Antioch Road

One Paragraph Review: The Age of Reagan: The Conservative Counterrevolution: 1980-1989 by Steven F. Hayward

The Age of Reagan: The Conservative Counterrevolution: 1980-1989 by Steven F. Hayward
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the sequel to Hayward's book covering the years 1964-1980 (review here). It is, like the first book, excellent political history and a fun read. It picks up following Reagan's 1980 election and concludes with the 1988 presidential election, with an epilogue on the fall of eastern European communism and the breakup of the Soviet Union. Hayward writes from a conservative viewpoint, which leads him to be both laudatory and critical of Reagan and his administration depending on the context. Hayward draws heavily on contemporaneous media sources (often revealing the less than prescient nature of such sources). The chapters in Part II of the book on the Reykjavik summit and the Iran-Contra matter are particularly riveting and hard to put down. If you enjoy 1980s political, U.S., and Cold War history, you will enjoy this book.

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One Paragraph Review: We Are Doomed by John Derbyshire

We Are Doomed: Reclaiming Conservative Pessimism by John Derbyshire
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It is interesting that an atheist presents a better understanding of human nature and potential than many nominal Christians, but National Review contributor John Derbyshire does that in his call to a return to pessimism. In We Are Doomed, Derbyshire lambasts happy talk, including from too many conservatives, that lacks foundation in reality. He moves swiftly and deftly through a broad range of topics -- diversity ("nothing to celebrate"), politics ("show business for ugly people"), culture, education, human nature, religion, war, immigration, and the economy among them. As he notes, things are getting worse, they have been for some time, and human efforts to intervene and make them better have the opposite effect. Too many conservatives have, among other things, "are fully invested in the wrongheaded educational theories of our time" and "were made fools of by George W. Bush's grand world-saving project." Derbyshire is even the rare atheist who laments the decline of religion, at least the right kind. Somehow Derbyshire's pessimism is refreshing rather than depressing. After reading this book, I read an interview of former U.S. representative Dick Armey in WORLD. "It's a prudent thing for a man to know his limitations," said Armey. "When you're in a position of authority like public office, it's a moral imperative.... I'm amazed at how little introspection I see from privileged people." Both pessimistic and true, things that often go hand in hand.

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One Paragraph Review: Speech-less: Tales of a White House Survivor by Matt Latimer

Speech-less: Tales of a White House Survivor by Matthew Latimer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Whereas Noonan had her What I Saw at the Revolution, Latimer has his what in the world am I doing here? Latimer served as a speechwriter in House and Senate offices before moving to the Department of Defense as Donald Rumsfeld's speechwriter and finally to his dream job: presidential speechwriter, during the final years of President Bush's 2nd term. His account is funny, engaging, and sometimes saddening. Latimer clearly respects Rumsfeld a lot, but found himself disillusioned by a White House that lacked principles and coherence. The one strange thing about this tale is that Latimer sometimes presents people he didn't respect as too liberal and presents other such people as too conservative. We are left to wonder what Latimer's principles are, though smaller government certainly seems to be one of them. The whole book moves fast, but the fastest moving part is near the end when Latimer is discussing how the October 2008 economic "bailout" came to be, how few understood it, and how the White House worked to try to explain what it didn't understand. We are left, ultimately, with an unflattering picture of our federal government. Many insider books are flattering to the point of embarrassment and lacking in substance to the point of worthlessness. This is not one of those books. Latimer is blunt and honest.

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Obama and McCain Stand Together Against the Federal Marriage Amendment

There was an interesting and revealing exchange on marriage and the Constitution between Rick Warren and Barack Obama and then later between Warren and John McCain during Warren's presidential candidates' forum on August 16. First, Obama:

WARREN: Define marriage.

OBAMA: I believe that marriage is the union between a man and a woman. Now, for me as a Christian -- for me -- for me as a Christian, it is also a sacred union. God's in the mix. But --

WARREN: Would you support a Constitutional Amendment with that definition?

OBAMA: No, I would not.

WARREN: Why not?

OBAMA: Because historically -- because historically, we have not defined marriage in our constitution. It's been a matter of state law. That has been our tradition. I mean, let's break it down. The reason that people think there needs to be a constitutional amendment, some people believe, is because of the concern that -- about same-sex marriage. I am not somebody who promotes same-sex marriage, but I do believe in civil unions. I do believe that we should not -- that for gay partners to want to visit each other in the hospital for the state to say, you know what, that's all right, I don't think in any way inhibits my core beliefs about what marriage are. I think my faith is strong enough and my marriage is strong enough that I can afford those civil rights to others, even if I have a different perspective or different view.

It does not speak well for the University of Chicago Law School (one of the most highly regarded) that Barack Obama was a lecturer there for a dozen years, for this is plainly a very stupid answer, no matter which view one takes of the federal marriage amendment.

I have quoted Obama's entire answer, so I am not being unfair.

Additionally, it will not do for anyone to claim that Obama was hindered by having to provide a quick response. He has undoubtedly previously thought about this question, given how prominent the issue is in American politics.

He really, actually, and without a doubt did tell the audience that he opposed a federal marriage amendment because we have "historically" not defined marriage in our federal constitution. Instead, we have reserved the issue of marriage to the states.

To see how ridiculous an answer this is, all we have to do is apply the stated principle to other issues. If Obama applied his principle consistently, he would have opposed all constitutional amendments. After all, the only reason to amend the Constitution is to include something that has not "historically" been a part of the Constitution.

Applied more specifically, Obama's principle would require him to have opposed the 13th Amendment. Slavery was an issue "historically" left to the discretion of the states.

Unfortunately, John McCain (though not the former law school lecturer like Obama) gave a similar answer:

I strongly support preserving the unique status of marriage between man and woman. And I'm a federalist. I believe that states should make those decisions. In my state, I hope we will make that decision, and other states, they have to recognize the unique status between man and woman. And that doesn't mean that people can't enter into legal agreements. That doesn't mean that they don't have the rights of all citizens. I'm not saying that. I am saying that we should preserve the unique status of marriage between one man and one woman. And if a federal court -- if a federal court decided that my state of Arizona had to observe what the state of Massachusetts decided, then I would favor a constitutional amendment. Until then, I believe the states should make the decisions within their own states.

McCain does at least omit the "historically" part of Obama's answer and leaves open the possibility of supporting the amendment in the future. But, for now, his answer is essentially the same.

Federalism is a system. It is not a principle on which to base decisions.

Jaffa on the Importance of a Proper Understanding of the Declaration and our Country's History

In the Spring 2008 issue of the Claremont Review of Books, Harry Jaffa provides us a timeless rejoinder to the now famous sermon of Jeremiah Wright, Barack Obama's pastor and "spiritual mentor" for twenty years. It is more than a response to a particular and poisonous sermon. It is a response to a general (and poisonous) mindset or worldview, with the context being an understanding of the founding of our country and the history of slavery in the United States. A portion of Jaffa's conclusion reads:

But if History or Progress or "change" is to be our guide, if the truth of relativism is to replace the truth of the Declaration, then the cause for which the nation fought at its birth, and in the Civil War, was meaningless, too. White power, black power, the Nazis, the Ku Klux Klan, Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, are as justifiable as Jefferson, Lincoln, or the doctrine of the equal natural rights of all human beings. We may understand how the Rev. Jeremiah Wright could so awfully misunderstand the American political tradition, inasmuch as it has been so very misunderstood for so long in circles from whom a better understanding could be expected. But this misunderstanding is a cancer which can in the end prove fatal, not only to a political campaign but to our country.

Read the rest and subscribe to the Claremont Review of Books.

Meeting Mike Huckabee

I had the chance to shake hands with Mike Huckabee this morning at a campaign event at the Blue Strawberry Coffee Co. in downtown Cedar Rapids. Gov. Huckabee was as engaging, funny, and well spoken as he appears on television. After shaking hands, he spoke on a number of topics for about twenty minutes in front of a crowd of about 25 people. He then stressed the importance of the August 11 Ames straw poll, urging supporters to find and bring other supporters. He noted that if one obscure governor of Arkansas can become president, then so can he.

He then asked for questions on issues and ended up taking two, one from me on health care. I told him that I agreed with his statement that we do not have a health care problem in this country, we have a health problem, and asked him what he envisioned the federal government's role to be in improving citizens' health. He initially explained the basis for his belief that there is a health problem in this country, not a health care problem. He said that we have great health care, but we are too focused on intervention rather than prevention. He noted that much of the problem is chronic disease and that can be attributed to three things: 1) overeating; 2) under-exercising; and 3) smoking. Other politicians do not focus on prevention because it will involve a cultural attitude shift that will not happen in the span of a presidential term. Gov. Huckabee then discussed, in general terms, shifting incentives away from fixing health problems and toward preventive health care and the success he had in Arkansas doing that.

Gov. Huckabee closed the event by noting that God has richly blessed our nation, but that He will not continue to do so if we do not honor Him. He asked us to pray for his campaign.

The Huckabee campaign has a blog post up about the event already. In the picture taken by the campaign, you can (barely) see me sitting down in the back of the far right of the picture.

One Paragraph Review: The Age of Reagan by Steven Hayward

There are few books greater than 700 pages in length (almost 850 with footnotes, etc.) that are real page-turners. Steven Hayward's 2001 The Age of Reagan: The Fall of the Old Liberal Order 1964-1980 is one of them. Age of Reagan is not entirely about Ronald Reagan. It is, instead, a political history--at the federal level--of the United States from 1964-1980. It is, as the subtitle says, about the fall of the "old liberal order" and the subsequent rise of Reagan. The story from Lyndon Johnson's huge victory in 1964 to Reagan's huge victory in 1980 is a story of the exposure of the failure of governmental ordering of society and economics. Johnson's Great Society, the impact of Vietnam, the rise of the New Left, the return of Nixon, the fall of Nixon, Reagan's insurgent 1976 campaign, and Carter's failed presidency are all covered in fascinating detail in this book. The book really picks up steam in discussing the 1976 and 1980 elections. Hayward is a conservative, and this book is written from a conservative worldview. But Hayward does not ignore Reagan's gaffes and, in discussing contemporary opinions, seemingly quotes from the pages of The New Republic as much as he does from National Review. Age of Reagan is, in short, fair, comprehensive, fun, and essential for those interested in recent American political history.

UPDATE (2/12/2011): See review of Hayward's sequel here.

Book Review: From Hope to Higher Ground: 12 STOPs to Restoring America's Greatness

I have never read a "campaign" book before. I was handed this one for free after having a conversation with Mike Huckabee's Iowa Political Director at the annual NICHE conference. Gov. Huckabee's From Hope to Higher Ground is eminently readable and insightful.

"Hope" refers to Hope, Arkansas, where Gov. Huckabee is from. "Higher Ground" can be a metaphor for many things, including improving ourselves, improving our families, and improving our nation, not to mention to Gov. Huckabee's presidential ambitions. It is a metaphor that works well in this quick 196-page read.

The book gives us 12 "Stops" to restoring America's greatness. The stops refer to things that we must stop doing, which is interesting because the book not only serves to introduce us to Gov. Huckabee's beliefs and political positions, but provides us with sound advice. The book will thus have resonance beyond 2008, as do, I am sure, his earlier titles: Quit Digging Your Grave with a Knife and Fork and Character Makes a Difference.

For instance, we should stop "being cynical," stop "abusing our planet," stop "robbing the taxpayers," stop "the heat and turn on the light for hot issues," stop "the loss of America's prestige at home and abroad," and--my favorite--stop "being a selfish citizen," among others. Gov. Huckabee interweaves into each chapter specific standards we ought to hold our political leaders accountable to and specific principles by which we ought to be governed. He also tells stories from his life, including his ten-and-a-half years as Governor of Arkansas, to illustrate his stops. At the end of each chapter, Gov. Huckabee lists "12 Action Steps" to stop doing whatever the subject of the chapter is. For example, in "STOP the Culture of Chronic Disease," he lists, "Eliminate processed sugar from your diet as much as possible, if not totally;" in "STOP Being Cynical," he lists "have regular conversations with people very unlike you." I appreciate the specificity of the suggestions, which tell us much about the type of person Gov. Huckabee strives to be.

Gov. Huckabee comes across in this book--which he wrote without a ghost writer--exactly like he comes across in debates, speeches, and campaign stops: articulate, humorous, kind, humble, and right on the important issues of the day. If you are interested at all in Gov. Huckabee's campaign, this book will give you good insight into the man. If you are not interested in his campaign, this book will still give you good insight into "restoring America's greatness."

Disclosure: I support, but am not involved in, Gov. Huckabee's campaign for the GOP nomination for president.

Iowa Cloning Ban Repeal Getting Close

The Iowa Senate, voting 26-24, has passed legislation repealing Iowa's ban on human cloning (Iowa Code chapter 707B). Governor Chet Culver campaigned on that issue, promising the repeal in order to create a human embryo farm in Iowa City. Iowa Democrats also hold the Iowa House, 54-46. The Gazette reports, however, that "House Speaker Pat Murphy said Thursday it was unclear whether there are 51 votes in the House" to repeal the ban. Let us remember House majority leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy's indication, just after the 2006 elections, that the House will steer clear of divisive social issues.

UPDATE (2/23/2007): Iowa's human cloning ban was short-lived, as the Iowa House passed the repeal 52-45.

Democratic Moderates to Prevent Overturning of Iowa's Human Cloning Ban?

New Iowa House majority leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy of Des Moines says that the House will, in the words of the Des Moines Register, "steer clear of divisive social issues" and will instead govern in the "mainstream." What does that mean for Governor-elect Chet Culver's promise to overturn Iowa's ban on human cloning?