A.G. Gancarski longed for Hollywood to take the drug war seriously, Jordan Bloom pretended Obama isn’t a drug warrior, and Kelley Vlahos fingered Team America’s role in drug chaos. Pat Buchanan scrutinized John Roberts’s rise to the top, Stephen B. Tippins Jr. profiled Fisher Ames, and Paul Gottfried studied taxpayer-funded college parties. Martin Kester Coombs saved JFK, and Daniel McCarthy uncovered the myth and reality of GOP radicalism. Rod Dreher might have endorsed Obamacare, and remembered Bob Dole. Scott Galupo perceived the real trouble with Obamacare, and upheld the decision of the lower gut.

Tom Englehardt tracked the militarization of diplomacy, and Bloom evaluated the procedural idiocy of BRAC. Daniel Larison scoffed at nostalgia for the Iraq war era, generated challenges to liberal democracy, restated the Monroe Doctrine, predicted a Romney administration would replay the Bush presidency. Philip Giraldi broached the topic of American military corruption, and recalled CIA Christmas parties. Eve Tushnet reviewed Home of the Soldier, and found America’s secret twin. Scott McConnell anticipated less-than-total Christian support for Israel.

Dreher tasted artichokes and the good life, rued the demise of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, commended the ordinary, pondered the incomprehensible tragedy of Julia Flyte, refused to get offended, and opposed the education machine. McConnell eagerly awaited a Noah Millman review of “Take This Waltz.”