The HF Blog

action movie humor

2011-12-06T00:11:00.000-05:00

exam-week humor

2011-12-06T00:10:00.000-05:00

Christmas humor

2011-12-03T21:58:00.000-05:00

Heh heh

2011-11-23T22:01:00.000-05:00

A lady was picking through the frozen turkeys at the grocery store, but couldn't find one big enough for her family. She asked a stock boy, "Do these turkeys get any bigger?" The stock boy replied, "No ma'am, they're dead."

5 Interesting n Recent National and World News Events

2011-11-23T21:50:00.003-05:00

These news events didn't make it into the November issue, so I figure why not post them here so they don't go to waste?

In the Hillsdale bubble, you don't keep track of news. I say that's a good thing. I was looking through the news for interesting events for the November issue, and it really made me realize, "holy crap the world is messed up." It's bad enough to think about how America is on the verge of collapse, and then when you look at the rest of the world, it gets even bleaker.

Also, I don't know how I feel about having so much world news at your fingertips. It's so easy to browse around and instantly find out what's going on in places (well, if you don't use U.S. news sites, that is, which is a sad commentary). I don't like William Wordsworth, but I'm reminded of one of his essays where he talks about the effect newspapers have on how you perceive information and the instant-gratification it promotes. Nicholas Carr is right, technology does change your brain.
Anyways, now you don't have to look through the news, you can just see these 5 not-so-bleak events which were kind of interesting:

Raunchy Women Popular

Success of “Bridesmaids” movie prompts new wave of sitcom shows featuring females who curse, talk about sex, sleep around, and drink too much. One such sitcom, “New Girl” starring Zooey Deschanel, drew 10.1 million viewers and was the most popular show of its night among younger viewers when it premiered Sept 20.

Gay Going Global

Sept. 21, Obama to UN: “We must stand up for the rights of gays and lesbians everywhere.” The UN’s “High Commissioner for Human Rights” has been on the job since June of this year, preparing a global study outlining discrimination against gays and “recommending” how to stop this.

Speedier than the speed of light?

Over a period of 3 years, scientists sent 15,000 neutrino particles from Geneva to Rome. Now, measurements show the neutrinos travelled 60 billionths of a second faster than the speed of light. This has now been confirmed, though some scientists think something must have gone wrong in the experiment. These findings undercut Einstein’s laws and make it theoretically possible to send information into the past.

Lupita the Ketchup Woman

Brazil: angry wife hires hit-man to take out her husband’s lover, Lupita. Hit man agrees until he sees Lupita and realizes she’s his childhood friend. Hit man douses Lupita in ketchup and puts knife under her arm, takes picture and sends via phone to angry wife. Angry wife pays him, later sees hit man and supposedly-dead Lupita canoodling in market, presses charges. All 3 face charges: angry wife for death threats, hitman and Lupita for extortion. Lupita is now a local celebrity known as “the ketchup woman.”

China

Study finds 57% of men and 27% of women in China are binge drinkers. People drink as a way to develop business relationships and advance in their careers. It’s normal for bosses to order associates to drink, and some companies list being able to hold your alcohol as a job qualification. Chinese police caught half a million drunk-drivers last year.

Russia

Vladimir Putin, former president and lieutenant in the KGB, is running for president. There is no rule of law in Russia (Mikhail B. Khodorkovsky, Russia’s richest man, was jailed and re-jailed for opposing Putin) so Putin is basically guaranteed to win the vote in March and be in president until 2024.

you should be dancing (yeah)

2011-11-14T01:35:00.001-05:00

A 2003 report from the New England Journal of Medicine shows that dancing keeps the mind young more than any other recreational activity.

The 21-year study of senior citizens 75 and older shows:

Almost none of the physical activities appeared to offer any protection against dementia. There can be cardiovascular benefits of course, but the focus of this study was the mind. There was one important exception: the only physical activity to offer protection against dementia was frequent dancing.

            Reading - 35% reduced risk of dementia
            Bicycling and swimming - 0%
            Doing crossword puzzles at least four days a week - 47%
            Playing golf - 0%
            Dancing frequently - 76%.

Dancing was the greatest risk reduction of any activity studied, cognitive or physical.

What is it about dancing that keeps the mind young?

The essence of intelligence is making decisions. [Dancing is an] activity which requires split-second rapid-fire decision making, as opposed to rote memory (retracing the same well-worn paths), or just working on your physical style.

Here are some people whose minds must be off-the-charts :

hand tap-dancing to We No Speak Americano

2011-11-13T02:05:00.000-05:00

dis parrot's got rhythm

2011-11-13T01:46:00.003-05:00

What are the other parrots thinking while watching him?!

I would just like to know why 133 people in Russia and 44 people in Ukraine viewed this site in the past month.

2011-11-07T19:53:00.000-05:00

Pageviews by Countries

United States

351

Russia

133

Ukraine

Germany

Netherlands

Poland

France

Spain

China

Italy

absurd signs

2011-11-07T19:49:00.000-05:00

funny google searches

2011-11-07T19:40:00.000-05:00

Jimmy Kimmel and the Kids

2011-11-07T19:08:00.000-05:00

So these kids are doing a commercial for Basketball Juice, which is really pickle juice, but they don't know that. Benjamin at 3:20. Tears running down my face.

(alas that feminism has killed these) pretty solid pickup lines

2011-11-07T19:00:00.000-05:00

Of course now that women have become men and will dish it out for free, there's no reason for men to approach women and use pick-up lines, but....

If you were the new burger at McDonalds you would be the Mcgorgeous!
Turn to the girl sitting next to you at the bar and say... "I'm not really this tall....I'm sitting on my wallet."
Are you a parking ticket? (What?) You've got fine written all over you.
I'm invisible. (Really?) Can you see me? (Yes) How about tomorrow night?
If this bar is a meat market, you must be the prime rib.
I know I'm not a grocery item but I can tell when you're checking me out.
I hope there's a fireman around, cause you're smokin'!
You - "Did it hurt". The other person will naturally say "Did what hurt?", You - "When you fell from heaven."
Excuse me, can you empty your pockets? I believe you have stolen my heart.
Does this rag smell like chloroform to you?
Poof! (What are you doing?!) I'm here, now what are your other two wishes?
What's that perfume you're wearing? (uhh red spice) Really? Are you sure it's not "Catch of the Day?"

Also, here is another move which you gentlemen won't need to utilize but that is still cute: telling a girl she's beautiful and walking away. I'm tellin ya as a girl, it's gold Jerry, gold. It would totally work.

hilarity to brighten your day

2011-10-28T01:17:00.000-04:00

ay que rico

2011-10-28T01:15:00.000-04:00

The Punjabs have been getting all the action lately, but we are Mexicanly/Latinoly/South Americanly/Latin Americanly diverse too.

!Viva el flan!

sexy sax man

2011-10-28T01:11:00.000-04:00

Perhaps he is Conservative, and thus relevant to our blog. Perhaps not. Either way, those are some sexy sax skills.

how do you say grandma in Punjabi?

2011-10-28T01:04:00.000-04:00

Now you too can benefit from my Grandma, who sent me this.

America, Why I love Her. (i.e. John Wayne's Voice, Why I Love It.)

2011-10-28T00:58:00.000-04:00

Feast your eyes out on this, ye 37 Punjabs. Try not to let your heart explode with glee over these 3 posts that have been posted today. Yes, all your faithful visiting; all your searching desperately, religiously, and in vain for 1:30 minutes has finally paid off. Finally, something new. And awesome. John Wayne is clearly da bomb.

mysteries of the universe

2011-10-28T00:53:00.000-04:00

Guys, this does not cease to amaze me. 37 views today.
WHO IS VIEWING THIS BLOG?!!! And why?!!
2011-2010: look at that spike!!!!

lub to mah Pakistani and Indian brudderz

2011-10-28T00:42:00.000-04:00

Also, for all you Punjabi speakers, the wait is over. See the high-tech transliteration button we just added so you can now understand all the fascinating and critical information on this blog that, being in English, was formerly veiled to your Punjabish eyes.
Tell all your Punjabi-speaking friends and in no time at all, I suspect this site will be averaging a million viewers a day, at least.
ਲਉਬ ਤਓ ਮਯ ਇਨਦਇਆਨ ਆਨਦ ਪਆਕਇਸਤਆਨਇ ਫਓਲਲਓਵਏਰਸ,
ਹਫ

2011-10-28T00:27:00.002-04:00

Well people, somehow this pathetic blog is averaging 3 views a day according to Google reports. Why 3 people choose to view this blog for an average of one minute thirty seconds each day is beyond me. However, thank you for your support, oh loyal crowd, and you have my deepest condolences for having to look at such an eyesore.

We are working on getting a legit website going. I really don't feel that it would be worthwhile to post the awesome new magazine issues on such a kindergarten looking venue; it would just take away from the whole effect. So, hang in there you 3 valiant souls, keep looking through our old content for a minute and 30 seconds a day, and you will just appreciate our new website that much more when it's finally here, I suppose.

Don't stop (believin or) bein Conservative. Lub and stuff,

Le HF.

The April 2011 Edition (last of the semester!)

2011-04-24T10:49:00.001-04:00

Get the lowdown on Trump's presidential aspirations, learn the history behind the recent revolutions in the Middle East, find out how states can reclaim their rights from the feds, and more.

And don't miss our on-campus specials: see the future of the Class of 2011, discover what Greek life taught one sorority girl about politics, take a new look at potential changes to Hillsdale's core curriculum, join our cafeteria rants, and take pity on our poor downtrodden R.A.s.

Hillsdale Forum April 2011

March 2011 Issue Now Online!

2011-03-12T15:50:00.001-05:00

Hillsdale Forum March 2011

Medical marijuana

2010-11-15T04:05:00.001-05:00

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704393604575614520592992804.html?mod=WSJ_hp_MIDDLENexttoWhatsNewsThird

How is it that Michigan is the ONLY Midwestern state to have allowed this?

Reality as we see it ?

2010-11-14T08:48:00.004-05:00

http://www.nationalreview.com/the-feed/253181/end-beginning-world-watch-singing-holograms-latest-hit-japan?sms_ss=google&at_xt=4cdfe88440fdca15,0

I'm curious: how does a chipmunk-sounding optical illusion make people want to pay money to see it? Check it out!

New Issue: Midterm Elections Special!

2010-10-16T19:32:00.002-04:00

Find out what Hillsdale professors and students have to say about next month's midterm elections in our latest issue.

Greenies go Extreme. VERY Extreme.

2010-10-03T11:47:00.002-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfnddMpzPsM

We're past the sci-fi, people. And they are dead serious. Scared, anyone?

Who is My Neighbor?

2010-04-21T22:23:00.002-04:00

As all of us know, a volcanic eruption in Iceland recently brought all air traffic in Europe to a screeching, grinding halt. As I have a trip to London scheduled in July, I followed this news item with marked--and slightly frantic--interest.

The other day I read a story about the travelers stranded in European airports for nearly a week now. One traveler complained that they have only been getting one meal a day on the airline and are out of money for anything else. They have no beds, showers, or changes of clothes. Basically, they feel like nobody cares about them.

Then I began to imagine a similar disaster happening in the United States. What if something like this happened in New York? That city wouldn't know what to do with all the relief workers who would converge upon the airports. Churches, charities, and private citizens would do whatever they had to to get through airport security and help the passengers. Instead of news stories where passengers bemoan feeling forgotten, we'd have stories of passengers thanking God for the people who came to their aid.

Conservatives and Christians have plenty of cause to be unhappy with America today. But we ought not forget the good in our nation. And it is good that Americans rush to meet a desperate need. It is good that we help our neighbors. This is an integral part of the American character, and one in which we should all take great pride.

Anti-Amnesty Activist Slams Lindsey Graham, Gay Americans Hardest Hit

2010-04-20T21:55:00.003-04:00

In a recent speech, Americans for Legal Immigration PAC leader William Sheen demanded that pro-amnesty Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham "come out of that log cabin closet," speculating that he believes in open borders because he's secretly gay. Or something.

No matter what your moral or religious beliefs may be, I think we can all agree that Mr. Sheen is completely out of line. Comparing any class of Americans to Lindsey Graham is an ugly insinuation that should be beyond the pale in American politics.

Why teaching is 'not like making motorcars' - CNN.com

2010-03-20T16:48:00.000-04:00

Why teaching is 'not like making motorcars' - CNN.com

Here's to you, Sir Robinson!

Laptops in the ... Capitol?

2010-03-11T07:59:00.003-05:00

There are reasons teachers prohibit laptops in the classroom ... but do those same reasons apply to Congress?

(Photo by Jessica Hill, Associated Press)

Drink More Starbucks, Support Second Amendment

2010-03-06T11:56:00.000-05:00

Starbucks sticks to its guns on open carry policy - Mar. 4, 2010

Despite protestations and pressure from other companies and gun control advocates, Starbucks will continue to allow Second Amendment Rights groups and gun owners to gather in the coffeeshops in states which allow citizens to carry guns. Starbucks says that as long as it remains legal in the state, Starbucks will not prohibit customers from carrying their guns inside the shops.

Athiest endorses God

2010-02-22T20:34:00.001-05:00

As an atheist, I truly believe Africa needs God | Matthew Parris - Times Online

"Now a confirmed atheist, I've become convinced of the enormous contribution that Christian evangelism makes in Africa: sharply distinct from the work of secular NGOs, government projects and international aid efforts. These alone will not do. Education and training alone will not do. In Africa Christianity changes people's hearts. It brings a spiritual transformation. The rebirth is real. The change is good."

Great article!

My Life Through Google: Sarah Palin

2010-02-17T21:30:00.002-05:00

The Sarah Palin story as told through Google search

Posted using ShareThis

All I can say is, "ouch!"

Requiem in Pace, J.D. Salinger

2010-02-13T15:58:00.000-05:00

"Cornish, NH Revisited: Reflecting on the death of a misunderstood American misanthrope"

There are two kinds of people: those who love J. D. Salinger’s “Catcher in the Rye” and those who fling the book against the wall.

I first heard of Salinger in junior high when my teacher mentioned “Catcher” as a book we shouldn’t read until we were older. That summer, I found it in the local bookstore while on vacation in northern Michigan. I bought it, read it, and loved it. In high school, I read “Nine Stories,” a collection of superb short stories, half of which involve the Glass family (who are as dysfunctional as the Caulfields, only better developed). From there I devoured “Raise High the Roof-Beam, Carpenters,” “Seymour, an Introduction,” “Franny and Zooey” and any other writing I could find by or about him.

J.D. Salinger died on January 27, 2010. It should not have been surprising, considering the man was 91 years old. Out came the Salingerites, spewing their adoration into reflective essays and obituaries. Most of the time, they completely missed the point of his stories; the writers seemed to like the feelings Salinger's stories aroused in them more than liking his actual words, dismissing or misinterpreting at their own discretion. If I am mistaken in this assessment, then Salinger was the beginning of the teen angst genre. And I refuse to call J.D. Salinger the inspiration for Meg Cabot novels or the Twilight series.

America has long been infatuated with Salinger, a recluse with the inability to bullshit. Salinger didn’t want the limelight; he wanted to write. Those who looked for Salinger were oftentimes justly disappointed that their disrespect for his privacy did not reap a fruitful chance meeting with the esteemed writer.

Furthermore, Salinger’s writing was not merely whining about shallow situations, feelings or “phonies.” His major themes draw upon the differences between being a child and being an adult. He explored American culture: the loss of innocence and a pressure to grow-up faster; an inability to handle trauma or suffering; religion and spirituality.

Adam Gopnik’s assertion in The New Yorker that “writing, real writing, is done not from some seat of fussy moral judgment but with the eye and ear and heart” is a prime example of missing the point: Salinger’s stories do make moral judgments. His stories allude to moral codes, and while "judging" today has negative connotations, that does not diminish its presence in his plots. Whether the reader wants to see it or not is another issue.

Seymour Glass, for instance, had a nice life, but killed himself while on vacation with his beautiful wife. Holden Caulfield did not leave his prep school and then slum around New York City as a mere act of rebellion: he’s having a nervous breakdown. Teddy voluntarily submits to death; Franny is having a religious awakening and her boyfriend only cares about having sex; Esme spells out words because her little brother can’t handle the fact that the war has made them orphans. Failure to recognize the seriousness of his characters’ conditions is a failure to understand the essence of Salinger.

Salinger produced literature. He did not provide psychiatric help or analysis for hundreds of thousands of teenagers. It is an oversimplification to say Salinger’s works were only a reflection of a post-WW II America, but it would be a literary fallacy to say “Catcher” is mediocre pulp fiction not worth reading. The key is to read beyond “Catcher,” into his short stories and novellas, to better understand the moral void in American youth he was attempting to address.

If Salinger is only to be remembered for one book, then “The Catcher in the Rye” is theoretically not a bad choice. His death is a reminder of his significance to America (although the irony of paying public tribute to such a private person should not be overlooked) and his merit goes beyond his writing: he compelled generations of people to read and think, if only to wonder where the ducks at Central Park go during the winter.

To be published in the February issue of The Hillsdale Forum

'24' Season Eight { warning -- may contain spoilers! }

2010-02-10T15:08:00.001-05:00

‘24’ remains the only show of its kind, yet after eight seasons it is not the formula that seems to be suffering, but the characters. It was not until the end of the sixth episode (and therefore the completion of a fourth of this season’s episodes) that I felt life stirring.

It is in this episode that Jack Bauer reprises his role as a generally dangerous person to associate with if you happen to be on the wrong side of a misunderstanding.

What is more worrying is the host of uninteresting characters. Due to the fact that a large percentage of characters on the show wind up dead, new people must be introduced all the time, but this season pales in comparison to others (for example, the the introduction of Mr. and Mrs. Logan in Season Five). The villains appear more vibrant than the protagonists to an alarming extent. The new CTU agents are too flat to be analyzed. As a viewer, I felt little to no relation to Dana Walsh, Arlo Glass, or Brian Hastings--and only a smidgen of empathy for Cole Ortiz, the Tony-esque character who appears the most ready to trust in Jack’s judgment. Dana Walsh’s tangent with her extremely troubled ex-boyfriend begs some questions (the most important being how CTU and numerous other government agencies couldn’t have known about her past) but for the most part only induces wincing and groaning.

The returning characters have somehow misplaced their appeal, or have been written to such an extent that they are no longer recognizable. Jack appeared tired and defeated until Episode Six, which is acceptable after watching him battling villains and grunts for so many seasons. Yet after all he’s been through, it’s difficult to imagine that he would be that ready to walk away from the looming threat Chloe O’Brian pieces together. Chloe retains the snarkiness that endeared her to ‘24’ fans everywhere, but it does not fit the rigid, frigid atmosphere of the new CTU.

This season seems to be full of particularly gruesome details. There have been a host of shocking moments of violence before, but the tally grows this season with each episode, especially after Renee demonstrates her problem solving skills. Here’s hoping (for the bad guys’ sake) that she finds less painful solutions in the future.

The 2010 March for Life

2010-01-25T18:29:00.014-05:00

Living in Washington, DC for the spring semester as an intern, I felt disconnected from Hillsdale College's Student for Life organization. To my great joy however, 91 Hillsdale students attended this year's March for Life and with them came all of the passion and fervor of the Pro-life movement. Hundreds of thousands of dedicated people braved long journeys and uncertain DC weather to take part in a noble and beautiful act of love for the unborn children of the nation. As I listened to emotional speeches and heartfelt songs I was overcome with the sincerity and genuineness of the March.

Though the people have now left and the streets are once again quiet, the signs of their presence both in physical items and more profoundly in the impact they made still linger. A powerful thing has occurred in our nation's capitol and I believe we are a step closer to achieving the right to human life. The March for Life was a clear and powerful revelation of the American people's resolve to continue fighting for the rights of all people. We all pray as one that the leaders of our great nation will hear our voices and free our land from the bondage of abortion.

Yay! March For Life!

2010-01-23T19:14:00.001-05:00

Hillsdale College's Students For Life took 91 people to the 2010 March For Life. There were hundreds of thousands of people there, protesting the government's allowance of abortion as a legal form of murder.

I was happy to see my summer employer, The Washington Times, cover the March. It usually gets very minimal coverage (see Article and slide-show), outside EWTN and blogs.

The March for Life is an amazing experience, if you've never been. It's a chance to take a stand for the most voiceless of people: unborn babies, not given a chance to survive because their mother or father or doctor decides their life would be better off not even starting. I think that's an elitist decision to make, considering it isn't their life to take.

I can understand why people choose abortion, but I never agree with their reasoning, morally or lawfully. There is never a good reason to kill anyone, least of all a baby, the most innocent of people. As my favorite sign said, "It is a baby with potential, not a potential baby." The Constitution guarantees three things: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. Life is the first thing protected, and it is a great failing this pushed aside because in favor of a "personal choice." What about adults who kill adults as a matter of "personal choice"? That type of defense would never hold up in a court of law.

My favorite part of the March was the youth rally and mass at the Verizon Center. During the homily, the priest told a story of a Christian woman who was told by her doctor that she should have an abortion because her baby was most likely going to be deformed. The woman was scared, but she went home and prayed and decided not to have one, accepted whatever baby God gave her and her husband. When she had her baby, he was perfectly fine, although long and lean. Now her baby is 6'3", 240 pounds, and winner of the Heisman. Yep, her baby is Tim Tebow.

A third of my generation is gone. How many Tim Tebows have been aborted? People wonder why social security is collapsing--we don't even have the people to support the ever-growing government. Moral decisions have monetary consequences.

More posts from other HF writers who went later!

How Obama Should Learn to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

2010-01-06T11:00:00.002-05:00

Apparently the Pentagon doesn't think President Barack Obama's vision of nuclear disarmament is such a great idea. And who can blame them? It's about as much of a no-brainer as you're ever going to find in public policy. The people inclined to do bad things with nuclear weapons are not the ones inclined to give them up. If you do and they don't, you're kind of screwed, aren't you?

Attacked!

2009-12-28T12:12:00.004-05:00

It happened near Detroit International--close to home. But more importantly, more significantly, and more sobering is the fact that it happened at all.

The agencies in charge of protecting us have failed miserably.

At least the brave people aboard that flight managed to subdue the would-be mass murderer. It's a good thing that we can still count on individual passengers to defend themselves.

It's very interesting to note, too, the fact that the terrorist is not being called what he is--a terrorist. Instead, he's a "young man," or a "Nigerian." And his efforts to kill hundreds of innocents are simply an "alleged plot."

You can't sugarcoat evil. This administration, and the media need to learn that if it smells like a terrorist, sounds like a terrorist, and acts like a terrorist, then it is one.

It's nice to know that our representatives and senators are always thinking about our well-being.

Merry Christmas from the staff of the Hillsdale Forum!

2009-12-15T17:36:00.008-05:00

Most of the Hillsdale Forum staff at our last gathering this afternoon. With exam week at hand, the staff looks forward to going home for the holidays. From our families to yours, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Thank you for your readership! We look forward to continuing to serve you in the new year.

This week in Copenhagen

2009-12-14T21:19:00.000-05:00

I’m an only child. And just so ya know, I’m not a spoiled brat and I’m fully aware that the sun does not rise on my left shoulder and set on my right. I’m also an only child who wants a lot of kids. I’ll be the mom in the 15-passenger van barreling down the street in about 20 years.

At least, that’s what I want. But if the people at Copenhagen have their way, I won’t be able to do it. Some leaders at the climate change have discussed adopting China’s one-child policy to reverse the impending doom of overpopulation.

First of all, the idea that the world is overpopulated is a crock. Ever been to Idaho? Montana? Wyoming? Plenty of room there.

In all seriousness: In Western Europe the population rate barely meets replacement. Russia, Spain, and Italy bottom out at less than 1.54 children per couple, and Iceland, Norway, Ireland, and Spain top the list at 2 or over. The overall fertility trend in Europe has steadily declined since 1980. American fertility just meets the 2.1 children required for population replacement, down from nearly 3.75 in 1960. With so many countries hardly even replacing themselves, how can we have an overpopulation crisis?

Finally, Glenn Beck made an excellent point on his show today. Where’s the women’s rights crowd? They’re always telling the government to stay out of their uteruses and give them total reproductive freedom. Isn’t restricting the number of children you can have a pretty significant violation of reproductive freedom? Why haven’t we heard from them yet?

Yes, it's still happening today

2009-12-13T15:27:00.003-05:00

If you don't know about this, you should:

Hillsdale Student on Rush Limbaugh

2009-12-12T11:16:00.003-05:00

Not like we need any proof that Hillsdale students are practically perfect in every way, but yesterday senior Emily Cican called into the Doctor of Democracy's Open Line Friday to talk about a radical leftist marriage book.

Also, if you were not aware, Hillsdale is now a sponsor of the Rush Limbaugh show.

Props to Emily, Hillsdale, and Rush.

World Update

2009-12-10T19:01:00.005-05:00

A Parma, Ohio man dressed as Santa was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of attempting kidnapping after repeatedly grabbing a 12 year old girl. He was in possession of candy canes and a unicycle upon arrest.

A blue and white swirl has been seen in the sky's of Norway. The phenomenon is believed to be a failed test launch of a new Russian missile. Russian officials still refuse to comment.

The Nelson amendment which called for restricted abortion coverage in the current controversial health-care bill failed by a 54-45 vote. Many believe it is impossible for the bill to receive the necessary support without the amendment.

General David Petraeus recently addressed the senate Foreign Relations Committee on progress in Afghanistan. He reported that in comparison with the war in Iraq, the war in Afghanistan is likely to be slower and more difficult, but the situation is not hopeless.

A Sign

2009-12-10T11:40:00.002-05:00

Everything seems to be about polls these days. I myself have my own poll that I use whenever I happen to be back in my hometown--Chi-Town. I call it the Bumper Poll. I make an un-scientific estimate of bumper stickers stuck to Priuses and other vehicles and determine what the atmosphere is like in my suburb and the surrounding area. Parking lots are excellent sources of data.

Last fall (2008), the sheer amount of "IMPEACH BUSH," "IF YOU'RE NOT OUTRAGED YOU'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION," "OBAMA & BIDEN" and "O" stickers indicated a very strong disapproval of George W. Bush, and strong support behind Barack Obama's candidacy.

Either people have decided that the patriotic colors clash with the sleek paint jobs of their foreign made cars, or they have grown less enthusiastic about displaying pride in the one, the only Barack Obama. Upon visiting the Windy City over Thanksgiving Break, I counted around five to ten cars that proudly proclaimed approval of Obama. This was after driving through the city itself, and after watching hundreds of cars on the express way.

This method of polling is probably un-scientific to the degree that it's actually laughable, but it is still something of note. The poll featured on Politico appears to support my childish methods.

Try it sometime. Counting bumper stickers is a great way to combat boredom. And observation is a part of the scientific method.

Sarah Palin: Birther?

2009-12-04T22:21:00.003-05:00

There is much to like in the possibility of a presidential bid by Sarah Palin (besides, who else does the Right have? Mike Huckabee?), but the case for Palin 2012 isn't a slam dunk, and making excuses for every wrong turn made by those on our side is the last thing we need to do.

Case in point: Conservatives4Palin, the most prominent pro-Palin blog on the Web. Palin recently told conservative radio host Rusty Humphries that,

"I think the public rightfully is still making [President Obama's birth certificate] an issue. I don't have a problem with that. I don't know if I would have to bother to make it an issue, because I think that members of the electorate still want answers...I think it's a fair question, just like I think past association and past voting records -- all of that is fair game."

In response, C4P's Daniel Terrapin & Joshua Livestro say it should be obvious that Palin herself doesn't take Birtherism seriously, but is merely defending the people's right to question their leaders, and suggests any different reaction is a deliberate attempt to distort her words. This afternoon, Palin herself said this is all she really meant.

I'll take her word for it that she doesn't personally believe Obama was born in Kenya, but she and her supporters need to be honest with themselves & with the rest of us, and admit her original words amounted to more than "the people have the right to question their leaders." She said the public was rightfully making it an issue, even though it's manifestly insane.

Conservatives have fought long and hard to remind their opponents that having the right to do something doesn't make it right. That goes for disgruntled voters, as well.

No more words necessary...

2009-12-02T15:11:00.001-05:00

There's only so much sickening news that one can take before getting discouraged. Perhaps we're all locked in an alternate reality, or part of "the Matrix."

Right-Wing Obligations

2009-11-17T16:26:00.000-05:00

Al Horne - The Second Amendment for all - washingtonpost.com

If health care becomes mandatory, can gun care become mandatory, too ?

Terrifying Religious Views in the Military

2009-11-11T11:10:00.000-05:00

A Beard Too Far by Elaine Donnelly on National Review Online

The United States military is unaffiliated with any specific religion. The United States, however, is a Christian country, or at least a country founded on Christian principles, and the Separation of Church and State does not require the separation of morals and politics (though some might think it does), or principles and public policies.

When do religious viewpoints begin to impede or obstruct military action? Perhaps looking at the recent incident at Fort Hood could give some insight into the question. When does "extreme" go too far? Perhaps when discipline is broken? When the lives of our soldiers are at stake, in danger of other fellow soldiers? When some soldiers think, act, believe, and speak in direct opposition to the principles and guidelines set out by the Founders for this country?

Perhaps a "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy for religion in the military could help eliminate controversial issues over headgear and hairdos (which happen to blatantly contradict the entire meaning of "uniform"); but when the outward appearances disappear, do the inward thoughts and emotions comply, as well? Is uniformity of faith required for uniformity of purpose? To what degree? If so, is it achievable?

Some Democrats to fight abortion amendment in health bill - washingtonpost.com

2009-11-09T13:25:00.000-05:00

Some Democrats to fight abortion amendment in health bill - washingtonpost.com

According to this Washington Post article, the Democrats are uneasy about passing the health care bill because of a clause which would limit government funding for abortions.

Nuts!

2009-11-09T13:07:00.002-05:00

Nuts by Mark Steyn (from NRO)

I can't wait to take that journalism class with him next semester :)

Also, great video of Mark Steyn talking on multiculturalism:

Memorials, In Memoriam?

2009-11-09T11:43:00.005-05:00

Yes, this really is up for debate in America:

Connecticut Family Fights For 9-11 Memorial. Opposition Suggests They Build It In The Ground Over The Sewers.

It really is a travesty when a few people can't see the value in honoring their fellow Americans who lost their life in such a tragic way. I also am at a loss for not wanting a monument. In ages past, this was how we honored these people--so that we remember.

In D.C. this summer, I remember walking past this huge bronze plaque-type memorial in Union Station to men who lost their lives in a train accident. What would have happened if that wasn't there? I never would have known about it. It's a very touching dedication to bravery and sacrifice, so if you're ever in the D.C. area, it's right off the main room, if you're walking in from the metro.

Today is the 20th anniversary of the Berlin Wall falling. That too is a symbol, even though it was torn down. The sentiment remains--the wall stood for oppression, these monuments stand for the best of human character. We need to build up humanity by glorifying its positive attributes, not bending in submission to its weak ones.

Denial!

2009-11-04T12:52:00.004-05:00

Of course yesterday's elections had nothing to do with Obama. It had everything to do with "local issues" and not the President's policies, or lack thereof. And Obama simply likes campaigning too much not to involve himself in gubernatorial campaigns.

This is very interesting. The White House dismisses what should be a very important lesson to those currently serving the government. Within nine to ten months, the shine has worn off of Obama. His charm has drained the voters. His name, which is synonymous with the Democratic Party, did not win Deeds or Corzine governors' seats.

The Democrat candidate did win in New York, as Nancy Pelosi kindly points out. However, what is important is that the Conservative candidate posed a threat to both the Democrat and Republican in the running. The fact that he ran should prove to be a warning to those moderate Republicans--that they can no longer stray from the herd of their conservative base, and will not be tempted or charmed into the hope and change that revolutionized this recession.

Angela Merkel's quiet revolution. - By Anne Applebaum - Slate Magazine

2009-11-03T18:49:00.000-05:00

Angela Merkel's quiet revolution. - By Anne Applebaum - Slate Magazine

This is fascinating! Only a few generations from WWII, a calm and quiet women has become chancellor of Germany. According to the article, she holds perhaps the most power of anyone in Europe. Speaking for myself, and perhaps others, I never knew anything about her. And now, how will she change Europe?

Iraqi woman, 20, dies; police in Arizona say father ran her over - CNN.com

2009-11-02T21:00:00.002-05:00

Iraqi woman, 20, dies; police in Arizona say father ran her over - CNN.com

Cases like this make you stop and think.

A 20-year-old girl was run over by a car. Deliberately. By her father.

He claims she has become "too westernized" after moving from Iraq to the United States some years ago. Now he faces charges for killing his daughter.

What does it mean to become "too westernized"? Isn't America the City on a Hill, the new Jerusalem, the best thing that ever happened to civilization? Doesn't everyone have a right to democracy and freedom? To speak how they want to speak, to act how they want to act, to think how they want to think?

Her father complained that she didn't listen to him and she dressed in a modern fashion, which he didn't like.

Now that they are living in the States, how much can be expected of her with regards to old customs?

Doesn't she have the right to free speech? Doesn't she have the right to liberty?

But then again, what is liberty? If she has the right to act how she chooses, does he have the right to act as he sees fit?

Even though they are living in the States, does he still have the right to punish her according to their old laws?

Where is the line between liberty and license? Where is the line between discipline and murder?

Is Nothing Sacred Anymore?

2009-10-29T11:50:00.002-04:00

Following the entry of a video featuring a desecrated American flag in the "Health Reform Video Challenge" sponsored by Democratic National Committee, one has to wonder. Perhaps sacred isn't the right word any longer--taboo will have to do. The religious connotations would be sure to offend someone.

It is truly sad to think that a symbol of sacrifice and hard work has been reduced to a lobbying device. While it is a popular custom to burn, maim, and shred American flags elsewhere in the world, it's very eye-opening that a contest entry made it this far.

Obama declares H1N1 emergency - CNN.com

2009-10-24T16:43:00.000-04:00

Obama declares H1N1 emergency - CNN.com

Since when has the flu become a matter of national, governmental, or federal importance?

Because the President is now concerned, ought we to all rush out for our vaccinations?

Or, perhaps, is this another case of fear-mongering?

a promotion for national health care?

Or just another piece of news?

Evil Wal-Mart Exec not so Scary

2009-10-23T00:38:00.002-04:00

Jack Shewmaker, a Wal-Mart executive that SIFE described in their school wide with the pithy title of "Executive Consultant, Retired President, Chief Operating Officer, Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer," spoke before decent sized audience in Phillips last Wednesday.

Calling Hillsdale, "my kind of town," the remarkably successful businessman delivered a very straightforward message, arguing that a successful life generally comes to anyone who proves diligent and honest. He told small stories about little actions that had large repercussions. For example, a decision to alter the formatting of a supplier's paperwork saved the company millions of dollars. His lecture on leadership was largely a collection of homespun wisdom and hard experience.

Choosing to keep from delving to deeply into political matters, Shewmaker's comments on the current crisis were short. Calling himself a conservative, he explained that he proffered not to engage in politics. Surprisingly, his short comments on America's current fiscal debacle included no animus towards accelerated government intrusion into the marketplace. He argued that the banking crisis was not the fault of bank executives and Wall Street financiers, but of all of us. While most econ students would point toward the conditions and incentives that the government created in the first place, he gave no mention of Bush's or Obama's policies.

His lecture earned him an extended standing ovation from the sympathetic crowd. Promising the audience that "what you see is what you get," he left the podium. What Shewmaker himself saw, during his talk, was a free USA that could be juxtaposed with the old USSR without causing observers to reel before the nascent similarities. Regardless of whether the capitalist rulebook is still intact, his argument that integrity yields higher integers deserves greater qualification. No one should cast their personal story, of success or of tragedy, over society in general. Though integrity is an undivided road, it may lead to either poverty or riches. Its' direction is always relative to society's unpredictable course. However, he did finish his address with a sincerity that should have led any superstore maligners to put their cheap arguments back on the shelf as they shuffled down Phillips' aisles.

Not Exactly a Sign You Can Handle the Pressures of Office

2009-10-20T08:24:00.003-04:00

Holy cow:

So after the dinner, I asked Assemblywoman Scozzafava if she supports card check. "Yes, yes I do," she replied.

At that point someone from her campaign placed himself between Scozzafava and me and told me I should direct all my inquires to the campaign's spokesman. I nonetheless asked Scozzafava if her signing of the Americans for Tax Reform pledge not to vote to raise taxes means she would oppose any health care bill that raises taxes. "What kind of taxes?" she replied. Then another couple of gentlemen interposed themselves between Scozzafava and me as Scozzafava headed for the door.

I spotted Scozzafava later as she was walking to the parking lot, and asked her: " Assemblywoman, do you believe that the health-care bill should exclude coverage for abortion?" She didn't reply. I asked her twice more. Silence.

After she got into her car, I went to my car and fired up my laptop to report the evening's events.

Minutes later a police car drove into the parking lot with its lights flashing. Officer Grolman informed me that she was called because "there was a little bit of an uncomfortable situation" and then took down my name, date of birth, and address.

"Maybe we do things a little differently here, but you know, persistence in that area, you scared the candidate a little bit," Officer Grolman told me.

"[Scozzafava] got startled, that's all," Officer Grolman added. "It's not like you're in any trouble."

Michelle Malkin has more details on Republican nominee Scozzafava's left-wing record. Here's the website of her Conservative Party challenger, Doug Hoffman.

The IgNobel Peace Prize

2009-10-10T16:16:00.001-04:00

Yesterday morning we learned that Pres. Obama will receive the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize.

If this leaves you scratching your head, it gets worse. The deadline for nomination was less than two weeks after he took office.

You may wonder whether Obama has done anything to deserve this award. But according to the Nobel committee chairman, Obama won because of his efforts, not because of the results.

This is patently absurd. You don’t get a paycheck because of the work you might do, you get it for the work you did do. Professors don’t hand out grades for the papers their students might write, but for the ones they did write. Using the Peace Prize as an incentive devalues the award and shows that it's nothing but an ideological beauty contest.

However, through this Obama has finally said one thing I agree with. He does not believe he is worthy to be in the company of the people who have won the prize before him.

You’re right about that, Barry. You’re right about that.

We Don’t Need No Education

2009-10-08T15:47:00.002-04:00

If there is one consistency at Hillsdale, it is the college’s dedication to truly educate its students. Dr. Pestritto acknowledged this in his speech at Fall Convocation, juxtaposing it with the academic philosophy of President Woodrow Wilson.

Wilson wished to make school curriculums less elitist by emphasizing diversity of individuals, not minds, and an intellectual development for civic and practical purposes, not breadth. This type of “liberality” has become the standard in schools nationwide, the system’s failings rewarded with the creation of the U.S. Department of Education.

This country’s current high school graduation rate hovers around 69%. President Barack Obama’s grassroots “Organizing for America” correctly diagnosed the problem, saying “We need to stop paying lip service to public education, and start holding communities, administrators, teachers, parents and students accountable.”

The three solutions offered, however, suggest the opposite, their solutions being government-run early childhood education and developing new ways to reward good teachers. A fruit basket is always a classy gift, but that is not the role of the federal government. If teachers are not doing a great job, they should not be holding that job.

The public school system currently faces the predicament of cutting teachers, even with over-full classrooms. With state and local revenue down, the national government has stepped in to provide over $100 billion dollars to hire back more teachers. While this is good in theory, the problem lies in which teachers are staying on payroll. Many teachers are being cut without a proper evaluation, the jobs going to tenured or unionized teachers instead of the most effective ones.

The stimulus money represents not only a continuation of progressive education, but an expansion. The government is showing that they have a more vested interest in paying homage to the unions than in the future of their country by actually educating the youth with effective and well-qualified teachers.

Which makes their final suggestion a paradox: if, “after graduating high school, all Americans should be prepared to attend at least one year of job training or higher education to better equip our workforce for the 21st century economy,” then what about the over 30% of Americans who don’t graduate high school? Can they not help the economy by working a lower-skilled and thus lower-paid job?

This is a fallacy. Gas station clerks, for instance, do not need one year of job training to know how to do their job and they still contribute to the economy through having a job and thus, paying taxes. Not only is higher education not for everyone, but it is not necessary for everyone. The unintended consequences of this include having Americans thinking their college education renders them “above” certain jobs.

Progressive education, therefore, has become an elitist institution which produces mediocre students not prepared to further democracy, as Wilson envisioned. The State cannot mass produce excellence. Students learn best in their community, where interactions with teachers, parents and school mates push them to grow intellectually and personally.

The government needs to stop dictating in the classroom and give it back to the states. Local school boards can better gauge the efficiency of the teachers and the development of the children. This would lead towards true diversity—that of minds and intellectual curiosity.

Through true education, the future of the nation will be one of real change and innovation thanks to the great minds of this country’s citizens, not its government.

(The longer version of this article by Julie Robison shall be published in tomorrow's edition of The Hillsdale Forum.)

Goliath Has Nothing to Fear from These Davids

2009-10-06T11:40:00.006-04:00

David Frum is promoting David Brooks’ latest column, in which Brooks says:

Just months after the election and the humiliation, everyone is again convinced that Limbaugh, Beck, Hannity and the rest possess real power. And the saddest thing is that even Republican politicians come to believe it. They mistake media for reality. They pre-emptively surrender to armies that don’t exist.

They pay more attention to Rush’s imaginary millions than to the real voters down the street. The Republican Party is unpopular because it’s more interested in pleasing Rush’s ghosts than actual people. The party is leaderless right now because nobody has the guts to step outside the rigid parameters enforced by the radio jocks and create a new party identity. The party is losing because it has adopted a radio entertainer’s niche-building strategy, while abandoning the politician’s coalition-building strategy.

The rise of Beck, Hannity, Bill O’Reilly and the rest has correlated almost perfectly with the decline of the G.O.P. But it’s not because the talk jocks have real power. It’s because they have illusory power, because Republicans hear the media mythology and fall for it every time.

This is delusional on several fronts. Brooks' claim that the GOP is at the mercy of talk radio is totally undercut by his own column's earlier observation about John McCain's primary success, despite the longstanding bad blood between McCain and the pundits. But that's not to say his other claim, that the talkers have no sway with the actual voters, is much better -- just ask Harriet Miers, the United Arab Emirates, or the Republicans who wanted to ram amnesty through Congress (all issues talk radio sounded the alarm on) how far they got.

It's interesting that Brooks attributes the GOP's decline to the rise of Glenn Beck (who didn't really hit it big until after Obama's victory), Sean Hannity (who was a superstar well before any discernible GOP decline, and was doing his usual routine during Republicans' Congressional gains in 2002 and both of George W. Bush's victories in 2000 & 2004), and Bill O'Reilly (an independent with hawkish defense and law-&-order sentiments, but also a global-warming believer who spends half his time demonizing oil companies and treating any politician who might give him an interview with kid gloves), and not to what these supposedly-kowtowing Republicans actually did:

Bush and the Republicans spent massively, especially in Bush’s first term. We opposed that, mightily. The president’s most cherished initiative, probably, was the Faith-Based Initiative. We opposed that. Then there was his education policy: No Child Left Behind. We opposed that (mainly on grounds that it wrongly expanded the federal role). He had his new federal entitlement: a prescription-drug benefit. We of course opposed that. He imposed steel tariffs—for a season—which we opposed. He signed the McCain-Feingold law on campaign finance—which we opposed. He established a new cabinet department, the Department of Homeland Security. We opposed that. He defended race preferences in the University of Michigan Law School case; we were staunchly on the other side. He of course proposed a sweeping new immigration law, which included what amounted to amnesty. We were four-square against that.

He might also do well to consider that McCain's failed presidential bid was hardly in the mold of a Limbaugh broadcast, or, if he's really feeling intellectually curious, he could ask himself what effect a primary field divided among multiple candidates with partial claims to certain aspects of conservatism (Romney on economics, Huckabee on social issues, Giuliani on terrorism, etc.) might have had.

David Brooks is dead wrong, but we shouldn't be surprised that David Frum is enamored -- these days Frum dreams of a new conservatism that looks suspiciously like liberalism, and spends more time hyperventilating about TV personalities' occasional missteps than extremists in the White House.

RACISTS!

2009-10-04T16:40:00.001-04:00

One of the Left’s core tenets is that almost no conservative opinion can ever be held by people of good faith; ulterior, sinister motives must be at play. True to form, Z-list actress Janeane Garofalo is again playing amateur psychologist, expressing her utter certitude that Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, and the tea party protestors are really angry about President Barack Obama’s skin color, not his policies. Hilariously, she insists she’s not talking about people who genuinely disagree with Obama’s policies, even though those are precisely the people she’s making blanket statements about. Perhaps, the next time she’s on MSNBC with Keith Olbermann, Ms. Garofalo would be so kind as to give some examples of ObamaCare opponents she doesn’t think are racist…

(Oh, and with views like these, how’d she ever wind up on 24?)

Windy City Blown Away

2009-10-04T11:34:00.004-04:00

As a resident of Chicagoland, I feel I have the right to be immensely relieved that Chicago did not bring home the 2016 Olympics.

Chicago is rightfully notorious for corruption, scandals, and fraud. Our transportation system (the CTA) can barely handle the ebb and flow of residents, traveling downtown or on any number of our expressways can be likened to an exponential increase in frustration, and the city happens to be one of the violent crime capitals of the nation.

Add on top of this a history of burdensome taxation--10.25% sales tax is the norm for our county, and our commissioner was disappointed that it wasn't augmented to 11.2%--and you have a recipe for residential disaster. We know how programs sponsored in Chicago work--the tax payer foots the bill. Take the "Cloud Gate" of Millennium Park, for example. The giant silver structure, which resembles a glorified kidney bean, has some sort of symbolic meaning that actually makes sense when the weather hasn't ruined its surface. Millions were spent in repairing it.

I could only imagine the utter waste and horrible disaster that would come with a winning bid. Congestion and parking would be even more of a nightmare. Not even a Smart Car would be able to maneuver on all ready jammed Lake Shore Drive. And what about the Lake? The water quality would take a nosedive, as a good number of the aquatic events would take place on the lakefront near the Shedd Aquarium.

Chicago, and its suburbs have been hit hard by the recession and housing crisis; the increased taxes and new delegation of resources would not help any of its residents, and would probably be no more than an entry in the annals of our politicians' legacies.

Huzzah! Jimmy Carter is now comparable to a white Kayne West! [insert foot in mouth]

2009-09-16T12:36:00.002-04:00

Oh Jimmy Carter, you farmer from Georgia with the brain the size of a peanut. I've always suspected it, of course, with your support of Hamas and belief that we can have diplomatic relations with people who would rather kill us than talk to us.

You made a mistake, however, and proved the pet theory true. You went too far when you said that Rep. Joe Wilson's "you lie!" outburst at President Obama during his joint session of Congress was "racist." What exactly was racist in that comment? The use of a second person singular pronoun? The insinuation that the president may or may not be telling the truth? The exclamatory punctuation?

I see nothing race-related in Wilson's rhetoric--unless, of course, you are implying that Rep. Wilson said those words not from the belief that the president is not being wholly truthful, but because he is black. (And only half-black at that; is it possible that Wilson is only half-racist?)

Former President Carter said that he believes there is an inherent feeling in the country that an African-American should not be president. He therefore doubts the waves of change in this country which have happened over 40 years ago with the Civil Rights movement. He disgraces thousands of people who worked towards racial equality by implying that Americans are therefore just humoring blacks by letting them think they are equal, but really, just stay in your place. We'll run the country for you, doncha worry.

That liberal and patronizing comment completely offends me, a conservative, who shall now be seen as a "racist" by this esteemed former president simply because I disagree with the president's politics. Still, it is an interesting and completely obtuse observation for Carter to make, seeing as, according to the polls, Barack Obama was elected our first African-American president by a majority last November 2008. Elected by a majority of what? A majority of Americans, who were looking for leadership and change for the country in a man, not his skin color.

So, Jimmy Carter, back to your hypothesis: if one disagrees with a black man, then one is racist.

Martin Luther King, Jr. wanted men to be judged by their character, not the color of their skin. Is it possible that is happening today? That Rep. Wilson is calling a spade a spade (perhaps at an inappropriate time, admittedly)? In the Roman Senate, if a man was found guilty of corruption, he was killed, in order to save the virtue of the state. Obama's administration has been one of the most non-transparent administrations to date, with lots of closed-doors meetings, especially concerning the auto bail-outs, cap and trade, as well as other energy efficiency agendas. John Locke said that when government uses its power to help one group over another, that is evidence of corruption. If anything, Rep. Wilson should be applauded for saying what many of us are thinking. No one's throwing the first stone at Obama, but they are calling him out (literally) and keeping him accountable to his country, whom he has pledged to serve and protect.

For more reading on how far Americans really have come in terms of race, I recommend an article in the American Scholar from their Summer 2008 volume entitled "The End of the Black American Narrative" by Charles Johnson. It is an excellent read.

Also, Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" is another piece of excellent prose that gives me goosebumps every time I read it and should move all hearts.

Jackson, 1773

2009-09-10T15:15:00.012-04:00

Maybe it isn't the year 1773, but there certainly was a tea party in Jackson two days ago. Coordinated by the Tea Party Express organization, it drew a crowd of about four to five hundred people (if my inexperienced, college student estimations are indeed correct.)

I had the luck of attending, and witnessing a very uplifting assertion in the founding principles of our country. There were signs and flags galore, and overall, good humor dominated the demonstration. Attendees greeted each other warmly, and there was an underlying excitement that came along with exercising a right to assembly.

After reciting the Pledge and singing the anthem, speakers from the tour addressed the hypocrisy of the politicians in Washington, to the disappointment of angled textbooks in our public schools. Hillsdale College received a few shout-outs; it was mentioned along with the "brain drain" phenomena, or the departure of the college-educated from the state of Michigan in their search for employment. There was cheering throughout, and a rather noticeable lack of thugs and mobsters.

The fact that several networks appeared to cover the event stressed a theme repeated quite a few times: the importance of sending a message to government at all levels--from local, to state, to federal.

The Tea Party Express will be making a few more stops before it rolls into Washington, D.C. for the Taxpayer March on D.C. this Saturday. A little bit closer to home, there's a tea party scheduled for this Saturday in Coldwater, Michigan.

TeddyCare

2009-08-29T21:14:00.002-04:00

I can’t wait to be dead. No, I’m serious. I’m not rushing to make it happen or anything, but death is like a get-out-of-jail-free card for all the dumb things you did while you were alive. After I die nobody will ever again mention my inability to parallel park, or how bad I was at math, or my occasional lack of people skills. If any of these things are mentioned it will be against the wistful backdrop of how awesome I was. My only regret is I’ll have to watch from the sidelines in heaven and not actively enjoy this royal treatment.

The departed Sen. Ted Kennedy has received this royal treatment in the four days since he passed away following a year-long battle with brain cancer. Everyone’s talked about what a great legislator he was, how he carried the weight of his family through its many tragedies, how bipartisan he was (though nobody has furnished any examples), etc. Some people have used Kennedy’s demise to continue his lifelong push for socialized medicine. However, what nobody has pointed out is that this last year of Kennedy’s life is actually the best argument against socialized medicine there is.

Kennedy spent his life—even while he was undergoing cancer treatment—advocating “universal healthcare” in America. However, I didn’t hear anything about him going to Canada or the UK to get his chemotherapy and radiation. Teddy stayed right here in the United States to get the best healthcare in the world. If he were an MP in Canada or England chances are they wouldn’t have been able to treat a 70+ man who abused his body all his life at all due to rationing.

Democrats may used Kennedy’s death as a sympathy appeal to get the “Public Option” through as a tribute to him, but what Republicans should do is point out that when Teddy Kennedy needed medical help the most, he never went anywhere near universal healthcare.

Cash for Clunkers Headed for the Junkyard

2009-08-24T23:40:00.001-04:00

If you haven’t traded in your gas-guzzling SUV for one of those motorized roller skates under Obama’s Cash for Clunkers program, you have a little more than 3 hours left to do so. As of 8:00 tonight, the program will go bankrupt after just a few short months.

Cash for Clunkers went bankrupt in one summer. And Obama expects us to believe he can implement a health care system that will cover every human being in the country, womb to tomb, cost a heck of a lot more than Cash for Clunkers, and it won’t run out of money?

I don’t know which is worse—that Obama believes it or he thinks we’re dumb enough to believe it.

Millions face shrinking Social Security payments

2009-08-23T16:07:00.002-04:00

Millions face shrinking Social Security payments

Solution? Start saving.

Coming soon...

2009-08-21T12:47:00.003-04:00

Like Congress, as you dear readers may have noticed, the Hillsdale Forum has been taking a break from blogging during August.

Have no fear, though! We start school on September 2nd this year and shall soon enough get back into the swing of things, updating the blog and putting this semester's issues together.

We're looking forward to another great year! If you have any questions, comments, compliments or concerns, please feel free to e-mail us at hillsdaleforum@gmail.com.

Thanks for all your support! We truly appreciate having such loyal readers to keep us striving upwards and outwards.

EDITORIAL: Criticized for our principles - Washington Times

2009-08-17T00:15:00.002-04:00

I worked with The Washington Times Editorial board this past summer and they are some of the smartest and sharpest people I've ever interacted with; I am excited they are making such big waves in journalism and the country!!

EDITORIAL: Criticized for our principles - Washington Times

Shared via AddThis

It's Not Personal, it's Business

2009-07-29T15:54:00.001-04:00

In the Washington Post this morning, there was an article entitled "President Gets Personal at Forum on Health Care." In his speech to the AARP, Obama mentioned his mother and grandmother. His mother died of ovarian and uterine cancer. Obama did not seem to be concerned with the type of treatment, more the injustice of the insurance company with its hesitance to pay her bills. Then he cited his grandmother and her living will, which

"gave her some control ahead of time so that she could say, for example, if she had a terminal illness, did she want extraordinary measures even if, for example, her brainwaves were no longer functioning? Or did she want just to be left alone?" he said. "You know, that gives her some decision-making power over the process."

President Obama also encouraged Americans to get living wills, citing that he and the first lady both have one. Living wills, for those who are unaware, are medical directives that tell people how to act in a matter of emergency in accordance to your wishes. I agree with him on this issue, but I should hope Americans do not just get one because Obama said they should.

I suppose the problem I have with this forum was Obama getting personal; not that he shouldn’t share his experiences or relate, but it seems to me a manipulation of people’s feelings on the subject of the health care bill. It’s hard to debate with someone when they’re discussing their dead mother because that is extremely personal.

Nonetheless, while it is important to keep—oh, what’s that buzz word again?—empathy when it comes to someone’s health, it is also imperative to remember that the health care system is still a business (just like the government is, but not really; it’s just in the red all the time and not failing). It takes money to pay doctors and nurses to treat patients. It takes money to pay researchers and billions more to develop drugs that save millions of lives. As much as health care is inherently patient-focused (why else have it but to save patients?), it also has to make some sort of a profit by which it can sustain itself and while I agree the insurance industry could use a make-over of protocol, but still, they’re a business too. They need to protect their assets as well.

What this really comes down to is a healthy balance, because everyone has a stake in the health care system. Most people want to continue living. This is why they go to the doctor to get better. The president keeps saying that “we can do it better,” but that type of vague ambition to make it “better” is not clear. What is better? More affordable? Better treatment?

If we move towards socialized health care (yes socialized, which simply means the state control the system, which it will), the competition in the private sector will cease to be and there will be no true incentive to ever improve health care. People will say, we will improve it for the people. But the people can never speak as loud as money. Monetary gain is what motivates the world, what drives business. Take that away and the whole system will collapse because it is built on and for pecuniary purposes.

So 55 million Americans don’t have health care: when did it become the government’s job to provide it? What happens when the government starts regulating health care is that they start putting a price on life. In the state of Oregon, for instance, people with cancer who have been told they have less than 5 years to live have started receiving letters from the state saying that they will not be paying for their treatment any more, but they will paid for their assisted suicide.

Not enough people pay into the system and then expect to reap the benefits, including illegal immigrants. I say, briefly, that if they want to come to the country and work and apply to be a US citizen, fine—but they cannot expect to have the same – as tax-paying Americans. What about those who are Americans and don’t pay taxes, you may ask. I say: if you’re an American, no matter what your income, you should at least pay something to the government. Ben Franklin’s clichéd ‘a penny saved is a penny earned’ more than rings true when one thinks how much more money the government could make if everyone pitched in, opposed to draining “the rich” of all their resources. Again, it takes away the incentive to work hard and make a lot of money (which I assume most people would like to make) if you know most of it is going to be taken and distributed to other people. Why make money if you can’t even enjoy it?

Finally, America has one of the best health care systems in the world. It’s nothing to be ashamed of; people work hard to be the best. Millions of Americans work hard to be constantly improving their field. It is their job. They take it seriously. With politicians in Washington saying that the health care system needs to be fixed, that is them saying we know better than you and this is what you should do. It’s the same thing they did to the auto industry. The thing is, the reason we pay a lot is because this is what we value. We value our lives and thus will pay qualified people to make it “better.”

Take my mother for instance—she is a cancer specialist. She has three sets of initials behind her name: MSN (Masters in the Science of Nursing), RN (Registered Nurse) and AOCN (Advanced Oncology Clinical Nurse). She studied hard for many years in school, passed her tests, has advanced certification in oncology, works hard and has become a leader in her field. She’s not for the health care bill because she knows the quality of the health care system will go down and as someone in medicine, she’s concerned with providing the best quality care to as many people as possible.

The medical field isn’t just people trying to steal the hard-earned cash of everyday Americans; it’s a business built on those everyday Americans, for those everyday Americans, by those everyday Americans. This health care bill is attempting to level the playing field to make quality health care more accessible, but it is really making the system about quantity, and that is a dangerous because it starts to dilute the system of its potency. By bringing up his mother and grandmother, President Obama has started to confuse matters of the heart with matters of the mind, manipulating people’s thoughts on the subject. It’s bad business to spend with the heart, because the heart is usually much more generous than the bank account.

So, in the words of Don Cardone, “it’s not personal, it’s business.” If the president was really concerned about the welfare of this country, he would let the private sector run their business and do his job by keeping the government focused on government matters, like homeland security and foreign policy. There’s so much more to cover on this issue, like inefficiency of business (which definitely needs to be discussed!), but I’ll save that for another post.

Smart Car

2009-07-29T13:04:00.000-04:00

Concerned for the environment? Want to drive an eco-friendly vehicle? Take these new-and-improved Smart Cars out for a spin!

Princeton Review ranks Hillsdale College!

2009-07-28T13:30:00.004-04:00

Hillsdale College has been named on the best Midwestern colleges in the country by the Princeton Review!! (We absolutely agree!) Other rankings include...

#2- Most Conservative Students
(This, of course, is "Based on students' assessment of their personal political views." Hillsdale is second only to Texas A&M! I'm very okay with being only the second most conservative campus in the country. Still good and not too over-the-top.)

#3- Future Rotarians and Daughters of the American Revolution
(This question was "Based on a combination of survey questions concerning political persuasion, the use of marijuana and hallucinogens, the prevalence of religion, the popularity of student government, and the students' level of acceptance of the gay community on campus." I think these are interesting criterion being used to judge a college and its character on how much pot kids smoke and whether or not they are "accepting" of gay people--how about how accepting are they of those who are different from them, not just of gay people? What about the uber-Bible thumping roommate? Is she going to be accepted?)

#4- Most Religious Students
(question: "Are students very religious?" Hillsdalians, for the most part, are religious; but what makes the college even more unique, in my opinion, is people's willingness to talk about it-- even with the diversity among the Christian community, the discussion is great.)

#13- Don't Inhale
(The question asked: "How widely used is marijuana?" It's true--not a lot. There was a case with drugs on campus a couple semesters ago and those kids got kicked out. The school also does not allow drug paraphernalia either, but I don't believe that's a huge issue either. They're very up front about their position on it.)

#18- Alternative Lifestyle Not an Alternative
(The question asked here: "Is there very little discrimination against homosexuals?" I know a few on campus and I've never heard of anything being done against them because they are gay. That being said, there are not many of them on campus, so that could be an indicator as well; but I think it's hard to judge the environment when there is not a lot to work with. Overall, people may not approve, but they're certainly not discriminating. I am interested in the definition of "alternative lifestyle"--there are many ways to go against the grain; being gay is one way. There seems to be a lack of true liberalness of minds, however, if simply being homosexuality is the peak of diversity in this survey.)

Overall, an interesting review of the college that I quite enjoyed reading. Always fun to see how a third-party sees one's school! In short: Hillsdale is an awesome school. We don't accept federal funding and we're better off because of it. If you have any questions about it, feel free to comment and the writers and editors will be happy to answer them!! We love it here, absolutely.

The British Are Coming!!

2009-07-28T13:18:00.002-04:00

As Washington knuckles down to the serious business of healthcare reform this summer, the Leadership Institute will be hosting a group of "experts" on the dangers of government-run healthcare.

No, these aren’t doctors, lobbyists, or policy wonks, but rather students from the Young Britons' Foundation (YBF) , one of the UK's leading organizations for the advancement of young conservatives. Each year, the YBF partners with the Leadership Institute to bring young activists from across the pond to learn how to win for conservative candidates and causes. This year's training program promises to be more important than ever.

Hailing from a nation that has long endured under a government-run healthcare system, Americans should heed the tales these students tell. As our elected officials in Congress battle over how to expand coverage and improve care, students with the YBF tell of bloated bureaucracies, out of control spending, and the specter of long waiting lists.

YBF students are making their case right before the President on Wednesday, July 29th, when they plan to protest outside the White House. Like many conservatives, they fear a government takeover of healthcare in America similar to that witnessed the UK.

Donal Blaney, the Chief Executive of the Young Briton's Foundation, argues that YBF students "already understand that personal liberty needs to be protected from large, ineffective government. But it's only through training and hard work that we can elect effective leaders and bring the changes that are so desperately needed."

Founded in 2003, the Young Briton's Foundation is one of many international organizations which work with the Leadership Institute to increase the number and effectiveness of conservative activists. By providing power-packed training seminars for freedom-loving young people from overseas, LI helps advance the cause of liberty, both here and abroad.

To learn more about the Leadership Institute's international programs, please visit www.leadershipinstitute.org or call 703 247 2000.

(This post was taken from an LI e-mail. The Leadership Institute is a great conservative activist organization, located in the Washington, DC area.)

EDITORIAL: No substitute for victory - Washington Times

2009-07-27T11:15:00.001-04:00

EDITORIAL: No substitute for victory - Washington Times

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The Tires, They are A-Changing

2009-07-24T14:02:00.001-04:00

Steve Rattner, Obama’s ‘Auto Czar’ who directed the GM and Chrysler, LLC bailouts, has stepped down from the Obama Administration pending an investigation of Quadrangle Group, the company he co-founded in 2000, and its connections to a state-funded pension scandal in which the SEC reported a Quadrangle executive paid $1 million to get more than $100 million in pension business.

To fill his place is Ron Bloom, a former investment banker with close ties to the United Steelworkers union, having been both a special assistant to the USW president and a negotiator for the workers.

While many in the administration and at the auto companies have praised this move and Mr. Bloom’s excellent negotiation skills, it should still be a concern that someone so close to the unions is now directing the auto industry. Mr. Bloom’s job will be to help the government out of the sphere of influence within GM and Chrysler, while retaining ownership. However, there is no such thing as disinterested ownership. To own something implies an investment of some sort, whether it is time or money.

It is interesting that Mr. Rattner left the administration amidst a skirmish involving pensions. This is not the first pension-related complication seen since the government take-over. In Indiana, for instance, three state pension funds held about $42 million of Chrysler’s $6.9 billion in secured loans and argued that the sale of Chrysler illegitimately rewarded unsecured creditors—such as the UAW’s health care pensioners—before the more secured lenders, like the “approximately 100,000 Indiana civil servants, including police officers, school teachers and their families, and the Indiana Major Moves Construction Fund,” according the Indiana Pensioner’s application for stay to the US Supreme Court, who were depending on those billions of dollars for retirement assets. They made the argument that their funds are being harmed because of the US Treasury’s allotment of TARP funds to Chrysler.

Pres. Obama, who drew heavy support from unions during his presidential campaign, publicly labeled these Indiana civil servants as “speculators” and the media has dismissed their demands as baseless. In reality, these people are investors who were depending on this money as their savings for retirement.

Mr. Bloom is not the only area unions will be present; they will also have a place on the GM and Chrysler’s Board of Directors. For GM, one seat will go to a United Auto Workers representative and another to the Canadian government, who has loaned $9.5 billion dollars to the company. UAW will also have one seat on the Chrysler board. The UAW insists the board seat it holds does not have a vote: it is only there to ensure retirees’ health benefits. UAW owns 55 percent of the new Chrysler.

The US government also owns a share, as well as being the “reluctant shareholder” of GM who owns over 60 percent of the company. The governments pledge to stay out of the day to day workings of the companies, but with the Obama administration having final approval of board members, their thumb in the pie long after this selection session is over.

What is the likely impact of the government-owned industries in America? In March, following the coercive dismissal of auto industry veteran Rick Wagoner, government bureaucrats began to feel an illusory sense of power regarding the impact of the government on the daily operations of business.

Obama has gone on the record saying he does not want to be in the business of running the auto industry. Nonetheless, this administration’s sphere of influence is all ready in the executive suite throughout the first month of ownership, affecting first the Chief Executive Officer, and then the Board of Directors for both GM and Chrysler.

Now that the Board and Chief Executive Officers are responsible to the government, how much effort will be spent on maintaining their position through political influence rather than on business acumen? We only need to glance back at past history, to last fall when the government took control of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to see an example of Chief Executives beholden to no one other than their own private interests. In the months since acquiring GM and Chrysler, the government has done more to politicize business than publicize it.

One of the most glaring political agendas with the auto industry was the passing of the Waxman-Markey bill in the House. The cap and trade bill intends to restrict carbon dioxide emissions but will not make an impact world-wide environmentally (especially with countries like China, India and Brazil refusing to comply to any standards) and will cost $846 billion in the next decade alone, according to a report released on June 5 from the Congressional Budget Office. It is currently pending in the Senate.

Reps. Issa and Sensenbrenner have accused Reps. Towns and Markey in a June 9 letter that the “Regulations that give the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) unprecedented power and authority to intervene in the U.S. economy in the name of reducing carbon emissions have been crafted behind a deliberate veil of secrecy and under a vow of silence.”

They discussed secret meetings the White House has been holding with special interest group and officials in the auto industry and called for a joint investigation in an effort to “make [the Administration’s] decision-making process fully transparent to the public.”

They furthermore went on to say that “the Administration’s tactics of negotiating back room deals with select special interests, insisting that nothing is ever written and refusing to respond to legitimate Congressional oversight inquiries violates President Obama’s pledge of openness and transparency” as well as violating the Presidential Records Act.

The White House’s favoring of certain automakers seems apparent when there are exceptions being made, and it is an abuse of the process. By owning two of the automakers, the government is no longer an unbiased third party, helping facilitate change for the better. It is now part of the problem and they should not and cannot create their own subjective rules. These processes should all be done by the book, not by who has more influence.

David Sokol, Chairman and CEO of MidAmerican Energy Holdings Co., testified in Congress to the Subcommittee on Energy and Environment and the Committee on Energy and Commerce against the Waxman-Markey bill on June 9. He said the bill would put “a huge and unacceptable double cost on customers” because the federal emission allowances “will not reduce greenhouse gas emissions by one ounce,” unlike the state-sanctioned low- and zero-carbon power plants, which will actually reduce emissions.

After pointing out how the EPA would effectively undercut what the bill by being allowed to revise and adjust the numbers at any time, Mr. Sokol addressed the utilities companies having to compete with investment firms to buy emission allowances and the many possibilities of market abuse as a result. The Waxman-Markey bill would penalize consumers, concluded Mr. Sokol, and the benefits would be non-existent.

That same day, Rep. Markey, the chairman of an Energy and Commerce subcommittee, sent a letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission insinuating the utility shareholders of Mr. Sokol’s company’s investments were at risk because of a 2005 law that allowed holding companies to own public utilities. He singled out MidAmerican, Mr. Sokol and Warren Buffett, the company’s largest stockholder.

The GOP has called this witness intimidation because of Mr. Sokol’s criticism towards the Waxman-Markey bill, and though Markey clarified his position two days later in a second letter to the FERC, saying he wanted all public utility companies to be looked at—not just Mr. Sokol’s—it stands as an example of this administration’s backhanded tactics of attempting to get what they want, which might not necessarily be what is best for the American people.

The US government has bought a business; this means they have now invested money in the company, which means they want a returned profit. They are presumably not running a charity, so their investment is just as risky as that of the average shareholder. The difference is that the government is trying to control the market and the outcome of this risk; but that is part of the capitalistic game—not knowing if one’s money is going to come back in full.

It is always in the details, but the government’s attempts to appear fair and balanced are becoming more glaringly partisan and biased by micromanaging industries they truly can’t control.

EDITORIAL: Army stronger - Washington Times

2009-07-22T12:14:00.001-04:00

EDITORIAL: Army stronger - Washington Times

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Todays Top 15 Conservative Champions

2009-07-14T16:56:00.005-04:00

Since taking office, both Barack Obama and Congress' seemingly endless agenda of stimulus plans, bailouts, health-care reform, climate control, and outrageous spending has done incredibly little to promote and foster the bi-partisan relationships promised throughout the 2008 campaign season; and now, even the left of center population is finding fault with their Democratic "dream team" in DC. However, despite the doomsday news reports of 14% unemployment and gloomy outlook of the stimulus plan, Obama does have one accomplishment that's gone greatly overlooked -- the re-emergence of the Grand Ole Party.

In the last seven months, several people and organizations have emerged from the shadows in a loud and clear protest of current policies, standing up instead for the fundamentally Conservative ideals of fiscal restraint, Constitutional adherence, and increased participation in the government process. Some are politicians, some are everyday people, a few are old, others young, but all of them are ready to raise hell. Keep an eye on these folks, a revolution is brewing.

(This is the first in a series of posts on today's top Conservatives)

***

Rep. Michelle Bachmann, Minnesota's 6th District

"If the Democrats can hose up a light bulb, don't trust them with the country"

Even after serving one term in the House of Representatives, Bachmann did not garnered national media attention until her 2008 re-election campaign when, in on MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews, she accused Barack Obama's associated of being anti-American before calling for a "penetrating expose" into many of the anti-American views in Congress. Yet, even before her national exposure, she had accomplished many things in the House on behalf of the American people including the promotion of increased domestic gas/oil exploration during the summer of 2008 and a full probe into the Iraq troop surge proposed by President Bush in 2007 so that citizens could better understand the benefits of an increased presence in the Middle East. Today, Michelle Bachmann continues to fight for the American people, most recently rallying against Washington's "gangster government" politics.

Talk/Radio Show Host & Author Glenn Beck

"Al Gore's not going to be rounding up Jews and exterminating them. It is the same tactic, however. The goal is different. The goal is globalization. The goal is global carbon tax.…You need to have fear. You needed to have the fear of starvation. You needed to have the fear of the whole place going to hell in a handbasket. Which--do we have that fear now with global warming?…Then you have to discredit the scientists that say 'That's not right.' And you must silence all dissenting voices. That's what Hitler did. That's what Al Gore, the U.N., and everybody on the global warming bandwagon [are doing]."

After an early life filled with family tragedy and drug/alcohol addiction, Glenn Beck has emerged as one of the most popular and respected Conservatives of our time, all while remaining controversy free (a feat deserving of its own award.) In just nine years, Beck's radio show, "The Glenn Beck Program" has risen from humble Florida beginnings to a nationally syndicated broadcast accompanied by a daily television show, but what has separated Beck from others is his visible dedication to the Conservative cause. Rather than hiding behind his radio microphone, Beck has made a distinct effort to promote Conservative ideals and values in American communities through organizations like his very own 9/12 project, which seeks to restore the patriotism, pride, and faith felt by Americans in the wake of September 11th. In addition to all this, Beck has hosted one of Hillsdale's favorite professors, Dr. Burt Folsom, on his show several times...perhaps making us just a little bit bias.

the Case Against Entitlements

2009-07-14T12:49:00.001-04:00

Read the article here.

Sotomayor hearings start today

2009-07-14T10:36:00.007-04:00

Sotomayor says that she will follow and uphold the law--what about the Constitution?! It's a slight word choice, but the difference is squares and rectangles. Looks like the same shape but isn't. The judges are to uphold the Constitution. Is this really so hard to adhere to?

Today in the world...

2009-07-08T12:35:00.008-04:00

Okay, I think we can all agree that it is sad that Michael Jackson died. I think it's sad in general when anyone dies. But obituaries are for page 13B, not the front page, even if it was his memorial service. It honestly disturbs me that his death is getting this much publicity. I would personally like to hear more about the G8 Summit being planned. Italy's Silvio Berlusconi is hosting the summit, and they have very ambitious plans for what is going to be discussed and with who. While I am feeling dubious that anything is actually going to get done, I would love to hear that actual discussion went on, not just diplomatic bs where they discuss the problems but do nothing to further their causes. The world has a lot of well-meaning people, but countries are essentially self-interested (as they should be), and so promises they make are often not carried out (don't make promises you or your country will not or cannot follow through on).

In other news, they was an excellent editorial about Judge Sotomayor in today's The Washington Times. Great line: "No judge who says her gender or ethnicity allows her to choose to see only certain facts and not others should come within a country mile of a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court."

Also, an excellent article from The Jerusalem Post about a Palestinian female journalist whom the Hamas police (Hamas government's Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice security force) attempted to arrest for dressing immodestly and laughing in public. Another reminder for why America is great!

And small side note: does seeing headlines about Palin "shocking" the GOP by her resignation make anyone else wonder why? She's one of hundreds of Republican politicians [editor correction]; if she steps down, it is not going to have a huge impact on the party. They'll get over it. It seems to me the GOP is focusing on all the wrong avenues. The GOP needs to face lift, a re-alignment of loyalties, know what they stand for as a party, and stop getting caught with their pants down. Someone made an interesting comment to me last night that no one is surprised when Ted Kennedy is found fooling around; what are the implications there? Why do people love discussing Palin's parenting? What does that have to do with her politics? Will expound more later.

Barack Obama versus George W. Bush

2009-07-05T19:10:00.001-04:00

(recieved via e-mail)

If George W. Bush had given Gordon Brown a set of inexpensive and
incorrectly formatted DVDs, when Gordon Brown had given him a
thoughtful and historically significant gift, would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had given the Queen of England an iPod containing
videos of his speeches, would you have thought this embarrassingly
narcissistic and tacky?

If George W. Bush had bowed to the King of Saudi Arabia, would you
have approved?

If George W. Bush had visited Austria and made reference to the non-
existent "Austrian language," would you have brushed it off as a
minor slip?

If George W. Bush had filled his cabinet and circle of advisers with
people who cannot seem to keep current on their income taxes, would
you have approved?

If George W. Bush had been so Spanish illiterate as to refer to “Cinco de
Cuatro” in front of the Mexican ambassador when it was the fourth of May
(Cuatro de Mayo), and continued to flub it when he tried again, would you
have winced in embarrassment?

If George W. Bush had mis-spelled the word advice would you have
hammered him for it for years like Dan Quayle and potatoe as
“proof” of what a dunce he is?

If George W. Bush had burned 9,000 gallons of jet fuel to go plant a single
tree on “Earth Day”, would you have concluded he’s a hypocrite?

If George W. Bush’s administration had okayed Air Force One flying low over
millions of people followed by a jet fighter in downtown Manhattan causing
widespread panic, would you have wondered whether they actually “get” what
happened on 9-11?

If George W. Bush had been the first President to need a
teleprompter installed to be able to get through a press conference,
would you have laughed and said this is more proof of how he inept
he is on his own and is really controlled by smarter men behind the
scenes?

If George W. Bush had failed to send relief aid to flood victims
throughout the Midwest with more people killed or made homeless than
in New Orleans , would you want it made into a major ongoing
political issue with claims of racism and incompetence?

If George W. Bush had ordered the firing of the CEO of a major
corporation, even though he had no constitutional authority to do
so, would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had proposed to double the national debt, which
had taken more than two centuries to accumulate, in one year,
would you have approved?

If George W.. Bush had then proposed to double the debt again within
10 years, would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had reduced your retirement plan’s holdings of GM
stock by 90% and given the unions a majority stake in GM, would you
have approved?

If George W. Bush had spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to take
Laura Bush to a play in NYC, would you have approved?

So, tell me again, what is it about Obama that makes him so
brilliant and impressive? Can't think of anything? Don't worry. He's
done all this in 5 months -- so you'll have three years and seven
months to come up with an answer.

Waxman-Markey Bill passes 219-212

2009-06-30T16:36:00.002-04:00

Here's what they've gotten us into, folks. Read it and weep.

Society Stigmatizes Sanford

2009-06-25T11:55:00.005-04:00

I must admit the scandal with Gov. Mark Sanford of South Carolina is upsetting simply from the perspective that it is always sad to hear about a person being unfaithful to their spouse. Which brings a favorite American pastime to light: running a public person's dirty laundry across neighbors's newspapers and into their homes.

The tag line for this story in the media is that this is the "latest blow to the Republican Party," and that Sanford was apparently a presidential contender for 2012. He isn't an isolated example of this type of lapsed judgment though-- Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) recently admitted to having one, and it was discovered that Sen. John Edwards (D-SC) had one while his wife was battling cancer. When it was first discovered that Sanford was missing, it seems more fascinating that his wife did not seem overly concerned. She had apparently found out about it 5 month earlier, and I am sure she was dealing with it in her own way. Infidelity is a horrible jolt in any relationship, as the bond of trust is completely broken; both if both parties are willing, can be healed.

Perhaps this is why Sanford is getting socially stigmatized: America does not want him to heal, does not want to see forgiveness. They seek revenge, want Sanford to have Dimmesdale-like self-torment--perhaps not to the extent of whip marks on his back in the letter 'A,' because that would be too private for their liking. America seeks public shame as a way towards reformation.

Take this headline, for instance, if you don't believe me: "Jon and Kate may divorce, TV promotion suggests." TV promotion?! They do not even pretend to find a "friend" of Kate or Jon's to confirm this. No, no--their private pain is the public's prize. They revel in the latest hearsay and vomit their opinions in open forums on the internet.

What's interesting about the social and professional stigma Sanford is getting for this comes from expectations of middle America, who apparently still holds family values as the standard. However, in a May 2009 Gallup poll, it was more socially accepted to have a baby out of wedlock or get a divorce than cheat on one's spouse. Polygamy even ranked higher than extra-marital affairs!

Is having an affair, though, a reason to step down from public office? Unless the affair impeded his ability to do his job well, I see no reason why he should have to step down. When NY Gov. Eliot Spitzer was found to be connected with a high-priced prostitution ring, he stepped down from his office citing "private failings." Again, this is an overlap of public and private life; this is another person passing judgment on one's competency because of a personal decision they made outside the workplace.

The "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy for gay military personnel is a perfect example. In the military, it is very important to feel completely comfortable with the person you are near. Some people would not feel comfortable being in close quarters with a person of the same sex who likes people of the same sex. Agree with that or not, it's the way many feel. Therefore, this policy allows gays to continue doing fine work for our country without having to go public with their personal lives. Most straight people do not want to go public with their personal lives--that's what makes them private: because they are nobody's business but your own.

While many are calling for Sanford to step down, he has not commented on whether he will or not. I think he shouldn't; he should weather the storm and finish his term. When the people of SC elected him, they elected him because they thought him best qualified for the job. They did not elect him on the basis of his marital status, although I am sure his wife's connection certainly helped. He has a duty to the people of SC to continue doing his job, and it would be more dishonorable to step down.

Situations like this make or break people. Sanford needs to show that he is going to rise to the occasion. He has all ready apologized to the public, and has a trial separation from his wife. Besides, this is between him and his wife, not him and the people-- and frankly, it is none of our business. People make mistakes: as long as their actions were not illegal, life should go on as normal. This will all blow over in a few weeks: what counts is whether Sanford will bend to people's opinions and hurt feelings in the breeze, or stand firm in his duty as a public figure in the winds.

We the People Stimulus Package!

2009-06-20T02:24:00.000-04:00

Here, here!

A Little Bipartisanship?

2009-06-18T22:20:00.006-04:00

(A little funny recieved via e-mail)

The election is over, and the time has come to repair friendships with the other party, and Gov. Sarah Palin is doing her part to do just that.

The rest of the world cannot understand how, after bitter election campaigns, American politicians can kiss and make-up.

For instance, Gov. Palin has invited, to her great state of Alaska , the men who defeated her, Barack Obama and Joe Biden, along with their wives. She has set up a moose hunting trip for their enjoyment and hired three prominent experts in their field to assist them.

Dick Cheney will carry the gun, Ted Kennedy will drive them back to their cabins each evening, and Bill Clinton will entertain their wives.

Sarah is such a good sport! She thinks of everything!

The Prague Blog

2009-06-17T10:19:00.005-04:00

The Collegiate Network, the independent collegiate journalism organization which helped start The Hillsdale Forum (and continues to help and mentor), sponsors a summer journalism in Prague every summer for two weeks in which the participants spend two weeks in Prague listening to lectures, touring the city, conducting interviews, and writing articles. The participants are collegiate journalists, usually affiliated with a CN paper. This year they have started a blog to track their travels, which you can read here.

The Collegiate Network is affiliated with the Intercollegiate Studies Institute and if you are not familiar with them, I highly suggest taking an active interest in this great foundation which helps promote the conservative movement they believe is founded in the tradition of Western Civilization and the Judeo-Christian faith.

It's a great read, and the people involved with it are truly excellent people. I highly recommend following it.

A Critical Look at Cap and Trade in the Energy Sphere

2009-06-12T13:07:00.003-04:00

David Sokol, Chairman and CEO of MidAmerica Energy Holdings Company testifying before Congress on June 9, 2009:

This is a critical look at the cap and trade energy bill attempted to be passed by Congressmen Waxman and Markey, and an excellent evaluation of where our energy ambitions should go. Congressman Markey was not amused, to say the least.

Obama's PAYGO Plan Won't Cut the Federal Budget Anytime Soon - washingtonpost.com

2009-06-12T08:39:00.000-04:00

Obama's PAYGO Plan Won't Cut the Federal Budget Anytime Soon - washingtonpost.com

Obama's method of robbing Peter to pay Paul gets noticed.

I'm Human Too

2009-06-03T13:10:00.003-04:00

I'm interning in Washington, DC this summer, so I am constantly seeing new sights and learning new things. Take yesterday, for instance; one of the Editorial writers offered me a ride home, and we passed by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) office. Now what is that, you may ask. Does it work closely with the UN? Is it for equal treatment of minorities or lobbying for underpaid workers who live in destitute areas? Actually, it is none of the above. It is for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender equal rights.

So boys and girls, what are you learning? Straight people are not human, and therefore do not have rights.

HRC wants equal rights for lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgenders (straight people are not mentioned in their mission statement, and therefore are not included), and to be equal, as national news has been telling us, they want gay marriage to be legal. But what is gay marriage? Does it only mean two gay (apologies for clumping all together) people who voluntarily coming together for life? Getting hospital visitation rights, being covered under all insurance, and property rights? If so, what is wrong with a civil union for gays? One bump in that road is that under the Defense of Marriage Act (signed by President Clinton during his re-election campaign in 1996), gay civil unionized couples do not have the same benefits and privileges that married people do under federal law.

The problem is that, by allowing gay people to claim marriage, they are in fact degregating an institution established thousands of years before them. And marriage as an institution isn't good because it's old; it's good because it provides the basis for society. The family is the basis of society. Only a man and a woman can come together to make more little people who will grow up into big people, who in turn have more little people. Gays cannot physically reproduce. They can have sperm injected into them (if they are females- or males who used to be female, as we saw a few months ago) or adopt all ready formed children. Two lesbians or two gays cannot reproduce. That is scientific fact. Civilization (as we know it) cannot survive if people do not reproduce.

What about people who get married but don't want kids? Well, in my opinion, if the possibility is there and they are not using artificial means to stop from having babies but are still not, then that is fine. But if they are using birth control and other family planning mechanisms, and having abortions then, in my opinion, it's not a true marriage because marriage is based on love, and love is selfless. It is selfish to stop having kids because you've had "enough"--who's to say the next one won't be great? I'm the oldest of six kids, and I know my mom cried when she found out she was pregnant with the sixth one, but no one can imagine life without the baby of the family anymore. She's part of the family. And even though life may be more financially difficult with more people (at least for us it is), I know my parents wouldn't trade any of us for a financially-easier life. It's a sacrifice they are willing to make.

I have no problem with gays being together. I don't agree with it personally, but I do not have the authority to tell who someone can live with or do in their private life. That's their life, their decisions, and my opinion on the subject to them is consequently of no matter. If gay couples come together under a civil union, I say go ahead and give them the same pecuniary benefits as married couples. But don't say they are married. Marriage is between a man and a woman, and is a sacred bond that only two of opposite sexes who come together to create a family can share and claim. Miss California (and the state of California) is not the only one who shares this sentiment. So does President Obama! (The President and I do not share many of the same sentiments, so I am relishing in agreeing with him on this one.) If that's not enough to cause a pause in this issue, I am not sure what will.

Marriage is not the only issue, however, for HRC. They also discuss (in alphabetical order) aging, coming out, hate crimes, health, international rights & immigration, military, parenting, people of color, religion & faith, transgender, workplace, and youth & campus activism. It is a very interesting campaign, to say the least. The kind that penetrates the core of American society, and should be considered very, very carefully.

Gay activism will not be going away in the near future, but take this into consideration: they now have a new state-to-state campaign in which they are seeking to "change hearts, change minds" so that they can overturn the constitutional bans against same-sex marriage. I do not have a problem with them going state-to-state, because that is how most issues should be solved--at the state level, not the federal. Nonetheless, when states like California have chosen to uphold the ban, do not lambaste them for their decision. True tolerance would not be happy perhaps, but accepting. They made their decision, move on to the next state. Straight people have the right to protect marriage just as gays have the right to try to take it for themselves.

Oh, and there's a bonus for all those HRC supporters out there: they've come out with a HRC Visa card, so you can carry your pride with you in your wallet.

Judge Sotomayor & the Constitution

2009-05-26T20:26:00.002-04:00

After being officially introduced as President Barack Obama's nominee to the Supreme Court, Judge Sonia Sotomayor said, "I strive never to forget the real-world consequences of my decisions." Of course, somebody who understands and believes in the Constitution as written (rather than its penumbras) ought to be able to recognize that strictly following the letter of the Constitution is going to have better "real-world consequences" than substituting its intent for one's own personal experiences or policy preferences...

Trekonomics

2009-05-23T13:46:00.003-04:00

For 40+ years now, Star Trek has managed to present us with a utopian vision of the future in which money does not exist while simultaneously never really explaining how this is possible. This is an article about how Star Trek is an economic fantasy and speaks to a false belief in the perfectibility of mankind.

As Mr. Spock would say, "Fascinating."

Overheard at Hillsdale

2009-05-19T13:06:00.002-04:00

From Chemistry 101:

"What do we know about diamonds?"
"They're a girl's best friend?"
- Dr. Van Orman and a student

"What kind of energy does this ball have."
"Potential."
"And where did it come from?"
"God."
- Dr. Van Orman and another student

Beep Beep! Obama's New Plans for America's Automobiles

2009-05-19T12:09:00.004-04:00

President Obama has recently announced new fuel and emmission standards for cars. This sounds jolly in our country's desire to save billions of gallons of oil (even though this country could suffice on our own oil if we so desired to keep drilling); however, consumers may not be so pleased when they find out that these standards will actually cost them $1,300 per vehicle by the time the plan comes to completion in 2016. The Obama Administration defended this plan, saying consumers were all ready going to be paying an extra $700 for mileage standards all ready approved. These changes will force cars to be cleaner and more efficient, and ends conflict between the states and automakers over emmission standards.

This sounds lovely in theory, but does it perterb anyone else that the government is yet again sticking their nose in business that is not theirs? With these new changes, the government is punishing the working and middle-class, many of whom have multiple drivers in their families in order to get to work. Not everyone has the money to pay an extra $1,300. If people are just getting by on bills and paying other car expenses, like gas and insurance, where are they going to get the money to pay for their car. The obvious answer would be to work harder, and for longer hours. That then runs the risk of their income being too high (Oh no! More money!), and by 2011 they could potentially be making over a quarter of a million just to pay bills and therefore made to pay a 39% income tax not because they are extremely wealthy, but because they are trying to provide for their families and their needs.

I saw a commercial for Hyundai last night where they told consumers about their "car payment protection," which offers help if you lose your job during the car payment process, or have other financial difficulties. GM and Ford have also followed with similar plans. Why are they doing this, one may ask? Because they are a private business, and they need to be innovative in order to stay in business. This being said, they are a private business, so the government needs to stop trying to "help." They are hurting the very people they are attempting to make America a better place for. I am not saying protecting the environment does not have its perks, but one needs to look at the more imminent issue at hand: the country is in a recession, and there are plans in the works to put more financial burdens on working and middle-class Americans who depend upon their vehicles for their livelihoods.

It's always little steps, but the government's good intentions are paving a hellish life for future generations of Americans.

The Law of Unintended Consequences Has Not Been Repealed

2009-05-07T18:10:00.001-04:00

I’ve always been a little ambivalent about the Patriot Act, despite my general good feelings toward John Ashcroft. It has been said nothing is more permanent than a temporary government program and I’m not sure the Patriot act is something I want sticking around until the end of time. Necessary for now, maybe. But forever? And whatever good it might do, what bad consequences could come of it, and are they worth it?

One of the questionable results of legislation like the Patriot Act is this. A 16-year-old boy was taken from his home last week by federal agents on suspicion that bomb threats had been made from his computer. In addition to the teenager, the agents took his computer, video game console, router, and school records. He’s currently sitting in a juvenile detention hall in South Bend, IN. Furthermore, he’s been denied due process rights because he’s believed to be an enemy of the United States.

I firmly believe that if a threat is detected it needs to be investigated, though the idea of a 10th-grade homeschooler in Midwestern America becoming a tool of the Taliban makes me raise an eyebrow. However, whether this kid is an enemy of the state or not he’s still an American citizen and entitled to the protection of the Constitution. Were he a foreign suspect, things would be different. But if he is a citizen, the Constitution applies.

Cases like this illustrate why we must be very careful before signing more power over to the government. We want it to protect us—indeed, that is one of government’s most basic functions—but we don’t want a state that can strip us of our constitutional rights at the slightest whim. Unintended consequences are everywhere, and we should always bear them in mind before taking such steps as the Patriot Act.

Could the USA become the UAE?

2009-05-04T19:47:00.002-04:00

I received this in a forwarded email today. I've heard people talk about how the Islamicization of Europe won't affect the United States, but this video makes pretty clear that within 50 years, unless something pretty drastic changes, Islam will be the #1 religion not just in Europe, but the world.

Warning of Bleak Economic Forcast

2009-05-04T09:59:00.003-04:00

*NEWS ALERT*

This morning, from a cave somewhere in Pakistan, Taliban Minister of Migration, Mohammed Omar, firmly warned the United States and Canada that if military action against Iraq and Afghanistan continues, Taliban authorities will cut off America's and Canada's supply of convenience store managers. And if this action does not yield sufficient results, cab drivers will be next, followed by Visa, Dell and Rogers customer service reps ...... It's getting ugly, folks.

(Compliments: forwarded email from Mrs. Simmerer)

CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time - Blogs from CNN.com

2009-04-30T21:38:00.000-04:00

CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time - Blogs from CNN.com

Ooops! Mr. VP lets slip the tongue yet another time!