One of the most common nightmare scenarios posited by popular radio/Internet personality Alex Jones is that the U.S. Federal Government, having been co-opted by a vast constellation of evil forces collectively known as the “New World Order,” will someday attempt to seize citizens’ firearms. This could occur imminently, Jones often warns; like legions of God-fearing, patriotic Americans, he’d view any such forcible confiscation as tantamount to an act of war — and quite possibly cause for open revolt.

Jim DeMint, heralded for a time by political pundits as the most powerful member of the U.S. Senate, shocked even his own staff yesterday when he announced that he’ll relinquish his seat next month to become president of the Heritage Foundation, the preeminent Washington, D.C. think tank for social conservatives. There are a few things worth unpacking about this development.

During the 2008 and 2012 presidential campaigns, the candidate with the most devoted core of supporters was undoubtedly Ron Paul…

The groundbreaking marijuana legalization initiative that passed this month in Colorado won a majority of the vote even in El Paso county, home to Colorado Springs — the “Mecca” of Evangelical Christianity. There is a large military presence there as well, of course, but this county is reliably conservative. Romney won it by over 21 points.