NO MORE MR. NICE GUY
Re: Quin Hillyer’s
Winning Without Wigging Out:
Mr. Hillyer forgets that politics is almost always raucous; think
of the British Prime Minister’s question and answer time in the
House of Commons. The members aren’t “nice” to their Prime
Minister and maybe that’s good because it knocks him off his high
horse; something we can all use from time to time and the more
power and influence we wield the more we can use it. Contrast
that to the boring pomposity of our members of Congress and you
begin to think there is something approaching an unhealthy
political conspiracy afoot, wearing the guise of civility.
Politics is always contentious and always generates intense
passions and uncharitable thoughts and deeds. The reason—very
obvious—is that it’s about things that matter to most people:
power, who gets what, our liberty, who wins and who loses, etc.
People tend to get worked up about things like that, especially
when they feel the fix is in. The fix being in is the basic
sensibility that most people—whether they admit it or not—have
towards their government. This is not a delusion as becomes
readily apparent from a cursory study of politics elsewhere and
in history. Mencken sums it up best, “But [the state] still
remains, as it was in the beginning, the common enemy of all
well-disposed, industrious and decent men.”
We conservatives want small government because we want to
decrease politics’ influence in our society. People tend to get
along quite well unless there’s a politician trying to stir
things up for his own advantage. So I can’t fault those who get a
little excessive in heckling their Congress critter. Again,
consider the Lincoln-Douglas debates in which both candidates
were heckled and shouted at. Honest Abe and The Little Giant
seemed to accept it with equanimity, unlike our whining, modern
politicians.
What really gripes me is that our elected representatives seem to
think their job is to represent Washington to us and not the
other way around. They should shut up and listen—even to the
rude and bumptious masses. If it’s too unpleasant for them, then
they should find work in another field.
— Douglas Skinner
Alexandria, Virginia
The pretense from our Vichy Republicans that civility must rule
is simply, and bluntly, stupid. Our elected leaders do not read
their E-mails, answer their phones, respond to letters (their
staff does months later with a canned letter) or any other effort
by mere voters at all. We do not write checks big enough to get
their attention so…all we have left is in-your-face
confrontation….and it works!
Can folk demanding unilateral surrender and civil discourse point
to a single major political fight that was resolved in the favor
of the right through polite discourse. The left certainly doesn’t
play by those rules. Partisans doing the political dirty work,
mentioning unpleasant truths or worries and making it clear that
millions of us do not want the program demanded by our
opposition, are the folk who are driving the movement today.
Finally, look at the polls…the course of quiche eating, wine
guzzling civility demanded by our cocktail party inside the
beltway dilettantes fails. Confrontation works. Tens of millions
of regular Americans have been demanding our leaders find a spine
for a decade without success. Now we have found a way to bypass
those “leaders” and independents are taking note and moving our
way.
Beltway pundits, cocktail party, check writing elites might not
understand, but Mom and Dad America outside of Washington sure
do. We will win this one despite the wussies who demand
self-defeating behavior.
— Jim Verdolini
Boise, Idaho
TAKING THE BLUE PILL
Re: R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr.’s Everything’s
Just Fine:
So the prophet, Ezekiel Emanuel, tells us that “money spent on
health care reduced [sic] the ability to obtain other essentials
of human life as well as some goods and services not essential to
life but still of great value, such as education, vacations, and
the arts.”
Perhaps he had the French national health care system in mind.
When Global Climate Change hit France with a vengeance in August
of 2003, fifteen thousand people died, most of them elderly. Many
people faulted the health care system. But the system worked
precisely as planned. You see, the productive sector were off on
vacation in August, most at the beach but some, no doubt,
admiring the great works in France’s museums. It stands to reason
that many of these aficionados were students, advancing their
educations. These socially beneficial outcomes were actualized,
at least partially, by savings realized thanks to the national
healthcare system. Precious resources that were not wasted
keeping old people alive were available for summer holidays,
education, and the advancement of the arts.
But should Global Climate Change ever strike our shores, Prophet
Barack Obama (the Beta and our Omega), will assure the elderly
with an adequate supply of blue pills.
— Dan Martin
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Apparently neither Obama nor any of his staff nor any of the
Democrat Party leadership ever heard about unintended
consequences.
Thus, they provide a textbook example of that old saw, of someone
being hoist by his or her own petard.
Seems, too, they’re an example of cobbling a plan without
actually and/or honestly counting the cost, and then deceitfully
and condescendingly communicating the same.
— C. Kenna Amos Jr.
Princeton, West Virginia
A KIND HEART
Re: Ben Stein’s John
Hughes, RIP:
As one who worked for, and lived down the street from John, your
piece about him brought tears and a smile. I too am a
conservative in the cesspool of Hollywood — and he seemed to
hire me, out of kindness, understanding of my ideology, and the
fact that a friend of mine sold him his home in Lake Forest
didn’t help.
He was at once stoic and jovial — an interesting combination,
but one which often is apparent in someone so brilliant. He was a
great and giving man. He taught me a lot, as did his friends,
John Candy, Joe Pesci, and Christopher Columbus.
I worked on Only The Lonely with Candy, Columbus,
Maureen O’Hara, Tony Quinn, and Ally Sheedy — there were others,
but the above were the ones I knew, and became friends with
before the production wrapped.
John put me on that film, when I had 5 callbacks, and didn’t book
a role in it. I ended up doubling Kevin Dunn — and John made
sure I was treated right. He found a way to have me on set, even
when my character didn’t work, as he knew I was but a starving
actor.
I won’t forget him. The films he made “defined” my generation. He
made me laugh. He made me cry. He made my name more than it was
before I worked with him, and for that I am eternally grateful. I
may not still be working in the business today, were it not for
his generosity.
The loss goes far beyond what the public will ever understand. He
touched many, not just with films, but with his kind heart. I
will never forget him.
— Matthew S. Pletcher
EXPEL MY SUBCRIBTION
Re: Ben Stein’s
Expelled From the New York Times:
Cancel my Spectator subscription. Well, not really. My
wife was stupid enough to renew. But Ben Stein should have been
expelled from everywhere after that disgraceful “Expelled.” And I
don’t think his financial advice will be missed by anyone.
— Mike McCants
BEYOND REPARE
Re: Eric Peters’ The
Clunker Con:
Reparations for slavery is a concept so unpopular and lacking in
merit that it has been rejected by a vast majority of the public
and ignored by Congress. Now, we are in a crisis, sparked by a
thinly disguised version of reparations known as a “subprime”
loan. The same thugs who caused the economic crisis are using it
as an excuse for further “share the wealth” schemes such as “Cash
for Clunkers.” Your story exposed the program as a scam, not
unlike subprime loans. In both cases, our children and grand
children will be paying for these programs, long after we are
gone.
“Health Care Reform,” and “Cap and Trade” are coming next. Each
of these is designed to surreptitiously “transfer wealth,” to the
poor. The proposed laws actually call for U.S. government access
to every bank account, of every citizen, with withdrawals from
the “wealthy” and monthly direct deposits of cash, to the “poor.”
To add insult to injury, Rep. Frank wants to pervert contract law
and “rewrite” contracts by force. This will not only be a replay
of the subprime loan mess, as housing values have crashed; but is
an assault on democratic principals, established law and
traditions that predate our nation, going back to English Common
Law… To this I say, not just NO, but HELL NO!
So Rep. Frank, Mr. Attorney General (excuser of voter fraud and
intimidators) and Mr. President, I say, OK! The time has come.
Let us have a coward-free discussion of race in America. Let us
start with being honest about what you are trying to do. Do you
have the courage to be honest or are you , “cowards on race”? We
need not fight over each of these destructive and phony programs,
individually. Let’s get to the bottom line and decide about
Reparations, once and for all, and move on. Maybe then we can
stop the destruction of our economy, stop the bashing of our
democratic principals and STOP THE TAKING OF OUR LIBERTY.
—Phillip Thompson
UNIVERSALLY BAD
Re: John Rosenthal’s
Obama’s Snitch Program: “Chicago” Politics or EU Politics?:
Does it matter what geography produced such politics?
Barack Obama’s Snitchery Corps has the stench of Nazi Germany,
Stalinist Russia and Red China, among other fascistic
countries/regimes.
One wonders exactly when Obama and his minions will actually
announce the American analog of the political and social
inquisition that occurred in those places?
Are they that stupid and/or arrogant, though?
One hopes not.
— C. Kenna Amos Jr.
PANTLESS
Re: George Neumayr’s
Beating Around the Bush:
After years of exposure to Bill and Hillary, most Americans have
a pretty good idea who does and doesn’t wear the pants in their
family. I suppose some overseas still have some catching up to
do…
— Robert Nowall
Cape Coral, Florida
LET THEM EAT ORGANIC CAKE
Re:
Not Taking It Anymore:
Specifically to the remarks of — C. Kenna Amos Jr., Princeton,
West Virginia.
More and more, the screeds of Madam Pelosi remind me of another
idiot — Marie Antoinette
and her “let them eat cake” logic.
Hopefully Pelosi and her lap dogs will come to the same end, by
which I mean out of office, not an appointment with Madame
Guillotine!
Send this to the White House “fishy file!”
— C.D. Lueders
Melbourne, Florida
AMERICAN FREEDOM
Re: Philip Klein’s Friend
or Foil?:
I believe that H.B.3200 should be an experimental bill that would
be tested by all federal employees including the House, the
Senate, the Executive Branch, and the judicial branch, which
includes all federally appointed Judges and the families of
federal employees, Congress, Senate, Executive Branch, Judicial
Branch, and all federally appointed Judges for a minimum of five
years. At the end of that term, evaluate the system, extend it
for another 2 years and at the end of seven years if it has met
all of the requirements set forth by an independent evaluation
committee {1 Senator from each State appoint one Health Care
Professional to the Committee and 1 Economic expert, none which
are related by birth or have any connection to members of any
branch of government.} adopt it for the entire nation excluding
illegal immigrants.
—Barbara Espinosa
