Governing Right is the place for conservative thought about public leadership in America.

We are all inundated with analysis and commentary on various aspects of public life: Political machinations, culture wars, polling results, protests, campaigns. But America is the world’s greatest experiment in self-government. We need to spend less time on the things around governing and more time on governing itself: The traits we need in governing leaders, the problems we need solved, the institutions that shape our collective lives.

Every week, Governing Right applies the principles of American conservatism to the work of public authorities. Authored by Andy Smarick, an experienced governing practitioner, Governing Right provides informed, level-headed, right-of-center thinking on the most important issues of the day.

Andy Smarick

I've spent my career in and around governing. I started as an aide to state legislators and then a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. I worked at the White House Domestic Policy Council and as a deputy assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Education. More recently, I've been a deputy cabinet-level official at the state level, president of a state board of education, and member of a state's university board of regents.

Through this work, I've gained a greater appreciation for governing--not just politicking or analyzing or criticizing--but the demands and opportunities of public service inside of our governing institutions. Doing this work well requires study and discipline, civility and backbone, experience and creativity. Anyone can comment on governing, but far fewer can govern well.

When I've not been inside the government, I've mostly worked in think tanks and social enterprises. I've helped start several non-profits, and I've written or edited four books.