Mike Bates has written a weekly column of opinion - or nonsense, depending on your viewpoint - since 1985 for the (southwest suburban Chicago) Reporter Newspapers. Additionally, his articles have appeared in the Congressional Record, the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Sun-Times and the Mensa Journal. Mike retired from his "real" job at 50, thus giving him greater opportunity to annoy Leftists and work on his comb over, not necessarily in that order. As a lad, he distributed Goldwater campaign literature and since then has steadily moved further to the Right.  He is the author of "Right Angles and Other Obstinate Truths."

Below is a sampling of his work – to read more of Mike’s work, visit his website,My Side of the Swamp.