FAQ

SO, WHO ARE YOU?

I am a middle aged professional, with a BS and a Doctorate from state schools, and a proud Louisiana native. I still live there, outside of a small town.

The Bride and I have been married a long time, and never to anyone else. No, no kids.

I own my own professional practice, albeit small, dealing either with my own clients or subcontracting to other practices.

My Bride is active in her church, and we mostly shop at WalMart.

We're just pretty boring, just garden variety Americans.

SO WHAT ARE YOUR POLITICS?

I've always been fairly conservative fiscally, but was pretty liberal socially when young. I was even a conscientious objector when draft registration was first reinstated. President Carter cured me of any leanings to the Democratic Party.

I also started reading on my own. So I became a Reagan Republican. OK, probably more of a pro-defense Libertarian than anything else. The Republicans were a good on defense and better than Democrats on spending.

But, sadly, the Republicans lost their way on spending. They were becoming Democrat-Lite. And then came the Katrina experience.

So I quit being a Republican. And that brings us to today.

I consider myself a Radical Independent. I neither like nor respect nor believe our two major parties. Or the minor ones for that matter. I saw the media in action during and after Katrina, and give them all due respect. That respect is exactly zero.

I seek my own sources for information, and look to my own mind for analysis.

SO WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE?

I believe that even with her few stumbles, America has been the greatest provider of liberty and prosperity the world has ever seen.

I believe that our Founders were pretty damn smart. I'll even go so far as to say wise and profound. What they designed has worked pretty well these last few centuries. I also believe that before we stray too far from the Founder's teachings, we'd better have damn compelling arguments,and I've got to be shown a system that has worked better in practice, not just theory.

I believe that America has stumbled recently, no more, no less. For us to resume the pinnacle, I believe we've got to get back to the fundamentals that took us there before.

I also believe that Americans of goodwill can openly debate issues without resorting to rancour or name calling. In short, I believe we can disagree without being disagreeable.

SO WHY ARE YOU "THE GREY MAN"?

First, because I'm boring. I don' t go clubbing with celebrities. I'm not ivy league. I have no desire to be a blogging star. I'm just a guy trying to do a little better for my bride and myself.

I'm just a common man trying to gain and dispense a little common sense.

Secondly, dispensing common sense is dangerous. Sacred cows of all stripes must be gored. And there are some Americans who are not of goodwill. So it's best to remain covert. And the best way to remain covert is, according to the books, is to be "the grey man". Be bland, boring and average. Don't dress like Liberace' if you wish to remain covert at a Nascar race. Or the Vatican.

And I do take things a bit too literally, ergo "The Grey Man"