Politics & Current Events
Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill (1912-1994) is most closely associated with the truism “all politics is local.” One meaning of the observation is that politics must have a base of pragmatic neighborhood reality. It is not all theory; it is not all anticipation of demographics; it is not an imposition from above but an attention to grassroots. For years I resisted breaking out my political books to a page of their own because the topic seemed so ephemeral, so transitory. Well, what is the web but superb access to the ephemeral? I will try NOT to include too much history here or to stack the deck, so to speak, with partisan books. On the other hand, what is available is what is available — the only criteria is good writing, good sourcing, and some accordance with what my customers may be interested in. In that way, I am keeping it local, as per Speaker O’Neill. It will grow with time and a broadening definition of what is politics and what is a current event.
What Conservatives Believe: Rediscovering the Conservative Conscience
What Conservatives Believe: Rediscovering the Conservative Conscience
A New York Times Most Anticipated Book of 2026
What do conservatives actually believe?
In this powerful and inspiring manifesto, New York Times bestselling author and former Vice President Mike Pence pens a 21st-century version of The Conscience of a Conservative. With candid insights after decades as a happy warrior in the movement, Pence convincingly explains why the Republican Party must choose enduring conservative principles over the temptations of big-government populism.
Conservatives know that wisdom often begins by consulting the people who came before us. As Barry Goldwater wrote, conservative principles persist because they are rooted in the truth. But this isn’t just a book about the past. It’s about how time-tested conservative principles can be applied to the problems of tomorrow. Pence explains why conservatives believe our rights come from God and then articulates conservative positions on the right to life, limited government, law and order, economic freedom, the national debt, federalism, patriotic education, the traditional family, peace through strength, and standing with Israel, among many other issues—as well as the virtues of character, civility, and statesmanship in our politics.
Few politicians have the strength of character of former Congressman, Governor, and Vice President Pence. Pence is the standard bearer for true conservative values at a time when many readers and voters no longer understand what it means to be a conservative, or why conservative values are so important.
In What Conservatives Believe, Pence writes about the importance of conservatism with authority, respect, and candor. As he’s fond of saying, “I’m a conservative but I’m not in a bad mood about it.” A true statesman and leader, Pence defines conservatism for a new generation in what promises to become a timeless conservative classic.