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The Global Leader in Security Consulting, Investigations and Business Risk Services www.securitasinc.com • www.ci-pinkerton.com 800-232-7465 0" the l'(lvrr, VOLUME 39 • NUMBER I • WINTER 2005 l'mit/fllt ltrorgf III." /Jusb, f),1U/U Mlljority l.rlld,t Hill !-,isl IUld J-/""st S~(lka j. Dflillis J-/ltJlrrl. 4 Note From the Executive Director """,," by B_~ K"'ftIC~,bil. II,,,,,~, K"'fiICo,bil. AI' Pbtttolfo.- M~"I~"'~ POLITICS I'"bli, her Ri chard S. Kessler The Ripo!> S
Cuhu.e t:'li,o. R.IChe! K. ,,,"cr>! CAPITOL FORUM
1:';1;lOr',,1 A),i),,,,,,., 20 Saving Social Security - by Rep. Mark Foley Robi" Kc<)lcr 21 The Great Civilizer - by Sell . C huck Grassley Kalell I'Jd!;ell 22 Increasing Our Oil Supply - by Rep. Joe BaHa n l>.:sign/Art Oireclion 23 Republican History Lights the Way - by Rep. Tom Pet ri John M. 1I0o"e B~nl" l'ubNcr PUBLIC POLICY 1'.OO u<'l ;on 24 The Growing Hispanic Vote . by Rep. I1 cana Ros-Ld u illcl1 Ilanta Cor\,. 25 Why I Left the Democrats - by John Marino
C Cor)l'Sh, 200') 26 Make Use of Prison Labor - by Robert D. Alki nson I\~ The RIpon $rxc1(1) • All RighI> R.;w ...... -d FOREIGN AFFAIRS On( Yu r Sub,..;:.ip,io ll : $2S.00 ;ndi"idu" L, 27 Angry Canucks ~ by Rachel K. Ayers! $ 10.00 !I"delll) 29 After Arafat - by Frede ri ck Kr:lI1 'L
...... ··' IIO"oo;x:.<>rg
TJ.. RI~n JW"", (lSSN OO.\~-'~~6);, publ""... l '1"." ..ly~· I he: R11'M So<",,). 1"1,.. 1(,1"'" !><><~';' k ..""., 1.100 t S"«1. NW . S"i,~ ')()(l. W•• hiog",n. DC 20005. I''' .J.,,,,,.I, ,,,,II,, .. ,, '" ,h,· ""&-'''''<.I",,,kll ..· .. ,ldrnl<' The Ril)()11 Fo rum ' Willu:r 2005 W " /W. ripo nsoc.org 3 Note From The Executive Director n behalf of Thr Ripon Soci~ry. I welcome President Gl'Orge W. Bush to his second term of office over our fuir land. Likl>\y ise, Ripon is pleased 10 announce the swearing in of the 109,h QCo ngress. We arc hopeful Ihal these forthcoming yean; will Ix marked by cfficicllI compro- mise and forward progres5. When asked if he would r.nher be Achilles or 1-I0111er, ancient Athenian soldier and smtesman, Themislocles. responded rh etorically: ~W hi ch wo ul d you r:lIhcr be - a cOIl(]UefOr in the Olympic gamcs. or Ihe crier that proclaims we arc conq u ero rs~- 71}( Ripon Forum 51aff is fur from Olym pian . hut we arc very pleased to proclaim our ex tremely accurate 2004 election predict ions - kudos 10 election iss ue contribulOrs Donald L1lTlbro, John Hood. Stephen F. Manfrc(li, :tnd Rep. Tom Reynolds (R-NY) for their educated wagers. To review our picks, read previous issuc.~ of U,r Forum ~t www.riponsoc.org. And. for a POSt-election renosp"'Ctive, enjoy Uni vers ity of SOUlh Dakom bw professor Patrick Garry's piccc on why the Democrats lost in November and their party's current state of cri sis. Three artides with particular relevance [0 Ripol/ gr.t ce this issue. First, Rep. Tom Petri (R-WI). whose district encompasses the birthplace of Ih t' GOP in Ripo n. \Visconsin, offers his support of tlit' party's enduring principles first SCt fort h in 1854. Second, Energy and Commerce Commim 'C C hai rman Joc Barton (R-TX) discusses the lK'Cd 10 0l)('n the Arclic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) for domestic oi l drilli ng. Yes, conscn'arion of natu ra l resources is a Ripon llallmark. But. this relatively small d rilling project. which will bear millions of gallons of horne-grown oil if managed correctl}', will provide for domcsti c l'nergy rescrves while having 1l1inimal impaci on rh e environment. JUSt ask the burgoonillg elk alld moose populations one sees hud dled around the warm Trans-AIa~kan Pipcline. Disagree? Visi t independent surveyors at www.tapseis.anl. gO\'. Third. C uban-born Rep. lleana Ros-Lehtinen (R. FL) discusses harnessing the emergi ng power of the Hispanic vow in our country. B}' casting 8 percent of the \'OtCS in the 2004 election. Hispanics ranked sirongly bcrween the African-A111c ric.Ul (11%) and Asian-American (2%) voting populace. Both Africa n-Amcrican ami Hispanic voters incTl-:t~cJ numbers by orle percell{ over 2000. Growing our parry's divcrsity through education:11 efforts :u ~ n cI'en mster PKC is a m~ndate for Ripo/l. Thus, the first in our four p~rt series caUed "Wh}' I'm a Republican" dehuts in this isslle. Four regular people from four different ct hnic backgrounds h:lve been asked to sha re their reasons for associ ating with the GO P ill an cOOrt to demonstr:lI c tht' rarely rcportc<1 (:11 1<1 r:lpidly growing) diversity of our party. Pan One; an Italian -American gcmlem:111 dlTllllidcs his conversion fro nl labor union Democrat to pro-business Repllblic lI1 . An exci ting vision for Tbe Ripo" Socitly is begin ni ng to come to light. During 2005 we arc dcter mined to continue 10 grow our general lTlt:mbership throughout the United Sra. tes. So often we find thai r<:gu lar Jx:o ple ident'ify with our consef\'ati\'c fiscli politics and our moderatc socia l agenda. In mct, it's truly the only area for pOlcllliaJ growlil within our party - the Ri ght has a lock on the Republican \'ote. and likewise. the Dc-mocrats control the Left. The modcratc middle is Ihe home of 71)1' Ripon Surifry, and the hope for the GOP's contin ued growth. u:ts incf('ase tile size and scope of our "Big Tl·nt. ~ Become a member of 71Jr RiPOIl Socirry today at www.rtponsoc.org. Best regards. ~1~ Executive Director f'ox/ry@ripolI!or.org 4 www.r;ponsoc.org The Ripon Fl)mm ' Wimer 200S The Permanent Republican Majority Only a 'Big Tent' party can control Congress By Ri chard S. Kessler res id ~ nI Goo rge W. 13usil's re-cleclion viclOry gi\'es RepubliClrlS a unique "It is important for Republicans to remember that the Popporluniry 10 forge :l n:ltionailllajor !Iy cO:llllion for decades to come. party's greatness, going all the way back to Lincoln, President Bush nOI only defe:m-d his Democratic challenger, Senator John Kerry. lies in its openness and diversity. The GOP has become bY:l dccisivl' I1I3rgin, bllt tile GOP widened their Ill:ljorities in the House and Scmllc. a national party precisely because it represents a Clearl y. lilt: Bush tcam, along widl Ihl' Rcpublil-a n Na lional Commiu('t:, mn an broad array of regions, ideas and interests." cm."Cli vt, and highly disciplined c:l mpaign. Karl Rove, whom rh e Pres idml has dubllL-d cClll risr Democr:tts. Hence. he Cl nnor - Vorers rCCl Il thaI. for much of lhe the Yarchilccl ,M executed a brillialll Slr:l Wgy and should not - wer tOO fJ. r to the Ri ght. 199 0s, Republicans in Congress were able aimed at mobili1.ing \'Ole r lurnOlil. Also, An)' such move ri sks pola rizing the politica[ to pass some major pieces of legislation Republ ic-.m ca ndidates returned 10 an process. Pres idelll Hush would be wise to even though a Democrat, Rill C limon, old-fa shioned "door-lo-doorM style of appeal 10 major Republicn n conSlituencies occupied the pres idency. The mos t c'lmp:lignillg, led by the likes of CaliforniJ Go\'. Arnold consequential I..-;I S wclFJfC reform, which Ycr Rcpllhli c an ~ need 10 make M ITe Schwarl.e/leggcr, Rud ), Giuliani and contribute<1 to the decade's economic boom that th, victories 0( 2004 ::lre not simply the Senator John t-..fcC1in. B)' gl':l vit3ting to tilt' and tr:1!lsfOfm ed the feder:1l gOI'ernment's product of a one- time, well -executed po litical middle. the adminis trati on will be relarionship with the states. Now that ,he ground game, whidl is followed by a MI C ~ blc to garnt'r the nen'ssary VOI CS in GOP controls both the White House cession of dcfe:lls. This is wh)' Rcpubli o ns Congress (espC'(:i al1 y, in the Senate. where and C ongress, (he electorate rightl), need 10 undersrand the fund::lll1 elH ::l 1 rcason lcgisl:.Hi o n often gels bottled -up) for expc-cls res ults. for thei r triumph in Now mber: T h('Y :lre pri\'ate pension aCCO UIlI S and w me ki nd of Jf Rt'puhlica ns are :lb[e 10 pass the the p:lrfy of the MBig Te nl. ~ President Bush simplification of the lax cooe, Pres idenr 's ;,s(·nda. voters wil1 richly reward won b), re::lc hing OUl (0 a broad r:l.Il ge of The I'rcsid l' nt n e~: d s 10 conrinuc being them - JUSt ;'5 the), n.-warded the GOI' the \'oters - corpOl':lte Ameri ca. tmners. bl ue bold. His po[itio [ ba ~e may be on the COll IaSI timc it was thc countr),'s majorir), part)' collar worh·rs. His panics. Jews. Afrion se rv:ltivc end of the ideological slx:crcum, durin g till" era of William Mc Kinl er, Americans. urban eLhnics, suburb.mites :tnd but he needs 10 appe:tl to the majorit), of Tht'odore Roosevelt and Ca[vin Coolidge. sO-Gllled "sl'curit), moms." the electorate, which is closer 10 the cenTer. However, if RqJUblic:r.ns get mired in AlThough much h:lS been ma(le in the Voters have give n President Bush and hi s legislalive p:1!1l.l )'sis Of politiCl[ exrremism , ml'dia about thc imporrance of "moml parry a scrong mandate beC:l use they want, then v ot e r ~ will punish them in the 2006 \'alues" and the evangel ical C hris ti an vote .md fully ex pect, pl':l. gmatic solutions o n midterm eil-ctiotl). [n shoft, for the GO [ ~ in 2004, the fact is that the GOP could not key issucs affecting their li ves. Polls it is all or 1l00hing. h:l\'e won b), relying o nl ~' on one segmelll consislendy show that Americans arc main Hence. il is important for RcpubliCl ns of the elector.lte, More importantly. the I)' concenll'd with the C<:O IlOIll)" national to rt'mcm ber Ihal the p :H I}"S gream css. Republic:m s onnOl hope to win future St.'curiry. eduCl Tion Jnd health Clre. The going all the wa)' back 10 Lincoln . li es in its electiOnS, or mailllain their grip o n Republ icans nccll to st;lke their d :lim on openness and diversity. The COP Ius Congress. if the), become a single- interen Lh ese bread-and-buuer i ~s u es. And there is become a national part)' prccisd y beCluse it p:lf!y. nu better way to do so than to p:tS5 mean representS ;t broad array of regions, ideas Moreove r, it is on I)' b), 1l1aintaining ingfullegislation, whi ch has the support of :tnd interes ts. Its strenglh is th:u it is :m their broad coal ition can the GOP dcli\'er most Americans. in cl usive party. \\Ihiclt is truly a " Big 'Jcm " on Presidel1\ Bush's key initiatives for hi s The sta kes could not be 11i gher. for those commilled to the Republican secon(1 term. The President has proposed a A major reason why Congress ional principles of linlitcd governmelll, equalit), sweeping agenda, such as Social Security DemoCTIl ls suffe red hcavy losses Hl of opportunity for all and a v i goro u ~ refofm , o\'erhaul of the tax cod e and bring November is beC,lUSt' the dt'Ctol':l. te is fed fo rei gn policy. By sticking to this StraTegy of ing dern ocf:I CY 10 lr:tq. If implemelHed, up with obstructionism, D~' m OCrJlS would strt'ngtlt throug[l d iversil )" Republic ms will these init i:uives will tl':l.n sform dtJllItilic be wise to remember this, t-speciall), rega rd cnsure that they fC main Ameri o's party fo r r~o lit iQ and the Middle Easl. ing tile I'resid\'rH 'S judicial appoinunerm . decades to come. ~ [n order to :Ichieve these goals. howev Mo reover. the D cmocr,lti c Party is ill er, PresidelU Busll will need the suppOrt not defineJ and un:lb[c to connect with ordi - Riehl/rd 5. Krssler is on I)' of m o Thr Ripon For um · Wimer 200, www. ripo nsoc.org 5 -+e " • • Personnel Strategy for the Second Term Bush assembles principled and cohesive team By Lcs T Csorha As witb sbips, so with men; He who turns his back to the foe leadl'rs hip: a sound !nom] com pass and o rg;lIli1.:ltionaJ skills that produce tangible gi/les him an advantage; wbereas our ribbed cbests, like the ribbed results. In order to implement his ideas. Presidcilt Bush has cn$un.-d that his advisers bows ofa ji-igate, are as bulkbeads to dam /lfl onset. sh:lrc the overall direction of his domcstic :lIld foreign policy. Herman Melville, Whitr jl/flU( Funhcrmore, li ke any CEO of :. COT pur:llion, President Hush - who h;l$ '-':I mcd t a summit of lea 6 ww,,·.riponsoc.off: The Ripon Forum · Winler l005 Why the Democrats Lost Kerry snatched defeat from the jaws of victory By Roben Stacy McCain 0 \" 2, 2004, W;\5 an Elcc ti on D ly 11m • An elec(ion in which the winner gets was cllIircly inappropriat e. And while the 111(: The Ripo n Forum - Winl er 2005 ww...... riponwc.org 7 Politics: Why the Democrats Lost analysts (() sec Mr. Kerry's defeat as largely a matter of tone and style. H is collcague "The Great Panic of '04 was good while it lasted, William Salelan suggested that Mr. Kerry was JUSt roo nuanced for stupid American but bV Thanksgiving, Democrats were showing voters; "Think about the simplicity of everythi ng Bush says and does. He gives the signs of rationalitv. For one thing, they jettisoned samc speech C"o·cry time. His sentences arc shorr and dear.... What Kerry lacked W3S simplicity. Ilush had one message; Kerry Terrv McAuliffe as head of the Democratic h:ld dozens. Bush had one is.sue; Kerry had National Committee. Mr. McAuliffe was alwavs scores " Exile - ~ J'm going to apply tor an Irish an exceptional fundraiser, but as a political passport," novelist Jay Mcinerney [old Salon. tactician he seemed tone-deaf to the concerns The Grear Pa nic of'04 was good while and sensibilities of Middle America." it lasted, but by Thanksgiving, Democrats were showing signs of rationality. For one Ihing, th()' jettisoned Terry McAuliffe as head of the Democratic National VO[OO :lgairlSl it. His Wt.":thhy, ~cclHric the list of issues that swayoo \·olers. 78 Commillet.'. Mr. ,\JlcAuliffe was always an wife was a campaign li ability. Also, Mr. percent cited other issucs as more cxcept ional fund miser, but as a political tac Kerry blunder(.xi inlO a MDukakis in :l imporr3.nt 10 Ihem. So pundits' P:Ln tician he seemed IOne·deaf to the concerns lank" moment when he suited up in icked cries aboul an incipient GOP and se nsihiliries of Middle America. cmouflagc for an Ohio duck hUIII Talihan regime were an irrational rc3.c· Confrollled with the spect:,cle of Ihal gun-owners (who were the object tion to 3. single statistic in an exit poll. Democrats in disarray. il might be tempting of this pholO 8 www.ripomoc.org The Ripon Forum ' Winter 2005 Answers That Matter. varie!y of rClircmcm plans chat inn:5t in slOcks, I)()nds, fixt·d-imeres-t funds and even 0\'C1"SCaS securlllo. Bush's Mandate It is unlikely that thc President will send a full-fledged plan 10 Capitol H ill, pre ferring instead (Q submil a derailed oudinc President proposes ambitious agenda of what he wants and then lei Congress work OUI Ihe details. By Donald Lambro \'(Ihat arc i(s chances? They arc prctl)' TC5idCIH Gl'Orgc \Y!, I~ush has charted an ately became the No. 1 priority on his good, if it is done qu ickly. But any plan of ambitious. precedent-SCI ling dOllll"Slic dO tlH."Stic agenda. this rnagnimde is goi ng to haw (Q JPI)(,;II [(j Pagenda for the country over the next No sooner werc the ekction results in, some Democr:lls, es pc.'cially in the Sen;lfc, to four years ,h:lI. even if he is modestly suc than the White House began a series of brief ol'ercome a filib uster that would require 60 cessfu l, would ;tS.\llrC his place :15 o lle of ings and Str;lIcgy sessions with reform a 10 www.r'ponsoc.ors Th(.' Ripon Forum · Winter 2005 it card (k-bl. You save a lot of mOlley in th..: ther. no mailer how much more complex on Foreign Relat ions, told [he Stili Frill/risco long run, but of course yo u ha\'C 10 cOllle up Ihat makes the code ,~ said Marrin Anderson, C!Jrol/;d~ laiC !:iSI yca r. with the moncy today and that'~ not alwap a Hoover Institulion analyst who was "\'(Ihel1 YO li find more and more casy,~ said Derrick Max. executive director of Prcsident Ronald Reagan's chief domcs tic yo unger \'oters thinking ,hat individuJI tht· Alli:tnce for Wo rker Retirement Security. adviser and se rved on Prt-s ident Bush's 2000 accounts alld the Stock market - and this is a business coalition lobbying for the tax reform telm. :Iftcr fhe t('(ll bust - offer mort· s<-'Cu ril )' Prcsidem's plan. The emerging li meline suggCStS that mx than a govern1llent progr.Ull ... Democrats Speed will be of the esse nce, say reform reform will nor be tackled until 2006 at the might be losing tht· t.'(onomic argumt' llt as advocates. ~ \'(fe 've gOt a six month window e:arliCS I, JUSt :as President Reagan did tWO well as the social policy arglllllent,M Mr, here 10 do this, bcca u~ after that everyone relrs alter his 1984 landslide reel ection vic Meadsaid. ~ will be focusi ng on the 2006 Icongressioll:a1J tory. Presidelll Relg.,n was less interested in eiL'Ctions. We need (0 be bold :and we need 10 simplifYing the t;ax code than in lowering the - Dof/ald Lambro is a be 'Iuic k, ~ Mr. Graham s.,id. tax rates. A lot of spcx:i:,1 credits. deductions 1/mio1ll1lfy SYlld;mud foftmm;sl and other loophok-s were CUI ;md Presid(,nt Tax Refor m Reagan gOt a re\'emte-neutral reform bill that After tackling Sod:al Secu rity, I:lX brought the top personal income rnx r.ue reform siloliid be a pi~'Ce of cake. The qut'S down to 28 percent. SCORING BUSH ' S AGENDA tion is: (".In you do bOth in the same relT? TIm could Lx- Prcsidcm Bush's goo1 :IS No, s:ay the adminislf'.Ilion tax reform advis well. Presidem Reagan h;ad the help of Social Security Refcrm ers. ~ rm nOI sure ),011 can do bOth in Ihe Democrats like Rep. Richard Gephar{h of 5;lIlle ye:ar bUI you ca n ,10 bOth in the sa me Missouri and Sen. Bill Hradley of Nt'\\' Opinion polls show letting workers invest part of their payrolf taxes in stocks and term," s; ~id Stanford Unive rsity economist J('fSey. both of whom also wanted lower rates bonds gets strong majorities among John Cogan. a se nior fellow :u ~he Hoover to spur economic expansion ;a nd new busi younger workers, cutting across Just Inst ilution who has been Ihe administra ness forma tion, 13111 President Hush has about every demographic group. tion's fix-il man on a broad range of eco stronger Republican ma joriti es in tht· House Democrats. however, are overwhelming nomic and fiscal issues. and 5<.'Il3[(' Ihal will m:lke getling a bill ly opposed to touching the Holy Grall of Prcsidelll Bush, looking 10 flesh Olll his through Congress that much easier. their party's New Deal agenda, though a amp;li gn agenda, annout1C(xl rcbtivdy btl: handful of defections seem likely In the in the election ye:lr th:u he would simplify Health Care Senate. the federal tax system in his s<-'Cond Term. His President Bush will push fo r tlte ('XP:UI Chances of passage: advisers Solid that this could include SlrUClUr s;on of ht'3lth care s;[vings accounts ;a nd seek Good to excellent al changes in tile IRS taX axle 10 make it tax deduCtions for insurance premiums for more pro-growth. Th:at could Illean elimi high-deductible pl:ans, regardk-ss of wh et her Tax Reform nating corporate tax loopholes - OTherwise taxp;lyers itemize or not. He W:lIltS ass is Everyone In Congress condemns the known as "corporate wdf:m,::" - so th:lt by tance. lip to $2,000, for low income F.un ilies Insane complextty. huge compliance bro;~(lcni ll g the lax b;lse, President Hush to help p;ay health insurance premiums and costs and inherent unfairness of the tax could s<-'Ck deeper I:IX reductions 10 encour up to $1 .000 for he;lhh care savings accountS system. President Bush has said he age more personal savings, invcstment and to help wiTh out-of-pocket ex penses. seeks to simplify the tax code and make ('Co nomic growlh. T he h(':If( of his h(';lltl1 care refo rm It more prcrgrowth. The President's call Unlike Social Security. where full plan. howC'ver, is limiling malpracrice bw resonates WIth many taxpayers. But it is blown reform options produced by a bipani sui lS. This reform still F.aees huge procl.:dural likely he will also include structural SIn presidential commission arc alwJdy on hurdles in {he Sen:ate where DemocralS, who changes as well In the tax rates as part of a revenue-neutral overhaul, just as tlte table. President Bush doesn't have;a pl:J.n w('re heavily supported by the trial lawycr President Reagan did tn his second re:I(I), to go on tax reform. He is expected to in{lustry itt laSt year's Gttltpaign, will fight it teem. appoint a blue ribbon panel to examine what tooth and n;tiL Chances of passage: ch:mges ;are needed 1'0 simplifY til(' code and Yet none of these he;llth care propo s: ~l s Excellent make it more pro-growth. But recommend:l on Prcsidem Hush's agenda come cloSt' 10 lions will not Ix- r('ady for another six matching Ihe lon g- t~'r m political, social :lnd Health Care months al besl . possibl y not until the end of ('Co nomic imp:Kt of his Social Securil), Everybody wants to broaden accesstblllty the year. re forms. which would mark the end of an ef'J to health care, but outside of limiting Could President Bush propose some in ce mral planning. malpractice lawsUits. this was not a cen thing mort· radic.,1 such as replacing the tax From the Democr:tts' point of view, the tral feature of President Bush's cem code with a flat mx or a n :uion:~1 sales tax? growing popularity ofPrcsidellt Hush's Social paign agenda. Even larger health care Unlikely, say lOp ad\'isers who helped Security plan ~ i s thl' most frightening, if peo savings accounts sought by the adminis President Bush craft his 2001 ....lX CUt plans. ple no longer believe Democrats when th t'}' tration could get shot down In the cross Tht'}' do not Ix-lie\'e there is Ihe kind of s:ty that Social Security will be there for you fire of competrng health care agendas. political support OUI there to pass either idea. and a collective go\'ernment program is the Chances of passage: "1-k-(I1x- bener otT goi ng for a broader beSt wa)' 10 provide for your fumre," \'(falter Not good tax basc ami T<,:ducing the I.IX r.Hes even fur- Ru sse ll Mead. a scniOI' fellow at the Council The: Ripon Forum ' Winter 2005 www,riponsoc.org I I -...-..-..-• _ , ' I • . '.1 ~ • les an emocrats Party no longer represents mainstream America By Patrick M. Garry enator John Ker ry docs nOt de~ervc all Liberalism in Crisis American soldiers to Genghis Khan. In his the crit icism he has received from Lib('rals view America through a lens 1971 testimony before the U.S. Senate, lvl r. Sfellow Democrats. The Jos~ ill of blame. Since the 1960s civil rights Kerry said th:1I Asians fearc.-d American NO\'ember was not ellt irely his fault. h mo\"emelll, Democrats came 10 set' Americ:J "im]X"rialism~ more than they did commu was not the result of a failure to communi as pen'asively rJcist. rather than as a 113tion nism. During the 19805, he daim<:d that c lle Democr:l. ti c ideas or \':llues. In r.1Ct, whose ConstillHion could heal the injus Presidem Ronald Reaga n's suppon of the there was no way Mr. Kerry could com mu tices of the past. During the Vi('mam W.1r, democr:uic comrJS in NiGlr:l.gu:1 displayed niC:ltl' the [)emocr3ti c ideology bc.'C:Hlse they maintainc.'(1 ,h;1I America was a danger America's moral weakness, An(I:1I the O\'er the past three decades, that ideology OtiS imperialist power rather than a defelld 1988 Democratic convention, he character has di verged sharply from the values of er of frcedom for the South Vil·tnamese. ized Americ:1 as a nation in "moral mainstream Americ:J. And during the \"l1tergate sc.mdal. Illany darkness." UUI the mOSt telling re\'elation Unlike th(' avt'rage American. Ihe liberals accused America of being as corrupt of his "iew of AmeriGl is the glowing a\'erage delegate to the Democratic conven as Soviet-style diclafOrships rather than as a introduction III' wrote for a book of po<'try tion bdit'\'ed that: tlte United Sures was as dernocracy capable of holding its president by Langston Hughes. a Stalinist who milch 10 blame for 9/11 as were the accountable to the I : ~w, described America as full o fMr:I I ~ and rot of terrori~t s; gay m:lrriage should not only Ix In their ~peec h es ;Ibout 9111. the grafl and sle:lhh. :md lies."' and :IS a place protected but encouraged; the United Democrats rardy mention the terrorists. where the "mighty crush the weak.~ Narions is a more enlighrencd body for The)' talk about tlte failures of Ihe FB I, the Hecause of their harsh view of determining mailers of narional defen~ eLA, and of course President Gc.'Orge W. America. the Kerry Democr:ns were wi ll ing than is Cong r ess~ the Christi an religion is a Hush. But the), CJnnot bring themsch'cs to 10 infliCI injury upon rhe nation's inSlilu repressive superstilion; Americans arc blame fanatic.tl terrorists who hate the lions and crt-dibility. And they were willing in herelHly racist; Abu Ghraib is more America ll way of life, Perlt'lps, th i ~ is 10 do so merely for dIe sa ke of a poli tical refl ective of the mil it:lry Ihan is the libera· because lib er:~ l s themselves loathe th:u w; ~ y campaign. They continually discredited lion of Afgh:misun: and when it comes 10 of life. Si nger Ri cki e Lee Joncs c)[pressed rhe ve ry foundalion of American de mocr:l. truth and morals, everYlhing is relative. these senti lll crH~ when she 5.'1id that the cy - the electoral system - by making Given this disconnt'C"t in ideology, the public displays of patriotism following 9/11 unfou nded allegations of voter discrimina Kerry Glmpaign could hardly express a cen made ~ her skin cl"3wl. n and thaI all Ihe tion. Democrats lTCa.ted the \"o ting process tral mess:Jg(' that would be pala(able both 10 pc."Ople waving nags resembled a mob of nor as a com mullal l:ivic act. but as a mere the parry fai thful and the indC]x:ndelll Nazis. Michael Moore com'cyed similar STage in the quest fo r power. They consis voter. Instead, l"lr. Kerry rel ied on an thoughts when he remarked dllring .. tently predicted widespread electoral (' ndl('ss tirade of gripes abolll oursotlrcing, speech in France that Arne ri c all~ :Ire breakdown. In fuC!, the pany announced nu \';I(cines and the number of rTOOps in ,he "dulllbcst~ I ~ople 011 Ihe planet. This weeks before the ek'Ction that it would have Ira 12 www.riponsoc.org Thl' RiI)()11 Forum ' Wimer 2005 national uniry. A Kerry sl>ok esperson said They tried 10 take o\'cr hotc1lobbies. They Hbck CauClis, Mr. Kerry said that President the call1p;lign was prepart'ti !O fight ~a even shul down traffic in Times Sc.l uare. Bush was returning America 10 a segrega scorched-e;lnh \Vorld \Var III reCOUII! In one alterc..1tion, protestor~ brutally beat a tionist age in which African-Americans ft baull'." A part)' official \'owed to -send police officer. would be greeted by a ~Do not entcr sign SWAT !Carm our !O fight these wars.~ But on the Witite Housc door. conrmry!O all the accusations of disenfr:w For deCides, libel'Jls have art:tckctllhe chisel1lclll, the election occurred without n.uion's cusloms and mor:"!1 \';llues. They an y such problems. Even so. DemocratS ad"ocare 3 moral relativism. in which dll' cominued their assault 0 11 dI e illlegriry of question of what is moral or immor:rl America's electoral SySh:: l11 . A month after becomes a mallcr or convenience or the election ended and their candidate h;ld personal opinion. As Irving KriS101 oncc conceded defeat. the Kerry campaign sued I>oignanriy noted, a liberal is someOlle who fo r a recou nt in Ohio, alk-gi ng that various thinks il i~ permissihlc for an 18.ye:tr-old "irregubrities~ had robbed Mr. KeffY of girl 10 perform ill :l pom film as long as she the stare. "\Vclcol1le to Ukfaine,~ said one is paid the minimum wage. Dell1ocr;n at the announcement of the DemocT'Jts oft en appear 10 be clueless lawsuit. regarding the meaning of moral l'alul'S, Conu;lry 10 ;(11 thcir \'ociferollS Since they are often rductal11 to admit a conce rn for elecmral imegrity, Democratic religious cOI11 I>on enl, they sound like some groups terrorized riH.'ir opponents shallow New "ge gmu - as Senator Bob in ways usually Sl-cn only in underdevel Graham of Florida did whcn he said that oped democr;lcies. Violence occurred at Democratic values ineluded "love" and a Republican campaign officl'S throughout "concern for others.~ Similarly. when the country: there were burglaries in $canle Democmts criri cized President Bush's '\'31- and SI>okane: break-ins at Flagstaff and ucs~ during the campaign. they rererTl-d to Cincinnati: shots were fiTl-d into offices in how much \';1cation he took and to the Ti.'lHtessee. West Virgini,t and Florida: slowness of the government's proS<.'Cution oflices in Montana, Ohio, Alaska and of forme r En ron CEO Ken Lay. Illinois were v'lIld:lli~. ed; a swastika W:IS John Kerry'S concessIon speech aL FaneUl1 Liberals orren pOrtray "moral v:,lues" as burtled into the lawn of a Wisconsin Hush Hall ,n Boston the bigoted intolerance of religious f:1Il:llics. supporter: a Rcpuhlican chairperson was Thcy therefore cannOt underst:lIld such assau lted in his office in Gainesville: a Some Democmts we re also willing 10 1.1rgcr issues as the continued coarse ning or group of Democrats ~lOrmed the I!ush allack the very sovereignty of lhe United our cuhure. Some liberals arl' bamed at head Th<: Ripon Forum ' Winter 2005 www.ripollsoc.org 13 ( An American Triumph Condi Rice is a success story - despite liberal attacks Rurnsfdd and whose only criteria for office is that shc appears (0 be a s),cophall1ic mouthpiece for the Presidents idc;IS , For e"a mple. in an article in Thr Nflll Stattillli/I/, Andrew Stephen insists that she is "demonstrably incompetent " and has only one outstanding quality: " ;I r.l natical dcvOlion 10 Bu s h. ~ In 77N Gllllfditlll, for mer Clinton aide Sidney Hlumcnthal ques lions her credentials altogether when he writes thaI Ms. Ri ce has ~fi lik,,(\ at evcry imporulH !;Isk as national s(:curity ;td visc r. " William Pfaff writes in 71" C/,arlm()II Gautt( ,h:u Ms. Rice ~ i s weightless in \'(fas hinglO n. " The liberal pundit 5('CIllS (0 haw 10s1 all reason when he Slaies ,h:1I Ms. Ri ce is "a spt-'Ci ai isl in an academic subjt'C1 no longer ofintcrCSI, the Soviet U nion. ~ He even implies ,hal she h3S grem difficul ty dislinguishing belwcen deposed lra(]i diCla lOr $:ld,b m H ussein :md former Soviet sHongm:ln Jose ph Stalin. Many of Ihese dismissi,·c n'1ll3rks do Presodent Bush. nght. looks on as National SecurIty AdvIser Condoleezza Roce. lett. nO! widlSl":l.Ild sc rUliny. The responsibiliry speaks to \he press. oft.er Bush annouOl:ed that RICe was hIS chOICe as Secretary of for the f.!ilure 10 anticipa(l; the 9/11 atlacks 5t 14 Www. flponsoc.org The Ripon Forum · Wimer 2005 comempor.try e"ems and her arguments in fy to address the tarnished rd:uionship of pic. regardles~ of their particular po litical (wor of the Presidem's 1>oIicy were I>oth the laSt four yea rs. Also. negotiations on the convictions, J ew~ celcbrated the appoim he:H1fd! :md tilt' m:lrk of an independent, Israel-Palestinian conflict will resume at a mCIll of I-J ('nry Kissinger as the first Jewish strong and imelligelll woman. In bct, those conference schcdllk'd to occur in October: secret:!Ty of state. Furthermore, C.1tholi cs, who know her besl within the administra the dealh of l'ak'Stini;m leader Vasse r Araf.1I both Democrat and Republican. rejoicl"(1 3t tion call her the MVeI"et Ham mer," presents an opportunity to bring stability to the \'ictory of John F. Kennedy wht'n he These wild accusations abo!H Ms, the region. Ms. Rice has the chance to make bcclme the first Catholic president of the Ri ce's IIlCOmpCtl·nce are perh:lps an a lasting impact 011 isslles that 11a\·e over Uni tcDick Morris. dedar~d on roken or :1 reprcsem.nion - marks progress party Ihat ca res fOf oppressed groups. It is I~x News, she has all tIl{, :lUributes to win for :111 wi thin the oppressed group becwse nonetheless the COP who has SlO len Ihe both the nomination and Ihe presidency in till' road is thereby paved for more radic,11 thunder for two of the mOSt significam 2008. In (1Ct, her candid:tcy cm 1>Olel1lial future ch~nge. :ld\'anCl'S for ,\fric:l.n-AmeriC"JJ15 in the laSt I)' be a nightmare incarn.u·c for Democrars: Yet, Ms. Rice is TeS(·med by m:1ny quaTlcr The Ripon I'orurn • \XIint("r 2005 w,,,'w.riponsoc,org 15 I Cover Story: An American Trium h IleneI.' is dut' 10 her command of both the JUSt as Jews, Hisp:mio. :Illd woml.'n do not adOlowlcdgc this imer-fa cial relationship. :m s :md hisl'Ory of Ihe West. In short, her wish lheir history or Ihei r distinctive char The 11I0vie nonetheless ends with (he yo ung SI:lllIS is t'xquisircly her own - ra!llt'r th:ln acteristics 10 Ix: suppressed. This does nOI man being :admittcd into the house hold; tim of lht' collectivity from which she mean thai Afri ca n-A meri ca ns arc self-pity· ('ven his pal'l'IHS :m~ we1conK-d to dinner. cmanatl·S. ing victi ms. who are looking for govern· HOwl... ·c r, these "black people" :Ire accept Ms. Ri ce grew lip in segregated ment hand-ours. Insll'ad. Iheir deepest aspi able 10 !Ill: upper-class filmil)' only if they Alabama within a Republica n house hold. ration is to be treated with dignity and to be: appear to make no mention of (h(>lr OWII Her personal formarion came at a lime :lCcepted Oil Iheir own (erms. This mcans heri tage: they must simply be generic. when it appt:ared that one of the best ways not tdling them to o\'erl ook thei r color bland. homogenous Amcricam who h:I "" a 10 mitigate racial tensions was to adopt the (their color is pl:lin for all to sc:e and is bcau difTe rcm skin tone. color-blind pbilosophy advocated 1110St tifnl): not constantly asserting the superior That is akin to telling a woman she is vociferously by Martin Luther King Jr. Her ity of European culture over theirs; not equal to :1 man except for Ihe f30 Ih:1( she bther. R(' .... John Wesley Rice, taught her to remailling ignorant of their contributions has motherly traits - which many women disregard color :md to cuitiv:He Iler skill s. 10 American IlislOry and of AfriC:1Il contri believe afC fundamental and ofTe n ull{icni· She therefore took up b:l11et, figure Sk:lIillg butions to world history: not Ix:ing oblivi :tblc :ISpCCIS of their daily ('xistt ncc. and pi:lIlo lessons - excelling in these ous 10 the problems in thei r communiti('S Hence, Ms. Ri ce has been welcomed 10 din encl e:wors. (as both candidares w(' re during the Glm ncr. 13U1 at the presidential table. docs she This \V:IS m:ltched by an outstalHling paign): and nor regarding :111 things white affirm her culwn.' and usc her influence 10 :lcadcmic record. She gr.ldllatl.'d from as good and ;III things African or bhck as bring :HU: rlIion 10 tile many isslies (lear 10 Denver UniwrsilY at the age of 19. She inadequate. For, in the fin al analys is, it is African-Anlericans? then completed a PhD in intern:l.lional unbir and impractical 10 taci tl y ask African ESM'lHiatly, African-Ameri ca ns w:mt to relalions :l nd is :In expen on the former Americans 10 bc some kind of - blank" be rccogniud as distinct withom pity or Soviet Union. She consislendy acbic\'ed dis Americ..m s who abtwg:uc who Ihey are and condc.scension: they are bbck and proud of tinnion: :11 age 38, Ms. Ri ce W:lS Ihe where rhl'y come from i u order to be full y it. The COP therefore bees a colossal chal yo unges t IHOVOSt of Stanfor{1 Univ{'rsiry: accepted. lell ge: if Republicans wish to at(r~ l c t more sh{· was the first female to S(,' rve as While Ms. Ri ce is rese11led because she bl:!ck vo tl.' rs. Ihey must dl.'vi S(' policies th:lt H ou ~e n3tional sccurity adviscr: and now at appea rs 10 adopt .m individualisl cthos and aPl'cal1O African-AmeriGlIl sc ntimentS :lIld :l gc 50 shc is sl;ued to become Ihe next sec seems 10 be willing to 5Wl'CP the African concerns wi lilOut forsak ing the party's cher rel.lty of qate. This is indce<1 impre.~sive. AmeriGln herirage under the rug. For exam ished principle of personal rl.'Sponsibility. Hut , her Afriem-American heritagt' h:15 nOI ple, there is a wdl·known :Ulcc(lote rcbloo been a visible part of her ascension. to Ms. Rice's umlergradu:lIe days. In con· An American Milestone Many Amcricans might vit'w Ih is as froming a proles.sor who implied Ihar bbcks Rcgardbs of Ihis admonition. there is dll' achievcmelll of an increasingly color were intelk-clually inferior, ~he replied: ~ I Ihe dangt'r of havi ng all entirely a-IIi SlOri· blind societ), and as Ihe fulfill111cIII of a speak French; I play Bach. I'm heller at your cal ami unn:alistic asscssmetll of Ms. Ri ce', grc:1l dream. Yet. many African·AnH."riculS culture t h ~n you are. ~ T his is a tclling catl'Cr. ~C u css Who's Coming 10 Dinner?~ di~a grt:e: they regard the color-bl ind philo ~ statement: Is the path to acce ptance 10 was a landmark film in ils rime. Simibrly. it ophy as outdated. '10 be color-blind, they adopt the CUllllfC of one's previolls oppres· is ungrnciolls \0 vicw the Amaica n glass as :Irglle, obscures the reality ,hat Africa n sors without ailirming onc's Own culru ml :dways onl y half full. Ms. R.i ce's nomitlJ Americans ha \'e been and continue to be heritage? Today, this :lIlillldc of Ms. Rice tiol1 brings glory 10 African-Americu1S. is a perseCUTed based on their skin color. I}(.'rsists. It is wi dely known that President fulfillmelH of the deepest aspirations of Ih ~ Funhermore. it is an attempt to abnegate !lusll is especiall y fond of Ms. Rice becausc Constitution and is li vi ng proof 11131 the their unique history and culture. they share a si milar r.... ith and a passion for Amcrican Drea m is :lcccs.sible 10 all. Fi nall y. the color-blind philosophy fool ball. She is a fmluer1l dinner guCSt at Motl'Over. the door to ,he \'Vhil ~ House is means that. despile the f.1('1 dIal for cen the Bush household and a dear bmily now wide opl'n and African-Ameri can w ries African-AmeriGlns h;J\'e been denied fri end - hUI . on what terms? prosp<:Ct'S will o nl )' cominue 10 improvc. equ;l l indi vi dual rights and ha ve been Ix: rse The close person:!1 relationship that rhe Hence, Ms. Ri ce mllSI be cdebratc.xI as a cUl ed based on stereotypes of their collec Pr('sidem and Ms. Ri ce share is ind(-ed love pion(."('r at the l'rcs idem's table - both lit er ti ve identity, they m USt now suddelll), ly. However, there arc slill profound limir~ all y :lIld metaphorically. Thc nc)!:r /\frican embr.lce thc docTrine of imlividu:!1 riglll:s lions within the Republican Party when it America n who rises to hi gh office will di c and pro: tcnd Ihat the las t few Iltllldred years comes to undersl:tt1ding amI elllbr.lCing late IIie menu. di<1 not occur. In Iheir view, ro be color Ihcir fellow AfriGlII-Ameri c.m countrymen For now. lei us rake heed of the lessons blind is to 3S k them [0 be JUSt plain blind to and country wom(· n. An analogy will prove that emerge from this debate w hil ~ joi ning reality. They arc not like othl.'r minorities Ihc point. in 11 :lI ion :1. 1 jubilatio n at a remark:ible who vol unt':J.rily carne to these s llOft.'S , till"}' In a wcll-known 1967 movie, elllirled American triumph. CI insist. Inslead. their unique coll eCTi ve I}(.' rse "CU{"Ss Who's Coming 10 Dinner?" Sydncy Ollion shal)C(1 thei r history and culture. Poi ri er plays a black doctor who falls in lo\'e - Dr. Gmu Vi/oro is 1/ profi'ssor Tllis c lllnm sudden ly Ix: erased. with all lIppcr-cb ss whill' woman. Hl.' r par ofhistory at Howi/ rd UlIilli'rsity. African-A111l'ricans do not wis h other ems, pbYl-d by K.lIh t' rine Hepburn and SIJ, CllII v, rtadltd lit [l'lIolO @ho ll'Ilrd.,dll Ameri cans to ignorl.' thaI they arl' black - Spencer Tm cy, arc :11 flr ~ t not willing to 16 www.nponsoc.org TIl<: Ripon Forum · Will\~'r .zOOS ,_. L ,. i --....--. '-., ~ : II The Architect Karl Rove and the new GOP coalition By Stephen F. Manfredi f there is one thing that 311 good political tlK"" next 30 to 40 years. lixby's politic31 • In violation of his free trade policies. strategIsts understand. it is thaI vlCtones arc just battll's WOII III a larger President Bush levied t:lriffs against Iwinning clcoions rcquircs alli:Hlccs. amp:lign to entrench :l conserv:ltive agen foreign steel producers. Though Grc;\{ political SIr:HcgisIS can rell you whom cia :lnd a Rt:public:ltl majority. unpopular with his base, Presidt"nl to befriend and how. Enter Karl Rove. Politics is the an of the possible. And Bush's policy undefcur the Dcmocral"s' \Vhilt dle elllire na!1on c:tgerly huilding a network of :llIies is viral 10 any suppOrt al1long union workl'fs - l'SI>e awaited rhe results on Election Night 2004, lllovcmem's success. Mr. Rove looks 10 his ci:tll y in key indUStrial Sl"ates like Ohio Mr. Rove h:ld already informed the tory for :lflirmation. McKinley's s1r.ttcgist :lnd Wl'St Virgini:"!. President of his Te-election. Confined!O Mark Hanna forged an alliance bctween • Despite c:llls frolll Congressional his scif-dcscribt·J ~ batca\'c" for mosl of the we:llthy industrialists and urb:m worken Republicans for :l tighter immigration evcni ng, Mr. Rove SpCIlI the night alone, based on mriffs and the gold st:lndard. III policy, Mr. Rove's Hisp:lnic outreach crunching precinct r(,llIrns and matching doing so, McKinley defeated the populist effort has led him to become an aClual vOles to his projections. William Jennings HrY:ln in the 1896 cam unab:lshed champion of :In open Ikfon.: any \'<"Icvision network could paign .. creating a RepubliCl n m:ljorit)' thar border policy wilh Mexico. predict a winner in the decisive swing l:lsted until the Great Depression. Thl' eco • The MediC:lre Modernization Act .. smlCS, Mr. Rove had confidently notified Ilomic collapse of thc 1930s allowed FOR's a $534 billion progranl. angered rhe President thaI Horida and Ohio were Democr.tts to weld together a broad coali much of Pres ident Hu sh's base .. but Hu sh country. [n his victory speech, tion that lasted for tle,Hly 40 years. lncre:l~\'d his share of the seniors VOtC President George W/. Bush dubbed Mr. But with thl' New Deal coalition while inoculating Republi cans from Rove "'the architect" of his re-election fr:lCtured beyond repair, wllar will take Democratic :trtacks. victory. its pi:tCl'? The SUCCl'SS of the modern Mr. Rove has ol'er 30 yeJrs of political conservative movemeJ1t and Rcpublic:ln In the November electioll, 4 million ex peri ence on bckllf of Republica ns and majorities in both chambers of Congress Chrisrian conse rv;1tives, who prcviously did now, two pn;."s idelHi~1 election victories suggcst more than a tilt 10 the RighI in nOI vote in 2000 , wellT to the polls and under hi s belt. This student of Rl'publican American politics. Mr. Row illtends on vOled overwhelmingly for President Blish, strategist Lee Atw:Ul'f :Hld admin'r of making sure that this riglltw3rJ turn is and for the Rove"e ndorsed gay m:"!rri:lge President W illiam McKinley's politiCl1 institutionali1A'd hy cre:uing :In l'nduring ban ndcrendums un 11 state bailors. Mr. ~dv i so r j\'brk "!anna call legitimately claim Republic:ln t1l3jority. If President Ron31d Rove rC:KIll'd beyond the Republic3n base for himself a phce in history. Hut he won'\. Re3g:l1l Gl1l be credite(1 with giving :lS President Bush saw gains amollg sen ior Thc :IJopte{1 'Iexan lacks thc lexas-sizcd Republic:llls power, Presidetl1 Bush :lnd Mr. citizens.. bl:lcks, Jews and women. ego that olle would expect from Rove can be credited with trying to Illake PresidetH Hush also incre:lsed his share of \'VashinglOn's most powerful politictl Republicalls dominant. the C atholic vote by :In impressive 5 StT;IICgtS I. Though cotll1llittL"" The Ripon Furum ' Wimtr 2005 www.rlponsOC".org 17 Rfil'on . i'onllll The Upcoming Republican Agenda An interview with Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist By Stephen E Manfrt-di irs! elected fO the U.S. $en:lIc on has carnl.J his right to be ill the chamber. November 8, 1994, Hill Fris!, However, J thi nk it would be inaccurate to FlcnllcsSl.'t' Re publican. W:lS the only claim Ihat his mere repurarion will cam challenger to dcfc:11 a full-term incumbent him .my prcfcrcruial treaUllcm or inAucncc. in 1994 and the first practicing physician O ne of the reasons the Sen.ue is fqprdcd as elected 10 the Senate since 1928. Dr. Frisl the "world 's gn.'llcsl dc1ibcr:lIil'c l>ody" is was rc-dcctcd 10 a second term in 2000 in thai each of its members has a \'oicc and a the Uni ted St'iltCS Scn:uc by the I:UgCSl I'ot(' \'OIC, and each wields equal and significl11l IOral ever received by :1 candid:llt: for inAucncc in the Icgishni\'(· proc~. statewide election III the hiswry of Ten n("SSl"C. HF: Many exl>Crts believe Ihal pro. lifc Dr. Frist was born and raised in social COnSer\'ati\'CS played a decisil'C' role in Nashville. He graduated in 1974 getting Prcsidelll George W. Hush and from Princeton Uni\'ersit)' where he Republicans elected 10 officC' on Ek-cti on spccial i7.ed in heahh c ue polic), :1\ the Da),. Will there be any specific lcgisJJlive Woodrow Wilson School of Public and action in the Senate to ban abortion and International Aff;l;rs. [n 1978 he graduated \l10V~ towards overturning Roe v. Wade? with honors from Harvard Medical School and spent the next se\'en years III Frist: Si nce becoming a majoriry 10 years surgical tr:lining :11 M::lSSachuseus General ago. the I-lollS<: and Senate have moved leg Hospital; South.ullpton Gener.!! Hospital. isla tion to ban partial-binh abortion. Laci SOu th:ullplOn, England: and Stanford ami Connor's law that amends federal law Uni\'ersiry Medical Cemer. He is board 10 ~ Illow a separate penall), when an unborn certified in bOlh genera[ surgery and chil(1 is kilk-d in the com mission of a he:m surgerr Senate MalOl"lty Leader 8,1 1Fnst violel1t crime agai nsl his or her mOl her. Dr. Frisl h:ls risen f:,pidly through :lIld parenral notificalion. [ expect that $ell:lle k·ader~hip. [n 2000. he W:IS ulI:lI1i hopeful that obstructionists will lake nOl e tli(· Congress will continue to pursue mOllsly elected eh:li rm:m of die N:uiou:il of the Novemher elt.'Ctiolls ami let the will common-sense ~Ind mai nstre~ lJ ll Americall Republi can S(,lmorial Commilll"C for the of the American people hold SW:1)'. valll('s like those embodied in th esC' bws. 107 th Congr('ss and ill D('celllber 2002 was unanimously eleclt-d MajorilY Lead('r of die RF: Should Democrats reg:1 rd the (!cfeal of RF: WIt:u arc Ihe three most imporr.lllt U.S. Senale. He also curn'1II1y serves on Ihe for mer Senate Minority Leader Tom pi l'Ccs of legislation )'ou hope 10 bring 10 a following cornmitll'es: I=inallce; Rules: Daschle by GOP challenger John Thune vO le in 2005? Health. Educalioll, Labor and Pensions. as a referendulll on their obstructionist Dr. Frin is married and h:ls t1m'C ractics? Frist: There ;lTe a number of priorilics. In children. th,' next Congrcss we will cominlle 10 work T he Senate Majorit), Leader kindly Frist: The November elcctions scm a dcar to strenglhen the econom)', improve heahh agreed to an irnerview. \~e wish \'0 Ihank message to all senators: Americans are tired care for all Americans and bolster our his staff for their coopcr:tlion and generosi of obstructionislll. They \'r.Illt r,,-'Sults. I homeland s(''Curir), and military 10 ensure ty in making the interview po!>.'>ible. will do everything in my power 10 move our safety here and abroad. legislalion that will improve Ihe livcs of all RF: Will a larger RcpubJicm majority ha\'e Americans. RF: [s there enough support in Ihe Sen:ne Ihe eff,,-'Ct of ~changing the tone" in the for a major overhaul of the tax s}'stem, and Scn:lIe? HF: \'(fill Senator-eleCl John Thune's repu wh:u sp'CCiflc reforms - a nat tax. ;\ Iialion taliol1 as a ~gianr killer" innuenc~ the role al sales tax, a federal consumption {ax - Frist: I'm oplimiSlic th:1I we can reslOre 10 he plays in the Senate? should such :1 bill fe;ilure the Sen:ut- the bip:lflis:lI1shi p th:u wilt help mow AmeriCI forward. We must pull Frist: Certainly we arc exci ted 10 h:lv(,' John Frist: II is tOU early 10 rell. We wi ll have to togeilwr to pUI illl' good of tlu,: country Thune join liS in the Senalc. He ran :1 see what the Blish a(lmiliistra(ion putS for ahe:1d of panis:ms hip and in-fighting. ['m ha rd-fought aud principled c;LJ1)p~lign. and ward :lIld if Ihey put together a cOlllmiss ion 18 wWW.npon5UC.org The Ripun f'(lrul1l ' Wiruer 2005 to recommend proposals. That said, Frist: We have ;llready taken some posi[il'e pressure them 10 rdent. Iran's nuclear Congress has not reformed the tax code steps this year 10 comrul spending when we activities. coupled with lheir efforts co build since 1986, and therefore the time is ripe passed the final spending package. It fully long-range missilcs, will pres('llt a major for an overhaul. complies with the spending ra rgets agre(.J threat to U.S. forces in the Persian Gulf to by the Congress and the administr,1(ioll, region, our rriends and allies in the area, The Alternatiw Minimum ·r:1X (AMT) is totaling $821.9 billion in FY05 discn:" and to rhe United States itself iF their ambi something that wjll likely force reform as tionary spending. This represents a ffl'Cze tions arc realized. \'ile must not ;llIow Inlll well. Too many Americans are becom ing or zcro percelll growth in non-defense dis to get to tlut Imint. We Illust keep the subject to this tax. Although the AMT was cretionJry spending. In the next Congress, international spotlight on their activities, originally designed 10 prevent high.income we will h,\ve to work ve ry hard to enaCt a push the United Nations and Internation;\1 taxpayers from escapi ng Iheir ~Fair" share of budget resolution that putS us on a path 10 AtOmiC Energy Agency to take ;1 more the income tJX bur TIlt' Ripon Foruill ' \'(Iimer 2005 Www.flponsoc.org 19 Saving Social Security Reform is needed now to ftx program By U.S. Represemali\'e Mark Foley urre1ll1 )" fOf evefy three workers con ~ This upcoming Congress offl'rs our IribUling 10 Social Sl"C urity thert~ is ," nat ion the opportunity 10 strengthen the Con e reliree f('ceiving benefit s paid for ! retirt'mclll securi ty of all our eiti"LCn s by by Ihose workers. In the coming years, as I providing common-sense reforms. Ihe 79 million "baby boomers" begin relir " [n t~king up these reforms, we mU St ing in 2008. there will be nearly twice :IS I prot ect the seniors who h:we alr e ~ d }' p~id ma ny older Ameri cans as there an' IOday illm the system and ensure that their ben r('ducing the worker,reliree mlio to less ellts arc not reduced or put in jeopardy. Ih:tt1 2 10 J. This mea ns Ikl\ in the ve ry No reforms should eh:mge an y of th e bell lI ear future, evcntually there will be mOfe efit s of those currently receiving them. people in need of bene/ilS than Ihere will I~y educating the public aboul the rt al be workers to pay fo r Ihem. Th:11 math IK't'd for reform and the intemions of JUSt won't add up. Congress, we can d ear the big£est hurdle Social Security is one of tltt, greates t 10 cre:lIing momentum behind Ihese achiel'emellls of the American govern reforms: fe:l r. nlelll . prot eCti ng our elderl y aga inst pove r, All reforms should minimize risk, ty and ass uring young pl'O plc of a more ensu re freedom of choice and enable secure ftllllre fo r more Ihan 60 yeafs. Social Securi ty 10 cominue ilS role in pro Mistakenly, many people beliel'e Ihat tecting Ameri ca's famili es if a breadwinner the Social $('C uriI Y taxes they pay are held us Representst/Ve Marlo: Foley retires, suffers an injury or dies, in in ll.'reM- beari ng :ICCO \llHS eanll;lrked for Pres ident George \V. Bush has made their own fmuTt" relirt" lllent needs. The in 2042, when payro ll ta xes coll ected for reform 10 tht New Deal -tra re ti ree safety fuci is thai Social Security is a pay-as-you Social Security will be in ~ um cie nl to cover net a priori ty. Ht, has fram ed his reforms go retir(' me1ll system - the Social St"c urity the progr,un's costs. as a way of crcating :m atmosphere con ta xes paid by loday's \\'orkt'rs and their Unfonutlalcl y, roo 1I1 :II1 Y peo ple h :lVt' ducil'l' 10 savin g and expanding ownership employers arc use(1 to pay the benefit s for decided (hat Social Security is the "third fo r om nation's workers. His plan call s wday's n:tirees and oll1('r bencfici:lries . rail " of politics - that is, who ever tO uches for limi led and stable personal accounts in That system will only work if theft· tht, iss ue to fix the prohlem will be pol iti which workers can invest a portion of their :tn: morl' pl'O ple paying 11110 Ihe system ca ll y killed in the process. T har mindse t Social SecurilY laxes. tll:11I rece lvl11g bendits from It. has allowed precious ti mt 10 slip aW:ly :IS Other prol)Qsals h:wc called fo r lax Unforlun:l1 c1 y. AmaiC:I's dt mographics th e oncomi ng problem only gels close r. CUI S for those who invest dirl'C tl y in 111;H arc changing and pbei ng this syslem's A stronger Republican maj ority in ket in ves tments, allowing wo rkers 10 own future in jeop:mly. Congress and a President coming orr an their relirement assets. Managers of the Social St"c uriry Trusl impressive victor}' in Nove mber, hOll'el'er. \Vhatevt'r the proposal s, we must Fund prediCt thai. unl tss current law is may allow us 10 fin all y confront Ihis prob keep twO core principles as our guide: changed. Soci,11 Sl'CurilY will be b;mkrupt lem. Ensuring the financial healrll of Social St'Curity and preserving the benefit,s of current benefi ciaries and older wo rkers. "Whatever the proposals, we must keep two core I~ y doing tilis. we will be able IQ fi x Ihis problem and protcCI Ihe rCliremcO! secu ri principles as our guide: Ensuring the financial t)' of Americans fo r Ihe next ge n(,falion. Thai kind of ;lClion will make Ihe health of Social Security and preserving the benefits m;l1h work, ~ of current beneficiaries and older workers. By - R~p . Mark Fofry is a NorM'1 doing this, we will be able to fix this problem and R~pllbfiran li nd m~mb~r of '''~ HOllff \%ys (Illd A-/(,(IIIS COlf/mi llrr protect the retirement security of Americans for the next generation." 20 w w ..... ,riponsoc.org Thr Ri po n Foru m · Wintr r 2005 The Great Civilizer Role of international trade in promoting peace and ad\'Jnci ng the security interests of the Scn:lIor C,:h~",::'k~;::::~:L l3y u.s. ______,., Uni ted States. he idea tl1 :11 inu.· rn:Hional !fade Another example of this is the r«endy serves to promote peace IS nOI new. negoliated Central America Free Trade T The 4th-century schobr Libanius Agree ment (CAI-IA). The CAFTA will hdp observed how effective trade is in prolllOling ensure thaI lutions in Centml America do social cohesion and stability among differ nOt witness a re('Urn of the internal Slrife ellt l~oP[ es. More T(.'cclllly, the 19d1-ccnlll 111:11 marked Ihe r~gion during ,h(' 1980s. ry economist Fn:dt'ri c Has ti:\! is credited In :tddition. th~ Bush administr:lliol1 is with ohserving that "when goods cannot negoti:lling terms for Russia's Jcccssiotl il1lo cross borders, ;Irmies will." In the 20th cen the World Trade Orgatlil~1l'ion (WrO). tury. former Secretary of Slate Cordell I-/ull, This lIegotiation prcsems a number of who was :lppoirHlxi by President Frankl in opporrunities ro improve transparency ami D. Rooscvch , similarly \\~ Irn cd of the dan reslX'<:1 for the rule of law as Russ ia transi gt'r5 [hal lurk in the absence of trade. In f.1Cf. tions 10 a markel-based ('<:onom)'. The nego Hull once characterized internatiOnal COIll liation ove r China's recent aCCl'Ssion into rhe merce as hlh" gTc-ales! civi lize r and peace \'iffO prcsemed similar opportunities. ,tIld maker in the cX I>cricnce orlhe hUJIl;ln r.lcc. " while I r: ~de (ensions continue 10 flare on Looking ahC'ad to Iht, challenges of the occasion, we now hal'e the benefit of the 2 1st century, these imponanl insight s U S. Senator Oluck Gr-assley \'1'1'0 forum in which 10 mediate our dis should nm be forgollcn. I nstead, we should PUles wilh China. Once Russia's trade com emph;lSil.c the rol e of intcrmltional trade in Middle East Frtt -Irade Area (MEFlA). to milm e m ~ are formalized through accession advancing our nation's security imcreslS include lhe Uni led St:ut::S and rhe n:uiom of 10 Ihl' \Vro. we will have access to the same wilh increased global proslk'rity and eco the Middle East and the M:tgIHt'b. by the benefit. China and Russi :t arc L'ach impor nomic interd epemlence within the commu year 2013. Alrt-:ld y the United Sratcs has tant pl:tyers in the global economy, Their nity of n:uions. negotiated comprehensive free trade Jgrl't'- commitment to a common rule of law for '111 e case for trade is straightforward. 111t"IlfS with Isr:ae1. Jord:m. Morocco and international tr.tde will do much to promote International tradc i~ b:lscd forcmost upon Bahrain. and I expect Ih:tt thest: will be both ('conomic and political stability communication ac ross borders. The COUIlI joined by agrccmenu; willI Olll:tll and the arOlllld Ihe world. less commercial illter:tctions that occur each Unil'ed Arab Emimtcs in the nea r fllmrc, Congress too has demonSI rated all (by arc thc most cfK'<: tiw means of incrt:;ls This array of cotllprclll'nsive trJde agree ,~ppreciation fo r how increasing internation ing fumiliarit y, IIndcrst:lnding, tolerance ments will $('rvc:ts the lx-druck upun which al trade prOlllOtes pe;1(c. In 2004. Congres~ and respect among The Ripon Forum · Wintl'r 2005 www.riponsoc.org 21 Increasing Our Oil Supply The case for drilling in ANWR Hy U.S. Representative Joe BarlOn have been arguing for SOl1l1.' lime Ihat politiCl1 debate, ANWR fidds would the reason (0 drill for oil in the Arctic ~ already be very produclive. And this would I N:lI ion:11 Wil 22 www.r;ponsoc.org The Ripon Forum ' Winter 2005 Republican History Lights the Way The party has always defended freedom and individual rights By U.S. Representative 10m Pet ri 11 March 20. 1854. opponel1ts of Ihe O f course, nor eve rything Republican Dernocr.us· pro-slavery l>ol icics mel in deS('rves url(lualified $UPI>Ort. i 0Ripon. \Viscousill I() es tablish the In his (by. many Americans regarded Republ ican P;lffY. As [he COllgressman rep ,I President Abr:lham Lincoln as an e:tlrt.'mist resenting Ripon , I frC<]LLCndy fe·visi l the for ht.' wanted to make a fundamC'rHal Litlle While SchoolhOllse where our p.my I change 1"0 Ollr social structure by ending the was born and r reflect upon the lessons of 5omh's "peculi:lr instillllion." He was. our e;(rl y ),C:(fS. Over the 1':151 150 years. howeve r. profou ndly conservative and public policy concerns have incvitably restOrative: he recugni1..cd the corrosi\'\.' and ch:lIlgcd numerous times. However. Wt' ca n unjustifiable cOrHradiction of permitting identifY important str:l.nds of cOlllilluiry. sla very in "t he land of rhe free. " Our parry w:as uhim:ucly founded There wen', howcl'c r, ol'erly impaticnt UpOIl the princi ple of :all abhorn-ncc of sh v reform t.'fS dominating the pan)' and CfY. Democrats were advoc m:s for free Congress. These Radica l Republicans dom, st;\tcs' rights :lIld IHOIX'rI'Y riglHS. Yet. insistl't.i on freedom. JUSt icc and equality their version of righls includl'tl du' ri ght to immediately. T hey were absolutely ri gh t on own pt-"Opll:. After the Civil War, it took tht.' moral qu e~ rion , but wrong on the prac US RepresentatIVe Tom Petn 100 rears before a majori!y of Democrat ic tical issue of how to achieve their goal. partisans dearly rej l'Ctlxi segregation. And cates for the expansiun of republican forms Lincoln knew [hat northern and oor eve ll today, in a strange irony, the of gove rnment abroad. Similarly. during the d!.' r srate Democrats would cooperatl' with Democrats continue 10 Slaundlly defend Cold \'\Iar. IW were the dearcst and Ic~ s l tllC' war elTon unly if w:u was justifilxi on racial prl'fcrmccs. conflicted opponentS of com munist Iyrnn tllC' basis of saving the Union. He under [n com raM. Republicans hal'e tradi ny. stood Ih:11 lor the slavcs 10 be fre C', (he tionally [}ce n mon° comfortable with the From the Ix·ginning. we we re the pany NOrlh h ,ld 10 win the war. Opposed to belief that peoplc should he cl'alua(ed as of economic dl"\'clo pmellt. WC' have always Lincoln's caution and practicality. thC' individuals, \'\Ie wc re never (he part)' of supponed the frn' market with li mit t.'d rl"g IbdiC:11 Republicans held an ea rl y corll'en racism. In faCl. every ~ in g l e Afriean ul;lIion. We were at the forefront of cham tion in which the), nominated a different America u elected \0 Congress 1111Iil 1935 pioning consumer and C'nvironrnt'nr:t l pro Republica tl candidate. The regular was Republican. tecti on; while rhe dr:tcuni:m and, somt.' Republic:tth nominated Lincoln once ~ Igain Currentl y, it is the DCll1ocr:I1 S wllO put might argue, rh e Mussolini-inspired under th t.' banner of (he National Unity people in categories such as: the ri ch, the Nati onal Recon .~ tru c tion Administrat ion Pan ),. poor, people of color, the elderly. dw peuple (:md OIher examples of overbeari ng st:l\e There is a lesson hC're for modern I'S. the powerful. and so 0 11 . Thl'Se class ifi control) ernanared from PresidC'nt Franklin Rcpublic:Hl S as we try to advance our goab. cations hal'e some lIl erit. Howel'cr, the O. Roosevelt. [n a republic we can indeed lead the people overuse of these l"":uego ri es underm ines the We have always believed in the - but onl y if we march at a pace th:u tile concept of the indil'idual who is, aft er all, Opponunity Socit.' ty. The Homestead Act public is wi lling to march. We should st'J. nd the smallest and most import:mt minoriry. of 1862 uhima!('ly relinquished 10 percent up for our beliefs. but if we find that a "my From the beginninl;> we were the pany of the area of the United Statcs 10 small way or the highwa{ attilUde is c.llrsing of national unity. And so it is today. The f., rmcrs who werc willing to work the lanll. gridlock, we should p:tuse long enough 10 Democrats are in the process of retre:uing This is the di rccr prl'Cursor of President consider whether we arc tryi ng to solve to endal'es o n thC' coasts and in the big Gl'Orge W. Bush's "Ownership Society. ~ problems b)' jamming square ideologicJI ci ties. In cont rast. we cO lllinue to COIll CS t in Prl'S itient Bush's iniriali"e seeks 10 ernpml'e r pegs imo round public policy holes. every region. evcn if not always in C\'e ry indi viduals by in c rca~ in g home ownershi p T he el'ems of the 1860s an be used as state. T he South is largely Republican now. and by conferring upon wo rkers the owr1('r a rn odd: a hlend of fen'ent idealism and Today's sout!lC' rn Rcpublic:m consc rva tism ship of a portion of Social Security taxcs. moderate real ism can kCt'p the pan)' and seeks to conse rve what is [)CSt in ollr he r Prcsidcnt Bush's policics will :tlso fOSi er til("' the country moving irr the ri glH dif('Ct ion irage rat!H: r than maim.tining discnxiited crea tion of new small busi nesses, ,l1t, CX P;Hl wit hoUi rolling off dr e tr.lcks. <-:;t beli efs. This is Republic:mistll on uur terms sion of choicl'S in IllLxiical care through - and with which AbrJham Lincoln 11'0111(1 Health Savings Accounts alld more. All of - Rl'p. 10111 Pl'tri. n Ripoll Sociny foullda, have found much in common. these I'rol'isions arc designed ro exp:md p·er is II \,(/i;comill Rl'pflblimll IlIId In conso narlCt.' with our devotion 10 sonal initiative at (he expcnse of govt.'rn chllirlllllli oJlhl' Highways. Tmmit libeny, we :Lre currently the slfonges( adl'o- men( paternali sm. I/Ild Pipl'lillrs SlIflflumlliurr Thl" Ripol1 Furum ' Willler 200S ","'II'. ri I'onsoc.org 23 The Growing Hispanic Vote Election 2004 was a watershed moment By U.S. Reprcsentati\'e Ileana Ros-Leluinen hen hislOry is wril!(,ll, the 2004 ing l nti running for public offices. 10 eleCTions will go down as a water achieve this. we need to do more to re:lch Wshed moment in American poli Ollt to Hispanics, especiall y through tics: the power of the growing Hispanic Spanish lang uage TV, radio and news":I vOle became evident. pers. Also, we should work to lowcr the In the 2000 election, Democratic high dropout ratc of H ispanic studem s in prcsidclIIi:t1 candidalt' AI Core did not our schools. Hispanics should be encour appear on lhe vcry pOpUI :IT Spanish TV aged to pursuc higher education for with show "$:tbado Cig:I.IHC" because of sched an :tdvanced degree they will have a bener uling connicrs. In COl1lr:151, in 2004. nei chance to succeed in their endeavors. ther candidate could afford not [0 :lpp C;H. It is Ill)" hope th:1.t with th(~ new cloUT In F.tct, both Presidellt Gt'orgc \VI. Hu sh of these voters, politicians will be able to and Senator John Kerry actively C:lm address iss ues ofimpon:tnce to Hispanics. paignClI for the Hispanic vOle. For t'xample, we can increase their access In an den ion thai had Ihe hi ghest to l·duc:uion by passing the Dream Act tumour in more than 30 years, 44% of and by encour..lging more students to con Hispan ics \'olcd for President Bush. This titHle Iheir educalion. H ealth care should is the highest percentage of Hispanic U S Rep Ileana Ros-lehtlnen be more affordable in order to ensure lhat Votes evcr aTtained by a Republican candi low-income workers will have a chance to dale. The previous high was ,utai ned by that these leaders will leJve their umque ofTer health insur.tnc{' for their families. Presidenr Ronald Reagan in 1984 when he mark upon the Senat!'. They will surely be \Y/e l11US{ also strive to increase the number Sl'Cured 37% of the Hispanic vote. the first of m:lny more H ispanics who will of minority homcownt'rs. And flnaliy, if is 1ivo ye;l rs ago, Hispani cs beeline dIe serve in the Senate in till' years to come. imperative to reform our immigration sys largeS{ minority in this country. They are We also made minimal progress in the tem; workers who cotHributc to our now a la rge \'otin g bloc that ever)" presi House of Represematives. Hispanics nalion's ecollomy and pay taxcs will rhere dential canditbte will ha\'e to coun in gained one scat. increasing our representa forc be ahle to come out of the shadows ortler to Will. The power of the Hispanic tion from 2S to 26. This is barely 6% of and achicve legal status. vote will o nl y Illcrease 111 every subse(luem the tot:tl number of I-lo use members. \Vle As the nUlllbers of Hispanics contin elecrion. Hispa nICs. ;lI1d the issues of Republicans also made history for the first ue to grow, we I11l1st ensure that ,hey fully imporlance 10 thern. arc sure to become time in ovcr a century by electing a panicip,1\e in our ci\'ic society. The more more prevalent. Republi catl as Residenr Comnlissioner of t'ducated Hispanics are, ,tnd the morc Hispanics continue to increase bOth Puerto Ri co. I congrarulate Luis Forwno o pportunities they are given. the more in numbers and in their contributions to ~o r this accomplishment ~nd look forward they will contribute to our great nation. A this great country. For example, whi le to working with him in the J09rh testa men! to thc growing power of this Hispanics make up 13% of the U.S. pop Congress. constiruellcy is the fact that on November ulation, Ihey accoullI for 18% of the fight Nel'erthelcss, while Hispanics make 2nd almOSI onc in ten vOters who lined up I11g mcn and womcn in th e U.S. armed up 13% of rht, U.S. population, they still and voted was Hispanic. Wilh every elec forces. In addition. 6% of all businesses in comprise less than olle perCent of all elect rion. there will be a larger percentage of this counrry are owned by Hisp:mics. This ed off'icials. The represt'lltation of Hispanics who will havc their voices demonstrates that Hispanics can be elltre Hispanics at the HatC a nd fcderalle"els arc heard. preneurs and can create jobs to help the both low. For example, from a wral of ! ,1111 confident (hat we can continuc American economy prosper. 1,035 H ispanic elected offici;tls In to increase the p:micipation of Hispanics Now that more Hispanics arc becom California, only 35 hold state or fedcral in Ollr political systcm. thereby ensuri ng ing't larger portion of o ur population, we offices. This is a little more than 3 perCCIlt. that the overall participation of Americans must work to increase tht' number of 11 is evell worse in Nell' York, where there (emaim high. ~ Hispanics in public officc. It is satisfying arc only 63 Hisp;tnics elected to 10GI I. that" in November we m:tde progress in this state and federal offices. - Rep. !/ftllitl Ros-Lrhlilll'fl (iireCiion by cleCiing tWO H ispanic sena \Y/e must COlltin ue to e ncourage if II florida RrpllbiiCllll IOrs: Democrat Kl'n Salazar frolH Hispauics to partictpate In our democratic Color..tdo and Republican Mel Martinez proct'ss. They should be fully ;lCtive in our from my sr:ue of florida. I a m confident republic. both as vOtcrs and by volunteer- 24 www. riponsoc.org The Ripon Forum ' Wintl'r 2005 Why I Left the Democrats The GOP and the rise of Italian-Americans By John Marino y cOllnection (0 the Delllocratic (unily we re nOI Parry runs d('t.'p, extending back to only ¥;llues hut Mmy yomh. My earliest memories requiremen ts. include Imfching as a child in the Labor Day You wouldn't parade in Asbury Park with my Etther, a know this from union carpenter. We would make the trek in the us ual por hi s Ford work \'an in order to celebrate the trayals of hali:1I1- ~ working man~ and the land of opportunity. Americans til fi lm or television. [ was raised in a bille-collar home in Belmar, Holl yv.ood has distom-d the image of New Jersey. I grew up proud of my Family's Italian-Americans, oflen presenllng working-class rOOIS and union idemit),. My them as semi-literale, murderous loyalty to the Democratic P3.rry came gangs((.'rs. This is se<:1l in blockbuster naturally. movies like "The Godfuther" and My relationship with the Democrats "Good Fe1las" or TV hits such as W;l~ reinforced by Illy p:lTems' immigrant "The Sopranos." The reality experience. T hey were born and raised in a is very ditTerent. All of the As a proud American of sm:Jll, humble village in somhcrn [tal),. In Italian-A mericans that I SC;lrch of a beneT life, they CUlie to the knew were pn:domiu<1 ll tly Italian ancestry, I teel United Smlcs. Although initially not skilled, blue-collar work- knowing the language or culture, they ers, who toiled exception- enthusiastically embraced the American ally hard, saved their especiall, comfortable War I-knce, lik<· countless other ltalian money and sent their Americans, they saw the Democr.uic Party :IS children to college with the hopes rim the}' their politic il home, would cmer th(· professional class. T heir in tile ever-growing I remainL-d :m:lC lled to the Democrats model was - and is - someone like Supreme throughout my teenage years. In 1984, my Coun Justice Amonin Scalia, nOl 'Ion}, Republican "Big Tent. n grade school notebooks were covered with Soprano. I sought a party that embraced Mondale-Ferraro bumper stickers even dl('se val li es of work, opportunity and though I was nor yet old enough 10 vote. I family. The GOP was a naTUral choice. caSt my first vote in the 1989 N(w Jersey Morool'l'r, as a Democrat I was frusHat with c1ec!(-d offici:lls on both sides of the gubernalOrial race for then-Democr:ttic cd a\ having to renlain a closet ChriSllan. I aisle. MOTl... over. [ am convinced there are candidate Jim Florio. When I emerl'd colk-ge also opposed the penchant to view everyone Olher moderates like myself OUI [here, who my cornmirmem m the Democf'Jrs was only as a victim despite their actions, and grew during the 1990s left the Democt:lIS to join reinforced by an environment Ihat slamed weary of a seenlingly incessa nt criticism by the Republicans. These voters are simibr to distinctly Lcfr. Since almost all of my fitmily. many liberals of American policies - both at the so-called Reagan Democrats of [he friends and educuors were Democruts and home and abroad. This especially p:lined me 1980s. Perhaps politicJI historians will rec liberals. it is easy to discern how [ remained for I was taught to love America and to be ognize this tr~nd and coin a name for us. \Vle :111 unwavering Democrut for many years. grateful for the opportunity it had provided are everywhere and we :trc in good This began to change, however, during for my fumily. I had personally seen the great company. People like U.S. Sen. Norm my late twenties. Looking at my new-found promise of America fulfilled aud lhe immi Coleman, Minneso[a Re publican, have responsibilities at home and at work, I gram's dream made reality. Consequentl y, I shown that Jews from Brooklyn, JUS! like Started to question my affiliation with the left the Democm[ic Parry, :tnd found a new Italian-Americans from New Jcrsq, can fol Democruts. I realized something imporram: home with the GOI~ low their IK'3.rts 10 a pany that tflily repre Thl')' no longer represented my political Out As a proud American of Italian ancestry, sems their values. ~ look or personal values. The time had arrived I feel especially comforl"able in the evcr fo r me to break old tics and forge new oncs. growing Republican "Big lcnt. ~ AldlOUgh I - Johll Marino is r/Jr m(//Mgillg dirrctor of lroniclJly. the culture that placed me still have lIlany Democruts who are my govermnrl/t relnriollS lind public policy tll I"r firmly withill the Democratic fold \'l:IS the friends and colleagues, I recognize that their Natiol/III !talim/ AmrJ"i({1/I FOUl/dillion, 1111 same one th:l1 motivated me to leave it. pany IS Ilot my party. illdrprlldrll/. I/OIJ-pfrrtiJlIll lind non-profit I was miscd ill a household where personal Despite my rigll1-le:ming views, profes jiJ//IIdlllioJ/. 7lJis artic/r does not rrprrS(//f t"r responsibility, hard work, rel igion and sionally [ consider myself fortunate 10 work vil!l/JJ ofth, foundlltion. Th~ Ripon Forum · Winter 2005 "''''"",'. riponsoc.org 25 't .. c Make Use of Prison Labor Allow the private sector to employ prisoners By Robert O. Atkinson me ri can jails and prisons now hold that prison labor is a :oc ro-sum ga me, of unfair COnllX.,til ion while Hill gening the Illore than 2 mill ion inmates. \Xlh ile inmate work actually helps the economy. social and ccollomic bcndils from prison Athe inll}Qrt of this milepost may be T he economy benefits because both regular industries program. This can be done by more sy mholic than real, its fiscal im pact is :lIld prison workers arc prod ucing outpm. eli minating FPI's preference (0 scll to the quite real. At $40 billion annually, or If a morc robust inmate labor progr.1I11 suc fed eral government and by allowing pri\':1 lc $20,000 a year per prisoner. incarceration is ceeded in employing an additional 350,000 Sl'c{() r companies to (' mploy prisoners. a major budget item. So it is likewise sig prisoners who produced an a\'erage of Private companies should be able 10 go inm nifica nt dlat more than cwo-thirds or all $35,000 l:fer year in value-added, the U.S. federal or state prisons and, \Virh tht· con (state) ex-offenders arc re-:trres ted in three econo my would he $ 12.2 billion brger. senT of the prison officials, hire prisoners as yea rs. One successful activity that helps In r('ce m years. however, pr i ~on indus their employees. ofTs(" t public COS tS for prisons :m d reduce tries programs have generated increasing FPI should TransiTion out of the busi recidivism is prison work in industries. criticism. Some on the Lefi oppose prison ness of making and sell ing goods. Instead, AI the federal level, Federal Priso n labor: these critics do not bel ieve t!l;H pris they should flcilit:He the employmell t of Industril'S (FPI), :m arm of the Federal oners should be rC 26 WWW. ri llOllsoc.CJrg The RillOn Forum · Winter 2005 1;, " • • t " • Angry Canucks Growing anti-Americanism in Canada , By RIChei K. Aymt i E mericans share a 5,000-mile unde Parrish was only fended border with their northern rt'cendy rernovt'd j AIlcighbur, bUT in rcc... nt years, C anada from her pany's and the United Stales ha\'c shared little else. caucus. This OA'icials in borh nalions insist thaI reb should not really tions arc as frie ndly as evcr. It is clear, corne as a surprise. however, that disagreementS ove( fOR'ign Canada is, aftcr all, a policy and growing anri-American sClHi~ coumry that broadcasts A/ men! among C;lnadi:ln citizens are creating jauertl. yet objects to airing Fox :1 1ll:l}(H rift bc[wl'cn the longtime NeWi. friends and :I!!ics. For tlHlCh of the past cen Prcsi dcm George W. Bush [('(e11lIy mry, Canada and the United completed a two-day uip 10 Canad:l ~ States have enjoyed a friendly marking the first omcial sr;ut: visit 10 the working relationship. Hoth country by a silting U.S. President ill over a countries were staunch decade. Ahhough he did nOI' address allies in World War I and P:lr1iamtlH, President Bush delivered a World War II. (he major speech in which he described the cu r Korean War and the rent St:l[(' or U.S.-Canadian rehnions by first Persian Gulf War. saying "beyond the wo rds of politicians and But fhis close alliance IS tht' natural disagreements (hat natlons will now bcillg eroded. Two "In the past few years, many Canadian liberals h: ~ vc. our {wo peoples arc one f."lmily, and recent announCC Z1l t'ntS by always will be."' President Bush was being Cmadian Prime Minister have not only expressed their distaste for the generolls. Paul Martin promise to have United States' current Republican leadership, In the past few years, many Canadian 3 grave impact on U.S. but also for many of its core values . One liberals have nOt only expressed their dis CUladi:Ul rt'lations. First, taste for the United StateS' current Mr. Martin declared that would think that they might refrain from insult Republican leadership, but also for many of CUl:tda will neither invest ing a country whose economic investment is its COf(' values. One would think th;1[ they an y money 111 Pres idt'tH necessary for Canada's very survival." might rcfrain from insulting a country Hush 's proposcd missile whose economic invt'StmclH is nt'ccssary for defense system. nor allow the United States The country's ailing public health care Canada's very survival (Washington is to station any of its rockets on Canadi,Ul system . its burdenso me fax rates and Ottawa's largest u:lding pannn). lbther, soil. Mr. Martin also publicly stated that increaslIlg Irrclev:mce on the international C:ln:lda's predomimlCly leftist elite delights Canada will allow U.S. soldiers who refuse stage - all have eontribured to a general in att:lcking the United St:ltes at every turn, to se rve in Iraq the right to immigrate. se nse amOllg Canadians that they arc falling which is not only immamre, btU also disre The vast majority of Canadians ques behind their American COLInterparts. spectful. (ion American motives - especially with Hence, it is clsier for many Canadians to From the beginning of the Hu sh regard to foreign affairs. They genuinely lash out at President Bush or at America in Presidency, Canadian liberals have had an believe their country is safe from :lttack genetll, rather than focus on tiH:i r own almost pathological distaste for his person beca use their gOVCTllmelll pursues peaceful country's real problt,ms. ality and polit ical beliefs. A good example pol icies. T his m"ivc ou tl ook is, of course, Canadl's livelihood is dependent on its of this anti-Bush hysteria is the recent con· bolstered by Cmadian knowledge th:u, in a trade wirh the Unilt.J States. and if reb troversy surrounding Carolyn Parrish, a time of real cris is, the United Stal"cs would lions cOlllinue to deteriorate, Canadians Liberal Member of Parliament from certainly come to their dcft'llse. have much to lose. Presidem Bush's recem Om'trio. On tht' eve of the U.S. invasion Yet there is somcthing besides opposi Irip to Canada constilll1ed a good fitith ges of Iraq. Ms. Parrish famously declared du t tion 1"0 Prt'sidctll Bush's global war on ter tllre on the paT! of his adminislf Tht' Ripon Forum · Wimer 2005 \\!W\\'. nponsoc.org 27 America 's economic recovery is well underway. Prospects are bright for further gains if we adopt policies that create more jobs, unleash the American spirit of innovation, and help assure the sustained growth of our economy. To maintain economic growth we must: En(ourale investment and innovation. Our obsolete tax system should be reformed. It should create incentives for new investment and research & development that enable U.S. businesses and workers to be leaders in the worldwide economy. Improve education and training. America's school children must grad uate from high school prepared for college and the workplace. Th e No Child l eft Behind Act is providing more choices fo r parents, more resources for teachers and new accountability for schools. Job traini ng programs must also be strengthened to give today's workers the skills for tomorrow's jobs. Promote trade. New U.S. trade agreements to open up foreign markets are catalysts for economic growth. They facilitate trade and encourage new investment and exports, increasing income and creating jobs here at home. Crowinl the economy. Our most important job. B~ Business Roundtable www.buSinessroundtable.org After Arafat The future of the Middle East By Frederi ck KratH"l alestinian leader Yasscr Arafin's death According to the scholar Bal Ve·or. Ihe has triggered much ~ pcculalion about European Union is consciously attempting Pthe future of the Middle EaSt "peace to create ~ Eurabia, " an anti-Israel (and anti process." Can it in f."I. Ct be n.-v ivcd, and if so, American) economic and political alli:tnce how quickly? Will new Palestinian between the European Union :uld the Ar:jb Authority elections actu:tlly take place? Arc League states. T his is ;1 IXlli cy diM originat there really Palestinian "moderates," :Hld if ed in the 19605. It envisions a rapid revival S0, Gin rh<:y o\'crcomc ratlical terrorist of the peace process that will lead to a tWO- groups widlOUi a struggle leading ro chaos 5t:lle solution. This plan al so rC{luires the :ll1d civil war? cooperation of the now " moderate ,~ 1'051- Much of the current spccul:l1io n is Ar.lfat Pail·stinian leadership. predicated on fal se ass umptions. These arc: However, the "mooer:lIe" candidates th:lI the "peace process" is s,ill in opcr:nion; for leadership. Mahmoud Abbas and Ih:1I ArJ.fat's de.1th has made a more ~ rnod Mohammcd Qureia. wcre Araf:lI 's com cratc" iL';ldcrship poss ible: :lnd thaI [his rades from the 19 50s and were founding leadership will make a gC lluine and lasting memhers of Fauh and the P a l cs tini ~ n pt.'aC(' with hr,,,:: !. Another ass umption is Liber:ttion Organi:t..1 lion (PLO). Tht·y we~ Ihal such a rL"al p'cace will ~ permancllI , panicip3111s in the an empt 10 take over r:uhcr than simpl)' a temporary lactic used Jordan from 1968-70, in which they we n' to dcs troy the Jewish slale. Th e ~ has heen subsequcntly expelled 10 It.'banon. They almoS( 60 r car~ of unrcmining, bloody were wilh t\raf.u ill sparking civil war in Pa icstinian rejl"(: lion of the legitimacy of Lebanon, and with him after Ihe 1'1.0 was Jewish Israel in Ihe Middle East. Arc we forced by Israel's 1982 in vasion of Lebanon now to believc Ihal Ihe P:ll cs tini:ms will illlo ex il e in Tunisia. finally :lCcepl the Jewish st;ue? These ~ modcrat es" particip:Hed in PLO leHorism and corruption throughout Also, two-state advocates usually The 'Two-State' Solution the 19GOs and 19705. They condoned acts rel1l:li n silent about the crucial Uright of There :ITC those who :ISS Wlll' th:l1 II IS such as the civilian aircraft hij :lckings :lI1d return" iss ue. The Palestinians conti nue to possible 10 eSI:lblish a pe:lCeful senlemcll! bombings (a I'LO invention). !lIe 1972 claim Ihe right to the reparriafion 10 Israel by creating tw6 indepeodent SI:nes: Israel Israeli Olympic athletes massacre at proper of up to three million refugees and and I\llestin('. Thcse :malysis em be placed Munich, and the !973 PLO " Hlack their descendants. No Israeli government of illto twO rc1:lI c(1 categories. September" assassination of American :lIl y political stripe wi ll agree to commit Onc group prc5C llls a na'(\,c :malys is of ambassadors in Khartoum. These leaders demographic suicide by adding another Pal es tinian polilics. These individuals have also supported the Ma'alol maSS:lcre of 2 1 fWO 10 three m illion Arabs 10 Isr:leI's a quite remarkablc, and perhaps willed Israeli schoolchildren and (our adults in Pal es tinian Arab population. amnes ia, :loom Ihe unremining genocidal 1974, and the capture of Ihe Achi ll e Lauro Palestinian policy IOwards ISf"JeI . Eve n thc and murder of the wheelchair-bound Leon The 'One-State' Solution 1:lIe Palestinian leader, Faisal Husseini. Klinghoffer. Tbe li st gcx'S on and on, as Alongside the ~ two_ s tate M scenario :I admitted thaI Pales tinian support for the does the ri\'er of blood. Furthermore, Abhas ncw, "one s ral e~ or ~ bi·national " solution 1993 O slo accords was a consciously adopt and Qmeia have been im'olved in the has recendy emerged. This view has bct'n ed ~ Troian horse. MD es pite the continuing Araf.1t-Jed corruption which has marked espoused by ami-PLO Arah radicals, terrorist a rnpaign , the incorrigibly opti the PLO. and the Pales tinian Authority, European allli-Israelleftins, and increasing misti c liheral or leflist bim pmsmw conlin from its origins. ly by some AmeriCi Il and Canadian ana ue to see a sil ve r lining. They hOIX: that il Two-state ad\'ocatcs also make certain lys ts. In their vi ew, Ihe Arah-Israeli conflict will be poss ible to forge a ~ mode ral e Mpath untenable assumptions abom Israel's ~ n ec can be resol\'ed by merging Israel and 10 peace - even though this will email uti cssary" conCl'Ss ions such as the rcmoval of - Pal cs tinc ~ inro one democratic emit')' that lizing the same P:ll estiniall ClS t of dl:lrae all senlements from the \'Ves t Bank and {·ncompasSl.'S tWO ~ pcoplcs. " lers, minus Arafat. Ga1~1, and the ceding of eaSI Jerusal em 10 Upon closer examination this one-slale There is al so :lI1 other perspective. This Ihe Pal es tinians for their Gtpiml. VCI ISr:lc1 option is nOI an option at aiL Extremists. one is " '5S benign, more rra/pulilik, and will nOt. assuredly, again offer 1'0 divide I IXlth Arab and Weslern. USl' this suggestion eyniGlll y ami-Israel. In this case. the Jerusalem, nor give up :111 , or even most, of as Th" Ripon Forum ' Winter 2005 www.nponsoc.org 29 then we will get the world CO impose a one and Samari a will re m:l in in place. And as Arafiu unleashed his terrorist war aga inst stare solutio n upon the Jews. This ~ ri g ht of pl :l nned by Israel's Prime Minister Ariel ISf:lel ill 2000. Erection of Ihe security bar return ~ variant is, in f.1ct, -a th inl y ve il ed Sh:l TOn fo r milimry and political re:IS0 ns, rier, the possible evacuation of G a7~1 , pbce prescription for a revanchist ArJb majori ty current Israeli politics may precl ude eve n melll of the Israel Defense Forces arollnd (one, moreover, widlOut democralic experi th e evac \l ~ lIi o n of Ga7':1. the main Arab cities and cross roads in Judea ence or commitment), wllich would mea n Hence, no-s mters bcl ie\'c that while and Samaria to int <'rdict terro ri st org:ln i7.J bOth the destruction of Israel ami th e the rwo-s t:lte solution, on hold since the lions and block sui cide bombers - all art' ex pulsion, or worse, of its Jews. late 19905, ma y seem to ha ve aga ill entered unii:tlcral Israeli steps mk<' 11 in Ihe :lbsenc<'. Israel. of course, will never accept this. th e realm of possibili ty with Araf.lt's death, now ;md for the foreseeable fmu re, of a it cannot be arbinarily reS llscira red before a 5uit3.ble negotiating partner. The 'No State' Solution stable and truly moderate Pales tinian lead O slo, and fo rmer Israel i Prime Finally, there is yet a third, and perhaps ership emerges. ArabI's terrOr war 1101 onl), r"lin iSler Ehud Ba r.lk 's exrremdy radical rI](~ most feasible option pen aining to th o;: failed politically bur led to social and eco peace offers m:lde at Camp David II and poSt-Arabi situatio n: the "no sta te" posi nomic disaster. T hus, Abbas and some of Taba, arc dead. And . given the lasl FOllr ri on. This view is backed by those who his supporters may h:lve bt'Co me conve rts yea rs of unremining, Arafa t-backed argue Ihal neilher Ihe $O-c-J ll ed Arab-Israeli to reconcili :l tion and honest acccptance of pales tini :ltl murder :Ind 111 :1)' lI el11 , :t broad conflict, nor the cu rrt'lll post-Oslo situa the legitimacy of lsrad - but Ihis re mains 10 spcctrum of Israelis overwhelmingly back lion, arc accidems. be see n. Ari el Sha ro n's policies. No rea l negot ia tions These Israel i and pro-Israel voi ces nOl e The nO-S tale advocates poim \0 the can res ullIe until the Pales tinian Authority Ih31 Ih t' currell{ conflict did not emanate many obstacles that slill bar th e p:lth ro rec reimposes its comrol of Pales tinian ~ reas, from Israeli ill-will. Sin e<' 1948. the Israelis oncil ia ti on. Palestinian l ea d ~rs face a sull en, suppresses Ihe terror c:l mpaign <1l1d edu have consistently sought pe ace and recogni bra inwas hed popub lio n whi ch has ca tes il s peo ple fin all y 10 give up the illlpOS tion. On the other hand, since the 1920s indul g~d in a "cullUre of dealh" for o\'l:r sible 30 www.ri ponsoc.org 'llle Ripon Forum · \'(timer 2005 GROCERY MANuFACfURERS Of AMERICA / Coun,," Fa, F'tness & Nutnt,on M .... KEI't.S OF THE W O RLD"S fAVORI TE BRANDS OF im~'ican FOOD. BEVI;RAGES. AND CON S UMER .. RODUCTS Partners Wneed to work together to make sure that Americans have the information they need to make healthy lifestyle choices. That's why the Grocery Manufacturers of Ame rica is a founding for a member of the American Council for Fitness & NUlrition. ACFN conaborates with health professionals, educators, governments, policy makers and consumers on lasting approaches to reducing Healthy obesi t }~ ACFN supports: America .... Providing parents, teachers and children with information and resources to empower them La make the best lifestyle choices about physical activity and nutrition . .... Incre .... Improving the communication of nutrition information and distribution of education materials for parents, teachers and community-based programs. In addition to supporting ACF N, GMA members are offering more healthy, nutritious foods, providing bener nutrition information to consumers and re-doubling our effons to ensure that we are marketing responsibly. The food and beverage industry is doing its part in the fight against obeSity, and we are committed to helping others do theIr part. You can do yours by learning more aboul ACFN at www.acfn.org.