Entries
Diet Not Doctors
In yesterday's New York Times , Michael Pollan hits the nail on the head pointing out the role government subsides for agribusiness play in raising our healthcare costs. The most interesting piece to be written about the President’s speech and health reform can be found in yesterday’s New …GOP Surrenders to Beck’s Mob Rule
Republican senators know the truth about Cass Sunstein - Obama's nominee to head the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. Only 33 Republican senators voted "no" on the cloture vote on his nomination, the vote that mattered. Yet unfortunately they also fear the wild disinformation broadcast …Who is Cass Sunstein?
Broadcaster Glenn Beck has labelled Cass Sunstein “the most dangerous czar out there.” Yet, until Beck spoke out, the only people to think Sunstein dangerous came from the anti-business left. For many conservatives, however, Sunstein is one of the most respected legal scholars in the country. …Remembering 9/11
Army Major Thane J. Thompson was in the reserves, working for Morgan Stanley on the 61st floor of WTC Tower II, at the time of the 9/11 attacks. A Green Beret Medic, he went on to serve in the first wave of the invasion of Iraq. Thane has since completed a second tour in Iraq and continues on …Immigration and Health Insurance
If the U.S. had received less immigration over the past two decades - or if that immigration had been more highly skilled and better qualified - than today's healthcare problem would be smaller, easier, and cheaper to solve. The coverage of illegal immigrants is a side issue and red herring in the …The One Issue Presidency
By diverting all of his attention to the health bill, Obama may find that he does not have political capital left over to convince the American public to sustain a commitment in Afghanistan or push Congress to cut the deficit. In his speech to a joint session of Congress last night, President …College Republicans?
Andrew Sullivan posts a letter from a reader with some disobliging things to say about the GOP in light of Rep. Wilson's antics last night. Conservatives and Republicans have retorted that Democrats have done as bad or worse in the past. But this kind of back and forth is unproductive. Andrew …Remembering 9/11: "This is How I'm Going to Die"
We raced north and a thick cloud of dust chased us. The cloud boiled with debris... As the dark, thick cloud rolled through the streets it engulfed people as they ran to escape. Army Major Thane J. Thompson was in the reserves, working for Morgan Stanley on the 61st floor of WTC Tower II, at the …
The Speech 3
The president compared the cost of his proposals to the "cost" of the Bush tax cuts. But, the Bush tax cuts were time limited. It was open to a later president who disagreed with them to allow them to expire and reclaim the forgone revenue. When will the Obama health plan expire? The president …The Obvious Question...
...and it's a testament to the continuing reticence of the American media that nobody is asking it: Was Congressman Wilson drunk? ... and it's a testament to the continuing reticence of the American media that nobody is asking it: Was Congressman Wilson drunk?The Speech 2
To illustrate the harmlessness of his public option, the president promised it would add choice in "the same way public colleges and universities" do. Public colleges and universities accommodate more than 80% of America's full and part-time students and collect more than 60% of all tuition …Obama's Speech: That's It?
Obama's speech was amateur hour, plain and simple. Presidents just don’t use their ability to address a joint session of Congress simply to make a political stump speech — it’s utterly unprecedented. Did the President of the United States really just convene a joint session of Congress to announce …The Speech 1
Who was the president's speech for? It ought to have been aimed at America's over 65s, the people most mistrustful of his plans, the people who depend on healthcare most. Yet, the President did nothing to address the larger worry on display at this summer’s town halls. Who was the president's …Utah’s Boom Thanks to Huntsman’s Leadership
Utah has weathered the recent economic storm with far more success than other states, thanks to the wise management of former Governor Huntsman. As an expatriate now living in Washington, D.C., I’m often forced to pit Utah against the home states of my fellow wanderers. My first debating …The New "National Affairs" Journal Reboots Intellectual Conservative Debate
Conservatism, once a governing philosophy, has lost its way this decade. Issues need to be re-thought; solutions must be debated. Yuval Levin's new journal, National Affairs , looks to focus conservatism on ideas once again. Health policy was a major interest of mine when, nearly a decade …Remembering 9/11: "A Muffled Sound Like Distant Thunder"
Army Major Thane J. Thompson was in the reserves, working for Morgan Stanley on the 61st floor of WTC Tower II, at the time of the 9/11 attacks. In this first installment of a three part series, he recalls what it was like to be in the towers at the moment the planes hit. Army Major Thane J. …