Archive | March, 2003

On January 27, 2003 the Hamilton College Objectivist Club, Chaplaincy, Hillel, Dean of Students’ Office, Arthur Levitt Public Affairs Center, and government department brought Dr. Daniel Pipes to Hamilton College. Dr. Pipes began his visit with a Q&A seminar on the subject of his recently published book, Militant Islam Reaches America. Tracing the spark of […]

According to press reports, representatives of the Bush Administration met with North Korean representatives last month in secret talks and demanded that North Korea dismantle, not freeze or simply deactivate, the Yongbyon reactor as a condition for any substantive US-North Korea talks. I applaud this example of firmness, and hopes that this report is an […]

The Smithsonian’s African American history museum in Washington, D.C., states that while instances of slavery can be found throughout human history, the practice of slavery did not become “dehumanizing” until white Europeans came along and took slaves to the Americas. The museum’s West Africa exhibit, which opened Feb. 3 and continues through the end of […]

A little over a year ago, on March 5, 2002, President Bush made a serious mistake by imposing tariffs on imported steel. At the time, there were many, including myself, who said that the negative impact of this action on steel consumers would be much greater than any benefit to steel producers. Thus the economy […]

He calls Bush, Cheney, and Ashcroft the “real axis of evil.” He blamed 9-11 attacks on too many White people and not enough Black men on the planes. And in his Oscar Night diatribe, film-maker Michael Moore used his win of an Academy Award to rant against a “fictitious” President Bush, “fictitious election results,” and […]

Random thoughts on the passing scene: Never before in history has the word “unilateral” been thrown around so gratuitously when the issue was war. Only in recent years has there been any question that a sovereign nation takes the solemn step of going to war unilaterally. What a farce to have Cameroon or Portugal deciding […]

Let’s talk about the economics of mass destruction — the single most dangerous idea in economic policy… the Phillips Curve. Even if you don’t know it by that name, you’ve been its victim. The Phillips Curve is the formal construct representing the idea that full employment causes inflation. We haven’t heard much of the Phillips […]

Most Americans have never heard the acronym “IOLTA,” but if you’ve ever been involved in a real estate closing or had an attorney hold your funds in escrow, than you’ve probably been affected by IOLTA. What does that mean? It means the government is taking money from you without your knowledge or consent. And your […]

The most common reason I hear people opposing war against Iraq — indeed, any war initiated in defense of the United States — is opposition to “violence on principle.” This is what I hear from young people particularly often: “We have no right to use our military might against innocent civilians.” The huge, life-threatening error […]

When it came down to it, two of America’s closest Cold War allies — France and Germany — were unwilling to bear the responsibility of major powers when it came to Iraq. They weren’t there when we — and the world — needed them. Instead, they carped, complained, delayed and even sabotaged efforts by the […]

Many observers, intoxicated by the initial promise of the March 19 decapitating air strike against Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, now are unrealistically impatient with the progress of the war against Iraq. In particular, some elements of the American and international media are chomping at the bit to declare that the U.S. is bogged down and […]

Should our tax dollars fund our troops fighting in Iraq, or the Smithsonian’s national worm collection? If it’s business as usual up at the Capitol, then this is the type of question Congress will grapple with in the coming weeks. And if history is our guide, the outcome is too close to call. On March […]

The Senate’s surprise vote Tuesday to reduce the value of President Bush’s proposed tax-cuts by more than half has been played in the press as a major setback for the President’s agenda. But the way I see it, it’s actually great news: a tax-cut that was assumed to have zero chance just a month ago […]

The attack was well-choreographed. Moving in successive waves, they executed a perfect assault. Some moved to cut off their enemies’ supply lines, seizing control of crucial bridges and roadways, while others worked to surround and besiege key command and control buildings. No, these were not U.S. commandos on a mission in Baghdad. They were anti-war […]

Two years ago, journalists – hot for a story – began calling John Banzhaf, the telegenic George Washington University law professor who led the anti-smoking legal crusade from its early stages. “Would tobacco-style lawsuits,” he was asked, “now be aimed at food processors and restaurants?” “Well, no,” Banzhaf later recalled he said. “There are important […]

As I watched the 24 hour war coverage on Monday I saw a most amusing spectacle, UN weapons inspector Hans Blix was professing to be excited about going to Iraq after Saddam is gone so that he can resume his weapons inspections. Apparently the Swede has yet to realize he is no longer relevant, much […]

How did the enemy get into our camp?” That’s what Bart Womack, a command sergeant major of the elite 101st Airborne Division, asked himself as a grenade rolled past him after 1 a.m. on Sunday at an American camp in Kuwait. The attacker worked methodically, destroying an electricity generator, throwing grenades into Womack’s tent and […]

There they go again: Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., calls it “immoral.” Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle says it would be a “painful sacrifice.” The war in Iraq? Try the budget recently passed by the House Budget Committee, which seeks to increase government spending by only 4 percent next year. This is slightly slower growth than […]

We have heard a lot about anti-war demonstrators. Indeed, we have heard a lot from anti-war spokesmen, as the media continue their corrupt practice of providing free air time to those whose antics provide them with footage for their news broadcasts. But what about those who are pro-war? Who said, “At last the war has […]

With many states now running large budget deficits, legislators are looking anew at higher cigarette taxes. Even though these taxes have been raised sharply in almost every state in recent years — on top of price increases mandated by the tobacco settlement — politicians still seem to think that this cow can be milked even […]