This is a really thoughtful column on the strengths and weaknesses of liberalism and conservatism–particularly within the Catholic Church, but I think that the lessons apply much more broadly. It is long, but if you can take the time I think you’ll find it worthwhile.
I’d post the entire text, but I’m not sure that’s legal, so I shall err on the side of caution and simply give you the web page, which I think you’ll have to cut and paste, unfortunately:
http://uscatholic.claretians.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=12107&news_iv_ctrl=0&abbr=usc_
