thank you. Its great to be with you today. This is somewhat familiar territory to me. Not long ago i worked in senator bob doles office which i suppose dates may and this is a newer building then my time. The hallowed halls and something about the work that you do so thank you for taking a break to be here today. You are brave to come and listen to me in particular. In an earlier career i was an attorney which is a group known not only for its brevity of speech and now for a long time ive been an academic which is a group not known for its clarity of speech so as i said you are brave to come on a friday to hear what i have to say. I thought i would begin with the 2012 election and as im sure you are aware after that election