On this, we must insist.
In August, the president of the United States usurped the constitutional powers of Congress and, in flagrant violation of the law, the American system of government, and the oath of office he swore last year, redirected a trillion dollars of your money to the most privileged people in the country.
And, in response, the press corps said . . . nothing. All that talk of democracy, the rule of law, and the Constitution that we heard from 2017 until 2021 — it all disappeared in a puff. Oversight, you see, is for politicians the media dislike, in opposition to policies that journalists personally disdain. Sure, President Biden just committed the most brazenly illegal presidential act in half a century. But he’s a Democrat — and, besides, what he did was nice. Historically, the big question for free societies was “Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?” “Who watches the watchers?” In this case, one doesn’t even have to get that far, for, in its current iteration, the press is watching nothing but its own interests.
Which is where National Review comes in. As a rule, I’m not a fan of the idea that “if you’re taking flak, you must be over the target.” Sometimes, if you’re taking flak, it just means that you’re an ass. But, when it comes to defending the Constitution against its assailants, National Review usually is right “over the target.” As Rich noted earlier this week, it seems as if everyone has “lost their minds.” We haven’t. Not only do we fight for the Constitution, against whoever happens to be violating it; we also take this business seriously enough to argue it out with each other.
And yet, if you’ll permit me to torture the metaphor a little, we can only keep flying over that target if we have enough kerosene in our tank. That’s where you come in. Historically, we were a magazine with a website. Now, that website is a thriving publication all its own, and we sell subscriptions: It’s called NRPlus, and, for a limited time, we’re taking 60 percent off the annual price. That works out at about eleven cents per day. Eleven cents per day to read everything on our site — including the magazine. Eleven cents per day for Dan McLaughlin and Andy McCarthy and Rich Lowry and Jim Geraghty and Maddy Kearns and Phil Klein and MBD and — if you must — Jack Butler.
Yes, we give a little away for free. But all the best stuff is kept for our subscribers. Subscribers get rid of the paywall — and most of the advertisements — so that they can read the site without encumbrance. Subscribers get to read our newsletters in their inboxes, rather than having to click through to the site. Subscribers get access to the full archives of our podcasts and photo galleries. Subscribers can comment on blog posts and pieces, connect with our writers in our private Facebook group, and join exclusive, invitation-only calls and events.
So please, take advantage of this deal and join us — in reinforcing, for those who need to hear it, that the Constitution is not a suggestion.