[rlmorel]

You asked: "What are the intellectual underpinnings of modern, contemporary American conservatism? "

I suggest these videos below. I greatly admire Bill Whittle, I believe he is one of the most rational, thoughtful, and even entertaining carriers of the Conservative Torch in our country today. These short videos (about ten minutes each) break down various key aspects of Conservatism, and I believe he does a damned good job of distilling it down:

Bill Whittle's Seven Part Series: What We Believe

Part 1: Small Government and Free Enterprise

Part 2: The Problem with Elitism

Part 3: Wealth Creation

Part 4: Natural Law

Part 5: Gun Rights

Part 6: Immigration

Part 7: American Exceptionalism

[TChad]

I greatly admire Bill Whittle, I believe he is one of the most rational, thoughtful, and even entertaining carriers of the Conservative Torch in our country today.

Absolutely. How could Fox not have given Whittle his own show by now?

It reminds me of another injustice: World-class singer Eva Cassidy's primary occupation was not "singer," but "plant propagator at a nursery."