WE HAVE A NEW ADDRESS!!
February 13, 2009 | Filed Under News | 1 Comment
PUBLIUS’ FORUM FANS
WE’VE MOVED
I am proud to announce we have gotten our own domain address. Please visit the new site and be sure and bookmark it as all new entries will be made at the new site:
Please come on over and let’s celebrate the future of Publius Forum at the new address.
The Lincoln We Need
February 12, 2009 | Filed Under Constitution, History, News, Patriotism, President, Publius Contributor, Society/Culture, Warner Todd Huston | 1 Comment
-By Warner Todd Huston
These last 20 or so years has seen a bifurcated treatment of Abraham Lincoln. There are the enthusiasts and hagiographers that still revere him as the best that America has to offer — the proverbial great emancipator, Father Abraham. Then there is a second stream, enthusiasts of another sort, viewing the Civil War president in the opposite manner. That second group are the Lincoln haters. Those such as Thomas DiLorenzo, the sort that calls Lincoln a criminal and despot, and Henry Louis Gates Jr., the sort that castigates Honest Abe as an unremitting racist, have been joined by a small group of Lincoln detractors trying to convince America that Lincoln is to be discounted, even hated by history.
So, which Lincoln is the Lincoln? Is he the Lincoln of “the great emancipator” or the Lincoln of the “great despot” and which Lincoln is the one we as Americans should know?
In truth he is all and neither of the two views in current, popular memory. He is neither the vision of the Constitution destroying, negro hating man the detractors wish to foster, nor the spotless demi-god that the hagiographers want to claim as theirs. Yes he did single things that pulled out of context to the whole of the man are both racist and despotic. He was a man, flawed and imperfect to be sure, but he was also one so singularly radical and ahead of his time that I believe we should lean towards reverence as opposed to despising the 16th president.
Obama Dirt Digger’s Brand New Gig
February 12, 2009 | Filed Under Anti-Americanism, Barack Obama, Constitution, Democrats/Leftists, Elections, Government, Corruption, Liberals, Media Bias, News, President, Publius Contributor, Society/Culture, Warner Todd Huston | No Comments
-By Warner Todd Huston
Back in 2007, many media outlets and their co-conspirators on the left were aghast that George W. Bush would try to place an “opposition researcher” for the GOP into the U.S. attorney general’s office in Arkansas. In high dudgeon, these folks claimed that Bush was “politicizing” the White House counsel and pinned it all on the evil Karl Rove. Bush’s appointment was scuttled to satisfy critics. But, now Obama is doing the same thing — only in a worse form — and the same media and lefty critics are oddly silent.
Barack Obama has been fond of saying that his so-called stimulus bill has “shovel ready jobs” built into it. This would be jobs ready to go, make-work style things of little lasting worth that are reminiscent of FDR’s feels-goodism of the New Deal. Regardless of what Obama really means about any association between shovels and jobs he certainly has at least one shovel-evoking job made up of whole cloth and manned by a likely suspect. I am talking here about Obama’s new job for his dirt digger in residence, the newly minted job of “White House counsel research director.”
It’s a grand title for dirt digger, but there you have it.
Now You’re a Racist if you Don’t Support Unions?
February 12, 2009 | Filed Under Barack Obama, Congress, Democrats/Leftists, Economy/Finances, GOP, Government, Corruption, Jobs, Liberals, Media Bias, News, Publius Contributor, Race, Republicans, Socialism, Society/Culture, Taxes, Unions, Warner Todd Huston | No Comments
-By Warner Todd Huston
Union shill Ron Gettelfinger wants you to know that if you don’t support unions you are a racist. That’s right. If you don’t want the undemocratic card check bill to pass Congress you are exactly like the negro hanging, civil rights denying, Jim Crow enforcers of the 1950s.
In one of the most disgusting examples of moral equivalence I’ve seen for a long time — at least one not appearing on such low-born sites such as the DailyKos or Huffington Post — Gettelfinger committed the anti-intellectual outrage of positing that hanging black men in the 1950’s is “just like” voting against a bill that would take away the right of prospective union members to be allowed to vote their conscience in secret as all votes in a democracy are traditionally cast.
The Value Of Propaganda
February 12, 2009 | Filed Under Anti-Americanism, Barack Obama, Budget, Communism, Congress, Dan Scott, Democrats/Leftists, Economy/Finances, Government, Corruption, Jobs, Liberals, Media Bias, News, President, Publius Contributor, Socialism, Society/Culture, Taxes, Welfare | 2 Comments
-By Dan Scott
President Obama went on the road this week to sell his supposed economic rescue bill and naturally talked up the need for the bill. What was fascinating were the Orwellian like claims he used and the stark terms of catastrophe if we don’t do as he demands. He made demonstrably false claims like there is no pork in this bill and he did so with a straight face. It seems pork is not pork if Obama says it’s not. His entire case rested on the premise, “we must do something, doing nothing is not an option.” The premise is also false since the CBO scored the bill as totally ineffective in the long run and in fact harmful to the economy as it would reduce, not increase economic output over the years of it’s implementation. President Obama would have you believe there aren’t any alternatives to the one that is on the table, a demonstrable falsehood. The GOP alternative is half the price with twice the results and even Obama’s own economic advisor admits to it.
Setting aside the reasons for President Obama’s false statements, whether that be of sheer incompetence and ignorance of economics or his willingness to say anything to sell something to which he stakes his name (ego) or if he has a hidden agenda of malice, it is the tactics in which he and his associates uses that should be at issue. Making demonstrably false claims by public officials is a violation of the public trust no matter how well intentioned (political direction) and rationalized (fear) they may be. The MSM is also complicit in supporting this never-ending stream of misstatements. Lying, misrepresenting or deceiving is not an act of Transparency.
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Flight 93 Update
February 12, 2009 | Filed Under Anti-Americanism, Democrats/Leftists, Flight 93, Government, Corruption, Islam, Islamofascism, Liberals, Media Bias, News, Patriotism, War on Terror | No Comments
Memorial Project officials insist that it was the passengers and crew, not the terrorists, who broke the peace on 9/11
The official explanation for the Crescent of Embrace design is that the path of Flight 93 breaks the circle, turning it into the giant crescent. They call it the Circle of Embrace now, but the Memorial Project’s own website acknowledges that the circle is still broken:
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After Generations, CNN Suddenly Discovers That ‘Alaska families struggle to survive’
February 11, 2009 | Filed Under Democrats/Leftists, Family, Government, Corruption, History, Liberals, Media Bias, News, Publius Contributor, Sarah Palin, Security/Safety, Society/Culture, State Government, Taxes, Warner Todd Huston, Welfare | 3 Comments
-By Warner Todd Huston
The winter in Alaska has been a particularly harsh one this year. The early winter piled on top of economic hard times has caused some troubles for native people and those that live in remote areas in Alaska. But this is not a new tale of woe, it IS Alaska, after all. While nothing to entirely dismiss, one wonders, why CNN suddenly found this story so compelling? Could it be that they want to portray Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as just as harsh as the winter?
Native peoples and their neighbors in Alaska have been surviving for generations in the same manner. They hunt, fish, and store foods in the summer to survive the harshness of winter, and since becoming a state, they marshal their money to buy fuel and other items brought to them by American ingenuity. Not an easy life, but a life they are used to nonetheless. It hasn’t really changed much for a long time in that remote part of the world. Yet, despite the sameness of it all, suddenly CNN finds Alaskans are “struggling to survive.”
Unions are Inherently UnAmerican — Teachers Union Rips Off Members
February 11, 2009 | Filed Under Barack Obama, Budget, Democrats/Leftists, Economy/Finances, Education, Government, Corruption, Jobs, Liberals, Media Bias, News, Publius Contributor, Socialism, Society/Culture, Taxes, Unions, Warner Todd Huston | No Comments
-By Warner Todd Huston
Imagine a fast food place that makes you buy a cheeseburger when you want a chicken sandwich. Oh, they don’t mind if you buy the chicken sandwich, too, mind you, but you are forced to purchase a cheeseburger every time you walk through the doors whether you want it or not. Seems a bit like a rip off, not to mention unAmerican, to force you to buy something you don’t want, doesn’t it? Well, this is unionism. Only unions prevent you from even having a job in your chosen profession in the first place to have the cash to buy your chicken sandwich unless you follow their rules. That’s forced labor for other’s benefit.
We used to call that a form of enslavement… now it’s called union membership.
Case in point, teachers unions and teacher’s support for California’s Proposition 8 — the sanctity of marriage law now embroiling California in such turmoil.
Man was created in God’s image
February 11, 2009 | Filed Under Democrats/Leftists, Family, History, Marie Jon, News, Publius Contributor, Religion, Society/Culture | No Comments
-By Marie Jon’
For nearly a century, our public school textbooks have been more than suggesting that humans are related to specific members of the animal kingdom. In fact, Darwinism insists on such teaching.
The untruthfulness of the man-made theory of evolution is astounding. It’s bewildering that well-educated people should believe so ardently in this unproven science. This godless teaching is foisted upon our society as though it were empirically-demonstrated fact. Because of Charles Robert Darwin’s belief, secularization and atheism have gained wide acceptance throughout the world.
Darwin himself started out collecting beetles and birds, and ended up an agnostic.
Crossactionnews podcast for 2/10/09
February 10, 2009 | Filed Under Crossaction News, Democrats/Leftists, Government, Corruption, Liberals, Media Bias, News, Podcasting, President, Publius Contributor, Society/Culture, Warner Todd Huston | No Comments
Our Crossactionnews.com podcast for Tuesday, February 10, 2009.
Feel free to visit the Publius Forum TalkShoe page to see my past podcasts. New podcasts appear approximately monthly, or whenever the mood strikes me to do one.
Newsweek: Celebrating America as a New, Socialist France
February 10, 2009 | Filed Under Barack Obama, Communism, Democrats/Leftists, Economy/Finances, Europe, Government, Corruption, Liberals, Media Bias, News, Publius Contributor, Socialism, Society/Culture, Taxes, Warner Todd Huston | No Comments
-By Warner Todd Huston
Newsweek’s Jon Meacham and Evan Thomas are tired of all this talk of socialism. We need to stop talking about yesterday’s news, they say, and embrace the great new fact that America is already a socialist country. They chortle that
America is just like France. Meacham and Thomas chide Sean Hannity for using socialism as a dirty word because it “seems strangely beside the point.” The pair is enthusiastic about our new American socialist society!
We are a European country and we like it, claim the Newsweek duo. Unfortunately, they seem to misunderstand so very much about what they speak.
One of the worst tactics that the morally bankrupt use to justify an argument is that of moral equivalence. This Newsweek article employs this strategy at nearly every turn. For instance, the piece chides Republicans for the excess of the Bush years as some sort of balm on our turn to socialism.
LATimes Claims GOP ‘Uneasy’ About Rush, Yet Offers no Proof
February 10, 2009 | Filed Under Congress, Conservatives, Entertainment, GOP, Media Bias, News, Publius Contributor, Republicans, Warner Todd Huston | 1 Comment
-By Warner Todd Huston
The L.A. Times published a story on February 9 that states that “the GOP” is “uneasy” about Rush’s “self-coronation” as the voice of Republicans. But, after reading the story one realizes that it does not really prove the claim. In fact, only one person is quoted mentioning Rush at all. The rest of the story is but the Times’ conjecture and the claims of “some” and “experts” but nothing that convinces that any segment of the GOP, large or small, is “uneasy” about Rush.
Instead of a story detailing those uneasy about Rush, it seems far more as if what we have here is the L.A.Times trying to create the very “uneasiness” it claims to be reporting upon.
Filmmakers Take on DC: Obama, Clintons Heros, Palin the Fool
February 10, 2009 | Filed Under Democrats/Leftists, Entertainment, Government, Corruption, Liberals, Media Bias, News, Publius Contributor, Society/Culture, Warner Todd Huston | No Comments
-By Warner Todd Huston
Hollywood filmmakers are ruminating about taking on the 2008 political season. Towering personalities, scintillating stories, and epic clashes abound. The stories of the 2008 political campaign are pretty stimulating. We had the aging Democratic establishment in the form of the Clintons taking on the fresh young face in Obama, not to mention the first black candidate of note. We also had a close fought Democratic primary that went to a nail biting finish. On the GOP side we had the amazing emergence of the hockey mom from Alaska. Heartwarming family woman, popular governor, tender mother of a special needs child. A self-made woman from humble beginnings. Seems like some stories that could make for some compelling movies, eh?
So, how is Hollywood looking to treat these incredible stories? Would you be surprised that the Clintons and Obama stories are set for high drama, earnestly told… and Palin’s is for comedy and satire? Would it shock you that only Sarah Palin is to be ripped, attacked, made fun of and satirized? I didn’t think you would.
Barack Obama, Eco Criminal in Chief?
February 10, 2009 | Filed Under Barack Obama, Budget, Democrats/Leftists, Economy/Finances, Global Warming, Government, Corruption, Liberals, Media Bias, News, President, Publius Contributor, Society/Culture, Taxes, Warner Todd Huston | 1 Comment
-By Warner Todd Huston
Globaloney religionists have hailed the ascension of Barack Obama to the presidency as their answer to the worldwide “crisis” of global climate change so dangerously confronting us. During his pedestrian inaugural address Obama played his role of high priest of the eco movement to perfection saying that we will be the leaders in a global effort to “roll back the specter of a warming planet.” All during the campaign he held himself up as the Gore-like savior of the whole world.
And now Obama has revealed himself to be an eco criminal. At least he should be so charged if the criteria of the unhinged left is used against him like it is used against others. And all it took is one visit to Camp David to reveal Obama’s hypocrisy. But will the media treat Obama like they would a Republican on this matter?
In a move of “for me but not for thee,” Obama and his family and staff boarded Marine One, the presidential helicopter, for a flight to Camp David, the presidential retreat in the hills of Maryland. All that fossil fuel burning must be for an important, long stay for the Obama’s, right?
Not really. Turns out it’s only for one night.
Obama Nothing But A Poser
February 10, 2009 | Filed Under Barack Obama, Democrats/Leftists, Elections, Frederick Meekins, Liberals, Media Bias, News, President, Publius Contributor, Socialism, Society/Culture | No Comments
-By Frederick Meekins
According to a Washington Times story titled “Obama Now In Combat Mode”, the President is headed to a posh Williamsburg resort where he and the politburo will wallow in luxury ringing their hands about the deteriorating economy.
It is estimated that the trip will cost at least $80,000 with this tabulation arrived at by factoring in the $70,000 it will cost Democratic leaders to charter an Amtrak train to the event and the $11,000 for food and the $7,000 spent on entertainment at this leftist orgy back in 2003.
If these frauds were really interested in addressing the nation’s problems, they’d drive there themselves, pack their own snacks, and go outlet shopping on their own dime like the rest of us when on break.
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The Difference Between Taxers and Reagan
February 9, 2009 | Filed Under Budget, Congress, Constitution, Economy/Finances, History, News, President, Publius Contributor, Republicans, Taxes, Warner Todd Huston | No Comments
Here we have a great video of a debate between candidate George H.W. Bush and Governor Ronald Reagan in the run up to the GOP primaries in 1980. It explains the chief difference between the tax and spenders like Bush and his ilk and Ronald Reagan.
Oh, and Reagan was RIGHT. As always
Colo. High School Suspends Marine Drill Team Member Over Fake Guns
February 9, 2009 | Filed Under Anti-Americanism, Children, Constitution, Democrats/Leftists, Education, Family, Liberals, Media Bias, News, Publius Contributor, Rights, Security/Safety, Society/Culture, State Government, Warner Todd Huston | 1 Comment
-By Warner Todd Huston
Another Example of How Liberals Destroy This Country
We often call them “our best and brightest.” They are the men and women of our armed forces, all volunteers putting their lives on the line to defend our nation. Some of our most able and trustworthy leaders have come from their ranks. In times of need their sacrifice is cause for us to well with pride and their inevitable loss cause to shed a tear of gratitude. We encourage our young people to consider this life of sacrifice to our country and when at a young age they so choose the life of a soldier, almost without fail we find such young folks to be the cream of our society. Polite. Earnest. Intelligent. Hard working.
So why are the administrators in the Aurora, Colorado public school system harassing and punishing one of those very young people that we should be celebrating? With actions such as this, liberals are not only destroying our schools but also our traditions and our very social fabric.
High school senior Marie Morrow, 17, of Cherokee Trail High School is serving an illicitly sentenced 10-day suspension and her expulsion from school is on the line within the month. Miss Morrow is a team leader of the Young Marines youth leadership group and participates in the group’s drill team.
Pelosi: Screw Barack’s ‘Bi-Partisanship’ AND The GOP
February 9, 2009 | Filed Under Barack Obama, Budget, Business, Communism, Congress, Conservatives, Democrats/Leftists, Economy/Finances, GOP, Government, Corruption, Liberals, Media Bias, News, President, Publius Contributor, Republicans, Socialism, Society/Culture, Taxes, Warner Todd Huston, Welfare | 1 Comment
-By Warner Todd Huston
Once again Nancy Pelois has told Barack Obama that he can take his desire for a post-partisan Washington and shove it. Pelosi has left little doubt that she doesn’t give a flying fig about the bi-partisan method of governing to which Obama continually pays lip-service.
So, will President Obama take these slaps from Pelosi lying down or will he stand up for what he keeps claiming he is truly interested in? Will this president allow the Speaker of the House to drive his agenda without his input?
Thus far, it seems that he will. It is starting to become glaringly obvious that Barack Obama isn’t taking any part in the actual process. He just gives good press conference and then retreats back into the White House to leave the real work to others. And those “others” (like Democrats Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Senator Harry Reid) are not interested in their president’s sparkling ideals. Not only do Reid and Pelosi have no interest in heeding Obama’s lofty call to work across the aisle with the GOP but they want to crush the GOP without mercy. It’s partisan business as usual as far as the Democrats in Congress are concerned.
Pakistan Releases AQ Khan, Yet John Kerry Says Pakistan is ‘Transforming’ for Better
February 9, 2009 | Filed Under Foreign Policy, Government, Corruption, Islam, Islamofascism, Liberals, Media Bias, Military, News, Publius Contributor, Security/Safety, Society/Culture, War on Terror, Warner Todd Huston | No Comments
-By Warner Todd Huston
Proving his tin ear on foreign policy is still as tinny as ever, the hapless John Kerry (D, Mass.) said recently that he believes that Pakistan is “transforming” and “taking terrorists head on.” Yet, only a day or so later, Pakistan announced that it was releasing the notorious nuke trader Abdul Qadeer Khan from house arrest claiming he is innocent of charges of running a nuclear proliferation network.
By releasing one of its most notorious bad actors, it sure doesn’t sound as if Pakistan is getting any more serious about taking terrorism “head on” than it ever did before, does it?
Time to Admit the Realities of Pakistan
February 9, 2009 | Filed Under Barack Obama, Democrats/Leftists, Foreign Policy, Frank Salvato, Government, Corruption, Islam, Islamofascism, Liberals, Media Bias, Military, News, Publius Contributor, Religion, Security/Safety, Society/Culture, War on Terror | No Comments
-By Frank Salvato
For as long as the United States has been fighting the “War on Terror” the nation of Pakistan has pledged its alliance. Throughout the tenure of Pervez Musharraf’s administration and during the prospect of a Benazir Bhutto government, those in control of the Pakistani message have openly pledged their support to the US-led effort in the conflict with radical Islamist aggression. Today, President Asif Ali Zardari continues that line of rhetoric in the face of an explosion of radical Islamist influence within his country. But reality often betrays rhetoric and as we continue in this global, generational and ideological conflict we in the West would be wise to reevaluate the actions of Pakistan in the face of their pledges of alliance.
In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States by al Qaeda, the Bush Administration had to make some hard choices with regard to Middle Eastern and Asian relations, especially where the initiation of the military retaliation was concerned. Having benefited strategically from observing the Soviet-Afghan Conflict of the 1980s, the Bush Administration knew that defeating the Taliban in Afghanistan would require a working relationship with Pakistan if, for no other reason, to secure the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). The Bush Administration wisely set out to avoid the strategic error committed by the Soviets of allowing the Mujahideen the ability to retreat into the FATA only to reemerge once the superior Soviet military had receded from their offensive. Additionally, the Bush Administration understood full well the difficulty of supplying US military operations in Afghanistan without the cooperation of the Pakistani government.
A Simple, Inescapable Fact
February 9, 2009 | Filed Under Barack Obama, Business, Communism, Congress, Democrats/Leftists, Economy/Finances, Government, Corruption, Liberals, Media Bias, News, Publius Contributor, Socialism, Society/Culture, Taxes, The Law, Thomas Brewton, Welfare | No Comments
-By Thomas E. Brewton
Corruption can be reduced only by reducing the size of the Federal government.
Much is being written about unsavory political influence exercised by the army of Washington lobbyists, who act as conduits for large amounts of influence money from special interest groups. Those special interest groups range from business and environmental groups, to abortion advocates, and labor unions.
Tom Daschle’s exit from nomination as the commissar of a national socialized healthcare system is among the headliners. Another is Leon Panetta, bound for the CIA, coming off large lecture earnings from groups doing millions of dollars worth of business with the CIA. Already fading into the background is Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s husband’s big-bucks connections with some of the less reputable characters on the international scene, people against whom Secretary Clinton must represent the interests of the United States.
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An Interview With J.D. Hayworth from 2007
February 8, 2009 | Filed Under Congress, Democrats/Leftists, Government, Corruption, Immigration/Immigrants, Media Bias, News, Podcasting, Publius Contributor, Publius' Forum, Race, Security/Safety, Society/Culture, Warner Todd Huston | No Comments
I did an interview with former Congressman J.D. Hayworth a few years ago that I’d like to add to this series. Later in the week I will post the companion interview I did with Richard Nadler.
Feel free to visit the Publius Forum TalkShoe page to see my past podcasts. New podcasts appear approximately monthly, or whenever the mood strikes me to do one.
Obama Order Allows Unions to Drive Up Cost of Gov’t Contracts
February 8, 2009 | Filed Under Barack Obama, Budget, Democrats/Leftists, Economy/Finances, Government, Corruption, Liberals, Media Bias, News, President, Publius Contributor, Socialism, Society/Culture, Taxes, Unions, Warner Todd Huston | 2 Comments
-By Warner Todd Huston
The newest in his series Executive Orders that are little else but sops to unions was uncorked in Washington on Friday, February 6. This one ordered the use of union labor for large-scale federal construction projects, eliminating 84 percent of the American contractors that are not unionized.
Not only would this bill force unions on government projects, but the resulting rise in the costs of those projects would be incredible. This executive order — a re-establishment of a Clinton era order — will force federal projects to accept labor agreements and the resulting higher wages, benefits and collective-bargaining that comes with that.
Naturally, the unions love this order. But the exorbitant costs that will be forced upon federal projects will be a bitter pill to taxpayers.
Boxer Urges Quick Handover of U.S. Power to UN
February 8, 2009 | Filed Under Anti-Americanism, Congress, Democrats/Leftists, Family, Government, Corruption, Liberals, Media Bias, News, Publius Contributor, Socialism, Society/Culture, State Government, UN, Warner Todd Huston | No Comments
-By Warner Todd Huston
Senator Barbara Boxer (D, CA) wants to speed the process of handing power over U.S. sovereignty to the United Nations as soon as possible by urging the State Department to come out in support of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).
The UNCRC imposes on all treaty signatories power over laws concerning children and, by extension, families. The largest portion of laws concerning children and families in the U.S. are state statutes so this treaty would, in actual fact, eliminate all family laws in the various states and hand the power over this area of law to the U.N. as per the Supremacy Clause to the U.S. Constitution (Article V1) that states that treaties preempt state laws.
Boxer is eager to destroy the entire lot of family laws throughout the country supposedly to protect “the most vulnerable people of society.”