Reflections on God … Man … Life
Opinions on contemporary political happenings and the workings of civil government.
“I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion [as a judge] than a white male who hasn’t lived that life.” — Judge Sonia Sotomayor, in her Judge Mario G. Olmos Law and Cultural Diversity Lecture at the University of California (Berkeley) School of Law in 2001 Now there is a quote, which if you reversed it, would get someone into trouble. Let’s say a white… Read more »
We awake this morning to the news that North Korea has shot off two new missiles. This follows the nuclear test it conducted just a few days ago. This is a rogue state, “led” by a egotist fueled by communist ideology. Then we have Iran. We always have Iran. Not only has this Islamic nation’s leader denied the Holocaust ever took place, he has repeatedly stated his desire to wipe Israel off the face of the earth. The Iranian government… Read more »
I have perused the President’s Notre Dame speech. In one sense, it is a model for how to deal with a controversy and how to win people’s hearts. In another sense, it is mere words, not backed up by actions. While some will point to the speech as moderate, if you look carefully, you still notice a shrillness when it comes to issues of capitalism, climate change, and other liberal causes. On the economy, it places all the blame on… Read more »
Yesterday was a national day of prayer. One bit of news from yesterday was that President Obama declined to participate in the annual prayer breakfast. While that may be disconcerting because it breaks tradition and sends a signal that he doesn’t consider it that important, I am not as disturbed by it as you might think. Bill Clinton made a show of always appearing at such events. I also remember how each Sunday he provided a photo op coming out… Read more »
Republican Visionary Jack Kemp—former pro football quarterback, congressman, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, vice-presidential candidate in the 1996 election—died yesterday of cancer. Â If anyone was a face for the Reagan Revolution of the 1980s—besides Ronald Reagan, of course—it was Congressman Kemp. Champion of the concept of supply-side economics, which posited that if you reduce tax rates you increase incentive, productivity, and revenues simultaneously, Kemp worked tirelessly and joyfully for America’s economic salvation. He was also solid on what conservatives… Read more »
The Bible is replete with examples of godly character. I’m particularly drawn to those examples that show a person maintaining godly character while serving in public office. For instance, when the prophet Samuel steps down as judge over Israel, he challenges the people by stating, “Here I stand. Testify against me in the presence of the Lord and His anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed? From whose… Read more »
In one of his European speeches last week, President Obama commented that the United States had sometimes been arrogant in its relations to other nations, and that we had not appreciated the Europeans. To be fair, he also noted that Europeans had spouted anti-Americanism as well, but the emphasis seemed to be on America’s arrogance. Every nation displays arrogance at times, but has that been the hallmark of American interactions with others? Think back to WWII for a moment: we… Read more »