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May 25, 2012
Mark Clayton: Is Hillary's State Dept. hacking Al Qaeda? Not quite
Erika Bolstad: Temple cancels Wasserman Schultz speech
The Kosher Gourmet by Ethel G. Hofman: The former president of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, whose members included the likes of Julia Child, is back with contemporary Shavous cuisine: Ruby Fruit Soup, Sweet Noodle Kugel with Cheese, Key Lime Curd, Calsone Casserole Frittata with Wild Mushrooms, Sun-dried tomatoes and Olives, Baked Tilapia with Pepper Cheese Cream and Brown Sugar Shortbread
May 24, 2012
Jeff Jacoby: The peace process battered Israel's reputation
Michael Muskal: 'Pro-choice' position hits record low, according to poll
Chris Farrell: Are We in a Tech Bubble?
The Kosher Gourmet by Penelope Wall: PHILLY CHEESE STEAKS --- hold the steak!
May 23, 2012
Tony Pugh: More private colleges offering tuition discounts
Mary Beth Franklin: How to Choose the Right Annuity for You
Tina Susman: The wig wasn't enough: Man gets 13 years for posing as his dead mom
The Kosher Gourmet by Emma Christensen:A simple way to do fish right
May 22, 2012
Warren Richey: Can US group challenge overseas surveillance act? Supreme Court to decide
Thomas M. Anderson: Walking Away From a Mortgage
The Kosher Gourmet by Megan Gordon: Enjoy a celebration of the most rich and layered flavors: Black bean, sweet potato and quinoa chili
May 21, 2012
Mark Clayton: Cybersecurity: How US utilities passed up chance to protect their networks
Howard LaFranchi: NATO summit: Who will foot the bill for long-term Afghanistan security?
Chris Farrell : Earn Dividends in Emerging Markets with This WisdomTree ETF
Stephen Whiteside, Ph.D. : Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: Social anxiety disorder --- or just shy?
Guy Jackson : Victim's father regrets death of Lockerbie bomber
The Kosher Gourmet by Mario Batali: Famed chef's veal shoulder farsumagru: A festive meat course for late spring
May 18, 2012
Rabbi Berel Wein: Striving: The People of the Book's Book for (All of) the People
Steven Goldberg: 5 Great Stock Picks and the Exchange-Traded Fund that Owns Them
Mary Pickett, M.D.: Ask the Harvard Experts: Don't be forced into gluten-free lifestyle based merely on a doctor's false-positive test
The Kosher Gourmet by Carolyn Malcoun: DIY healthy lunchbox treats: HOMEMADE FRUIT BARS for kids and brown-bagging adults alike
May 17, 2012
Warren Richey: Teacher fired for being unwed and pregnant can sue religious school, court rules
Josh Mitnick: Netanyahu's 'centrist' coalition is already proving it's anything but
Steven Goldberg: Earn Dividends in Emerging Markets with This WisdomTree ETF
Amina Khan: Research links coffee to lower death rates
The Kosher Gourmet by Faith Duran : Cheesy Potato Breakfast Casserole with Cheddar and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
May 16, 2012
Carmen Terzic, M.D., Ph.D. : Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: A variety of exercises can help improve balance
Melissa Healy: National strategy on Alzheimer's disease aims to halt it by 2025
The Kosher Gourmet by Joyce White : GOODNESS GRACIOUS: GREENS! 4 winning recipes that are no longer just for down-home folks (Includes expert tips & techniques)
May 15, 2012
Kristen Chick: Obama administration resumes arms sales to Bahrain despite serious unresolved human rights issues. Activists feel abandoned
Pat Mertz Esswein: Homes are now affordable again and mortgage rates are low. What you need to know before you buy
Kathy Kristof: Our Practical Investor Fights Inflation with These 6 Investments
Sue Hubbard, M.D.: The Kid's Doctor: Lactose intolerant young child? Check again
The Kosher Gourmet by Kathy Hunt: Spread a Little Excitement with EXOTIC CONDIMENTS (4 RECIPES)
May 14, 2012
Lisa Gerstner: How to Protect Your Identity, Finances If You Lose Your Phone
Harvard Health Letters: Heart disease and dementia
The Kosher Gourmet by Megan Gordon: MANGO COCONUT OAT MORNING MUFFINS are a bright but hearty delight
May 11, 2012
Jessica L. Anderson: Get the Best Deal on a Used Car
Jett Stone: Forget face-lifts and fake knees. Scientists have seen the fountain of youth --- and it's broccoli
The Kosher Gourmet by Chef Mario Batali: The famed chef's vegetable dish that tastes true to the season: FAVAS AND SUGAR SNAP PEAS WITH POTATOES AND TARRAGON
May 10, 2012
Sergei L. Loiko: Putin sends warning to U.S., NATO in Victory Day speech at Red Square
Mary Rourke: How being a 'mentch' got Vidal Sasoon his start and fighting in Israel's War of Independence provided him with confidence and a strong sense of his own identity
Jeff Bertolucci: Get Home Phone Service for Less Than $10 a Month
The Kosher Gourmet by Betty Rosbottom: Gleaming with its golden, crimson, and snowy white hues, this silken smooth and creamy STRAWBERRY ORANGE TRIFLE looks impressive, but is easy to prepare
May 9, 2012
Sharon Palmer, R.D. How you can reduce your risk -- or delay -- chronic diseases associated with aging
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Jewish World Review
May 5, 2010 / 21 Iyar 5770
On Inclusiveness, GOP Just Can't Win
By
Jonah Goldberg
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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
On July 27, 2009, former Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio swung by the D.C. offices of National Review (where I'm a contributing editor). He was there seeking support for his then-long-shot candidacy for Mel Martinez's U.S. Senate seat. That seat is currently held by George LeMieux, who was appointed by Gov. Charlie Crist to keep it warm for himself. Rubio was relatively low on funds at the time, and Crist was still seen as a shoo-in by the political establishment.
Rubio was pretty much exactly as you see him on TV. Fast-talking, confident, youthful, energetic and knowledgeable. We were all very impressed with him. Moreover, the general consensus inside the room was that the general consensus outside the room was wrong.
In several recent elections, the base of the Republican Party has been asked to vote for fairly moderate candidates they didn't particularly like. Despite a lot of spin that John McCain represented a "third term" for George W. Bush, the Arizona senator had, in fact, been a thorn in the side of both the party machinery and the conservative rank-and-file. Many conservatives still kick their cats across the room whenever they're reminded of President Bush's stumping for Arlen Specter.
This year, we reasoned, Republicans surely would be asked again to pull the lever for moderates. Some were already foreseeable, like Rep. Mark Kirk in Illinois (vying for President Obama's Senate seat) and Rep. Mike Castle (seeking Vice President Joe Biden's Senate seat in Delaware). In other cases it was likely that the base would be asked to either vote for a conservative loser or a moderate (potential) winner.
There's nothing wrong with such compromises. Even William F. Buckley insisted he was merely for the most conservative candidate electable. In politics, when you make the perfect the enemy of the good, you open the door to something even worse.
Hence the appeal of Rubio. At the time, we concluded that the base of the GOP, both nationally and particularly in Florida, would be starving for an opportunity to support a principled conservative who could actually win in a general election. Add in the fact that Crist had both literally and figuratively hugged Obama in response to the stimulus package, and the fact that Florida's GOP primary is closed, and it seemed obvious that the Cuban American Rubio was that guy. My colleague, John Miller, wrote the National Review cover story that helped nationalize Rubio's candidacy.
A lot has happened since then. We were proved right, and so much of the conventional wisdom has been proved wrong. Rubio's jalopy of a candidacy quickly turned into a juggernaut, chasing Crist out of the GOP entirely. Indeed, many now call Rubio the "GOP's Obama," which is not quite right. If Rubio wins and then runs for president in 2012, the comparison will be more apt.
For years, Beltway conventional wisdom held that Republicans need to embrace Latinos, to become more youthful and more hip. So what's the response to a 38-year-old Latino son of immigrants from Miami who quotes Snoop Dogg on his Twitter account and has successfully knocked a classically hackish older pol from his perch?
Why, that this just shows how the GOP's less inclusive than ever! It seems that no matter whom the GOP includes, it's always the wrong kind of inclusiveness.
Even more recently, we've been told that the GOP needs to get serious about governing and be willing to make tough choices. In the same "Fox News Sunday" interview in March in which Crist insisted that he would not run as an independent, both men were asked what they would do about the deficit. Rubio said he was open to the politically perilous option of changing the cost-of-living formula for Social Security. Crist pandered to older Floridians claiming their entitlement is sacrosanct and instead mouthed some nonsense about Social Security "fraud" and "waste." There's precious little of either. Again, it seems that being "serious" about governing means nothing more than agreeing with Democrats.
Barring some literal or figurative tragedy, Rubio will in all likelihood be the next senator from Florida, yet victory will again be proof to the usual Beltway crowd that the GOP just can't win.
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