You know the story of the famous rosy chicken. She finds grain, she asks her buddies for help to bake bread, no one lifts a finger — it’s like High Noon starring Rachael Ray. So LRH does it all solo, and then, when the bread is baked, all her excuse-mongering barnyard paisans are suddenly ready to help — mangia. No sweat equity, but big eyes and bigger stomachs.
There is a bit of that around these here parts. Oh, we are blessed with good people who know that NRO is free as the air, but realize that all the glorious writing doesn’t come out of the air. They contribute to make sure this operation keeps afloat financially. They know that NRO is central to conservatism — whether it’s debating a policy or fighting dopey legislation — and they know that it takes moolah to make that happen. People (talented people!) have to write, others have to edit, others have to maintain our tech infrastructure, and they aren’t doing it strictly for the compliments. Indeed, there are salaries (small!) and bills (large!) that go along with this operation, now in its 13th year of making life miserable for extreme liberalism, RINOs, PC apostles, and just about any other cause, person, or -ism that needs a good daily undressing.
“I love Victor Davis Hanson,” a friend told me recently. He comes to NRO every day to get a VDH fix.
“Did you see that great article he wrote in the last issue of the magazine?” I asked. Ixnay — my bud doesn’t get the magazine because he hangs out on The Corner all day. As the old saying goes, why buy the milk . . . ?
This dude could buy and sell me ten times over every day of the week. You’d think he’d throw a few coins in the collection plate. I hope he does, and I hope many others do too. For the obvious reason: Without broad financial help, this enterprise has a tough time making it. You know what NR means to conservatism: Isn’t supporting NRO worth it?
Yeah, it is. Very much so. And if the answer isn’t obvious, well, maybe you should be playing Minesweeper instead of reading this.
NRO makes a huge difference. But it can do so only because a lot of good people — like some of you reading this right now — have stepped up. On behalf of all “the suits” here at NR’s lean and mean HQ, I am deeply appreciative of your generosity because you don’t have to. Yet — you do anyway! And many do anonymously. Wow.
Hey, we’ve got great friends here at NRO. But we want and need more so we can keep doing the very things that keep bringing you back to www.nationalreview.com.
If you’ve already helped out, thanks. If you are about to, thanks in advance — you can go here to make that happen. And if you are my VDH-fan friend thinking you’re going to keep pulling a fast one, remember — I’ve got pictures!
– Jack Fowler is the publisher of National Review.