I am surprised… not dismayed, but surprised.  I never expected that the results of today’s election would leave us with essentially the same political problem we’ve had for the past two years (and really four years, if you include the ineffective Democratically controlled Congress of 2009-2010).  But with a 6% approval rating, it just didn’t occur to me that the people’s decision would be to say “try again” to the team they so harshly disapprove of.

As of 11:00 PM Central Time, President Obama has been declared the winner of the election by every major news organization (although Governor Romney had not yet conceded the race).  In my home state of Iowa, we lost 1 of our 5 seats in the House in redistricting, and …

I had really hoped to get some thoughts out regarding priorities in this election this past week, but between the disaster caused by hurricane Sandy (including impacts to family and friends in the region) and finishing up fall chores, it just would not happen.  After the election and before the convening of the next Congress in January we will speak to the legislative priorities that must be addressed in Washington (beyond the typical lame-duck activities that will go on at the end of this Congress).  -Ed.

Today some brief thoughts about how the victors of the 2012 election will spin our confidence in them into mandates.  We often hear how such-and-such an office-holder has a “mandate” from their constituents, typically based on real issues discussed …

The Des Moines Register’s Editor, Rick Green, last night published some details around an interview that the Register’s editorial board held with President Obama Tuesday morning.  An interview they could not, at first, talk about publicly.  An off-the-record conversation that they say will contribute to their endorsement decision, and the conditions of which will not affect their decision.  Since Rick’s original online post, the White House has released their own transcript of the conversation.

To his credit, Rick was clearly frustrated with the White House for putting such severe restrictions on the 30 minute telephone interview.  He is convinced that Iowans need to hear what the President had to say, and that Iowans would be influenced positively by what Obama shared with the editorial …

As this election draws to a close, and although many have already gone to the polls, I’d like to ponder some of the issues that matter in this election. Some matter more to the general population than others, and we will cover as many as we can between now and November 6. The intent is not so much to compel you to vote for a particular candidate, but to provide some food for thought about the issues and why they are important.  -Ed.

Of all of the issues that fall before us this year, “Life” has the most significance to me.  All of the other issues pale in comparison, and my innermost desire is to do everything I can to ensure that everyone is able …

If you’re reading this, we’re guessing you are anxious to know who we thought won last night’s debate.  That answer is simple: Bob Schieffer, who moderated the debate.  We were convinced that, based on Bob’s near ebullient post debate analysis in the first two presidential debates that he would be the epitome of liberal media bias in moderating this debate.  Bob was a pleasant surprise to us, and frankly if you were to look on his past performances in a similar role, he has been very capable of acting as an objective facilitator when the situation required it.  Our hats are off to Bob as the best of this year’s moderators.

The spotlight at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida, was of course on …

The second Presidential Debate of the 2012 election is being held tonight at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York at 8:00 PM Central Time, using a townhall style, with questions from independent voters regarding domestic and foreign policy.  After what most are now referring to as “disappointing” and “lackluster” in the performance of President Obama in the first debate, there is much anticipation that tonight could be the most critical night of the campaign.  Last week’s debate between the Vice-presidential candidates, while more lively than the first Presidential debate, held its own disappointments for many, including myself.  Many on the right were quick to deride the Vice-president for his excessive use of laughter in response to criticisms (a common debating ploy intended to minimize the …

The most impressive thing about Wednesday night’s Presidential Debate is what it was not: a contentious barrage of angry epitaths like those being thrown throughout the blogosphere or even in some of the Republican Primary Debates. Both men were smiling, civil, and even appeared to be listening as the other spoke. President Obama carried on the same criticisms of Romney’s plans, and the Governor politely said that the President’s information was wrong. They both agreed with each other regarding areas of common ground. We suspect that the rules holding applause had a positive impact on the cordial nature of the debate, although it certainly didn’t hurt that Moderator Jim Lehrer’s folksy demeaner and attempts to steer the conversation helped keep the discourse on an even …

In the spring of 2012, we brought a new addition to The Conservative Reader’s Pages.  Eric Florack at Bitsblog and I spent some time looking at the work we were both doing with our sites and have decided that it would be beneficial to the readers of both to bring BitsBlog into the TCR world.  We have helped each other out by writing for each other from time to time for several years now.  BitsBlog’s format will remain as it has, but you will notice more visibility regarding BitsBlog articles and vice-versa as we build on this relationship and make other changes to The Conservative Reader’s main page in coming months.

The content of BitsBlog remains the responsibility of Eric Florack, similarly to how TCR: …

Abortion.  This word is at the same time one of the most cherished and abhorred words in American culture today.  I fall on the side of those who are offended by the word and everything it represents.  Whether politically, social-scientifically or personally, I see this one word and its use as speaking volumes about the one who uses it.  When I hear or speak this word, without exception, I wince.

My heart breaks every time I think of each life that is shattered indiscriminately as it is snuffed out by a doctor who violates his Hippocratic Oath by harming an innocent life, and a mother who is convinced that she has no way to handle the challenges of pregnancy.  The worst of it is a society that esteems the notion …