Reader Comments

Editor: Once again you have provided a most important and convincing foreign policy analysis, “Slipping the Neocon Sucker Punch. I suppose that you may wonder from time to time whether what you write has any impact. Believe me, it does, my friend. Please keep it up. Best, Lee Edwards, The Heritage Foundation

Editor: I enjoyed your "Slipping the Neocon Sucker Punch" editorial very much. We must be molded out of the same clay. I do like the more pro democracy version of current realist foreign policy, however. While we are wise to maintain good relations with Egypt, Russia, etc., we will do so hopefully with more honesty about the policies and areas that disturb us. To me greater honesty is important and a huge benefit in maintaining (or regaining) respect in the world for the values we have always upheld. We can cooperate with other governments in many areas while still being truthful about what we believe in. Dr. Warren Coats

Editor In your “Slipping the Neocon Sucker Punch,” I am not so sure about the "overstretched America" argument against support for global democracy. A famous sage once said," a morally unacceptable thing can't be politically acceptable." For five years, the Vietnam Human Rights Act has stalled in Congress.  And the people of Vietnam and the pro-democracy activists of Vietnam have been writhing in pain. Help. Scott Pham, San Jose, CA

Editor: You are right it was deft maneuver around a shadow sucker punch.  But there are so few neo-cons compared to the DNC-Move On crowd, your kudos more resemble the fate of a puppy delightedly playing on an Interstate highway at rush hour. John Paulson, San Antonio, Texas [Editor replies: The difference is Move On has zero influence on U.S. foreign policy and the few have had great affect.]

Editor: Sucker punch, bull----You are 100% Republican. You write like a Republican, you talk like a Republican, and if I were next to you, you would smell like a Republican.  Please remove my email from your junk list.  Now. George Madrid.

Editor: Thanks for running my piece on improved health accounts. Under current law, citizens of one state cannot buy insurance licensed in any other state. As a result the market is balkanized and less competitive than it should be. A new bill by Rep. John Shadegg would change all of that. See Jack Strayer's Brief Analysis on this topic http://www.ncpa.org/pub/ba/ba523/. John C. Goodman, National Center for Policy Analysis

Editor: We need to emphasize the Fair Tax. Steve Forbes, Al Olse, and Neal Boortz are promoting this tax and we need to help them out. Thanks, Phil Legate

Editor: One of your reader's questions about where the moderate Moslem voices are is a good question, one that I have been thinking about for some time. Not everyone is blessed to live in a country where our different opinions are welcomed. In fact, in many areas of the world, no matter where they are, if one speaks out against another--they are killed. For their own safety, they remain silent. At the same time there may not be quite as many moderates sticking up for us because of all they have heard against us. Just as we only hear of "acts of terrorism by middle Easterners, etc . . ." They only hear of "the infidels who have no values or love for anyone other than themselves and the money they take from others-- not to mention our haughty attitudes." The media on both sides are a little biased to say the least. There are many people and everyone is different. But we need more love and understanding in our whole world. Yes, we also need to protect ourselves but maybe also with the truth. Maybe we should take a hard look at ourselves, what are governments doing (on both sides/all countries) and what our own actions look like to others. Perhaps, peace can begin despite years of hatred. It won't go away in an instant. We need to treat hatred like the cancer it is, dissect it, study it and find many different ways of treatment. It's a long hard practice but isn't our world worth it? It's not "our world" or "their world" it's "The world" or if you are a believer as I am, it's "God's world". The point being no one sect of people should claim it as their own. We all need to get along-- hard though it is, will be. It's worth it for the future. -- Tara, one of ACU's fans.

Editor: In the article, " Ending Father Absence" by Dave Usher, Mr. Usher succinctly articulates the root causes of the suboptimization of family.  The covenant marriage law in Louisiana cannot be successful without the dismantling of many of the archaic institutionalized policies, practices and thinking of many of our highest judicial officials.  This will also require legislative reform at the state and U.S. Congressional level and the support of many of the conservative organizations.   The Republican Party must establish a forceful policy, agenda, and tactics to reform the US incentives that promote divorce and fierce custody and child support fights. James Semerad, Dads of Michigan, a non-profit educational organization that advocates 'The Best Parent is Both Parents'.

Editor: In further regard to the article by Jeff Crouere, I sent the following letter to Senator Richard Durbin: “Your anti-Catholic bias regarding nominee Judge John Roberts opens up many questions about your beliefs about the rights of not only Mr. Roberts but of all Americans, particularly Catholics. We still have freedom of religion.  Will your next step on your slippery slope of bias be on the right to bear arms?  The right to assembly? Where will this wrong-headed thinking end? You owe the American people an explanation of your agenda regarding the Bill of Rights. And, you certainly owe all Catholics a public apology of your apparent bias. Sincerely, Will Allen, River Falls, WI