Comments on: Reagan and Obama: shining America, sinning America

By: Adagny

Adagny — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 16:47:39 +0000

Hi Neo,

Suggestion for possible book title:

“Tao te Jean- the book of political changers”

By: DeWayne

DeWayne — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 16:04:06 +0000

And, with your explanation, and further reading, I don’t think we disagree at all… LOL

By: DeWayne

DeWayne — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 16:01:49 +0000

Scottie:

I am disagreeing with Obama’s brand of Socialism retaining a distinctive North Americanism.

My point is that no matter where you start on the trail, all the isms end up in despotic, dictatorial regimes that look exactly the same.

By: Bob

Bob — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:33:59 +0000

Hi Jean, Great article comparing Reagan and Obama. But I suspect that Obama is less interested in redeeming America than in redeeming his vision of himself. Someone who sits in judgement of an entire nation ought to have an acute sense of right and wrong. Yet Obama distanced himself from Reverend Wright, Van Jones, Ayers, etc. only after these people were revealed publicly as less than exemplary characters. Likewise in foreign policy Obama seems to have no interest in human rights unless there is an opportunity to point an accusing finger at America or the West. The Tibetans suffering from Chinese oppression or the Iranian protestors fighting for freedom are left dangling in the wind. My guess is that Obama is a product of ethnocentric politics and throughout his life has had to reconcile the painful failure of his own Muslim-African heritage in the global community versus the tremendous success of Western civilization with America as its crown jewel. It is not America’s and the West’s failures that angers Obama, rather it is their success. His policies of undermining America are probably the unfortunate consequence of identity politics.
PS Anyway Jean it is wonderful to have a name to go with the apple. Glad to have you here in New England too! I’m just finishing up writing a book myself. My recommendation, for what its worth, is to do your writing early in the day. But please don’t give up your blog!

By: Mel Williams

Mel Williams — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:14:18 +0000

Neo, you have so captured what so many of the liberal elite feel. They have their man in office.

By: E

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:58:59 +0000

Alfred Nobel, for whom the prize is named, was an armaments dealer and inventor of explosive compounds. (I read that he originally wanted to call his most famous invention “Nobel’s Safety Powder” -but settled on “dynamite” instead.)

His decision to use a large part of his fortune to endow the prize-giving was prompted by a premature obituary written by a French journalist who said “the merchant of death is dead.” Nobel wanted to leave a better legacy.

The Peace Prize is a joke nowadays – blatantly, offensively political, and an embarrassment. As a legacy, it ranks up there with the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, conceived by the spiritually-crazed heiress to the Winchester fortune as a propitiatory offering to the spirits of those slain by her family’s rifles.

And man, is it a weird place! Stairways to nowhere, rooms that have windows in the floor, occult stained glass and more. It creates the same kind of fun-house atmosphere as the Peace Prize giving these days. My husband and I roared with laughter when we heard the announcement this morning – what else can you do?

By: Webutante

Webutante — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:14:07 +0000

Wonderful piece of work at the Weekly Standard, Neo. It’s always deep and satisfying yet never too long.

With writers like you and readers who avidly follow your synthesizing work, can this country be in decline for long? Don’t think so and certainly hope not.

By: Carrie S

Carrie S — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 13:18:41 +0000

Neo, I’ve been lurking here and enjoying your blogging for over a year now. I don’t usually leave comments on blogs but can’t resist saying how delighted I am that you’re publishing a book. Your arguments are always well-reasoned and reasonable and your particular viewpoints unique and illuminating. It doesn’t surprise me that you don’t attract trolls to your blog, making it an even pleasanter place to stop by. I wish you every success with your book; you can count on (at least) one sale on this eastern side of the Atlantic.

Also — I’ll be interested to read your views on Obama’s latest ‘success’. Here in the UK the reaction so far (outside the BBC) has been incredulity and, interestingly, annoyance. The sheen is beginning visibly to tarnish.

This will be nothing to the annoyance being felt in certain circles in the US, I’m sure, although for different reasons. It looks very much as though America is being patronised by the Euro-Liberal ‘elite’.

By: Mrs Whatsit

Mrs Whatsit — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 13:06:58 +0000

I confess, the funny comments that Instapundit is posting right now make it easier to bear. For instance:

“It’s a peace prize, not a peace peace prize.”

and a link to a post headed thusly:

Don Draper wins Nobel Peace Prize

Can’t cry, might as well laugh.

By: Wolla Dalbo

Wolla Dalbo — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:58:03 +0000

Well, I guess the award to Obama settles the issue of whether the Peace Prize is worth anything more than the prize in a box of Cracker Jacks.