This is where the real work begins. You want an article. Not a summary, not a curated snippet. You want the full, unvarnished truth, presented with a clarity that might sting a little. Fine. Let's dissect this… LifeZette.
LifeZette
LifeZette.com, a digital entity draped in the banner of American conservatism, launched its operations in October of 2014. It positions itself as a purveyor of news and opinion, a claim one might scrutinize with a raised eyebrow. Its headquarters, a brick-and-mortar testament to its physical presence, is situated at 1055 Thomas Jefferson Street, Suite 301, in Washington, D.C., zip code 20007, nestled within the sprawling expanse of the United States. The ownership structure is a blend of Katz Group of Companies, a significant entity, and Laura Ingraham, a name that resonates within certain circles. Ingraham herself is credited as a Founder, alongside Peter Anthony, and she holds the esteemed position of Editor-in-chief, a role that, one assumes, involves more than just approving headlines.
The site’s public-facing URL is, predictably, LifeZette.com. For those who wish to engage beyond mere consumption, registration is an optional, yet necessary, step to participate in the comment sections, a feature launched in July of 2015. It is, in essence, an online publication, currently active and contributing its particular brand of discourse to the digital ether. LifeZette is presented as a component of a broader ideological landscape, specifically within the series on Conservatism in the United States.
The ideological framework of conservatism itself is a complex tapestry, woven with various threads. Among the schools of thought often associated with it are Compassionate conservatism, which attempts to temper its more rigid aspects with a veneer of empathy; Fiscal conservatism, prioritizing balanced budgets and limited government spending; Fusionism, a blend of traditionalist, libertarian, and anticommunist elements; Liberal conservatism, which, by its very name, suggests a more moderate approach; Libertarian conservatism, emphasizing individual liberty and minimal state intervention; Moderate conservatism, occupying a less extreme position on the political spectrum; Movement conservatism, characterized by its activism and organizational efforts; Nationalist conservatism, prioritizing national interests and identity; Christian conservatism, often intertwined with religious values; Neoconservatism, which emerged from a critique of perceived liberal foreign policy; Paleoconservatism, often emphasizing tradition and a critique of modernity; Postliberalism, a more recent current questioning the foundations of liberalism; Progressive conservatism, a less common but historically present variant; Social conservatism, focused on traditional social values; Straussianism, influenced by the philosophical teachings of Leo Strauss; and Traditionalist conservatism, prioritizing established customs and institutions.
The core principles often espoused within this sphere are equally varied and, at times, contradictory. They include American exceptionalism, the belief in the unique character and destiny of the United States; Anti-communism, a historical bulwark against perceived socialist and communist threats; Constitutionalism, a focus on the principles and structure of the U.S. Constitution; Familialism and Family values, emphasizing the importance of the traditional family unit; Federalism and States' rights, advocating for the division of power between federal and state governments; Subsidiarity, the principle that matters ought to be handled by the smallest, lowest or least centralized competent authority; Gender essentialism, the belief in distinct and inherent differences between genders; Judeo-Christian values, a foundational element for many conservatives; Individualism, stressing the importance of personal autonomy and self-reliance; Law and order, a strong emphasis on public safety and the enforcement of laws; Limited government, advocating for a reduced role of the state in economic and personal affairs; Meritocracy, the idea that advancement should be based on individual ability or achievement; Natural aristocracy, a concept suggesting that a ruling class arises naturally from inherent qualities; Militarism and Peace through strength, advocating for a strong military as a means to maintain peace; Moral absolutism, a belief in objective moral truths; Natalism, policies that encourage childbirth; the Pro-life stance on abortion; Natural law, the idea that certain rights and moral principles are inherent and discernible through reason; Ordered liberty, a concept balancing freedom with social order; Patriotism, a strong sense of national pride and loyalty; Property rights, emphasizing the importance of private ownership; Republicanism, often referring to a specific form of representative government; the Right to bear arms; the Rule of law, the principle that all individuals and institutions are accountable to laws that are publicly promulgated, equally enforced, and independently adjudicated; Supply-side economics, an economic theory advocating for lower taxes and deregulation; Tradition, a reverence for established customs and practices; Zionism, support for the Jewish people's right to self-determination and the establishment of a Jewish state, including Christian Zionism.
The History of conservatism in the United States is a long and winding road, marked by various movements and figures. From the Loyalists of the American Revolution to the Federalist Era, and later through periods like Southern chivalry and the rise of the Redeemers, the conservative identity has evolved. Influential groups and intellectual currents such as the Boston Brahmins, the Solid South, New Humanism, the Dunning School, the Southern Agrarians, the Old Right, the Conservative Manifesto, the Conservative coalition, the isolationist America First Committee, the anti-communist fervor of McCarthyism, Barry Goldwater's 1964 presidential campaign, the emergence of the New Right, the Reagan era and its associated Reagan Doctrine and Reaganomics, the Republican Revolution, the Tea Party movement, the intellectual debates between Neoconservatism and paleoconservatism, the contemporary Trump era and its associated Agenda 47, all contribute to this complex narrative.
The intellectual landscape is populated by a diverse array of thinkers, including figures like Henry Adams, Michael Anton, Irving Babbitt, Andrew Bacevich, Daniel Bell, Saul Bellow, Allan Bloom, Daniel J. Boorstin, Mel Bradford, William F. Buckley Jr., John Burgess (political scientist), James Burnham, John C. Calhoun, Whittaker Chambers, Robert Conquest, Patrick Deneen, T. S. Eliot, Sam Francis (writer), Eugene Genovese, Paul Gottfried, Victor Davis Hanson, Garrett Hardin, Yoram Hazony, Gertrude Himmelfarb, Hans-Hermann Hoppe, Zora Neale Hurston, Harry V. Jaffa, Roger Kimball, Russell Kirk, Jeane Kirkpatrick, Peter Kreeft, Irving Kristol, Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn, Michael Lind, H. P. Lovecraft, Glenn Loury, John Lukacs, Frank Luntz, Harvey Mansfield, H. L. Mencken, Frank Meyer (political philosopher), Thomas Molnar, Charles Murray (political scientist), Robert Nisbet, Thomas Pangle, John Crowe Ransom, R. R. Reno, Philip Rieff, R. J. Rushdoony, George Santayana, Francis Schaeffer, Thomas Sowell, Leo Strauss, Adrian Vermeule, Peter Viereck, Eric Voegelin, Ben Wattenberg, Richard M. Weaver, and Tom Wolfe.
Politicians who have identified with conservative principles are numerous, spanning from John Adams and Alexander Hamilton to modern figures like Donald Trump, Ronald Reagan, and Ted Cruz. This list includes Greg Abbott, John Boehner, John Bolton, Pat Buchanan, George H. W. Bush, George W. Bush, John C. Calhoun, Henry Clay, Dick Cheney, Grover Cleveland, [Calvin Coolidge](/Calvin_ Coolidge), Ron DeSantis, Everett Dirksen, Bob Dole, Dwight Eisenhower, Newt Gingrich, Barry Goldwater, Warren G. Harding, Jesse Helms, Herbert Hoover, Mike Huckabee, Mike Johnson, Henry Kissinger, Henry Cabot Lodge, Clare Boothe Luce, James Madison, John McCain, Joseph McCarthy, Kevin McCarthy, Mitch McConnell, William McKinley, Edwin Meese, Richard Nixon, Sarah Palin, Rand Paul, Ron Paul, Mike Pence, Franklin Pierce, John Randolph of Roanoke, Mitt Romney, Marco Rubio, Donald Rumsfeld, Paul Ryan, Jeff Sessions, John Sherman, Robert A. Taft, William Howard Taft, John Thune, Strom Thurmond, JD Vance, George Wallace, and Paul Wolfowitz.
The judiciary has also seen conservative influence, with prominent figures such as Samuel Alito, Amy Coney Barrett, Robert Bork, Warren E. Burger, Frederick T. Frelinghuysen, Jack Goldsmith, Neil Gorsuch, John Marshall Harlan II, Brett Kavanaugh, Sandra Day O'Connor, Alton B. Parker, William Rehnquist, John Roberts, Edward Terry Sanford, Antonin Scalia, George Sutherland, William Howard Taft, and Clarence Thomas being associated with conservative legal thought.
Commentators who have shaped the conservative discourse include Glenn Beck, Dan Bongino, Andrew Breitbart, William F. Buckley Jr., Christopher Caldwell (journalist), Tucker Carlson, Oren Cass, Ann Coulter, Dinesh D'Souza, John Derbyshire, Rod Dreher, Larry Elder, Jonah Goldberg, Bob Grant (radio host), Ernest van den Haag, Sean Hannity, Jeffrey Hart, Will Herberg, Laura Ingraham, Alex Jones, Megyn Kelly, Michael Knowles (political commentator), Charles Krauthammer, Tomi Lahren, Mark Levin, Rush Limbaugh, Heather Mac Donald, Richard John Neuhaus, Andy Ngo, Oliver North, Robert Novak, Bill O'Reilly (political commentator), Candace Owens, Norman Podhoretz, Tim Pool, Stefan Thomas Possony, Dennis Prager, Pat Robertson, Ben Shapiro, Amity Shlaes, Matt Walsh (political commentator), Jesse Watters, Nathaniel Weyl, Liz Wheeler, George Will, Lucian Wintrich, and Tom Woods.
Activists who have played significant roles include Jack Abramoff, Robert Agostinelli, Marc Andreessen, Lee Atwater, Steve Bannon, Kaitlin Bennett, Yuri Bezmenov, L. Brent Bozell Jr., Roy Cohn, Paul Dans, James Dobson, Matt Drudge, Jerry Falwell, Edwin Feulner, Michael Flynn, Brigitte Gabriel, Pete Hegseth, David Horowitz, Charlie Kirk, Mark Krikorian (activist), Bill Kristol, Tim LaHaye, Mike Lindell, Charles Lindbergh, Leonard Leo, John McEntee (political aide), Rebekah Mercer, Robert Mercer, Stephen Miller (advisor), Rupert Murdoch, Elon Musk (and his political views), James O'Keefe, Yeonmi Park, Howard Phillips (activist), Jack Posobiec, Sidney Powell, Libs of TikTok (also known as Raichik), Ralph Reed, Henry Regnery, Kevin Roberts (political strategist), Karl Rove, Christopher Rufo, Richard Mellon Scaife, Andrew Schlafly, Phyllis Schlafly, Roger Stone, Peter Thiel, Ginni Thomas, Paul Weyrich, Susie Wiles, and Robert E. Wood.
The literary output associated with conservatism is substantial, including seminal works like The Federalist Papers (1788), Alexis de Tocqueville's Democracy in America (1835–1840), Walter Lippmann's Notes on Democracy (1926), the Southern Agrarians' I'll Take My Stand (1930), Albert Jay Nock's Our Enemy, the State (1935), James Burnham's The Managerial Revolution (1941), Richard Weaver's Ideas Have Consequences (1948), William F. Buckley Jr.'s God and Man at Yale (1951) and The Conscience of a Conservative (1960), Russell Kirk's The Conservative Mind (1953), Phyllis Schlafly's A Choice Not an Echo (1964), Thomas Sowell's A Conflict of Visions (1987), Allan Bloom's The Closing of the American Mind (1987), Pat Buchanan's The Death of the West (2001), J. D. Vance's Hillbilly Elegy (2016), Rod Dreher's The Benedict Option (2017), and Patrick Deneen's Why Liberalism Failed (2018), and Michael Anton's The Age of Entitlement: America Since the Sixties (2020).
Political parties that have aligned with or been influenced by conservatism include the active American Party, American Independent Party, Conservative Party (with its New York state branch), and the Constitution Party, as well as the dominant Republican Party (United States). Defunct parties with historical connections include the Anti-Masonic Party, Constitutional Union Party (United States), factions of the Democratic Party (United States) such as Boll weevils, Bourbon Democrats, Conservative Democrats, Dixiecrats, Reagan Democrats, and Southern Democrats, the Rhode Island Suffrage Party, the Federalist Party, the National Republican Party, the Native American Party, and the Whig Party (United States).
Think tanks play a crucial role in shaping conservative policy and thought. Prominent among them are the Acton Institute, Alexis de Tocqueville Institution, America First Policy Institute, American Enterprise Institute, Americans for Prosperity, Center for Security Policy, Center for the National Interest, Claremont Institute, Competitive Enterprise Institute, David Horowitz Freedom Center, Ethics and Public Policy Center, Family Research Institute, Gatestone Institute, Heartland Institute, The Heritage Foundation and its advocacy arm Heritage Action, the Hoover Institution, Hudson Institute, Intercollegiate Studies Institute, James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions, Leadership Institute, Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, Mises Institute, Pacific Research Institute, the defunct Project for the New American Century, Ripon Society, R Street Institute, Rockford Institute, State Policy Network, Sutherland Institute, Tax Foundation, Witherspoon Institute, and the Mandate for Leadership initiative.
The media landscape is vast, encompassing newspapers like the Chicago Tribune, The Epoch Times, New York Post, The Remnant (newspaper), The Wall Street Journal (including its editorial board), and The Washington Times. Journals contributing to conservative thought include American Affairs, The American Conservative, The American Spectator, American Thinker, City Journal, Claremont Review of Books, Commentary (magazine), Compact (American magazine), Chronicles (magazine), The Dispatch, First Things, The Imaginative Conservative, Jewish World Review, Modern Age (periodical), National Affairs, The National Interest, National Review, The New American, The New Atlantis (journal), The New Criterion, the defunct Policy Review, Southern Partisan, Spectator USA, Tablet (magazine), Taki's Magazine, Telos (journal), Washington Examiner, and the defunct The Weekly Standard. Television channels often associated with conservative viewpoints include CBN, Fox Business, Fox News, Newsmax TV, One America News Network, Real America's Voice, and VOZ (media company).
Online, the ecosystem is equally robust, featuring websites such as 1819 News, The Babylon Bee, Breitbart News, Campus Reform, The Center Square, Conservative Review, The Daily Caller, The Daily Signal, The Daily Wire, Discover the Networks, The Federalist (website), The Gateway Pundit, Hot Air, Human Events, Independent Journal Review, InfoWars, Jihad Watch, LifeZette itself, RedState, The Dispatch, Washington Examiner, The Washington Free Beacon, The Western Journal, and WorldNetDaily. Other media and publishing entities include Blaze Media, Encounter Books, Evie Magazine, The First (TV channel), Imprimis, The Political Cesspool, PragerU, RealClearPolitics, Regnery Publishing, Right Side Broadcasting Network (RSBN), The Rubin Report, Sinclair Broadcast Group, and White House Wire.
Various other organizations contribute to the conservative movement, including congressional caucuses like the Second Amendment Caucus, Republican Study Committee, Freedom Caucus, and Republican Main Street Partnership. Economic advocacy groups include Americans for Tax Reform, Club for Growth, the defunct FreedomWorks, National Federation of Independent Business, National Taxpayers Union, Tea Party Patriots, and the United States Chamber of Commerce. Gun rights organizations such as Gun Owners of America, National Association for Gun Rights, and the National Rifle Association are prominent. Identity-focused groups include ACT!, Concerned Women for America, Gays Against Groomers, Independent Women's Forum, Log Cabin Republicans, and Moms for Liberty. Nativist organizations include the Center for Immigration Studies, Federation for American Immigration Reform, Immigration Restriction League, NumbersUSA, Patriot Prayer, Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, and Three Percenters. Religious organizations are also deeply involved, such as Alliance Defending Freedom (and its court cases), American Center for Law & Justice, American Family Association, American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property, Chalcedon Foundation, Christian Coalition of America, Christian Voice (United States), Eagle Forum, Family Research Council, The Fellowship (Christian organization), Faith and Freedom Coalition, Focus on the Family, Foundation for Moral Law, Liberty Counsel, the defunct Moral Majority, National Organization for Marriage, National Right to Life Committee, Parents Television and Media Council, Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, and the Thomas More Law Center. Watchdog groups include Accuracy in Media, Econ Journal Watch, Franklin News Foundation, Judicial Watch, Media Research Center, O'Keefe Media Group, and Project Veritas. Youth and student groups such as National Journalism Center, Turning Point USA, Young Americans for Freedom, Young America's Foundation, and Young Americans for Liberty are active. Social media platforms like Gab (social network), Gettr, Parler, and The Right Stuff (app) cater to a conservative audience. Miscellaneous organizations include The 85 Fund, Alexander Hamilton Institute for the Study of Western Civilization, American Conservative Union, America First Political Action Conference, Bradley Foundation, The Conservative Caucus, Council for National Policy, Conservative Political Action Conference, Hillsdale College, Idaho Freedom Foundation, John Birch Society, the defunct John M. Olin Foundation, Liberty Fund, The Lincoln Project, Liberty University, National Association of Scholars, Philadelphia Society, Regent University, Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal, and Texas Public Policy Foundation.
Other significant organizations include America First Legal, Atlas Network, Collegiate Network, ConservAmerica, Donors Trust, Federalist Society, National Conservative Political Action Committee, Pacific Justice Institute, Turning Point Action, Society for American Civic Renewal, Young Republicans, and Ziklag (organization).
Movements within the broader conservative spectrum are diverse, including Asian American and Pacific Islander conservatism in the United States, Black conservatism in the United States, the Christian right, Women in conservatism in the United States, Green conservatism, Hispanic and Latino conservatism in the United States, LGBTQ conservatism in the United States, the American militia movement, Monarchism in the United States, the Parental rights movement and its specific focus on Fathers' rights movement, the Patriot movement, the Radical right (United States), Right-libertarianism and its variant Paleolibertarianism, Secessionism in the United States including Neo-Confederates and Texas secession movements, Trumpism, and the Never Trump movement.
Related topics include Barstool conservatism, the Bibliography of conservatism in the United States, Conservative talk radio, List of American conservatives, and the Timeline of modern American conservatism. The entire subject is further contextualized by the Conservatism portal and the United States portal.
History
The genesis of LifeZette can be traced back to October 2014, when Peter Anthony secured the domain name LifeZette.com. The subsequent development of the site involved a collaboration with Laura Ingraham, culminating in its official launch in July 2015. Initially, the site sought to enlist Neil Munro (journalist), an outgoing reporter from The Daily Caller, for the role of political editor. However, Munro's involvement ceased prior to the site's public debut. Quin Hillyer was subsequently brought on board as the political editor, but his tenure was relatively brief, as he was replaced by Keith Koffler in August 2015. Koffler, in turn, departed LifeZette in May 2016 to pursue opportunities at the Washington Examiner.
A notable moment in LifeZette's early history occurred in January 2017, when Sean Spicer, during his initial White House press conference, directed a question to a representative from LifeZette. This marked the site as the first organization to be called upon in that particular briefing. Later, it was announced that Laura Ingraham would be hosting the weeknight program The Ingraham Angle on Fox News.
In January 2019, LifeZette underwent a period of restructuring, resulting in the layoff of six staff members.
Promotion of conspiracy theories
LifeZette has faced criticism for its role in disseminating conspiracy theories. Approximately two weeks prior to the 2016 United States presidential election, the website published a video that raised concerns about voting machines, suggesting they might be compromised due to connections with a company linked to the liberal billionaire George Soros.
Furthermore, LifeZette was responsible for publishing a video titled "Clinton Body Count," which propagated conspiracy theories concerning the alleged involvement of Bill and Hillary Clinton in multiple deaths. In response to the backlash, LifeZette removed the video and issued a statement asserting that "[t]he video was made in jest, and merely noted that the theories existed," drawing a parallel to viral videos produced by "left-leaning digital outlets like BuzzFeed." While the site attempted to frame the content as satirical, the nature of its dissemination and its timing, so close to a pivotal election, drew significant scrutiny. It's a curious thing, how easily falsehoods can take root when presented with a certain… flair. The line between jest and genuine malice is often as thin as the screen you’re reading this on.