James Ceaser

It is a good idea in judging a political leader to place yourself in their position. Imagine that you had run for president with throngs of enthusiastic followers worshipping your every word and gesture, with millions worldwide wearing t-shirts with your picture emblazoned on them, with nearly . . . . Continue Reading »

The debate over Obamacare is about to take an ominous turn. Critics are quite correct to point out that the cancellation of millions of insurance policies, apart from its being a breech of trust from what the President promised, will result in many people being forced to pay much larger premiums . . . . Continue Reading »

“I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky.” Bill Clinton “No matter how we reform health care, we will keep this promise to the American people: If you like your doctor, you will be able to keep your doctor, period. If you like your health care plan, . . . . Continue Reading »

Since some of our writers have been taking up the great theme related to the “end of history,” it might be foolish to think that any of the details in the news over the past few weeks—the government shutdown, the debt crisis crisis, the Obama care website—have any lasting . . . . Continue Reading »

In his last comment on his own recent post on the most important of the Federalist Papers, Carl Scott asks that more attention be given to Federalist 38, which is often overlooked. I concur. And since I gave a Constitution Day lecture at Middlebury last week, and spent some time on Federalist 38, I . . . . Continue Reading »

If you really want to understand what it going on today in the theater known as American politics, you won’t find the answer among the usual pundits—not even among the smartest ones like David Brooks, Bill Kristol, George Will, or Charles Krauthammer. Look instead to that venerable Dane, . . . . Continue Reading »

Ever since joining the postmodern conservative blog site, it has been my fondest fantasy to receive one hundred comments on a post. It has so pre-occupied my thoughts that as the number of comments on my last post yesterday crept into the nineties, I could not resist trying to force the day, . . . . Continue Reading »

Please also read ” Against Symbolic Killing ” our editor R. R. Reno’s case against intervening in Syria. —ed. Republicans should support some version of the authorization of force resolution. They should do so even if they think that the President’s policy will prove . . . . Continue Reading »

While Peter has invited a discussion of “archaic conservatism” and “libertarian populism”—labels so nuanced or recondite as to befuddle the mind—we here in Charlottesville are still observing Tocqueville’s birthday, which warrants a one-week celebration. And if . . . . Continue Reading »

Thanks go to Peter Lawler for shedding some light on MOOCS. I want to go him one better, however, and suggest a superior form of the same idea, which is only slightly more expensive. Price quality, this alternative is a real steal. The alternative has been around for a long time. It is almost . . . . Continue Reading »