|
The
Administration
of George W.
Bush had many
faults. But one
thing you could
never fault it
for was failing
to remember that
America’s
security is the
first function
of the federal
government.
Ever since a
young Nigerian
nearly blew up
an airliner on
Christmas Day,
questions have
arisen over the
Obama
Administration’s
own priorities
in this regard.
The problem is
not the
President. Some
have criticized
the conciliatory
tone he has
expressed
abroad, but when
it comes to
national
security, he has
largely kept his
eye on the
ball.
The same cannot
be said for
members of his
Cabinet.
Attorney General
Eric Holder is a
prime example.
From his support
for reading the
Christmas bomber
his Miranda
Rights to his
decision to try
Khalid Sheikh
Mohammad in New
York City
instead of a
military
tribunal, he has
given every
indication that
he views the
terrorist threat
as a crime and
not an act of
war. In the
process, he has
raised real
questions about
the
Administration's
broader
commitment to
keeping our
nation secure.
We take a look
at this
commitment and
this continuing
threat in the
latest edition
of The Forum.
We do so with an
interview with
someone who
knows the issue
better than most
-- Fran
Townsend, who
served as
Homeland
Security Advisor
under President
Bush and played
a key role in
developing the
policies that
has kept our
country free of
attack since
9/11. We also
hear from one of
the foremost
experts on
national
security and
public diplomacy
in the House of
Representatives
– Texas
Congressman Mac
Thornberry – who
looks at the
Administration's
decision to
close Guantanamo
Bay and explains
why it doesn't
make sense.
National
security will
likely have a
role in the
mid-term
elections. But
what is really
going to drive
people to the
polls this
November are the
candidates on
the ballot and
the messages
they convey. As
Republican
rising star and
Chief Deputy
Whip Kevin
McCarthy writes
for us, this
year's class of
GOP recruits is
the best since
1994, and will
put the party in
an excellent
position to win
back the House.
As the U.S.
recovers from
the Great
Recession,
another crisis
looms on the
horizon -- this
one involving
pension funds.
The Pew Center
looked at this
growing problem
recently, and
Susan Urahn, the
Managing
Director of
Pew’s Center on
the States,
dissects the
challenges we
face and the
steps that
should be taken
to keep things
from getting
worse.
Even though the
economy has been
struggling, Dan
Danner of the
National
Federation of
Independent
Business writes
that a
surprising
number of
entrepreneurs
have used the
downturn to get
their own
businesses off
the ground. He
also writes that
Washington has a
responsibility
to make things
easier for
entrepreneurs,
not stand in
their way.
And in our Ripon
Profile this
edition, we
focus on another
rising star of
American
politics –
Governor John
Hoeven of North
Dakota – who is
running for the
Senate this
year, and who
all Americans
will likely be
hearing more
about soon.
As always, we
hope you enjoy
this edition of
The Forum,
and encourage
you to contact
us at editor@riponsociety.org
with any
comments you may
have.
|
