Ross Douthat

I love reading the NY Times. Of late, conservative op-ed columnist Ross Douthat is near the top of my reasons why.

I disagree with Douthat's conclusions more than I agree. But what keeps me continually reading is his willingness to occasionally acknowledge the inherent contradictions in some of his positions. Doing so helps Douthat present his views without the irrational and shrill certainty usually accompanying the opinions of some of his colleagues on the political right or the opposing voices to his left.

Another thing that keeps me returning to Douthat's column is my sense that he largely resists the temptation to simply ditto the party line; his conservative take strikes me as his own. Evidence? I haven't yet read in his columns any of the taglines the local diner wingnuts quote incessantly. If I had a dollar for every time I heard Rush Limbaugh or Glenn Beck's words parroted, I'd be able to afford the college education neither one of them ever got. Distrust of certainty, nuance and education - Douthat is someone worth my attention.