The American Spectator

UNINSPIRED
Re: Ryan L. Cole’s Keeping Cool With Coolidge:

While limited government has its advantages, Ryan L. Cole makes a strange choice in arguing for the personal and political merits of Calvin Coolidge. In domestic matters, Coolidge’s response to the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 — or more notably, his lack of a response — left hundreds of thousands of Americans to fend for themselves in makeshift refugee camps. At the same time, his staunch advocacy and enforcement of Prohibition marked an unprecedented expansion of the federal government into the daily lives of ordinary citizens. In foreign affairs, Coolidge is best remembered for the Kellogg-Briand Pact, which may generously be termed a quixotic agreement to outlaw war. Needless to say, it did not work. What Cole sees as Coolidge’s simplicity should better be thought of as a chonic inability to harness the potential of his office, the result of which was the thinnest record of accomplishment of any 20th-century President. When informed of Coolidge’s death, Dorothy Parker is alleged to have asked, “How could they tell?” I cannot fathom what is to be gained from attempting to rehabilitate such an uninspiring figure.
— Jacob M. Appel
New York, New York

Mr. R.L. Cole concludes, “Indeed, Coolidge’s qualities — thrift, recognition of the limits of government’s responsibilities and capabilities, and presidential modesty seem positively antiquated today.” But if a man of such beliefs were to have run against The Messiah of the Left, we might not be holding a coranation on January 20th of this year. And certainly the nation would be better off by far.
— Ira M. Kessel
Rochester, New York

SILVER LININGS
Re: Matthew Vadum’s De-funder of the Left:

Wow! A lot of left-wing organizations now have to go begging for money because of the Madoff scandal. (Although I must admit, I find it difficult to believe agencies that fund abortion are considered “charities,” but I digress.)

Think of the consequences of this loss to left-wing organizations. How can average Americans be protected if the ACLU isn’t fully funded? Who is going to do all of that community organizing that worked out so well during the last election if ACORN can’t count on funding? This Madoff scandal has clouded the future funding of some very prominent left-wing organizations.

Well, I guess that goes to show that every storm cloud has a silver lining…
— Garry Greenwood
Gearhart, Oregon

Doing a little fast math before I head off to work on the Picower Foundation loss with Bernie the Thief…if they had $1B with the Thief Madoff and were getting the sustained 12%+ return that was the flame used to attract all the lefty moths, then the foundation’s take over the 9 years (not counting 2008) was slightly in excess of $1B, of which only $189M was disbursed.

My question is: Where’s the other $800M? My next question is: Should not these foundations be given a fine financial review to see where the money has gone? Realist that I am, I will not be holding my breath while waiting.

Happy, Healthy New Year to you all!
— Reid Bogie
Waterbury, Connecticut

COMEDY OF MANNERS
Re: The Prowler’s Beyond Bill Richardson:

At least Mr. Richardson had the good manners to recuse himself. I expect that the phrase “vast right-wing conspiracy” will be resurrected very soon, just as soon as the confirmation hearings for Mr. Obama’s cabinet begin.
— Greg Mercurio
Vacaville, California