We have a goal for our Spring Webathon to raise $264,000 — one thousandth of what old moneybags George Soros gave to lefty groups (make that just some lefty groups) from 2010–2014. We think matching his largesse, with a few zeroes after the decimal point, is a worthwhile objective. And the fact is after some 18 days of webathon-ing, we are more than half way to the goal: To date over 1,000 NRO readers and friends have donated a collective speck over $160,000. We couldn’t be happier (well, we are, with each additional dollar of support) or more appreciative.

Please remember the principle reasons we are asking for contributions: 1) to subsidize the cost ($500,000-plus) of the NRO website rebuild, 2) to gather financial support for the pricy and ongoing Mann v. National Review lawsuit, and 3) to fund a sorely needed editor’s position. Now, as is our custom, we share some of the comments that have been received, along with contributions, in recent days, many of these spurred by a my friend and colleague Kevin Williamson’s bleg:

Marianne bellys up, drops $180 on the bar, buys a round, and says “Love reading Kevin W., Jonah G., Victor D. H., David F., Kathryn T., . . . very enlightening stuff. Thank you.” Here’s to Marianne!

Richard spots us $25 and gets all cap in his praise: “best publication going. best podcast too. inherited my affinity for your magazine from my dad.” God bless the Old Man.

Good old Voorhees sends a kindly $100 and reveals that the road to Damascus went through New Jersey: “As a grad student at Rutgers in the early seventies I was a doctrinaire leftist until reading one issue of National Review.” Damn that’s inspiring!

David hits us with $2000 — yeah, two thousand — and explains his affection for this joint: “When I seek reasoned arguments away from the steady drumbeat of purely partisan opinions, I turn to National Review.” Mama mia David, you rock.

We’ll end with William, who gives $100, for which we are appreciative, and a request: “Williamson is my current favorite — can he be made to lose the beard?” Uhhhhh . . . maybe if you add three zeroes to that check he’ll do it.

God blessings on those who have given. So, what’s keeping you from doing the same? Please help. Make your contribution on NR, right now, right here. If you prefer to contribute by check and mail, then make the check payable to “National Review” and mail it to National Review, ATTN: Webathon, 215 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10016. And if you prefer to donate via PayPal, you can do that here. Now this is where I would normally say so long, but . . .

National Review-suer Michael Mann had this to say in reaction to President Trump’s action on the Paris climate accord. You will not be surprised:

By withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement to double-down down on a coal & fossil fuel energy agenda, Trump has engaged in unilateral disarmament in the economic arms race that is the transition to clean energy.
Other nations like China and the European Union now take the lead in global leadership, moral authority, and economic competitiveness.
The challenge of averting dangerous and irreversible climate change and massive coastal inundation, devastating floods and droughts, is that much more an uphill climb with Trump’s pullout from the Paris agreement.
Trump’s pullout from Paris is bad for jobs. There are only about 70,000 coal jobs left in the U.S. and they are diminishing rapidly. Meanwhile, jobs in clean energy are nearing a million and growing rapidly.
So Trump’s actions are bad for jobs, bad for U.S. global competitiveness, and bad for the planet.

Is it just me or does the professor sound like he isn’t just a climate scientist — that he may also be an economist?! But get this: I’ve just learned he’s also a . . . secretary! True: There is a Trump Shadow Cabinet (it’s website is www.shadowingtrump.org) in which our litigation opponent holds the title of “Citizen Secretary of Science & Environment.” Sounds so Paris Commune-y. And it’s almost like . . . almost being a Nobel Peace Prize winner!