The New Man on the Conservative Beat
Jason DeParle, the paper's new conservative beat reporter (taking over from David Kirkpatrick), files the first of a two-part series on "The Conservative Reach," this one a profile of Lawrence Reed, who runs the Mackinac Center for Public Policy in Michigan, and of other small conservative organizations who work at the state level for policy changes.
DeParle writes: "Collectively, the groups have pushed for cuts in health and welfare programs, constitutional limits on state spending, and expanded school choice programs. They have opposed what they call burdensome health, safety, and environmental regulations and increases in the minimum wage."
It's a pretty fair article, but a photo caption adds this subtle, unflattering twist to the quote above: "From Sea to Shining Sea - The conservative public policy movement extends into almost every state, where groups have opposed programs that include environmental protections and minimum wage increases."
Judging by the caption, conservatives aren't just against burdensome environmental regulations but against protecting the environment as well.
