Like the federal government and much of the rest of the country, Wisconsin is broke. As such, Governor Scott Walker has courageously asked public employees to make a 5.8% contribution to their pensions, which is roughly equal to the national average. He’s also asked them to pay 12.6% of their health insurance costs, which is about half the national average. These are hardly unreasonable requests considering that most Americans are paying much more out of their own pockets. At a time when most Americans are tightening their family budgets these unions expect a free ride when it comes to health care and retirement savings. Governor Walker stands in stark contrast to Barack Obama who has passed up every opportunity to cut the deficit and…
Archive for the ‘American Culture’ Category
It’s Not Messaging, It’s Ideology
This is a center-right country and that was proven once again yesterday. Yesterday’s elections were a repudiation of liberalism and progressivism. It’s not a matter of “messaging,” as Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill said last night. It’s not that they didn’t sell cap and trade, or Obamacare to the American people–it’s that people simple don’t agree with these big government policies. Most people want to live their lives and don’t want big government intrusion. They want to keep more of their own money, take care of their families, and pursue happiness. That’s simply a fact.
Republicans got their clocks cleaned in 2006 and 2008 because they perused big government policies. They strayed from their conservative principles. Remember, Obama did not run…
The Passing of Two Yankees Legends
A terrific piece from the NRO’s Daniel Foster on the passing of George Steinbrenner and Bob Sheppard, the legendary voice of the New York Yankees from 1951 – 2007.
It has been a tough week for the Yankee faithful. First, legendary Stadium announcer Bob “the Voice of God” Sheppard passed over the weekend (I’ll always remember his wonderful palindromes: ”Now batting, numbah 2, the shortstop, Derek Jee-tuh, the shortstop, numbah 2, now batting.”). And now the news that The Boss, George Steinbrenner, has died at age 80.
That’s exactly how Sheppard used to introduce the players. Here’s a great tribute. I went to my first Yankee game in 1989. I can’t say that I remember his voice that very first game;…
Steele’s Failed Critique Highlights Division Among Conservatives on War Strategy
In 2006, I was really pulling for Michael Steele in his battle to win a U.S. Senate seat in Maryland. Unfortunately, Ben Cardin won and Steele wound up running the Republican National Committee. Steele’s odd remarks about the war in Afghanistan have led to a growing number of calls for his resignation among prominent conservatives. The war in Afghanistan was definitely not a war of President Barack Obama’s choosing, as Steele suggested in his remarks at a Connecticut fundraiser. This factual inaccuracy made the rest of Steele’s comments seem off-the-wall, but it appears as though he was trying to challenge the president’s strategy for prosecuting the war. He just failed miserably:
Well if he’s such a…
Happy Indendence Day – Get a Free Pocket-Sized Declaration of Independence & Constitution
Happy Independence Day to all! Thank you to all the military men and women who have fought to secure our freedom. It is my sincere hope that our friends in Congress and the White House will take time to reacquaint themselves with this very important document. I think that every public servant ought to carry a copy of the Declaration of Independence and Constitution. Too many have long forgotten the history of this nation’s founding and simply do not understand the principles of limited government and individual liberty articulated in the Declaration of Independence. Thankfully, you can get a FREE, pocket-sized edition of these two documents from the good people at The Heritage Foundation.
You can find Thomas Jefferson’s immortal words below:
When…
National Review Institute (NRI) Washington Fellows
Recently, I found out that I was accepted into the National Review Institute’s Washington Fellows Program–a year-long program dedicated to the study of the history of the modern conservative movement. It is truly humbling to be affiliated with the Institute that William F. Buckley, Jr. founded in 1991 to advance conservatism in the United States. For a conservative such as myself, it’s tantamount to being knighted (or at least that’s how I view it). There are a total of 25 Fellows in the 2010 class and it’s an honor to be listed among such a talented and distinguished group of conservative thinkers. You can learn about the 2010 Washington Fellows here.
Red Dawn Remake with People’s Liberation Army!
So it looks like the classic 1984 war film Red Dawn, starring Patrick Swayzee and Charlie Sheen, is being remade. This time, though, the Chinese will be the invaders. If you haven’t seen the original, you should definitely check it out. Red Dawn was listed as #15 on National Review Online’s list of the Best Conservative Movies.
I’m really fired up for this film. While I’ll miss Swayzee and Sheen, I have high hopes for Connor Cruise, Tom Cruise’s son. More specifically, though, I’m glad that China’s growing military power is starting to get some attention in the popular media. Defense analysts and a handful of policymakers have been watching China’s…