Jeff Session: Kagan Filibuster Still Possible

Jeff Sessions on Kagan: “Filibuster Is Not Off The Table” – Jason Mattera, Human Events
In this interview with Human Events editor, Jason Mattera, Senator Jeff Sessions tells Mattera that a Kagan filibuster is not off the table. Has anyone told Lindsey Graham that? The GOP needs to get a coherent message going on Kagan. As Sessions says in the interview, Kagan is known as a “legal progressive,” which should disqualify her from holding a position on the Supreme Court. Her loose interpretation of the constitution could allow government into every aspect of Americans’ lives. During her confirmation hearings she wouldn’t even rule out the possibility that government may mandate what Americans eat during a day. – Dick Young

Obamacare Is Not Entitlement Reform – James C. Capretta, National Review
When deficits emerge because revenues don’t meet expectations, Congress could be more easily forgiven, but when deficits are projected for years, or decades, Congress and the president are directly at fault. Obamacare helps increase the deficit projections for years to come. Congress should be trimming entitlements and reforming them with changes that put the country back into black ink territory, not driving Americans further into debt they don’t want. – Dick Young

Newt Gingrich: Afghanistan Won’t ‘End Well’ – Andy Barr, Politico.com
First Michael Steele told the GOP the way it is, now Newt Gingrich has too. Afghanistan is a quagmire, and America’s military shouldn’t be used to drain it. When are John Boehner and Mitch McConnell going to round up their caucuses and get on board? Ron Paul and Pat Buchanan have been on the right side of this the whole time. I have always been against the current strategy in Afghanistan. It’s only a matter of time before more conservative congressmen realize what their constituencies have known for a long time. That is, al Qaeda has moved on from Afghanistan, and so should America. – Dick Young

The Air Force Needs a Serious Upgrade – Noah Shachtman, The Wall Street Journal
Air superiority should be America’s primary military goal. Any major conventional threat to the U.S. or its NATO allies will be led by air. The F-22 should never have been abandoned. The F-35 is a good platform, but should still be backed up by a twin-engine fighter. The air force needs new tankers. The ridiculous game of politics being played with the new tanker contract could cost American lives down the road. The congressmen involved should think about that before they meddle in the contract process, again. – Timothy Jones

Christie’s Cap Compromise – Review & Outlook, The Wall Street Journal
A new property tax reform in New Jersey pushed by Chris Christie was predictably watered down to the point of irrelevance by the Democrat controlled statehouse. When New Jerseyans are wondering what happened to all the promised property-tax relief, they should ask the teachers unions that pushed the assembly to completely water-down the governor’s reforms. – Dick Young

Three Million Imaginary Jobs – Review & Outlook, The Wall Street Journal
The staff of economists at the White House, with roughly 3.5 years of private sector experience among them, have announced that the stimulus passed in February of 2009 created (or saved) millions of jobs and will create (or save) even more. This is the same group of economists who told Americans that by passing the stimulus package unemployment would remain below 8%. This of course doesn’t account for all the jobs lost (or never created) due to the increased taxes that will be needed to pay for the stimulus. – Timothy Jones

Berwick: Bigger Than Kagan – Daniel Henninger, The Wall Street Journal
Barack Obama appoint Donald Berwick using a recess appointment. The difference between Berwick’s recess appointment and others is that no one was threatening to filibuster Berwick. The GOP wanted to debate Berwick’s credentials in the open, but that was the problem. No one in the Obama administration wanted Berwick to be put in front of cameras before the November election. The reason is that Berwick is staunchly in favor of ‘Europeanizing’ the American health care system. Berwick will command a budget larger than that of the Pentagon, and will shape American medicine at all levels. Americans don’t want anyone like Berwick in office. That’s why President Obama had to sneak him in the back door without debate. – Dick Young

A Chicago-Style Peace Disturber – Christopher Willcox, The Wall Street Journal
For a look into the radical Saul Alinsky, and more insight into the ideas of his disciple Barack Obama, read Radical by Nicholas von Hoffman. The book is a memorial of sorts to Alinsky, so read with care. – Deborah Young