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| 3-13-10 |
by Tim Lambert The President and the Democratic majority in Congress continue to thrash out their desperate attempts to force their health care reform on a country that, by the latest CNN poll, only 25% of the people support. by Gary Bauer There’s an old saying that if you’re arguing process, you’ve lost the debate. In this age of Twitter and 30-second sound bites, it is generally true, and I try not to delve too deeply into the weeds of process and procedure in this daily report. But you need to know what’s going on in Congress right now. |
| 3-06-10 |
by Tim Lambert Obama and the Democrats in Congress held their high stakes meeting last week to "try to find middle ground" with the Republicans on health care reform. At least, that was the stated reason. For Obama and Pelosi, Health Care Is Ego Trip In the entire health care debate, among all the competing lawmakers, politicians, experts and pundits, there's just one person who has seen things from both sides of the political aisle. by Gary Bauer In a highly anticipated White House address today, President Barack Obama declared the debate over healthcare “reform” over, saying, “Every argument has been made. Everything there is to say about health care has been said.” He then instructed Democrat leaders to schedule a vote “in the next few weeks.” While not uttering the word “reconciliation,” Obama ordered his Democrat allies to use the so-called “nuclear option,” or budget reconciliation rules, to pass their socialized medicine scheme. Obama Lobbies Wavering Democrats on Health Care President Obama and top Democrats set out Thursday to thwart defections and solidify support for their health care overhaul bill, focusing on skeptical rank-and-file House Democrats antsy about voting for the unpopular measure and then having to fend off Republican attacks in the midterm elections. No Flip-Floppery, Just Flim-Flammery by Wesley Pruden If someone is determined to embrace suicide, there's not much someone else can do about it. If a gun isn't handy, a knife will be, or a bottle of sleeping pills, or even a video of a speech by Joe Biden. If you're Barack Obama in a vengeful mood, you just shove a health care "reform" that nobody wants at reluctant congressmen in your party. It's just as effective and just as quick. by Charles Krauthammer So the yearlong production, set to close after Massachusetts' devastatingly negative Jan. 19 review, saw the curtain raised one last time. Obamacare lives. |
| 2-27-10 |
ObamaCare: The Latest Daytime Drama by Gary Bauer Tomorrow the American people will be treated to new a daytime drama show. It’s called “ObamaCare,” and it will be broadcast live from Washington, D.C. Starring in the leading role of this drama is a new face on the political stage hailing from Chicago, Barack Obama. The supporting cast consists of numerous veterans of the political theater from both stage Right and stage Left. by Gary Bauer President Obama and congressional leaders of both political parties met today at the Blair House, across from the White House, to debate healthcare reform ideas. It didn’t take long for President Obama to launch into a campaign speech, berating his critics and suggesting that the problem is conservative opposition. Let me make this point again: Obama’s “problem” is the American people and some in his own party who have rejected his socialist scheme. Obama Eyes Dems-Only Endgame at Summit President Barack Obama closed Wednesday’s healthcare summit by stating his willingness to use controversial rules to pass healthcare with a simple majority vote. Obama: Health Bill Whatever It Takes President Obama concluded a day of partisan clashes at the White House's made-for-TV health care summit by vowing to pass the overhaul with or without Republicans, signaling his willingness to force the bill through Congress using controversial tactics. by Kathryn Lopez Make no mistake: If President Barack Obama actually wanted to be the post-partisan agent of Washington change, his health-care summit would have looked a whole lot different than the meeting he recently held across the street from the White House. |
| 2-20-10 |
Under Obama, Crony Capitalism Again Rules the Day by Michael Barone In his bestseller "Inside U.S.A.," the hugely readable journalist John Gunther described America as it was in the last year of World War II. He interviewed hundreds of politicians, businessmen and journalists, but only four men rated a separate chapter -- three politicians and Henry J. Kaiser, the California construction magnate who built dams and ships and manufactured concrete and steel and aluminum. |
| 2-13-10 |
What Grade Would You Give Him? by Tony Perkins Now that President Obama has told us what he thinks the state of the union is, why don't you tell him how YOU think he is doing? by Rich Galen Here's how you know, if you are the President of the United States, that things are going in the wrong direction. by Erick Erickson That picture above is a Reuters picture from this Politico column back in September. Remember that? Democrats returned to Washington after being battered all of August over the health care plans. Barack Obama decided to rebuild their energy and so he spoke at a joint session of Congress to talk health care. Obama Administration Admits It Wrongly Tracked Abortion Groups in Wisconsin The Department of Homeland Security admitted today that it improperly conducted a threat assessment on pro-life and pro-abortion groups in Wisconsin. The assessment came before an expected rally last year in response to the University of Wisconsin Hospital board decided to allow abortions. With Absolute Power, Team Obama Grows Stupid by Michael Barone How could such smart people do so many stupid things? That question, or variations on it, is being asked in Washington and around the country about the Obama administration. |
| 2-06-10 |
Obama Defends Bipartisanship to GOP Defending himself before House Republicans Friday, a sometimes-angry President Obama said he has already incorporated their ideas into his proposals and made it clear he doesn't think his administration is to blame for the lack of bipartisanship in Washington. Tough Fight Set for Gays in Military President Obama's pledge to lift the military's ban on openly gay service members this year seems at best headed for extremely close votes in the House and Senate, according to Congress watchers Obama Urges Dem Senators to Finish the Job on Healthcare During a visit with the conference on Wednesday, President Barack Obama pushed Senate Democrats to "finish the job" on healthcare. Obama urged the Senate Democatic Conference to push forward on healthcare and financial regulatory reform despite concerns about taking tough votes in an election year. Hey, Remember When Obama Wanted Judd Gregg for Commerce Secretary? And remember when a bunch of groups got freaked out about it because it meant that a Republican would be instantly aware of any organized shenanigans designed to muck about with the Census? Dems Grouse as Obama Tacks to Center President Barack Obama is running into resistance from congressional Democrats over several key economic proposals — blunting the party’s ability to send a clear message to middle-class voters that Democrats feel their pain. The Great Peasant Revolt of 2010 by Charles Krauthammer "I am not an ideologue," protested President Obama at a gathering with Republican House members last week. Perhaps, but he does have a tenacious commitment to a set of political convictions. |
| 1-30-10 |
Obama Is Bribing States to Accept National Curriculum by Robert Holland Alongside the attempted federalization of health care in Washington, with details being hashed out behind closed doors, a parallel bid to nationalize K-12 education is going forward more subtly but just as surely. Obama Has Suspicious Number of Letter-writing Fans Named 'Ellie Light' In recent weeks, Light has published virtually identical “Letters to the Editor” in support of President Barack Obama in more than a dozen newspapers.Every letter claimed a different residence for Light that happened to be in the newspaper’s circulation area. President Barack Obama intends to propose a three-year freeze in spending that accounts for one-sixth of the federal budget—a move meant to quell rising concern over the deficit but whose practical impact will be muted. by The Washington Times Editors President Obama's response to the catastrophic political failures of his freshman year in office is to fight harder for more of the same. Presidential adviser Valerie Jarrett made the point explicitly on Sunday, asserting that the White House is "not hitting a reset button at all." That reflects the kind of political savvy that handed the safest Democratic Senate seat in America to a Republican. by Gary Bauer I know it’s not polite to say it, but I told you so. President Obama’s State of the Union address last night was a full-throated defense of his radical agenda. It was combative and, at times, even condescending. It was the longest speech of his career, and it nearly put Harry Reid to sleep! by Erick Erickson After reflection on Barack Obama’s State of the Union address, I am left with one overarching conclusion: while boring, preachy, dull, overly serious, then flipping to overly jocular tones while trying to balance pandering to the middle class with holding his base — Barack Obama’s State of the Union address was a declaration of war on the free market. Obama Woos Back Displeased Independent Voters by Joseph Curl President Obama is repositioning himself in a new political landscape, intent on finding a way to win back the independent voters who have been abandoning him in droves since helping fuel his White House victory a year ago. by Craig Shirley When President Obama stood before Congress Wednesday night, he was less the president and more a European-style prime minister who has just lost a no-confidence vote. McDonnell Trumps Obama's State of the Union Speech by Connie Hair Speaking from the floor House of Delegates at the Virginia state capitol building in front of over 300 people, newly-inaugurated Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell delivered the Republican response to the President’s State of the Union Address last night. McDonnell was sworn in just 11 days ago after having received more votes for governor in his election last fall than any other gubernatorial candidate in Virginia history. |
| 1-23-10 |
by Michael Quinn Sullivan I couldn’t imagine a better way to start Barack Obama’s second year as president than to see the “Kennedy” seat flip parties. |
| 1-16-10 |
Obama Tells Dems that Economy, Healthcare Will Help in Midterms President Barack Obama rallied House Democrats Thursday around the healthcare bill and an economy he said will improve as they head into a midterm election campaign. Obama's Newest Homeland-Security Problem by Byron York For a while, it seemed the nomination and confirmation of Erroll Southers to head the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) would be a routine affair. Southers' resume included time at the FBI, the California Office of Homeland Security and the Los Angeles airport security force. Qualified nominee, quick confirmation -- right? |
| 1-09-10 |
by Gary Bauer If the president really believes his own rhetoric, things are worse than I thought. At yesterday’s “get tough” press conference, President Obama once again exposed the bizarre logic that dominates leftwing thinking and turns reality on its head. by Marvin Olasky How favorable will press coverage of President Obama be at the end of this year? Jon Stewart's The Daily Show on Comedy Central is often a leading indicator of sentiment among younger voters. Stewart last month waxed sarcastic regarding not only Democratic spending and deficit-creation, but also about Obama's personal style of implying frankness and then serving up bromides. |
| 1-02-10 |
Handling Problems the Obama Way by Carol E. Lee There is a sense of déjà vu in the Obama administration’s response to the attempted terrorist attack on Christmas Day. A by-now familiar pattern has been established for dealing with unexpected problems. Barack Obama 'Trying to Pretend' by Dick Cheney Former Vice President Dick Cheney accused President Barack Obama on Tuesday of “trying to pretend we are not at war” with terrorists, pointing to the White House response to the attempted sky bombing as reflecting a pattern that includes banishing the term “war on terror” and attempting to close the Guantanamo Bay detention center. Why Does Interpol Need Immunity from American Law? By Andy McCarthy You just can't make up how brazen this crowd is. One week ago, President Obama quietly signed an executive order that makes an international police force immune from the restraints of American law. by Erick Erickson Okay, okay. I know a lot of you know about this already. For about a week I have been getting emails about Barack Obama surrendering American sovereignty to Interpol, the international criminal police force under the UN’s jurisdiction, but I honestly couldn’t believe even Obama would do that. |
| 12-26-09 |
by Brent Bozell The year 2009 might be classified as the year Barack Obama came down to Earth. The latest NBC-Wall Street Journal poll found that 47 percent approve of the job Obama is doing, and 46 percent disapprove. Those are not exactly Messiah numbers. by Cal Thomas Apparently not content with his congressional majority that wishes to force Americans on a long march to health care disaster, President Obama has invoked the name of Jesus to broadcast his gospel of spreading the wealth around. |
| 12-19-09 |
Could Obama's Speeches Reflect a Foreign Policy Shift? by Michael Barone "Evil does exist in the world." This bald assertion is probably not what the Norwegian grantors of the Nobel Peace Prize expected to hear from Barack Obama. It sounds like something that the definer of the axis of evil might say, without the Texas twang. Unchurched, Unmarried, Poor, Inexperienced and Pro-Obama by Terry Jeffrey A strategist casting a cold eye on the Gallup poll tracking President Barack Obama's job approval rating might be tempted to give our president the following advice: Sir, you need more unmarried, unchurched, poor and inexperienced Americans. Emperor Obama’s Health Care Bill Has No Clothes by Dick Morris and Eileen McGann Due to pressure from enraged Americans, the most pernicious features of Obama's health care legislation have, for now at least, been stripped from his bill. This is no time for complacency, however, since the liberals are trying to push back and get the provisions back in. |
| 12-12-09 |
by Gary Bauer You may want to take a deep breath, because I am going to say a positive word about Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize speech in Oslo, Norway. Barack Obama finally conceded that “evil does exist in the world.” (I assume he wasn’t referring to conservatives.) He told the stone-faced Nobel dignitaries that negotiations don’t always work and military force is sometimes necessary. He also gave a rare tip of the hat to his own country with this line: “Whatever mistakes we have made, the plain fact is this: the United States of America has helped underwrite global security for more than six decades with the blood of our citizens and the strength of our arms.” Glad you noticed, Mr. President. Shocker Polls: That Sarah Palin-Barack Obama Gap Melts to 1 Point [Updated] Lordy, Lordy, Lordy, look what the pollsters just brought in. A pair of new surveys revealing that President Obama is still declining and has hit a new low in job approval among Americans just 56 weeks after they elected him with a decided margin. |
| 12-05-09 |
Obama Chooses California Model instead of Texas by Tim Lambert The articles comparing the differences in the policies of California and Texas continue to abound, and now more and more are seeing that the Obama Administration is pushing the model of high taxes and high regulation that has brought California to the verge of bankruptcy. Ryan Streeter has posted an excellent article titled "America as Texas vs. California" which highlights the issue again. 7 Stories Barack Obama Doesn't Want Told by John F. Harris Presidential politics is about storytelling. Presented with a vivid storyline, voters naturally tend to fit every new event or piece of information into a picture that is already neatly framed in their minds. by Gary Bauer Iran delivered another blow to Barack Obama’s appeasement foreign policy over the weekend. Iranian “president” Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced in an interview with the official Islamic Republic News Agency that Iran will build ten new uranium-enrichment sites. While it would take years for Iran to complete such a project, the decision is a slap in the face to the Obama Administration. by Gary Bauer At West Point tonight, President Obama will address the nation to announce his long-awaited decision on sending reinforcements to Afghanistan. Press reports suggest the president will announce the deployment of an additional 30,000 troops, short of the number requested by General Stanley McChrystal. by Peggy Noonan A deep and perhaps the deepest benefit of the speech was that a Democratic president asserted compellingly, and with a high degree of certitude and conviction, that the United States is and has been immersed in a long struggle with intractable enemies. by Charles Krauthammer We shall fight in the air, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields, we shall fight in the hills -- for 18 months. Then we start packing for home. Assessing President's New Afghan Strategy by Joel Rosenberg After months of hemming, hawing, indecision, and in-fighting within the White House, President Obama finally laid out his Afghanistan policy last night. There was good news, and bad. |
| 11-21-09 |
Obama Has a "Boundaries" Problem by Austin Hill Does President Obama have "boundary" problems? That's a fair question, because of his apparent unwillingness - or perhaps it's an inability - to confront the deadly threat posed by many self-described Muslims. ... There are self-described Muslims in our midst who want to destroy America, and the President should not pretend otherwise. by Kevin McCullough The Obama administration grossly underestimated the response of the American people in it's decision to try war-field combatants as common thieves in criminal courts handed down this week by Attorney General Holder. by Gary Bauer Our submissive president has done it again. You will remember that last April at the G-20 meeting, Obama performed a deep bow before King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, igniting a firestorm of criticism. This weekend, demonstrating that he is a slow learner, Obama did it again - bowing at the waist to greet Japan's Emperor Akihito. Obama's Health Care Plan Not Out of the Woods Yet by Dick Morris and Eileen McGann Joseph Stubbs, President of the American College of Physicians -- the second largest doctors' group in the country -- confirms that "the supply of doctors just won't be there" for the 30 million new patients Barack Obama wants to cover. Noting that the doctor shortage is "already a catastrophic crisis," Stubbs said that underserved areas in the U.S. currently need almost 17,000 new primary care physicians even before Obama's proposals are enacted. Obama Gets Delay of Fort Hood Probe The Obama administration on Tuesday had the president's National Security Council take control of congressional briefings on the Fort Hood killings and asked Democratic leaders to delay a probe, as top Republicans said intelligence shortcomings blamed for failing to prevent the 9/11 attacks are re-emerging. President Barack Obama's approval ratings have dipped below 50 percent for the first time in one prominent poll amid a raft of bad news about the economy and continuing job losses. S.O.S. - Stop Obama's Spending! by Gary Bauer The national debt has set a record this week -- $12 trillion. Do you realize that the national debt set a record of $11 trillion just eight months ago? That's right - the national debt has broken two records in Obama's first year as president and he's just getting warmed up. The Associated Press stated eight months ago: "President Barack Obama's budget would produce $9.3 trillion in deficits over the next decade, more than four times the deficits of Republican George W. Bush's presidency." If you are a visual learner, here is a graphic depiction (pun intended!) of Obama's outrageous spending. |
| 11-14-09 |
Stop Obama from Importing Terrorists Stateside Today Barack Obama is going to announce that the terrorist mastermind of September 11th, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, will be sent to New York City for a criminal trial in a civilian court. Obama Administration Intends to Purge Republicans from the Civil Service Via Instapundit comes word that the federal government’s Office of Personnel Management (OPM) intends to purge the federal government of Republican civil servants all in the name of purify the federal bureaucracy. |
| 11-07-09 |
Morning Bell: 10% Unemployment Shows Objective Failure of Obama Stimulus Last week the Obama administration issued a report purporting to show that the President’s $787 billion economic stimulus plan had saved or created exactly 640,329 jobs. Such a precise number for such a fuzzy concept as jobs “saved or created” immediately raised doubts about the veracity of the report in any honest American’s mind. |
| 10-31-09 |
The Truth About Those “Obscene” Profits by Gary Bauer Thus far in his presidency, Barack Obama, his congressional cronies Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, and Big Media have attacked many sectors of the private economy. First they took aim at our nation’s banks, accusing them of being the culprit in our current financial crisis. Obama then attacked the travel industry when he argued that people should not stay in nice hotels or spend money on extravagant vacations. Then it was Wall Street, drug companies and “the wealthy.” What If George W. Bush Had Done That? by Josh Gerstein A four-hour stop in New Orleans, on his way to a $3 million fundraiser. Snubbing the Dalai Lama. Signing off on a secret deal with drug makers. Freezing out a TV network. Doing more fundraisers than the last president. More golf, too. President Barack Obama has done all of those things — and more. by Charles Krauthammer Old Soviet joke: Moscow, 1953. Stalin calls in Khrushchev. "Niki, I'm dying. Don't have much to leave you. Just three envelopes. Open them, one at a time, when you get into big trouble." |
| 10-24-09 |
by Sandy Rios Do you remember the anticipation surrounding the great non-debate between Barack Obama and John McCain hosted by Pastor Rick Warren? Televised from Saddleback Church as millions watched, Warren pledged to ask the hard questions in order to get to the truth. It was a critical juncture in the presidential campaign and there was much public discussion over faith and values and marriage and Proposition 8 and where, exactly, each man stood. Unlike Obama, Americans Reject European Model by Michael Barone An interesting paradox. Last year, America elected a president who, in attitudes and policies, is closer to the elites of Western Europe than any of his predecessors. Yet in the nine months that he has been in office, ordinary Americans have been moving away from those attitudes and policies and have increasingly embraced positions that over the years have made Americans distinctive from those in other advanced Western democracies. by Gary Bauer The Obama White House has been agonizing for weeks over the question of whether or not they should send reinforcements to our troops in Afghanistan. But in the war against Fox News, it has been “bombs away” and take no prisoners. Virtually every White House official has publicly bashed Fox in recent weeks with nary a word of protest from civil libertarians or self-proclaimed defenders of the freedom of the press. White House: Media Shouldn't Follow Fox A White House attempt to delegitimize Fox News – which in past times would have drawn howls of censorship from the press corps – has instead been greeted by a collective shrug. Obama Strategy: Marginalize Most Powerful Critics President Obama is working systematically to marginalize the most powerful forces behind the Republican Party, setting loose top White House officials to undermine conservatives in the media, business and lobbying worlds. The Obama “War” Against the Right by Gary Bauer Even neutral political observers are beginning to “get it.” Today in Politico, an influential Washington D.C. newspaper, two of their top analysts reported on the Obama White House strategy to marginalize and destroy the conservative movement that has thrived in recent decades. Below are some excerpts from a story by Mark Allen and Jim Vandehei. W.H. Makes 'Enemies' of Bush Allies The Obama White House has deliberately placed favored Washington institutions of the Bush years in its crosshairs, a sign of an escalating battle between the Democratic administration and some of the city's pre-eminent power players. |
| 10-17-09 |
Nobel Seen as Reward for Not Being Bush by Matthew Mosk and Stephen Dinan Five Norwegian politicians sent a surprising but unambiguous message Friday, bestowing one of the world's most coveted honors on President Obama as a signal of the Western world's repudiation of the presidency of George W. Bush and its embrace of a softer but still untested American foreign policy. Obama's Afghan Meetings a Public Affair President Obama's weeks-long review of U.S. strategy in Afghanistan has turned the normally secretive process of deciding how many troops to deploy to a war zone and how best to use them into an oddly public affair that has been pored over day after day by television analysts, scrutinized by his critics and sized up by the nation's allies and enemies. Obama Promises the Moon to Homosexual Crowd Barack Obama is the most pro-homosexual president in our nation's history and he made that very clear in his speech before the Human Rights Campaign dinner on Saturday night, October 10, as he promised them everything on their wish list of legislation to re-make America. With Incomplete Grades in Afghanistan, Iraq, Obama Gets A for Effort by Ken Herman Our daily reminder that we live in a strange world came earlier than usual Friday. Just under nine months into his term, President Barack Obama has given birth to a Nobel Peace Prize. by Gary Bauer Over the weekend, political pundits in Washington discussed Barack Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize. Many agreed that he has not done enough to earn such a prestigious award. But, one of the most interesting commentaries came from rising star Liz Cheney, daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney. On Fox News Sunday, Cheney offered her view on what Barack Obama should do. |
| 10-10-09 |
Obama Pulled Two Ways in Afghanistan With his military commanders stiffening their commitment to a troop buildup in Afghanistan and his political advisers hardening their support for pulling back, President Obama this week is carrying the weight of one his young presidency's most pivotal decisions. President Obama Seeks to Reassure Skeptical Gay Community President Barack Obama continues to extend olive branches to the gay community, but he has yet to take up the big issues that many activists are waiting for. President Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize President Barack Obama won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for "his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples," the Norwegian Nobel Committee said, citing his outreach to the Muslim world and attempts to curb nuclear proliferation. Award for Global 'New Climate' The Norwegian Nobel Committee announced Friday that President Obama will receive the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. Citing Obama's "efforts to strengthen international diplomacy" and his support for nuclear arms reduction as chief reasons for the honor, the committee declared in a statement that the U.S. role in international affairs has changed substantially since the president took office. by Wesley Pruden The cruel world is closing in on Barack Obama. Springfield was never like this. The president can only look back with yearning for the days when he was the star of the state legislature, where a legislator's only concern is who's going to pick up the tab for drinks and supper. |
| 10-03-09 |
When Obama talks about what "health insurance reform" will do for you, here are 8 things he doesn’t mention. With the fate of President Barack Obama’s ambitious first-term agenda riding mostly on the Senate, he and his top aides are intensely focused on fortifying the Democratic Party’s majority in the upper chamber by attempting to clear primary fields, bolster vulnerable incumbents and recruit top candidates to run for competitive seats. Cantor: Obama's not Met with GOP Leaders Since May President Obama has cut off communication with Republican leaders, going more than four months without hosting the bipartisan congressional leadership at the White House to discuss his health care proposal, the No. 2 Republican in the House said Wednesday. |
| 9-26-09 |
by Gary Bauer Not surprisingly, Barack Obama received a warm reception at the United Nations General Assembly today. And why shouldn’t he? Since the day he took office, the president’s foreign policy has been soft on our enemies and hard on our friends. The assorted thugs, dictators and America-haters at the U.N. love it! Last week, President Obama made two decisions that caused celebration in Moscow and Tehran, while leaving our allies to wonder if being America’s friend was a blessing or a curse. Obama: Iran 'On Notice' in Face of 'Unprecedented Show of Unity' President Obama said Friday that the international community is pressuring Iran on its nuclear program with an "unprecedented show of unity" that will be hard for the country to ignore. Obama's Time Warp: The U.S. Is Still the Bad Guy by Michael Barone In the early 1980s, while planning a vacation in Latin America, I went to bookstores to find histories of the region. All I could find were Marxist tracts arguing that "the people" were exploited by greedy corporations and military dictators, all propped up by the United States. Available literature on Latin America today includes much more sensible accounts. But some people, including Barack Obama, whose college thesis written in those years has never been made public, seem stuck in a time warp in which the United States is the bad guy. Obama Times Calling Out Iran for Impact President Obama's decision to confront Iran with evidence of a secret nuclear production site Friday was the culmination of a deliberate strategy over the past nine months to gain maximum impact from the disclosure by building up to it with other steps on the world stage. |
| 9-19-09 |
by Ben Smith And he has yet to take a tough stand, or pick a difficult fight, on many of the major policy issues of the day. He continues to search for a Goldilocks solution in Afghanistan - not too hot, not too cold, and projected nothing more than caution when Iranians took to the streets. He has allowed disfavored proposals from allies - like the Employee Free Choice Act - to die of their own accord, professing support all the while. Obama's Financial Reform Faces Opposition Despite continued populist fury directed at Wall Street a year after the market meltdown, President Obama is fighting a strong headwind as he pushes for tougher regulation of the financial services industry. Obama Seeks Patriot Act Extensions The Obama administration has asked Congress to extend three contentious provisions of the USA Patriot Act - a bill once described by President Obama as "shoddy" - and urged an appeals court to deny access to U.S. courts for detainees at a military prison in Afghanistan. By Streiff If patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel then crying racism must be in the other half of the duplex. White House Scraps Bush’s Approach to Missile Shield President Obama scrapped his predecessor’s proposed antiballistic missile shield in Eastern Europe on Thursday and ordered instead the development of a reconfigured system designed to shoot down short- and medium-range Iranian missiles. Another Obama First: Uncle Sam to Create Education Curriculum by Brian Faughnan Millions of Americans are marching, blogging, calling Congress, E-mailing friends, and writing to newspapers to say that President Obama and Congress are expanding government too far, too fast. We need to do more, because it’s clear that they’re not getting the message. The latest example: the House of Representatives is preparing to put the Department of Education into the business of creating educational curriculum for American students. House of Representatives Votes to Take Over All Student Loans by Erick Erickson If you want an indication of just how radical the Democrats in Congress have become, consider the vote on H.R. 3221. The legislation, which I wrote about yesterday, shuts down all private lenders for higher education student loans, requires that colleges and universities adhere to a new federal bureaucracy, creates a new Green Schools Czar, and hints that any school not complying will see its students denied federal student loans. by Gary Bauer Immediately following 9/11, dozens of countries offered the U.S. their support in Afghanistan and later in Iraq. A handful of those countries provided the U.S. with military supplies and troops. Eight years later, however, many have abandoned the battlefield despite worsening conditions in Afghanistan and security threats in Iraq. Two nations still standing with us are Poland and the Czech Republic. Arguably our strongest allies in -- dare I say it -- the “War on Terror,” Poland and the Czech Republic were abandoned by Barack Obama this morning. |
| 9-12-09 |
Clinton’s Health Defeat Sways Obama’s Tactics by Jackie Calmes Before Congress’s August break, the chief aides to Senate Democrats met in a nondescript Senate conference room with three former advisers to President Bill Clinton. The topic: lessons learned the last time a Democratic president tried, but failed disastrously, to overhaul the health care system. Obama's Stand on Public Option Draws Fire Viewers will leave the speech "knowing exactly where the president stands," he said, adding that the president is "ready, willing and able" to do whatever it takes to pass health care reform. The President Speaks to Students by Gary Bauer The controversy surrounding Barack Obama’s speech to students today continued to intensify over the weekend. Big Media repeatedly reported that conservatives were “overreacting” and “attacking the President’s speech unfairly.” What the media failed to report was that conservatives were upset not about the content of Obama’s speech, but about the study guide on which the White House worked hand-in-hand with the Department of Education. Earth to Obama: Texas Has Done It! by Peggy Venable In his Presidential address last night, Obama said he’d talked to some doctors and learned that unnecessary medical procedures were being done due to fear of medical malpractice lawsuits. Line in the Sand, Squiggle in the Mud by Roger Simon The guy knows how to give a speech. Give him that. Barack Obama’s speech to a joint session of Congress Wednesday night was both an elegant celebration of the American character and a strong denunciation of our current inability in this country to “engage in a civil conversation.” |
| 9-5-09 |
Obama Faces Growing Anger on the Left By the time this year's tally for gay service members discharged under the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy had hit 250, Rep. Alcee L. Hastings said he could wait no longer. President Obama Should Pardon CIA Interrogators by Debra J. Saunders When he served as deputy attorney general, now Attorney General Eric Holder gave a "neutral leaning positive" recommendation that led to President Bill Clinton's pardoning of gazillionaire fugitive Marc Rich, who was on the lam in Switzerland hiding from federal charges of fraud, evading more than $48 million in taxes, racketeering and trading oil with Iran in violation of a U.S. embargo. by Mary Anastasia O’Grady If the Obama administration were a flotilla of ships, it might be sending out an SOS right about now. ObamaCare has hit the political equivalent of an iceberg. And last week the president’s international prestige was broadsided by the Scots, who set free the Lockerbie bomber without the least consideration of American concerns. Mr. Obama’s campaign promise of restoring common sense to budget management is sleeping with the fishes. by Gary Bauer Barack Obama will deliver a nation-wide address to students this coming Tuesday, September 8th. This will be the first day of classes for many children across the country. The White House plans to broadcast the address live from its website. Principals were notified of the plan in a letter addressed to them by Education Secretary Arne Duncan. Under Fire, President Obama Shifts Strategy Aides to President Barack Obama are putting the final touches on a new strategy to help Democrats recover from a brutal August recess by specifying what Obama wants to see in a compromise health care deal and directly confronting other trouble spots, West Wing officials tell POLITICO. Obama ‘Advisers’ Fan Flu Hysteria by Bob Barr The impressively named President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology counts an august array of academics, engineers and scientists among its members. Even the council is impressed with its own stature — describing itself as “an advisory group of the nation’s leading scientists and engineers.” PCAST is charged with advising to the president on matters of “science, technology, and innovation.” Not included among its enumerated advisory duties are medicine, virology or immunology. Keep Politics Out of the Classroom by Peggy Venable For some students, September 8 is this year’s first day of school. This year it’s also another first, the first time a U.S. President has asked to be invited into classrooms to speak directly to children. WH Withdraws Call for Students to 'Help' Obama President Obama's plan to inspire the nation's schoolchildren with a video address next week erupted into controversy Wednesday, forcing the White House to pull out its eraser and rewrite a government recommendation that teachers nationwide assign students a paper on how to "help the president." Obama and the Perfect Political Storm by Karl Rove August was the worst month of Barack Obama's presidency. And he seems to know it—he is now planning to deliver a speech to a joint session of Congress 232 days into his administration in a desperate attempt to save his biggest domestic priority, overhauling health care. Why the Obama Administration Will Implode In Weeks by Kevin McCullough Never has an administration had more political firepower at their disposal yet been set to so totally fail in the next six to eight weeks. It is nearly a foregone conclusion. It is nearly unavoidable. And it defies all logic given the sizable majority the administration has in both houses of Congress. |
| 8-29-09 |
Obama: Republican Conspiracy Out to Kill Health Reform President Obama took to the conservative airwaves Thursday to charge that Republican leaders are engaged in a vast right-wing conspiracy to kill health care reform in order to repeat the 1994 mid-term takeover of Congress, which followed the defeat of President Clinton's reform plan. Obama Goes After CIA to Gain Cover on the Left by Dick Morris & Eileen McGann After vowing not to become involved in recriminations over the Bush anti-terror policies, President Obama has allowed his Attorney General Eric Holder to appoint a special prosecutor to dig up all the dirt he can find on the CIA and the anti-terror investigators whose aggressive questioning saved us from countless attacks. |
| 8-22-09 |
Obama May Drop U.S.-Run Health Plan In the face of strong public criticism at town-hall meetings and skepticism on Capitol Hill, Obama administration officials said Sunday that the president is willing to accept a health care proposal that includes nonprofit health insurance cooperatives rather than insist on a government-run insurance program. Obama Administration Moves to Strike Down Defense of Marriage Act A pro-family leader says the Obama administration is playing dishonest "Chicago-style politics" by defending the Defense of Marriage Act while undermining the law in a court filing. Obama Warns of a Health Care 'Cost of Inaction' President Obama appears to have fixed on a new strategy to counter what he has called fear-mongering by his opponents in the national health care debate: Try to convince the public that making no change would be scarier. by Gary Bauer Washington is buzzing today with reports that the Obama White House and congressional Democrats are prepared to “go it alone” on healthcare reform – passing a massive trillion-dollar takeover of 20% of our economy without a single Republican vote. Such a move – by disregarding the polls and public protests – would send an unmistakable message to the American people: “We don’t care what you think.” |
| 8-15-09 |
President Obama Keeps Town Halls Cool At one town hall meeting, the president of the United States had to challenge a mild-mannered audience to bring on the tough questions about his plans for health reform. Health Insurance Heads to Court, Campaign Trail President Obama said at a town-hall meeting here that he does not intend to vilify insurance companies as he tours the West this weekend to persuade Americans to back his proposed overhaul to the nation's health care system. |
| 8-08-09 |
Obama Sends Stimulus Aid to Foreign Firms Nearly half of the $2.4 billion in federal grant money awarded Wednesday to stimulate the U.S. economy and boost the production of hybrid and electric vehicles went to six companies with ties to places as far away as Russia, China, South Korea and France. |
| 7-25-09 |
Rough Week with Politics, Public for Obama A public feud between Democratic leaders and conservative Blue Dog Democrats on Friday threatened President Obama's health care reform plans in that chamber, a week before the House is scheduled to leave town for a month. Poll: President's Popularity Suffers in Health Reform Push For the first time since President Obama entered the Oval Office, a majority of voters disapprove of the president's job performance in a Rasmussen tracking poll - a downturn that has the potential to sap the White House's clout as it begins the heavy lifting required for health care reform. |
| 7-18-09 |
by Jonathan Martin On the defensive over the economy and health care, the White House is shooting back with a double-barreled message for its critics and skeptics. To Republicans who say the stimulus isn’t working: Back off. To moderate Democrats wary of health care reform: We’re watching you. |
| 7-11-09 |
Obama Can’t Be Trusted With Numbers by Karl Rove In February, President Barack Obama signed a $787 billion stimulus bill while making lavish promises about the results. He pledged that “a new wave of innovation, activity and construction will be unleashed all across America.” He also said the stimulus would “save or create up to four million jobs.” Vice President Joe Biden said the massive federal spending plan would “drop-kick” the economy out of the recession. |
| 7-04-09 |
ABC and Obama Bomb
by Gary Bauer ABC's one hour infomercial with President Obama promoting his socialized healthcare plan was a ratings bomb for the network. Despite airing in primetime at 10 p.m. on Wednesday, the president attracted fewer than 5 million viewers. The show had the lowest ratings of all the major networks for that hour. It wasn't as if the other networks aired their most popular shows either. NBC debuted a new show titled "The Philanthropist" and CBS aired a repeat episode of "CSI: NY." Obama Peddles Climate Bill to Senate President Obama, handed a crucial victory Friday night with the House of Representatives' approval of a sweeping climate-change bill, urged the Senate on Saturday to disregard "misinformation" and pass the legislation. by Cal Thomas Help me out here. President Obama immediately "meddles" in the affairs of Honduras, denouncing a military coup, the intent of which is to preserve the country's constitution, but when it comes to Iran's fraudulent election and the violent repression of demonstrators who wanted their votes counted, the president initially vacillates and equivocates. Obama's Spending Blitz Worries Powell Colin Powell, one of President Obama's most prominent Republican supporters, expressed concern publicly for the first time Friday that the president's ambitious blitz of costly initiatives may be enlarging the size of government and the federal debt too much. |
| 6-27-09 |
How Obama Could Lose Health Fight President Obama's campaign for health care reform by this fall, once considered highly likely to succeed, suddenly appears in real jeopardy. Obama Seeks to Join Global Rights of Child Pact The Obama administration is reviving efforts to have the United States sign onto a global children's rights treaty ratified by every U.N. member except the U.S. and Somalia, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, said Monday. |
| 6-13-09 |
Obama Rebukes Holocaust Deniers President Obama on Friday used visits to some of the grimmest landmarks of World War II to call for strengthened international cooperation, declaring that the "horror" of the Buchenwald concentration camp was the "ultimate rebuke" to Holocaust deniers. by Gary Bauer t was tough to begin this day by watching President Obama destroy history, undermine Israel and bow, this time rhetorically, to Islam during his speech at Cairo University. Below are some examples and my reactions. by George Will “I,” said the president, who is inordinately fond of the first-person singular pronoun, “want to disabuse people of this notion that somehow we enjoy meddling in the private sector.” He said that in March, when the government already owned 80 percent of AIG, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Barack Obama Invokes Jesus More Than George W. Bush He’s done it while talking about abortion and the Middle East, even the economy. The references serve at once as an affirmation of his faith and a rebuke against a rumor that persists for some to this day. Obama to Hurry Recovery Effort Amid Rising Doubt President Obama on Monday pushed to reinvigorate his $787 billion economic-stimulus program, promising to accelerate efforts to get money out the door, while dealing with critics who said some of his claims to create or preserve jobs have been exaggerated. |
| 6-06-09 |
The Real Genuflection to the Saudis by Dick Morris and Eileen McGann When President Obama first met the Saudi royals, he seemed to bow at the waist. Either that or he doubled over in pain. Did he bow? Or didn’t he bow? That was the topic du jour at the press briefing that day. But now we have the answer: Obama is, indeed, really bowing to the Saudis as he visits the Middle East this week. by Gary Bauer Private William Long was murdered in cold blood yesterday. The 24-year old Army recruiter was mowed down outside the Army recruiting station where he worked by Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad, a Muslim convert formerly known as Carlos Bledsoe. …The sound you heard after this terrorist attack was silence. President Obama, who immediately condemned the murder of abortionist George Tiller on Sunday, still has not – 24 hours later – said one word about the cowardly attack on these soldiers. |
| 5-30-09 |
Obama Makes His First U.S. Supreme Court Pick: From Souter to Sotomayor Barack Obama has ended the well publicized speculation concerning the identity of his first Supreme Court nominee by naming to the critical High Court seat a well publicized contender — Sonia Sotomayor. Sotomayor has been tapped to take the seat of retiring Justice David Souter. Souter, a George H.W. Bush appointment, turned sour on the Court and has been a staunch Reconstructionist — an opponent of the Constitutionalist theory necessary if our Constitution and culture are to survive and thrive. What can we expect of Sotomayor? We offer a preliminary view. by Patrick J. Buchanan When you think about it, Sonia Sotomayor is the perfect pick for the Supreme Court -- in Barack Obama's America. Like Obama, himself a beneficiary of affirmative action, she thinks "Latina women," because of their life experience, make better judicial decisions than white men, that discrimination against white men to advance people of color is what America is all about, that appellate courts are "where policy is made" in the United States. U.S. to Take Majority Stake in General Motors The White House is driving General Motors Corp. toward a bankruptcy reorganization that would grant the government as much as a two-thirds stake in the battered automaker, while consigning bondholders and unions to minority shares. |
| 5-23-09 |
Notre Dame Cheers, Jeers Obama Engaging the culture war directly, President Obama made a plea Sunday at the University of Notre Dame for both sides to talk to each other with "open hearts, open minds, fair-minded words" on abortion and other fiery issues. Obama Restarts Bush-Era Gitmo Tribunals President Obama on Friday announced plans to restart the military commissions launched under President Bush to try some suspected terrorists held at the Guantanamo Bay detention site, sparking fresh anger from liberal and human rights groups who had hoped Mr. Obama's election signaled a clean break with Bush-era policies. Dick Cheney and Hill Democrats Put Barack Obama on the Defensive on Torture For the first time in his presidency, Americans are getting a glimpse of Barack Obama on defense. Over the past few weeks, Obama has been back on his heels over torture and terror, issues on which he surely thought he had the upper hand. Obama, Cheney Clash over Terrorism President Obama on Thursday vigorously defended his decision to close the Guantanamo Bay detention site but said some terrorist suspects would be held indefinitely, setting up the prospect of a painstaking fight with Congress over relocating detainees to the United States and disappointing supporters critical of what they saw as a concession to Bush-era policies. Obama in No Hurry to End 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' President Obama's campaign vow to end the ban on gays in the military -- and the "don't ask, don't tell" policy that forces thousands of military personnel to stay in the closet -- appears to be driven now by a strategy of "don't rush." |
| 5-16-09 |
Obama Reverses Stance on Immigration On the thorniest of political issues, President Obama has embraced the enforcement-first position on immigration that he criticized during last year's presidential campaign, and he now says he can't move forward with the type of comprehensive bill he wants until voters are convinced that the borders can be enforced. Obama Move on Abortion Funds Riles Both Sides President Obama called for overturning a decade-old ban on publicly funded abortions in the District as part of his budget proposal Thursday, but did not overturn the national ban on federal funding, thus angering advocacy groups on both sides of the volatile issue. by Gary Bauer After proposing a $3.5 trillion budget with massive spending increases, President Obama yesterday announced with a straight face $17 billion in spending “cuts,” which amount to one half of one percent of his total budget. As it turns out, even this isn’t really a cut – the money was just going to be diverted to other spending programs. But get this headline on the front page of today’s Washington Post: “Democrats Assail Obama’s Hit List.” Action Alert - Obama Asks Congress to Zero Out Abstinence Funding National Abstinence Education Association President Obama released his budget today in which he voiced his intention to cut abstinence education programs - both Title V and CBAE and replace them with comprehensive sex education programs. Obama Budget Cuts Funds for Abstinence-Only Sex Education President Obama's new budget would eliminate most money for abstinence-only sex education and shift it to teen pregnancy prevention — a U-turn in what has been more than a decade of sex education policy in the USA. Rep. Pete Sessions Accuses Obama of Deliberately Driving Stock Market Down U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions of Dallas, a member of the House Republican leadership, is accusing President Barack Obama of intentionally driving up unemployment and dampening stock prices in a bid to consolidate power. Obama Tax Proposal Would Hit Securities Dealers, Life Insurance Firms, Big Estates The Obama administration is digging deep into the tax code to find ways to help pay for its ambitious plans to cut taxes for middle-income families and small businesses while also overhauling the nation's healthcare system. by Gary Bauer The weekend White House Correspondents Dinner was a veritable “love fest.” Adoring reporters could hardly control themselves as their heroes, Barack Hussein Obama and Michelle, entered the room. MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough said his fellow reporters acted like schoolgirls in the presence of a rock star. It’s fortunate no one fainted. |
| 5-09-09 |
by Gary Bauer Staying true to his campaign mantra of change, President Barack Obama is changing the way this year’s National Day of Prayer events will be observed. President George W. Bush hosted a White House reception for the National Day of Prayer during his administration. This year, President Obama is not. He is issuing a proclamation recognizing the event, but there will be no White House ceremony, and the president is avoiding publicly associating himself with the day’s activities sponsored by the National Day of Prayer Task Force. |
| 5-02-09 |
100 Days of Devastatingly Swift Success by Newt Gingrich To mark President Obama’s 100th day in office, I’m going to say something you might find unexpected, even shocking: President Obama’s first 100 days have been spectacularly successful. Obama: Torture Not Worth Trade-Off President Obama on Wednesday acknowledged that enhanced interrogation tactics such as waterboarding may glean information from terrorists but said that those techniques constitute "torture" and that the country is made safer by not using them. Obama Wants Court Pick to Have 'Empathy' President Obama said Friday he will look beyond traditional legal experience to fill the seat of retiring Supreme Court Justice David H. Souter — to someone who can relate to average Americans. |
| 4-25-09 |
by Gary Bauer I have contended that President Obama appears to be operating in a “Bizarro World,” where logic goes out the window, up is down and right is wrong. We got more examples of that in recent days with the release of the CIA interrogation memos and the Summit of the Americas. Obama OK'd 2 SEAL Teams for Pirates President Obama dispatched two separate teams of Navy commandos to carry out last week's rescue of a merchant ship captain held hostage by Somali pirates but left the operational details and rules of engagement to military commanders, National Security Adviser James. L. Jones said Tuesday. Obama Open to Torture Memo Prosecutions President Obama for the first time Tuesday opened the door to prosecuting former Bush administration officials, saying those who approved harsh interrogation techniques for suspected terrorists may be subject to criminal charges. Possible Interrogation Probe Dashes Hopes for Bipartisanship Under Obama Some Republicans believe President Obama killed any chance for bipartisanship when he opened the possibility of prosecution and a congressional investigation of Bush-era lawyers who authorized “enhanced” interrogation techniques on terror suspects. |
| 4-18-09 |
Obama Releases Memos Detailing Interrogations President Obama's release Thursday of four top-secret memos - which gave bracing details about enhanced interrogation techniques used on terrorist suspects during the Bush administration - was welcomed by civil liberties groups but condemned by at least one former top intelligence official, who said the president was endangering the country. |
| 4-04-09 |
by Gary Bauer Earlier this week, I commented on the administration’s politically correct attempts to deny that we are at war against Islamofascism. Well, you can imagine my frustration when I read this headline today: “Judge: Bagram Prisoners Can Challenge Detention.” That would be Bagram, Afghanistan! |
| 3-28-09 |
Obama Gives the GOP an Opening by Karl Rove President Barack Obama and his West Wing lieutenants are playing on the world's largest stage, yet act as if no one is watching them when they contradict their campaign promises. That behavior is unwittingly giving the Republicans an opening. |
| 3-07-09 |
Obama Offered Deal to Russia in Secret Letter President Obama sent a secret letter to Russia’s president last month suggesting that he would back off deploying a new missile defense system in Eastern Europe if Moscow would help stop Iran from developing long-range weapons, American officials said Monday. Obama on Education: Right Talk, Wrong Walk by Star Parker I share President Obama’s concerns about education. We certainly need to do a better job, particularly in our low-income communities. But, from what I see so far, we’re on very different pages regarding how to think about the problem. Top Democrats Cross Obama on Earmarks President Obama's drive to change Washington's free-spending ways is running into a buzz saw of opposition from his party, as another top congressional Democrat on Tuesday bucked the president's plan to curb pork projects. by Gary Bauer On Monday, hundreds of global warming protestors came to Washington, D.C., to demonstrate against Capitol Hill’s coal-fired power plant. The same day, Speaker Nancy Pelosi was scheduled to address the environmental activists at a Capitol Hill rally. Evidently, Mother Nature didn’t get the memo. A major snow storm forced the cancellation of Pelosi’s flight back to Washington, and temperatures hovered around freezing throughout the day, well below the average for early March. |
| 2-28-09 |
Obama’s State Of The Union Address by Gary Bauer President Barack Obama will give his first State of the Union Address tonight before a joint session of Congress. In the speech, he is expected to lay out his priorities for the government and the course on which he intends to steer our ship of state. In recent days the administration has sent plenty of signals that it intends to take a hard lurch to the Left. by Charles Krauthammer The Biden prophecy has come to pass. Our wacky veep, momentarily inspired, predicted in October that "it will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama." Biden probably had in mind an eve-of-the-apocalypse drama like the Cuban missile crisis. Instead, Obama's challenges have come in smaller bites. Some are deliberate threats to U.S. interests, others mere probes to ascertain whether the new president has any spine. Scoring Obama's First Address to Congress by Newt Gingrich For those of us planning on keeping track of the big government, big spending proposals in President Obama's first address to Congress tonight, here's the key: Start with $3.6 trillion. Add from there. Budget Busters And Broken Promises by Gary Bauer President Obama delivered his economic address last night and, once again, reiterated his desire to reach bi-partisan common ground where it could be found. He also said he was serious about fiscal responsibility, wisely spending your tax dollars and cutting the deficit. by Dick Morris Ultimately, all recessions and depressions resolve themselves into crises of confidence. The instant, global, 24/7 communications of today make them ever more so. President Obama, in his pursuit of liberal big-government spending, has totally neglected the role of the president of the United States in reversing global panic. To the contrary, his every remark and the constant preoccupation of his Cabinet is to heighten the sense of crisis and to escalate the predictions of doom if we do not do as they tell us and raise spending now and taxes later. |
| 2-21-09 |
Obama Hit for Comment on Teachers President Obama's blunt but little-noted statement last week that bad teachers need to be fired and that some fellow Democrats resist real change in public schools has jolted educators and education critics alike. |
| 2-7-09 |
Obama Puts the Heat on Republicans President Obama abruptly changed tactics Wednesday in his bid to revive the economy, setting aside his bipartisan stance and pointedly blaming Republicans for demanding what he cast as discredited "piecemeal measures." |
| 1-31-09 |
Prez Zings GOP Foe in a $timulating Talk President Obama warned Republicans on Capitol Hill today that they need to quit listening to radio king Rush Limbaugh if they want to get along with Democrats and the new administration. by William Kristol Since Ronald Reagan’s election in 1980, conservatives of various sorts, and conservatisms of various stripes, have generally been in the ascendancy. And a good thing, too! Conservatives have been right more often than not — and more often than liberals — about most of the important issues of the day: about Communism and jihadism, crime and welfare, education and the family. Conservative policies have on the whole worked — insofar as any set of policies can be said to “work” in the real world. Conservatives of the Reagan-Bush-Gingrich-Bush years have a fair amount to be proud of. Critics Say Obama's Economic Bill Lacks Stimulus From $400 million for NASA climate-change research to $650 million for digital TV converter-box coupons, the unprecedented spending in President Obama's economic stimulus plan is provoking questions about whether it can create jobs and jolt the country out of recession. Hardball Politics Stay in the Oval by Ben Smith Despite his past denunciations of the “perpetual campaign” — and “political hacks like Karl Rove” — President Barack Obama’s version of change doesn’t include banishing hardball politics from the environs of the Oval Office. |
| 1-24-09 |
Obama Has Little in Common with Lincoln by Star Parker It's ironic that Barack Obama chooses to infuse these opening days of his presidency with the imagery of Abraham Lincoln. I don't think there could be two more different men. Understanding why may help us think about what to expect in the days ahead. Obama Must Deliver After Lofty Address by Donald Lambro Barack Obama proved he could smash America's ultimate racial barrier and deliver a soaring speech, such as his inaugural address, which both mesmerized and inspired the masses. With Barack Obama's approval ratings in the 70s and his visage plastered on every shop window and Metro card in Washington, it's hard to remember that 58 million Americans voted for the other guy. |