Monthly Archives: January 2011

January 17, 2011 — John Hinderaker

Is Opinion Shifting On Health Care?

This Associated Press-GfK poll on health care has gotten a great deal of media attention. Here is how the AP characterizes its own findings: As lawmakers shaken by the shooting of a colleague return to the health care debate, an Associated Press-GfK poll finds raw feelings over President Barack Obama’s overhaul have subsided. Ahead of a vote on repeal in the GOP-led House this week, strong opposition to the law »
January 17, 2011 — Scott Johnson

John Gross, RIP

John Gross was something of an old-fashioned man of letters. Indeed, he devoted a memorable book to the subject — The Rise and Fall of the Man of Letters: English Literary Life Since 1800. Gross died last week at the age of 75. Gross’s friend Roger Kimball remembers him in “A tonic, humane, and civilizing force.” Gross’s fellow countryman Charles Moore also remembers him in “A Jewish boy’s profound faith »
January 17, 2011 — John Hinderaker

“Offensive Jihad”

Barry Rubin reviews current developments in the Arab world, of which this appears the most significant: In Egypt, an extraordinarily important fatwa has been issued by Dr. Imad Mustafa, of al-Azhar University, the world’s most important Islamic university. He began by stating the well-known doctrine of “defensive jihad,” that is Muslims must go to war against infidels who attack them. Of course, the word “attack” is often spread rather thinly »
January 17, 2011 — Scott Johnson

The prophetic voice

When Martin Luther King, Jr. brought his nonviolent campaign against segregation to Bull Connor’s Birmingham, he laid siege to the bastion of Jim Crow. In Birmingham between 1957 and 1962, black homes and churches had been subjected to a series of horrific bombings intended to terrorize the community. In April 1963 King answered the call to bring his campaign to Birmingham. When King landed in jail on Good Friday for »
January 16, 2011 — John Hinderaker

Should Republicans Agree to Raise the Debt Ceiling?

I have assumed that a vote to increase the federal debt ceiling is inevitable, on the ground that there isn’t any practical alternative. That is what Republican Congressional leaders have been saying. The general assumption, which was expressed by Senator Tom Coburn this morning, is that the limit will be raised, but Republicans will be able to secure meaningful spending cuts as the condition of their cooperation. On the morning »
January 16, 2011 — Scott Johnson

A footnote to the Jets-Patriots game

It turns out that Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker has a good sense of humor. Slyly alluding to Jets coach Rex Ryan’s apparent foot fetish, Welker worked in no fewer than 11 references to feet in his press conference this past Thursday. Each reference is in the cliched terms you might expect from a jock talking about the upcoming game, so the joke, if that is what it was, was »
January 16, 2011 — John Hinderaker

An Obama Comeback?

We’ve heard a lot lately about President Obama’s political resurgence. It started, we are told, with the lame duck session of Congress and got another boost from the Tucson shootings. Contrary to that narrative, some, like Byron York, saw Obama’s performance at the Arizona memorial service as an act of political opportunism: [S]ince it was impossible to tie the violence in Tucson to Republican rhetoric, the president couldn’t very well »
January 16, 2011 — Scott Johnson

Sunday morning coming down

Mickey Newbury grew up in Houston wanting to become a songwriter. In the event, he became one of the several talented songwriters who brought new life to country music in the late sixties and early seventies. Some such as Willie Nelson, Tom T. Hall and Kris Kristofferson went on to successful performing careers of their own. Others such as Townes Van Zandt and Newbury also recorded their own work, but »
January 15, 2011 — Paul Mirengoff

A reince not a RINO

Yesterday, the Republican National Committee elected Reince Priebus as its chairman. I tried to follow the hotly contested race for this post, but couldn’t sustain an interest; this was truly inside baseball. I know three things about Priebus, all positive. First, he isn’t Michael Steele. Second, he was successful as head of the GOP in Wisconsin and received the backing of newly elected Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson. Third, he gained »
January 15, 2011 — Paul Mirengoff

Eisenhower’s farewell address and the demise of prudentialism

Monday marks the 50th anniversary of President Eisenhower’s farewell address. At the time, it didn’t draw nearly as much attention as John Kennedy’s inaugural address delivered three days later. These days, however, Eisenhower’s speech is probably considered about as noteworthy. That’s mainly because the left loves to quote Ike’s warning about dangers of the “military-industrial complex.” There’s much more to the speech than just that passage, however. Ted Bromund finds »
January 15, 2011 — John Hinderaker

The Hate Continues

Did you think it was over, just because Barack Obama and other liberals are calling for bipartisanship and mellowness? Don’t be silly! It would take a lot more than that to stem the bizarre outpouring of hate that we have seen from liberals in recent months. Here is the latest example–a left-winger who was shot by wacko/fellow left winger Jared Loughner has gone around the bend: “Tucson shooting victim detained »
January 15, 2011 — Scott Johnson

Memphis Blues Again

Under the rubric of QE2, the Federal Reserve Bank is engaged in the venture of increasing the money supply with the goal of moderately increasing inflation. I fear that this venture is misguided and destructive. I believe it will result in inflation exceeding the Fed’s goal, if it has not done so already, and that the Fed will apply the brakes well after the damage has been done, as is »
January 15, 2011 — Scott Johnson

Bob Schieffer, Israeli style

Melanie Phillips is the prominent British journalist and author, most recently, of The World Turned Upside Down. Her Londonistan is not to be missed. The Spectator (UK) hosts her blog. Last week Phillips discussed the difficulties of holding rational discourse about Israel in a January 8, 2011, interview on Israeli television. I first saw the video over at My Pet Jawa, but the invaluable Daily Alert also posted a link »
January 14, 2011 — John Hinderaker

The Next Obama Disaster

In any other administration, Obama’s energy policies would be dominating the political debate. It is only because the administration has pursued so many disastrous policies–government medicine, bailouts, faux stimulus, unheard-of deficits–that energy has taken a back seat. It will not be long, however, before rising energy costs are again in the forefront of economic anxiety and political debate. Reuters reports: Oil rose on Wednesday after production shutdowns, falling U.S. inventories »
January 14, 2011 — John Hinderaker

“Climate A Factor”? Tell Us More!

This Reuters article and the study on which it is based may qualify as this year’s coyest news story. Once again, we are warned against the dangers of “climate change.” Yet, if you read between the lines, the message is not what a casual reader might think: Climate change seems a factor in the rise and fall of the Roman empire, according to a study of ancient tree growth that »
January 14, 2011 — John Hinderaker

Epic Fail

This Quinnipiac poll provides more evidence that hardly anyone buys the Democratic Party’s spin on the Tucson murders. When asked “What do you think is the main reason for the Arizona shooting; failure of the mental health system, lax gun control laws, overheated political rhetoric, or do you think this is a situation that could not have been prevented?” respondents answered: * Mental health system: 23% * Gun control laws: »
January 14, 2011 — Scott Johnson

Lincoln on the blood libel of 1860

Reader Mike Sterling writes that “[e]vidence of Lincoln’s greatness abounds, but the fact that his speeches and sentiments can so often be applied to contemporary events is the greatest proof that he was, perhaps, the greatest person ever to walk the planet. Take the screeching of buffoons like Krugman — Lincoln disposed of such idiots in his Cooper Union Speech while addressing efforts to link John Brown to Republicans.” Mr. »