FGF-Books

Is the Rule of Law Immoral (Part III)?

Fri, 24 May 2013 09:55:04 -0400

by Christopher Manion

"What we got here is a failure to communicate."
—Cool Hand Luke

Last week the Rubble talked to Congressman Steve King (R-Iowa), a prominent member of the House Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security. Rep. King disagrees with Los Angeles Archbishop José Gomez, who, we noted earlier, advocates amnesty for illegal aliens in the name of the U.S. Catholic Bishops Conference (USCCB).

Two Wars, Two Books

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:38:18 -0400

by Charles G. Mills
Two books published within the last half year strikingly illustrate the similarity of combat in the Vietnam and Afghanistan wars, as well as the important differences between them.

Is the Rule of Law Immoral?

Fri, 17 May 2013 14:04:40 -0400

by Christopher Manion
Last week we looked at the Catholic Church and its advocacy of legislation granting amnesty to illegal aliens. Archbishop José Gomez of Los Angeles, who leads the Church's campaign, has condemned the "nativism" and "bigotry" which in his view often motivates the advocates of the rule of law.

Smokin' Joe: Conservatism's Mozart

Wed, 15 May 2013 12:04:56 -0400

by R. J. Stove
These are the times that try men's scruples, especially the scruples of reviewers. Fact A: I knew Joe Sobran, from 2003 to 2008, well enough to sabotage such hopes of critical detachment as I might otherwise have retained concerning his oeuvre.

Is the Rule of Law Immoral?

Fri, 10 May 2013 16:42:45 -0400

by Christopher Manion
The collapse of legitimacy in Washington continues, and the immigration debate is no exception. The rule of law withers away, while partisans wallow in sentimentalism, with curious consequences: consider the religious leaders who are at the forefront of the pro-amnesty movement. Somehow, they're on the same side of the issue as big business, the banksters, and the Wall Street Journal.

Happy Birthday, 1913!

Mon, 06 May 2013 14:56:18 -0400

by Christopher Manion
The Rubble often notes with a fond nostalgia the wisdom of Robert Nisbet, who was born in 1913. In that year, he once observed, the only contact that the average US citizen had with the federal government was the Post Office.

The Biggest Lie in American History?

Sat, 04 May 2013 10:32:21 -0400

by Robert L. Hale
"If you look at my track record over the last two years, I cut spending by over a trillion dollars in 2011." — President Barack Obama, December 25, 2012 — "Meet the Press".

Why Does the Government Borrow Money?

Sat, 04 May 2013 10:17:40 -0400

by Robert L. Hale
Why does the government have to borrow money? Doesn't it have taxing power? Shouldn't it be able to raise the money it spends as it spends it?

Howard Phillips, RIP

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 21:33:32 -0400

by Christopher Manion
With the passing of Howard Phillips on Saturday, April 20, America has lost a tireless champion of liberty. Since his youth, Howard blazed a trail that was a model for later generations of conservatives. His noble example of lifelong devotion to principle was a beacon to countless legions of patriots fighting in the trenches. Born and raised a Jew, he converted to Christianity and was a stalwart defender of life at every stage. In many ways he was more Catholic than many Catholics: his faith motivated his every act and thought, in a manner so energetic and disciplined that the news that he was ill — that Howard could be anything else than a permanent powerhouse of principle — came as a real shock.

Outrage, Discontent, and Boredom

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 18:42:50 -0400

by Christopher Manion
The most searing image that perseveres after Boston is the picture of eight-year-old Martin Richard, who died in the blast. He is wearing a white suit and tie, having just received his First Communion. He is standing on the church steps with a banner that he made himself — picturing the Host, the Dove, a loaf of bread, a bunch of grapes, a red heart of Love, and the Greek letters Alpha and an Omega. Martin's last act on earth was an act of love, running out to hug his dad at the marathon's finish line. Martin loved peace. May he rest in peace.

Governed by Nincompoops

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 19:37:25 -0400

by Robert L. Hale
The first known use of the word nincompoop was in 1676, a full 100 years before America's Declaration of Independence. It is a noun that Webster's dictionary defines as idiot, fool, simpleton, stupid, or ridiculous person.

"What's Yours Is Ours" – The Government

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 11:01:03 -0400

by Robert L. Hale
Cyprus, following the longest enforced bank holiday in European history, has just confiscated (stolen, to put it bluntly) the majority of the funds of the country's bank depositors. What's left to the depositors has heavy restrictions on when and how much can be withdrawn.

The Old-Time Religion, Revised

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 09:04:21 -0400

by Christopher Manion
The 2008 election season was just getting under way — a lifetime ago, it seems — when Don Devine, a longtime conservative and Reagan Administration official, decided to stir the pot.

"It's Not Your Country Anymore, It's Our Country…"

Sun, 31 Mar 2013 21:12:59 -0400

by Robert L. Hale
"It's Not Your Country Anymore, It's Our Country." So said Sam Donaldson on the "Chris Matthews Show." Donaldson opined that unless and until the Republican Party jettisons the thinking of the Tea Party, the Republican Party would become a non-entity. He chastised those whom he identified as "Tea Partiers" for saying during the past election, "Let's take back our country."

Should The Church Abandon Humanae Vitae?

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 22:46:39 -0400

by Christopher Manion
Pope Paul VI promulgated Humanae Vitae on July 25, 1968. It has had a rough ride ever since. Bishops admit that they've been reluctant to teach it. Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades, Chairman of the bishops' "Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth," acknowledges that "the majority of Catholics still do not know about Church teachings on married love nor understand why the Church considers artificial contraception immoral."

Remembering Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Christian Scholar Killed by the Gestapo

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 11:53:09 -0400

by David Coker
For the past several years toward the end of the Lenten season, I have been reminded of the sad yet heroic life and times of the brave German theologian and scholar, Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

Although rarely discussed in popular culture, it was on April 8, 1945, that Bonhoeffer, the young, patriot pastor, led his last worship service one week after Easter at a church associated with the Flossenburg concentration camp in the isolated Bavaria town near the Czechoslovakian border.

Same-Sex "Marriage": The Roman Emperors

Sat, 23 Mar 2013 15:55:42 -0400

by Craig Turner
As the Supreme Court takes up two cases regarding the legalization of same-sex "marriage," Americans may be surprised to learn that same-sex marriage was legalized once before.

If Lincoln Had Drones

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 13:16:24 -0400

by Charles G. Mills
Just think how much more effective Lincoln and his Reconstruction successors would have been if they had the benefit of missile-firing drones.

Should Catholics Join The Military?

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 13:01:56 -0400

by Christopher Manion
Ten years ago, on March 25, the Feast of the Annunciation of Mary, Most Reverend Edwin F. O'Brien, Archbishop for the Military Services, wrote the chaplains under his command. His letter focused on the question, whether Catholics could morally take part in the invasion of Iraq, which had just begun.

Soviet History Teaches Us What Becomes of a Disarmed Population

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 14:00:54 -0400

by David Coker
The gun control hysteria and propaganda emanating from President Barak Obama, members of Congress, state legislators, mayors of major cities and assorted interest groups finds them in a considerable dither. With some wanting no less that the eventual confiscation of any weapon that can shoot more than one round of ammunition upon reloading, a rancorous debate and considerable push-back from the grass roots of the nation is inevitable.

The Return of the Conservative Conscience

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 20:01:37 -0400

by Christopher Manion
In just thirteen hours, Rand Paul's constitutional marathon established him as one of the best stump speakers in the senate. His easy-going, spontaneous, and cogent extended soliloquy sent a power surge through the somnambulant GOP. The ensuing swell of popular support for Senator Paul set the party — and, en passant, the conservative movement — on their collective ears. And they needed it.

"Conservative" Republicans

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 10:34:51 -0400

by Charles G. Mills
The media often quote pundits who claim that the Republican Party has moved too far to the right. The contrary is true; it has moved too far to the left.

Saint Benedict XVI?

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 22:58:40 -0500

by Christopher Manion
A Jesuit friend remarked recently that, while several modern popes have been canonized, the last cardinal to be so honored — Saint Robert Bellarmine, S.J. — died almost 400 years ago. That observation suggests a rule of thumb for the upcoming conclave: it's quite probable that some of the cardinals voting in the Sistine Chapel might not be canonizable; but the man they elect certainly should be.

America Needs to Reach Out to the Stars

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 14:55:43 -0500

by David Coker
The impact of a large, exploding meteorite over the city of Chelyabinsk, Oblast near the Ural mountain range in Russia and a near miss of Asteroid 2012 DA 14 the next day briefly captured the attention of world media outlets and scientists around the world in February.

Fireside Reading

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 12:11:55 -0500

by Christopher Manion
Traveling through the intersection of religion and economics is often a very rough ride, and it features a high collision rate. Countless influential religious folks, both lay and clerical, insist on writing about economics, only to demonstrate their well-intentioned ignorance (or perhaps their ill-intentioned ideologies). Many economists, on the other hand, consider religion something they have to put up with, or to deny altogether, in order to make their "systems" work.

Pope Benedict and the Liturgy

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 13:51:14 -0500

by Charles G. Mills
Every week in a church in downtown Troy, New York, the ancient Carmelite Mass is celebrated in Latin — one of the many fruits of the liturgical reforms of Pope Benedict XVI.

Looking Back at Reagan

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 21:44:32 -0500

A classic by Joseph Sobran
Reading Ronald Reagan's newly published letters reminds me how much I've always liked him, even after I stopped admiring him as a president.

The Media Catholic Church

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 20:29:55 -0500

by Christopher Manion
Three days after announcing his retirement, Pope Benedict met with the clergy of Rome, whom he serves as bishop. His unscripted remarks were surprisingly candid.

Women Warriors

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 18:54:31 -0500

by Charles G. Mills
The latest regulation on the deployment of women in the Armed Forces is a perfect example of the evolution of a fad into a madness.

"Stop Crime: The Government Doesn't Like Competition"

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 17:48:10 -0500

by Robert L. Hale
"Stop Crime: The Government Doesn't Like Competition" — seen on a bumper sticker.

Our right to keep and bear arms is again under attack. This time the attack is lead by the President of the United States. When bad things happen, opportunistic people use the crisis to move their agendas forward. Not surprisingly, then, the president has announced it is time for comprehensive gun control legislation.

Benedict's Long View

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 19:06:06 -0500

by Christopher Manion
"A lifetime is not enough" to see all of Rome, said Pope Gregory XIV. Similarly, the contributions of Pope Benedict XVI will last far beyond our lifetimes — yet their most lasting impact might be barely visible today.

Disasters, Defiance, and Definitions

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 20:56:44 -0500

by Christopher Manion
Pop Quiz: When is a Neocon Not A Neocon?

Answer. When he's wrong.

Which is most of the time. And that irks Charles Krauthammer.

Why the 2nd Amendment?

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 18:55:16 -0500

by Robert L. Hale
It is time that we stop beating around the bush. The 2nd Amendment was written and adopted for reasons that had nothing to do with the right to use guns for target practice or hunting.

The Clintons: Cause And Effect

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 13:27:55 -0500

by Christopher Manion
During his years in the White House, Bill Clinton's "boiler room" brought damage control to a new level. His serial scandals — their number is legion — elicited a constant symphony of denial — kind of like Ravel's Bolero. James Carville and Paul Begala — Clinton's Bolero Brothers — reacted to every allegation with feigned indignation — "Deny, Deny, Deny!!!" Finally, when they were cornered, came the Bolero: "Hey, So what??!! That's old news!!!"

Conscientious Objection, Part II

Sun, 27 Jan 2013 15:04:36 -0500

by Charles G. Mills
In my last column, I discussed the great deference that American law pays to religious conscientious objections to specific acts like fighting wars, going to high school, reciting the pledge of allegiance, or shaving. Another example is the respect for conscientious objection to participating in abortions, a respect that is recognized by Congress in several laws.

Hoaxes and Hokum

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 18:22:53 -0500

by Christopher Manion
he sad specter of deception that is haunting my alma mater, Notre Dame, these days brings to mind another hoax, more disastrous by far than a college football hero's "imaginary girlfriend." The nation is about to celebrate (or not) the tenth anniversary of Colin Powell's infamous testimony before the United Nations Security Council, delivered on February 5, 2003. Powell later called it "the worst day of my life," and with good reason:

Conscientious Objection, Part I

Mon, 21 Jan 2013 17:23:02 -0500

by Charles G. Mills
For the most part, our society does not try to force people to do things they are determined not to do. Three hundred years ago, we tortured people to make them sign papers or plead guilty or not guilty. Today, we simply sign their names by court order or enter a "not guilty" plea on their behalf.

Nominations and Their Discontents

Mon, 21 Jan 2013 13:01:29 -0500

by Christopher Manion
Twenty-four years ago this month, I got a call from Paul Weyrich, the fabled conservative leader. George H. W. Bush, had just nominated Senator John Tower to be Secretary of Defense, and Paul was going to testify against him. "Chris, come over to the hearings tomorrow, will you?" Paul asked. "I'm going to need some moral support."

The Neo-Conservative Assault on Chuck Hagel: The Politics of Character Assassination

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 11:25:24 -0500

by Allan C. Brownfeld
When former Senator Chuck Hagel, a conservative Republican from Nebraska, was nominated by President Obama to be Secretary of Defense, he was promptly subjected to a withering attack by neoconservatives, the people who so eagerly promoted war with Iraq and are now promoting a pre-emptive war with Iran. They have rushed to the barricades to oppose his selection.

The Benign Rendition Meets Reality

Sun, 13 Jan 2013 14:04:49 -0500

by Christopher Manion
The Advent shootings at Sandy Hook School shocked the country's conscience, and the grief that followed was genuine and widespread. However, by virtually unanimous consent, one primordial cause of the massacre has been conveniently kept from public view.

Climate Change — The End of Mankind As We Know It?

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 19:08:20 -0500

by Robert L. Hale
The sweat is rolling down our bodies. Global warming, say world leaders like Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, is a crisis that is upon us, one we must address to save the world and mankind. This crisis demands a global network of partners, we are told, and a global tax to fund it.

Cliff Notes

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 19:07:14 -0500

by Christopher Manion
With the passage of the Cliff Fix, Obama has completed the de facto abrogation of the Constitution. In that document, Congress holds first priority: Article One, Section 8, Clause 1 confers upon Congress — specifically the House of Representatives — the taxing power. Moreover, under Article One, Section 7, Clause 1, bills raising revenue must originate in the House. But in this case the Senate passed the "Fix," sent the bill to the House, thumbed its collective nose, and left town.

Reconsidering the Massive U.S. Aid to Israel: Has it become an impediment to peace?

Sat, 05 Jan 2013 12:55:55 -0500

by Allan C. Brownfeld
Israel is the largest cumulative recipient of U.S. foreign assistance since World War II. To date, the U.S. has provided Israel with $115 billion. The request for Fiscal Year 2013 includes $3.1 billion in military aid.

The War We Are In

Tue, 01 Jan 2013 22:28:38 -0500

by Christopher Manion
These are not the best of times. In fact, some folks say that the Catholic Church in the United States confronts today the greatest challenge in its history. Things were already tough before the November elections, but now they're in the tank. The good news is that, this year, Catholic bishops were united as never before in defending the Church's First Amendment right of religious freedom; the bad news is that, if the election results are to be viewed as a referendum on that issue, we lost.

The Massacre Was Not at the Rod and Gun Club

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 14:43:09 -0500

by Charles G. Mills
Of course there are no massacres at the Rod and Gun Club. Two-thirds of the worst American massacres of our generation have been at public universities, high schools, and elementary schools. There are both supernatural and natural reasons for this.

We're the Government, and We're Here To Help You…

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 14:41:34 -0500

by Robert L. Hale
One of the most feared phrases any business owner can hear is, "We're with government, and we're here to help you."

Can You See The Baby?

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 16:32:45 -0500

by Christopher Manion
Another December, another War on Christmas. Every Advent, it seems, we must slog through a barrage of anti-Christmas noise commandeered by the usual suspects. Full of sound and fury, they engage in a grotesque and painful pirouette with spineless officials and misguided judges to cleanse any remaining whiff of religion from public life. The all-too predictable result: the crèches come crashing down, and "Away in a Manger" just goes "away."

The Oracle of Omaha and the Secretary of the Treasury Speak… Should We Listen?

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 15:18:28 -0500

by Robert L. Hale
Warren Buffett epitomizes why things are going so wrong in America. During a recent interview by Matt Lauer on the Today Show, Buffett was asked whether he believed that raising taxes on wealthy Americans would have a chilling effect on hiring.

Ruminations Amidst The Ruins

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 10:50:42 -0500

by Christopher Manion
All this rubble around the Christmas tree… every news cycle brings new gifts, so many untold stories, so many issues swirling by. Troubled times abound in such gifts – like, you know, our celebrated democracy! Hey, that's the gift that keeps on taking.

As Prufrock puts it, "And this, and so much more?"

Taking Bitter Medicine

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 20:27:55 -0500

by Robert L. Hale
It is an amazing mindset that Americans have adopted. Some argue that it comes from an enlightened outlook on the world. Others, less blind, argue that the American mind is not equipped to think logically and rationally — that it is capable only of spouting clichés and regurgitating rhetoric gleaned from sitcoms and talking heads.

For Sobran Lovers (I’m One)

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 08:02:23 -0500

by Gary Potter
There are still persons who will open a book and read instead of watching whatever’s on television or fiddling with an iPhone when they have leisure and whether or not the time is planned. (When they are truly devoted readers, it will be.) I know these persons exist because I am one.

Les Faux Femmes

Sun, 09 Dec 2012 16:14:09 -0500

by Christopher Manion

“Michelle Obama to receive a Grammy!”

“Hillary in 2016!”

“Michelle a favorite for Illinois Senate Race!”

Joe Sobran on Contraception

Thu, 06 Dec 2012 08:56:19 -0500

by Charles G. Mills
William F. Buckley Jr.’s greatest talent was his ability to assemble a great group of writers. When he founded National Review, he started with such conservative luminaries as L. Brent Bozell, Frank Meyer, Russell Kirk, Morrie Ryskind, James Burnham, and Willmoore Kendall. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, they created the golden age of that magazine. A decade later, Joseph Sobran, a young talented conservative writer, would produce some of the best essays in the magazine’s history, restoring its former glory.