NewsTrust - All Rated Stories

Lies, Damned Lies, and ‘Fact Checking’

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800

Weekly Standard - By Mark Hemingway - Dec. 11 (Opinion) - If you’ve ever found yourself engaged in a futile, one-sided argument with a politician on your TV screen, you’re hardly alone in your frustration. However, if you’re inclined to jot down such intemperate outbursts, and have the chutzpah to charge people for your services—you might have what it takes to join the ranks of one of journalism’s most popular and elite new breeds. They call themselves “fact checkers,” and with the name comes a veneer of objectivity doubling as a license to go after any remark by a public figure they find disagreeable for any reason. Just look at the Associated Press to understand how the scheme works. The venerable wire service’s recent “fact check” of statements made at the November 12 GOP presidential candidates’ foreign policy debate was a doozy. Throwing no less than seven reporters at the effort, the piece came up with some unusual examples of what it means to correct verifiable truths.

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The Coming Euro Crack-Up

Mon, 09 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Weekly Standard - By Irwin M. Stelzer - May. 09 (News Analysis) - The “European project” won’t go quietly into the night. But it just might go noisily into the ashcan of history if the Germans decide they cannot convert the Greeks into hard-working, tax-paying euro-citizens worthy of continuing handouts. Or, at minimum, we might end up with a euro-nord and euro-sud, as Martin Feldstein once suggested.

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Another Triumph for the Greens

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 10:40:34 -0800

Weekly Standard - By Jonathan V. Last - Jan. 26 (Opinion) - To go with toilets that don’t flush and light bulbs that don’t light, we now have dishwashers that don’t wash.

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Man Streaks in Front of Obama for $1 Million

Mon, 11 Oct 2010 08:43:41 -0700

Weekly Standard - By Daniel Halper - Oct. 11 (News) - If billionaire Alki David is an honest man, the man who streaked in front of Barack Obama at the president’s rally today in Philadelphia will be paid $1 million for his stunt. The man who performed today’s stunt, which captured the attention of the Drudge Report and an Associated Press photographer, is 24-year-old Juan James Rodriguez, THE WEEKLY STANDARD has learned.

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Chiefs of Navy, Army, Air Force, and Marines Oppose DADT Repeal

Wed, 26 May 2010 00:00:00 -0700

Weekly Standard - By John McCormack - May. 26 (News) - The heads of the Army, Marines, Air Force, and Navy oppose the current amendment to repeal "don't ask, don't tell." Senator John McCain's office just released letters from the chiefs of the armed services, as well as a statement from the senator urging Congress to let the military complete its study before taking legislative action.

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American Oligarchy

Tue, 04 May 2010 00:00:00 -0700

Weekly Standard - By Christopher Caldwell - May. 04 (Opinion) - Every time the president accuses Republicans of trying to “block progress” or of defying “common sense,” as he did that night, he is executing a dangerous tightrope walk. His party’s electoral fortunes depend on his making forceful calls for reform of our banking laws. His party’s fundraising fortunes depend on his ensuring that no serious reform—of the kind that endangers the big banks’ size and power—ever happens.

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The Myth of the Anti-Muslim Backlash

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Weekly Standard - By Gary Bauer - Dec. 23 (Opinion) - The misplaced fear of igniting an anti-Muslim backlash is a consequence of the pervasive and stifling political correctness that surrounds Islam in the West. It prevents many of our journalistic and political elites from naming our enemy and compels them to accommodate radical Islam most readily in the very places it can cause the most damage--in our prisons, public schools, and military.

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Did they work?

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Weekly Standard - By Stephen F. Hayes - Aug. 25 (Opinion) - That question has been among the most hotly disputed issues at the center of the continuing controversy over the CIA’s interrogation of suspected terrorists. The report released Monday from the former CIA Inspector General John Helgerson should end the debate.

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Déjà Vu All Over Again in Afghanistan?

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Weekly Standard - By Frederick W. Kagan, Kimberly Kagan - Aug. 18 (Opinion) - Why is the Pentagon spokesman talking down an assessment by that commander that is underway and incomplete but clearly marks a critical inflection point in the war? Why does the Pentagon wish to "lower expectations just a bit about what it is that's coming" out of General McChrystal's assessment?

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Fear and Loathing in Health Care Reform

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Weekly Standard - By Gary Andres - Jul. 06 (Opinion) - despite the contradictory findings, two simple themes explain a lot about citizen views of health care reform: fear and loathing. Fear refers to the significant number of Americans who like their health care and don't want it changed. Loathing is the attitude that government might do something to screw things up.

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The Speech

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Weekly Standard - By Stephen F. Hayes - Jun. 04 (Comment) - What struck me most about Barack Obama's speech today in Cairo is what was missing: Iraq. He didn't skip Iraq entirely, but his discussion of it was perfunctory and incomplete.

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Checking the Enemy's Ideology

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Weekly Standard - By Christian Whiton - Jun. 02 (Opinion) - When President Obama delivers his speech to the "Muslim world" in Cairo he will once again differentiate his foreign policy from that of his predecessor. The president is smart to use his own popularity to try to improve America's image in the region. However, to prevail comprehensively over terrorists, we must realize the limits of this strategy.

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Gangster Government and the Chrysler Fix

Wed, 13 May 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Weekly Standard - By Henry Payne, Richard Burr - May. 13 (Opinion) - In an extraordinary abuse of government power, the Obama administration has run roughshod over bankruptcy law, bullied Chrysler investors, and orchestrated a takeover of the Auburn Hills-based automaker by the United Auto Workers union, a key Democratic party constituency that gave $5 million to the Obama campaign in 2008.

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Politicizing intelligence, Obama-style

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Weekly Standard - By Stephen F. Hayes - Apr. 22 (Opinion) - Barack Obama has made two mistakes: 1) such blatant politicizing of intelligence, and, 2) thinking he can get away with it.

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A Budget Deficit

Sun, 05 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Weekly Standard - By Matthew Continetti - Apr. 05 (Opinion) - You can learn a lot from a budget. President Obama's $3.6 trillion behemoth isn't just a bunch of numbers and tables. It's a vision of where America ought to be in the future. Obama would ramp up government spending in health care, energy, and education. Taxpayers would foot the bill for a larger, more intrusive government that would claim to improve the quality of life and reduce inequality. Annual deficits and a growing public debt burden would be secondary to improving society. Obama is betting that, by throwing money at schools and hospitals and environmentally friendly industries, he'll lay the foundation for the next economic boom. The president says he's neither a socialist nor a big-government liberal. He sees himself as the venture-capitalist-in-chief.

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Yes, We Can

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Weekly Standard - By Max Boot, Frederick W. Kagan, Kimberly Kagan - Mar. 19 (Special Report) - Using helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, and bone-jarring armored vehicles, we spent eight days traveling from the snow-capped peaks of Kunar province near the border with Pakistan in the east to the wind-blown deserts of Farah province in the west near the border with Iran. Along the way we talked with countless coalition soldiers, ranging from privates to a four-star general. We also attended a tribal shura or council-a fantastic affair straight out of an earlier century-to sample opinion among bearded Afghan elders. What we found is a situation that is cause for concern but far short of catastrophe-and one that is likely to improve before long.

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Second Thoughts: The 'most transparent administration in history' buries a Gitmo report.

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Weekly Standard - By Stephen F. Hayes & Thomas Joscelyn - Mar. 09 (Special Report) - The report was not, in fact, released within the next few days. On February 2, Commander Jeffrey Gordon, the Pentagon spokesman who handles inquiries about Guantánamo, told us that the report would likely be released later that day. We were told to consult the website--defenselink.mil--that afternoon. No report. When we asked where it was, Commander Gordon wrote: "Nothing today, please check back with me in a couple days." We did. No report.

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Enemies of the White House

Sat, 07 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Weekly Standard - By Fred Barnes - Mar. 07 (Opinion) - President Obama isn't riding as high as he thinks. He's popular, though no more than is usual for a new president. His party is in charge on Capitol Hill, but its command of the Senate is fraying. And just last week, the faint outlines of a center-right coalition in opposition to Obama's policies--and increasingly to Obama himself--began to emerge. It's an embryonic grouping that may prove to be ephemeral. But maybe not.

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The Return of Big Government

Sat, 28 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Weekly Standard - By Fred Barnes - Feb. 28 (Opinion) - When Barack Obama met with TV anchors at a White House lunch last week, he assured them he likes being president. "And it turns out I'm very good at it," he added. Well, not exactly. What Obama is actually very good at is campaigning. He did it for two years as a presidential candidate, and it's pretty much what he's been doing in the six weeks since he was sworn in.

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First, Do No Harm

Mon, 09 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Weekly Standard - By Fred Barnes - Feb. 09 (Opinion) - For House Republicans, fearlessly opposing the Obama package turned out to be a feel-good vote. Their popularity increased (okay, only slightly) and their self-esteem soared for the first time in years. Republican senators should experience the same rush of exhilaration by voting no.

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Cheney Speaks Out on Libby

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Weekly Standard - By Stephen F. Hayes - Jan. 22 (News Report) - Asked for his reaction to Bush's decision Cheney said: "Scooter Libby is one of the most capable and honorable men I've ever known. He's been an outstanding public servant throughout his career. He was the victim of a serious miscarriage of justice, and I strongly believe that he deserved a presidential pardon. Obviously, I disagree with President Bush's decision."

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Strange Days on Capitol Hill

Sun, 18 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Weekly Standard - By Stephen F. Hayes - Jan. 18 (Opinion) - House minority leader John Boehner started his press conference on January 15 sounding like a teenage girl who had just found out that her boyfriend like totally hooked up with her best friend. "Oh. My. God." Before he continued, Boehner glanced at the talking points prepared for his statement on the $825 billion stimulus package proposed by Democrats in the House of Representatives. "My notes here say that I'm disappointed." He was looking for something stronger. "I just can't tell you how shocked I am at what we're seeing. It's clear that they're moving on this path along the flawed notion that we can borrow and spend our way to prosperity."

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"It Goes with the Turf"

Fri, 09 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Weekly Standard - By Fred Barnes - Jan. 09 (Opinion) - Vice President Dick Cheney believes he hasn't "fundamentally changed" since he came to Washington 40 years ago. Only his job has changed.

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The End of the Line

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Weekly Standard - By Fred Barnes - Jan. 05 (Opinion) - Bush's critics -- and especially the left-wing haters -- are going to be disappointed when they see his demeanor as he leaves his eight-year presidency.

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The Net-Zero Gas Tax

Sat, 27 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Weekly Standard - By Charles Krauthammer - Dec. 27 (Opinion) - Americans have a deep and understandable aversion to gasoline taxes. In a culture more single-mindedly devoted to individual freedom than any other, tampering with access to the open road is met with visceral opposition. That's why earnest efforts to alter American driving habits take the form of regulation of the auto companies--the better to hide the hand of government and protect politicians from the inevitable popular backlash. But it's not just love of the car. America is a nation of continental expanses. Distances between population centers can be vast. The mass-transit mini-car culture of Europe just doesn't work in big sky country. This combination of geography and romance is the principal reason gas taxes are so astonishingly low in America. The federal tax is 18.4 cents per gallon. In Britain, as in much of Europe, the tax approaches $4 per gallon--more than 20 times the federal levy here. Savvy politicians (i.e., those who succeed in getting themselves elected president) know this and tread carefully. Ronald Reagan managed a 5-cent increase. So did Bush 41. Bill Clinton needed a big fight to get a 4.3-cent increase. The lesson has been widely learned. No one with national ambitions proposes a major gas tax. Indeed, this summer featured the absurd spectacle of two leading presidential candidates (John McCain and Hillary Clinton) seriously proposing a temporary gas tax suspension.

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