Think Rushmore [Sowell in WSJ]

Wall Street Journal, Page A10 & The Opinion Journal dot com ^ | January 7, 2005 | THOMAS SOWELL

[Captiva]

Think Rushmore

President Bush needs to carve out his place in history.

BY THOMAS SOWELL

Friday, January 7, 2005 12:01 a.m.

Now that President Bush has twice gotten himself to the White House, the question is whether he wants to try for Mount Rushmore. One of the luxuries of a second term is an opportunity to think about the long run, not simply for one's own "legacy," but for the future of the nation as a whole.

Even during his first term, George W. Bush's long-run strategic view, exemplified by the war on terrorism, contrasted sharply with former President Bill Clinton's preoccupation with short-run political tactics, though this contrast seemed to be little noticed in most of the media.

[Captiva]

The Natioanl Treasure speaks.

[steplock]

I just wish he can get us through the UN and al qaueda without bowing any more to the PC RINO's!

[Bommer]

If Reagan aint on it no way in hell Bush will ever make it.

[jeremiah]

I vote for plan B also....way past time.

[fish hawk]

How about Rush Limbaugh? MoreRush not Rushmore.

[paul in cape]

Due to geological reasons, more sculptures can not be added to the Mt. Rushmore sight.

I suggest another sight, with FDR (to appease Dems.), Reagan, Bush and Condi Rice (for the future:))

Perhaps in the White Mountains in NH, where there is already a Mount Reagan!

[Cobra64]

I read an article a few years ago, that the structure on the Mount would not support another carving.

[ken21]

i just hope dubya extracts us from iraq before the liberal media and democrats lose the war, the way they lost vietnam for us.

[Phyto Chems]

He is so GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD
Yep Plan B is it, If the RINO's would just get a backbone and do it. Like start with the Nuclear option to get judges out to the senate floor for a vote.

[loveliberty2]

Thanks for pointing us to Sowell, a thinker in the tradition of the Founders.

In reading his piece on the web site, he went on to observe wisely:

"If the time ever comes when this president, or any future president, has to hesitate in the face of a mortal threat looming on the horizon, because of fear of the word 'unilateral' and the howling of critics at home or abroad, this great nation is lost."

Sowell continued, "President John F. Kennedy said it all long ago: 'We dare not tempt them with weakness.'"

Sowell might have quoted other words from Kennedy to counter Bush's 'howling' critics, including some from Kennedy's 1961 Inaugural:

"The world is different now. . .and yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forefathers fought are still at issue around the globe...the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of God."

The Far Left Democrats today also deride Bush for his acknowledgement of reliance on a Higher Power in the defense of freedom. That has not always been the stance of Democrats. The conclusion of the Address JFK was to have delivered at the Dallas luncheon to which he was en route when assassinated included the following:

"We in this country, in this generation are--by destiny rather than choice--the watchmen on the walls of world freedom. We ask, therefore, that we may be worthy of our power and responsibility--that we may exercise our strength with wisdom and restraint. . . . the righteousness of our cause must always underlie our strength. For as it was written long ago: 'Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.'"

[Captiva]

Allegory

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

Whatever the short-term solution to the problems created by the Senate Judiciary Committee, a longer-term solution must put a stop to the practice of publicly savaging nominees to the courts. Vote against them if you don't like them, but do not make this a snake pit that high-quality people, who have many other options, will avoid.

Within living memory, judicial nominees did not even appear in person before the Senate for confirmation. A system that produced giants like Oliver Wendell Holmes is surely better than one which has produced pygmies like David Souter.

What is this but an indictment of broadcast journalism? Turn off the TV cameras and the situation is instantly transformed.

[Cicero]

This article sort of peters out in discussion of some minor issues, but it's on the money concerning the two most important issues:

1. Winning the war on terror and defeating the defeatists who would cripple our country's right and capacity to defend itself.

2. Appoint conservative, strict-constructionist judges who were turn back left-wing judicial activism.

In some ways, the second is even more important than the first. Yes, our country's survival is at stake, but we are fighting domestic as well as foreign enemies, and activist judges already threaten to tie our hands behind our back. We cannot win the war against terror unless we succeed in taking back our country.

[Captiva]

This article sort of peters out in discussion of some minor issues, but it's on the money concerning the two most important issues:

The master probably had 1,000 words or so many column inches to work with.