Today on theamericanconservative.com, we welcomed Alan Jacobs to The American Conservative. Jacobs introduced himself, set out a comments policy, and reflected upon Thomas Nagel’s review of Alvin Plantinga’s new book Where the Conflict Really Lies.

James P. Pinkerton mused on the One Nation conservatism of Benjamin Disraeli, Lincoln, and Coolidge, and Kelley Vlahos contemplated the first anniversary of the Occupy Wall Street movement.

Michael Brendan Dougherty chided Thomas Friedman’s naive belief in the global desirability of American liberal values. Daniel Larison reflected on Paul Ryan’s post-2012 career, Romney’s political opportunism, and the likelihood that the Republican elite would defect from the Romney campaign. Noah Millman argued that elite defection was unlikely and Rod Dreher announced his alienation from the elites of both parties.

Finally, Millman made a qualified case for opening up to Iran and Dreher argued that the death of God has turned Westerners into a bunch of “lotus eaters“.