Arab Autumn: Elections, Crackdowns, and Sectarian Tensions Part III

Bahrain and Syria are countries ruled by sectarian minorities. Bahrain’s Sunni royal family rules over a Shia majority whereas the Assad regime, which rules over a Sunni majority, belongs to the tiny Alawite sect. While this division has exacerbated both of the uprisings, the similarities end here. Bahrain’s royal family has reacted to the protests […]

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Solyndra to Auction Assets, But Taxpayers Won’t See a Dime

As part of its bankruptcy proceedings, defunct solar company Solyndra will auction off thousands of items from its California production facility on Nov. 2 and 3. But taxpayers won’t see a dime of the proceeds, due to the Energy Department’s decision to subordinate taxpayers to Solyndra’s private financiers in repayment of their investments. As I […]

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Big Labor Steps Up Its Material Support for ‘Occupy’ Protests

Apparently seeking to capitalize on a political movement that shares its general political vision, Big Labor has stepped up its material support for the “Occupy” protesters. Scribe noted this week that the AFL-CIO union had taken out advertisements supporting the protests. According to a report from the Washington Post, though, their support extends far beyond paid […]

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Gaddafi’s Murder Breached International Law, Says Russia

(Moscow)  As politicians in Western capitals were taking quiet pleasure in the capture and killing of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi yesterday, opinions elsewhere were divided. In Moscow, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the Geneva Conventions had been breached with the killing of Colonel Gaddafi. “We have to lean on facts and international laws,” Mr Lavrov […]

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Lessons of Libya

That indigenous forces backed by Western military power could overthrow an odious unpopular regime backed by a second-rate military ought to come as no surprise. That was, after all, exactly what the Bush Administration did in Afghanistan. In fact, operationally, the fall of Kabul looks a lot like the fall of Tripoli. As we now […]

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Another Blow to Democracy in Venezuela

Making him the latest in a long list of Venezuelan politicians denied the ability to challenge Hugo Chavez, Leopoldo López, the former mayor of Chacao, had his presidential hopes dashed this week when the Venezuelan Supreme Court ruled that he cannot hold a public office until after 2014 due to pending corruption charges against him […]

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John Dewey and the Progressive Redefinition of Freedom

Today is John Dewey’s birthday, and though it’s been almost 50 years since this major Progressive figure passed away, thoughtful conservatives should acquaint themselves with his writings, since they had a profound impact on our society. Dewey, who is best known for his work on education’s role in democracy, wrote extensively on numerous topics, including […]

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Forget the Facts. Reid Says Private-Sector Employment Is ‘Just Fine’

Apparently unemployment is not much of a problem in the private sector. At least Senator Harry Reid (D–NV) thinks so. Debating the Senate’s proposed $35 billion bailout for state and local governments, Reid argued, “It’s very clear that private sector jobs have been doing just fine. It’s the public sector jobs where we’ve lost huge […]

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