Politics

How Trumpism trumped Bushism

When Ronald Reagan chose George H. W. Bush as his running mate in 1980, a decades-long dance among the Bush family, the Republican establishment, and the conservative movement began. Without a doubt this one choice set the stage for two … Continue reading

The Changing Faith of Hillary Clinton

Editor’s note: A version of this article first appeared at Crisis Magazine. When many conservatives first learned back in 2007 that I had the temerity to write a book on the faith of Hillary Clinton, especially after books on the faiths … Continue reading

The Gong Show Election of 2016

Many of those reading this article remember The Gong Show. It ran on NBC from June 1976 to July 1978 and briefly reprised in the 1980s. It featured amateur talent, much of it rendering absurd humor. Three judges awarded ridiculous … Continue reading

Remembering a Grimly Prophetic July 4

Editor’s note: A shorter version of this article first appeared in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. On July 4, 1826, America awaited a special moment. It was the young nation’s Jubilee. It was the 50th anniversary of its birth, of the signing of … Continue reading

Trump vs. Reagan: Unprincipled vs. Principled

Editor’s note: This article first appeared at ConservativeReview.com. In my previous piece in this series, I quoted a Ronald Reagan speech to CPAC, the Conservative Political Action Conference, from February 6, 1977, where Reagan defined conservatism. Among his crucial points … Continue reading

Trump vs. Reagan: What is a Conservative?

Editor’s note: This article first appeared at ConservativeReview.com. Many of Donald Trump’s supporters have compared him to Ronald Reagan. It is quite instructive that Trump himself picked up the 1980 Reagan campaign slogan, “Let’s Make America Great Again.” Trump speaks positively of Ronald … Continue reading

Hillary Clinton’s Church Problem

Editor’s note: A version of this article first appeared in Crisis magazine. The 2016 presidential race, like all presidential races, has raised questions and controversies regarding the religious faiths of the candidates. Donald Trump’s beliefs have been questioned, as were … Continue reading

2016 Presidential Election Survey

If the election were held today, who would you like to see as president? Take the short survey below (only two questions!) and let your voice be heard. Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey , the world’s leading questionnaire … Continue reading

When the Left Liked Conscientious Objection

Editor’s note: This article first appeared in Crisis magazine.Do you remember the name Daniel Berrigan? Berrigan was a Jesuit priest well-known for his protests of the Vietnam War. He became a household name in the 1960s, along with his brother, Philip Berrigan, also a … Continue reading

Whatever Happened to Conservatism?

As Republicans prepare to gather in Cleveland to nominate Donald Trump as their nominee, the question that many may ask is: Whatever happened to conservatism? To the extent that conservatism is defined by limited government, free enterprise, respect for federalism, … Continue reading

An Autopsy of a Movement

With Ted Cruz having dropped out of the 2016 presidential race, there will be a string of eulogies seeking to autopsy his campaign. At least some of those critiques may hit the mark. In particular, Cruz’s campaign strategy went awry … Continue reading