Monthly Archives: September 2015

Just over 20 years ago, the Gingrich revolution swept through Congress. For the first time in 63 years, Republicans became the majority in the 1994 election.

I was a younger man back then having already spent many years on the Hill. Within the first year of the new leadership I became a chief of staff. Hopes were high for my conservative colleagues. We began organizing congressmen into something called CAT, the “Conservative Action Team,” with the hope that a core of 50 members of the House of Representatives could ensure that promised reforms occurred. That group evolved into what is now the House Freedom Caucus. read more

By now you’ve probably heard of Kim Davis, the county clerk from Kentucky who was sent to jail for not issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. And, by now, you, like most Americans, are a little confused about the case. On the one hand, it feels an awful lot like a religious bigot defying justice and acting the martyr. And, on the other hand, it feels an awful lot like political correctness run amok in the life of an otherwise innocent person. I can tell you that it’s probably more the latter than the former but this case is a good example of the legal conflicts to come as America scrambles for cultural equilibrium. read more

Authentic conservatism has a temperament as much as it has its sentiment. One reason we know Donald Trump isn’t a conservative is through his temperament. He often sounds angry and he surely taps into the angst of modern times – a trait of populists not conservatives. Unfortunately, Trump couches his anger in the warm embrace of the thoroughly conservative term “justice.” He demands justice. His followers demand justice. From the brown hoards streaming across our southern border to the rich soaking the poor, the battle cry for many distraught Americans today is justice. read more

Now that libertarian businessman Jonathan Johnson has formally announced his intention to run for governor in 2016, it’s fair to take a look at the candidate, compare him to his competition, match him against mainstream Utah values and address his competency as a political leader.

Johnson is up against a tough act. Governor Gary Herbert is leading this state exceptionally well. Working effectively in tandem with the state Legislature, Governor Herbert has had a prudent hand on the helm of state. The Utah economy continues to boom – meaning, with his leadership, state government has stepped aside and not tried to micromanage businesses. And the people are generally united in spirit and purpose – a very communitarian view of life, society and the role of limited government. read more