To me, conservative means believing in a minimum amount of government and a maximum amount of freedom - and keeping government out of people's lives and business - and leaving people alone.

Slowly but without question - and Presidents' Day is only one example - Americans are forgetting and ignoring the men and events that have made this nation great.

That government is not a necessary good but an unavoidable evil.

The Patriot Post not only does the best job of putting important news, policy and opinion in proper context, but also of cutting down to size the pompous praters and propagandists on the left.

The executive branch has grown too strong, the judicial branch too arrogant and the legislative branch too stupid.

There are some things that you can always bet on. One is that when Congress comes up with a new program it never works right over the long haul. Another is, when Congress goes to fix the mess it has made the mess only gets worse.

One other thing I think a conservative believes is that the parents, not government, are and should be responsible for the upbringing and behavior of their children.