Happy new year, everybody. If you’re podcast-minded, my latest Q&A is with Stephanie Slade, a very unusual, and a very good, writer. Distinctive. Her own woman. She is a libertarian who is religious and pro-life. She is a senior editor at Reason magazine and a fellow in liberal studies at the Acton Institute.

We start with some definitions — a subject you could spend weeks, months, or years on: What is “liberal”? What is “conservative”? What about “libertarian”? How about that word “reason”? Is this what atheists throw in the faces of religious people? Who was Lord Acton and why is he important? What does he represent?

In our podcast, we talk about ideas — as they relate to economics, drugs, marriage, national security, public accommodation. A baker shouldn’t have to bake a cake for a gay wedding. Fine, great. What if he doesn’t want to bake a cake for the wedding of an interracial couple? But that’s different, right? Okay, how, exactly? What if the baker simply doesn’t like your looks? Or the way you talk? What is the extent of his rights?

Ms. Slade has very interesting things to say about fusionism — fusionism in politics (as opposed to cooking or energy). This is not a matter of a “liberty” camp and a “virtue” camp, making an alliance and working out a modus vivendi. The two camps blend. In fact, they may not even be two.

To read a piece of hers on this subject, go here. More recently, she has written a quite interesting piece called “Against Game of Thrones Christianity.” To read it, go here.

Here is a woman who can make you think, and who is willing to think in turn. She is a natural for opinion journalism, of the open and honest variety. In her Twitter bio, she has a statement, from Lincoln: “Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?”

Again, to hear her, and me jawing with her, go here.