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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
Fighting Words from a Washington Legend
By
Herbert London
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
In 1980 I made a momentous change in my life; I changed my registration from Democrat to Republican. This was more significant than you might imagine since my mother described this decision as transgressive (she didn't use that word) and didn't talk to me for a week.
To make matters worse, I went public with my decision indicating that the leftward drift of the Democrats left me before I left the party.
Soon after this account of my political transformation was published, I received a letter from a supporter. It read, "I too went through this difficult party shift. It was painful at first, but look what it has done for me." It was signed by Ronald Reagan.
That story was recalled as I read Ben Wattenberg's remarkable personal journey Fighting Words: A Tale of How Liberals Created Neo-Conservatism.
Ben was a kid from the Bronx who imbibed Democratic politics as a catechism. He fell under the sway of Democratic leaders Herbert Humphrey and Henry Scoop Jackson serving as both advisor and acolyte.
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The war in Vietnam was his Rubieon. Ben believed the military action was justified. He respected those who disagreed with his view, but he didn't understand the deep-seated anti American sentiments that accompanied the criticism. Ben was and is a patriot who championed the cause of liberty in government, on t.v. and in the corridors of government.
Ben's transition from liberal to neo-con came incrementally. He resisted the left wing orthodoxy that emerged in the Academy. He resisted the claim the war in Iraq was inspired by neo-cons, indicating that President Clinton said Saddam Hussein had to be removed and recalling that Congress approved a bombing of Iraq in 1998.
There is probably no one in the last four decades who has had a better grasp of how Washington works and who are the characters that make it work. Through his "Think Tank" program Ben toured the field from Jesse Jackson to Newt Gingrich. And the more he toured, the more it became evident that he didn't leave the party (he still describes himself as a Democrat) but the party left him. It is not coincidental that Ronald Reagan described Ben as his favorite Democrat.
He is also my favorite Democrat. If there were more Wattenberg's in the party, I might still be a Democrat. For me Ben is the embodiment of an amalgamated idealist and realist, the prophet and the pragmatist. He is also an inveterate optimist which is a major theme in his new book.
Ben recognizes the importance of having a positive attitude. In part, it is what has accounted for American success. Believing that you can overcome difficulties is halfway to making that happen. And assuming the best, is a way to make it occur. Ben is the contemporary William James, forever searching for the oasis in the desert.
Some might suggest Ben is pollyannish. After all, his book The Good News Is The Bad News I Wrong might lead to that conclusion. But it would be wrong. He is deeply immersed in empirical evidence before he arrives at a conclusion. He is a green-eye shade analyst. Most of all, he is an inspiration.
One should read Ben's new book because it is an insiders look into the Byzantine ways of Washington. It should also be read because the stories are fascinating. But it should be read most of all because it is a dynamic history of an era that has shaped our present and foreshadows our future.
Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.
Comment by clicking here.
Herbert I. London is president of the Hudson Institute, a world renown think-tank in Washington DC. He is professor emeritus and the former John M. Olin Professor of Humanities at New York University. And he was responsible for creating the Gallatin School of Individualized Study in 1972 and was its dean until 1992. This school was organized to promote the study of "great books" and classic texts.
© 2009, Herbert I. London
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