This past weekend I attended the Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC. This is an annual gathering of conservatives from across the spectrum of age, establishment and fame. The youngest unknown can mingle with influential members of the media, meet politicians and candidates for office, or (perhaps best) socialize with other members of the conservative… Continue reading »
Feb
15
Jan
19
Perry’s Out; Now What?
Well it’s finally happened. Rick Perry’s campaign, derailed by poor debate performance and an insistence by some members of the conservative punditariat that vaccines were more important than a record of job creation, has ended. It ended on a good note, as Perry left the race without playing spoiler. His supporters in South Carolina represent… Continue reading »
Dec
07
Blurbs
I don’t have the energy, interest, wherewithal or pluck to attempt a blog post longer than a few words. I shall therefore apply a scattershot approach, and hit on several topics or random thoughts. Join me on this potentially amazing experience. *** Bad news out of Smithfield, my hometown. The priest there has been suspended from… Continue reading »
Nov
16
Decision 2012
I’ve decided that I am going to support Rick Perry for President of the United States. Some regular readers here and on Twitter (mostly on Twitter; this blog is like an Alaskan mining town – rich in resources but scantly populated) may have noticed that I’ve resisted making a decision about lending my active support to a… Continue reading »
Nov
14
Know Your Political Cults
This political season has seen the conservative movement struggle with its identity and its prospects for the future. A lot is on the line in the 2012 election, certainly. What I’ve noticed more and more is just how personally everyone seems to take the merest criticism of their preferred candidate. The reactions range from defensive scorn… Continue reading »
Oct
26
The First Among the Rest
The contest for the Republican nomination for President has, well before the first primary, been both raucous and caustic. As yet it has not dipped into toxicity, although prior to Sarah Palin’s voluntary departure from consideration the onset of psychosis among some of her core supporters seemed inevitable. Ron Paul has even managed to keep… Continue reading »
Oct
12
Whither Perry?
I’m losing faith in Rick Perry. When I first heard he might be considering a run for the Presidency, I reviewed what I knew of him: Governor of Texas; shot a coyote to save his dog; socially conservative; palatable to Evangelicals. All very fine. Then I learned about the truly encouraging economic figures in Texas,… Continue reading »
Oct
04
Republican Nomination – The Received Wisdom
It occurs to me that some people do not spend all day on Twitter following politics. Some don’t even check the news every day. For these people, I humbly submit my thoughts on the state of the Republican nomination: The race for the Republican nomination has taken some unpredictable turns of late. Of foremost note,… Continue reading »
Sep
08
Impressions From the Debate
After last night’s Republican debates, some impressions: Romney and Perry are the clear frontrunners. While I think Perry made a huge impression on people, Romney sounded more polished, professional and more Presidential. Perry needs to tighten up, get a few answers prepared to tough questions. But the race is between them. I liked the jabbing that went… Continue reading »
