“Offering 'comprehensive' reform usually means years of arguing and horse-trading among pressure groups to get anything done. By the time all the special interests are appeased or bought off, the resulting elephantine legislation typically looks nothing like what was intended. In short, big-government medicine usually doesn't work on big-government sickness. If President Obama wants 'comprehensive' change, it would be better simply not to spend any more money we don't have.” IfsWantYearsLooksMeanDoneBigsGovernmentWould BePresidentInterestGroupsSpecialHorsePressureMedicineArguingReformSicknessPresident ObamaOfferingMore MoneyLegislationTradingComprehensiveSpecial InterestsBig GovernmentPressure Groups Author:Victor Davis Hanson
“It's very difficult, historically, to define what an elite is. But whatever it is, people are very angry at that idea, I think, not so much because of wealth or privilege as much as attitude that the populous masses, if I could use that overused term, feel that a particular government or cultural group is not subject to the ramifications of their own ideology.” PeopleIfsThinkingFeelsIdeasUseGovernmentDifficultTermWealthAttitudeGroupsSubjectsParticularMassAngryPrivilegeIdeologyIf I CouldElitesRamificationsOverused Author:Victor Davis Hanson
“I think there's a group of students - whether it's the micro-aggression or the safe space or the trigger warning that garner a lot of attention - but that the fundamental issues that they're more interested in are - and I'll be very frank here - how much money do I pay for a unit? And what is that unit going to do for me when I'm graduating?And even though this is mostly in a progressive landscape, they're asking questions that have not been asked of the university. And the university can't supply answers to them.” ThinkingSpaceAnswersPayAttentionIssuesGroupsStudentsSafeAskingFundamentalsUniversityLandscapeProgressiveWarningGraduatesFrankAggressionUnitsTriggersAsking QuestionsSafe Space Author:Victor Davis Hanson
“In Iraq #1 we stayed within U.N. mandates, limited our response, went home after Kuwait was freed - and were censured for allowing Shiites and Kurds to be butchered and not going to Baghdad when the road was open and the dictator tottering. In Iraq #2 we removed the tyrant at less cost than the liberation of Kuwait during the earlier war, stayed on to ensure freedom and fair representation for various groups - and are being castigated for either using too little force to ensure needed order or too much power that stifles indigenous aspirations and turns popular opinion against us.” LittlesWarHomeOrderTurnsForceOpinionToo MuchGroupsNeededCostFairsResponseIraqVariousLiberationAspirationAllowingTyrantsDictatorRepresentationIndigenousMandatesBaghdadPopular OpinionKurdsKuwaitToo Much Power Author:Victor Davis Hanson
“A country that cannot count its own illegal aliens - estimates range from 8-12 million - with a porous 2,000 mile border is not secure despite twelve carrier battle groups. We must accept that it is a cornerstone of Mexican foreign policy to export illegally each year a million of its own to the United States to avoid needed reform at home and to influence American domestic policy.” YearsCountryStatesHomeUnitedAcceptingMillionsUnited StatesGroupsInfluencePolicyNeededBattleMilesDespiteSecureAliensReformRangeBordersIllegalForeign PolicyTwelveMexicanCornerstonesCarrierIllegal AliensDomestic Policy Author:Victor Davis Hanson
