On National Conversations

Lying Eyes makes a good point on how conservatives do (and to some extent must) pull their punches: [T]his is the quandry the right finds itself in – it cannot communicate its message to voters since the message itself is verboten. And so it must rely on proxy arguments that don’t necessarily make a lot [...]

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Our Phony Resident Oakeshott Expert

I have to confess, I’ve found Andrew Sullivan quite unbearable for some time.  He is an emotional basket case.  His opinions, overwrought.  He switches from position to position without apology and without acknowledging the strident, uncompromising, and directly opposed stances he took earlier. This is nowhere more evident than in his embrace of the nation [...]

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Vanishing American

I’m happy to report the blog Vanishing American, which vanished for about a year, has reappeared with its characteristic wit, wisdom, insight, and traditionalism.

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Rand Paul Upset

The worst thing to come of a Democratic administration would be “anybody but them” syndrome, whereby weak, unprincipled Republicans are elected to govern like George W. Bush:  big on symbolism, but weak in all other respects. Rand Paul’s victory in Kentucky was important.  It upset the establishment.  It represents a deflection of the mindless pro-war [...]

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Palin: Impulsive Just Like McCain

I thought one of Mccain’s biggest flaws was his impulsive, angry nature. His choice of Palin as the VP candidate was itself rather impulsive, and, as soon became clear, not very good. Her chief appeal was symbolic for red-staters–she was hated by the same people they thought hate them. But once she opened her mouth, [...]

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The 60s and the Decline of Authority

Most mainstream conservatives distinguish the good 1960s, in particular the civil rights movement, from the evil excesses of the hippies and the anti Vietnam War movement.  Shelby Steele does a good job of explaining the genesis of the Left’s contempt for mainstream America and Western Civilization as rooted in a narrative of the civil rights movement that [...]

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David Brooks, Conservative

Today in the New York Times: When I was a freshman in college, I was assigned “Reflections on the Revolution in France” by Edmund Burke. I loathed the book. I, by contrast, read Burke my freshman year, fell in love, and wrote my bachelor’s thesis on his philosophy.  One peculiar thing about the neoconservatives is [...]

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Perpetual Fight: Conservatives and Libertarians

Bush adopted his “compassionate conservative” agenda on the theory that the harsh rhetoric and self-consciously anti-government conservatism of Gingrich’s “Contract with America” was unpopular and unlikely to win. There may be some truth to this. But, at the same time, Bush downplayed conservative positions on everything from abortion to affirmative action. He instead emphasized his [...]

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Palinphobia and the Future of Conservatism

I think it’s low down and pathetic that McCain’s operatives are blaming Palin for his loss.  If anything, she pumped him up.  Surely the proposed Lieberman pick would have been a complete flop.  McCain did better in the popular vote than I ever expected considering what an unpleasant mediocrity he was on the stump and considering how [...]

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