So why aren’t vouchers more widespread? In many places, so-called “progressives” have managed to block their use by applying a 19th century legalism: Blaine Amendments. These were originally written into the constitutions of dozens of states when anti-Catholic fervor was running high. It puts the left in the unusual position of supporting xenophobic laws -- not much “progressive” about that.

Finally, Anrig cites “privatizing Social Security” as a failure. It’s true that conservatives failed to get personal retirement accounts added to Social Security. But that doesn’t mean PRAs wouldn’t work; it just means they’ve never been tried. If nothing else, conservatives have successfully called attention to the funding problems behind the impending entitlement crisis.

Meanwhile, the left insists Social Security is on solid ground (it isn’t) and that, anyway, we could save it by raising taxes (we can’t). Talk about failed ideas.

On foreign policy, too, Anrig fails to convince. The Bush administration “has weakened our security -- most notably through the unnecessary calamity in Iraq -- by diluting our military capabilities and diverting their focus from genuine threats from al Qaeda.”

But that’s exactly wrong.

July’s American death toll in Iraq was the lowest since the war started in March of 2003. Al Qaeda has been devastated, and may never recover. Our homeland hasn’t been attacked since 2001. Who would have predicted that six years ago?

It looks as though American troops may be withdrawn from Iraq on a timetable favored by Sen. Obama -- but only because the “surge” he opposed and insisted wouldn’t work has, indeed worked. Around the globe, conservative foreign policy ideas are being vindicated every day.

Conservatism -- free markets, privatization and assertiveness abroad -- has worked --when it’s been tried. The question this election year isn’t “is conservatism dead,” it’s “do we have the will to expand policies that are already working well.” Time will tell.