The American Spectator

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Hold That Baton

2.29.08 @ 12:01AM

(Page 2 of 4)

I hope there are typewriters in Heaven.
-- Mike Showalter
Austin, Texas

For me, the mere mention or sight of Bill Buckley's name for the past twenty plus years has reflexively conjured fond recollections of my first boss after college, and my first roommate. Both of these guys were extraordinarily conservative, intelligent and humorous, and given as well to a potent touch of irreverence on the side every now and again. They were also WFB acolytes in the extreme.

In the end, the very company that Mr. Buckley attracted says about him pretty much all that one needs to know.
-- Francis M. Hannon, Jr.,
Melrose, Massachusetts

Most interesting. Leave it to Mr. Tyrrell to his view of the field all on the table. I am comfortable in the proposal Ann Coulter now carries the torch, she is brilliant, she is clearly extremely conservative, and she can take the battle to our political enemies as necessary. His throwing this idea into the debate will simply infuriate the left and even NRO I suspect how appropriate.
-- Roger Ross

I wish I could say I knew him. I didn't. But I watched "Firing Line" every Sunday and was hugely disappointed when it was cut from one hour to a half hour.

I marveled at Mr. Buckley's sublime wit. Sometimes the only props on his show were the table and chairs one might find in any church basement, his mind and what he might say being the center of attention. Yesterday I looked in my 1985 Little, Brown Book of Anecdotes and found this well known pearl revealing his sometimes rascally humor. Mr. Buckley had sent fellow author, Norman Mailer a copy of his latest book. Mr. Mailer was disappointed that there was no message from Buckley on the flyleaf. He turned to the index to see if he had been mentioned. Along side his name was the hand written greeting "Hi!"
-- Howard Lohmuller
Seabrook, Texas

Were it not for my Aunt passing on her copies of National Review to me in the mid seventies I would probably be becalmed in the liberal sea.

WFB was indeed a kind and generous man. I sent him first edition copies of "Windfall" and "Racing through Paradise" asking for his signature. Imagine my delight when they came back with a signed copy of "On The Firing Line" also a first edition.

May he RIP.
-- Jim Woodward
Midvale, Utah

Very small of Tyrrell to suggest Buckley's torch has been passed to Coulter. Very small.
-- Brian Monaghan
Woodridge, Illinois

NONE OF THE ABOVE
Re: Matt Bowman's A Pro-Life Chinese Puzzle:

Fourth option: Announce we are not putting up with John McCain anymore and that we pro-life conservatives are going to vote and support Ambassator Alan Keyes should he run in November as the nominee of the Constitution Party.
-- Michael Skaggs
Kentucky

STAUNCH SUPPORT
Re: Quin Hillyer's Staunching Stagflation:

"Now, again, I am no expert on the precise mechanisms by which dollar strength can be re-established." Mr. Hillyer's suggestion to Senator McCain, I think Mr. Hillyer should stick to commentary and give up speech writing. To reach the "stagflation" he's concerned with (that of the late 1970's) we need the following: yields on the US treasury bonds in the 15% range and corresponding inflation, unemployment at 12+%, a Fed Reserve that intends to raise interest rates as high as necessary to stop inflation while increasing taxes and regulations that further strangle investment and liquidity. But we've redefined "conservatism" to include John McCain, why not 5% (or less) inflation, 4.8% unemployment, sub 5% mortgage rates, and low taxes as the new "stagflation."

The simplest way to strengthen the dollar is to raise interest rates; this will immediately shore-up the dollar, raising the rates to or above those of the European Union's Central bank will give investors more options for a return on investment. This in turn will lower the cost of oil and gold by shrinking the disparities between currencies. Then decrease government spending, regulation and taxes to offset the impact on businesses and individuals of the higher cost of money. But McCain while talking a good game has really no interest in lower taxes (lack of support for Bush tax cuts), reduced regulation (McCain-Lieberman Global Warming Initiative and non-support for ANWR or off-shore oil drilling) or spending reductions.

Letter to the Editor

topics:
Taxes, John McCain, Bill Clinton, Business, Global Warming, Constitution, Law, European Union, NATO, Conservatism, Energy, Oil