THE INSIDER
APRIL 2002, NO. 294
The Insider is published monthly by The Heritage Foundation’s Coalition Relations Department. Begun in January 1978, The Insider
abstracts recent publications, profiles the latest legal action, and reports newsworthy events in the conservative movement. The Coalition
Relations Department serves as Heritage’s liaison to a network of some 400 policy groups and over 2,000 leading scholars and activists
worldwide. The deadline for all submissions to The Insider is the 7th of the month. Please contact The Editor, The Insider, The Heritage
Foundation, 214 Massachusetts Avenue, NE, Washington, D.C. 20002-4999, 202/546-4400, fax 202/544-0961, email
Insider@heritage.org..
COALITION RELATIONS STAFF
Bridgett Wagner, Director, Coalition Relations • John Hilboldt, Deputy Director, Coalition Relations • Andrew Walker, Editor, The
Insider • Lynn Gibson, Job Bank Coordinator • Ann Bula, Internship Coordinator • Becky Norton Dunlop, Vice President, External
Relations
Note: Nothing written here is to be construed as necessarily reflecting the view of The Heritage Foundation or as an attempt to aid or hinder the passage of any bill before Congress.
AMERICA’S UNIQUE APPROACH TO PRIVATE CONSERVATION AND
PRIVATE STEWARDSHIP GROWS OUT OF THE PENCHANT BY
AMERICANS
TO
UNDERTAKE
AND
FORM VOLUNTARY
ASSOCIATIONS. ALEXIS DE TOCQUEVILLE, IN HIS DEMOCRACY IN
AMERICA, SINGLED OUT THIS CHARACTERISTIC OF THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE AS ONE OF THE MOST STRIKING THINGS THAT
SEPARATED THEM FROM THE PEOPLE OF THE OLD WORLD.
“IN NO COUNTRY IN THE WORLD HAS THE PRINCIPLE OF
ASSOCIATION BEEN MORE SUCCESSFULLY USED OR APPLIED TO A
GREATER MULTITUDE OF OBJECTS THAN IN AMERICA,” OBSERVED
DE TOCQUEVILLE. “AMERICANS OF ALL AGES, ALL CONDITIONS,
AND ALL DISPOSITIONS CONSTANTLY FORM ASSOCIATIONS… TO
GIVE ENTERTAINMENTS, TO FOUND SEMINARIES, TO BUILD INNS,
TO CONSTRUCT CHURCHES, TO DIFFUSE BOOKS, TO SEND
MISSIONARIES TO THE ANTIPODES; IN THIS MANNER THEY FOUND
HOSPITALS, PRISONS AND SCHOOLS. IF IT IS PROPOSED TO
INCULCATE SOME TRUTH OR TO