THE FOUNDATION: FEDERALISM

“I consider the foundation of the Constitution as laid on this ground that ‘all powers not delegated to the United States, by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states or to the people.’ To take a single step beyond the boundaries thus specially drawn around the powers of Congress, is to take possession of a boundless field of power, not longer susceptible of any definition.” —Thomas Jefferson

INSIGHT

“Realize that the doctor’s fight against socialized medicine is your fight. You can’t socialize the doctors without socializing the patients.” —Ronald Reagan

“The first law of the historian is that he shall never dare utter an untruth… There shall be no suspicion of partiality in his writing, or of malice.” —Cicero

“Government is not a necessary good but an unavoidable evil.” —Lyn Nofziger

“Maturity is achieved when a person postpones immediate pleasures for long-term values.” —Joshua Liebman

UPRIGHT

“[I]f [Democrats] can expand [SCHIP] coverage to families up to 400% of the poverty line and individuals up to the age of 25, Democrats can go to 800% of poverty ($160,000 per year) and individuals up to 65 (when Medicare kicks in). National. Health. Insurance.” —Rich Galen ++ “The president and his party would be easier to pity, even to shower with a little compassionate conservatism, if they had not abandoned their promises and principles six years ago to give the Democrats lessons in how to blow through billions of dollars in search of a bridge to nowhere.” —Wesley Pruden

“A bilingual nation can’t and won’t cut it. Language enshrines and perpetuates cultural division, of which surely we have enough right now.” —William Murchison

“Unlike Republicans in most cases, the Democrats actually know they are lying. They just don’t care.” —Jonah Goldberg

“Above all, I believe this country needs change, and continuing the 20-year hold on the White House of the same two families is not my idea of change.” —Ted Sorensen ++ “Is this good for our democracy, this air of inevitability? Is it good in terms of how the world sees us, and how we see ourselves? Or is it something we want to break out of, like a trance? It would be understandable if [the Bush and Clinton families] were families of a most extraordinary natural distinction and self-sacrifice. But these are not the Adamses of Massachusetts we’re talking about. You’ve noticed, right?” —Peggy Noonan

“What the 2008 campaign is really about is the next phase in what has become an almost century old argument on the role of government in American life.” —Jeffrey Lord

EDITORIAL EXEGESIS

“Americans may be distracted by the war in Iraq, by the political campaign at home, by a thousand other daily events. It would be easy to miss the disparate signals that a storm is gathering over Iran… Much of the talk in the U.S. has been about what the Bush administration may do. Will the U.S. bomb Iran and could that really destroy its nuclear program? What kind of retaliation could America and its allies expect? But American leaders may not determine the ultimate shape of events. The more critical question is: What will Israel do if Iran can’t be stopped diplomatically? The Syrian strike isn’t an answer, but it could be a clue.’ 2007 is the year you determine whether diplomatic efforts will stop Iran,’ one Israeli source told Newsweek. ‘If by the end of the year that’s not working, 2008 becomes the year you take action.’ None of this suggests that an attack against Iran is—or should be—imminent. But it is impossible to imagine Israel will turn a blind eye while Tehran builds nukes, one of which could obliterate much of the Jewish state. If diplomacy fails and Israel attacks pre-emptively, Iran is likely to retaliate, either directly or through its terrorist proxies in Hamas and Hezbollah. Tehran can and probably would make more trouble for U.S. forces in Iraq. If that happens, or if an Israeli attack draws retaliation from others in the region, the U.S. could easily get drawn into a wider war not of its own making…. Would those who advocate military action against Iran be able to get international backing for it? Or would nations that feel threatened even bother to try? The diplomats dealing with Iran seem to think time is on their side. That may turn out to be a grave mistake.” —Chicago Tribune

DEZINFORMATSIA

“President Bush… vetoed a $35-billion expansion of a popular children’s health-insurance program, a move that left him as politically isolated as he has ever been and had even Republican allies questioning his hard-line strategy.” —Michael Abramowitz and Jonathan Weisman in The Washington Post

From the Obama media campaign: “Ike didn’t wear one. JFK either. Nixon did wear the flag as he told the American people he had nothing to do with Watergate.” —ABC reporter David Wright applauding Barack Obama’s decision to not wear a U.S. flag lapel pin

It should be obvious: “We’re also going to try and tackle this question of English in the United States. Does it change the country if English is no longer the only commonly used language?” —ABC’s Diane Sawyer

World’s smallest violin: “For twenty years I’ve paid the price of independence. I’ve taken it from everybody… every night of my life for the past twenty years… If they accuse of me of being partisan, I’ll go rip!” —MSNBC’s Chris Matthews on moderating the next GOP debate

From the left field bleachers: “Ronald Reagan thought the issue of hunger in the world’s richest nation was nothing but a big joke… Today’s leading conservatives are Reagan’s heirs. If you’re poor, if you don’t have health insurance, if you’re sick—well, they don’t think it’s a serious issue. In fact, they think it’s funny.” —The New York Times’ Paul Krugman

Getting it right: “Among so much about American politics that can impress or depress a friendly transatlantic observer, there’s nothing more astonishing than this: Why on Earth should Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton be the front-runner for the presidency?… What has she ever done to deserve this eminence? How could a country that prides itself on its spirit of equality and opportunity possibly be led by someone whose ascent owes more to her marriage than to her merits?” —Geoffrey Wheatcroft, The Washington Post

Newspulper Headlines: Al Gore: That’s Nothing, I Invented the Damn Thing: “Kim Jong Il: I’m an Internet Expert” —Associated Press

Most People Already Have It: “Scientist Seeks Contempt for Journalists” —Associated Press

What Do You Have to Do to Get Fired From That Job?: “Fired ‘Butt-Print Art’ Teacher Sues School” —Associated Press

Accounting Tricks: “Hookers to Help Sheriff Balance the Books” —Flint (MI) Journal

‘Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?’: “Customers Hoping for Little Change” —Gloucester County (NJ) Times (Thanks to The Wall Street Journal’s James Taranto)

THE DEMO-GOGUES

Major demagoguery: “The President, what he has done with his macho pen, is really hurt children.” —Harry Reid on the President’s veto of the SCHIP bill ++ “It’s hard to imagine how we could diminish the number of children who are covered [by SCHIP]. The president calls himself the decider, and I don’t know why he would want to decide that one child has health care and another does not.” —Nancy Pelosi, calling an expansion a cut because the expansion won’t be as big as she wanted ++ “[I]f you believe in it for five million children, why don’t you believe in it for ten million children?” —Nancy Pelosi *Why stop with ten millon?

This week’s “Theo Lib” Award: “I just want all of you to pray that I can be an instrument of God… I am confident that we can create a kingdom right here on Earth.” —Barack Obama

From the Primo Prevaricator: “I think the real question here is not whether [Hillary is] establishing a dynasty…I honestly believe… she’s the best suited, best qualified non-incumbent I’ve had a chance to vote for.” —aspiring First Lady Bill Clinton

Please pay attention to me: “I lived through the inevitably of Howard Dean…[P]eople look much more intensely at you as a candidate the closer you get to the caucus. A lot of the celebrity fades away. So, I think as a practical matter, that bodes well.” —John Edwards dismissing Hillary’s inevitable nomination

Remedial patriotism: “The truth is that right after 9/11 I had a [U.S. flag] pin. Shortly after 9/11, particularly because as we’re talking about the Iraq war, that became a substitute for I think true patriotism, which is speaking out on issues that are of importance to our national security. I decided I won’t wear that pin on my chest. Instead, I’m going to try to tell the American people what I believe will make this country great, and hopefully that will be a testament to my patriotism.” —Barack Obama, patriot *And what country is he campaigning to lead?

VILLAGE IDIOTS

From the “Anti-God Squad”: “You can turn on the radio or TV 24/7 to be preached at. This is one hour a week of the public airwaves that offers an alternative.” —Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation on liberal talk-radio network Air America launching the “Freethought Radio Program,” a nationwide show promoting atheism

Multiculturalism run amok: “The most important part of any statement the city could make this year is that a high priority for us this year was to remove the Columbus Day holiday from all of the labor unions’ contracts. All have verbally committed to choosing another day for a paid holiday. It is tragic to honor a slave trader and butcher with a holiday. What kind of message does this send to our young Indian students in schools if we are saying this man discovered America and is a hero?” —Duluth, Minnesota Mayor Herb Bergson ++ Re: Mayor Bergson: “If multiculturalists really want to educate students about slavery, then they should teach not only about the enslavement of Native Americans and Africans by Europeans but about the enslavement of Native Americans by other Native Americans, as well as the enslavement of Africans by other Africans. They should teach that slavery was practiced among the Aztecs, the Incas and the Mayas as well as Tlingit, the Haida and other tribes. But this would be counter to their objectives.” —Michael Tremoglie

SHORT CUTS

“Florida Democrats filed suit against the national Democratic party… to force the party to recognize their convention delegates. We know how this will end. No matter who wins the lawsuit, John Edwards gets 40 percent of the settlement.” —Argus Hamilton

“However, we are talking about a Democratic primary and, therefore, traditional measurements of sanity should not be taken.” —Rich Galen

“Someone sent me an email the other day that said when Hillary Clinton thinks ‘private sector’ she thinks that’s a new recruit to the Army.” —Mitt Romney

“I’ll come right out and admit that I understand Islamic terrorists far better than I do American liberals.” —Burt Prelutsky

“Keith Olbermann, MSNBC’s answer to a question no one asked, declared this week that I’m the ‘worst person in the world.’ This is not as bad as it might seem. It’s sort of like being called uncool by the asthmatic assistant recording secretary of the high school chess team.” —Jonah Goldberg

“During a recent speech, President Bush said, ‘My job is a decision-making job. As a result, I have made a lot of decisions.’ Apparently, Bush’s decision that day was to write his own speech.” —Conan O’Brien

David Letterman: “Top Signs Hillary Clinton Is Getting Cocky”: Already selected her victory pantsuit; Canceled today’s campaign appearances; Went to see “Good Luck Chuck”; Spent most of the last debate listening to her iPod; Hired Faith Hill to beat up women who’ve hit on Bill; Assembled a Las Vegas crew to steal her football memorabilia; Calling Giuliani during speeches to say she loves him; Already issuing memos about putting White House toilet seats down; Responds to difficult questions with, “Oh no you didn’t!”; Told Bill he can start dating again.

Jay Leno: It’s starting to get nasty out on the campaign trail. This week a spokesman for John Edwards is accusing Barack Obama of stealing John Edwards’ ideas. Obama apparently has a secret plan to slip into third place. … Barack Obama announced he is flying back home to Chicago to have a have a hot 15th wedding anniversary date with his wife. Every candidate spends their anniversary differently—Rudy Giuliani spends his trying to remember which wife he’s married to, Hillary Clinton spends her wedding anniversary trying to track down Bill, and Fred Thompson spends his helping his young wife with her homework. … Recently, Hillary Clinton was asked what role her husband Bill would play if she becomes president. Hillary said Bill would be sent around the world as a roving ambassador. Gee, I wonder which one of them came up with that idea? … The U.S. military is now targeting al-Qa’ida’s Internet capabilities. Apparently, al-Qa’ida is trying to recruit new members on the Internet. They hook up on something called Jihad-Harmony.com. … Border agents have now been issued air guns that shoot pepper balls at people coming across the Mexican border. Have they thought this through? Is that going to bother people from Mexico? Pepper balls? Don’t these people eat jalapenos? Isn’t that like firing meatballs at an Italian guy?

Veritas vos Liberabit—Semper Vigilo, Fortis, Paratus, et Fidelis! Mark Alexander, Publisher, for The Patriot’s editors and staff. (Please pray for our Patriot Armed Forces standing in harm’s way around the world, and for their families—especially families of those fallen Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen, who granted their lives in defense of American liberty.)