I'm A Fusionist

So, what in the world is a fusionist?  Fusionism is a political philosophy that combines traditionalism and libertarianism.  The architect of fusionism was Frank Meyer (1909-1972).  Meyer was a former communist who became a conservative and was one of the original editors of National Review.  He believed that traditionalists should be libertarians and libertarians should be traditionalists.  Meyer believed the two groups had a common enemy (liberalism/socialism) and also a common heritage.  The name "fusionism" was actually coined by Brent Bozell Jr. who was a traditionalist opponent of the political philosophy of Frank Meyer.  

In 1955 William F. Buckley brought together traditionalists, libertarians, and anticommunists at his new magazine National Review.  Buckley credited Frank Meyer for doing the best job of bringing these groups together with his fusionism.  Fusionism was embraced by Buckley as well as Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan.  Fusionism became known simply as conservatism.  

Frank Meyer saw the basic functions of government as national defense, maintaining order, and promoting justice.  He believed the national government should be limited, states rights should be recognized, and in decentralized power.  Of course freedom is of the utmost importance but we must have an ordered liberty.  Meyer pointed out that freedom needs virtue and virtue needs freedom.  Freedom by itself leads to anarchy and then tyranny will eventually arise.  Of course virtue that is coerced is not really virtue at all.  Fusionism places great value on freedom while still maintaining respect for religion and tradition.  Fusionism combines cultural conservatism with political and economic libertarianism.  

The government must be limited because those in government are affected by original sin just like those whom they must govern.  Government must be able to restrain evil but at the same time it must be restrained itself.  Too much power in the hands of sinful men is horrifying.  We must also distinguish between an authoritarian government and the authority of God.  The authority of government must be strongly limited but the authority of God should be fully embraced.  We must recognize the absolute authority of God.   Those who reject the authority of God end up losing truth, virtue, and even freedom.  

A fusionist is simply a constitutionalist.  The U.S. Constitution was a brilliant political document with its limits on government, containing a system of checks and balances and the separation of powers.  America needs to embrace the political philosophy known as fusionism.