Mission Statement, Part 1:

Politically Conservative. In the broad spectrum of American politics I tend to think of myself as falling somewhere to the right of the so-called "center right." I set my iconic philosophical standard as William F. Buckley, Jr., who shed his mortal coil just last week. The movement he started with the founding of National Review in 1955 survives as the cornerstone of a living memorial to his vision. I didn't know of him so much from the magazine, as I was never a subscriber to any magazine, but I became familiar with his unique style of punditry and humor through the television program Firing Line, one of the few programs on PBS that I found worth watching. However, with the advent of the World Wide Web, I started beginning my morning update with Drudge and became a daily reader of National Review Online. Below the banner on NRO's Home Page there is a tab for "Blog Row." One of those blogs, The Corner, has become my first stop for all things freshly current, newsworhty and political. It is updated throughout the day, and not all of it is wonkery. I find some of my favorite writers there, notably Jonah Goldberg, Mark Steyn and the incomparable Victor Davis Hansen. The sheer word output from those guys is mindboggling; not just in their posts on The Corner, but in the articles they write for other publications. Jonah is clever and often flat-out funny, and I also like his contemporary cultural references, especially when they relate to Star Trek, which he works in whenever he can. I look forward to reading his new book, Liberal Fascism. Mark brings a particularly interesting slant on things, having become naturalized from some other British colony (Canada). I don't know how Victor finds time to share his wisdom on a blog, what with all the other truly amazing scholarly work he produces. He frequently shows up to give expert commentary on History Channel programs, especially things relating to ancient Grecian warfare. There are many interesting pundits contributing to The Corner. The discussion is often lively, and not always limited to partisan politics. Another place I go for a good sampling of daily columns is Townhall.com. Many contribute there, and on Thursdays one can find Ann Coulter's latest. Ann is a little over the top for me sometimes, but I always find her worth a laugh or two--and what a babe! The Web is a wonderful place to gather information. But this little bibliography cannot be complete without my mentioning the "Doctor of Democracy," Rush Limbaugh. I don't always agree with anyone, but I must say I am a regular listener (as well as a subscriber to Rush 24/7, in case I miss a day), and he does often articulate things I wish I could--and perhaps someday I can--say. Now that I've announced my daily thought feeding troughs, as a reader one can gather where I come by some of the raw materials from which I hope to produce fresh contributions of my own to our ongoing discussion of the American experiment.

So, I guess that pretty well sums up part 1 of my "mission statement." Part 2 is going to be a bit more difficult. Before I get to that point I would like to make a political statement, of sorts, to start things off, but I really don't want to subject anyone who hasn't seen it to the Obama "Dip Dive" video; (spoiler alert: don't click if you have a weak stomach). I find it creepy and somewhat frightening. Somehow I think it should more appropriately include these lyrics, by Kerry J.S. (Hat Tip: Lisa Schiffren of The Corner):

(It should probably be performed just as earnestly and with the same array of multi-racial talent, plus, probably a few old people.)

I want to live in an America where ants and rain never bother my picnic.

I want to live in an America where ice cream and beer help you take off the pounds.

I want to live in an America that is only visited by friendly space aliens like ET and Spock,

not bad ones like Predator and the body snatchers.

I want to live in an America where it's never too hot in the summertime and winter always has enough snow to be pretty but not enough to make the roads dangerous.

I want to live in an America with tangerine trees and marmalade skies.

I want to live in an America where cellophane flowers of yellow and green are towering over your head.

I want to live in an America where newspaper taxis appear on the shore, waiting to take you away.
I want an America where you can get your dirty deeds done dirt cheap.

I want to live in an America where you get your money for nothing and your chicks for free.
Obama! Obama! Obama!!!! (swinging arms above head as if this
is dancing, and managing to ooze sincerity out of every pore).

Anyway, I guess by now one might know what to expect from my "Politically Conservative" side.