"Conservatism should be a defense of government against its abuse by liberals."

     Roger Scruton, "The good of government," First things no. 244 (June/July 2014):  36 (33-38).  "the liberal mind-set . . . believes that only the wealthy are accountable, since only they are truly free" (37).  "All goods, in liberal eyes, are unowned until distributed" (37).  "On the liberal view, therefore, government is the art of seizing and then redistributing the good things to which all citizens have a claim" (37).