Peter Lawler

1. I see no reason to change my predictions. The Democrats are lamer than ever on the shows, but trends remained mixed. The Republican vote—I repeat—will likely be just short of a landslide, just as the Democratic vote was last time. 2. Some of my friends are overreacting by saying this . . . . Continue Reading »

1. Some have been skeptical of my prediction below, thinking the Republicans will do somewhat better. (At this point, the Democrats’ keeping the House would end up as one of the greatest upsets in American poliitcal history.) But I note that REAL CLEAR POLITICS points toward a 50 seat pick up . . . . Continue Reading »

So here’s what I think about the election: The forecasts—based on complicated models—found in the APSA’s PS by real social scientists—with the exception of the one by the astute James Campbell—are, as usual, too timid in terms of picking up the impending surge. . . . . Continue Reading »

The new INTERCOLLEGIATE REVIEW is out in a classy online edition! It has all kinds of good stuff, including Darwinian Larry’s clearest statement yet on the difference between DARWINIAN CONSERVATISM and METAPHYSICAL CONSERVATISM. It also includes a review by ME on the D.B. Hart’s . . . . Continue Reading »

So Democratic intellectuals are finally getting around to giving the case against the “gridlock” caused by the two “political” branches of government being controlled by different parties. Nothing will get done except through compromise! People will come to think that . . . . Continue Reading »

1. Ross D. judiciously notes that this large and diverse movement that is the Tea Party includes both strange and fringey and responsible and sensible elements. There are some Birchers, racists, conspiracy theorists, hyper-libertarians, and perhaps a few ex-witches. But the center of the Tea Party . . . . Continue Reading »

This is a well-written statement of the position that Americans are inconsistent because they’re unwilling to embrace the sacrifices required for genuine self-government. It’s also, perhaps, an excuse for not choosing between the Democrats or Republicans, given that neither is perfect. . . . . Continue Reading »

1. The Conference at Berry (funded by the U of Chicago project on the science of virtue) is drawing near (Nov. 4-5). You can hear about Descartes, Locke, Darwin, Percy, Tom Wolfe, George Grant, Heidegger, and much more. And of course you can meet Ralph Hancock, America’s leading theologian, . . . . Continue Reading »

So this week, in political thought today, we’re reading Roger Scuton’s A POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY: ARGUMENTS FOR CONSERVATISM. Here are some excerpts from the last chapter on T.S. Eliot. They’re all relevant to Ralph’s spin on the Straussian theme of PROGRESS or RETURN. The real . . . . Continue Reading »

1. So I talked to and listened to part of a good presentation by local TEA PARTY people last night. They mostly seemed to be from a conservative, Christian, home schooling background. (There definitely is nothing wrong with that.) But they talked nothing but economics—against bailouts and . . . . Continue Reading »