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February 10, 2012
Lisa M. Krieger: Man with defibrillator demands access to his own heart's information
David G. Savage: Why activists may not be in a hurry to have High Court rule on alternative marriage
February 9, 2012
Laura McMullen: 10 Least Expensive Public Schools for Out-of-State Students
Kimberly Palmer: How to actually enjoy -- relaxing, financially -- your vacation
February 8, 2012
Warren Richey: Why momentous Prop. 8 ruling might not satisfy gay-rights groups
Menachem Wecker: Though Controversial, LL.M.'s Can Lead to Specialized Legal Jobs
The Kosher Gourmet byDana Velden: Going to the bother of making soup? You know it better be good. This CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP certainly is! And it's a cinch to make, too (Includes techinques and serving secrets)
February 7, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Caught off-guard? President's Super Bowl interview with Matt Lauer gives those who need a reason not to vote for him, a darn good one
Suzanne Bohan: Leaping lizards! Tiny reptiles advancing robot design
February 6, 2012
Jonathan Tobin: Iran Threatens Israel With Destruction, But the New York Times Doesn't Hear It
Jeffrey Fleishman: In newly democratic Egypt, tens of democracy activists jailed, to stand trial; their groups are 'threatening the stability of the homeland'
Julie Deardorff : Researchers say antioxidants may not be that effective and could do more harm than good
Mark Clayton: How did Anonymous hackers eavesdrop on FBI and Scotland Yard?
February 3, 2012
Edmund Sanders : Israeli official says Iran is creating missile that could reach East Coast of US
Victoria Kim: Immigrant-smuggling ring used black drivers to avoid racial profiling
February 2, 2012
Jim Carney: Wrong number call may have saved her life
Reza Kahlili : Ex-CIA spy in Iran's Revolutionary Guard: What Obama doesn't grasp about striking deals with Tehran
Tina Susman: For woodchuck rescuer, every day is Groundhog Day
February 1, 2012
Brian Bennett: US officials see increasing threat of domestic attack from Iran
Emily Brandon: How to Take Advantage of New 401(k) Fee Disclosures
January 31, 2012
January 30, 2012
Paul Richter and Ramin Mostaghim: Misreading Teheran's limits -- deadly and economically devastating as they may be -- is a risk administration, Europe seem willing to take
Suzanne Bohan: Warning: Nap-deprived tots missing more than sleep, study finds
Meg Handley: Banks Revamping Rewards Programs to Woo Customers
January 27, 2012
Caroline B. Glick: Obama: Of course I intend to prevent a nuclear holocaust . . . in a few months
Yochonon Donn: In liberal New York City, fervently-Orthodox Jews may soon be getting a district to call their own
Jeannine Stein: An inflated ego and thinking you're 'all that' doesn't just make others sick of you, it can make you ill
Katy Hopkins: New budget rules may affect how much money you get for college
January 26, 2012
Ed Koch: To the New York Times, calling for the murder of Jews by those capable of having their incitement taken seriously isn't news
Jeannine Stein: Mental illness struck one in five U.S. adults in 2010: Report
January 25, 2012
Richard Simon: House passes two bills endorsing the use of religious symbols at military memorials
Fred Weir: Putin: Multiethnic Russia cannot survive as a US-style 'melting pot'; must find its own way
Susan Johnston: 5 Sneaky Coupon Strategies Consumers Should Watch Out For
January 24, 2012
Carol Clark: The price of your soul: How your brain decides whether to 'sell out'
Caroline B. Glick: America lost most in 'Arab Spring'. Sadly, many voters still don't grasp the extent
Warren Richey: Drug criminal scores win in GPS ruling from conservative-leaning high court
Erika Bolstad: Black conservatives gather to talk about gaining strength
January 23, 2012
Melissa Dribben: Jewish voters to play a key role in Florida's Republican primary
Jordan Rau: In quest to grow, Catholic hospital system will announce this morning its break from church
Ali Safi: U.S. envoy gives Taliban terms for peace talks
January 19, 2012
January 18, 2012
January 17, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney Jr.: No-kidding red lines: U.S. response to an Iranian nuke may be bluster, but Israel's won't be
David G. Savage: They sued their principals after slandering them online --- now the cases are headed to the Supreme Court
David Francis: Where to Invest in 2012: With stocks expected to rebound, opportunity abounds for investors
January 13, 2012
Ben Lynfield: Israeli lawmakers move to annex Jewish Judea, one museum at a time
Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz: Thriving through touch: Gentle massage helps older people with low mobility improve in mind and body
January 12, 2012
Warren Richey: Landmark Supreme Court ruling a 'resounding win' for religious groups
Warren Richey: Supreme Court says no to new rule on eyewitness testimony
John Fauber : Statins found to raise diabetes risk in postmenopausal women
Katy Hopkins : Consider This Before You Pay for an Online Degree
The Kosher Gourmet by Joseph Erdos: This mushroom and barley soup has an intense -- almost nutty -- flavor that mixes robust with Middle East. It has creaminess without cream
January 11, 2012
Shari Roan: Millions of atrial fibrillation sufferers at risk for devastating, but preventable, stroke
Tom Hussain: Pakistan -- recipient of more than $21 billion in civilian and military aid -- speeds pursuit of Iranian pipeline, defying US
David G. Savage: High court signals it won't be loosening TV's 'indecency' rules
Stephen Ceasar: Oklahoma's Islamic law amendment can't go into effect, court rules
January 10, 2012
Reza Kahlili: From an ex-CIA spy: US must exploit new split in Iran's Revolutionary Guard
Karen Kaplan: Study: Nicotine replacement products ineffective when used in real-life situations
January 9, 2012
Michael Doyle: Put through legal hell over dream home, couple fought back hard --- all the way to Supreme Court
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Jewish World Review
Feb. 18, 2008
/ 12 Adar I 5768
Hope and change a gimmick
By
Kathryn Lopez
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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
Are YOU paying attention to this election? Have YOU heard what Barack Obama has to offer?
If you listen to Obama, this election is the biggest ego boost ever to hit American politics. Like best sellers "You: The Owner's Manual," "You: On a Diet," and "You: Staying Young," this presidential campaign season is all about YOU.
It's hard not to see the attraction. Obama talks about hope and change. Who is against hope and change? You? Not me.
YOU can have hope and change if you have the audacity to follow this bright, handsome, dynamic speaker's lead. Obama says, "There's a moment in the life of every generation when that spirit has to come through, if we are to make our mark on history, and this is our moment. This is our time." All you have to do is vote for this great guy with the great-looking family!
YOU have the power to initiate hope and change. The alternative, he says, is dire. It's 100 years of war in Iraq. It's decidedly not change. And frankly, it's old versus young. It's yesterday versus tomorrow.
If Obama winds up defeating the formerly inevitable Hillary Clinton to secure the Democratic nomination, his talk of "you" could be the death knell for Republicans in 2008. Obama seems to have a dog whistle for we conservatives who have not been enthusiastic about John McCain, who during the primaries famously contrasted himself with former businessman Mitt Romney by announcing "I led for patriotism, not for profit." (What exactly is wrong with being successful in business, senator?) Then, at a recent rally I attended at the Meadowlands in New Jersey, Obama announced, "I love the free market" and "I love capitalism." Hope, change and an end to class warfare? It's as if he's saying, "Hey, YOU, right-winger, you too can have hope and can change the world!"
However, if we just look beyond the attractive Obama package and ourselves for a moment, we might remember that the election is about actual issues. What are we hoping for? What is the "change" that the pro-Obama Kennedys are so excited about?
The fresh, young face of Obama represents change, yes. But he also represents something very familiar: liberalism. Government as a permanent, inefficient, out-of-control crutch. Never mind the support of Edward Kennedy, who for many is the face of liberalism in America; Obama himself is the most liberal senator in the U.S. Senate.
With Obama you get a naivete about foreign policy. You get a radical on abortion who has opposed the most reasonable pullbacks on the Supreme Court's inappropriate lawmaking, at a time when a chunk of Americans are for restrictions on the issue. You get someone who will pull troops out of Iraq "immediately," with no mind paid to the consequences to our allies in the region and our own security.
The only way to beat superficial, feel-good talk about hope and change is for McCain to have the daring to offer a substantive, substantial contrast. He needs to continue to speak out about the consequences of surrendering in Iraq. But he also needs to talk about the job he is running for. While a president who wears well is a great thing, the chief role of that office is not to make you have a warm, fuzzy feeling inside. The president protects and defends the Constitution. He is commander in chief of the armed forces. He is not an entertainer. On the night of the so-called Potomac primary, McCain demonstrated an appropriate humility on the road to the White House at a time of war: "I do not seek the presidency on the presumption that I am blessed with such personal greatness that history has anointed me to save my country in its hour of need. I seek the presidency with the humility of a man who cannot forget that my country saved me. I am running to serve America, and to champion the ideas I believe will help us do what every American generation has managed to do: to make in our time, and from our challenges, a stronger country and a better world."
I have reservations about McCain, but he is responsible on this war on terror and appreciates the significance of the office of commander in chief. He understands that talking about "hope" and "change" isn't the same thing as leadership; it's a gimmick. And we've already expended too much blood and treasure in a war that was not of our choosing to put our trust in gimmicks.
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