http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/victordavishanson/ en-us Thu, 24 Dec 2009 12:32:10 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2414389/posts The Origins of ObamismI do not think it will be easy to delay Obamism. It is not just that both houses of Congress are under liberal leadership with ample majorities, with a White House and captive media egging them on. The problem is that now the entire engine of the federal government is harnessed in the most unapologetic way to pushing through a far left agenda. There is no shame, no hesitancy in using the full powers of the state.How does that work out? Without qualification (remember we are in a new age of transparency and ethical reform) votes are... pajamasmedia.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2414389/posts#comment Thu, 24 Dec 2009 12:32:10 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2414383/posts Why attack the productive classes who want to be rich? There is class warfare going on in this country — but it’s not against the established rich. It’s against those who are trying to become wealthy. President Obama has declared that those who make over $200,000 will pay higher income taxes. Caps on payroll taxes are supposed to come off as well for the upper class. Envisioned estate taxes will take 45 percent of individual inheritances valued over $3.5 million. Many states have also hiked their income taxes on the upper brackets. Again, most of those targeted are not... NRO http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2414383/posts#comment Thu, 24 Dec 2009 12:12:20 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2413941/posts I know Bush had his own list of catastrophes; other Presidents did as well. Again, my point is not trying to adjudicate relative culpability, but rather just to remind us all how and why Obama dived over 20 points in the polls in just 11 months—and his speeches transformed from inspirational to caricatures. In short, taken together, after nearly a year, these fissures have nearly ruined the once pretty texture of the Obama administration, and almost rendered it incapable of effective governance. Here is a random selection. I provide no chronology or theme. Nor do I judge the relative importance... private papers http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2413941/posts#comment Wed, 23 Dec 2009 19:24:35 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2412227/posts The Great Debate Oddly Is Not OverWe are still in a great public debate between capitalism and socialism, and individual freedom versus statism — odd since hundreds of millions worldwide have escaped poverty the last 30 years due to the spread of Western-inspired free markets.Many choose sides in the debate based on their own predicaments. Sometimes the more independent and secure who have thrived under capitalism promote it, the more dependent who have not - detest it.At other times the realist mind is opposed to the idealist.  And we can also envision the split as an age-old dichotomy between the... pajamasmedia.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2412227/posts#comment Mon, 21 Dec 2009 15:22:09 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2412210/posts President Obama has given a number of major speeches touching on world affairs since he announced his bid for the presidency. All have invoked historical examples — usually for moral purposes, but often at the expense of both literal and figurative truth. THE VICTORY COLUMN SPEECH1) Candidate Barack Obama had supposedly made a presumptuous request to speak at the Berlin Wall and been denied (the Germans might later have regretted that turndown, since a year later Obama, tit-for-tat, declined an invitation to speak there on the 20th anniversary of the wall’s fall), and so he chose the Victory Column as... NRO http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2412210/posts#comment Mon, 21 Dec 2009 14:54:26 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2409902/posts December 17, 2009, 0:00 a.m. Our Flip-Flopping Wars Iraq was never lost and Afghanistan was never quite the easy good war. By Victor Davis Hanson We don’t hear all that much about Iraq these days, do we? The war at one point almost tore apart this country. Public anger sent George W. Bush’s approval ratings plummeting. And the outrage over our losses helped elect vocal anti–Iraq War candidate Barack Obama. But Iraq is hardly in the news anymore. That seems odd, given there are still 120,000 American troops stationed there. So, why the silence? In short, Americans are not... National Review Online http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2409902/posts#comment Thu, 17 Dec 2009 22:13:30 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2410181/posts Frontpage Interview’s guest today is Victor Davis Hanson, a classicist and historian at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution. FP: Victor Hanson, welcome to Frontpage Interview. Hanson: Glad to be here again. FP: Sarah Palin is, clearly, carving out a national presence right now. It’s not just the appeal of her book, but also her outspokenness on the Copenhagen conference and other issues. What do you think she might be up to? And what is she tapping into? What are her possibilities? Hanson: I think she taps into a current of populist unhappiness in the country with Washington insiders, Big Money, and... frontpagemag.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2410181/posts#comment Fri, 18 Dec 2009 05:30:38 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2405582/posts No one in the Obama throng has ever believed much in the Roman concept of a “wheel of fortune” — rota fortunae — so often alluded to by the likes of Cicero and Boethius. But that metaphor for changeable fortune reminds us that at times we all enjoy inexplicable good luck — and therefore must brace for the moment when the wheel turns, and inevitable adversity follows. Of course, the downturn is always worse for those who were flippant on the upturn — or so medieval moralists reminded haughty royalty. All cultures are aware of the fickleness of fortune —... NRO http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2405582/posts#comment Fri, 11 Dec 2009 18:53:18 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2404955/posts I know Bush had his own list of catastrophes; other Presidents did as well. Again, my point is not trying to adjudicate relative culpability, but rather just to remind us all how and why Obama dived over 20 points in the polls in just 11 months—and his speeches transformed from inspirational to caricatures. In short, taken together, after nearly a year, these fissures have nearly ruined the once pretty texture of the Obama administration, and almost rendered it incapable of effective governance. Here is a random selection. I provide no chronology or theme. Nor do I judge the relative importance... Pajamas Media http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2404955/posts#comment Thu, 10 Dec 2009 23:19:01 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2404850/posts December 10, 2009, 0:00 a.m. Has War Really Changed?War always involves “a military solution.” By Victor Davis Hanson Has war been reinvented in Iraq and Afghanistan? Sometimes it seems so, with the confusion that has come with the instant communication offered by the Internet, YouTube, and satellite television — along with the new arts of precision destruction via high-tech weapons like drones and GPS-guided weapons. In Afghanistan and Iraq, soldiers don’t quite disappear into distant theaters abroad. Instead, they can e-mail or call their spouses from halfway across the world — often minutes before and after battle. A phony... National Review Online http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2404850/posts#comment Thu, 10 Dec 2009 20:58:12 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2402268/posts “VDH” are three letters that may appear random to the general public, but for conservatives they have definite meaning. They signify the person of Dr. Victor Davis Hanson. The scholar, professor, and political pundit is especially well known to readers of Pajamas Media. His blog consistently enriches the homepage and enlightens friend and foe. Dr. Hanson’s latest book, How the Obama Administration Threatens Our National Security, illustrates the peril that America’s leftist, superficial commander-in-chief has produced. Both President Obama’s ignorance and ideology now endanger the nation’s autonomy along with the world’s peace. BC: Dr. Hanson, first off, let me ask:... Pajamas Media http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2402268/posts#comment Mon, 7 Dec 2009 20:22:03 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2400679/posts Iran just announced a radical expansion of its uranium-enrichment facilities. The news followed the recent disclosure of the country's previously secret nuclear facility near the city of Qom — and came just two days after the International Atomic Energy Agency's censure of Iran for its failure to halt enrichment. In other words, instead of complying with international requests to stand down, Iran has decided to step up efforts to enrich uranium, which, despite the government's denial, is all but certainly intended for a bomb. First, remember, Iran does not need nuclear power for electrical generation. It has the world's second-largest... Investors.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2400679/posts#comment Sat, 5 Dec 2009 01:55:01 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2400262/posts After ten months of dissing his predecessor, embracing our enemies, and abandoning our allies, it’s time for Obama to make another fresh start Obama wanted to set our diplomacy on a new track. And that’s just what he has done.      After ten months of “Bush did it” diplomacy, the Obama administration needs to reset its reset button.  EUROPEOn substantial issues, relations with Europe have not improved. The governments in France, Germany, Italy, and, soon, Great Britain are conservative, and increasingly skeptical of Obama’s diplomacy. Germany bowed out on further stimulus. Sarkozy lectured us about utopian rhetoric without action on Iran’s... NRO http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2400262/posts#comment Fri, 4 Dec 2009 16:26:06 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2399356/posts Iran just announced a radical expansion of its uranium-enrichment facilities. The news followed the recent disclosure of the country’s previously secret nuclear facility near the city of Qom — and came just two days after the International Atomic Energy Agency’s censure of Iran for its failure to halt enrichment. In other words, instead of complying with international requests to stand down, Iran has decided to step up efforts to enrich uranium, which, despite the government’s denial, is all but certainly intended for a bomb. First, remember, Iran does not need nuclear power for electrical generation. It has the world’s second-largest... National Review http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2399356/posts#comment Thu, 3 Dec 2009 15:42:55 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2398382/posts That was such a strange speech. Deploring partisanship while serially trashing Bush at each new talking point. Sending more troops, but talking more about when they will come home rather than what they will do to the enemy. There was nothing much new in the speech, yet apparently it took the president months to decide whether even to give it. Ostensibly the talk was to be on Afghanistan; instead, the second half mostly consisted of the usual hope-and-change platitudes. Still, the president, to his credit, is trying to give the best picture of the Afghanistan war. Obama started well in his... NRO Corner http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2398382/posts#comment Wed, 2 Dec 2009 13:58:23 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2397162/posts So, fellow critics of Obama, what would we do instead? It is easy to harp, as Obama did in 2007-8, but hard to govern, as Obama learned in 2009. So for all the criticism, let us put up some sample proposals of our own. Ok, try the following. 1. Pay as you go, balanced budget—whatever you wish to call a return to fiscal sanity. Conservatives need to stop talking about tolerable deficits in terms of GDP; and liberals should cease the charade that trillion-plus annual borrowing is great stimulus. The psychological effect on the American people of paying down the... Pajamas Media http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2397162/posts#comment Mon, 30 Nov 2009 22:22:53 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2397062/posts So, fellow critics of Obama, what would we do instead? It is easy to harp, as Obama did in 2007-8, but hard to govern, as Obama learned in 2009. So for all the criticism, let us put up some sample proposals of our own.    Ok, try the following.1. Pay as you go, balanced budget—whatever you wish to call a return to fiscal sanity. Conservatives need to stop talking about tolerable deficits in terms of GDP; and liberals should cease the charade that trillion-plus annual borrowing is great stimulus.The psychological effect on the American people of paying down the debt through... pajamasmedia.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2397062/posts#comment Mon, 30 Nov 2009 19:42:09 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2397052/posts …is what America has done since 1941. Obama wants to get off. Fine. Many of our countrymen are tired of the ride. But what makes him think that on the ground with the gnashing beast is any safer than on his back?What Causes Wars?I do not mean here the existential reasons for strife, brought about through pride, status, envy, honor—or even the supposed desire for riches and natural resources. But rather, less grandly, what allows those aggressions to devolve into legalize murder on a vast scale?I ask that question, because I am not sure our President or his advisors have... pajamasmedia.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2397052/posts#comment Mon, 30 Nov 2009 19:26:13 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2396646/posts It’s safe to say the folks who think Army Maj. Nidal M. Hasan is a victim of post traumatic stress disorder, not a terrorist with a laundry list of ties to radicalism, won’t be tickled to see “Kalifornistan.” The new film, an unabashed assault on Islamic extremists, comes from conservative filmmaker Jason Apuzzo. The movie fuses film, video, documentary and surveillance footage to follow a terrorist planning to wipe Los Angeles off the map. He’s too extreme even for Al Qaeda, but that might not stop him from carrying out his plans. He somehow finds time to stalk an exotic... Human Events http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2396646/posts#comment Mon, 30 Nov 2009 04:26:44 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2396304/posts When it comes to the problems facing this country, an old slogan comes to mind: “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet.” High unemployment, the recession, and a terrorist resurgence in Afghanistan are bad enough. But there are a number of problems on the horizon that could dwarf President Obama’s first-year trials. Why the pessimism? In short, we are doing nothing to prepare for the crises to come. A global recession has led to low oil prices. Yet in this window of opportunity, America has not decreased its foreign-oil dependence. We are not encouraging domestic exploration. And we are still ambivalent on... national review http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2396304/posts#comment Sun, 29 Nov 2009 15:19:52 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2395871/posts It's going to get worse before it gets better.When it comes to the problems facing this country, an old slogan comes to mind: "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet." High unemployment, the recession and a terrorist resurgence in Afghanistan are bad enough. Why the pessimism? In short, we are doing nothing to prepare for the crises to come. But as the world economy recovers, oil will probably surge back over $100 a barrel, increasing our oil import tab by 25 percent or more. The Obama administration, though, mostly is obsessed with subsidizing relatively small amounts of wind and solar power. It... Washington Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2395871/posts#comment Sat, 28 Nov 2009 16:43:07 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2395420/posts When it comes to the problems facing this country, an old slogan comes to mind: “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet.” High unemployment, the recession, and a terrorist resurgence in Afghanistan are bad enough. But there are a number of problems on the horizon that could dwarf President Obama’s first-year trials. Why the pessimism? In short, we are doing nothing to prepare for the crises to come. A global recession has led to low oil prices. Yet in this window of opportunity, America has not decreased its foreign-oil dependence. We are not encouraging domestic exploration. And we are still ambivalent on... National Review http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2395420/posts#comment Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:32:08 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2395318/posts When it comes to the problems facing this country, an old slogan comes to mind: “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet.” High unemployment, the recession, and a terrorist resurgence in Afghanistan are bad enough. But there are a number of problems on the horizon that could dwarf President Obama’s first-year trials. Why the pessimism? In short, we are doing nothing to prepare for the crises to come. A global recession has led to low oil prices. Yet in this window of opportunity, America has not decreased its foreign-oil dependence. We are not encouraging domestic exploration. And we are still ambivalent on... National Review http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2395318/posts#comment Fri, 27 Nov 2009 12:56:19 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2395017/posts November 26, 2009, 0:00 a.m. We AinÂ’t Seen Nothing YetIf you think things have been rough so far, hang on. By Victor Davis Hanson When it comes to the problems facing this country, an old slogan comes to mind: “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet.” High unemployment, the recession, and a terrorist resurgence in Afghanistan are bad enough. But there are a number of problems on the horizon that could dwarf President Obama’s first-year trials. Why the pessimism? In short, we are doing nothing to prepare for the crises to come. A global recession has led to low oil prices.... National Review Online http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2395017/posts#comment Thu, 26 Nov 2009 17:57:36 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2394963/posts When it comes to the problems facing this country, an old slogan comes to mind: "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet." High unemployment, the recession and a terrorist resurgence in Afghanistan are bad enough. But there are a number of problems on the horizon that could dwarf President Obama's first-year trials. Why the pessimism? In short, we are doing nothing to prepare for the crises to come. A global recession has led to low oil prices. Yet in this window of opportunity, America has not decreased its foreign-oil dependence. We are not encouraging domestic exploration. And we are still ambivalent on... Real Clear Politics http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2394963/posts#comment Thu, 26 Nov 2009 16:27:50 GMT