Conservatives should consider Hein both a victory and a missed opportunity. The fact that Flast was not expanded means what would have been a whole new line of attack by the Left against churches and ministries has been stopped. But the fact that Flast was not overturned means that all the current attacks will continue until such a time when one more conservative justice is confirmed to the Supreme Court.

Hein shows that conservatives have gotten halfway to the Court they desire, but are most definitely not there yet. Conservatives can celebrate, but they need to double their efforts in the 2008 elections.

When a federal appeals court declares the Pledge of Allegiance unconstitutional because of “one nation under God,” most Americans side with the Right to say such hostility from our courts must end.

The Left is now fuming over the Supreme Court. If they are energized to change the Court while the Right engages in self-congratulations, thinking it has won and can therefore relax, then the Left will win the White House in 2008.

If that happens, people of faith will see that all the talk from Senators Clinton, Obama, and Edwards about respecting religion is nothing but empty rhetoric. Their nominees to the Supreme Court will extend and expand Flast, as well as the other recent legal doctrines that are hostile to faith.

While these presidential hopefuls promise to advance religious liberty and values, they also vow to appoint Supreme Court justices that will extinguish the last remnants of faith and traditional values from the public square.

Champions of religious liberties need to wake up to this clear choice, and keep it in mind on the morning of November 4, 2008.