Maggie Gallagher tells about a study showing that Americans feel less free to express themselves, less than they did in the McCarthy era of the allegedly conformist 1950’s. In 1954, 13% of Americans feared expressing themselves openly. Now, 24%–nearly a fourth–do not feel free to say what is on their minds. Is this due to the supposed erosion of civil liberties after 9/11? No. The culprit appears to be the “politically-correct” speech codes of the left.

The groups that feel most restricted are “fundamentalists” and those who oppose abortion. And they are right to feel that way. The study found that 39% of Americans would support a government ban against religious fundamentalists holding “public rallies and demonstrations in your community to advance their cause.”

Gallagher quotes the author of the study: “More than one-half of these mainstream groups believe they cannot exercise full political freedom in the United States today,” Mr. Gibson writes. “It is also noteworthy that the respondents least likely to perceive repression are those sympathetic toward gay rights activists and atheists.”

Slate has an interesting portrait of Mike Huckabee and his wife Janet. It covers their faith and their relationship. While the piece is rather condescending, it notes with approval their genuine concern for the down-and-out that some consider “liberal,” but which grew out of their experiences when Mike served as a pastor. The article’s account of what pastors do will probably come as a surprise to many of Slate’s readers.

Tired of reality shows? How about a surreality show? (A term apparently coined by TV critic Tom Shales, referring to another program, the term meaning a drama unhinged from any kind of plausibility or realism.) “Lost” returns tonight. Will you?

Rudy Giuliani dropped out of the GOP presidential race yesterday. So did John Edwards, the Democrat. They join Fred Thompson and Dennis Kucinich. In searching for another possibility, I thought of Duncan Hunter, only to find out that HE has stopped running.

The choices are narrowing, and the most ideologically pure on both the right and the left are out of the running.