LOSING THE DEBATE
Re: Philip Klein’s Hillary Unhinged:
…”the idea that Hillary was…qualified because she served as first lady was always a farce.” Mr. Klein nails it dead on with this sentence. The “I’m Mrs. Bubba” act got her out of the gate OK last fall, but by Christmas, everyone was waiting for something new to kick in. Nothing ever did.
— Ty Knoy
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Senator Clinton last audacious hopes are quickly fading and the thrill of watching Hillary self-destruct has not lessened one iota. Many warned against taking too much comfort in this schadenfreude (including me) because Obama looked to be a much more formidable opponent: more likeable and less baggage, but the worm is turning. Just as in his second debate against (then) Governor Peanut (Jimmy Carter), President Ford’s assertion that Poland was not under Soviet domination ushered in his downfall. Senator Obama’s contra-factual statement that al Qaeda is not currently in Iraq will frighten any American who is not already enthralled by the Obama Franchise.
The junior Senator of Illinois is leading with his chin when he gets into a fight about America’s security, military and intelligence with Senator McCain. When McCain corrected Obama on Obama’s statement that AQ is not present Iraq, Obama looked to clarify (obfuscate) his meaning: AQ came in only after America liberated (on in Democrat speak, invaded) Iraq. This exchange further highlights Obama’s weakness: he is a dove with a stubborn streak. Obama is not about to let this bone go, or at least Team McCain won’t allow him that luxury. (The mainstream press may let Obama have another free pass, but the honeymoon may just be over.) BHO best move would be to admit he misspoke on AQ in Iraq, or he can admit that Al Qaeda was present with Saddam Hussein’s blessing. If he chooses the former, he appears to be naively or stubbornly blind to the facts. If he chooses the latter, he will have to justify his opposition to liberating Iraq from a dictator who was providing protection and comfort to an actively hostile enemy of the U.S.
“Ding Dong, the witch is dead.” And this time around, the American public knows that the Wizard of Oz is simply a man who has great showmanship. In the words of The Who, “We won’t be fooled again.”
— Ira M. Kessel
Rochester, New York
Mark Penn says that there are many ways to measure success. Unfortunately for him, the rest of us know how to measure failure.
— Cara Lyons Lege’
BEYOND THE PALIN
Re: Thomas Cheplick’s Que, Sarah, Sarah:
As a long-time Alaska conservative I can say that Governor Palin is a good match for Senator McCain. They both claim to be conservatives but are not. Palin has led the charge to raise taxes on oil producers to be the highest in the world, a 75% marginal tax rate. The effective rate is even higher because deductions for facilities maintenance and repair have been removed. All this, so Alaskans get their “fair share” while at the same time creating a “stable economic environment” for business.
Gov. Palin has consistently snubbed the oil producers even though they provide the revenue that runs state government and allow residents to pay minimal taxes. Her gas pipeline legislation, AGIA, bypasses producers and the issues of establishing fiscal certainties in taxation.
TransCanada is the only potential qualified builder produced by AGIA of what will be the largest construction project in the world. Incredibly, this Canadian company and Gov. Palin are prepared to ask Congress for federal loan and tariff guarantees against Sen. Ted Stevens’s advice. Meanwhile, Conoco Phillips has volunteered its own plan to build the pipeline starting next summer without state or federal help. And their big plus is they actually have gas to ship. Yet, Gov. Palin is sticking with AGIA and TransCanada.
Hers is not a conservative government but a populist government with conservative social values a la Huckabee. During her campaign when asked about positions on particular issues her fall back line was consistently that she would govern according to the “will of the people.” And right now oil companies are very unpopular. Rather than govern from a clear understanding of business and free market economics she reflects the general anti-oil stance of the population. In Sarah Palin, we have populism not principle.
— Lynn Aleshire
Lived in Alaska about 22 years, among the finest, most terrific people I’ve ever come across — knew Bill Sheffield, Steve Cowper, Frank Murkowski, and former Lt.Guv. Steve McAlpine pretty well, and have heard nothing but great things about Sarah. I recall Steve’s wife, Dana, chewing out the self-styled “environmentalist” John Denver in Juneau’s Baranof Hotel and telling him just where he could shove it — and more than a few great stories from Don Young (who turned from a pretty conservative guy into someone from out of the Ted Stevens mold). Remember, Alaska had the good sense to kick Mike Gravel out of the Senate — what an embarrassment he was!
And while I doubt McCain has the need to court Alaskan voters, perhaps she’ll be available in 2012 and the wimpy Republican mess will finally straighten up its ugly, warped house and possibly show some sense in recruiting that very viable lady.
After McCain’s implosion (apologizing for someone else using the Hussein name in reference to the ultimate socialist — is he Nuts?!?), I’ll probably vote Libertarian. What awful choices we have had presented to us — time to fully consider a move down to Costa Rica or the Urca neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro, really! As it stands now, our once great country seems to be doing its best (worst?) to flush itself down the proverbial toilet.
— Jack Frost
WEEKEND AT BERTIE’S
Re: Hal G.P. Colebatch’s Farewell, Grand Master Bertie:
I found the Spectator article “Farewell, Grand Master Bertie” about the death of Fra Andrew Bertie, Grand Master of the Knights of Malta most interesting. His full title says it all: “His Most Eminent Highness the Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military and Hospitaller Order of St John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes, and of Malta, the Most Humble Guardian of the Poor of Jesus Christ.” Centuries ago, the military mission of the Order was equal in importance to caring for the needs of the sick, the poor, and the oppressed. The Order’s devotion to the cardinal virtues of Christianity have been synonymous with the famous eight-pointed Maltese Cross. I am confident that today’s Knights of Malta will continue that “humble guardianship.” I am a papal knight in the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem as well as a member of the Brotherhood of Blessed Girard, which is the relief organization of the Order of Malta. Helping the sick, elderly, refugees, children, the homeless and those with special needs has become a central mission of the Order. We have the motto: “TUITIO FIDEI OBSEQUIUM PAUPERUM — Protection of faith and service to the poor.” To follow the teachings of Jesus Christ is to follow a path of faith, hope, and charity toward our fellow man.
— James A. Marples
Longview, Texas
CARBON SCHMARBON
Re: Patrick J. Michaels’s Carbon Copies:
Thanks for your article and the philosophy underlying it. We must all try to protect ourselves from our legislators, wherever they may be.
At the same time, let me remind you as I have reminded every writer on the subject that I come across. It does not matter what the level of CO2 emissions may be in any state, province, country or area of the world. Just as the miniscule increases in temperature that you enumerate, CO2 gases represent such a small part of our atmosphere that they could increase by 1,000 per cent and we would never notice it.
This fact is based, not on some voodoo computer modeling scheme, but on measured scientific data. For verification, consult Dr. S. Fred Singer at the University of Virginia who has verified my analysis.
I continually ask all of you who write for a living to help me in exploding this myth before it destroys the country.
— Les Arbo
Daphne, Alabama
REVERSE QUERY
Re: RiShawn Biddle’s Prince of the City:
I certainly have enjoyed RiShawn Biddle’s articles. He has a grasp of the problems of urban areas. I would like to see some articles about the educational system, Title IX problems and how boys have been left behind while feminist mandates rule.
— George Pellett
WHEN READERS ATTACK
Re: Michael Tomlinson’s and Mike Roush’s letters (under “Obamanation”) in Reader Mail’s Northern Exposure
‘It is no coincidence that the housing market and stock market slumped once the Democrats seized Congress in 2006. The markets instinctively know that the worst thing for the economy is Democrats.”
The housing market and stock market slumped once the Democrats seized Congress in 2006? Gee, I thought the collapse of the sub-prime induced housing bubble, the exploding deficits and national debt (financed by China) caused by an administration that simultaneously wages war and cuts taxes while supporting outrageous earmarks and costly energy (supplied largely by the Middle East) resulting from the lack of a timely, coherent energy policy were responsible, at least in part, for what we are seeing in the markets.
— Mike Roush
North Carolina
Mike Roush is certainly correct in his response to Jeffrey Lord’s article when he says, “Sometimes when people ask a slum-lord for heat they are not trying to remake the United States in the image of Cuba; they are simply asking for heat.” However, no one I know of is advocating that the poor or disadvantaged should have their needs unmet. The gambit of choice, used by liberals of all stripes, is to paint all who voice opposition to federal wealth re-distribution programs as some sort of uncaring and evil pariahs. The question that needs to be answered is, “Who can best meet the needs of those who require help?” After decades of governmental malfeasance associated with having Congress in control of doling out welfare benefits, it should be obvious that the let-the-federal-government-do-it approach to this problem, espoused particularly by Democrats, has failed to meet its stated objectives at every level.
What it has produced instead is a pernicious and entrenched bureaucracy which has created a multi-generational dependency that liberal politicians have successfully manipulated for their own benefit for years. These phony crusaders are little more than “poverty pimps” who, in my estimation, are at approximately the same level on the food chain as the slum lords that Mr. Roush so reviles.
What most conservatives want to see is real compassion for the poor. This cannot be done from Washington. We want programs administered by entities within our local communities that eliminate dependency by making people self-sufficient, not groveling politicians who pander to an underclass they perpetuate and can count on to get themselves re-elected.
— Rick Arand
Lee’s Summit, Missouri
