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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
Nov. 3, 2009
/ 16 Mar-Cheshvan 5770
Day of reckoning for the GOP
By
Wesley Pruden
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
Elephants are supposed to have long memories, but not all do. The royal household in Thailand even assembles its elephants once a year so a holy man can preach an annual sermon to the gentle beasts, urging them to mind their manners in the presence of the king. As eloquent as the homily may be, it has to be repeated the following year.
Our own royal elephant needs a frequent sermon, too. This one will be preached Tuesday in the 23rd Congressional District of New York, but repentance and reform of the elephant popularly known as the Grand Old Party rarely lasts very long.
A quirk (actually a perk) in New York election law requires the party chairmen in the counties of the district to choose the party's nominee to fill an open seat between regular elections, so naturally the potbellies in the suits chose someone whose sole qualification was that she was inoffensive to the other party. The selection of a state legislator wonderfully named Dede Scozzafava - which sounds like someone eager to repay the party hacks with scuzzy favors - suited the Republican establishment in Washington right down to the ground. Mzz Scozzafava favors abortion, same-sex marriage, the whims of union bosses and all the things that give modern Democrats a buzz and a tingle. She was a perfect fit for the traditional Republican campaign battle cry: "Vote Republican: We're Not (Quite) As Bad As You Think We Are." The national party chairman and the National Republican Congressional Committee quickly endorsed her. Newt Gingrich, ever on the scout for an opportunity to live up to the noble traditions of the party, quickly followed.
And then angry conservatives took a hand, as they invariably do when Republicans win in spite of everything they can do to undermine unexpected breaks of good fortune. They took up the cause of Doug Hoffman, running on the Conservative Party line, and when his polling momentum propelled him past the party nominee, the party chiefs withdrew their endorsements when no one any longer cared. The result is that the election is in doubt today; the Democratic candidate may well win, anyway. But the lesson should be obvious enough, even for hard heads.
Lessons are available in the gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey, too. In Virginia, Bob McDonnell, a born-again Christian, declined advice to cave under the weight of The Washington Post campaign to drive him out of the race in punishment for a term paper he wrote in graduate school, taking issue with the catechism of radical feminism. The Post campaigned day after day, as if hounding him for the sexual abuse of the little girl whose pigtails he pulled in the first grade. He regarded the advice to quail, apologize and tug his forelock, in the way prescribed for Republicans taking tutelage from Democrats, and the more The Post and the Democratic candidate flailed away, the larger the McDonnell lead grew. He's up more than 10 points in the final polls, and if he loses now it will be a Trumanesque miracle, indeed.
The numbers are not nearly so clear in New Jersey, where a Democrat rarely has a credible excuse for losing, so great is the partisan advantage. Jon Corzine, the fat-cat Democratic incumbent, is so boring and dreary that beating him looked easy enough in September that even a caveman could do it. In the wake of Chris Christie's lachrymose Republican challenge, devoid of anything to make the multitudes want to toss their hats in the air, the huge Democratic registration advantage asserted itself. The governor closed and took the lead. But over the past seven days the race has tightened again, enough to renew Republican hopes of throwing a one-two punch at Barack Obama's inviting glass chin.
Even if they land the one-two punch, the big chiefs of the GOP, like the royal elephants in Thailand, are not likely to understand the lessons laid out before them. They're already trying to reassure themselves that rage against the machine only makes conservatives feel good. One former congressional campaign chairman argues that robust campaigning could consign the Republicans to minority status for decades.
There's no sign that rebellious conservatives - something like "community activists" - are listening to the advocates of graceful losing. The rebellious have supped on red meat. Who would have thought elephants were so tasty?
Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.
JWR contributor Wesley Pruden is editor emeritus of The Washington Times. Comment by clicking here.
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