This week on theamericanconservative.com, Michael Brendan Dougherty explained Romney’s loss to shocked conservatives, Jim Antle assessed Ron Paul’s impact on the GOP, and Daniel Larison ushered in the end of the American Century. Jim Pinkerton explained how Republicans forfeited the economic argument, and Philip Giraldi made some foreign policy recommendations for Obama’s second term.

Rod Dreher discovered liberty in France, contemplated the difference between conservative and liberal mindsets, and Alan Jacobs and he reflected on the contemporary relevance of Maximillien Robespierre. Jacobs also discussed Augustine and the anatomy of evil.

Noah Millman reflected on Romney‘s “Democratic” appeal, revisited his election predictions, and analyzed the class and racial symbolism of canceling the New York Marathon in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Samuel Goldman argued that election day should be a federal holiday, and Scott Galupo proposed that the closeness of the election would significantly blur the next president’s mandate, something Larison attributed to both candidates’ “unimaginative and vacuous campaigns.”

Larison attributed Romney and his allies’ failure to understand their opponent to the loyalist, conservative media. This sentiment was echoed in the editors’ case for conservatism’s hour. Jordon Bloom laid out the five phases of conservative movement grief, Kelley Vlahos analyzed sectarian tensions in the Middle East, and Giraldi explicated the dynamics of the Syrian revolution.

Jack Hunter advocated a return to constitutional conservatism, and Christopher Sandford profiled Imran Khan, the Pakistani cricketer-turned-politician. Larison argued against a Republican embrace of amnesty for illegal immigrants (Goldman’s partial dissent here). Scott McConnell contemplated what Tuesday night’s loss meant for the various factions of the conservative movement.