Follow-up to first meeting

Having gathered suggestions, I wrote, in a January 25, 2009, e-mail:

I'm tempted...to eliminate any options, and...just make an executive decision, and pick the Declaration of Independence/Constitution/Bill of Rights/Federalist Papers. I know you, Marilyn, said...it'd be too much...like being in school -- getting homework -- and I'm sure...a lot of us...agree -- it is.

It is, though, pretty-much, where things start...for us -- as Americans -- and...as conservatives.

Well, I'm going to narrow down the choices -- to one or two...for each of the broad categories...I detected -- from what people said: 1) Middle East/terrorism/war we're in/international affairs; 2) "back to basics," American values, American history, conservative values; 3) current affairs, talk-show hosts' books, economics.