A Perfect Demonstration of Why We Lose

 

There is an op-ed in Friday’s Wall Street Journal titled “Joe Biden Can Learn From the Gipper’s Example of Unity.” The author is a man named Kenneth Khachigian, who was the chief speechwriter for Ronald Reagan. Just reading the title made me laugh out loud.

Has this man learned nothing from the actions of the Left in America, and specifically the Democrat Party? Seems so. Just the idea of Biden learning anything is preposterous! Joe Biden cannot, will not, and dare not learn anything from Reagan, who, along with President Donald Trump, epitomizes the Devil to the Democrats. Does Mr. Khachigian not know that “unity” to the left means abject submission to the will of the left? Does he not see what is coming to America for us conservatives? Probably not, so I think he might be surprised when we are trampled under the jackboot of the new all-left, all-powerful government in Washington DC.

Maybe Mr. Khachigian should read the editorial at the top of the page Friday, detailing what is in H.R. 1 in the House, which has been re-submitted and now has a good chance of passing. It’s the little things, like California-style election rules nationwide, including automatically “registering voters based on names in state and federal databases, such as anyone receiving food stamps or who interacts with a state DMV [how many illegals in those databases?]; same-day and online voter registration; expanded mail and early voting; limits to states’ ability to remove voters from rolls.” How about removing state legislatures’ role in redistricting? And that’s only the elections part!

In the bill I now call “The Leftist’s Wildest Dreams,” there are also: $15 national minimum wage; statehood for Washington DC and Puerto Rico; new disclosure requirements for political ads on radio and TV, requiring the organization’s top person to approve each ad, and list top donors by name; requirements for some non-profits to disclose names of donors of over $10,000 (and you just know that only conservative non-profits will be covered and not the biggest leftist foundations and groups).

We will really miss Rush Limbaugh, who “knows the left like every inch of his glorious, naked body,” who has been warning us for years about this behavior. Too bad the Republican Party, such as it is, has never learned, and never will.

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  1. 9thDistrictNeighbor Member
    9thDistrictNeighbor
    @9thDistrictNeighbor

    I haven’t read HR 1, but all of the things you liat would be unconstitutional.  Elections are run by the individual states, and redistricting is a state-run enterprise.  Except for one person, one vote (equality of population per district) and some remaining civil rights era requirements, the Federal government and courts are not involved in redistricting, even in partisan disputes.

    • #1
  2. Paul Stinchfield Member
    Paul Stinchfield
    @PaulStinchfield

    RushBabe49: There is an Op-ed in today’s Wall Street Journal, entitled “Joe Biden Can Learn From the Gipper’s Example of Unity”.

    Link here.

    …The author is a man named Kenneth Khachigian, who was chief speechwriter for Ronald Reagan…Has this man learned nothing from the actions of the Left in America, and specifically the Democrat Party?

    It seems impossible that he could be so foolish as to believe what he is writing.

    • #2
  3. Jon1979 Inactive
    Jon1979
    @Jon1979

    RushBabe49: There is an Op-ed in today’s Wall Street Journal, entitled “Joe Biden Can Learn From the Gipper’s Example of Unity”. The author is a man named Kenneth Khachigian, who was chief speechwriter for Ronald Reagan. Just reading the title made me laugh out loud.

    Sounds like someone Reagan speechwriter Peter Robinson should invite onto The Ricochet Podcast about 60-90 days from now, to see if he wants to revise and extend his remarks after viewing the start of the Biden Administration.

    • #3
  4. ape2ag Member
    ape2ag
    @ape2ag

    I have a hard time taking seriously any argument about Biden that doesn’t acknowledge that he’s a demented meat puppet.  That guy ain’t running anything.

    • #4
  5. Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patrio… Member
    Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patrio…
    @ArizonaPatriot

    9thDistrictNeighbor (View Comment):

    I haven’t read HR 1, but all of the things you liat would be unconstitutional. Elections are run by the individual states, and redistricting is a state-run enterprise. Except for one person, one vote (equality of population per district) and some remaining civil rights era requirements, the Federal government and courts are not involved in redistricting, even in partisan disputes.

    Have you read the Elections Clause?  US Constitution, Art. I, Sec. 4 (here).

    This may cause you to reconsider your opinion about unconstitutionality.  Clause 1 of the section noted above says (emphasis added):

    The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Places of chusing Senators.

    This seems pretty conclusive on the permissibility of federal law changing state electoral rules, for Congressional elections.  Note that it does not say anything about Presidential elections.

    • #5
  6. CACrabtree Coolidge
    CACrabtree
    @CACrabtree

    I may be thinking of something else but it seemed to me that HR.1 also included the bit about D.C. statehood.  Again, I may be wrong but that will pop up sooner or later…

    • #6
  7. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    RushBabe49: Kenneth Khachigian

    He sounds like another of those supposed “gurus” like Mueller and Barr, who were at their prime 30-40 years ago.

    • #7
  8. GFHandle Member
    GFHandle
    @GFHandle

    CACrabtree (View Comment):
    about D.C. statehood.

    Why not counter with the suggestion to put DC in Virginia. That would make more sense to most people, who might not like the idea of one city getting two senators!

    • #8
  9. Basil Fawlty Member
    Basil Fawlty
    @BasilFawlty

    Thank goodness for Peggy Noonan!

    • #9
  10. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Basil Fawlty (View Comment):

    Thank goodness for Peggy Noonan!

    Did she recently start making sense again?  That would be a surprise.

    • #10
  11. Basil Fawlty Member
    Basil Fawlty
    @BasilFawlty

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Basil Fawlty (View Comment):

    Thank goodness for Peggy Noonan!

    Did she recently start making sense again? That would be a surprise.

    Sadly, no.

    • #11
  12. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Basil Fawlty (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Basil Fawlty (View Comment):

    Thank goodness for Peggy Noonan!

    Did she recently start making sense again? That would be a surprise.

    Sadly, no.

    Ok, so you were being sarcastic.  Hard to tell online.

    • #12
  13. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins

    I think that Ricochet would be benefitted from reading a bit of the article that you are quoting from even though it is behind the paywall.  I didn’t see any reference to DC or Puerto Rico statehood, H.R. 1 or a $15.00 minimum wage.  https://www.wsj.com/articles/joe-biden-can-learn-from-the-gippers-example-of-unity-11610665958?mod=opinion_major_pos4  Instead, I read how Reagan did his best to include all Americans.  The author concluded his piece with a story about how Reagan reached out to others.  He wrote,

    “There’s one more story that I’ve never before revealed from those meetings with Reagan. Shortly after the 1980 election, Katharine Graham, publisher of the Washington Post, hosted a dinner party for the president-elect. One of the attendees was Vernon Jordan, then president of the National Urban League, who asked Reagan to reach out to African-Americans in the inaugural address. Reagan directed me to be in touch with Mr. Jordan and collect his suggestions regarding appropriate wording.

    “Mr. Jordan and I had a private conversation a week later, and he sent me some language. President-elect Reagan took those suggestions and wrote them—himself, longhand—into his remarks. On Inauguration Day, Reagan said his objective would be a “growing economy that provides equal opportunity for all Americans, with no barriers born of bigotry or discrimination. Putting Americans back to work means putting all Americans back to work.” Mr. Jordan can take credit for that insert.

    “I relate this account because I wonder if Mr. Biden is doing the same. Reagan had very little support from African-Americans in the 1980 election, but he told me it ‘would be very valuable’ to listen to Mr. Jordan. Has Mr. Biden reached out to the disaffected Americans who supported Mr. Trump to understand their feelings and emotions and what concerns them—if only to include a single sentence that reflects their sentiments?

    If I had it all my way, Biden will reach out to our Peter Robinson and Rob Long.  However, I would be thrilled if Biden started by listening to our RushBabe 49.

    In conclusion, Ken Khachigian quotes Reagan again:

    “‘With all the creative energy at our command, let us begin an era of national renewal,’ Reagan said in 1981. The 74 million Americans who didn’t vote for Mr. Biden certainly don’t expect him to use those exact words, but he can find a way to be a bigger man than he was last week. Americans will be looking for restoration and renewal on Wednesday. Mr. Biden can do what Reagan did, and reassure those listening to his speech that we can solve our problems together: ‘After all, why shouldn’t we believe that? We are Americans.'”

    Wonderful.  I hope that Biden reaches for Reagan’s plain touch.

    • #13
  14. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins

    Basil Fawlty (View Comment):

    Thank goodness for Peggy Noonan!

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Basil Fawlty (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Basil Fawlty (View Comment):

    Thank goodness for Peggy Noonan!

    Did she recently start making sense again? That would be a surprise.

    Sadly, no.

    Ok, so you were being sarcastic. Hard to tell online.

    I now appreciate that you were being sarcastic.  I read Peggy Noonan’s January 14, 2021 piece about Liz Cheney and Trump with interest, and I filed an OP about it.  https://ricochet.com/870773/peggy-noonan-on-liz-cheney-and-trump/ 

    • #14
  15. Basil Fawlty Member
    Basil Fawlty
    @BasilFawlty

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Basil Fawlty (View Comment):

    Thank goodness for Peggy Noonan!

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Basil Fawlty (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Basil Fawlty (View Comment):

    Thank goodness for Peggy Noonan!

    Did she recently start making sense again? That would be a surprise.

    Sadly, no.

    Ok, so you were being sarcastic. Hard to tell online.

    I now appreciate that you were being sarcastic. I read Peggy Noonan’s January 14, 2021 piece about Liz Cheney and Trump with interest, and I filed an OP about it. https://ricochet.com/870773/peggy-noonan-on-liz-cheney-and-trump/

    Peggy Noonan has become the Jennifer Rubin of the WSJ.

    • #15
  16. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins

    Basil Fawlty (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Basil Fawlty (View Comment):

    Thank goodness for Peggy Noonan!

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Basil Fawlty (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Basil Fawlty (View Comment):

    Thank goodness for Peggy Noonan!

    Did she recently start making sense again? That would be a surprise.

    Sadly, no.

    Ok, so you were being sarcastic. Hard to tell online.

    I now appreciate that you were being sarcastic. I read Peggy Noonan’s January 14, 2021 piece about Liz Cheney and Trump with interest, and I filed an OP about it. https://ricochet.com/870773/peggy-noonan-on-liz-cheney-and-trump/

    Peggy Noonan has become the Jennifer Rubin of the WSJ.

    Boy, I sure don’t think so.  But I will review her next article in light of your comment.

    • #16
  17. KevinKrisher Inactive
    KevinKrisher
    @KevinKrisher

    What is supposed to be so great about “unity”? It’s a neutral concept that can be either a good thing or a bad thing.

    I would much rather have things like respect, civility, and equality under law.

     

    • #17
  18. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    KevinKrisher (View Comment):

    What is supposed to be so great about “unity”? It’s a neutral concept that can be either a good thing or a bad thing.

    I would much rather have things like respect, civility, and equality under law.

    Like I posted before, on another thread, Spock said to Khan, “Unity?  Like a team of animals under one whip?”

    • #18
  19. Steven Galanis Coolidge
    Steven Galanis
    @Steven Galanis

    After reading this post and considering the group of politicians now assembled in the Capitol, i find myself wishing that they would concentrate on pay raise legislation for themselves.  The least amount of harm! 

    • #19
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