PROVO — One of the most outspoken conservative journalists in America was in Utah Tuesday. George Will, a Fox News Channel contributor and columnist for the Washington Post, addressed BYU students and then sat down for a "One on One" interview with KSL News.

Will discussed his thoughts on the current state of the Republican Party in Washington, D.C., and why he thinks the Tea Party movement is "one of the best things that's happened in American politics in 20 years."

He also talked about Utah Sen. Mike Lee's recent decision to break from the main Republican Party agenda and support Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, in a "filibuster" designed to gain support for a measure to defund the Affordable Care Act.

Deseret News:

At BYU, George Will decries 'decadent democracy,' worries with LDS about religious liberty

Columnist and Fox News contributor George Will spoke at BYU on Tuesday and said the expanding American government is becoming a welfare state built on the "fundamental immorality" of borrowing, a practice in "decadent democracy."

"In Washington, I don't think the position (Lee) took looks convincing now," Will said. "He's a different breed, however, than Ted Cruz. ... Mike Lee understands that it's a team sport, politics."

As for the future of the Republican party, Will said he thinks things still look promising in 2016.

"If I had to bet my net worth on which party wins the White House in 2016, I'd be very nervous — and I'd bet on the Republicans," he said.

Will added that it's not often Americans elect a party to a third consecutive term in the White House and that the Republican field of presidential contenders will be much stronger than it was in 2012.

For more from George Will, watch Dave McCann's interview by clicking on the video player above.

Contributing: Jordan Ormond

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