Essential

Must-reads from the Bubbler

The Republican brand problem

How do you know the Republican Party has a brand problem? Because after three days of speaking to conservatives at CPAC, the Conservative Political Action Conference, nearly every one of them, when talking about the Republicans, made a point of clarifying that they are not Republicans, but they are conservatives (unless they said “libertarians”). It’s one thing if conservatives don’t go out of their way to correct people who refer to them as Republicans. But when conservatives go out of their way, unsolicited, to make sure you know they are not Republicans, than the Party has a serious brand…

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Life experts

Today at CPAC, I was fortunate to catch John James, a congressional candidate from Michigan. He opened by telling a story about when he was in the Army and was called upon to provide air support for some trapped soldiers. He made the specific point that because of his expertise, he was able to quickly diagnose their location and provide the needed support that saved their lives. His point is one that Republican Party makes all too infrequently, if at all: Democrats continue to tell us to put all of our trust in “experts,” yet continue to insist career…

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Biden is not the target

Today at CPAC, I watched Ron DeSantis give an amazing speech. I’d never seen him speak in person, and I was pretty excited to see him live up to expectations and cement the idea that he’s who we need in 2024. However, I’m going to nitpick something I heard him say that I’ve heard too many other conservatives say at this same convention and for the last year: Joe Biden is not target, socialism is the target. Joe Biden is not running things. What’s happening right now are not Joe Biden’s ideas. He didn’t enter the election with any…

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One of the great conservative conundrums

Control is at the bedrock of socialism. It’s the foundation of the Democrat Party and those who consider themselves “liberals” or “leftists.” Privacy and freedom are core elements of conservatism. The desire to be left alone to pursue happiness so long as you don’t interfere with others is what the conservative philosophy is all about. The idea that freedom comes from a higher power, and it can’t be given or taken away by government. So, by their very nature, Democrats, in their desire to control, have to prey on others. They necessarily have to get into everyone’s business to…

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COVID lessons: Independence

It’s hard to quantify the sheer number of lessons there are to be learned by the last two years of COVID in America. The cold, callous, and self-serving desire for control at the expense of others by the Democrat Party should be chief among them. But when thinking about a guiding, governing philosophy, independence must be chief among them. Donald Trump is inextricably linked to “Make America Great Again,” but it’s an idea that does, and should, transcend him. The entire Republican Party should be embracing both this philosophy and the messaging. Central to the American ethos or personality…

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Underestimating the overestimation

I’ve seen enough of leftists arguing with conservatives on sites like Twitter, Facebook, and comment sections of conservative websites to have seen a very distinct pattern. Leftists routinely don’t give conservatives enough credit. The constantly underestimate them and, therefore, quickly stoop to name-calling and ridicule instead of taking the arguments seriously and addressing the counterpoints. Many conservatives will tell you it’s because leftists can’t win on the merits. That’s probably true, although I’ve debated with a few leftists who could hold their own and didn’t resort to such tactics. But I believe it’s because most leftists enter the conversation…

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Lack of aspiration

Nearly two years ago, I wrote about how Obama ushered in the age of reality leadership. Reality leadership is accepting what is and then impressing upon people that it’s the best we can do. Sometimes it’s the “new normal.” Other times, it’s “sacrificing” or “considering others.” Leftists were all impressed with Obama because he would “tell it like it is.” He wouldn’t sugar coat or talk about things that aren’t true. He would analyze the worst in every situation, tell us what was really going on, and then go on to accept it. I thought of this post when…

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We’re not taking this seriously

A few days ago, I chose to engage in a Nextdoor.com thread about a woman who took her daughter to Burger King drive-thru only to be met with workers who weren’t wearing masks. (It’s important to note she took great pains to point out she was not proud of taking her daughter to Burger King, and she would probably never do it again, lest you’re judging her right now.) For a neighborhood thread involving COVID, it stayed remarkably on-topic. Sure, there were a few posts of COVID or mask studies, but generally, the conversation was centered around whether people…

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A recession is the perfect time to promote conservatism

Many think the best time to advertise is during a recession. The ads are less expensive. Your competition is in expense-cutting mode. There’s less clutter on the airwaves. You can establish a reputation in the quiet time so when business heats up again, people are familiar with you and what you do. Instead of only reacting to every single Tic Tok video abnormality, Biden misstatement, COVID statistic, proposed vaccine mandate, and piece of bad economic news, there’s a better strategy. Sure, in real time, those things are standard operating procedure. But with the election over and the mid-terms still…

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When did we get so excited about work?

Back in the day, families and friends were high on the list of priorities for people who went to work. My Dad went to work to support and pay for his and our family’s personal endeavors. He would often say, “No one ever lied on their death bed and lamented that they didn’t make more time for work.” Life is about experiences with friends and families. Sure, it’s about accomplishment, and people accomplish some noteworthy, if not great things, at work. But when it’s all said and done, you’re going to remember all of the unique, interesting, and impactful…

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