Tag: Bush

A Hierarchy of Courage vs. a Partisan Political Ploy

President Obama seems to have stepped in it again. He has taken an event that should have been a uniting feature of the War on Terror—the killing of Osama bin Laden one year ago—and turned it into a partisan political ploy. A new ad has Bill Clinton—Bill Clinton, mind you—praising the courage and leadership of Obama as he made the decision to proceed with the raid that led to bin Laden’s death. Now, I’m not going to detract from the… Read more »

Location, Location, Location

I have no problem with presidents taking vacations. With modern communications technology, no president is out of touch with world events or incapable of fulfilling the mandates of the office, no matter where he may be. Therefore, I don’t criticize President Obama for taking a vacation at this time, particularly in the last part of August when Congress is in recess. But if he is not out of touch with the world at large, his choice of vacation spots reveals… Read more »

Time to Touch the Third Rail

We create our own problems. Case in point: Social Security. The original intent was to ensure solvency for those who could no longer work because of age, disability, or loss of a husband. Worthy intention, to be sure. But I’m always reminded of a book I read once with the title Beyond Good Intentions. The thesis of the book was that good intentions do not necessarily lead to good policies. In fact, quite often the policies undermine the original intent…. Read more »

The Appropriate Response to the Death of bin Laden

I’ve had a couple of different questions directed at me after the news of Osama bin Laden’s death. Let me use my post today to give my perspective on these questions. One of the questions is ancient—not new at all—dealing with the concept of a “just war.” There has been a strand of Christian thought that rejects the idea that any war is just. This viewpoint, normally labeled pacifism, says it is always wrong to take up arms regardless of… Read more »

The Real Double Standard

I’ve been doing some more thinking about President Obama’s decision to lend military aid to Libyan rebels. I’ve critiqued the decision on constitutional grounds—he never consulted Congress. Then I thought about Ronald Reagan’s decision to send troops to Grenada back in 1983. He didn’t consult Congress either. Neither did he do so when he bombed Libya [and the same Qaddafi] in 1985. So that leaves a person open to criticism that a double standard exists. There are distinct differences, however…. Read more »

Southeastern’s Forum

The university where I teach, Southeastern, each year holds a Forum where leaders in various fields—Christian ministry, business, and politics—come and share their approach to leadership. It attracts well-known leaders, and is quickly becoming a heralded annual event. I attended most of the sessions last week and came away inspired by the stories and principles the speakers communicated. One of this year’s speakers was Franklin Graham, son of the famous evangelist. For those who don’t know, Graham not only oversees… Read more »

Pelosi vs. Reality

There are times when a statement by a politician is so far from reality that it takes a while to be able to come up with a response other than laughter. For instance, in case you missed it, Nancy Pelosi, defending her four years as House Speaker made this astounding claim: “Deficit reduction has been a high priority for us. It is our mantra, pay-as-you-go.” When I first heard her say this, I thought perhaps I had misunderstood, but it… Read more »