(Paul Mirengoff) Some of the rhetoric in the debate over Ukraine policy seems wildly disproportionate to actual disagreement on the subject. I don’t know of any Ukraine “hawk” who advocates sending U.S. forces into battle against Russia, if it invades. I don’t know any who advocates admitting Ukraine to NATO in the near future. The “hawks” want severe sanctions if Russia invades. In addition, they support moving a relatively small number of
Author: Paul Mirengoff
Conservative clash captures media attention
(Paul Mirengoff) I detect an emerging trend in the anti-conservative mainstream media — using conservatives to attack other conservatives. The New York Times is leading the charge. How else does one explain the Times publishing the op-ed by “common good conservative” Adrian Vermuele attacking originalism? Or an op-ed by three leading common good (or national) conservatives attacking the Republican foreign policy establishment? The publication of the two pieces can partially be explained
Canadian truckers receive the Tea Party treatment
(Paul Mirengoff) I haven’t commented on the protest by Canadian truckers in Ottawa. That’s John’s beat, and he’s doing a great job with it. However, I did come across this passage in a Daily Mail article about the protests: James Doull, 24, a diesel mechanic who is organizing truckers parked along Wellington Street, where many of the parliamentary and government buildings are located, claimed ‘all the stuff put out by Trudeau and
Hispanic women warming to GOP in Texas
(Paul Mirengoff) So says Politico, and it seems to be true. Certainly, Donald Trump made inroads among Hispanic voters in 2020 — both in Texas and elsewhere. And the GOP achieved further gains with this ethnic group in Texas elections held in 2021. There are indications that Hispanic women are leading the charge. In Texas, according to Politico: Hispanic women now serve as party chairs in the state’s four southernmost border counties,
For lifelong Evertonian, a dream come true
(Paul Mirengoff) Last month, I wrote about the romance of the FA Cup. That competition is an English soccer tournament open to more than 700 teams — from local semipro clubs to some of the best teams in the world. Every year, it seems, one obscure, lowly team makes a deep run in the tournament. This year, it’s Boreham Wood, from England’s fifth division. Over the weekend, the Hertfordshire club knocked off
Americans tune out Olympic ceremonies
(Paul Mirengoff) I was happy to read, via NRO’s Jack Butler, that the ratings for Friday’s opening ceremonies at the Winter Olympics were down 43 percent from 2018. Butler cites an article in Axios which notes that ratings for the opening ceremonies in Tokyo last summer were also down, but by only 6 percent. Thus, Axios’ explanation for the mass tuning out of the China ceremonies — that “broadcast and cable TV
A congressional covid committee? No thanks.
(Paul Mirengoff) According to this report, there is bipartisan support for creating a congressional Covid-19 Commission. It would be modeled after the one that, for better or (in my view) worse, examined the 9/11 attacks. The proposed commission would investigate the origins of the coronavirus pandemic and the responses of the Trump and Biden administrations. The plan is proposed by the top Democrat and Republican on the Senate Health Committee — Sens.
Common good constitutionalism vs. originalism
(Paul Mirengoff) Adrian Vermeule is a law professor at Harvard and a leading proponent of Common Good (or National) Conservatism. He has written an op-ed for the New York Times called “The Supreme Court is on the wrong path.” I’m not sure what path the Supreme Court is on (we’ll probably have a better idea by the end of June). Therefore, I neither agree nor disagree with proposition set forth in the
Marilyn Mosby’s reckoning
(Paul Mirengoff) Marilyn Mosby is the “no justice, no peace” Baltimore prosecutor who brought charges against six Baltimore police officers in the Freddie Gray matter. She failed to obtain even one conviction. Mosby was in U.S. District Court yesterday, not as an attorney but as a criminal defendant. She is charged with perjury and making false statements on mortgage applications. We discussed these charges here. The Washington Post lays them out here.
Black Republican excluded from Black Caucus of Virginia legislature
(Paul Mirengoff) A.C. Cordoza is a newly-elected member of the Virginia House of Delegates. He’s Black and he’s Republican — the only member of the Virginia legislature who answers to that description. As such, Cordoza sought membership in the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus. It excluded him. Cordoza says he was excluded because of his answers to a questionnaire from the caucus. Among the question he apparently answered “incorrectly” were ones pertaining to