Sad but true! I show this to my students in my US history class for the sole reason of pointing out why they should take my class seriously!
Thad Cochran Is No Reagan Conservative
It remains fashionable these days for Republicans to cloak themselves in the legacy of Ronald Reagan, especially those who served in Washington during the 1980s. Thad Cochran and his supporters have already tried to remind the people of Mississippi of his steadfast conservatism. But don’t be fooled. Thad Cochran was no soldier in Reagan’s army. Continue reading “Thad Cochran Is No Reagan Conservative”
Ranking President Kennedy
Was JFK a great President? As the nation marked the 50th anniversary of Jack Kennedy’s tragic assassination, new polling shows that many Americans consider him to be among our very best, ranking higher than any President in the last half century according to the latest Gallup survey. Two years ago, he rated fourth all time, ahead of such Presidents as Washington and Jefferson. But is this accurate?
As a historian, it makes little sense to rank a President who served just over one thousand days in office, rather than a full term or even two. It’s very difficult to judge his more limited accomplishments and what effect they had on the nation and even the world. Continue reading “Ranking President Kennedy”
The Constitution and the Income Tax
Americans love anniversaries and this year marks some pretty remarkable ones, most notably the sesquicentennial of the battle of Gettysburg and the fall of Vicksburg, two events that dealt a crippling blow to the Confederacy in the summer of 1863, and the 50th anniversary of the JFK assassination. But 2013 also marks the centennial of another crucial event, the enactment of the infamous income tax.
Pushed by Liberals for decades in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the income tax was supposed to be the “great leveling,” a policy that would correct the long-festering problem of wealth inequality. However, there was one problem – the Constitution specifically prohibited the government from taxing the American people directly. Continue reading “The Constitution and the Income Tax”
It’s Time for “Rockin’, Sockin’” Politics
Recent political events, particularly with the Senate immigration bill, have only confirmed to me that its long past time we quit playing games and started fighting back against the Left. Richard Nixon coined the phrase in the 1952 presidential race as Ike’s running mate, telling the party it was time for a “rockin, sockin campaign.” Nixon has always been known as a fighter in politics. He fought his opponents and fought them hard. By doing so, he was successful in almost all of his races.
He smashed Jerry Voorhis in his 1946 campaign for Congress and, even though he faced a woman in his 1950 race for the US Senate, he never took his foot off the gas to expose Helen Gahagan Douglas for being a communist sympathizer. “She’s pink right down to her underwear,” Nixon thundered on the stump. And, truth is, she was, which is why John F. Kennedy secretly donated money to Nixon’s campaign, rather than support his fellow Democrat.
Yet Nixon’s one major slipup was in the 1960 presidential election, when he took the advice of a weak-kneed consultant and backed off Kennedy in their famous televised debates, so as not to seem like a bully. It cost him the presidency that year, just as it did for Mitt Romney last November. They played it safe, as did McCain in 2008, and all three met the same fate. Continue reading “It’s Time for “Rockin’, Sockin’” Politics”
The Real Legacy of Gettysburg
This week marks the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, fought on July 1-3, 1863 in a small Pennsylvania town. Celebrations began on Sunday and are scheduled to last all week. Articles and commentary from across the political spectrum will flood the Internet and the airways in praise of those who fell on that hallowed ground in defense of liberty.
Yet the praise will be directed at Union forces. But what about the 28,000 Southern soldiers who died for what they believed in? Did they risk less? Were their ideals any less glorious than those above the Mason Dixon line?
We have come to expect as much from leftwing Northern “scholars,” as well as Southern scalawags. But, painfully, those who call themselves conservatives will take the Union side in the conflict as well. Continue reading “The Real Legacy of Gettysburg”
Happy Birthday to Mr. Jefferson!
On April 13, those of us who love liberty and value the ideals of the American Revolution should reflect on the birthday of Thomas Jefferson, one of our greatest presidents.
After penning the words of the Declaration of Independence, and serving in a variety of public offices, Jefferson stood for election to the presidency in 1800. Americans were more than ready for a change after twelve years of Federalist rule, and as a result, Jefferson’s Republican Party swept into power by taking over both houses of Congress in addition to the Presidency.
Many historians erroneously claim that President Jefferson did not institute much change once he entered the White House. This is wholly untrue. Jefferson made monumental changes during his presidential tenure, beginning with his inaugural ceremony, completely altering the decorum of the presidency. He wore simple clothing and walked to the Capitol rather than arrive in grand style. Today newly inaugurated presidents walk part of the way up Pennsylvania Avenue as a tribute to Jefferson. Continue reading “Happy Birthday to Mr. Jefferson!”
The Problem with Gun Control
“Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws.” So said Plato, some 400 years before the birth of Christ. It is wisdom we should pay close attention to, for it seems that the latest mass shooting in Connecticut will lead to a major federal gun grab.
A new proposal initiated by Senator Dianne Feinstein will be the most wide-ranging gun ban in American history. It will outlaw 120 types of weapons, including some handguns, and will require gun owners to be fingerprinted and their guns registered with the ATF. The feds will also be able to determine who can have guns and who can’t, a “no buy” list similar to the TSA’s “no fly” list. Private gun sales between individuals and a ban on gun shows are also in the works. Continue reading “The Problem with Gun Control”
It’s Time for the States to Strike Back
During his tenure as president, George Washington visited the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. When asked if he would call upon the new chief executive, Governor John Hancock is reputed to have said, “I am the highest ranking public official in the state and he should call on me.” The humble Washington did so.
Today, every time a president visits a state, we are treated to the pathetic scene of the governor and various state and local public officials waiting on the tarmac for the “King” to emerge from his state-of-the-art aircraft. Sadly, the states have willingly become subservient provinces. This is not they way it was intended to be. Continue reading “It’s Time for the States to Strike Back”
Marching with Marx
Last week I wrote a column about living in an emerging authoritarian state. Yet I am certain most readers probably believe I have lost my mind and probably need some meds. But before we go that far, allow me to continue on this path by examining a 165-year-old political pamphlet of remarkable influence. It is, in fact, so significant that it is still widely published today.
In 1848, Karl Marx and Frederick Engels published a short booklet entitled The Communist Manifesto. Within its pages, the authors laid down ten specific goals for the establishment of the ideal state. Amazingly, we are on a path to complete the fulfillment of most of its provisions. Some we have finalized; others we have partially implemented and seem to be racing to accomplish: Continue reading “Marching with Marx”
Ryan S. Walters 