Uncategorized 892
Is America Too Big?
Is the United States dysfunctionally large, and thus destined to go the way of the giant radioactive ants once seen in old sci-fi movies? That’s the question raised by this video…
Social Science and Human Liberty
At about the same moment I was reading David Brooks's third "Social Science Palooza," which is a summary of some recent, interesting findings in the study of human behavior, I…
Benedict XVI – Porcher
From an address calling for a renewal of agricultural work by Pope Benedict in November, 2010: "To this end, it is essential to cultivate and spread a clear ethic that…
Still on the Line
In which I attend a Glen Campbell concert. As a Christmas bonus, two tunes from the displaced Arkansan's haunting valedictory album: here and here.
The Next Conservatism (redux)
Back in 2007, Republicans were smarting over a mid-term defeat. Paul Weyrich and Gary S. Lind offered an analysis that sounds like it could have been written today: The only…
FPR in NYT
In the NYT this morning, David Brooks has a column titled "The Conservative Future." While many on the main-stream right are despairing over the dismal results of the election, there…
Support FPR Today!
Dear Readers, In the coming months, Front Porch Republic will be investing more resources in our website, events, and other ventures. The site will feature more writers (including some that…
Monopoly
Harper's has an interesting history of the game "Monopoly." If the story is correct, it indicates an interesting form/content relationship inasmuch as the owners (who collect the fees) had nothing,…
Standing Athwart History Crying, “Me Too!”
The GOP strategists once again react to getting clobbered by calling for an embrace of their (alleged) opponents' policies. After all, if only Romney could've distanced himself from pro-life fanatics…
Science and Elections
There are any number of explanations for Tuesday's outcomes. My own sense is that the Republicans simply can't put together a national majority and won't be able to any time…
What Women Voters Want: Addendum
Kate has captured nicely a kind of sexual nihilism regnant in contemporary feminism. It has now become campaign fodder: Obama Ad Were this my daughter I would be mortified. This…
Why Urban Christians Need Wendell Berry
At Christianity Today, Jake Meador argues that Wendell Berry has something important to teach urban Christians. At root, Berry's Port William is a worshiping community. Indeed, I don't know another…
Finger Foods
Set in the heart of the Burned-Over District, the Finger Lakes region of New York is among the culturally, historically, and culinarily richest parts of the country. Now it has…
George McGovern, RIP
My 2006 profile/interview of the patriot from Mitchell, South Dakota: http://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/come-home-america-2/.
Whither the Liberal Arts College? Or, Why Bloom’s Critique Doesn’t Matter
One sees signs of dètente in the academic wars that were highlighted by Allan Bloom’s Closing of the American Mind. At a more reflective level this can be seen in…
Intellectual Historians on Intellectual Conservatism
Seth Bartee over at the U.S. Intellectual History blog has a piece on the Intercollegiate Studies Institute which includes a reference or two to FroPo conservatives: Essentially neo-conservatives successfully homogenized…
Boycotting Boycotts
David Walbert explains how to avoid hypocrisy. Last week, walking across campus to the library, I was interrupted (I don’t want to say “accosted”) by a woman in her early…
Debt-Free Farming
Over at The American Conservative website, Glenn Arbery writes of a farmer who seeks to remain as independent and self-sufficient as possible. But it has not been easy. Nevertheless, These…
A Goodman is Hard to Find
I’m happy to report that New York Review Books has just reprinted Growing Up Absurd (1960), Paul Goodman’s classic plea for the human scale against the postwar corporate and military-industrial…
Historian on the Debate
The blogosphere is filled with opinions on last night's debate between the president and the challenger. The chattering classes has gotten a whole lot larger. Unless you are a historian…
The Banks we Deserve, the Economy we can Sustain
If you didn't catch this panel put on by Marketplace and BBC, it's pretty exciting. It takes the expert panel only about 10 minutes (2:00 to 12:40) to get to…
Thanks to Jason Peters, aka The Bar Jester
Since FPR's inception in March of 2009, Jason Peters has written a weekly column. Without missing a single week, he has, with his inimitable style, regaled FPR readers with his…