After more than four years of operating this blog, a conversation with a local news columnist persuaded me that I should disclose even more clearly who I am and why I write this blog. So here goes.

The name of the domain is the name of the author. No one else I know of shares my name, so a Google search will tell you most of what you need to know, not to mention a few things that I’d rather forget.

I’m a native Michigander (and proud of the politically correct designation) who moved to Colorado in 2002 when I married the lovely Mrs. Virtus. Our family now lives in Arvada, in the western suburbs just outside Denver. I strive by God’s grace to ensure that the most important things to me are my relationships with Him and with my family.

I am also blessed with many wonderful friends from many walks of life. Some of those friends I have found through my entry into the blogosphere. I was fortunate to be accepted as a member of the Rocky Mountain Alliance of Blogs (RMA) back in the early days, not long after I started blogging in February 2004. To a person, each RMA member has been a pleasure to come to know both through their writing and through their personal acquaintance. The same can be said for many other bloggers - mostly in Colorado - whom I have met.

Who am I? I am an evangelical Christian by faith and confession (a Baptist in doctrine and polity), a limited-government conservative by carefully-grounded conviction, and a Republican by pragmatic consideration. On this blog I write mainly about what I know: from public policy areas that reflect my professional expertise (education and labor) to the stuff that political junkies crave, with a strong Colorado flavor. Therein I hope to strike a niche that is of interest to political observers, journalists, and concerned citizens.

Having graduated from Hillsdale College and currently working for the Independence Institute, I am a certified (and some would tell you certifiable) member of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy. Yet while I have been shaped to some extent by these affiliations, all views and opinions expressed here are my own and do not necessarily reflect the official positions of either institution.

Because Mount Virtus is my personal site, I also appreciate the reader’s occasional indulgence as I discuss some of my passions: issues of Christian faith, American history, baseball (Go Detroit Tigers), and humorous tidbits from my family life.

Unless specifically stipulated otherwise, I am personally responsible for the thoughts presented in each and every entry on this blog. Facts are sourced and linked whenever possible, and all ideas open for debate.

I welcome all reader comments that can appropriately be viewed by younger eyes, regardless of whether the commenter agrees with me. Arguments are welcome and are open to be freely judged according to their substance and logic (logos), as well as the personal credibility of the commenter (ethos). If you comment anonymously, don’t expect yourself to be taken as seriously.

Please note that your comment will not appear straightway when you submit it, as I practice careful moderation to weed out spam and the occasional profane remark.

A final thought: I am human and make mistakes, and will correct them when I can. Whether it’s an error of fact or punctuation, or you believe I am falling short of the standards I strive to achieve, please indicate in a comment or by sending an email to the address listed. I hope to receive the criticism in the spirit it was intended.

Now you know a little bit about who writes this blog.