On a personal note, I have been accepted into the non-degree program for graduate students at UGA. The plan is to take a few of the courses I would like to teach and then doing some adjunct professor work or guest lecturing. Since I'm going to be 62 in August, I can take the courses at no cost. Thank you, legislature! I'm taking political science, southern politics and a few history courses over the next year or so. I want to see for myself how things are taught and come up with my own plan.
I've had several friends and listeners ask what is wrong with me because I use a wide range of sources for all my work, I always have, but since I have gone through my graduate program, I have many more sources at my disposal. They believe if I consider other than conservative sources, something is wrong with me. Conversely, my liberal friends and colleagues wonder why I read all this conservative stuff. When both sides think you are too well read, things are good.
I will tell you I am tired of the "in your corner politics" and I want good policy and good candidates and that will be my focus. Lower taxes, less regulation, fairness, freedom and above all on the federal level--getting back to a regular budget order and managing our federal government like a business. I am taking a page out of President Reagan's book. That is, to have a few things you are passionate about in conservatism and then work with people on that and the rest.
I am not so naive as to think there are not pitfalls to this way of approaching things. Our leaders are so used to "gotcha" politics and we are definitely in our corners. I want to defeat Democrats because our ideas are better. Until we do, we have to hone our message and get some work done for the conservative movement. We have to start somewhere and if not me (or you), who? As John Kennedy said, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." We have to get back to that and I'm ready to start.
