[KevinTheOmnivore]

Well, it's merely my opinion, but Buckley is often credited as the intellectual godfather of conservatism. Without him and the National Review, perhaps there wouldn't have been GOldwater, thus no Reagan, etc. etc.

Would Buckley recognize the conservatism of today? Big government spending, Christian-Right paternalism, corporate welfare junkies?

I don't think so, and I believe he actually has complained quite recently about the war. He certainly didn't disapprove of war, see the clip above. But this war certainly stretched the conservative perspective on war and security, and now has turned us in to nation builders. Not necesarily in line with his kind of conservatism.