20161219.UPC_cover61404-postal.qxd 11/29/2016 7:21 PM Page 1 December 19, 2016 $4.99 MARK KRIKORIAN RAMESH PONNURU DANIEL FOSTER An Enforcement Agenda How to Think about Infrastructure The Art of Cursing TheThe LiberalLiberal N $4.99 FreakoutORENFreakout CASS DAVID FRENCH 51 KEVIN D. WILLIAMSON 0 74820 08155 6 www.nationalreview.com base_new_milliken-mar 22.qxd 11/1/2016 1:47 PM Page 1 ONCE UPON A TIME THERE WERE 9 PLANETS . Then Pluto lost the vote. Science is the search for truth. Biomythology is the sale of truth. Science used to sell politics is pol- itics. Science used to sell values is ideology. These essays irreverently level the playing field of skepti- cism. They do for Darwin and science what Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris have done for God and Religion. Scientific truth rests on the faith that future“ discoveries won’t turn today’s facts into tomorrow’s fairytales.” —David Cook, Biomythology A skeptical romp whose truths will persist long after today’s scientific stories voted most likely to succeed have been ravaged” by discovery. Clinician, author, and lecturer David Cook insists that while real science has doubled our life spans, biomythology is used to convince the court system that we lack free will and are not responsible for our choices. While real science has produced the Internet to unite the world, biomythology has fabricated the bell curve to divide it. A training manual for skeptics, Biomythology explores Darwin’s intelligent designs and over twenty rhetorical devices his disciples use to sell revisions of history, politics, and values under the name of science. LAUGH OUT LOUD. BROWSE BIOMYTHOLOGY AT AMAZON.COM. SOFT COVER ISBN: 978-1-5246-0183-6, $21.69. KINDLE ISBN: 978-1-5246-0182-9, $7.99. TOC--READY_QXP-1127940144.qxp 11/30/2016 2:25 PM Page 1 Contents DECEMBER 19, 2016 | VOLUME LXVIII, NO. 23 | www.nationalreview.com ON THE COVER Page 26 John J. Miller on Representative Jim Banks Trumpocalypse p. 24 There is a whiff of apocalypse in the air. The election of Donald Trump has sent millions BOOKS, ARTS of progressives into a spiral of rage and pain & MANNERS that goes beyond any other post-election 35 A COURSE ON CURSING tantrum in modern American history. As Daniel Foster reviews In Praise of with every recent presidential election, the Profanity, by Michael Adams, and What the F: What Swearing Left described its opponent in the direst Reveals about Our Language, terms possible during the campaign. But Our Brains, and Ourselves, by Benjamin Bergen. this time, they seem to have believed ENFANT TERRIBLE their own rhetoric. David French 37 David Pryce-Jones reviews Evelyn Waugh: A Life Revisited, COVER: ROMAN GENN by Philip Eade. ARTICLES 39 VOICE OF ANGER Sarah Ruden reviews Birth of a LITIGATING POLITICS by Kevin D. Williamson Dream Weaver: A Writer’s 15 Awakening, by Ngugi wa Thiong’o. The Democrats deploy a cynical weapon. 16 TRUMP THE CLIMATE-SLAYER by Oren Cass 40 DROPS FROM A NIAGARA The environmental Left is having a panic. Jay Nordlinger introduces his new collection, Digging In. TWO IMMIGRATION PRIORITIES by Mark Krikorian 18 FILM: ONLY CONNECT Mandate E-Verify and stop visa overstays. 42 Ross Douthat reviews Arrival. 20 ATTORNEY GENERAL SESSIONS by Andrew C. McCarthy He will have the task of depoliticizing the Justice Department. 43 COUNTRY LIFE: EAGLE’S VIEW OF A NATION 22 INFRASTRUCTURE OBSERVATIONS by Ramesh Ponnuru Richard Brookhiser looks at America Trump’s reason to build may be less economic than political. through the windshield and the flat screen. 24 INTRODUCING JIM BANKS by John J. Miller Indiana’s impressive new representative. SECTIONS FEATURES 2 Letters to the Editor TRUMPOCALYPSE by David French 4 The Week 26 Athwart . James Lileks The world has not ended, yet. 33 34 The Long View . Rob Long 30 GETTING TO PEACE IN COLOMBIA by Jay Nordlinger 39 Poetry . Sally Cook A controversial year. 44 Happy Warrior . David Harsanyi NATIONAL REVIEW (ISSN: 0028-0038) is published bi-weekly, except for the first issue in January, by N ATIONAL REVIEW, Inc., at 215 Lexington Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10016. Periodicals postage paid at New York, N.Y., and additional mailing offices. © National Review, Inc., 2016. Address all editorial mail, manuscripts, letters to the editor, etc., to Editorial Dept., N ATIONAL REVIEW, 215 Lexington Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10016. Address all subscription mail orders, changes of address, undeliverable copies, etc., to NATIONALREVIEW, Circulation Dept., P. O. Box 433015, Palm Coast, Fla. 32143-3015; phone, 386-246-0118, Monday–Friday, 8:00A.M . to 10:30 P.M. Eastern time. Adjustment requests should be accompanied by a current mailing label or facsimile. Direct classified advertising inquiries to: Classifieds Dept.,ATIONAL N REVIEW, 215 Lexington Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10016 or call 212-679- 7330. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to N ATIONAL REVIEW, Circulation Dept., P. O. Box 433015, Palm Coast, Fla. 32143-3015. Printed in the U.S.A. RATES: $59.00 a year (24 issues). Add $21.50 for Canada and other foreign subscriptions, per year. (All payments in U.S. currency.) The editors cannot be responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or artwork unless return postage or, better, a stamped, self-addressed envelope is enclosed. Opinions expressed in signed articles do not necessarily represent the views of the editors. letters--READY_QXP-1127940387.qxp 11/30/2016 2:55 PM Page 2 Letters DECEMBER 19 ISSUE; PRINTED DECEMBER 1 EDITORINCHIEF Richard Lowry American Interests and Obligations Senior Editors Richard Brookhiser / Jonah Goldberg / Jay Nordlinger Ramesh Ponnuru / David Pryce-Jones Managing Editor Jason Lee Steorts Mr. Nordlinger raises a legiti- Literary Editor Michael Potemra Vice President, Editorial Operations Christopher McEvoy mate question as to the extent Executive Editor Reihan Salam Roving Correspondent Kevin D. Williamson to which Americans should be National Correspondent John J. Miller Senior Political Correspondent Jim Geraghty prepared to commit military Chief Political Correspondent Tim Alberta Art Director Luba Kolomytseva resources, i.e., American lives, Deputy Managing Editors Nicholas Frankovich / Fred Schwarz in furtherance of our treaty Production Editor Katie Hosmer Assistant to the Editor Rachel Ogden obligations (“Smaller Coun - Research Associate Alessandra Trouwborst tries, Far Away,” October 24). Contributing Editors Shannen Coffin / Ross Douthat / Daniel Foster Pursuant to realpolitik theory, Roman Genn / Arthur L. Herman / Lawrence Kudlow Mark R. Levin / Yuval Levin / Rob Long the only time a state should Mario Loyola / Jim Manzi / Andrew C. McCarthy Kate O’Beirne / Andrew Stuttaford / Robert VerBruggen com mit its forces into any NATIONAL REVIEW ONLINE armed conflict is when its na - Editor Charles C. W. Cooke Managing Editors Katherine Connell / Edward John Craig tional interest is directly af - National-Affairs Columnist John Fund Staff Writer David French fected. That is the reason the Kremlin blinked during the Cuban missile crisis Senior Political Reporter Alexis Levinson and why they never intervened directly during the Nicaraguan civil war on Reporter Katherine Timpf Associate Editors Molly Powell / Nick Tell behalf of the Sandinistas. The Kremlin recognized correctly that these states Digital Director Ericka Andersen Assistant Editor Mark Antonio Wright were/are part of the American “sphere of influence” under the Monroe Technical Services Russell Jenkins Web Editorial Assistant Grant DeArmitt Doctrine, and not part of the Kremlin’s. Web Developer Wendy Weihs Web Producer Scott McKim To be sure, in Westphalian parlance, the Baltics have always been within EDITORS- AT- L A RG E Russia’s “sphere of influence.” That being said, NATO and EU treaty obliga- Linda Bridges / Kathryn Jean Lopez / John O’Sullivan NATIONAL REVIEW INSTITUTE tions by member nations may have provided a deterrent against Russian THOMASL. RHODESFELLOW Ian Tuttle aggression against these states. However, in an actual showdown with the Kremlin, neither the affected states nor the treaty organizations should expect BUCKLEYFELLOWSINPOLITICALJOURNALISM Alexandra DeSanctis / Austin Yack American intervention if the area were ever to become “hot.” That is why the Contributors U.S. and Europe blinked when Russia annexed the Crimea. The Balkans have Hadley Arkes / James Bowman / Eliot A. Cohen Dinesh D’Souza / Chester E. Finn Jr. / Neal B. Freeman been in the Kremlin’s sphere for centuries. Humanitarian considerations alone James Gardner / David Gelernter / George Gilder Jeffrey Hart / Kevin A. Hassett / Charles R. Kesler should never be the determinative factor in making long-term, armed treaty David Klinghoffer / Anthony Lejeune / Michael Novak Alan Reynolds / Tracy Lee Simmons commitments. Rather, the U.S. must limit the actual commitment of troops to Terry Teachout / Vin Weber Chief Financial Officer James X. Kilbridge those conflicts which directly affect America’s national interest. Accounting Manager Galina Veygman Accountant Lyudmila Bolotinskaya Business Services Alex Batey David C. Frazier Circulation Manager Jason Ng Advertising Director Jim Fowler Via e-mail Advertising Manager Kevin Longstreet Assistant to the Publisher Brooke Rogers Director of Revenue Erik Netcher JAY NORDLINGER RESPONDS: Three quick points. (1) I would be careful about PUBLISHERCHAIRMAN Jack Fowler John Hillen using “sphere of influence,” the language of the Nazi–Soviet Pact. Their lan- FOUNDER William F. Buckley Jr. guage need not be our language. The Baltic states, like Britain, France, and Germany, are sovereign nations. They do not belong to Moscow. (2) The North PATRONS AND BENEFACTORS Robert Agostinelli Atlantic Treaty says that an attack on one is an attack on all (Article 5). That Dale Brott Mr. and Mrs. Michael Conway is the heart of the treaty. If you are not going to defend certain members, Mark and Mary Davis COM Virginia James you ought to expel them now. Anything else is a deception and a fraud. (3) The . Christopher M. Lantrip Brian and Deborah Murdock letter-writer brings up Crimea (though not the Donbass, which is equally rele- Mr.