"There is more reason to be hopeful about the United States, for history teaches us that American democracy is remarkably resilient, thanks in large part to the vitality of American civil society. But hopes for a renewal of republican virtue and a flourishing of civic patriotism are going to be dashed if religious leaders in America continue to trade their moral authority for the mess of pottage that is proximity to political power, or if men and women who have devoted their lives to cultural excellence continue to make excuses for vulgarity and crudity at the highest levels of government, or if liberty continues to be confused with license across the entire bandwidth of the political spectrum. Which is to say that both conservatives and progressives in these United States need a thorough examination of conscience about their respective responsibilities for our current democratic discontents, which are no longer just a matter of frustration with Washington political dysfunction."
George Weigel at National Affairs discusses "this moment of democratic discontent."
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