With the nearly never-ending election cycle, those of us here in the trenches can sometimes too easily lapse into the day-to-day tussles of the news without enough time spent in more serious reflection. (Or maybe it’s just those of us with small children whose attention spans are so easily distracted.)

Earlier this year I wrote several more reflective essays, most of which have ended up ignored by now. But while I still plan to write about the immediate issues of the day and follow events leading up to the 2010 election, I am also interested in engaging once more in deeper discussions about the status and future of the conservative movement — albeit, as dictated by the limits of my own time, occasionally.

What (besides the approaching end of baseball season) prompted me to do so? A recent essay published in the Washington Post by AEI’s Steven Hayward titled “Is Conservatism Brain-Dead?” (H/T The Next Right) ( I commend it to you — if you haven’t checked it out already.

Consider this post a teaser, and notice of a small course correction. There still will be plenty of political junk food to snack on here, but soon you also may have the opportunity to dine on something a little more substantive, too.