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Why America Will Stay on Top
WSJ ^ | 3/5/11 | BRIAN M. CARNEY

Posted on 03/05/2011 7:43:20 AM PST by harpu

Eminent historian Paul Johnson on Sarah Palin, the tea party, and 'baddies' from Napoleon to Gadhafi.

In his best-selling history of the 20th century, "Modern Times," British historian Paul Johnson describes "a significant turning-point in American history: the first time the Great Republic, the richest nation on earth, came up against the limits of its financial resources." Until the 1960s, he writes in a chapter titled "America's Suicide Attempt," "public finance was run in all essentials on conventional lines"—that is to say, with budgets more or less in balance outside of exceptional circumstances.

"The big change in principle came under Kennedy," Mr. Johnson writes. "In the autumn of 1962 the Administration committed itself to a new and radical principle of creating budgetary deficits even when there was no economic emergency." Removing this constraint on government spending allowed Kennedy to introduce "a new concept of 'big government': the 'problem-eliminator.' Every area of human misery could be classified as a 'problem'; then the Federal government could be armed to 'eliminate' it."

...snip...

"Of course I worry about America," he says. "The whole world depends on America ultimately, particularly Britain. And also, I love America—a marvelous country. But in a sense I don't worry about America because I think America has such huge strengths—particularly its freedom of thought and expression—that it's going to survive as a top nation for the foreseeable future. And therefore take care of the world."

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: pauljohnson
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To: harpu; onyx; rodguy911; SE Mom; penelopesire; Jim Robinson; maggief; RedMDer; musicman; ...
Deserves repeating:

"Then he deepens his voice for effect and adds:

"And I like that lady—Sarah Palin. She's great. I like the cut of her jib."

The former governor of Alaska, he says, "is in the good tradition of America, which this awful political correctness business goes against."

Plus: "She's got courage. That's very important in politics. You can have all the right ideas and the ability to express them. But if you haven't got guts, if you haven't got courage the way Margaret Thatcher had courage—and [Ronald] Reagan, come to think of it.

Your last president had courage too—if you haven't got courage, all the other virtues are no good at all. It's the central virtue."

~~~~~~~~

Yes ! As dear Pope John Paul II said: coraggio!

41 posted on 03/06/2011 9:08:39 AM PST by STARWISE (The overlords are in place .. we are a nation under siege .. pray, go Galt & hunker down)
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To: STARWISE

We need a strong and courageous President Palin to reverse the damage being done to this great country of ours.


42 posted on 03/06/2011 9:37:55 AM PST by RedMDer (restoration of our honor, dignity, and freedoms will save America. - Sarah Palin)
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To: harpu

Bump for later reading.


43 posted on 03/06/2011 11:02:57 PM PST by SuziQ
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To: Soothesayer

Dear old Dad always said, “Once the parasites outnumber the hosts, it’s all over.”

Sadly, the scumbag Democrats and their newsroom allies have succeeded in creating enough government addicts to get a corrupt, communist “community organizer” from Chicago elected President of the United States and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. If America isn’t already toast, the day is not far off.


44 posted on 03/06/2011 11:08:50 PM PST by Lancey Howard
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To: harpu

BTTT!


45 posted on 03/07/2011 3:14:53 PM PST by neverdem (Xin loi minh oi)
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To: Thermalseeker

-——The theft being perpetrated by Congress and the Fed makes Bernie Maddoff look like a pickpocket.-———

Alternatively..... “The corruption of the Obama regime makes Harmid Karzi look like a piker”


46 posted on 03/09/2011 6:30:43 AM PST by bert (K.E. N.P. N.C. D.E. +12 ....( History is a process, not an event ))
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To: harpu

btt


47 posted on 03/09/2011 2:47:59 PM PST by Cacique (quos Deus vult perdere, prius dementat ( Islamia Delenda Est ))
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To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Berosus; bigheadfred; ColdOne; Convert from ECUSA; Delacon; ...

Thanks harpu.
British historian Paul Johnson describes "a significant turning-point in American history: the first time the Great Republic, the richest nation on earth, came up against the limits of its financial resources." Until the 1960s, he writes in a chapter titled "America's Suicide Attempt," "public finance was run in all essentials on conventional lines" -- that is to say, with budgets more or less in balance outside of exceptional circumstances.
The exceptional circumstances have so far gone on since the beginning, with no sign of abating.


48 posted on 03/09/2011 6:35:35 PM PST by SunkenCiv (The 2nd Amendment follows right behind the 1st because some people are hard of hearing.)
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To: harpu

Kennedy gave us a perpetually broken budget, government employee unions, and an American-minority America. He sold out Cuban freedom fighters, almost causing nuclear war a few years later. And Republicans keep calling him one of ours because he lowered taxes. Pathetic.


49 posted on 03/09/2011 8:45:13 PM PST by rmlew (You want change? Vote for the most conservative electable in your state or district.)
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To: Soothesayer
Hate to say it, but you are correct. Tell your children and friends NOT to join in the US military.

"Why you ask?"

Oh, just go to any men's shelter... see who is limping around, trying to get help from the VA.

Still don't believe me?

Start at the Union Gospel Mission in Salem, Oregon.

50 posted on 03/10/2011 12:54:03 AM PST by investigateworld (Free Traders don't need guns 'cause they know The Peoples Republic of China are their friends)
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