by Art Smith
We are thinking heavily here about how to present a systematic approach to understanding what we call "Conservatism". Just this week, a fellow Iowa blogger Albert Bregar penned his thoughts at Red County Polk County and Iowa Defense Alliance.
Albert provides an excellent start with a view to how many of us think about defining the way conservatives see the world today (okay, such a view would include "Ronald Reagan came back for more"). We will certainly start looking around blogdom and start collecting a list of such statements as "Smaller Government" and build them into a resource.
But in stating the conservative view of today's world, we do limit ourselves to more of a statement of "how does conservative thinking apply to today's issues". What I hope we may eventually find is more of a basis for conservative thought. It's great to say [...]
by Linda Morgan
Here’s a partial list we’ve gotten here of stores and their plans after the first of the year:
- Circuit City (filed Chapter 11)
- Ann Taylor 117 stores nationwide closing
- Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug ,and Catherine’s to close 150 stores nationwide
- Eddie Bauer to close stores 27 stores and more after January
- Cache will close all stores
- Talbots closing down specialty stores
[...]
by Fersboo
Two weeks ago today, the Obama Nation was gloating. Sweeping victories in the general election, Democrats now control the White House and both houses of Congress. Well, it's been two weeks, so that means it's time for me to get out of my fetal position, stop throwing up, an assess what's transpired since then.
In the last two weeks, there has been a steady stream of companies lined up at the Treasury Department's door to obtain "equity stakes" from the American taxpayer. I admit that I was one of the first (and few) to defend Treasury Secretary Paulson's and Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke's bailout/rescue/money grab in an effort to shore up a global economy on the verge of total economic collapse. This was, and is, an unpopular position, because the consensus was, and is, that stupid management decisions should not be compensated for by the American taxpayer.
My argument [...]
by Art Smith
... for the most boring interview in history. Last night felt more like 3600 seconds. For those of you that missed it (lucky you), it was the big "first interview of the 44th President Elect of the United Stated". Steve Kroft, one-on-one with Obama for half the show, Michelle included in the second half (with a little time for Rooney).
Softball questions by Kroft... oh, wait a minute, he did press Obama mightily to reveal yet unannounced cabinet position appointments. Darn, Barack refused to slip up on that!
Why oh why do we care about Obama's position on college football playoffs?
Very little of what was discussed from a policy standpoint was any different than what we've heard on the campaign OR Obama just didn't provide a real answer. Auto industry? Let's see what happens. Gitmo? Shut it down... and as a commenter at James Hibberd's The Live Feed said, no follow-up from Kroft on an obvious question: what to do with the prisoners?
Economy: do [...]
by Linda Morgan
That’s what Ben Smith is reporting, yesterday morning:
Andrea Mitchell reported this evening that Obama is considering Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State, something that’s been buzzed about as a possibility for a few days.
I haven’t been able to confirm it, and neither Obama nor Clinton camps would comment, though NBC apparently has confirmation that she went to Chicago today.
One interesting item: Clinton aides are not knocking the report down, which they might.
Since Ben wrote that, apparently, there are confirmations are coming from a number of sources, including the Washington Post:
There’s increasing chatter in [...]
by Art Smith
About a two and a half years ago we started this blog with a vague idea of what we wanted to accomplish. That first post was pretty much just a "hello", with a short commentary on me. It took four months for me to write a second post, and a year after that for the third one. From that point on our vision for The Conservative Reader began to take form and about a year ago we began writing in earnest.
Since January 1 2008, we have provided one or more pieces of commentary on politics, government and business (okay, an occasional cutover to sports) every single day. As the Presidential Election took shape we pretty much got wrapped up into the whole political cycle and almost exclusively commented on current events, especially the election.
Now it's time to get back to what we came here for. Our mission [...]
by Art Smith
The Supreme Court (Winter v. Natural Resources Defense Council) voted 5-4 to rescind bans on sonar use in training exercises off the California coast. Those bans were implemented by lower federal courts. The ruling states that the lower courts exceeded their authority in those actions.
The bans were in place presumably to protect sea life from the negative effects of sonar use... effects that have been researched by organizations like the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC). I can not speak directly to the integrity of the research, but it seems the concerns bear consideration. Perhaps not a knee-jerk response, since sonar has been in regular use for decades now, but enough careful consideration that if sea life is truly being impacted, specifically by excessive noise (and sonar is not the only source of noise that is produced by human activities in the ocean), then we can look at appropriate legal imperatives to provide adequate protection without hog-tying the Navy from being adequately prepared for real battles.
The Court was not, in this case, judging [...]
by Art Smith
Thank goodness we have today, Veterans Day, to remind us of the sacrifice given by so many millions of men and women over the past 233 years (really more, when you think about it). The day today is specifically designated for those that are living, but their sacrifice is no less than those who have died in action (factoid: November 11 was designated due it being the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice of World War I in 1918) .
Although it should not be constrained to this day, we all know someone, who has served our country as a member of the military. Find as many of those people as possible and thank them. You don't have to overdo it... just a simple thank you is enough. So many of these folks walk through life having given everything they can, putting their lives on the line and on hold, making a mess of their family, so that you and I can can live in a country where we don't have to worry about losing our freedoms. Serving is a sacrifice, and family members of those serving share in that sacrifice.
Most of us live with little of a care in life, our biggest challenge [...]
by Art Smith
When James Madison and friends put together the Constitution, one of the key things they endeavoured to do was ensure that the Chief Administrator (President) did not have the power of a king. After all, we had just fought our tails off for the right to not have to be subjugated by King George, and as such provide sovereignty to the people and not the President.
I say this in preparation for something that Valerie Jarrett, co-chair of Obama's transition team, said on Meet The Press yesterday:
"Given the daunting challenges that we face, it is important that President-elect Obama's prepared to really take power and begin to rule day one."
DavidL at BitsBlog takes this at face value, which is not in the least unfair. He characterizes this [...]
by Art Smith
Conservatives have lost our political credibility. We have totally squandered opportunity after opportunity over the years because self-interest and ambition have eroded the integrity of Conservative politicians along with Liberal ones. And blind political stupidity in the Republican Party created a mess of alienated constituencies, including African Americans. P.J. O'Rourke wrote in The Weekly Standard (aptly titled "We Blew It"):
An entire generation has been born, grown up, and had families of its own since Ronald Reagan was elected. And where is the world we promised these children of the Conservative Age? Where is this land of freedom and responsibility, knowledge, opportunity, accomplishment, honor, truth, trust, and one boring hour each week spent in itchy clothes at church, synagogue, or mosque? It lies in ruins at our feet, as well it might, since we ourselves kicked the shining city upon a hill into dust and rubble.
O'Rourke goes on to[...]
We are thinking heavily here about how to present a systematic approach to understanding what we call "Conservatism". Just this week, a fellow Iowa blogger Albert Bregar penned his thoughts at Red County Polk County and Iowa Defense Alliance.
Albert provides an excellent start with a view to how many of us think about defining the way conservatives see the world today (okay, such a view would include "Ronald Reagan came back for more"). We will certainly start looking around blogdom and start collecting a list of such statements as "Smaller Government" and build them into a resource.
But in stating the conservative view of today's world, we do limit ourselves to more of a statement of "how does conservative thinking apply to today's issues". What I hope we may eventually find is more of a basis for conservative thought. It's great to say [...]
