Politics is.......... (Lesson One)

I spent the first two years of college at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan, before moving on to complete my BA and MA in Communications Arts and Sciences, Radio & Television, at Michigan State. I remember quite a bit of what I learned in my Electrical Engineering studies (my first major), but only two things stand out in my other, 'required', non-Engineering courses. I learned both in Political Science 101. One of those lessons I will describe in a later 'Art of Conservatism' essay. The point this time is the definition of politics itself. And yes, it is germaine to the discussion of why Conservatism seems to be constantly playing catch-up in the competition of ideas.

Simply put, the political science definition of 'politics' is 'war by other means'. Humph. Not exactly what turns We the People on, is it?

Maybe so, but it doesn't make that definition any less true, either. And that explains a couple of very important points, or factoids, if you will.

First, it is a war. And, as with any type of war, it has the effect of wearing on people. Since the second decade of the twentieth century, wars using bullets and bombs and brutality have been an almost daily part of the world's existence, especially in its reincarnated, efficient, mechanized form, each one much more frightening than the one previous. People get tired of war in that sense. Hey, here's some news that isn't--- people are tired of this form of war as well. 

 

But then there are the long-drawn out 'campaigns' which politicians call war but which are wars without gun, bodily casualty or prisoner in the usual sense: They call these the War on Poverty, the War on Drugs---you get the picture. Never mind that the turf is different. It's still a contest for the mind of We the People, especially those of us who vote, to make us believe that we are into the noble fight when the fight is only against the symptoms of the enemy to be fought, and not the cause.. And, don't look now, there doesn't seem to be much winning going on there, either. It's enough to make us all weary---and it does.

So, what of politics as war? Well, again it's the war for the minds of We The People; it's also a war of two ideologies pitted against each other, the war between two sides who believe that they know what's best for us here in Flyover Country, when only one side has it right. It's the war between security and freedom, of self-reliance vs. government dependence and its brother, government control; of seeing the best in people vs. seeing people as sheep. It has ever been thus. And it's not just in America. It's world-wide.

Make no mistake, politics is a form of war, with skirmishes being fought almost daily in all 51 capitols of this land, including and especially DC.

But, and here's the second point: there's the dirty little secret: One side fully understands the concept of politics as 'war by other means', and those who fight on that side are in it as a career. They use their longevity to attain positions of power and influence, to force the other side to capitulate to their concept of what they think the country should be like, instead of what the country was as originally founded. The popular name emerging for these folks is: the political class. And, because these member of the political dclass have usually never have worked within the producing class---read that 'the private sector---they don't understand it, and they show that misunderstanding by trying to bend it to their will or destroy it, just as they try to do it with people.

Then there's the other side, where We The People are. That's the side that believes that government should not be a tool of the political class. Those of us who are there prefer to work hard at our passions, to produce what the country needs and wants and be rewarded for it, and want to be simply to be left alone by the political class. Meanwhile, the Political Class feels it their calling to disrupt those who produce every time they try to accomplish anything. For their efforts, the ruling class showers contempt on them for their efforts, and for even trying. 

 

In short, the end game of the two sides in this 'war by other means' is vastly different for each side. For the political class, their goals are both forcing their unbridled power on We the People, while at the same time obtaining great wealth for themselves, by defining your bank account, your wallet, and your personal property as their piggy bank, using that money in turn to bend the mind and the will of the rest of us to believe in that power through gifts from said wallets and piggy banks. For the rest of us, the end game is simply to have the political class leave us alone.

That attitude on our part isn't enough anymore. Frankly, it is seen as passive by the political class, and they scorn us for it. That's why We the People, the ones who would rather work and produce and live and let live, to love our country and not subjugate it---rather, it is we who have to change our ways of seeing politics as someone else's job. We have to be as We the People had to do be back in 1941: go and fight the good fight as our grandparents and parents had to do to win World War II. We have to mobilize again, take on this political class, and defeat it. And, once we've won, and we have done what it takes to make America the safer from the re-emergence of the political class, then we have to leave that seat of power which has the hallowed name of Washington that it doesn't deserve---and return to our homes and our passions. We have  to thus resist becoming tempted and co-opted into that which we seek to defeat, to say 'no' to the inevitable temptations of the political class to 'just take the course of least resistance'. Instead, we have to trust that someone who is as altruistic as we are take our place there, for just a little while as we would, and then repeat, after us, to become productive Americans living their passions again. Better yet, we must train them ourselves to do as we fought to be able to do---to run America better, rather than into the ground. That's how the war of politics should be fought.

I know. The prospect of doing all of this is still enough to make anyone war-weary. That's the reason that wonderful people like my own wife are so turned off by politics, who instead are willing to let someone else do that---which plays right into the hands of the political class in the first place. From now on, that's how the battle is going to have to be fought..

For Art of Conservatism, I'm Art Reis

The elections, martial law, and Conservatism

The Art of Conservatism

The Elections, Martial Law, and Conservatism

How many of you have considered this question: Would Obama even allow a Conservative to replace him, or would he resort to martial law first?

As Paul Harvey would say, I'm about to tell you a little more than I know. However, I can't help but believe that all the ingredients are in place to provide for the following possible scenario:

As the election of 2016 approaches, it is becoming clear that the Great American Socialist/ Statist Experiment is in trouble. The polls show it. The attitude of the We the American People, even those who had heretofore supported the Democrat President, is clearly of a folk who have 'had enough'. The national surliness is almost palpable.

Sometime around the date of the election, November 8, 2016, the mood “boils over” and riots begin to break out in many major cities around the country. The press covers this assiduously, with a wringing of hands combined with a thinly disguised glee (as you know they would). Spurred on by the media, the situation gets way violent, way fast. As Paul would put it, “Violence is contagious and we news-boys are carriers”. At that point, the President “sees no choice” but to declare nation-wide martial law, and to Federalize the National Guard and all local police agencies, in order to help quell the multitude of disturbances. He declares that the Constitution, and other such niceties as the rule of Habeus Corpus, are suspended. Many people, including conservative politicians and spokespersons, are arrested and jailed in the dragnet that follows. The Republican candidate indeed wins the election, but it makes no difference because by that time, the President declares that he will continue in that capacity for as long as he sees the need to keep a lid on the nationwide rioting and to prevent a possible 'Civil War'. He then dissolves the Congress even before the newly-elected members can be seated. This situation might go on for years. And, as commander-in-chief of the military, he could be able to use it to enforce his new dictatorship.

Wait a minute, Art! Did you just say that the local police departments would be Federalized? Yes, and it's already happened to the Police Departs of Ferguson, Missouri, Gary, Indiana, Baltimore, and about 20 others. Look it up. Start with RushLimbaugh.com, and backtrack from there. Wikipedia also mentions it, and check their sources. Mr. Obama touted that as one of his goals as far back as 2008.

Sound far-fetched? Well, I certainly hope it is. I'd like nothing more than to be wrong about this. But this bad dream has been haunting me for awhile now, and I can't seem to shake it because, as I said, all the ingredients are there to do exactly what I've described.

I believe that the 'riots' and 'civil unrest' I mentioned would be contrived, orchestrated. Understand that this country has already experienced a rehearsal for the kind of civil unrest and disobedience that, if intensified, would be just what would be 'needed' to precipitate the imposition of martial law.

Where has that happened? Well, remember “Occupy Wall Street”? Occupy Wall Street was not the spontaneous collection of events that the media tried to make everyone believe that it was. It was planned, and it was funded...... by George Soros. That's right. Again, Look it up. This is the sort of thing Soros does. He is a financier and currency speculator who almost ruined the British Pound Sterling, among a score of other financial crimes. He hates a free United States and would love few things more than to bring this country to its knees, and under the thumb of his old buddy Barach Obama. He also bought a maker of firearms with the intent of shutting it down and making maintenance of their products obsolete---useless. There's more on Soros in other sources, but for now, let's just say that it wouldn't surprise me if he is preparing to fund more Occupy Wall Street activities, only this time with much more violence, and with much higher stakes for this country. 

What can we do about it? Not much, really, except pray hard that the Military sees this power grab for what it is, in its early stages, and stops it before the president-turned-dictator can consolidate his power. Frankly, I think that making enough of the right people aware of the potential for this to happen may be enough to make this President or any other think twice about doing it. Forewarned is forearmed. Paranoia? Maybe. But remember: Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean that they (including events) aren't after you and your freedoms. Think about it. Then let's pray and hope that the right people do what it takes to prove me wrong.

For The Art of Conservatism, I'm Art Reis.

The Donald

The Donald

When I think of Donald Trump and how he has been campaigning, his sayings, his personality, and the nature of his agenda, I'm reminded of a really old golfing story that rather fits the bill. Don't stop me if you've heard this one. 

 

The long-time golfing foursome was disrupted one week when one of the members took ill at the last minute. The other three didn't want to cancel, but one of them had an idea. “I have just the partner who'd love to come along”, he said. The others said, “why not?”, and the outing was on.

That Saturday morning the other two golfers showed up, to find their partner waiting with a 400 pound gorilla next to him. “WHAT???”, they said. “Come on! He can't really play!” “Oh, sure he can, said the third member. Let him show you”.

The foursome went to the first tee, which was a monster par-4 500-yarder, slight dog-leg to the right. The regular three golfers made their shots and then it was the gorilla's turn. He selected a two-iron, addressed the ball, and “WHACK!!!”. The ball went over trees, past the dog leg, landing on the edge of the green and rolling to within about 30 feet of the cup. The other golfers looked at that and said, “This is not going to be a fun morning.” They moved to their ball positions and made their shots to the green, where the gorilla was waiting for them. The other three golfers made their shots for bogie or double-bogie, then the third golfer handed the gorilla the putter. The gorilla addressed the ball, then reared back, and “WHACK!!”, another 400 yard shot onto the second green!

Why does this story remind me of Trump? Well, not because he is an avid golfer himself, or that he owns several courses both in the US and Scotland. It is because he has all of the finesse of that gorilla. He doesn't seem to have, politically, a lower gear. (I can attest to that on a personal level; I have a Scottish pen pal who tells me that Trump is a very tough, fussy person to deal with. He knows folks who have had to deal with him.)

Now, don't get me wrong: Donald Trump has a value. He is serving a purpose, by injecting something into American political life that hasn't been seen by our side, or anywhere, and that something is...... Courage. Now, understand that I am not a big "The Donald" fan by any means, and my reasons are the same as many of yours. I've just mentioned one. However, he is validating what most Americans are already thinking and feeling—that the very same political incorrectness which the leftist thought police rush to crush in prominent folks of every type, from Washington to Hollywood, is killing us as a nation.

Trump is having none of that. He has the wealth and the chutzpah to say what he feels and do what he wants, and he uses that wealth, and his army of lawyers, to make it stick----as the City of Boston, which just barred him from doing business there, may find out, much to their sorrow, soon enough. As a man of great wealth, Trump can be the pioneer in that sense, because he has resources available to most of We The People, and, in the saying and suing that The Donald is doing, he has shown the other Conservatives in the race how to unlock that "testicle lock box" we've heard so much about from you-know-who (and it's not at Chappaqua, either). By showing our side that such political sassiness against the Left can be done, and what it does to them, he's inciting others to do the same. That can only be good for America. The other dozen or so (for now) "candidates with an 'R' by their names had better start finding, and using those 'tools', if they're going to survive. Some are starting to, and they're now the ones on top in the Republican polls at this stage of the campaign.

For instance: The first candidate who already has shown such courage, is the only one who was actually born without the real physical cojones. Anyone been paying attention to Carly Fiorina? If you're not, you should. She is not afraid to take on the Left. And, she was telling it like it should be before Trump was, she has resources similar to Trump's, and I'll bet that she also has plenty of lawyers just itching to spring into action on her behalf against the trolls of the Left, sitting inside her electronic Rolodex. I'll also bet, from what I've seen, she's not afraid to launch a salvo against them if need be, either. And that includes The Donald himself. She already has. She was the first candidate to take on Trump toe-to-toe when he decided to diss her regarding her looks some weeks back. That oughta warm the cockles of your heart.

Add to that Ben Carson, and he in particularly is driving the Left totally crackers. Furthermore, he has impeccable life credentials, a reputation as a very thoughtful man, and behind that unusually gentle manner, we are beginning to see a backbone of steel. And the proof? No one in the Republican side of Presidential politics drawing more fire from the media and the Socialist pundits.... and the RINO's. Remember the demand of one rival candidate that Carson withdraw immediately as a candidate because of something politically incorrect the Dr. Ben uttered? Darned if I've forgotten who demanded that...and rightly so.

But getting back to the original premise: that's the value of the rich. Let me make an analogy here: Not only can the rich give more to Charity than most of We The People can (since we are financially mere mortals here) but they are also the pioneers of innovation, because they can afford to buy and test all that innovation before the rest of us can even dream of it. Think of hydrogen-powered and all-electric cars and air conditioning, just for starters. Think of your own examples. By the same token, learning to speak up and fight for the truth is a real innovation to our side. Apparently, it takes a person of relatively large means, and the willingness to both risk it all, and to bet that he or she can win and thus make the Left pay and pay BIG for their arrogance, to show the rest of us that not only can it be done, but that it must be done. It is my considered opinion that stategizing this way is the best way to defeat The Left.

That's the value of a Donald Trump. But having said that, there is one thing which Trump lacks, to this point, and that is 'Balance'. One must have a balanced temperament to be able to properly strategize as President. It's a vital requirement when dealing with foreign leaders, political allies and opponents, and the American People. But Trump, to this point, hasn't shown that he has that ability. He's full speed ahead, all the time---bombastic, if you will. It comes across as one-dimensional, and that's important, because if you can't keep people guessing as to how you're going to react to them or present yourself to them, they have the advantage against you. In short, you can't be that kind of predictable in those situations. You have to keep them off-balance, and while Donald has proven in the past that he's good at doing that in business, I would suggest that dealing in business, and dealing in situations both foreign and domestic, are two different types of dealing. And while Trump has that endless list of folks to whom he can delegate many such things, he can't delegate all of it. In the final analysis, he can't be the 400 pound gorilla on the golf course. That's where and why he is at a disadvantage against some of the other candidates in the Republican race for President, particularly Carly, or Dr. Ben, or maybe even Ted Cruz. Maybe. Think of it as the iron fist inside the velvet glove. Such a temperament has served many world leaders well in the past. It's what American needs now.

One more note: a lot of Conservative commentators have made surly note of the fact that Trump was once a big Democrat donor. True enough. But, for a sense of perspective, can you name two other prominent Democrats who later turned Republican, and actually enhanced their prominence? I can. The two I have in mind are..... Frank Sinatra, and..... Ronald Reagan. Enough said.

For the Art of Conservatism, I'm Art Reis

What if?? (A parable on the prevention gun violence)

The Art of Conservatism

What if….???

Bryce had been planning this day for quite a while, and as he went through the plan in his mind, he had to admit that it was pretty good. This was going to be the day when, at last, his name would be indelibly stamped into world history. At 1 PM the political science class sub-group to which he’d been assigned would be meeting in Social Hall, up in Room 307. There would be about 20 students, give or take a couple, in attendance. Professor Borden, that old biddy who actually taught the main class, was to be the discussion leader in his group as well this day. She had hand-picked which students were going to be in which group, and she chosen for this group the class’ ‘cream of the crop’. Prof Borden was an older woman. Late-50’s, early -60’s, maybe---a real biddy, as Bryce had summed her up. She was a tough taskmaster, piling on the homework on her students as if hers was the only class they were taking. But she was also, as it turned out, a true believer in the American system as the Founding Fathers had designed it. It was something which Bryce despised, as he did with much of America and what he considered to be cultural degradation.

Bryce had been studying the philosophy and the methods of some of the world’s revolutionary folks, the history of America’s meddling in the affairs of the middle east, and the inferiority of the Judeo-Christian ethic. For all he saw, he could only describe it all as corruption. And, while Prof Borden had shown made no verbal reference her religious preferences, she did sport a cross on a necklace she wore every day, as did many of the girls and a few of the guys in his class. He hated it all. So, in his mind, what he was planning for today was entirely justified, and something, or rather some people, would have to pay with their lives-----starting with this class.

He had with him what he thought it would take to fill lot of them with his leaden death. His Glock pistol was in a shoulder holster inside his jacket. In his backpack was an assault weapon, an Uzi, and enough ammunition to feed both his weapons, and his desire of their purpose. No, very few, if any, would get out of this afternoon’s seminar, or for that matter, out of Social Hall, alive. In a few hours, the world-wide news Greek Chorus would be trumpeting his name and his feats of mayhem, proclaiming, almost proudly, about how he, Bryce, had set the record for the number of students killed in a school massacre, be it high school or college. His anticipation was almost palpable. For once, he had a smile on his face.

He made sure that he was one of the first to arrive in the classroom, so that he could pick his spot near the door; he wished no escape. The door was solid, without a window. No one on the outside would be able to see what was happening inside. Only the sound of what was going on inside could be witnessed, and no one could do anything about it; he would see to it that the door was locked while he turned the room into a killing floor. And, he knew that there’d be no opposition. Hell, guns were not allowed on campus. Indeed, the campus police force was unarmed, by order of the administration, following a resolution which had been passed by the Student Body Senate nearly two years ago. Beautiful---that meant that there would be no meaningful opposition to his plan. The sheep would be ripe for the slaughter. Bryce smile again. Yes, he knew that he had the plan all figured out, and it was fool-proof.

The rest of the class filed into the room across the next few minutes. Among the last was Professor Borden, her hair up in a bun, looking severe as she always did, never mind how fashionably she was dressed. The class came to order and the discussion began. The seating arrangement was in a double semi-circle, one inside the other. Bryce was seated closest to the door, in the outer circle. Professor Borden began the discussion, but Bryce was not really aware of what either she or the rest of the group was saying. He was totally absorbed in the moment, in the moment when he would strike. At one point he noticed that a couple of the other men in the group were occasionally glancing at him, but he barely noticed. All he wanted was the moment at which….

He heard his name. Professor Borden was calling on him to join the discussion. In a second, he realized that, in calling upon him, she had, without knowing it, decided on the timing of that moment—it would be now.

He rose and, in the same motion, put his hand in his jacket, pulling his Glock out, and said, “This is my answer!” For a split moment, there was within the group a collective realization of unbelief in what was happening---but, only for a moment in one of them. One of the members of the class, a male student who looked for all the world like a senior, was sitting to Bryce’s left, just at the periphery of Bryce’s vision. He had been one of the two group members who had, just moments before, traded glances with him. Within one second after Bryce had reached into his jacket, the young man had reach into his, and as Bryce’s weapon was came into full view, the second gun was already out of its owner’s jacket and pointed straight at Bryce. “Drop your gun----NOW!!” he yelled.

That brought the class out of its first shock, and into its second. Another student yelled, “Down, now!” That was all they needed. As one person, all the students except the two with the weapons were on the floor. At the same time, Bryce whirled around to point his gun at the student challenging him. He was within a half second of squeezing the trigger to take the other student out, when the student beat him to it. The crack of the other student’s glock was simultaneous with Bryce falling to the floor, a gaping head wound causing almost instantaneous death.

After a moment to take it all in, one of the group pulled his phone from his shirt pocket and called Campus Police. In mere moments the Police arrived, followed closely by a number of ambulances, of which only one was needed. Social Hall was cleared except for the students in that third floor classroom. They spent the next hour or so giving their statements to the police. Every single one of them credited the student who had carried his concealed weapon with him into class, as having saved their lives. The student showed his ID, his FOIA card and his CCW permit to police. They seriously considered filing charges against him and taking him to lockup, but after hearing the testimony of the members of the class, and especially of Professor Borden, and after examining the contents of Bryce’s back pack, they released him on his own recognizance, warning him not to leave the area until the State’s Attorney had reviewed the case. With all his credentials in order, the fellow’s weapon was not even taken.

The little college was closed for the rest of the day. It re-opened the next day. The student who had risked a great deal to bring his concealed weapon to class--he later said, he’d brought it with him simply to make a point, even if only to himself---well, after an incredible amount of urging by the other members of class, the rest of the college community began to understand that they had a hero on their hands, albeit a reluctant one.

One would like to think that this sort of scenario could happen here in Americae, were the need to arise again. But, if you guessed that this story was fictitious, you are right—for now. Not that the scene I described hasn’t happened before now---just not enough times to even begin to put it into the American psyche. But, I truly believe, as do so many of you, that:

1. An armed society is a civil society, and ultimately a more free society;
2. It is better to have one terrorist terminated at the outset, than to have 20 innocent people die for his (or her) sins. And:
3. If guns are outlawed, not only will only outlaws have guns, but the rest of us will be, in effect, at the mercy of those who have no mercy. Whether those would be terrorists, or a a despotic, statist regime in power over We The People, it makes no difference.
4. And, please remember: an armed criminal has no mercy. If you ever encounter one, and you are not prepared because your government won’t let you be prepared, then the government has designated you as both that monster’s victim and prey.

At some point the majority of We The People are going to have to decide what we need more, the right to life, liberty and property, free of those who want to take any of it away, or government-mandated security. It is our job as voters to change the political class to reflect that. That would mean a revolution via the ballot box. We have to, because we are now faced with the ultimate choice: Common sense, or slavery.

For the Art of Conservatism, I’m Art Reis.

How to make cops' lives matter..... again.

How to make Cops' lives matter, again

The anecdotal and statistical evidence agree on this: There is a war on the police by the criminal element in this country and, in my opinion, aided and abetted by the criminal element within the political class, who are teaching the country that anyone can be above the law. I'm talking about you, Mr. DiBlasio, and those like you in Washington and elsewhere in the country. Killings of police are up 50% this year over last, and last year's total of slain officers were up 50% over the number in 2013. This is a potential disaster for this country. Ayn Rand wrote about 'the doers of the economic engine' giving up in ”Atlas Shrugged”. What if the “Atlas” that 'shrugged' was about the police? Just ask Baltimore about that.

But this essay is not to opine that aspect of this problem. It's what can be done about it. How do we slow this trend down, and hopefully stop it?

Well, there is the idea of better police/community relations. Los Angeles is showing the way with that. Let's talk about that some other time. But the latest incident of cop killing, in Harris County, Texas, of police officer Darren Goforth, points up the fact that something has to be done from the enforcement side to make potential cop killers think twice before committing the murder of any law enforcement officer. I have two ideas.

First, assuming that at some point Conservatives are more a part of the power structure in this country at the Federal level, I believe that a law should be enacted which would make the killing of any law enforcement officer, acting in the line of duty, a Federal Hate Crime. Hate Crimes are being prosecuted for far less important reasons---why not this? The law might be structured something like this: Let the state courts go through the process of prosecuting the alleged cop killer—the states should not lose their rights in this regard-- but once a conviction is secured there, the crime would then be required to be brought up on the Federal level as a Hate Crime. In such a circumstance, a conviction would be very likely foregone conclusion. Whether a conviction ant the Federal level would require the death penalty really wouldn't make much of a difference anyway. Why?

Well, and this is the second idea: I believe that anyone who commits a crime as heinous as the killing of a police officer who is acting in the line of duty, should not be merely sentenced to life imprisonment without a chance for parole. Those thus convicted should be isolated. 

Understand that, within prison culture, any prison, there is a pecking order among inmates, with child molesters and sex crime convicts at the bottom; those are usually either murdered or forced to commit suicide after the torture they receive at the hands of other prisoners. From there, the order ascends to those inmates who are (you guessed it) convicted cop killers. Cop killers are the cream of the crop in prison culture, the kings of the hill, if you will. 

So? So that's why the best punishment is to isolate them. Put them in a cell by themselves, with four walls, a toilet, wash basin and a cot, with virtually no human contact whatsoever, for the rest of their lives. No radio, TV, computer, pen, paper, clock, or outdoors, no contact with family, guards or any other prisoner, one hour a day of exercise time, and attorney visits limited to once a year. And low lighting. Nothing bright. The prospect of spending the rest of one's life like that, or even just twenty years, with the killer's only contact being with God, might just be the kind of deterrent that would give pause to those who'd think of killing a man or woman in blue. The monster who ambushed Officer Darren Goforth on the last Friday in August should be made to think about that.

I'm not a proponent of Federalizing such state-'controlled' crimes as murder, but since the Federalizing

of hate crimes, the ball's in their court, so to speak. 

What do you think? Is this doable? I think so, even with the inevitable Constitutional challenges involved. Cruel and unusual punishment. I'm tired of that shopworn argument, in light of the cruel and unusual punishments which these lowlifes mete out on their victims, over and over again. Once the word gets out on this, do you think it would be a deterrent? If you think so, then talk this up, put it out on social media and to your friends. You don't even have to mention that you saw it here. There are others taking up this cause as well. So much of social media is used for the purposes of evil. Let's see if it can be used as a force for law, order and good of America. That would be a good place to start.

One more thing: If you stand by law enforcement, and are appalled at the lack of respect it is getting, let your feelings show. Get a 'Thank You, Blue!' button, at walshfreedom.com, and wear it daily.

For “The Art of Conservatism”, I'm Art Reis.

Hello, again!

Hello, again!

After a lapse of over four years, in which I posted no new entries in "The Art of Conservatism", I'm back, re-introducing myself, and starting this up again. Let's go!

What you're now reading is an almost new Conservative blog, among many Conservative blogs, yes, I know, called The Art of Conservatism. My name is Art Reis. 

I am a Conservative. Not just a Conservative, but a Tea Party Conservative. I'm not the type who was a Liberal in my early life, but who then grew up. My parents actually raised me this way. I was the only Conservative in my class at Pontiac Northern High School in Michigan, I was a Goldwater guy, and my social studies teacher hated my guts for it, enjoying the practice of pitting me up against the rest of the class. As a matter of fact, a lot of my peers hated me too for that reason. I could have sued as a suppressed minority. 

While I'm not classically trained in politics, I took the required boilerplate political science courses in college, and from that albeit Liberal training, I still managed to learn a lot. Although the professors there were decidedly Liberal, they still had some truths to tell. No matter. I stayed the course, and while it has cost me some (my mother went rogue to the Dark Side, big time, late in life, and wrote all of her children out of her will) it hasn't changed my resolve. I've read a lot and I have to read more, but I have ideas on restoring this country to the greatness it had before, many of which are shared by other pundits as well, but even so, I'm not afraid to send them out there to be shot down or made policy for this country, and for my home state of Illinois.

At around age 12, I heard the first broadcast I would ever hear of the great Paul Harvey. I was transfixed, because alone of the newscasters of that time, he validated all the conservative principles I had. More importantly, Paul had an almost God-like way with words; no one in the media could turn a phrase better than he could, and some tried. I learned about as much about life and government and politics from him as I learned from my parents, and that's saying something, since my own father was incredibly literate and knew a thing or two of his own about getting a point across in the most unforgettable way. Between my dad and Paul Harvey, I was well led toward becoming the kind of principle-oriented Conservative that I am today.

At this point in my life, I'm supposed to be retired, but instead I am far from it. I still work in the geek side of Broadcasting, but now I've added indulging my passion for writing as an avocation, and I love it. Yes, it's a learning experience, but it's not my first foray into Conservative writing. For almost four years, I proudly served on the editorial board for the Crawford Broadcasting Company, where the group station owner, Mr. Don Crawford, and Company Program Director Bill McCormick, were my mentors and provided encouragement. Both are wonderfully fine gentlemen, with whom I am proud to have been associated. Before that, I spent 14 years editing and publishing a newsletter for Amateur Radio operators. So I do have some chops in the game. Even so, I consider this blog to be a learning experience, and I want to learn from you, my readers as well.

On the personal side, and since my first two entries in this blog, I have re-married. I was rescued from emotional oblivion by a most wonderful lady who has become the great love of my life. My first wife Susie was a political Conservative who, however, did not really like politics much. My present wife and girlfriend, Kathy, was raised a Chicago Machine Democrat, who, however, doesn't like politics all that much either, even though she was an election judge for over twenty years. We refer to ourselves as being in a Mixed Marriage. I've learned that she's more of a Conservative than she lets on, but she won't hear of it. Still, our political debates, when they happen, are a part of what makes our marriage vibrant, and for that I am grateful.

I never expect you the reader to agree with me on all that I will put into this blog, but I do hope that I give you both thoughtful encouragement and hope, through well-thought-through Conservative ideas. With out collective efforts, hopefully one day this wonderful United States of Americans can be restored to the greatness that it once had, and that I truly believe it can have again.