"It's not just a blog, it's an adventure!"
This blog is distinguished in many ways from the rest of the "blogosphere." My blog entries cover a rigidly defined set of topics, with varying degrees of intensity according to how much is going on in each area, and how much time I have. Being somewhat of a "do-it-yourselfer," I chose a "home-made" approach rather than conforming to the common blogging systems such as Blogger or WordPress. The blog entries and archives are arranged in a sort of "proprietary" scheme that I developed over time. When I first started this Web site, in fact, I didn't even know what a blog was, because I consciously put off keeping up with the Internet during the 1990s until I finished my doctoral dissertation. Now I'm overcompensating. Finally, being an old-fashioned kind of guy, I avoid attention-grabbing sensationalism and strident rhetoric, and strive instead to maintain a reasonable, dignified, respectful tone. The only object of annoyance toward which I have persistently "ranted" about has been Peter Angelos, but he is no longer much of an issue for Washington baseball fans.
Political beliefs (arguable, fact based)
Until May 2008, the underlying theme of this blog was "subverting the dominant (statist) paradigm," which implied a libertarian zeal for radically scaling back the power of the government in domestic affairs. In any case, however, I never was fond of dogmatic approaches, and I'm a bit skeptical of the "rugged individualism" of Ayn Rand and the comcommitant atheistic tendencies. My idea of making this country a "more perfect union" (not a utopia) involves a building strong local community, and in that sense I share many of the inclinations as Rod Dreher, author of Crunchy Cons; see my Sept. 6, 2006 blog post on him. Here are some basic tenets of my somewhat unorthodox socio-political outlook:
- The American political system is being corrupted by the gradual creep toward an illiberal, majoritarian form of democracy (à la Rousseau) in which the winning side takes all, raising tensions and instability.
- Constitutional norms and respect for law in society are eroding, raising doubts about whether we can "keep this republic."
- In any country, capitalism is prone to corruption by get-rich-quick hucksters, and far too many corporations and individuals act as though the only way to get ahead in life is to cut legal corners or flagrantly cheat.
- That is why a moral foundation and widely-shared normative vision -- usually but not necessarily religious -- are required for capitalism to work.
- The public education system in this country is appallingly inclined to reward mediocrity and conformity while punishing excellence and creativity. As long as parents remain disengaged from their children's education because they are "too busy," no Federal mandates or standardized testing sytem will rectify this travesty.
- By any reasonable standard, the vast majority of American people live in opulent luxury, but very few of them are even vaguely aware of it.
- I doubt that current consumption habits in the U.S.A. can be sustained much longer, but it's none of my business how people live their own lives, as long as they don't whine and put pressure on the government to enact market-distorting measures, such as caps on energy prices or subsidies for health care.
- U.S. energy prices are artificially low compared to the rest of the world, and profligate consumption of hydrocarbons should be reduced by means of a large tax increase of petroleum fuels, not by government regulations or feel-good conservation campaigns.
- Lying under oath is a crime, and for a public official, therefore, it is an impeachable offense.
- The success of the American economy in the late 20th century was primarily the result of the return to wealth-building free enterprise principles inspired by President Reagan.
- The Reagan legacy has been severely tarnished by a cynical group of anti-tax advocates who profess, wrongly, that "deficits don't matter."
- Under certain circumstances, the United States can encourage other countries to adopt principles and practices of classical liberalism. Usually, however, other countries must learn on their own.
Personal opinions ("no accounting for taste")
- Foul language, public rudeness, indifference to learning and the arts, disrespect for elderly people, and various forms of debasement of human sexuality are all indications that Western Civilization is in decline, in the social democratic nations of Europe, as well as the U.S.A.
- People who in any way deprecate the value of an honest day's work, however humble the job may be, whether in or out of the home, are reprehensible scum bags.
- The key to rediscovering our national identity in this bewildering era of globalization and rebuilding a truly national community is baseball.
- Wildlife and the natural beauty in this country are gifts of God, and all Americans are morally obligated to be good stewards. Environmental laws should be based on "wise use" principles, working with property owners, not against them.
The general conclusion that I draw from these premises and observations is that the only way that the United States can avoid a further erosion of its precious culture of civility is to sharply cut back on the size and scope of the Federal government. The older I get, however, the less hopeful I am that such reforms might be practical, especially given the current backbiting in the Republican Party, and as a conservative I think the best we can do now is adopt enough reforms to maintain our status as a free people.
My background and interests
I am in the unusual position of being a native-born Virginian who grew up on the Great Plains of South Dakota. I have had a strong interest in politics and science since my early teen years, which is also when I began taking music seriously (playing guitar). After graduating from college, I returned to the Washington D.C.-Northern Virginia area, where I spent the 1980s working in the Federal Government. I then went back to graduate school at the University of Virginia, and in January 2002 earned a doctoral degree in Foreign Affairs. (See my Academics page.) The blog categories are indicative of my wide-ranging interests.
For most of my younger years I was on the left side of the political spectrum, though I always favored market-oriented economic policy, thanks to my college education. (I had a grudging, secret admiration for Ronald Reagan, you might say.) During the late 1980s I steadily lost faith in the Democrats and moved toward the political center. In the early 1990s I worked with the Concord Coalition, a public policy advocacy group devoted to balanced budgets and fiscal responsibility. The decisive turning point came in 1995 when the Republicans gained a majority in Congress and began implementing a comprehensive set of policy reforms. I was deeply impressed and became affiliated with the Grand Old Party. Since October 2002 I have been a member of the Staunton Republican Committee. In the fall of 2004 I temporarily set aside my career goals in order to devote full time to helping reelect President George W. Bush. Since then, I have participated actively in several election campaigns. I also created a joint Web site for the Staunton, Waynesboro, and Augusta County Republican Committees: www.swacgop.org, which terminated in March 2007 because of disagreements. After that, I launched a Staunton-only Republican Web site: www.stauntongop.org. I was elected Secretary of the Committee in March 2007, but was removed from that post five months later, for reasons that I am not at liberty to disclose but wish I could. At the request of the local GOP elected officials, I set up the www.augustarepublicans.com Web site in September 2007, and continue to maintain it. I then ran for chairman in March 2008, losing to the incumbent.
As for my attitudes, I am stubbornly nonconformist regarding social norms (i.e., not "politically correct"), and only vaguely attuned to fashion or pop culture. I am inclined toward the conservative side on most social issues, but I dislike the cynical exploitation of emotion-laden "wedge issues." My musical tastes range from rock and roll with a "country" slant, e.g., the Eagles; America; Crosby, Still, and Nash; and John Mellencamp; as well as some bluegrass and classical music. I have always enjoyed outdoor sports such as golf, softball, and bicycle riding, but was never a "jock." Over the years I have become more of a nature lover, and since the late 1990s have been a semi-serious bird watcher. I am fascinated by foreign cultures, especially Latin America.
Finally, I am very proud of my wife Jacqueline, who was born in Peru. Indeed, the original (rather corny) name for this blog was "Los Clems." ( Click here to see us together in Costa Rica. 
) Cliches aside, we are truly blessed to share so many tastes in music (rock, salsa, etc.), food (enchiladas, salsa, etc.), and pastimes (hiking, bicycling, travel, camping, nature, baseball), and indeed we do almost everything together. Exception: I (Andrew) tire of shopping almost as quickly as Jacqueline tires of politics. (I must admit, her skepticism of what politicians promise is certainly well founded.) The content on this Web site in part reflects the fact that my career as a scholar of international relations, focusing on Latin America, is intertwined with our family life.
Claims to "fame"
- Was present when Sen. George McGovern conceded the presidential election to Richard Nixon, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Nov. 1972
- In my capacity as Federal government economist, was quoted on the front page of Wall Street Journal ("there's no indication yet that the economy is picking up"), contradicting White House spokesman, Apr. 12, 1982
- Completed "century" (100+ mile) bicycle rides with Potomac Pedalers Touring Club in 1986, 1988, and 1989
- Interviewed two former presidents of Peru (Morales Bermudez and Belaunde) in Lima, Nov. 1994
- Spotted the first Western tanager ever recorded in the Shenandoah Valley, Apr. 2004
- Hit a double eagle (2 on a 487-yard par 5), witnessed by father and two brothers, Aug. 2004
- Cast as an "extra" for crowd scenes in the movie War of the Worlds, Dec. 2004
- Attended the first-ever Washington Nationals regulation game, in Philadelphia, Apr. 4, 2005
- Played a key role in helping to reelect State Senator Emmett Hanger, June 12, 2007
Does some of that sound far-fetched? Well, it's all true. Believe it ... or not!
Frequently asked questions
When did I start to blog?
I launched my personal Web site in early 2002 and first began to post blog-like comments semi-regularly in May 2002. However, I did not really blog on a consistent, standardized basis until November 2004, and the transition to the new (home-made) semi-automated blog system based on permalinks was completed in December 2004. As far as I know, I am the first blogger in the Staunton-Waynesboro-Augusta County (SWAC) area.
What were some other key blogging milestones?
Based on my new skills in PHP scripting, in late May 2005 I made the blog system 99 percent automatic, and created a blog post template page for the sake of aesthetics and ease of navigation. In September 2006 I enabled the "impressions" feedback feature on my baseball stadium pages, and enabled blog comments shortly thereafter. Finally, I created RSS/XML feeds (from the proverbial sweat of my own brow, mind you) in February 2007, after which this blog began to be "broadcast" to a wider audience for the first time.
Where did the name of this blog (or lack thereof) come from?
It's taken from the America song "Horse With No Name," which I adopted in December 2005. It's also an (ironic) allusion to my very open blog identity. The blog itself has "no name," but the blog author has always been clearly identified.
What is my relationship with other local bloggers?
Through my encouragement, other SWAC-area Republicans began blogging in 2005 and 2006, and at first I was very proud to have led the way. I always sought to encourage active, open, constructive dialogue among Republicans, hoping to build a bigger and stronger majority. Sadly, however, others disagreed with that "Big Tent" approach, and tensions began to grow. In April 2007 a nasty dispute with some of my erstwhile colleagues erupted as a side-effect of the bitter Hanger-Sayre primary campaign race. Some of us have reconciled, and I remain hopeful that, someday, we will "all get along" once again.
Where did that background photo in my blog banner come from?
It's the Missouri River Valley, near where I grew up in South Dakota.
Do I have a Blogger account?
Yes, but mainly for the purpose of commenting on other blogs, which I don't do very often. See my Blogger profile page. In late 2006 and early 2007 I posted a few blog comments under the name "Andrew C" or "And Rue." In 2007 I also posted a few comments as "Cholo1" on the Staunton News Leader "talkback" feature, and as "AndrewClem" on their new system that began in April 2008.
Do I have a YouTube account?
Yes, but I have only submitted a few videos thus far. See my YouTube page.
Do I have a FaceBook or MySpace account?
Absolutely NOT!
Who is my intended blogging audience?
Those who share my passion for baseball, and ballparks in particular, of course, but also anyone who cares deeply about this country and is searching for a fresh, thoughtful point of view on vital issues of the day -- more likely, someone in Virginia and especially western Virginia.
Why do I continue to blog?
Because my personal and educational background gives me a unique perspective on politics and matters of public interest in general, and I believe very deeply that our country -- and the Republican Party in particular -- needs more independent, honest voices who are not afraid to "question authority" or challenge "conventional wisdom."
