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May 25, 2012
Mark Clayton: Is Hillary's State Dept. hacking Al Qaeda? Not quite
Erika Bolstad: Temple cancels Wasserman Schultz speech
The Kosher Gourmet by Ethel G. Hofman: The former president of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, whose members included the likes of Julia Child, is back with contemporary Shavous cuisine: Ruby Fruit Soup, Sweet Noodle Kugel with Cheese, Key Lime Curd, Calsone Casserole Frittata with Wild Mushrooms, Sun-dried tomatoes and Olives, Baked Tilapia with Pepper Cheese Cream and Brown Sugar Shortbread
May 24, 2012
Jeff Jacoby: The peace process battered Israel's reputation
Michael Muskal: 'Pro-choice' position hits record low, according to poll
Chris Farrell: Are We in a Tech Bubble?
The Kosher Gourmet by Penelope Wall: PHILLY CHEESE STEAKS --- hold the steak!
May 23, 2012
Tony Pugh: More private colleges offering tuition discounts
Mary Beth Franklin: How to Choose the Right Annuity for You
Tina Susman: The wig wasn't enough: Man gets 13 years for posing as his dead mom
The Kosher Gourmet by Emma Christensen:A simple way to do fish right
May 22, 2012
Warren Richey: Can US group challenge overseas surveillance act? Supreme Court to decide
Thomas M. Anderson: Walking Away From a Mortgage
The Kosher Gourmet by Megan Gordon: Enjoy a celebration of the most rich and layered flavors: Black bean, sweet potato and quinoa chili
May 21, 2012
Mark Clayton: Cybersecurity: How US utilities passed up chance to protect their networks
Howard LaFranchi: NATO summit: Who will foot the bill for long-term Afghanistan security?
Chris Farrell : Earn Dividends in Emerging Markets with This WisdomTree ETF
Stephen Whiteside, Ph.D. : Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: Social anxiety disorder --- or just shy?
Guy Jackson : Victim's father regrets death of Lockerbie bomber
The Kosher Gourmet by Mario Batali: Famed chef's veal shoulder farsumagru: A festive meat course for late spring
May 18, 2012
Rabbi Berel Wein: Striving: The People of the Book's Book for (All of) the People
Steven Goldberg: 5 Great Stock Picks and the Exchange-Traded Fund that Owns Them
Mary Pickett, M.D.: Ask the Harvard Experts: Don't be forced into gluten-free lifestyle based merely on a doctor's false-positive test
The Kosher Gourmet by Carolyn Malcoun: DIY healthy lunchbox treats: HOMEMADE FRUIT BARS for kids and brown-bagging adults alike
May 17, 2012
Warren Richey: Teacher fired for being unwed and pregnant can sue religious school, court rules
Josh Mitnick: Netanyahu's 'centrist' coalition is already proving it's anything but
Steven Goldberg: Earn Dividends in Emerging Markets with This WisdomTree ETF
Amina Khan: Research links coffee to lower death rates
The Kosher Gourmet by Faith Duran : Cheesy Potato Breakfast Casserole with Cheddar and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
May 16, 2012
Carmen Terzic, M.D., Ph.D. : Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: A variety of exercises can help improve balance
Melissa Healy: National strategy on Alzheimer's disease aims to halt it by 2025
The Kosher Gourmet by Joyce White : GOODNESS GRACIOUS: GREENS! 4 winning recipes that are no longer just for down-home folks (Includes expert tips & techniques)
May 15, 2012
Kristen Chick: Obama administration resumes arms sales to Bahrain despite serious unresolved human rights issues. Activists feel abandoned
Pat Mertz Esswein: Homes are now affordable again and mortgage rates are low. What you need to know before you buy
Kathy Kristof: Our Practical Investor Fights Inflation with These 6 Investments
Sue Hubbard, M.D.: The Kid's Doctor: Lactose intolerant young child? Check again
The Kosher Gourmet by Kathy Hunt: Spread a Little Excitement with EXOTIC CONDIMENTS (4 RECIPES)
May 14, 2012
Lisa Gerstner: How to Protect Your Identity, Finances If You Lose Your Phone
Harvard Health Letters: Heart disease and dementia
The Kosher Gourmet by Megan Gordon: MANGO COCONUT OAT MORNING MUFFINS are a bright but hearty delight
May 11, 2012
Jessica L. Anderson: Get the Best Deal on a Used Car
Jett Stone: Forget face-lifts and fake knees. Scientists have seen the fountain of youth --- and it's broccoli
The Kosher Gourmet by Chef Mario Batali: The famed chef's vegetable dish that tastes true to the season: FAVAS AND SUGAR SNAP PEAS WITH POTATOES AND TARRAGON
May 10, 2012
Sergei L. Loiko: Putin sends warning to U.S., NATO in Victory Day speech at Red Square
Mary Rourke: How being a 'mentch' got Vidal Sasoon his start and fighting in Israel's War of Independence provided him with confidence and a strong sense of his own identity
Jeff Bertolucci: Get Home Phone Service for Less Than $10 a Month
The Kosher Gourmet by Betty Rosbottom: Gleaming with its golden, crimson, and snowy white hues, this silken smooth and creamy STRAWBERRY ORANGE TRIFLE looks impressive, but is easy to prepare
May 9, 2012
Sharon Palmer, R.D. How you can reduce your risk -- or delay -- chronic diseases associated with aging
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Jewish World Review
August 16, 2005
/ 11 Av, 5765
The President, polls and perseverance
By
David Limbaugh
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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
Our Constitution's framers understood that pure democracy was not conducive to good government, so they structured the government as a constitutional republic. Nothing better illustrates the wisdom of their decision than our current national turmoil concerning the war in Iraq.
Understanding human nature and the potential volatility of the people, they designed the government to insulate elected representatives from the fluctuating passions of the people whose unbridled, unchecked sentiments could otherwise lead to a self-destructive mobocracy.
Once elected, the representatives were not to govern by ever-changing polls but would be guided by their best judgment, subject to the deterrents of impeachment and the next election. There were also the institutional safeguards built into the Constitution, such as federalism, the separation of powers, narrow grants of power to and express limitations on government. These would naturally retard the pace of government and militate against the mischief of renegade politicians.
As prescient as the Framers were, it's unlikely they could have foreseen the coming technological advances and information explosion that would arm a hostile media and opposition party with selective bad news and polling data with which to badger a president into submission.
It takes a strong person as president to withstand the temptation to sacrifice the long-term best interests of the nation by succumbing to the seduction of daily polls and their promise of immediate popularity upon obedience to the whimsical popular will.
We need look no further back in history than the Clinton years to see what happens when a president tends to govern by polls rather than principle. It was a formula for putting off serious problems such as Al Qaeda and Social Security when tackling them might bring you into disfavor.
By contrast, we can study the present Bush administration to see what happens when a president governs by principles and goals to which he has consistently pledged fidelity. It's a formula for occasionally disastrous polling results, as we witnessed this week with reports of the president's lowest-yet approval ratings.
The mainstream media are gloating about the president's popularity free-fall, apparently oblivious to the damage they are inflicting on the nation with their ceaseless one-sided news coverage.
Democrat honchos, for their part, are basking in the public's ostensible rejection of the president's policies on Iraq and Social Security, among others. Ultimately, though, the joke may be on them, since even during the president's popularity slide, they have nothing constructive of their own to offer no solutions, no plans as witnessed by Democrat Party Boss Howard Dean's virtual admission of same on Sunday's "Face the Nation."
All the while, President Bush remains unflappable and determined to achieve his stated goals. No matter how often Democrats accuse him of trying to destroy Social Security, he is intent on preserving it and preventing it from bankrupting the federal government, which is inevitable absent major reform. No matter what they throw at him on Iraq, from baseless allegations that he lied to get us into the war to charges that he is deliberately under-armoring the troops, he stays firm, notwithstanding reports he is losing resolve, trying to lower expectations or experiencing fissures in his administration.
Meanwhile, Democrat leaders want to have it both ways. Some say we should withdraw from Iraq. Others demand that we add many more troops, while simultaneously complaining about the enormity of the federal deficit (despite the recent good news on this front, by the way).
Democrats condemn the president for "nation building" and intermeddling, yet insist we micromanage the Iraqi constitutional drafting process to ensure American-type civil rights for women (which, of course, is laudable). Along with the press they shamelessly prop up and exploit a grieving mother to serve as a sympathetic vehicle to carry their inane conspiratorial charges against the president with total disregard for how that demoralizes our troops and undermines our cause.
There's no denying we face enormous problems in the war on terror and in our quest to aid the Iraqis in launching a constitutional republic, neither of which lends itself to a magical, tidy solution. And there are legitimate issues to debate concerning both.
But the Democrats' and media's persistent sniping at the president to the point of abject partisan gamesmanship does not constitute good faith debate. Nor does it further our cause against this enemy, which is dedicated to destroying the West and restoring the glory of the caliphate to rule the world.
Which is why I'm grateful we have an action-oriented president who has the courage and inner-strength which some, I believe, misinterpret as stubbornness to persevere no matter how relentless the daily beating he receives in the press. And it's another reason I'm thankful for the sagacity of the Framers for crafting a system that sought to give our leaders the latitude to operate in the long-term national interest.
Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.
David Limbaugh, a columnist and attorney practicing in Cape
Girardeau, Mo., is the author of, most recently, "Persecution: How Liberals Are Waging War Against Christianity". (Click HERE to purchase. Sales help fund JWR.) Comment by clicking here.
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