I really enjoyed the Pilot(s?) last week, and I'll definitley be tuning in tonight. I'm usually not a fan of the sitcoms with a laugh track (or live studio audience, for that matter), but this was a fun and funny show. Plus, I had to support Rob!

Rob, was there any particular reason why you guys went with the laugh track? Seems like most [non-CBS] sitcoms are moving away from that nowadays.

Keep up the great work!

During my junior year at university, I read Russell Kirk's The Politics of Prudence. I had stumbled upon it on my dad's book shelf, really, but I absolutely fell in love with his writing and how he propogated conservative principles. I had been a "default Republican," mainly because I was (am) a conservative Christian, but I didn't have very strong political opinions. Reading that book changed it all for me. Kirk wed perfectly my deeply help religious beliefs and my nascent political beliefs. That was in early 2007, and I immediately began following the election. Now, I'm an all-out political junkie and deeply conservative.

I understand that, Donald. I'm trying to do my part to reform from within, I guess. We'll see how successfully in the coming months and years.

I certainly understand your frustrations, though.  Thanks for your thoughts and feedback.

That's an interesting thought, Donald. I wish there was  Conservative Party here in Michigan, but there's not, unfortunately.

I certainly don't mean to say that I am completely happy with the Republican Party as it presently is. For example, there are still factions, as you rightly mentioned, that are pro-choice, a stance that I cannot support at all (and one that I find fundamentally reprehensible).

But for me, as I laid out in the third paragraph, my Christianity (and therefore my conservatism) informs my views on more than just the "social issues." I place a higher premium, so to speak, on those social issues, but there is a give-and-take. There is no such thing as a perfect candidate, and I doubt there ever will be. Michelle Bachmann, for instance, is a wonderful conservative, but I thought she lacked the executive leadership experience required for an effective president.

So while it's the politician's responsibility to communicate his principles clearly and consistently, it's our responsibility to arrange our priorities rightly. How does that look, exactly? That's where we'll all differ, I believe.

If you can’t see the dramatic rightward shift of the Republican Party in the last three years, I’m not sure what I can tell you, Brent. The Republican Party will never be perfect. Never. That being said, for the first time in a long time we are putting up a fight and talking about how much to cut taxes, not how much to increase spending. That is thanks in large part to the Tea Party. The Tea Party has consistently driven candidates rightward. That was abundantly evident in the GOP primary this past election cycle. It’s a slow process to be sure, but we are taking strides in the right direction, I believe.

And thanks for the kind words, Ron. Sure, you can copy this post to share with your friends and acquaintances. Just be sure to give me props :)