HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

This Halloween we’re happy to bring you Jon Carpenter’s 1978 horror classic about a psychotic murderer institutionalized since childhood for the murder of his sister, escapes and stalks a bookish teenage girl (Jamie Lee Curtis)  and her friends while the institution's psychiatrist chases his deranged patient through the streets of a small town on Halloween night.

Constitution 201: “Case Study: Religious Liberty in the Administrative State”

Welcome to part 9 of our 10-part lecture series produced by Hillsdale College entitled “Constitution 201.”

Each lecture lasts approximately 40 minutes. Lectures and other study materials will be included and are available to our readers. We expect to present all 10 parts before Election Day.

Each lecture lasts approximately 40 minutes. Lectures and other study materials will be included and are available to our readers. We expect to present all 10 parts before Election Day.

Overview

Post-1960s Progressivism has steadily eroded religious liberty and the freedom of association in America. Measures such as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare) and many anti-discrimination laws express a new understanding of rights that rejects the Founders’ view of religious liberty and the freedom of private associations to govern themselves. Recent Progressivism follows the early Progressive belief that effective freedom requires government to redistribute resources in order to provide equal access to the goods that promote mental development and that make life comfortable. This redistributive agenda is combined with a new emphasis on the empowerment of victim groups, sexual liberation, and an aversion to traditional Christianity and Judaism that requires government intervention in the internal affairs of private organizations. Religious liberty today is divorced from the freedom of association and the free exercise of religion, which the Founders understood to be essential for a free society.

Study Guide—“ Case Study: Religious Liberty in the Administrative State"

 Today's Lecturer

Thomas G. West is the Paul and Dawn Potter Professor of Politics at Hillsdale College, where he has taught since 2011. Dr. West teaches courses in American politics, with a focus on the U.S. Constitution, civil rights, foreign policy, and the political thought of the American founding. He also teaches course in political philosophy, with particular emphasis on Thomas Aquinas, Thomas Hobbes, and John Locke.

Prior to joining the faculty at Hillsdale, Dr. West was Professor of Politics at the University of Dallas, where he taught from 1974 to 2011. Formerly a visiting scholar at the Heritage Foundation and at Claremont McKenna College, Dr. West is a senior fellow of the Claremont Institute, where he teaches in the Institute’s Publius and Lincoln Fellows summer programs. He is the author of the best-selling "Vindicating the Founders": Race, Sex, Class, and Justice in the Origins of America, and co-translator of Four Texts on Socrates: Plato’s Euthyphro, Apology, and Crito, and Aristophanes’ Clouds, of which there are more than 180,000 copies in print. He received his B.A. from Cornell University and his Ph.D. from the Claremont Graduate University.

SUGGESTED READINGS

NOTE: all readings link to Hillsdale's online Constitution Reader, also available at ConstitutionReader.com.

REQUIRED READINGS

1. "The Northwest Ordinance" – Article I
2. "The Northwest Ordinance" – Article III
3. Thomas Jefferson - "Notes on the State of Virginia" - Query XVIII: Manners
4. George Washington - "Farewell Address" (Excerpt)

Next week we will bring you “Restoring Constitutional Government,” the tenth and final lecture in Hillsdale College’s “Constitution 201, “Restoring Constitutional Government,” presented by Hillsdale College president, Dr. Larry P. Arnn.  Your comments on this series are welcome.

Alexander Hamilton: The Nation’s Founding Blogger

ALEXANDER HAMILTONToday marks the 225th anniversary of The Federalist—the series of essays that helped make our Constitution a reality. Historians generally agree that the Federalist’s likely chief architect was founder Alexander Hamilton, thereby making Hamilton our “founding blogger” along with coauthors James Madison, and John Jay.

Better known today as The Federalist Papers, these essays caused a sensation when they started appearing in October 1787, as a response to a rival set of essays.

Opinions & Commentary From Around the Web: Week of October 21

We pick em you click em…

• How Might The National Park System Fare Under A "President Romney"?  (National Parks Traveler)
• Capitalizing on the “99 Percent” (Heritage Foundation)
• How Escalating Education Spending Is Killing Crucial Reform (Heritage Foundation)
• Is America Exceptional? (Imprimis (Hillsdale College)

The Genesis of Negative Campaigning in America

JOHN ADAMS & THOMAS JEFFERSONNegative campaigning in America was fathered by two lifelong friends, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.   In 1776, the dynamic duo combined powers to help claim America's independence, and they had nothing but love and respect for one another. But by 1800, party politics had so distanced the men that, for the first and only time in U.S. history, a president (Adams) found himself running against his vice president.

Things got ugly very quickly when Jefferson's camp accused President Adams of having a "hideous hermaphroditical character, which has neither the force nor firmness of neither a man or the gentleness and sensibility of a woman."

 Thomas Jefferson and John Adams are said to have thrown the first mud at each other in the presidential election of 1800.

Jefferson accused his old pal — of being a fool, a hypocrite, a criminal and a tyrant.

Adams returned fire, calling his vice president and challenger Jefferson “a mean-spirited, low-lived fellow, the son of a half-breed Indian squaw, sired by a Virginia mulatto father.”

One wonders what the average citizen of 1800 thought about those lies and name-calling, which have become an ugly fixture of our politics ever since.

RELATED STORY

• The American Debate: When politics were truly ugly (Philly.com)

“He’s Lead a Life of Lies:” Gov. Chris Christie's Epic Takedown of President Obama in Virginia

Man, I Love this guy!! Once again liberals exploit their constituency’s ignorance, Obama blames President Bush for everything that was wrong, and NEVER accepts responsibility for the things that have been abject failures on his watch.  Including his leadership skills.

Constitution 201: Post-1960s Progressivism

Welcome to part 8 of our 10-part lecture series produced by Hillsdale College entitled “Constitution 201.”

Each lecture lasts approximately 40 minutes. Lectures and other study materials will be included and are available to our readers. We expect to present all 10 parts before Election Day.

Each lecture lasts approximately 40 minutes. Lectures and other study materials will be included and are available to our readers. We expect to present all 10 parts before Election Day.

 >>Study Guide: Post-1960s Progressivism

Overview

Post-1960s Progressivism is an incoherent blend of the earlier Progressive emphasis on material and spiritual uplift coupled with a new, adamantly relativistic orientation. This altered Progressivism champions an understanding of freedom as “the right to define one’s own concept of existence, of meaning, of the universe, and of the meaning of human life.” Policies that attack the traditional family through the promotion of sexual liberation, the redefinition of racial equality in terms of atonement for alleged historical victimization, and a preference for the preservation of the environment over human flourishing—demonstrate that post-1960s Progressivism not only rejects the ethical ideal of earlier Progressivism; it also denies the Founders’ conception of equality and rights as grounded in “the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God.”

Click here to view parts 1—7

“All this for a damn flag”

This video purports to show first lady Michelle Obama whispering “All this for a damn flag?” in President Obama's ear during a flag folding ceremony on the anniversary of 9/11. We'll let you decide for yourselves.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen you “heard” correctly, that is what America’s first lady said according to an instructor at a School for the Deaf and Blind who watched the video. The video is shown at normal speed, 3/4 speed, and 1/2 speed with no banners obstructing her lips.

Mrs. Obama had this to say in Milwaukee in 2008.

Hm..mn…mmnnn

We The Students Scholarship Contest

There is less than one month left until the deadline for The Bill of Rights Foundation’s scholarship contest. The We The Students Scholarship Contest runs through November 16, 2012.

To participate in the contest, high school students will answer three questions around the ideas of the Constitution and the role of government.  One $4,000 prize will be awarded for first place, one $2,000 prize for second place, and one $1,000 prize for third place.  Two $500 prizes will be awarded for honorable mentions.  >>Learn more hear.

GOODLUCK!

Fact Check: Who Bent The Truth More During Final Presidential Debate?

FACTCHECK.org is a nonpartisan, nonprofit “consumer advocate” for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics. They monitor the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews and news releases. Its goal is to apply the best practices of both journalism and scholarship and to increase public knowledge and understanding.

Here is FACTCHECK’s summary of the third Obama-Romney debate last night.

RELATED STORY

• Heritage Experts Analyze Final Presidential Debate

This day in History: World Teetered on the Brink of Nuclear War

"For, in the final analysis, our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children's future. And we are all mortal."

—President Kennedy, June 1963

Fifty years ago on this day, in what is now known as the “Cuban Missile Crisis,” which began on October 15, 1962, when U.S. intelligence personnel analyzing U-2 spy plane data discovered that the Soviets were building medium-range missile sites in Cuba. The next day, President Kennedy secretly convened an emergency meeting of his senior military, political, and diplomatic advisers to discuss the ominous development. The group became known as ExCom, short for Executive Committee. After rejecting a surgical air strike against the missile sites, ExCom decided on a naval blockade on the Soviet sattelitenation and a demand that the bases be dismantled and missiles removed. On the night of October 22, Kennedy went on national television to announce his decision. During the next six days, the crisis escalated to a breaking point as the world teetered on the brink of nuclear war between the two superpowers.

RELATED MATERIAL

• Cuban Missile Crisis (JFK Library)

Update on Friday, October 26, 2012 at 10:38 AM by Basil Ryan

The JFK Library's Frightening Alternate History of the Cuban Missile Crisis

Moments History: 1923 Weimar in Crisis

Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”

—George Santayana

After World War I, the German government is forced to print money to pay for WWI reparations, this lead to hyperinflation and drove millions into debt. The people's hard earned savings became worthless in a matter of years.

RELATED STORY

• Federal Reserve launches QE3(CNNMONEY)

Do Not Let Your Wife or Girlfriend See This

RELATED STORY

• New Study Takes Bite Out of “5-Second Rule”

Dear Liberals and Progressives We Want a Divorce

Painting: “The Forgotten Man”—Jon McNaughton

I received this email the other day from a friend and wanted to share it with my like-minded readers.  You may have already received it but for those who haven’t and my Liberal friends—this is for you.

Dear American liberals, leftists, social progressives, socialists, Marxists and Obama supporters:

Our two groups can equitably divide up the country by landmass each taking a similar portion. That will be the difficult part, but I am sure our two sides can come to a friendly agreement. After that, it should be relatively easy! Our respective representatives can effortlessly divide other assets since both sides have such distinct and different tastes.

We have stuck together since the late 1950's for the sake of the kids, but the whole of this latest election has made us realize that we want a divorce. 

I know we tolerated each other for many years for the sake of future generations, but sadly, this relationship has clearly run its course.  It’s not me it’s you!

Our two ideological sides of America cannot and will not ever agree on what is right for us all, so let's just end it on somewhat friendly terms. We can smile and chalk it up to irreconcilable differences and go our own way.  We offer you this separation agreement:

Our two groups can equitably divide up the country by landmass each taking a similar portion. That will be the difficult part, but I am sure our two sides can come to a friendly agreement. After that, it should be relatively easy! Our respective representatives can effortlessly divide other assets since both sides have such distinct and different world views.

We don't like redistributive taxes so you can keep them.

You are welcome to the liberal judges and the ACLU.

Since you hate guns and war, we'll take our firearms, the cops, the NRA and the military.

We'll take the nasty, smelly oil industry and you can go with wind, solar and bio-fuels.

You can keep Oprah, Michael Moore and Rosie O'Donnell. You are, however, responsible for finding a bio-diesel vehicle big enough to move all three of them to your country.

We'll keep capitalism, greedy corporations, pharmaceutical companies, Wal-Mart and Wall Street.

You can have your beloved Big Bird, PBS, generational able-bodied welfare cheats food stamps, homeless, homeboys, hippies, dopers and illegal aliens.

We'll keep the hot Alaskan hockey Moms, greedy CEO's and rednecks.

We'll keep the Bibles and give you NBC and Hollywood.

You can make nice with China, Russia, Iran, Egypt, Libya, Pakistan and Palestine and we'll retain the right to invade and destroy countries that threaten us.

You can have The Hague, peaceniks, war protesters and “occupiers.”   When our allies or our way of life are under assault, we'll help provide them security.

We'll keep our Judeo-Christian values.

You are welcome to Islam, Scientology, Humanism, political correctness, Roseanne Barr and Arianna Huffington.

You may also have the United Nations, but know this, we will no longer be paying the bill.

We'll keep the SUV's, pickup trucks and oversized luxury cars. You can take every Subaru station wagon you can find.

You can give everyone "afordable health care," if you can find any practicing doctors.

We'll keep "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" and "The National Anthem."

I'm sure you'll be happy to substitute "Imagine", "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing,” "Kum Ba Ya" or "We Are the World.”

We'll practice trickle-down economics, and you can continue to give Keynesianism, trickle up poverty your best shot.

Since it so often so offends you, we'll keep our history, our name, our flag and Country Music.

Would you agree to this?   If so, please pass it along to other like-minded liberal and conservative patriots.  If not, just hit delete. In the spirit of friendly parting, we’ll let you answer which one of us will need whose help in 15 years.

Most Sincerely,

Fred Keller

Proud Conservative American

P.S. Also, please take Ted Turner, Sean Penn, Martin Sheen, Barbara Streisand, “Hanoi Jane” Fonda and Cindy Sheehan with you.

P.S.S.  And you won't have to press 1 for English when you call our country.

Opinions & Commentary From Around the Web, Week of October 14

We Pick em you click em.

• America’s Schools: Breeding Grounds for Compliant Citizens (Rutherford Institute)
• The Solyndra Memorial Tax Break (WSJ)
• DECKER: Romney’s momentum over Obama (Washington Times)
• Constitution Check: Which candidate or party can claim the Founders? (NCC)
• Six Trillion in National debt: What would the Founders think? (NCC)

Constitution 201: The Transformation of America’s Political Institutions

Welcome to part 7 of our 10-part lecture series produced by Hillsdale College entitled “Constitution 201.”

Each lecture lasts approximately 40 minutes. Lectures and other study materials will be included and are available to our readers. We expect to present all 10 parts before Election Day, November 6.

>>Study Guide - "The Transformation of America’s Political Institutions"

Overview

Progressives undertook the transformation of America’s political institutions—in particular the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial branches—to reflect their understanding that government is divided into politics (representation of the will of the people) and administration (development and implementation of civic policies and programs determined by scientific expertise). This administrative system, in which Congress delegates its lawmaking authority to regulatory agencies, replaces the centrality of the consent of the governed with the rule of unelected, bureaucratic experts.

About The Lecturer

Kevin Portteus is associate professor of politics at Hillsdale College, where he has taught since 2008. Dr. Portteus is faculty advisor for the Washington-Hillsdale Internship Program, and teaches courses in American political thought and American political institutions.

A visiting graduate faculty member in the American History and Government program at Ashland University, Dr. Portteus formerly taught at Belmont Abbey College and Mountain View College, in Dallas. Having published online through the Washington Times, Human Events, and BigGovernment.com, his book, Executive Details: Public Administration and American Constitutionalism, is under review for publication. He received his B.A., summa cum laude, from Ashland University, and his M.A. and Ph.D. in politics from the University of Dallas.

>>Lectures 1-6

Hillary: “I'm responsible for diplomats' security”

Is the president playing politics with the deadly attacks in Libya?

The timing (one day before the second Presidential debate), is suspect to say the least. 

More than a month after the murders of four members of the U.S diplomatic Corpse Corps, including Ambassador Christopher Stevens in Benghazi, Libya. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton yesterday took one for the team, in an obvious attempt to smother the growing political firestorm over the deadly attack on the U.S. consulate there, Clinton saying she's responsible for the security of American diplomatic outposts.  Read More.

Update on Tuesday, October 16, 2012 at 12:09 PM by Basil Ryan

>>Circular Firing Squad  on Benghazi murders continues at White House

Chuck Yeager Retraces History in the Sky

Retired major general, USAF Chuck Yeager retraced history on Sunday, 65 years to the minute, as the first test pilot to break the sound barrier, taking to the skies once again to fly faster than the speed of sound.

RELATED STORIES

• Chuck Yeager breaks sound barrier again, 65 years after historic flight (NY Daily News)
• Felix Baumgartner breaks sound Barrier (BBC)

Ayn Rand, Paul Ryan and Objectivism

With the nomination of Paul Ryan as the Republican candidate for Vice President, Ayn Rand’s name has been more and more in the spotlight. Ayn Rand’s ideas sre finally making their way to the mainstream.

Ayn Rand’s philosophy of Objectivism: A Brief Summary

>>Atlas Shrugged I Movie Trailer

Republican Vice Presidential nominee Paul Ryan is well known to be an Ayn Rand fan.

Atlas shrugged Part II is set in a near future imaginary place in America  where people lead dehumanized and often fearful lives with a global economy on the brink of collapse—unemployment at 24% and gas at $42 per gallon. A place where brilliant creators, from artists to industrialists, continue to mysteriously disappear at the hands of the unknown.

"You never want a serious crisis to go to waste. And what I mean by that is an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before."

—Rahm Emanuel, Mayor of Chicago and former White House Chief of Staff to President Obama.

Here is a 1959 30—minute interview with Rand by Mike Wallace.

“Atlas Shrugged II ”opened across the America on Friday, October 12.  The film is based on Ayn Rand’s 1957 novel.

RELATED MEDIA

• The Fountainhead [full movie]

The Alyson Dudek International Ice Center

(L-R) Lana Gehring, Alyson Dudek, Allison Baver and Katherine Reutter.

 Do you remember Alyson “Aly” Dudek?

Alyson Dudek is a proud resident of Hales Corners and graduate of Divine Savior Holy Angels High School and a Bronze medalist from the 2010 Olympic Winter Games held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Presently there is a public—private effort underway between Hales Corners community residents, businesses and Milwaukee County Parks & Recreation to build a 100’ x 200’ outdoor Olympic-sized ice skating rink.  Supporters of the project say the completed project will make Hales Corners Park one of the premiere recreation centers in southeastern Wisconsin.

It will stand among other community treasures which include:

the pool, the new Veterans Memorial, Jake’s Rock (rock climbing wall), basketball courts, picnic area and softball fields.   If you would like to be a part of this effort, your donations are needed to make this happen. Please send your tax deductible contributions to The Friends of Hales Corners Park & Pool, 5811 S. 121st St., Hales Corners, WI 53130.

If you have any questions or would like to volunteer your services towards this community enterprise, please call 414-418-8299 or visit their website.

It is not clear how this project will affect Franklin Mayor Tom Taylor’s big dreams for the Crystal Ridge Multi-sport complex project—aka “jewel of Franklin.”  "Dust in the Wind?"