An Ironic Press Conference

by Victor Davis Hanson

NRO’s The Corner

The president did not really answer questions as much as lecture the nation at his press conference Tuesday about how everyone and everything are politicized except his own policies — as the same old themes and tropes always seem to reappear. Continue reading “An Ironic Press Conference”

Corrupt Language Breeds Bad History and Bad Policy

by Bruce S. Thornton

Advancing a Free Society

As the history of communism and fascism both illustrate, modern political tyranny has relied on fabricated history to legitimize its claims and actions, and such history in turn relies on the debasement of language. Continue reading “Corrupt Language Breeds Bad History and Bad Policy”

Imprecise Language Breeds Dangerous Policy

by Bruce S. Thornton

Advancing a Free Society

In his classic essay “Politics and the English Language,” George Orwell identified a “lack of precision” as the besetting sin of politicized writing, either through incompetence or indifference as to whether “words mean anything or not.” Continue reading “Imprecise Language Breeds Dangerous Policy”

The First-Person Presidency

by Victor Davis Hanson

National Review Online

Here are a few excerpts from President Obama’s speech on Sunday night about the killing of Osama bin Laden. Continue reading “The First-Person Presidency”

Patient Obama

by Victor Davis Hanson

PJ Media

Last week the president gave a speech on the deficit [1], rightly trying to convince Americans that it is now beyond unsustainable. Yet his theme was that the Republicans’ attempts to reduce it were cold-hearted, endangering the most vulnerable among us, such as those with Down’s Syndrome, while protecting the proverbial “rich” from commensurate sacrifice. Continue reading “Patient Obama”

Obama’s Mandela Moment

by Victor Davis Hanson

PJ Media

Anatomy of an Obama Moment

In a news-obsessed culture, sometimes the media simply ignores profound stories, such as the cause of the almost inexplicable — and quite brilliantly constructed — recovery of Obama’s poll ratings. Continue reading “Obama’s Mandela Moment”

On Reminding the Politicians Who’s the Boss

by Bruce S. Thornton

RightNetwork.com

The Democrats and their tribunes in the mainstream media weren’t too happy about the House of Representatives reading aloud the Constitution. Continue reading “On Reminding the Politicians Who’s the Boss”

The War Against Palin Goes On and On and . . .

by Victor Davis Hanson

PJ Media

We Are Civil Now

In emulation of Jonathan Chait’s now infamous 2004 New Republic essay, “The Case for Bush Hatred” (“I hate George Bush — there, I said it”), Slate just published an op-ed, “Why I Loathe My Connecticut Senator” by one Emily Bazelon, with a detailed description of why she “despises” and “hates” Sen. Joe Lieberman (again, the same reason as Chait’s Bush hatred: too conservative and too in power). Continue reading “The War Against Palin Goes On and On and . . .”

Making It Up As We Go Along

by Victor Davis Hanson

PJ Media

Being There

Gone is Bush the great Constitution-shredder. Tribunals, renditions, Predators, wiretaps, Iraq, Guantanamo, preventative detention — these are now either embraced or expanded. Iraq (“the surge is not working”) is Obama’s “greatest achievement.” Continue reading “Making It Up As We Go Along”