Entries from December 2009 ↓

Rand Paul Filing Speech

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By Doug Bandow

Dan Mitchell of the Cato Institute reminds us how big government inevitably corrupts everything around it:

Since Senators engaged in open extortion and bribery to enact Reid's government-run health care plan, it is hardly newsworthy that Washington is riddled with corruption. But the magnitude of sleaze is probably far greater than most people realize. There is a new study from a couple of academics at the University of Michigan, who found significant relationships between lobbying and bailout money, as well as a greater chance of getting bailouts depending on a bank's ties with either the Federal Reserve or key members of Congress. Hopefully, people across America will draw the obvious conclusion and realize that big government is inherently corrupting, as discussed in this video.

 

The only solution is to shrink government--regulation, spending, and taxes.

By Jesse Benton

Dr. Rand Paul filed his paperwork for Kentucky Senate yesterday, and is leading in fundraising and the polls. He's getting a ton of coverage too. Check some out here.

1. Ron Paul

By DAVID WEIGEL | Washington Independent
12/31/09

Two years ago, many Republicans couldn’t stand him. The longtime congressman from Texas made his quixotic presidential campaign all about the Constitution and the Federal Reserve, seemingly to the exclusion of other issues, and for his trouble he was excluded from some of the debates. Reporters, hungry for soundbites and attack lines, and interested more in who would win the nomination than what the candidates thought, found him tiresome — at the very first GOP debate in 2007, Chris Matthews muttered “Oh, God” when Paul started talking about “original intent.” He raised $35 million and won 1.2 million primary and caucus votes, but when 2008 ended, his slogan sounded extreme. The “Ron Paul Revolution”? What did that word have to do with modern American politics?
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By Doug Bandow

Although the president enjoyed an upsurge in support for his Afghanistan policy after his speech, Americans again are growing more pessimistic about his plan to escalate the war.  According to Rasmussen Reports:

Following President Obama's speech outlining his new strategy, there was a bounce in optimism about the war in Afghanistan. But the bounce has ended and confidence has fallen again. Confidence has also fallen in the broader War on Terror.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 21% of U.S. voters now think the situation in Afghanistan will get better over the next six months. That's down 13 points from the survey immediately following the president's speech.

Prior to that, voter confidence that things will get better in Afghanistan ranged from a low of 13% in October to a high of 29% in late June.

Forty-five percent (45%) now believe the situation in Afghanistan will worsen in the next six months, up six points from early December. Still, that's a modest improvement when compared to attitudes captured from August until the President's speech.

Following the president's speech announcing his two-pronged strategy for the war, 53% supported his plan to send another 30,000 troops to Afghanistan, and nearly as many (47%) liked his plan to begin withdrawing troops in 18 months. Put the two together, however, and 37% supported the overall plan, while 38% opposed it. 

Who can blame the American people for doubting the war?  Unfortunately, a tough, realistic appraisal of the chances of creating an honest, representative, and effective government in Kabul is unlikely to yield anything but pessimism.  Instead of escalating the war, the president should be developing a program for withdrawal.

Doug Bandow, American Conservative Defense Alliance