Everyone Needs a Good Reading List!

 As much as we all like to think of ourselves as original thinkers, the fact is, we need information, data, facts, to formulate our thinking. I've always been a voracious reader even as a child, often finishing several books in a week, as well as a couple of daily newspapers and a magazine or two. 
Coming into adulthood and its responsibilities - plus discovering girls when I was 17 - that changed somewhat. These days, I generally read for an hour or two in the morning, and I try to make that time count by reading quality writers. It helps too that now, nearly 50 years later, girls have not been falling all over me! Liberal readers, if you want to put a dent into my writing, find me a girlfriend who will take up all my time.
So what do I read? I'll generally read almost anything that catches my eye, no matter where it's from. I will even read stuff from sources that the left denigrates as trash, because often they will have quotes and sources that have value. I just ignore for the most part the opinions put forth. Same with material from the left, although there, even the NY Times qualifies as trash and the opinions are very ignorable. And yea, I know that ain't a proper word.
One thing I make a point of reading is material tossed out at me during debates by those on the left. Why do I do that, when so often it is nothing but deceit, deception and outright lies?
Because it helps immensely to know what the other side is thinking. If I understand what they're listening to and reading, if I know where there misconceptions come from, I can better understand how to demonstrate the falsity of their viewpoints. I can find quotes to disprove the lies they are fed, data to destroy their false narratives.
Does this help? Yes, and no.
Today's left is consumed with both confirmation bias and cognitive dissonance. It helps to completely understand these terms, so I'll define them here:

Confirmation bias is the tendency to search for, interpret, favor, and recall information in a way that confirms or supports one's prior beliefs or values.^[1] It is an important type of cognitive bias that has a significant effect on the proper functioning of society by distorting evidence-based decision-making. People display this bias when they gather or remember information selectively, or when they interpret it in a biased way. For example, a person may cherry-pick empirical data that supports one's belief, ignoring the remainder of the data that is not supportive. People also tend to interpret ambiguous evidence as supporting their existing position. The effect is strongest for desired outcomes, for emotionally charged issues, and for deeply entrenched beliefs.

In the field of psychology, cognitive dissonance occurs when a person holds contradictory beliefs, ideas, or values, and is typically experienced as psychological stress when they participate in an action that goes against one or more of them. According to this theory, when two actions or ideas are not psychologically consistent with each other, people do all in their power to change them until they become consistent.^[1] The discomfort is triggered by the person's belief clashing with new information perceived, wherein they try to find a way to resolve the contradiction to reduce their discomfort.^[1][2]

When you read the definition of cognitive dissonance, don't its symptoms - the discomfort - sound like what America is experiencing right now? The entire left is looking at the truth, which does not agree with its closely held beliefs, so they act out, hoping to reduce their discomfort by trying to force the rest of us to agree that they are right. Think, BLM rioters - er, peaceful protesters - demanding that people sitting in restaurants give the BLM fist salute and say Black Lives Matters.
In other words, keep both of these definitions in mind as you read - they will be very useful to your understanding of the left. Keep in mind also - we aren't immune as conservatives to the same problems. Always, always, question your beliefs, your sources, your conclusions. In that way, you won't become one of these mindless zombies we see on the left.

So - just what do I read on a regular basis? Where do I get my wisdom from?
One of the best, least biased magazines I read regularly is the National Review. A lot of the writers there are Never Trumpers, but they truly do analyze their topics from a right of centre viewpoint and back their thinking up with reason and facts. Two of their best writers are Victor Davis Hanson and David Harsanyi, but all of them are worth the time to read. For that reason, I took out a subscription several years ago, and I renew it regularly. At around $50 per year, it's well worth it, and the comment section is amazingly good.
Another good publication is the Wall Street Journal, and especially the editorials, when you can get past the paywall. I did have a subscription to it for a while, but it's expensive so I dropped it. If you want to go to the effort, you can get their offer for a $1/month subscription for two months, then try renewing it under another email address I suppose. Watch for any article by Kimberly Strassel, always well reasoned writing, but there are many others.
Another source of reliable conservative writing is The Federalist. Often long form articles, lots of facts, well reasoned conclusions. Today's cover article is about the book "Obsession" by Byron York, one of my favourite conservative writers, and another one to search out.
A few months back, I clicked on a link at Real Clear Politics and now, daily, I get a short list of good reads in my inbox. It's a good mix of left and right viewpoints from some of the very best authors out there. Today's top article, in my humble opinion, is this one by Mark Matthews, a writer I intend to follow from here on out.
John Solomon's new site, Just the News, offers short pieces with good insight. Solomon, of course, has been one of the leaders in sussing out what's gone on in the Ukraine. Smart man with good sources.
I don't watch a lot of TV, but I do watch Tucker Carlson, who I think is one of the top opinion talking heads out there today. There's a reason his show has outperformed Hannity's, whose schtick I find tiresome. Another Fox personality I watch is Laura Ingraham, who consistently has excellent guests. And yes, I watch Shannon Bream also - she's a smart lady, has a good show and she's - forgive me ladies for this - just so damn cute! 
Another Fox personality who doesn't get the cred he should - Jesse Waters. If Jesse ever decides to get serious with his take on journalism, he'll soon be at the top of the heap. Smart, witty and charming.
Online, there are three people whose blogs I read regularly. One is David Blackmon and his Daily Campaign Update, who also writes an energy blog for Forbes. Always good insights.
Secondly, Mike Curreri on Facebook. Mike is a lawyer and a powerful thinker.
Thirdly, Tal Bachman on Facebook. If you're thinking 'Bachman, Bachman', where have I heard that name before, you're right. Tal is Randy Bachman, of Bachman Turner Overdrive fame's, son. His feed is worth following for many reasons, not just the politics.
So there you go - my basic reading list. It's the most BS free information anywhere, with a minimum of spin. Democrats may not agree with that.... (see definition of confirmation bias above).
If you want to be known as a well informed conservative, you can't go wrong with these sources. Just remember, when your wife wants into the bathroom after you've been sitting there for two hours on the can reading this great material, it's only fair to give it up to her. 

Remember, please, to add this blog to YOUR reading list and to promote it to your friends as a great source of conservative thought. Link to me on social media using the link at the top right of the page.  Every little bit helps as November 3 approaches.