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Streetcar Line
So Much News, So Little Time
Catching up with many an outrage, from Obama-Holder to the Ninth Circuit to the treatment of Peyton Manning.
As seems increasingly to be the case, important stories keep rushing past without enough notice. Consider this column a mea culpa for not writing about them in timely enough fashion.
Obama-Holder DoJ Embarrassed Again: At this magazine and elsewhere I’ve written numerous times about the case in Kinston, N.C., in which Eric Holder’s Justice Department effectively told the black-majority residents that they weren’t smart enough to know their own interests — specifically, that they could not move to nonpartisan municipal elections because they couldn’t elect their “candidate of choice” if the candidate were not identified as a Democrat. The decision was so outrageous — quite literally, indefensible — that a challenge to it seemed like a perfect vehicle for the Supreme Court to overturn the entirety of the outdated Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, which requires DoJ “pre-clearance” for any change in election procedures in only certain states and jurisdictions.
Two weeks ago, the Holderites were forced into ignominious, but well-merited, retreat. As whistleblower extraordinaire J. Christian Adams explains, “This is a message for all the states and counties being played with by Eric Holder’s Voting Section — fight back.”
Yes, fight, fight, fight against the bullying and lawlessness of the Holder team. The outlaws are in charge of the Justice Department, and their outrages must not stand.
Buffalo Case Might Help FDNY: In another case we’ve been following, the Justice Department has ignored the logic of the Ricci v. DeStefano case to try to force the Fire Department of New York to adopt racial quotas while admitting some applicants who missed as many as 70 percent of the questions on a fire academy entrance exam. As that case continues, however, a decision in a Buffalo case last week suggests again that the comparable DoJ position in the FDNY case is on thin ice. As well it should be, because it is not just wrongheaded but utterly immoral in its unapologetic racialism.
An “infrastructure” bill that may actually be conservative: Red State’s Erick Erickson may not agree, but if even the super-conservative Rep. Jim Jordan is leaning in favor of it, and if all the claims for it on Speaker John Boehner’s site (no earmarks; no increase in debt; etc.) are accurate, and with it earning committee approval on a party-line vote (all Republicans for and all Democrats against), those are pretty good indicators that this is exactly the sort of bill conservatives ought to support. I haven’t had time to fully study the bill, but — especially with its promotion of domestic energy and its elimination of 70 duplicative federal programs — this certainly looks like a major step in the right direction. It is important to fund the federal highway system; for once, conservatives in Congress seem to be doing it the right way.
The Utter Abomination of the Ninth Circuit’s Homosexual “Marriage” Decision: There are so many objectionable facets of the case’s progress so far that it’s hard to know where to start. Even ignoring the subject matter itself, about which some good people disagree, this whole thing smells to high heaven. First, the very idea of overriding not a state legislature but a state referendum — in other words, to tell the people of a state that even by an open public vote they cannot set the terms of their own state Constitution — is incredibly problematic. Only on a clear-cut, unambiguous violation of human and civil rights should federal judges dare such a thing. Instead, California’s voters did nothing more than reinstate the understanding of marriage that has applied for millennia and that matches that of almost every state in the union; how that public act, via referendum, can violate the U.S. Constitution is beyond the ken of ordinary human logic.
But the conflicts of interest among the judges in this suit are, if anything, even more astonishing than the substance of the decision. Ed Whelan at Bench Memos repeatedly has argued that the trial judge should have recused himself because of conflicts related to the judge’s own longtime homosexual relationship. But, as Whelan and others have argued, one of the appellate judges has a major conflict as well. Hans von Spakovsky makes the case again here, which is well worth a read. In short, Judge Stephen Reinhardt’s wife was, for all intents and purposes, a party to the case. Reinhardt should have recused himself — indeed, his conflict is, if anything, even worse than that of trial judge Vaughn Walker.
Other Stuff: If only there were time to develop these thoughts, it’s worth noting that A) The Indianapolis Colts would be crazy to let Peyton Manning go. They should trade down their top draft pick for another top-5 pick plus another first rounder, shore up their run-blocking and their defense, and then and only then worry about an eventual heir to Manning. B) Sticking with Manning, it’s not fair to say Eli Manning has now somehow shown he is better than Peyton, just because he has won one more Super Bowl. They both are superb. But Eli has had the benefit of an amazingly good defense; Peyton usually has carried his whole team on his back (witness the 2-14 record without him), and rarely has had a defense the slightest bit better than the NFL average. C) Phil Mickelson just played one of the best rounds of golf I have ever seen, firing a 64 Sunday to win at Pebble Beach in far less than ideal scoring conditions. Wow. D) Barack Obama doesn’t care one bit about religious freedom. His “compromise” on Friday on forcing religious organizations to participate in insurance that provides free contraception and abortifacients was cynical in the extreme (as many other people have noted) — and, worse, it was an example of authoritarianism speeding up from a creep to a trot, on its way to a gallop.
Okay, enough for now. Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire” at times seems very much on target. It was always burning, since the world’s been turning…..
About the Author
Quin Hillyer is a senior editor of The American Spectator and a senior fellow at the Center for Individual Freedom. Follow him on Twitter @QuinHillyer.
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Appleby| 2.13.12 @ 7:10AM
Could somebody appoint Eric Holder ambassador to Syria, or something? Clearly he doesn't have enough real work to do.
Timothy L. Pennell| 2.13.12 @ 11:24AM
Let your mind fly free. Try and Imagine a Republican President with 1 Deficit over a TRILLION, let alone, 4 of them.
Try and Imagine a Republican President, Running Guns to Mexican Drug Cartels, WITHOUT the Mexican Governments' knowledge.
Try and Imagine a Republican President going to WAR, against Libya, without going to the UN, for over a year, and without TWO VOTES on the Use Of Force, by the Congress.
Imagine a Republican President with a WHITES ONLY Justice Department. Or if he SUED American Cities, for Violating the Law, by becoming "Sanctuary Cities.
Oh. I'm sorry. I must have dozed off.
Why are we so F*CKED, again?
Alan Brooks| 2.13.12 @ 1:42PM
Tim,
you are a caricature of the overwrought Southern sentimentalist:
"why is this COMMIE pinko from Chi-town running guns to Mexican drug cartels?
Is it because Obama is MARXIST trying to RUIN my country, or just trying to F*CK with my HEAD??
Is it revenge for slavery, or does Obama want to DESTROY all that is sacred about America or is he trying to do it merely for the HELL of it??
Let your mind run free, imagine a white president SELLING America to the Chinese!
And all because of that COMMUNITY ACTIVIST LAWYER, Libya was bombed without our permission and poor Gaddhafi got a BLOODY nose.
Timothy L. Pennell| 2.13.12 @ 4:08PM
I think that, maybe, your Female Hormone Injections are messing with your head.
Not the head you give,. The head on your neck.
Fred C. Dobbs| 2.13.12 @ 5:19PM
POIFECT!
Pat| 2.13.12 @ 5:38PM
Timothy: Had to agree with your bleak prediction that we’re basically “f—cked”. Here on the Left Coast we’re facing the same problems with the “entitlement” culture mentality, only it’s being driven by our state’s majority “minority group”, the Hispanics. Recently, for example, it was decided that illegal immigrants have a right to pay in-state tuition. Republican kids from Oregon or Nevada must pay out of state tuition rates to attend a UC campus, while kids from Mexico and countries farther south pay in-state tuition. Politics drives the decision in exactly the same way as we desperately pretend politics doesn’t drive an identical situation affecting minorities within our rust belt and eastern states. Our state’s public universities were told to either favor Hispanic students or watch their annual budgets dry up – only now our governor has dropped any pretense in claiming it to be a “fairness issue” – it’s no longer about some mythical fairness, just the way it’s going to be.
Our Hispanic politicians claim Hispanics believe in compassion, helping people and, as an ethnic voting constituency, generally believe our government must be the primary provider of this “help”. Amusingly, the Republican Party believes Hispanics are basically conservative Republican in outlook – now if only California’s Hispanics could be convinced of that naïve belief. Perhaps our Left Coast Democrats are cruder in their own way than our more easterly Dems – there is no convenient “legacy of slavery” excuse poor Hispanics and their Sacramento based mouth-pieces can blame for their plight – no lingering economic effect resulting from an historic injustice – it’s simply a matter of political power, who has it and who doesn’t. Los Angeles and surrounding Hispanic enclaves are rapidly on their way to becoming a future Detroit, only without Clint Eastwood rasping out sophomoric pep talks.
fckewe| 2.14.12 @ 12:31AM
Imagine a Republican president selling guns to our enemies to fight their enemies and supporting drug dealers in Central America? OH YEAH... REAGAN!!!!!! How many years did Ollie North spend in prison for LYING for the bastard Ronnie?
youfamissim | 2.14.12 @ 10:52AM
You sir, have lost your damned mind. I know. I suffer the same delusions.
Occam's Tool| 2.15.12 @ 9:23PM
Tim,
don't look up TCU right now, as a favor to me.
We are so F**cked because we elected a TREASONOUS MARXIST as POTUS, and he brought his OWN WOOKIE to yell at us.
Even TCU is screwed up right now.
Indy| 2.13.12 @ 7:16AM
There is so much news not being reported. How many Americans are being prevented from leaving Egypt, 19? and one is the son of Ray LaHood, Transportation Secretary and the press zzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Occam's Tool| 2.15.12 @ 9:24PM
Well, give that LaHood is pro terrorist, it's KARMA.
Bill Hussein O'Stalin| 2.13.12 @ 7:30AM
A good round up by Quin Hillyer.
Note: Reverse discrimination in law enforcement circles is nothing new.
When I first went to apply at local police departments in Maryland I was informed that they were only hiring blacks and women to "level the playing field." I was also told at the F.B. I. that women and minorities were being given preference.
That was in 1975. I then found a position at another federal agency and ended up working there for 30 years.
During that time our promotional exams were changed over and over until the human element was completely removed. Candidates were asked questions in front of recording devices which were left on tables. The tests were so dumbed down I actually had supervisors reporting to me who couldn't even spell or write simple sentences.
As a joke one day I put a memo that one of the new supervisors had written on my bosses desk without editing it or changing it in any way. Within a few minutes he called me in and stated, "I don't think ridiculing people is funny. Who wrote this? Obviously it's a joke of some sort."
When I explained to him where the "correspondence" had come from he sunk into his chair and let out a loud sigh. "You're not kidding? This is gibberish!"
He handed it back to me and stated that he had no idea that I had to deal with this type of lack of skill amongst supervisors. I then pointed out the issue, "How did he get hired in the first place? There's a spelling portion as well as writing skill portion on the test used by recruiting.
Even at that minority candidates who had not even qualified were promoted over qualified white candidates. This became especially true after 9/11.
White candidates who were passed over hired attorneys and were offered settlements which even affected their retirements. These settlements were all for $100,000 and were all done quietly behind the scenes so the taxpayers never found out.
In the meantime incompetent managers are running many police agencies and even federal law enforcement.
The taxpayers get stuck with the costs of the social experiments and become the only true losers in the scheme of things.
Bob K.| 2.13.12 @ 8:04AM
Bill,
This was happening in the Washington DC area suburbs before 1970. And it was also happening with private businesses which dealt with the government. Mortgage companies were even then under pressure to hire blacks. I saw it first hand.
It continues with federal agencies in cities. Philadelphia is a prime example. I hear these complaints from people who work in them. Hispanics are now making inroads into what were considered jobs blacks controlled because they are underrepresented. Women of color with hispanic surnames are in favorable circumstances when it comes to hiring and promotions.
Times are changing, but only in the new ways we have found to divide our country.
albert constantine jr| 2.13.12 @ 8:33PM
I am aware of an alternative method of assuring equality of outcome in law enforcement. Rather than hiring white applicants at the highest end of the qualified percentiles, a chief in a small northeastern city is purported to have decided instead to go with the lowest common denominator; i.e. if minority applicants were scoring 60-65, skip white applicants above that score, and hire only applicants of all races in the 60-65 percentile.
Not surprisingly, there has been a significant decline in the effectiveness of their efforts, along with an increase in lawsuits, corruption, etc. But the competition for promotion amongst the races is fair. It might have the third highest murder rate for a city of its size in the US, but diversity is assured, even if public safety is not.
It is said, a community ultimately gets the government it deserves.
youfamissim | 2.14.12 @ 10:59AM
Bill, we are comrades in arms - I too suffer the reverse discrimination thing - scored the highest ever on their test - but I wasn't qualified or considered. No matter - the private sector provided me sanctuary and success. Rewarding bad behaviors and excuse making are central to all Progressive policy making. Adopt absolute standards and reward good behaviors and the Progressive menace dissolves. When bad outcomes result from choices, and the choices persist, few are willing to perpetuate rewarding it. This is the tough decision - responsibility. Articulating the behaviors have consequences line is simple and enjoys broad appeal. WHY oh WHY this is not the main plank in the Conservative message escapes me. But then again, so did the reason provided me when I sought employment at PG&E - 1975.
JP| 2.13.12 @ 7:46AM
"The Indianapolis Colts would be crazy to let Peyton Manning go. They should trade down their top draft pick for another top-5 pick plus another first rounder, shore up their run-blocking and their defense, and then and only then worry about an eventual heir to Manning."
Manning is 36; he suffers from serious injuries, and the Colts are pegged to pay him $35 million this year. Thus far he hasn't passed any of the team's physicals. This the the Modern NFL, where loyalty stretches only to the next paycheck. Time for him to go.
Ryan Leaf| 2.13.12 @ 11:50AM
The Manning family, more than most, know the game is about dollars and cents. For evidence of this look at the drafting of Eli Manning by San Diego.
RJ| 2.13.12 @ 12:35PM
Also remember that Archie Manning's career was severely limited by being drafted by one of the worst teams in the NFL, the New Orleans Saints. The Saint's best year while Archie was on the team was 8-8. Who knows what he could have accomplished with a more competitive team. I am sure that this experience had an impact on Eli's draft situation.
Sorry "Ryan" about your experience in San Diego.
Todd S| 2.13.12 @ 1:42PM
San Diego doesn't have reason to complain about trade considering they already had Drew Brees (whoops!) and got Philip Rivers in exchange . At least they didn't end up with Ryan Leaf like they did after Indy choose Peyton lol!
cuban pete| 2.13.12 @ 8:19AM
The only statistic that counts for NFL quarterbacks is the number of Super Bowl rings.
By the way watch the HBO documentary about Joe Namath. It is well done.
donserge| 2.13.12 @ 8:52AM
Eli just completed only his 4th year as a pro and is 9 (?) years younger than Peyton. If I remember correctly the Giants upon drafting Eli were touting him as eventually being better than Peyton. Since Peyton at that time was the best, the Giants were laughed at. I'm not saying Eli is better (maybe comparable) but are these same people laughing?
Timothy L. Pennell| 2.13.12 @ 11:04AM
Actually, it was Peyton who said that Eli was better.
The real story with Peyton is, why TF didn't the Colts get a better RUNNING GAME, all those years?
GO GIANTS!
Patriots SUCK!
Old Guy| 2.13.12 @ 7:56PM
At least the Patriots' owner paid for his own stadium while the taxpayers built a $750 million palace for Peyton!
Todd S| 2.13.12 @ 11:37AM
Eli has been in the league since 2004 I believe so you are way off. Eli is not better than Peyton though he has shown a great ability to win the big games that Peyton has had issues with in the past. Winning Super Bowls is not the sole determiner of who is a better quarterback, no one would suggest Trent Dilfer was better than Dan Marino or Jim Kelly. Having said that, the smart move is to cut Peyton and draft Luck. Luck will be a superstar and will be ready to play from game one. Unfortunate for Peyton but such is the breaks and if he is healthy enough to play again, he will get his chance somewhere else.
cuban pete| 2.13.12 @ 5:02PM
If I had to play a game for the fate of the free world Unitas or Montana would be my QB. Marino was talented and appears to be a nice chap but he lacked the X quality to win it all. I understand Kelly enjoyed himself prior to each Super Bowl which may have contributed to his coming up short.
You want Kelly or Marino as your guy in a big game all the best.
When the ring and the point spread are on the line I'll take Johnny U.
Occam's Tool| 2.15.12 @ 9:29PM
Cuban: and you would be wrong.
The QB you want when all the chips are down is Davey O'Brien (the College QB of the Year Award is named after him---look up why), or:
The guy you want when the free world is on the line is Otto Graham, or Otto Graham, or Otto Graham. Get real. (Still think you're great, but c'mon.)
Bob K.| 2.13.12 @ 9:22AM
Youth will be served.
Bob Miller| 2.13.12 @ 11:00AM
How much is Peyton worth as a QB if his offensive line can't protect him properly? If he wants to extend his career, he should find a suitable new team.
jim olson| 2.13.12 @ 2:17PM
Well this is an improvement . A couple of the things you reported on actually happened, though not quite the way you reported them.
jim olson| 2.13.12 @ 2:18PM
And who is this Peyton person?
Bob Miller| 2.13.12 @ 3:22PM
The real Jim Olson would know
Bob Grant| 2.13.12 @ 3:34PM
The way Peyton has conduction himself while in the NFL he's in position to be Mr. NFL the next decade, if he so chooses.
Indianapolis would be foolish not to try everything to keep him in the organization, if not as a player/coach and mentor to Andrew Luck the next few years, but as a full-time coach or a leading figure in the front office.
But first he needs to re-negotiate his contract with the Colts as they cannot afford to pay him 35 mil a year and who-knows-what to Andrew Luck.
Any team would love to have him as part of their organization in any capacity. This guy can play it, walk it, and talk it. He's got head coach, GM, or football analyst written all over him.
Rudy McGollicaster| 2.13.12 @ 3:48PM
Mr. Hillyer apparently fails to consider THE key reason why the Colts might decide to part ways with Peyton Manning: that if he is still a member of the team as of March 1, they will owe him something like $23 million on that date.
Granted, without that eggregious poison pill, the Colts may desire to keep him around for a while even at his high salary, but this is not a situation where money is no object, especially since it is unclear whether after this disabling injury he may ever return to his former preeminence.
Keith| 2.13.12 @ 4:22PM
The government is supposed to build infrastructure. You can really tell our party has jumped the shark if we start opposing road building and bridge repair. We are the decendents of Hamilton,not Jefferson.
Mike 3/505| 2.13.12 @ 8:46PM
"The government is supposed to build infrastructure. "
Not sure where you came up with that one. Besides....The Eisenhower system was completed decades ago. Now that money is just earmarks. Get rid of the fund...get rid of the Federal taxes that go with it. Let the states handle the upkeep.
Naturalborn Texicanette| 2.13.12 @ 7:58PM
LOVE Phil Mickleson!!!So glad he's playing better after his arthritis diagnosis.
My oldest son is the the superintendent at a prestigious golf course hidden away in the breaky country near Lake Travis. Phil reminds me of my son who is one
heck of a durn good golfer in his own right and well known in the southern part of Texas.
Phil is a great role model for kids, just as my son is a great role daddy to my granddaughters.
Go Phil!!!
Quartermaster| 2.13.12 @ 8:12PM
Nice to see at least one Rep admit to the Hamiltonian obsession in the GOP. The man was a big gov type from the get go, and was the spiritual father of Lincoln.
The Hamiltonians won the war of northern aggression which gave us leftist Presidents like Wilson, FDR, Truman, JFK, LBJ, Nixon, Carter, Both Bushes, Clinton, and now Obama. The GOP needs to get over its Hamiltonian obsession and either become a conservative party, or join the Democrats because they ain't all that different.
Mike| 2.13.12 @ 8:29PM
Quin,
You cannot put that picture of Manning up, and not tell us which of his teammates he was telling he had an unfaithful wife?
Mike
Paul from SA| 2.13.12 @ 8:39PM
Transporation bill? The funds will go to powerful politician's states, and will not be used for transportation.
POST American| 2.14.12 @ 12:36AM
---------------------FINAL WORD-----------------------
FOR the duration of the CFR-Globalist
TREASON ---takeover and unfolding
EUGENICS OP ----again, could we have
a moratorium on our rectum worshipping
-------------'sports cult-your'------------.
THANKS!
Your Inner Voice| 2.14.12 @ 1:13AM
Obama/Holder don't get embarrassed. Marxist revolutionaries are a single-minded and highly focused bunch as is their father, the devil(whom Obama's idol Alinsky dedicated his book to). Obama has had a level of success Republicans, aside from Ronaldus Magnus, can only dream of, in tearing down a nation once the envy of the world, and using its Constitution as toilet paper, laughing all the while at the Viagra-less chumps in charge of the slightly less socialist Dead Elephant Party.
Your Inner Voice| 2.14.12 @ 1:19AM
Projecting normal standards of human behavior on people like Obama/Holder/Emanuel/Jaret and David Axeltool is a mistake as they are even more sociopathic and ideological than Slick Willie ever was. Obama hates America and her people.
youfamissim | 2.14.12 @ 11:14AM
Behaviors have consequences. Persistent behaviors that yield bad outcomes do not appeal to the majority. Rewarding those behaviors is the mission of Progressives. Rewarding bad behaviors assures dependency and the bad behaviors expand. What are the limits? You won't know unless you experiment. No absolute standards enables any behavior. Progressive lecture us all - the bad behaviors crowd who suffer the consequences must never face the errors of their ways of feel slighted - second class. All bad outcomes are circumstantial. No bad people, just unfortunate happenstances. Excuse excuse excuse - followed with rewards for trying. If the stipend runs short - create another mouth to feed and the stipend increases. Ignore your children and their bad behaviors - mirrored on your own, and the child is eligible for disability - HDD, OCD, ADHD - that kicks in the SSI benies. Before you know it - the governments combine to pay you at, or above, the national average - free cell phones too!!!! Liberals living in urban areas are not compassionate - they fear for their lives - but want others to pay/bribe the threats around them - to leave them be. They fear guns in the hands of the threats to them = why they support gun laws. Most all Progressive policy is reactionary - based upon Progressive fears. It's not ideological. It's collective fear - fear from sources Progressives have indemnified. So everyone must suffer under the restrictions Progressives hope will protect them. Progressives refuse to call a spade a spade -
We are screwed...
EDump | 4.9.12 @ 3:42AM
Quote: They should trade down their top draft pick for another top-5 pick plus another first rounder...... This is just so so true.