en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/4813345 Comments by RAPHAELENNIS http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/10/10/another-dem-no-could-be-a-big-mistake/#IDComment733210803 And you call Republicans wackos? Fri, 11 Oct 2013 16:23:48 +0000 http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/10/10/another-dem-no-could-be-a-big-mistake/#IDComment733210803 http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/10/09/does-either-party-have-a-strategy/#IDComment732052631 I applaud Ryan's move. Getting Dems to agree to common sense entitlement reforms is more important than defunding Obamacare. Even Democrats know that Obamacare will not work and will have to be fundamentally modified anyway, the sooner the better. Meanwhile Republicans come off as statesmen and Democrats look like spoiled children. Even accounting for MSM spin, if adopted Ryan's plan will be a winner for Republicans. Wed, 9 Oct 2013 18:23:24 +0000 http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/10/09/does-either-party-have-a-strategy/#IDComment732052631 http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/10/08/obama-stumbles-despite-friendly-press/#IDComment731877546 Today on MSN.com "Congress at 5% approval". The picture? Boehner, of course. Couldn't possibly be Reid! Wed, 9 Oct 2013 13:10:55 +0000 http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/10/08/obama-stumbles-despite-friendly-press/#IDComment731877546 http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/10/07/why-pay-furloughed-workers/#IDComment730889844 The House passed the bill allowing furloughed Federal employees to be paid. How come? Mon, 7 Oct 2013 17:08:37 +0000 http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/10/07/why-pay-furloughed-workers/#IDComment730889844 http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/09/27/putting-the-mad-in-maduro/#IDComment727697693 My main point was that Nixon should have been lauded by Democrats because his policies were mostly theirs. Nixon did not fix the under financing you cite and it led first to double digit inflation and price controls. Plus permanent deficits. I am not so sanguine about what you call the "change" in Red China. Consider Tianenmen Square, continued sweat shop working conditions and miserable environmental conditions, all in favor of a rich ruling class, and a permanent underclass here. I do not call that competition. I call it a disgrace. The EPA can be positive or negative but it has unfettered power unchecked by the legislative branch. Under most Republican administrations, its power has been mostly checked. Under Democrat administrations it has usurped dictatorial power. Mon, 30 Sep 2013 15:37:10 +0000 http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/09/27/putting-the-mad-in-maduro/#IDComment727697693 http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/09/27/putting-the-mad-in-maduro/#IDComment726491623 I agree that GOP should have cried "treachery, etc." to Nixon. They did with Watergate, to their credit. Unlike Democrats with Clinton, who disgraced the Oval Office with Monica Lewinsky. But Democrats only like to accuse Republicans of sexual impropriety. not one of their own. But, more to the point, Nixon (1) normalized relations with Red China, one of the most notorious dictatorships of all time, rivaling Hitler's Germany and Stalin's USSR (2) created the greatest inflation the US has ever seen by letting the dollar float (3) actually had the temerity to institute wage and price controls (4) created the EPA. For the above reasons, Democrats should have adopted Nixon as their hero, instead of denigrating him as they have. So Hillel, maybe the Democrats also have the same predilections for political gain that you accuse the Republicans of. Fri, 27 Sep 2013 23:39:23 +0000 http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/09/27/putting-the-mad-in-maduro/#IDComment726491623 http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/09/27/putting-the-mad-in-maduro/#IDComment726336973 What exactly did Nixon get in return for normalizing relations with China? Fri, 27 Sep 2013 16:22:31 +0000 http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/09/27/putting-the-mad-in-maduro/#IDComment726336973 http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/09/25/rouhani-treats-obama-like-a-chump-iran-nuclea/#IDComment725395701 Headline should read "Rouhani Treats Obama Like the Chump he Is." Wed, 25 Sep 2013 18:43:20 +0000 http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/09/25/rouhani-treats-obama-like-a-chump-iran-nuclea/#IDComment725395701 http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/09/02/what-more-must-pa-do-to-show-its-disinterest-in-peace/#IDComment712677397 The "guarantees" of America were never that great. In 1956, when Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal, Eisenhower intervened and prevented an Anglo, Fraench, Israeli operation from succeeding but committed the US to keeping the Straits of Tiran open to Israeli shipping. In 1967, Johnson was loath to honor that commitment prior to the Six Day War. Mon, 2 Sep 2013 18:15:19 +0000 http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/09/02/what-more-must-pa-do-to-show-its-disinterest-in-peace/#IDComment712677397 http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/08/18/note-to-media-gop-isnt-doomed-201/#IDComment702951173 I couldn't agree more with your solution. But it may not work. Your point that both parties are composed of coalitions of conflicting ideas is worth noting, making me believe that the US would perhaps be better served with multiple parties and runoff elections. Mon, 19 Aug 2013 19:06:55 +0000 http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/08/18/note-to-media-gop-isnt-doomed-201/#IDComment702951173 http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/08/18/note-to-media-gop-isnt-doomed-201/#IDComment702843996 It was not the "GOP establishment" that nominated Romney. Romney was nominated by a majority of people who self identify as Republicans, or at least, conservatives. A raucus primary, in which candidates must kiss the ring of far right social conservatives, only to veer to the center during the campaign, is a losing strategy. It also does not help if other candidates for the Republican nomination call the obvious front runner a "vulture capitalist". Mon, 19 Aug 2013 13:59:13 +0000 http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/08/18/note-to-media-gop-isnt-doomed-201/#IDComment702843996 http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/08/16/gop-shouldnt-fear-competitive-primary/#IDComment701801063 The Democrats had the adoring press to whitewash the acrimony. The Republicans operate under no such protection. Sat, 17 Aug 2013 17:30:14 +0000 http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/08/16/gop-shouldnt-fear-competitive-primary/#IDComment701801063 http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/08/12/the-end-of-european-jewry-anti-semitism-gurfinkiel/#IDComment699058407 The decline of American Jewry is equally worrying and is largely self imposed. It is shocking to me that so many American Jews are absolute ignoramuses about the long sweep of Jewish thought and tradition. Most haven't the slightest idea what the word "Midrash" means and many who are, at least affiliated, have no shame in insisting that even the kitchen of their beloved Temple be unkosher and thus cleansed of 'outmoded" Jewish tradition. They may still self identify as Jews but identify more with only those "oppressed groups", blacks, gays, women, that the Intellectual elites, largely also self identifying Jews, have anointed. In that context, "ignorant' Orthodox Jews are an embarrassment and Israelis are thugs that justify the sympathy of "right thinking people" for Arab violence against them. Many are even clergy and even those who claim to have an affinity with Israel only embrace Israelis with far left opinion. Furthermore, this ignorance is growing exponentially each generation. I see it in my own family. Half of my father's great grandchildren no longer self identify as Jews. Tue, 13 Aug 2013 15:56:47 +0000 http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/08/12/the-end-of-european-jewry-anti-semitism-gurfinkiel/#IDComment699058407 http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/08/03/the-miracle/#IDComment693708645 From your pen to God's ears. Sun, 4 Aug 2013 15:39:24 +0000 http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/08/03/the-miracle/#IDComment693708645 http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/07/31/what-conservatives-shouldnt-be-watching-copperhead-movie-viguerie/#IDComment691874498 Gore Vidal wrote a distinctly anti-Lincoln book. How come this did not cause all the Jews to flock to the Republicans? The GOP will prevail once it can make the case that it is not the "party of the rich" and that it is welcoming to Hispanics. The GOP has become weak in presidential elections because it has not been able to make that case. But it is very competitive at the state level and the congressional level. Your comment about Jews is ignorant. Thu, 1 Aug 2013 15:28:05 +0000 http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/07/31/what-conservatives-shouldnt-be-watching-copperhead-movie-viguerie/#IDComment691874498 http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/07/31/what-conservatives-shouldnt-be-watching-copperhead-movie-viguerie/#IDComment691815297 So people with whom you disagree are lunatics? Thu, 1 Aug 2013 13:41:00 +0000 http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/07/31/what-conservatives-shouldnt-be-watching-copperhead-movie-viguerie/#IDComment691815297 http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/07/31/what-conservatives-shouldnt-be-watching-copperhead-movie-viguerie/#IDComment691526362 Why, other than for political expediency, shouldn't the deifying of Lincoln be subject to debate? from what I can tell, it was unchallenged Lincoln that defied the Constitiution and replaced it with an presidency. ____ Thu, 1 Aug 2013 03:18:07 +0000 http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/07/31/what-conservatives-shouldnt-be-watching-copperhead-movie-viguerie/#IDComment691526362 http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/07/15/is-obama-trying-to-start-israel-syria-war/#IDComment680429793 Agreed. Assad knew who attacked the port as he knew who attacked the nuclear plant site. The leaks are all about US politics, and, perhaps about running scared about Russian reaction to a possible US attack. Mon, 15 Jul 2013 16:28:36 +0000 http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/07/15/is-obama-trying-to-start-israel-syria-war/#IDComment680429793 http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/07/15/feds-should-stay-out-of-george-zimmerman-case-obama/#IDComment680408392 Meaning black kids other than Trayvon will die because of the race hustlers who championed this show trial. Mon, 15 Jul 2013 15:37:20 +0000 http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/07/15/feds-should-stay-out-of-george-zimmerman-case-obama/#IDComment680408392 http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/07/15/where-is-silent-cal-when-we-need-him/#IDComment680405333 Playing the race card is nothing new for Obama. It started in the 2008 Dem Primary and it was against Hillary. And it worked. Obama, with the tacit compliance of the media, is guilty of exacerbating race relations in this country. Of all his sins I feel this one is the worst. Mon, 15 Jul 2013 15:31:01 +0000 http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/07/15/where-is-silent-cal-when-we-need-him/#IDComment680405333