(Daily Signal)—The work of a statesman is to identify a problem that no one else has seen and courageously step forward to fix it, said the author of the book “Gateway to Statesmanship.”
John Burtka is the president of the Intercollegiate Studies Institute, commonly known as “ISI,” an organization cofounded by William F. Buckley Jr. that promotes conservative thought on college campuses by teaching the core ideas behind the free market, the American Founding, and Western civilization. Burtka spoke on “The Kevin Roberts Show” about the issue of statesmanship and bringing honor to the world of politics.
He said that 10 years ago, conservatives were more accepted in the mainstream but that they acted as a “pet conservative,” an oddity whose only purpose was to go on talk shows and newspapers and editorialize their “strange” traditionalist positions.
Currently, the “pet conservative” has been all but lost in big news stations and publications, he said. This is partly because the “mainstream” has become far more left-leaning.
Despite this, Burtka believes America’s situation is surprisingly better than it was. “I actually feel better about America’s position today than I did four years ago,” he commented. “And to some extent, that’s because things are worse than they were four years ago.”
He reasoned that the world has become so hostile to conservatism, it actually empowers conservatives to fight back.
The solution to conservatives’ political estrangement is leaders with moral clarity. Burtka said that great leaders “transcend their political moment and they unite the common people towards more permanent ends than politics.”
Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts asked the author what America’s biggest downfall is. Burtka responded that the U.S. has a “spiritual problem.” He said in order to fix the issue, great leaders need to move society closer to “God, Himself.” This, he said, leads a society to greatness.
Political leaders need to unite everyone toward a higher end, he said, and that ultimate end is God.
Burtka pointed to profound moral leaders of the past as a guide, especially Cicero, the ancient Roman philosopher and statesman.
“Cicero describes what he calls a shortcut to greatness,” the ISI president explained. In brief, Burtka said that shortcut is to “fake it till you make it.”
“Start dressing like that person [you want to become] and start talking like them,” Burtka explained. “Start reading the things that they would be reading. … Start surrounding yourself with people that are virtuous, … because the reality is that you sort of almost have to trick yourself.”
He expressed hope in the America of today because he sees many patriots across the country as “bastions of light,” and those bastions are “fed up” with the path the U.S. is on and are ready for change. “I think your everyday American is ready for something new.”
Bypass Big Tech Censors
Why Bullion Beats Numismatics and Collectible for Your Safe or IRA
Precious metals continue to attract Americans seeking reliable ways to protect their wealth amid inflation, geopolitical risks, and stock market swings. Whether stored in a home safe or held inside a self-directed IRA, physical gold and silver deliver tangible value that paper or digital assets often lack. Yet investors must choose carefully between bullion—pure bars and coins valued mainly for their metal content—and numismatics or collectibles, where rarity, history, and collector demand heavily influence pricing.
Advisor Bullion serves as a dependable source for straightforward, high-quality bullion. The company specializes in physical gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, emphasizing transparent pricing and products that deliver maximum metal content for every dollar spent. This approach makes it ideal for both personal holdings and retirement accounts.
Bullion consists of refined precious metals in standard forms like one-ounce coins (American Gold Eagles, Silver Eagles, Canadian Maple Leafs) or bars. Their value tracks closely to the current spot price of the metal. A typical gold bullion coin trades near the live gold spot price plus a small premium. This structure keeps costs clear and predictable.
Numismatic coins and collectibles add substantial value from factors such as age, rarity, minting errors, or historical significance. A pre-1933 U.S. gold coin or graded proof piece can carry premiums of 30%, 50%, or even 200% above melt value. While this appeals to hobbyists, it creates complexity. Pricing depends on subjective grading, collector trends, and auction results instead of daily spot prices.
For investors focused on wealth preservation and retirement security rather than building a collection, bullion often delivers better results.
Lower Costs and Better Liquidity for Home Storage
When keeping metals in a home safe or private vault, liquidity and efficiency count. Bullion offers clear benefits:
- You acquire more actual gold or silver per dollar invested. Numismatics divert a large share of your money into rarity premiums and massive sales commission, reducing your metal exposure.
- Selling bullion involves tight bid-ask spreads, so you recover nearly full spot value with minimal fees. Collectibles require finding the right buyer and may sell at a discount if demand for that specific item weakens.
- Bullion prices remain transparent and update with global spot markets. You can track gold near current levels or silver accordingly and know exactly where your holdings stand. Numismatic values are priced by the Gold IRA companies with hefty margins applied.
- Standardized coins and bars store efficiently and divide easily for partial sales. Rare coins often need protective slabs and controlled conditions, adding hassle and expense.
- Bullion enjoys worldwide acceptance. A 1-oz Gold Maple Leaf or Silver Eagle sells quickly to dealers anywhere. Niche numismatic pieces may appeal only to limited buyers, slowing liquidation when speed matters.
In times when quick access to value becomes important, bullion’s simplicity stands out.
Stronger Fit for Precious Metals IRAs
Precious metals IRAs continue gaining traction as investors diversify retirement portfolios beyond stocks and bonds. IRS rules permit certain bullion products in self-directed IRAs if they meet purity standards (.995 fine for gold, .999 for silver) and are held by an approved custodian. Eligible items include American Gold and Silver Eagles plus many generic bars and rounds from recognized mints.
Numismatic and most collectible coins generally face heavy scrutiny from custodians due to valuation disputes and elevated markups. These higher premiums mean less actual metal ends up working inside the account.
Bullion avoids these issues. Its value links directly to verifiable spot prices, which simplifies reporting and lowers the risk of regulatory challenges. More of your IRA contribution purchases real metal instead of dealer profits or speculative upside. Over time, owning additional ounces that appreciate with the metal itself can create meaningful outperformance compared with high-premium alternatives that deliver fewer ounces.
Regulatory guidance from the CFTC and state securities offices repeatedly cautions against aggressive sales of expensive numismatics or “semi-numismatic” coins for IRAs. For retirement planning, transparent bullion from established providers reduces risk and aligns better with long-term goals.
How to Get Started with Bullion
Begin by clarifying your goals. Are you protecting savings in a safe, or moving part of a retirement account into a precious metals IRA? Focus on the number of ounces you can acquire at current prices rather than chasing marked-up collectibles.
Diversify sensibly: use gold for core preservation and silver for its blend of industrial and monetary qualities. Mix coins for easier divisibility with bars for lower per-ounce costs on larger buys. Arrange secure storage—whether at home with proper insurance or through professional facilities.
As economic uncertainties linger and faith in conventional assets erodes, bullion continues proving its worth as a dependable store of value. Its direct approach avoids the hype that sometimes surrounds collectible markets and keeps the focus on the metal itself.
For investors prepared to strengthen their portfolios, Advisor Bullion supplies the expertise and selection needed to acquire high-quality bullion efficiently. Whether building personal holdings or integrating metals into an IRA, their emphasis on transparent, investment-grade products helps secure more ounces today that support greater financial security tomorrow. In a complicated financial landscape, bullion’s clarity and reliability make it the smarter foundation for protecting what matters most.
We should quit using the term conservatism and begin using Liberty. Once we do that, we can identify what we don’t want as Tyranny.
The term “conservatism” differs in meaning in other countries and has little historical context. If Liberty is used, there is universal context dating back to Cicero.
The war isn’t against conservatives, it’s against nationalists. Globalism is the enemy of nationalism. For globalism to work, nationalism must be destroyed. Biden is a globalist. Trudeau is a globalist. The state comes before the people.
A politician can easily fake being “conservative” and yet be 100% globalist. Liz Cheney is a perfect example. Her deception caught up with her (she got slaughtered in her re-election primary) as there is a massive growing movement towards nationalism which fuels Trump’s campaign.
Almost all mainstream media, including FOX, are globalists. Their reporting protects global entities (like the U.N. and W.H.O. etc…) and attacks nationalistic ones (MAGA, etc…). They are 100% vested in making sure globalism defeats nationalism based on just how they report both sides.
I hope you mean to also go back to what a nation is.