Townhall Review | Conservative Commentary On Today's News

Over-confident Democrats take comfort in the history of mid-term elections in a new president’s first term: for nearly two centuries, the party in power almost always loses seats in Congress.

But Republicans should feel encouraged by the only exception to that rule since FDR: in 2002, George W. Bush defied history and Republicans gained strength in both the House and Senate. Low expectations for Bush in foreign policy meant that his strong response to 9/11 looked especially impressive.

If President Trump makes serious progress in upcoming Korea negotiations, he too could beat expectations and powerfully improve GOP prospects. Already, foreign leaders like South Korea’s Moon are promoting Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize and such talk could intensify as the election approaches.

Reduced tensions on the Korean Peninsula would be good for the world, good for America and great for embattled GOP candidates in House and Senate races.

Recent polls suggest 70 percent of Democrats support impeachment of President Trump—a preference ignoring obvious lessons from the recent past.

Andrew Johnson was impeached in 1868 during his last months in office and he wasn’t running for re-election. Then with Richard Nixon a century later, momentum against him proved so powerful that he resigned before voters went to the polls for mid-terms.

Only Bill Clinton faced Congressional elections in the midst of an impeachment crisis—and he became the only president since the two-party system began to gain Congressional seats in the middle of his second term. Americans disliked Clinton’s amorous adventures but they hated the idea of impeachment—and still do. If Democrats campaign for Congress promising turmoil, scandal-mongering and gridlock, they will lose—and deserve to lose.

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Recent polls suggest 70 percent of Democrats support impeachment of President Trump—a preference ignoring obvious lessons from the recent past.

Andrew Johnson was impeached in 1868 during his last months in office and he wasn’t running for re-election. Then with Richard Nixon a century later, momentum against him proved so powerful that he resigned before voters went to the polls for mid-terms.

Only Bill Clinton faced Congressional elections in the midst of an impeachment crisis—and he became the only president since the two-party system began to gain Congressional seats in the middle of his second term. Americans disliked Clinton’s amorous adventures but they hated the idea of impeachment—and still do. If Democrats campaign for Congress promising turmoil, scandal-mongering and gridlock, they will lose—and deserve to lose.

When it comes to North Korea, the old adage of “Trust, but verify” isn’t nearly enough. We should—absolutely—be skeptical of the rogue regime’s claims. And we should, of course, hold them accountable for whatever promises they might make.

But we should still be encouraged by Kim Jong Un’s recent statements that he wants peace and is committed to stopping his nuclear weapons tests.

A lot of hard work stands between where we are and where we want to go, but the Trump Administration deserves credit for bringing us this far. The key question is whether President Trump can produce a deal that completely ends that country’s nuclear weapons program. 

In his efforts, Trump is assisted by an all-star team of aides: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, National Security Adviser John Bolton, and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis.  If anyone can get this right, we should have confidence in this team.

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When it comes to North Korea, the old adage of “Trust, but verify” isn’t nearly enough. We should—absolutely—be skeptical of the rogue regime’s claims. And we should, of course, hold them accountable for whatever promises they might make.

But we should still be encouraged by Kim Jong Un’s recent statements that he wants peace and is committed to stopping his nuclear weapons tests.

A lot of hard work stands between where we are and where we want to go, but the Trump Administration deserves credit for bringing us this far. The key question is whether President Trump can produce a deal that completely ends that country’s nuclear weapons program. 

In his efforts, Trump is assisted by an all-star team of aides: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, National Security Adviser John Bolton, and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis.  If anyone can get this right, we should have confidence in this team.

Here are the rules today: you must be pro-woman at all times—unless, that is, the woman you’re engaging is conservative or religious.

We saw an example of this cultural double-standard at this past weekend’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner. This dinner has a history of friendly banter. But comedian Michelle Wolf crossed the line. Even as she joked about abortion, she attacked White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, making fun of her looks, and repeatedly called her a liar.

Whatever our political differences, let’s be clear: this kind of public abuse is reprehensible. It’s especially shocking because supposedly we’re in a tolerant age that prizes diversity.

In practice, it seems, some people deserve respect, fairness and kindness.

And some don’t.

This is the strangest of ages. When a woman is conservative or religious, you can say whatever you want.

I have a better idea: Let’s treat all women with respect.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here are the rules today: you must be pro-woman at all times—unless, that is, the woman you’re engaging is conservative or religious.

We saw an example of this cultural double-standard at this past weekend’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner. This dinner has a history of friendly banter. But comedian Michelle Wolf crossed the line. Even as she joked about abortion, she attacked White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, making fun of her looks, and repeatedly called her a liar.

Whatever our political differences, let’s be clear: this kind of public abuse is reprehensible. It’s especially shocking because supposedly we’re in a tolerant age that prizes diversity.

In practice, it seems, some people deserve respect, fairness and kindness.

And some don’t.

This is the strangest of ages. When a woman is conservative or religious, you can say whatever you want.

I have a better idea: Let’s treat all women with respect.

The New York Times recently published a story entitled “Wreck of the Juneau Is Found.” It’s about the discovery of the U.S. Navy cruiser Juneau that was blasted apart by a Japanese torpedo in 1942.

Even in the context of the millions and millions of casualties of World War II on all sides, the story Juneau resonates in a special way in the American memory, a memory of indebtedness to one family. One family that lost not one, not two, not three, not four but five sons on one day on one ship!

75 years later, the Juneau's wreckage has been discovered but the American people’s moral debt remains: a moral debt to all those who have given their lives and have given their family members to the cause of defending liberty.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The New York Times recently published a story entitled “Wreck of the Juneau Is Found.” It’s about the discovery of the U.S. Navy cruiser Juneau that was blasted apart by a Japanese torpedo in 1942.

Even in the context of the millions and millions of casualties of World War II on all sides, the story Juneau resonates in a special way in the American memory, a memory of indebtedness to one family. One family that lost not one, not two, not three, not four but five sons on one day on one ship!

75 years later, the Juneau's wreckage has been discovered but the American people’s moral debt remains: a moral debt to all those who have given their lives and have given their family members to the cause of defending liberty.

The California Assembly has yet again adopted legislation that makes an undeniable infringement on religious liberty.  Assembly Bill 2943 would make it fraudulent and illegal to offer in any way to have anything to do with a change in sexual orientation, or for that matter, an individual’s sexual identity.

The Alliance Defending Freedom says, “the breadth of this censorship is staggering.” David French at National Review described it as, “extraordinarily radical.”

Part of the radical nature of this legislation is the fact that it now elevates sexual identity to something that is beyond question.  In other words, those who are pushing for the moral revolution, especially on LGBT issues, are setting out to eradicate, even by force of coercive law, anyone who would represent any worldview that would stand in their way.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.