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Saturday, July 8, 2006
The Week's Excellent Readings


A lemonade stand, "the American recoil from collectivism," some solid economic news, a little guy, Gaza and Israel, Teddy Roosevelt, and more.


Favorites

Sometimes it's the guy who never heard of who pulls off the big win in government. Enter the late Bob Carleson. Robert Weyrich reports.

George Will describes a little-known American war and also tells how, in an important sense, American began in 1623. A key sentence: "So began the American recoil from collectivism." (Long may we recoil!)

Lawrence Kudlow ably summarize the current economic growth and its roots in specific tax cuts.

John McCaslin tells this story, which is excellent no matter who is the President visiting Ohio:

President Bush's motorcade made an unscheduled U-turn and stop - at a lemonade stand - while speeding to the airport after Friday's fund-raiser in Ohio for Republican Sen. Mike DeWine.

After all, how could the president pass by a young girl sporting pink sunglasses and a sign that reads: "Lemonade, 50 cents. Bush Free."

While Bush posed for pictures, a nearby mother couldn't help but shout, "I love you," followed by this response from her son: "I am so embarrassed."

His (?) reader Don Noble offers this standard for voting:

Unless there is overwhelming proof of a politician's fitness to hold the same office again, throw the rascal out. For the last 20 years, I have followed that advice and voted against all incumbent rascals.

Charles Krauthammer explains the logic of continued attacks on Israel from Gaza, long after Israel completely pulled out of Gaza. You'll want to read the whole article, but here's the short answer:

The logic for those continued attacks is to be found in the so-called phase plan adopted in 1974 by the Palestine National Council in Cairo. Realizing that they would never be able to destroy Israel in one fell swoop, the Palestinians adopted a graduated plan to wipe out Israel. First, accept any territory given to them in any part of historic Palestine. Then, use that sanctuary to wage war until Israel is destroyed.

Thomas Sowell explains the left's regard for President Theodore Roosevelt and then showers us with facts.

Ben Stein's weekend is worth reading about.

Islamists Amok

"Honor killings" happen among Muslims in the Western world, too . . . Kathryn Jean Lopez reports.

And Rich Lowry details "honor" killings among non-Muslims in the US, and their implications for policy.

It's Hamas, er, the Palestinians, vs. Israel. Paul Greenberg writes.

Julie Gorin bemoans Muslim exploitation of politically correct sensibilities and increases our Russian vocabulary at the same time.

On or About the Fourth of July

Suzanne Fields hits some high points about our founders.

Immigration

Michael Barone expresses new hope for an immigration bill this session, partly because of Utah Representative Chris Cannon's primary victory last week.

Robert Novak describes details of the Senate's immigration bill which are coming to light in House hearings.

Rich Lowry reports on Israel abandoning illusions -- under duress, to be sure.

The Supremes

Paul Greenberg offers a detailed critique of the Supreme Court's recent fog.

Charles Krauthammer unloads on the US Supreme Court over its recent decision about our captives from the War on Islamic Fascism (my term, not his).

George Will doesn't like the Supreme Court "splitting the difference."

Mark Steyn doesn't like the Court finding in the US Constitution what he calls essentially "a right to jihad."

According to Mark M. Alexander, modern Constitutional interpretation often suffers the same ills as modern Biblical interpretation.

Selective Media

Larry Elder says the economic itself is better than the quality of reporting of economic news.

Jack Kelly compared the military and intelligence secrets the media will tell with the ones they won't.

A Mormon as President?

Cal Thomas wonders if a Mormon can be -- as in, be elected -- president.

Kathryn Jean Lopez analyzes the same question, and suggests it's too soon to say whether a specific Mormon, i.e. Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, can be elected.

The (Dud) Rockets of July

Peter Brookes suggests that North Korea shot itself in the foot with its missiles, not just in the . . . ocean.

William Kristol analyzed the diplomacy of erasable lines, as regards North Korea.

Wesley Pruden probes the international response to this week's North Korean rocket show.

The Culture (War)

Mona Charen reports on another attack in the culture war.

Jonah Goldberg talks about Superman, the Lone Ranger, the US Supreme Court, and cosmopolitanism.

Betsy Hart offers some insights into parenting -- even parenting infatuated 16-year-old girls who run away to the Middle East to meet the 20-year-old lover they have met only on the Internet.

Tom Purcell doesn't think Americans are bored by soccer because they don't understand it.

National Politics

Jeff Jacoby weighs facts against the fashionable left notion that President Bush is a dictator.

Thomas Sowell lists several good things Republicans can offer black voters, but Democrats cannot.

Lorie Byrd offers more evidence that if the facts don't fit the Democratic talking points, they'll invent their own (facts).

Editors of The New Republic call Montana Senator Max Baucus disloyal to his party. It seems he's helping President Bush, who's in the other party. Naughty, naughty.

Almost Paul Greenberg persuadest me to support a flag-burning amendment. Almost. Meanwhile, a colleague suggests two other responses to flag-burning: legislation protecting the act but allowing anyone who witnesses to beat up the flag-burner, and legislation mandating that all flags made or sold in the US be non-combustible. Why don't they fix Social Security or Medicare instead, y'know?

The Mexican Election

Wesley Pruden almost spoke too soon about the final results of Mexico's presidential election, but his discussion of why it matters and the job the new president faces is worth attention.

Some History

Bruce Bartlett recounts a dark piece of New York Times history, from Stalin's reign.

Bill Bennett recounts some 17th Century history, mostly of the French in the New World.

American Fork and Thereabouts

Brenda Armstrong reports on a company moving from Pleasant Grove to American Fork.

Barbara Christiansen reports on a proposal to require rental licensing in American Fork, rather like they do it in Provo.

Alan Choate of the Daily Herald reports exit poll results about the new touchscreen voting systems in Utah.

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