Unbelievable. The U.S. Senate has voted down the Cornyn amendment to bar terrorists and gang members from immigration amnesty. Story here.
26/05: Reading for Memorial Day
Category: American History and Politics
Posted by: an okie gardener
John McCain has a list of books for Memorial Day reading at OpinionJournal.
As George Bush's popularity ratings plummet, I am reminded that in a democracy sometimes strong leadership is necessary to save the people from themselves.
For reasons that I will explain later, I recently read Ronald Reagan and the Triumph of American Conservatism, 2nd edition, by Jules Tygiel, edited by Mark C. Carnes for the LIBRARY OF AMERICAN BIOGRAPHY series, Pearson Longman, 2006.
The following passage struck me.
Detailing Reagan's woes during his first two years in office, Tygiel wrote:
Meanwhile, a grass roots Nuclear Freeze Movement, calling for an end to the testing, production, and deployment of nuclear weapons, had taken shape in Europe and the United States. Despite Reagan warnings that a freeze posed a threat to national security, 70 percent of Americans supported the concept.
For the Record: Tygiel omits "unilateral" in his description of the Nuclear Freeze Movement. Remember, the movement asked that the Americans shut down a crucial element of our nuclear deterrent on the assumption that this sign of good faith would convince the Soviets that we meant them no harm and they would, in turn, reciprocate with love and good will.
70 Percent? I am not clear how Tygiel obtained that particular number; it sounds high, but I imagine that there was actually some poll on some day from some organization during the height of the frenzy that reflected that sentiment.
Regardless, it is a fact that the vast majority of Democratic politicians back in the early 1980s, sensing (expecting, hoping for) a popular wave of skepticism toward Reagan's hawkish posture, embraced the movement as a cudgel with which to beat the administration. Morton Kondracke (and other pundits) have offered this analogy already, warning Democrats not to repeat the "nuclear freeze" mistake: "Democrats vied with each other to claim first authorship of the...idea...which was utterly discredited when then-President Ronald Reagan succeeded in winning a Soviet stand-down..." ( the Kondracke piece in its entirety here).
My real point: Perhaps as much as 70 percent of America, in a frenzy of confusion, partisanship and unfriendly media coverage, were willing to throw in the towel on the Cold War, after 35 years of effort, even as we were literally on the verge of one of the most magnificently noble victories in the history of our nation.
Tygiel again: Yet, Reagan, ever the optimist, seemed unfazed. He retained faith in what, to many people, increasingly seemed yet another failed presidency. All will turn out well, he urged Americans, if we simply "stay the course."
The lesson: 28-percent approval be damned. Do the right thing!
We are told that the President takes great solace in the experiences of Harry Truman and Abraham Lincoln. Add Reagan to your list, Mr. President.
Housekeeping note: I am working on a longer review (for this blog) of the brief Reagan biography, as a way of addressing a few of the broader questions and contradictions concerning Reagan, the press and the academy.
For reasons that I will explain later, I recently read Ronald Reagan and the Triumph of American Conservatism, 2nd edition, by Jules Tygiel, edited by Mark C. Carnes for the LIBRARY OF AMERICAN BIOGRAPHY series, Pearson Longman, 2006.
The following passage struck me.
Detailing Reagan's woes during his first two years in office, Tygiel wrote:
Meanwhile, a grass roots Nuclear Freeze Movement, calling for an end to the testing, production, and deployment of nuclear weapons, had taken shape in Europe and the United States. Despite Reagan warnings that a freeze posed a threat to national security, 70 percent of Americans supported the concept.
For the Record: Tygiel omits "unilateral" in his description of the Nuclear Freeze Movement. Remember, the movement asked that the Americans shut down a crucial element of our nuclear deterrent on the assumption that this sign of good faith would convince the Soviets that we meant them no harm and they would, in turn, reciprocate with love and good will.
70 Percent? I am not clear how Tygiel obtained that particular number; it sounds high, but I imagine that there was actually some poll on some day from some organization during the height of the frenzy that reflected that sentiment.
Regardless, it is a fact that the vast majority of Democratic politicians back in the early 1980s, sensing (expecting, hoping for) a popular wave of skepticism toward Reagan's hawkish posture, embraced the movement as a cudgel with which to beat the administration. Morton Kondracke (and other pundits) have offered this analogy already, warning Democrats not to repeat the "nuclear freeze" mistake: "Democrats vied with each other to claim first authorship of the...idea...which was utterly discredited when then-President Ronald Reagan succeeded in winning a Soviet stand-down..." ( the Kondracke piece in its entirety here).
My real point: Perhaps as much as 70 percent of America, in a frenzy of confusion, partisanship and unfriendly media coverage, were willing to throw in the towel on the Cold War, after 35 years of effort, even as we were literally on the verge of one of the most magnificently noble victories in the history of our nation.
Tygiel again: Yet, Reagan, ever the optimist, seemed unfazed. He retained faith in what, to many people, increasingly seemed yet another failed presidency. All will turn out well, he urged Americans, if we simply "stay the course."
The lesson: 28-percent approval be damned. Do the right thing!
We are told that the President takes great solace in the experiences of Harry Truman and Abraham Lincoln. Add Reagan to your list, Mr. President.
Housekeeping note: I am working on a longer review (for this blog) of the brief Reagan biography, as a way of addressing a few of the broader questions and contradictions concerning Reagan, the press and the academy.
03/05: National Day of Prayer
Category: American History and Politics
Posted by: an okie gardener
Today is the National Day of Prayer. Groups all over this nation have and will gather to offer prayers for our nation. In out town we had a prayer breakfast this morning in a church basement, and will have a prayer gathering in a park at noon.
Lot's of claims will be made today that America is (or was) a Christian nation. My own view (brag alert, informed by PhD studies and scholarship) is that the situation is complicated. Was America founded as a Christian Nation? To answer with a simple yes, or a simple no, is to be wrong, I think.
Lot's of claims will be made today that America is (or was) a Christian nation. My own view (brag alert, informed by PhD studies and scholarship) is that the situation is complicated. Was America founded as a Christian Nation? To answer with a simple yes, or a simple no, is to be wrong, I think.
Peggy Noonan's March 23 column takes TIME Magazine to task for its already infamous recent cover, which depicted a digitally altered Ronald Reagan crying over the current state of the Republican Party: "Could I be correct that they only front-page weeping Republicans, and only laud conservatives when they're dead?" (read the whole Noonan column here).
She is right, of course. The cover struck me as thoughtlessly indelicate, at best, if not cruelly disrespectful. Notwithstanding, I agree with Noonan that Karen Tumulty's article is actually a "good piece" in that it poses a relevant question: What has happened to the party of Ronald Reagan? The query legitimately arises from the current Republican confusion.
In a nutshell: What now?
Authenticity, integrity and a healthy respect for the traditions that always right our collective course in tumultuous times.
She is right, of course. The cover struck me as thoughtlessly indelicate, at best, if not cruelly disrespectful. Notwithstanding, I agree with Noonan that Karen Tumulty's article is actually a "good piece" in that it poses a relevant question: What has happened to the party of Ronald Reagan? The query legitimately arises from the current Republican confusion.
In a nutshell: What now?
Authenticity, integrity and a healthy respect for the traditions that always right our collective course in tumultuous times.
05/03: Thomas Eagleton, R.I.P.
Category: American History and Politics
Posted by: an okie gardener
Newsmax has this article on the career and death of former Missouri Senator Thomas Eagleton.
Nationally, Eagleton probably is best known as George McGovern's first vice-president candidate, dropped after Eagleton's struggles with depression were revealed.
I am a Missouri boy, born and raised. For years Eagleton was one of my U.S. senators. While I often disagreed with his politics--he was a liberal Democrat--I could respect him as a man. I think he believed what he said and acted from the principles he believed in.
A portion from the Newsmax article:
Eagleton was considered liberal, but he criticized busing to achieve school desegregation and, as a practicing Roman Catholic, strongly opposed abortion.
I am not sure there would be a place for him in today's Democrat Party.
Rest in peace Tom.
Nationally, Eagleton probably is best known as George McGovern's first vice-president candidate, dropped after Eagleton's struggles with depression were revealed.
I am a Missouri boy, born and raised. For years Eagleton was one of my U.S. senators. While I often disagreed with his politics--he was a liberal Democrat--I could respect him as a man. I think he believed what he said and acted from the principles he believed in.
A portion from the Newsmax article:
Eagleton was considered liberal, but he criticized busing to achieve school desegregation and, as a practicing Roman Catholic, strongly opposed abortion.
I am not sure there would be a place for him in today's Democrat Party.
Rest in peace Tom.
Category: American History and Politics
Posted by: an okie gardener
The legal challenge to the Bush administration's Faith-Based Initiative has made it to the U.S. Supreme Court, which should hear arguments this week.
Some information:
The AP story on the lawsuit. From FindLaw.
Website of the Freedom From Religion Foundation which has brought the action. "FFRF, Inc., is the nation's largest association of atheists and agnostics, working since 1978 to promote freethought and to keep state and church separate. "
FFRF information on the court case here.
The case is Hein v. Freedom from Religion Foundation, here is information and links from FindLaw.
Here is docket information from the U.S. Supreme Court site.
Some information:
The AP story on the lawsuit. From FindLaw.
Website of the Freedom From Religion Foundation which has brought the action. "FFRF, Inc., is the nation's largest association of atheists and agnostics, working since 1978 to promote freethought and to keep state and church separate. "
FFRF information on the court case here.
The case is Hein v. Freedom from Religion Foundation, here is information and links from FindLaw.
Here is docket information from the U.S. Supreme Court site.
24/02: Remember the Alamo
Category: American History and Politics
Posted by: an okie gardener
Yesterday was the anniversary of the beginning of the siege of the Alamo in 1836. (I was reminded of this when listening to a Texas AM radio station yesterday.) Alamo website here.
Losing a battle does not mean losing a war. Today's invincible host can become tomorrow's defeated army. Good lesson to remember in 2007.
If you've not seen it, I recommend the movie The Alamo (2004 with Dennis Quaid and Billy Bob Thornton). Good movie, basically accurate, and in a just world Billy Bob would have won an Oscar.
Losing a battle does not mean losing a war. Today's invincible host can become tomorrow's defeated army. Good lesson to remember in 2007.
If you've not seen it, I recommend the movie The Alamo (2004 with Dennis Quaid and Billy Bob Thornton). Good movie, basically accurate, and in a just world Billy Bob would have won an Oscar.
Category: American History and Politics
Posted by: an okie gardener
I'll try to have more to say this weekend, but for now this article from the San Diego Union Tribune.
22/02: Washington's Birthday
Category: American History and Politics
Posted by: an okie gardener
Today is the anniversary of the birth of the Father of Our Country, George Washington. Some links:
Brief biography at the White House site.
Mt. Vernon website.
Washington papers at the University of Virginia.
Washington papers at the Library of Congress.
Rediscovering George Washington at PBS.
Washington Masonic Memorial.
Washington Monument National Park Service site.
Washington in paintings and etchings from The History Place.
Brief biography at the White House site.
Mt. Vernon website.
Washington papers at the University of Virginia.
Washington papers at the Library of Congress.
Rediscovering George Washington at PBS.
Washington Masonic Memorial.
Washington Monument National Park Service site.
Washington in paintings and etchings from The History Place.
