After four years of Democratic Party control over both houses of Congress, the American voting public opted for a change last Tuesday. As result of elections , Republicans the United States House of Representatives next year, and the Democratic majority in the United States Senate has been narrowed. An analysis of this election and its consequences follows. Continue reading →
A November to Remember
Posted in: Democrats, Elections and Campaigns, International Affairs.
Tagged: 2010 election · arizona · australia · barack obama · census · chris van hollen · christine o'donnell · congress · conservatism · delaware · democratic congressional campaign committee · Democrats · Economy · education · elbridge gerry · extremism · free trade · George W. Bush · gerrymandering · harry reid · Health Care Reform · illinois · immigration · jim clyburn · kentucky · liberalism · mainstream media · maryland · media bias · nancy pelosi · netherlands · nevada · oregon · Pat Toomey · rand paul · raul grijalva · reapportionment · scott brown · sharon angle · steny hoyer · sweden · tea party · united kingdom · utah · victory · wall street journal
On hope and fear
In a townhall Tuesday last week, President Obama informed the audience that they should be weary of fearmongering. The irony of such comments seems to have been lost on the many sycophants in the pre-selected crowd that day. All this administration has offered now for months in defense of its abysmal track record is fear. Continue reading →
Posted in: Business and Economy, Democrats, Elections and Campaigns, Health Care.
Tagged: 2010 election · barack obama · birtherism · chamber of commerce · congress · David Axelrod · fascism · hawaii · Health Care Reform · immigration · kentucky · kenya · recession
Expecting Different Results
It has been said that insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different esults. In the natural sciences, a consistency of results is desired to substantiate or discredit a hypothesis. Thus undertaking the same task repeatedly while seeking a different outcome each time is counterproductive. Continue reading →
Posted in: Business and Economy, Democrats, Elections and Campaigns, Health Care, Policy.
Tagged: 2010 election · congress · Democrats · Economy · Health Care Reform · iraq war · recession · Recovery Act · stimulus · surge
A glaring omission on Iraq
President Obama delivered an Tuesday night to mark the end of U.S. combat operations in Iraq. While the speech featured no surprises, it is memorable both for its tone and for what was not said. The change of status in Iraq, however, may not be a harbinger for course correction in the United States.
Every elected President of the United States since Wilson has left office, whether through retirement or death, physically much older than at inauguration. Administrations of both parties have made tough decisions on when and how to employ military force abroad. Historians will long debate the merits of decisions made by various commanders-in-chief. The most complicated of these decisions, however, occur when one administration inherits a conflict from another.
Posted in: National Security and Defense.
Tagged: afghanistan · barack obama · cold war · FDR · George W. Bush · harry truman · Iraq · iraq war · korea · vietnam · war on terror · woodrow wilson
Employing a losing strategy
Despite some probable Republican gains this year, Democrats have a good chance of control of Congress next year. Fortunately for Republicans, Democrats nationally have opted for a losing strategy; . Then again, with a track record like that of this Congress, one cannot fault Democratic strategists for trying to distract the electorate this year.
Posted in: Business and Economy, Democrats, Elections and Campaigns, Health Care.
Tagged: 2010 election · barack obama · big government · Canada · charlie rangel · Economy · germany · Health Care Reform · henry waxman · maxine waters · Missouri · nancy pelosi · Pete Stark · primaries · recovery · regulation · securities & exchange commission · united kingdom
In Defense of Michael Steele
It has been said that there are two parties in the United States; . Perhaps better described as a naive party and an opportunist party, the idea behind this concept is that the the poor decisions of one party allow for enactment of the unfathomable agenda of the other. It is clear this week that the GOP is, at the moment, the Stupid Party. Continue reading →
Posted in: Business and Economy, Elections and Campaigns, International Affairs.
Tagged: afghanistan · barack obama · business · cambodia · commerce · democratic national committee · dwight eisenhower · Economy · George W. Bush · harry truman · history · Iraq · iraq war · korea · laos · lyndon johnson · Michael Steele · recession · recovery · republican national committee · richard nixon · soviet union · spending · surge · vietnam · war on terror
McDonald and Kagan
While the Senate Judiciary Committee asked questions this week of Solicitor General Elena Kagan, President Obama’s choice to replace retiring Justice John Paul Stevens, the Supreme Court announced a ruling on an issue Democrats would prefer to avoid; the constitutional right to keep and bear arms. In McDonald v. Chicago, the Supreme Court of the United States that the of the U.S. Constitution applies to the states, thereby undermining state and city gun prohibitions nationwide. Initial have suggested that this decision could render gun control a non-issue in electoral politics. History, however, suggests otherwise. Continue reading →
Posted in: Democrats, Elections and Campaigns, Policy.
Tagged: 2010 election · abortion · abortion debate · antonin scalia · barack obama · civil liberties · civil rights · clarence thomas · due process · elena kagan · griswold v. connecticut · gun control · gun rights · heller · john paul stevens · john roberts · mcdonald v. chicago · roe v. wade · samuel alito · SCOTUS · settled law
The Petraeus Dilemma.
The resignation of four-star General Stanley McChrystal from command of U.S. forces in Afghanistan came Wednesday after fallout from an appearing in Rolling Stone. McChrystal, whose involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan has earned him in the past, used the magazine interview as an avenue to offer criticisms of the Obama administration. The White House was to push the ouster and propose a replacement and offer a replacement to command Allied forces in Afghanistan who will most likely have in Congress. By putting forward another four-star general, , as McChrystal’s replacement President Obama has created a rather interesting dilemma. Continue reading →
Posted in: International Affairs, National Security and Defense.
Tagged: 2010 election · afghanistan · arkansas · Arlen Specter · barack obama · blanche lincoln · congress · david petraeus · Democrats · George W. Bush · Iraq · joe sestak · lyndon johnson · MoveOn · north carolina · old media · pennsylvania · progressives · republicans · richard burr · richard nixon · rolling stone · surge · U.S. Senate · vietnam
On Paul and Blumenthal
Two senate races continue to dominate the headlines nationwide. Kentucky was one of the states in which a primary was held on Tuesday. Connecticut features a senate race once competitive until the decision of Chris Dodd to retire at the end of his present term. Both U.S. Senate contests, however continue to generate much intrigue. Continue reading →
Posted in: Elections and Campaigns.
Tagged: arizona · arkansas · Arlen Specter · attorney general · barry goldwater · bill halter · blanche lincoln · chris dodd · civil liberties · civil rights · connecticut · conservatism · ethics · jack conway · joe sestak · kentucky · libertarianism · louisville courier-journal · new deal · new york times · old media · oregon · pennsylvania · primaries · richard blumenthal · senate · utah · William Buckley
Lessons from Arizona
Dominating the headlines for the past few weeks across the United States has been a news item out of Arizona. Recently, Arizona lawmakers a tough measure into law meant to tackle illegal immigration. The contents of this law, and reactions to it, offer valuable lessons moving forward to anyone concerned with American politics and public policy. Continue reading →
Posted in: Elections and Campaigns, Policy.
Tagged: arizona · California · cinco de mayo · congress · Democrats · education · excess · Health Care Reform · immigration · lebanon · multiculturalism · patriotism · racism · raul grijalva