Jeff Moore

1/2 The publication of @sladesr’s new book “Fusionism: Liberty, Virtue, and the Future of the American Right” has prompted a spate of reviews, articles, and assessments of her thesis that the American Right should champion both the cause of individual freedom and the tradition of moral virtue. Fusionism, she wrote, is “rooted in the idea that human beings were created by God for a purpose and that fulfilling that purpose requires cultivating good habits. Not every fusionist has the same religious views, but all share a common appreciation for the timeless wisdom of their patrimony. And unlike many on both the Left and the Right today, they know that freedom is an integral part of Judeo-Christian moral thought.” @FreeConTalk signatory @ThomasDHowes agrees. In a @LawLiberty review of what he called Slade’s “fantastic new book,” Howes endorsed her argument that “fusionism, rather than a mere coalition that only made sense in the Cold War but not afterward, is a coherent philosophy. “Not only is it a philosophy, but it is also the philosophy of the Founding Fathers. It is the philosophy of liberty and virtue, and even a claim that liberty and virtue are mutually reinforcing.” Also writing in @LawLiberty, #FreeCon signatory and Hillsdale College professor @BradleyBirzer wrote that “Fusionism is one of the most important books not only of 2026, but of the first third of the twenty-first century. It is an able retelling of the past, but also a guide to the future.” In a @CivitasOutlook forum about the book, FreeCon signatory @RichardMorrison observed that over the past decade, “right-wing political rhetoric has begun to tilt away from the traditional equilibrium of small government, economic freedom, and personal virtue — what we generally call fusionist ideas.” “For Slade and many of her fellow critics, this is a time for choosing as serious as any in modern history,” wrote Morrison, a senior fellow at @CEIdotorg, for “action must be taken to defend the governmental restraint and commitment to due process that were once the hallmarks of principled conservatism in the American political system.” And in @AmSpectator, FreeCon signatory @DonaldDevineco1 defended Slade’s book from critics on the Dissident Right. “Fusionism’s freedom synthesis is anchored not on an abstract ‘virtue,’ as many traditionalists would have it, but on a real history anchored on a time-tested tradition,” wrote Devine, a senior scholar at @TFASorg. “Reagan indeed followed that tradition, and it is still conservatism’s best bet for a moral and free future.” Freedom Conservatives and all others interested in the future of the American Right should read the book. Slade will also be the keynote speaker at one of Freedom Conservatism’s three post-election regional summits: #FreeCon Raleigh on November 18. Find out more below.