http://rjmoeller.com In Defense of "Mere Conservatism" Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:49:53 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en This week marks the 25th anniversary of the speech in which Ronald Reagan called the Soviet Union precisely what it was: an evil empire.  Speaking to the National Association of Evangelicals, President Reagan made his case for Judeo-Christian values and called God-fearing Americans to action in the struggle for moral ... http://rjmoeller.com/2010/03/reagan-and-the-evil-empire/ The Heritage Foundation is the standard for conservative think-tanks.  Heritage is involved in everything from Foreign Policy to Health Care Reform to Economic Freedom.  Today Heritage posted "Ten Steps to a Free Iran", an abbreviated list of ten things the US and Europe can (and should) be doing to help ... http://rjmoeller.com/2010/03/can-iran-be-free/ by: R.J. Moeller My favorite director is Alfred Hitchcock.  No one told a story on the silver screen quite like "old Hitch."  I especially love Vertigo, North By Northwest, and Notorious.  Hitchcock mastered the psychological thriller, loved setting his stories amidst grandiose backdrops and landscapes, always paid great attention to detail, ... http://rjmoeller.com/2010/03/shutter-island-hitchcock-inspired-moeller-approved/ Rep. Eric Massa (D-NY) is being forced out of office today by the White House (and union supporters) because he does not support Obamacare. Here is Massa, in his own words, explaining the bizarre pressure the current administration (namely, Rahm Emmanuel) has been putting on him. http://rjmoeller.com/2010/03/dem-on-dem-action/ The Chicago Tribune is anything but a bastion of conservative opinions, but today's opinion from the editorial page is something all Americans ought to be able to get behind. Last fall, Washington, D.C., schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee laid off 229 teachers. Here's what was unusual about that: She chose who would ... http://rjmoeller.com/2010/03/tribune-editorial-page-keep-the-best-teachers/ You simply cannot explain the scope and breadth of the Obamacare debacle in one column...unless your last name is Krauthammer. As an aspiring writer and commentator, I spend a great deal of time reading the books and articles and speeches of the people I feel effectively communicate the ideas I believe ... http://rjmoeller.com/2010/03/obamacare-is-a-loser/ Thursday's are "G.K. Chesterton Day" here at AVITW, where we share an excerpt from a beloved Chesterton book, essay, or article. It is our hope that a new generation of Americans will re-discover the wit, wisdom, and insights of a great man, thinker, and writer. In the opening to The Everlasting ... http://rjmoeller.com/2010/03/a-day-for-g-k/ Self-esteem is a grossly misunderstood term and concept.  Feeling good about oneself is important, but too many people (mostly well-intentioned parents) have confused "showering my kids with unconditional love" with "praising them for accomplishments that they did not accomplish." We hear the pleas from politicians and political pundits to "Remember the ... http://rjmoeller.com/2010/03/sowing-the-seeds-of-destruction/ In today's Times of London we read this: Pakistani forces have taken control of a warren of caves that served until recently as the nerve centre of the Taleban and al-Qaeda and sheltered Ayman al-Zawahiri, the second-in-command to Osama bin Laden. “It was the main hub of militancy where al-Qaeda operatives had ... http://rjmoeller.com/2010/03/good-news-from-pakistan/ There is a real, palpable disdain for the "rich" in this country.  I think that disdain is to our own detriment. So does economist Walter E. Williams.  As he points out in his latest column, the "rich", like Bill Gates, is not the person to fear or direct your ire at.  ... http://rjmoeller.com/2010/03/walter-says-bill-isnt-your-biggest-problem/