galvagin

I actually really agree with you about Addington - I don't think he perceives security/democracy as a kind of binary choice. But I'm sure he (and other strong executive conservatives) have some sense of what those two concepts mean, how they co-exist, and when they are in tension with one another. I'd just like a better picture of what their worldview actually is, I suppose. I think your idea of *populism* is really right on, and it never really occurred to me to think of it in that way. I mean, I can see the broadly populist agenda (flag burning amendment? really?) - but I think my take on it was always pretty cynical/functional. I never really thought that they might *sincerely* see themselves as carrying a democratic spirit, in a Nixonian (not so) "Silent Majority" kind of way. But, that would make sense - Cheney and Co. are from that era.

In terms of statistical analysis, I think some kind of coding proxy could be made up to measure this stuff. I think the bigger problem would be the pool of respondents being large enough to find much of use out. Interviews would probably be aces.

as usual, you are right - stuff *is* awesome.