Here is a teaser from my latest column in the Nevada Appeal:

Have you heard the tale of the frog that carries the scorpion across the river? The scorpion promises to not sting the frog if he will give him a ride. But halfway across, the scorpion stings the frog.

"Why did you sting me?" said the frog. "Now we will both drown!"

"I couldn't help it," replied the scorpion. "It's my nature."

I was reminded of this story while reading a column by E.J. Dionne Jr. in the Washington Post, questioning if the modern conservative movement is dead. Dionne contends that fiscal irresponsibility at home and military adventurism in Iraq has severely weakened the conservative movement, perhaps to the point of self-destruction.

And the more I read, the more I thought about that scorpion.