In his brilliant book “Our Divided Political Heart,” E.J. Dionne has shown that throughout our nation’s history, the citizenry has shown strong beliefs in both individualism and community.

Our greatest achievements have been made possible by our ability to balance these attributes. Present-day Republicanism and conservatives have unsettled this balance.

To quote Dionne, “They have done so by jettisoning their communitarian commitments, by adopting a highly restrictive view of the federal government’s role, and by advancing a view of the Constitution that would prohibit or reduce activities that the federal government has undertaken for a century or more.”

Robert Levy’s column “Obama’s War on Our Liberty” (July 22) is a perfect example of this radical position, where he “applauds the individual and rejects the collective” (i.e., community). If he has not done so, I urge Mr. Levy to read Dionne’s book.

George E. Snow

Pinehurst