A Simple Government Part 7

The United States and Israel are fighting the same bad guys-Hamas, Hezbollah, Al Qaeda, the Taliban, Iran. To tie this complicated bundle of issues into one simple question, how does turning against our friend, and siding with our common enemies, strengthen national security and help us win the war on terror?

Iran President Obama clearly understands the gift of time. After all, he has said that he sent more troops to Afghanistan "to provide the time and the s.p.a.ce for the Afghan government to build up its security capacities." It makes sense to give the gift of time to our ally, but why do the same for our enemy? Obama has repeatedly given Iran the gift it most wants and needs from us: the gift of time to produce nuclear weapons.

The president spent months negotiating sanctions, weakening what we originally wanted by making major concessions to Russia and China, until he got another round through the Security Council on June 9, 2010. As of this writing, we're up to round four and counting (didn't Einstein define insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result?). Russia and China didn't agree to anything they're not certain Iran can weasel around, just as it has all the previous sanctions, or to anything that threatens their own interests. We did not impose any restrictions on China's growing investments in Iran's oil and natural-gas sectors.

Russia can still sell its S-300 antiaircraft missiles, which would make it more dangerous for the United States or Israel to attack Iranian nuclear installations. We also agreed to abandon existing sanctions against Russian companies that worked on Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs and made illegal arms sales to Syria.

John Bolton, President George W. Bush's UN amba.s.sador, said that Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov "sensed desperation in the Obama administration on this Iran resolution and probably extracted all that the traffic would bear." And David Kramer, who ran Russian policy at the State Department in the Bush administration, commented, "Let's not forget that Russia supported three previous resolutions [under President Bush] and didn't get 'rewarded' for those votes."

The bottom line, after all that effort and spending of diplomatic capital? Asked about the latest sanctions, CIA director Leon Panetta replied, "Will it deter [Iran] from their ambitions with regards to nuclear capability? Probably not." He also said that Iran now has enough material for two nuclear bombs. The immediate threat isn't a nuclear weapon on a missile, although Iran will get to that point soon enough, but one placed on a truck for its terrorist friends, Hamas or Hezbollah.

President Obama has been so anxious to negotiate with an Iranian government that has no interest in dealing with him and did not respond with affection to his two love letters that he shamefully held his tongue when Green Movement prodemocracy forces protested the rigged election in June 2009. This is the man who told the graduating cla.s.s at West Point in May 2010, "America will always seek a world that extends these rights, so that when an individual is being silenced, we aim to be her voice." But he provided barely a whisper of support to protesters who were risking their lives to make their own voices heard. Iranians who believed in the exceptionalism of American-style freedom, like the martyred protester Neda Agha-Soltan, were beaten and murdered, while the tyrants in Tehran once again thumbed their noses at Was.h.i.+ngton.

How did the respect America engendered in its allies and the fear it inspired in its enemies crumble away so quickly? At the risk of being labeled simplistic, I would suggest that it was nuked by nuance. A vacillating foreign policy convinced our allies that we couldn't be trusted and our enemies that we need not be feared. An administration besotted with its own moral and intellectual superiority believed that a willingness to criticize America's friends and see the viewpoint of its enemies was a sign of their own advanced intellectual flexibility, their "smart diplomacy." Their egos couldn't let them accept that perhaps their unenlightened predecessors had been right all along and that the simplest maxims really are correct: Freedom is better than oppression. Democracy is morally superior to dictators.h.i.+ps. You don't stab your friends in the back. Bullies aren't impressed by weakness. And oftentimes, the only way to prevent war is to convince your enemies that you are ready, willing, and able to fight one.

CHAPTER TWELVE.

Hope Is More Than Just the Name of My Hometown We Need to Have Faith in the Future, No Matter How Big Our Present Problems Are

I was born and raised in Hope, Arkansas, but to me that name means more than just my hometown; it embodies the att.i.tude I have about America today. I've spent most of this book discussing a lot of big, important, and urgent issues (which I think is appropriate for a book about government). But in this last chapter I want to share some intensely personal observations and also give you a glimpse of things I've been doing since my last book. was born and raised in Hope, Arkansas, but to me that name means more than just my hometown; it embodies the att.i.tude I have about America today. I've spent most of this book discussing a lot of big, important, and urgent issues (which I think is appropriate for a book about government). But in this last chapter I want to share some intensely personal observations and also give you a glimpse of things I've been doing since my last book.

Despite the numerous problems and challenges I've talked about here, I believe that far too many people are guilty of hand-wringing, worry, and despair over the future of America. That's not my theme. Some people have seen the rise of the Tea Party movement as an indication that our country is dangerously lost . . . that our time as a strong, unified nation will soon be over.

I think it's just the opposite: To me, the uprising of ordinary citizens in this movement is in fact an affirmation of everything that is wonderful and positive about America. This country was brilliantly designed by its founders to be a kind of giant self-cleaning oven. When things gunk up the parts and dirty up the works, it's time to turn on the self-cleaning function. What happens then, as you probably know, is that the heat is raised to a level above any temperature ever used for cooking. All of the dross of leftover food and debris is turned into charred ashes. The oven door is opened; that which remains is easily wiped clean.

In essence, the uprising of the Tea Party movement is America's affirmation that it is functioning as it was intended to function. The system is creatively at work because it is self-correcting government excesses, loss of control, and isolation from the real needs of the people.

Americans should not fear these movements as indicating the end. Rather, these are indications of a profound and positive rebirth. I have chosen to disable the gloom-and-doom b.u.t.tons on the dashboard of my life because I believe it is far more important to see where we are going than to remain focused on where we are. As a Christian believer, I have a deep-rooted optimism based on the fact that even if the country should fail, G.o.d's kingdom will not.

Christian believers in this country essentially carry two pa.s.sports. One is their temporal pa.s.sport of U.S. citizens.h.i.+p; the other is their eternal pa.s.sport to eternal life. We are dual citizens of both earth and heaven. While we can hope that both of these kingdoms will survive and sustain, we know for certain that ultimately the kingdom of heaven will survive and sustain.

This confidence is somewhat similar to the experience I've had watching basketball games on tape delay. Several years ago, when the Arkansas Razorbacks were at the peak of the NCAA success that culminated in their winning the 1994 national champions.h.i.+p, the local ABC affiliate in Little Rock, KATB-TV, was not able to obtain live broadcast rights for every game. They'd have to tape some games live, then play them back in their entirety after the 10:00 P.M. news. In order to give the viewer a sense of live action, the sportscaster would encourage those who planned to watch the game to turn down the volume on their TV sets when he read the final score on the air. That way, even though the game was over and the final score determined, those who wanted to stay up late and watch it would not know the outcome until the end. But I never understood why anyone would stay up until 1:00 A.M. watching a taped game without taking advantage of the obtainable knowledge about the final score. I never considered turning down the volume during the sportscast, because I wanted to know the outcome. If the Razorbacks had won, I'd pop some popcorn, put my feet up, and confidently watch the ballgame. Even in the most intense moments, when the Hogs would fall behind, I was never worried: I knew victory was a.s.sured. Even if they were down seven points in the last minute of play, I was confident. If anyone else was up, I could tell them not to worry: "They are going to do fine." And of course they did.

Christian believers who have read to the end of the Bible have the confidence that, no matter how challenging things can be, the ultimate outcome will be positive and victorious. That's one reason, among many, that there should be no gloom and doom in the mind, heart, or spirit of a true believer.

Boundary Stones Even if you are not a believer, here's some reasoning you might agree with from Proverbs 22:28: "Remove not the ancient landmark which your fathers have set." The verse refers to ancient boundary stones, which were not to be moved because they served as navigation points-the GPS of biblical times. If they were moved, travelers who depended on them might become hopelessly lost, perhaps in an otherwise featureless desert or dangerous mountainous terrain.

Our culture has inherited invaluable political boundary stones from the Founding Fathers. Any culture in which people move the abiding boundary stones of civilization risks becoming lost, confused, and disoriented. What looks to many of us like a great deal of confusion and darkness in America today is the result of moving cultural boundary stones.

We have moved the boundary stones of freedom and, by trading individual liberty for government dependency, no longer find our pathways to knowledge of the true meaning of liberty.

We have moved the boundary stones of marriage by opening the doors to no-fault divorce, making it easier to get out of a marriage than to get out of a contract for purchase of a used car.

We have moved the boundary stones of family by having some judges and some state legislatures redefine what marriage means, thus abandoning the time-tested definition of one man and one woman in a relations.h.i.+p for life to new definitions, such as legalized relations.h.i.+ps between two men, two women, or an individual with two or more partners.

The degree to which we move the boundary stones that form our political legacy, as well as other moral, ethical, and spiritual navigation points, is the degree to which our society, culture, country, and civilization will begin to lose their way and eventually become hopelessly lost.

On the Road Again But as I've said, I'm basically an optimist. Part of the reason is that I'm lucky enough to have contact with so many of you as I travel around the country, sometimes on a book tour, often to make political or inspirational speeches, and, increasingly, wherever I am, remaining in touch with the American reality in my new broadcasting career.

My life has changed dramatically. As governor, on any given day I might experience a tornado that would completely upend my schedule and other priorities. Especially the one on March 1, 1997, which ripped through almost 250 miles from the southwest corner of the state to the northeast corner in what was eventually a series of over twenty tornadoes that killed thirty people and caused millions of dollars in damage. Likewise, a tornado on January 21, 1999, swept through a number of counties, killing twenty-seven people, including one not five hundred yards from the front door of the governor's mansion, and devastating the neighborhood around us. And on top of all of the natural disasters, our state also had to confront some man-made catastrophes as well, like the 1998 school shooting at Westside Middle School in Jonesboro.

Now the challenges I face in my life are almost completely different, requiring that I balance what for me are several virtually separate universes. My daily radio commentaries, the Huckabee Report Huckabee Report, could stand alone as a full-time endeavor. In addition, I'm engaged in the process of putting together my weekly Fox News channel TV show, which is viewed on Sat.u.r.days and Sundays by a larger audience than all the other Cablevision news channels combined in that time slot. (In fact, in most cases, it remains the top-rated weekend show in all of cable news.) In addition to those two highly visible media endeavors, I speak as many as fourteen times a month to various corporate groups, trade a.s.sociations, conventions, and nonprofit organizations. I'm also involved in ongoing writing projects, such as this book, and am directly involved in the operation and management of my political organization, Huck PAC, even though I receive no compensation whatsoever for my involvement with its endeavors to elect conservative candidates to public office.

Some of you may find it ironic that I'm so deeply engaged in media activities, since I have so openly and frankly criticized some aspects of press coverage over the years. I still sometimes fear that our political system is increasingly dominated by the short attention span that is aggravated by the twenty-four-hour cable news channels, bloggers, and Internet news services. Often they are more interested in being first than in being right and more interested in getting ratings or Web site hits than in getting the solid facts. This overwhelming change in the way most people get news has produced unwritten new rules that really should be taught to every student coming into our education system.

A generation ago, a person might have obtained his news from the newspaper on the doorstep or from one of three national TV network evening newscasts. Here's the critically important thing: Before that news was delivered to the end user, the consumer, it had not only been gathered by a reporter but most likely also fact-checked by an editor and gone over repeatedly by copy editors and others checking not only for grammatical errors but also for factual veracity. Now fast-forward to today, when people get much of their news from their smart phones, the Internet, or some other form of new media. Now each end user, each consumer, must become his or her own editor. There is no longer likely to be a thorough review process between the gatherer/reporter of news and the consumer of news. Anyone who accepts purported fact at face value is likely to be duped by wily, inaccurate, or, at best, misleading declarations. That's the downside, but the upside of the new media is that more information is available from a much greater variety of sources; one has the opportunity to access vast amounts of data and information. In the best-case scenario, the careful, thoughtful consumer can become better informed and perhaps draw individual conclusions that have not been filtered by a newspaper editor or broadcast news director.

Some of the benefits of the new technology are certainly helpful to me in a personal way. The Huckabee Report Huckabee Report-which I record three times a day, five days a week, for broadcast on nearly six hundred radio stations-would not have been possible fifteen or twenty years ago. I would have been required to go to a local radio station or other production facility for each commentary, which would then have been transmitted to the network for national distribution. This would have been impossible given the intensity of my travel schedule. Today's Huckabee Report Huckabee Report is made possible almost entirely because of the capacity of the Internet. I carry with me wherever I travel the compact equipment that allows me to broadcast instantly. is made possible almost entirely because of the capacity of the Internet. I carry with me wherever I travel the compact equipment that allows me to broadcast instantly.

Here's how it works. Each day I consult with writers, based in Dallas, who prepare a compilation of news reports and features gathered, literally, from news sources around the world. Once I receive the material over the Net, I edit it, add some personal touches and commentary and perspective, a.s.semble the stories in order to time them, sort them, and piece them together to create the exact to-the-second program that will become that day's Huckabee Report Huckabee Report. My portable equipment allows me to record the program into my MacBook, convert the audio into an MP3 file, then upload it to an engineer at Citadel Broadcasting by way of the Internet. He packages the program for broadcast before uploading it-also on the Internet-to the network headquarters in New York for distribution to the nearly six hundred stations. In other words, every hotel room I stay in becomes my studio, as does my home office or wherever I happen to be. I am literally able to do the Huckabee Report Huckabee Report from anywhere in the world where there is an Internet connection available. I've done reports from j.a.pan, Korea, Israel, Ireland, France, Italy, and the Virgin Islands, as well as most of the fifty states. The technology is not only convenient; it also allows me to travel continually, getting the perspectives of locales and individuals across the spectrum of American and international life. It's far better to offer a perspective that is informed by actually touching and talking to people every day than to pontificate from a sterile studio environment, where my perspective might be filtered from traditional news sources. from anywhere in the world where there is an Internet connection available. I've done reports from j.a.pan, Korea, Israel, Ireland, France, Italy, and the Virgin Islands, as well as most of the fifty states. The technology is not only convenient; it also allows me to travel continually, getting the perspectives of locales and individuals across the spectrum of American and international life. It's far better to offer a perspective that is informed by actually touching and talking to people every day than to pontificate from a sterile studio environment, where my perspective might be filtered from traditional news sources.

What's It Really Like There?

I'm often asked-in fact, on a daily basis-about the working atmosphere at Fox News channel. Thankfully, I can truthfully answer that the atmosphere there is extraordinarily collegial. In fact, it is a unique environment for a media company, given the typical backbiting, dogeat-dog behaviors at many ego-driven broadcasting centers. While there is a strong ambition within the Fox News channel family to excel and achieve high ratings and success, there is a surprisingly positive working relations.h.i.+p among the team. I attribute much of this to Roger Ailes, who is not only a media visionary but also a person who goes out of his way to encourage all of us to bring our best game to the field. He keeps us all mindful that the compet.i.tion is fierce but not internal. His penchant for spotting and developing exceptional talent is obvious from the stunning and continually soaring success of Fox News.

One thing that I find surprises many people about Fox is the wall of separation between the news division and the program division. Critics of the company point to program hosts/commentators like Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, or me as being partisan or at least decidedly philosophical and ideological. What such critics miss is that the programs that are clearly labeled and carried out as commentary make no apology or pretense about having a strongly stated point of view. On the other hand, I would put the Fox's news division operation against anybody's in terms of its overall genuine balance and fairness. When a viewer watches Shepard Smith, Bret Baier, or any of the correspondents on the channel's straight newscasts, the information might be presented in an edgy way, but not with an ideological bias. There is an extraordinary camaraderie, not only among the on-air personalities but also among the crews and staffs of the various shows. This is the result of an esprit de corps that would be unusual in any corporate environment but is especially noteworthy in the media world. I consider myself very fortunate to work among very talented, hardworking, and dedicated professionals who never resent a colleague's success but understand that the more successful any Fox show is, the better for all of us.

Of course, working on my own show has afforded me two unique opportunities: First, it has allowed me to continue to engage in discussion of policy issues that are very important to me and has given me a platform for sharing opinions and ideas. Second, I've been given the rewarding opportunity to meet some influential newsmakers as well as the biggest names in entertainment and music.

By the way, Fox executives were not sure, in the beginning, that the music feature of my show would be well received or work in that context. I held my ground, pus.h.i.+ng hard to include music; today it is one of the most popular features, whether it's the music of our house band, "the little rockers"-made up of full-time Fox employees who range from cameramen to lighting technicians-or guest appearances by celebrity entertainers ranging from Willie Nelson to Neil Sedaka to George Jones, from Andy Williams to Lynyrd Skynyrd. People often come up to me in airports, in hotels, or on the street to tell me that it looks like I'm having a lot of fun playing my ba.s.s guitar with Meat Loaf, Toby Keith, or Tanya Tucker. I'm quick to tell them I'm having far more fun than I deserve. (I'm not sure I want Roger Ailes to know this, but there are days when I'd probably pay him for the opportunity to make music with some of the artists whom I grew up idolizing and seeking to emulate.) One major part of my life for the past few years has been the pleasure of writing-a task I enjoy greatly, especially when I have time for it! Once a person writes a book, the other side of the process is marketing it through extensive book tours. For example, the December 2009 tour for my Christmas book, A Simple Christmas A Simple Christmas, had me on a bus for twenty-one consecutive days visiting sixty-four cities and signing well over fifty thousand copies. The hours are long and the schedule beyond grueling. To keep some level of sanity on the tour, my road crew and I started making notes of some of the wonderfully funny things people would say after standing in line (sometimes for up to four hours) in order to walk quickly up to the signing table, where I would extend a handshake and sign an autograph before having to turn to the next person. I was always amazed when as many as 1,400 people lined up for a signing, even though they knew that the total time they'd have to visit with me would be measured in seconds.

But some of them certainly took the opportunity to make an impression. A lady in Oklahoma leaned over the table and said, "Honey, I want you to know I've never waited this long on a man." In Kentucky, another lady said, "This is the most excited I've been since my wedding day." Then there was the Tennessee lady who announced, with a great deal of pride, "I want you to know that I shaved my legs for you today." (No, I had no intention of looking or feeling to see if she was telling the truth.) My crew helped put together a "quote of the day"-yes, these all made the cut-which we would discuss as we boarded the bus for the next stop, eating yet another meal on the road.

So this is my life today: busy, challenging, fascinating. As a reader, listener, or viewer, you and millions like you certainly play an important part in all of it. I try every day to keep in touch with the concerns of the American people. If you ever decide to help me in that goal by writing a letter or e-mailing me, pro or con, I can promise you will certainly be heard. Meanwhile, we all have a lot of work to do on maintaining those boundary stones. I hope some of the ideas I've discussed here will be helpful to that effort.

EPILOGUE.

A Simple Election In February of 1812, a cataclysmic earthquake struck near New Madrid, Missouri, with such seismic force that it caused the Mississippi River to flow backward for a time. Almost two hundred years later, scientists fear that this fault line poses the most significant threat for another ma.s.sive earthquake, which could potentially devastate St. Louis and Memphis and cut off land transportation between the eastern and western halves of the United States.

On November 2, 2010, I witnessed another major seismic s.h.i.+ft, one that spread throughout the country and changed the course of history. As I watched the results of election day come in, I was struck by how dramatically our country had changed in just a couple of years. No longer enamored with Obama's promise of "hope and change," voters turned over 63 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives (as of this writing 6 seats are still unconfirmed) and 7 seats in the U.S. Senate to the GOP. At the state level, a stunning 680 seats changed hands, dwarfing the 1994 election upheaval, which saw 472 seats ceded to Republicans.

Just two years ago, the Republican Party was said to be on its last leg, and pundits were not discussing if if it would survive but how long before it would shrivel into a small and irrelevant political body. Not only is this a testament to how resilient the GOP has become, but it's also a testament to how volatile and fluid the political playing field really is. Right now we have reason to celebrate, but Republicans who were dancing into the night and feeling a new "pep in their step" had best be mindful that as easily as they were swept in they can be swept out. it would survive but how long before it would shrivel into a small and irrelevant political body. Not only is this a testament to how resilient the GOP has become, but it's also a testament to how volatile and fluid the political playing field really is. Right now we have reason to celebrate, but Republicans who were dancing into the night and feeling a new "pep in their step" had best be mindful that as easily as they were swept in they can be swept out.

Take a lesson from the Democrats. Their biggest mistake-as exemplified by the actions of Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi, and Harry Reid-was to misread the election results of 2008 as a mandate to radically "transform" everything in sight-for better or worse. Americans aren't that keen on abrupt turns and radical overnight changes, and the Founders wisely designed our system to protect it from the whims of the moment or the many. My ba.s.s boat is nimble in the water and can turn on a dime even at high speeds, but an aircraft carrier requires miles of planning to make a 180-degree turn.

The 2010 election was a kick in the rear to the arrogant Congress that pa.s.sed 2,300-page bills they hadn't read, spent trillions bailing out bad businesses, and threw taxpayer-funded life preservers to government employees and union workers while the economy sank and pulled small businesses down with it.

I spend a lot of time talking to voters-from all over the country and both sides of the fence-and I've found that people actually want much less from their government than politicians think. They want the trash picked up on time, smooth roads and safe streets, good schools, a fire truck to show up promptly when needed, and secure borders to keep bad people from getting in and disturbing our peace. They want veterans to be cared for, sick people, children, and old people to be treated decently, and laws to be enforced. That's about it. They don't need a "supernanny" telling them what to wear, what to eat, and how many hours of sleep to get each night. They don't want to work hard and then get penalized for their productivity so that government can reward the slackers and the failures. Americans simply don't buy the "everyone gets a trophy" socialist nonsense that has become all too pervasive in our culture of political correctness.

As I write this, just a few days after the election, the focus has already turned to 2012. This is the part of politics that I find most irksome-that we never stop playing the "game" of who's on top, who's climbing, and who's falling. The focus will soon be on money raised and machinery employed-instead of on ideas and policy innovations. The pundits will create their own biased and cynical scenarios, in which they will "create" front-runners by their perceptions based on the size of the war chests that candidates ama.s.s. They will begin to handicap the possible candidates based on what kinds of negative narratives are likely to be launched by political opponents or, in many cases, the media. I actually dread the process, having been through it before and contemplating whether to enter it again. There will be days on end of breathless news alerts that will "break" some big headline that a candidate made a C in a college math course or that a photo has surfaced showing a candidate in a ridiculous Halloween costume when he was sixteen.

America will be looking for a thoughtful, mature, seasoned, and tempered leader, but that search will likely be lost in a sea of "gotcha" games while political hacks and media hit men look for the slightest aberration in a candidate's history. It will be like having an extreme close-up in high definition to examine each freckle, while failing to notice whether the person is even wearing pants.

Let's hope that both political parties will do some serious growing up beyond the towel-popping pranks of legislative maneuvering and attempt to seriously address why we're losing jobs, slipping behind in world prestige, and having to be electronically strip-searched to get on an airplane because we haven't figured out how to rid ourselves of jihadism and terrorism.

As you finish this book (and, I hope, share it with others), I'd encourage you not to get too excited about the "hot" issues and potential candidates that are getting all the attention right now. If you think you know who the personalities and issues that will be that decide the 2012 election, just remember that four years ago, the "experts" a.s.sumed that Rudy Giuliani and Hillary Clinton would be the nominees for their parties and the deciding issue would be the war in Iraq. Who would have thought that John McCain and a guy with a strange name like Barack Obama would joust for the White House and that the main issue would be the economy?

Instead, focus on how we can genuinely resolve the ongoing challenges of our generation by applying some simple, commonsense principles to the complex and confusing issues that dominate the headlines. When I originally set out to write this book, I didn't intend for it to be a campaign book or a slam against the Democrats-and I hope you haven't read it that way. Although I've never hidden my political persuasion, I don't articulate a certain set of beliefs because I'm a party man, have an ax to grind, or want to be a part of the winning team. Of course, I'm as giddy as a schoolboy at the results of the recent election, but the only way to fix our country is to set aside our differences, stop the attack ads, and fully commit to doing what is best for America and the American people.

It's just that simple.

Acknowledgments.

Despite the t.i.tle of this book, the task of presenting "a simple government" wasn't so simple! In addition to attempting to distill many of the major issues America faces down to the simple principles that should be applied to confront them, I had to do thorough research to ensure that the book was accurate and sufficiently supported as well as thought provoking.

Thus, I'm indebted to many people without whose a.s.sistance I could not have completed the task on time. Janis Cherry, who served as my senior policy adviser during my presidential campaign, remains a trusted adviser and was very helpful in digging up great information for use in the book.

Pat and Laura Reeder work with me on a daily basis to help prepare the Huckabee Report Huckabee Report, my radio commentary, which airs on nearly six hundred radio stations three times a day, five days a week, and were crucial in unearthing great stories and adding their unique touch. De-Wayne Hayes worked for me when I held the offices of lieutenant governor and governor before moving to Phoenix for a corporate writing gig and later enrolling in the advanced graduate study program for writers at Dartmouth. He was also vitally helpful in the latter stages of the project. Charles Flowers a.s.sisted in making sure the final ma.n.u.script was arranged in the most logical way.

I am forever grateful for the team at Sentinel for their support, encouragement, and sometimes gentle prodding to get the project brought in on time. I'm grateful for the very focused marketing team at Premiere Authors, who coordinated the grueling schedule of the book tour, because while utterly exhausting, the tour gives me the wonderful joy of meeting thousands of the good people who buy and read the book and allows me to say "thank you" in person.

As always, I am eternally grateful to my wife, Janet, my three adult children, and their spouses for their patience while I was out of touch writing and even more out of touch while on the road signing copies of the book. And, of course, I'm grateful for our three dogs, who missed me almost as much as I missed them but always made me laugh and kept my blood pressure normal.

My heartfelt thanks to them, but most of all to you for taking the time to read this book and, I hope, sharing its message with your friends and family.

Notes.

CHAPTER ONE: The Most Important Form of Government Is a Father, a Mother, and Children 9 "American innovation": 9 "American innovation": Barack Obama, "Remarks at West Point Graduation," West Point, New York (May 22, 2010). Barack Obama, "Remarks at West Point Graduation," West Point, New York (May 22, 2010).9 "The family has always been the cornerstone": Ronald Reagan, "Abortion and the Conscience of the Nation," Ronald Reagan, "Abortion and the Conscience of the Nation," National Review National Review, spring 1983.10 the Bolsheviks hated the inst.i.tution: a woman resident in Russia, "The Russian Effort to Abolish Marriage," a woman resident in Russia, "The Russian Effort to Abolish Marriage," Atlantic Monthly Atlantic Monthly, July 1926.12 sent home for wearing an American flag T-s.h.i.+rt: Joshua Rhett Miller, "California Students Sent Home for Wearing U.S. Flags on Cinco de Mayo," Joshua Rhett Miller, "California Students Sent Home for Wearing U.S. Flags on Cinco de Mayo," www.FOXNews.com, May 6, 2010.13 results of a CASA report: "The Importance of Family Dinners V," National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, September 2009. "The Importance of Family Dinners V," National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, September 2009.15 "The disappearance of marriage": Robert Rector, "Understanding Illegitimacy," Robert Rector, "Understanding Illegitimacy," National Review National Review, April 12, 2010.15 one in three American kids: "The Father Factor," National Fatherhood Initiative (available at "The Father Factor," National Fatherhood Initiative (available at www.fatherhood.org).15 These kids are five times: http://www.fatherhood.org/Page.aspx?pid=403.15 "[L]iberal politicians . . . have a vested": Robert Rector, "Understanding Illegitimacy," Robert Rector, "Understanding Illegitimacy," National Review National Review, April 12, 2010.16 He is clearly dismayed to report: Daniel Patrick Moynihan, "The Negro Family: The Case for National Action," Office of Policy Planning and Research, United States Department of Labor, March 1965. Daniel Patrick Moynihan, "The Negro Family: The Case for National Action," Office of Policy Planning and Research, United States Department of Labor, March 1965.17 As compiled by the Guttmacher Inst.i.tute: "Data Center," Guttmacher Inst.i.tute (available at "Data Center," Guttmacher Inst.i.tute (available at www.guttmacher.org/datacenter/index.jsp).18 "Grief still treads upon the heels of pleasure": William Congreve, William Congreve, The Old Bachelor The Old Bachelor, 1693.21 Winston Churchill: http://thinkexist.com/quotation/there_is_no_doubt_that_it_is_around_the_family/161333.html.22 "Their grief, after nearly a year and a half": Bob Herbert, "b.l.o.o.d.y Urban Landscapes," Bob Herbert, "b.l.o.o.d.y Urban Landscapes," New York Times New York Times, May 7, 2010.

CHAPTER TWO: The Further You Drift from Sh.o.r.e, the More Likely You Are to Be Lost at Sea 29 "The powers delegated": 29 "The powers delegated": James Madison, "Number 45," James Madison, "Number 45," The Federalist Papers The Federalist Papers , 178788. , 178788.29 "All of us need to be reminded": Ronald Reagan, "Inaugural Address" (Was.h.i.+ngton, DC, January 20, 1981). Ronald Reagan, "Inaugural Address" (Was.h.i.+ngton, DC, January 20, 1981).30 "Our citizens feel they've lost control": Ronald Reagan, "State of the Union Address" (Was.h.i.+ngton, DC, January 26, 1982). Ronald Reagan, "State of the Union Address" (Was.h.i.+ngton, DC, January 26, 1982).30 "Joint state-federal spending": Sven R. Larson, "Federal Funds and State Fiscal Independence," Heritage Foundation, May 15, 2008. Sven R. Larson, "Federal Funds and State Fiscal Independence," Heritage Foundation, May 15, 2008.32 "It is one of the happy": Louis Brandeis, dissent, Louis Brandeis, dissent, New State Ice Co. v. Liebmann New State Ice Co. v. Liebmann , 285 U.S. 262 (1932). , 285 U.S. 262 (1932).34 "More than five years ago": Lawrence Wasden, "Federalism and America's Financial Crisis," Lawrence Wasden, "Federalism and America's Financial Crisis," American Thinker American Thinker, April 3, 2009 (available at www.americanthinker.com/2009/04/federalism_and_americas_finac.html).37 "spent more time fighting": Bill Nungesser, quoted by Jim Efstathiou Jr., "Gulf Cleanup of BP Oil Foiled by Leaders.h.i.+p Confusion," Bill Nungesser, quoted by Jim Efstathiou Jr., "Gulf Cleanup of BP Oil Foiled by Leaders.h.i.+p Confusion," Bloomberg BusinessWeek Bloomberg BusinessWeek , June 10, 2010. , June 10, 2010.

CHAPTER THREE: You Can't Spend What You Don't Have; You Can't Borrow What You Can't Pay Back 41 the Web site 41 the Web site PageTutor.com: "What Does One TRILLION Dollars "What Does One TRILLION Dollars Look Look Like?" Like?" PageTutor.com (available at (available at www.pagetutor.comtrillion/index.html).45 "As we peer into society's future": Dwight D. Eisenhower, "Farewell Address to the Nation," the White House, Was.h.i.+ngton, DC (January 17, 1961). Dwight D. Eisenhower, "Farewell Address to the Nation," the White House, Was.h.i.+ngton, DC (January 17, 1961).46 "The consequences arising": John Adams, "State of the Union Address," Philadelphia (November 11, 1797). John Adams, "State of the Union Address," Philadelphia (November 11, 1797).47 "The Obama 10-year budget": Michael Boskin, "When Deficits Become Dangerous," Michael Boskin, "When Deficits Become Dangerous," Wall Street Journal Wall Street Journal, February 11, 2010.50 according to an estimate by: "The Long-Term Budget Outlook," Congressional Budget Office, June 2010. "The Long-Term Budget Outlook," Congressional Budget Office, June 2010.55 all of the approximately forty million: Robert W. Fiarlie, "The Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity, 19962009," May 2010, Kaufman Foundation of Entrepreneurs.h.i.+p, Robert W. Fiarlie, "The Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity, 19962009," May 2010, Kaufman Foundation of Entrepreneurs.h.i.+p, http://www.kauffman.org/uploadedfiles/kiea_2010_report.pdf.

CHAPTER FOUR: If You Drain the Lake, All the Fish Will Die.

63 small businesses will have a 1,250 percent: 63 small businesses will have a 1,250 percent: "New Law Increases Paperwork for Self-Employed Over a Thousand Percent," National a.s.sociation for the Self-Employed, May 25, 2010. "New Law Increases Paperwork for Self-Employed Over a Thousand Percent," National a.s.sociation for the Self-Employed, May 25, 2010.63 "Changes in marginal income tax rates": Veronique de Rugy, "1920s Income Tax Cuts Sparked Economic Growth and Raised Federal Revenues," CATO Inst.i.tute, March 4, 2003 (available at Veronique de Rugy, "1920s Income Tax Cuts Sparked Economic Growth and Raised Federal Revenues," CATO Inst.i.tute, March 4, 2003 (available at www.cato.org).64 Art Laffer, an economic adviser: Arthur Laffer, "Tax Hikes and the 2011 Economic Collapse," Arthur Laffer, "Tax Hikes and the 2011 Economic Collapse," Wall Street Journal Wall Street Journal, June 6, 2010.64 Scott Davis, the CEO of UPS: Scott Davis, "Capital Gains Taxes and the Recovery," Scott Davis, "Capital Gains Taxes and the Recovery," Wall Street Journal Wall Street Journal, June 4, 2010.66 Nicole Gelinas of the Manhattan Inst.i.tute notes: Nicole Gelinas, "How 'Soaking the Rich' Clobbers You," Nicole Gelinas, "How 'Soaking the Rich' Clobbers You," New York Post New York Post, April 14, 2010.67 "Reducing or eliminating the corporate tax": Michael J. Boskin, "Time to Junk the Corporate Tax," Michael J. Boskin, "Time to Junk the Corporate Tax," Wall Street Journal Wall Street Journal, May 6, 2010.67 The U.S. statutory corporate tax rate: Duanjie Chen and Jack Mintz, "U.S. Effective Corporate Tax Rate on New Investments: Highest in the OECD," Duanjie Chen and Jack Mintz, "U.S. Effective Corporate Tax Rate on New Investments: Highest in the OECD," CATO Inst.i.tute Tax & Budget Bulletin CATO Inst.i.tute Tax & Budget Bulletin, May 2010.69 "most harmful for growth": Asa Johansson, Christopher Heady, Jens Arnold, Bert Brys, and Laura Vartia, "Tax and Economic Growth," Asa Johansson, Christopher Heady, Jens Arnold, Bert Brys, and Laura Vartia, "Tax and Economic Growth," OECD Economics Department Working Papers OECD Economics Department Working Papers, July 11, 2008.70 cost $230 billion in 2009: "Monthly Budget Review, Fiscal Year 2009," Congressional Budget Office, November 6, 2009. "Monthly Budget Review, Fiscal Year 2009," Congressional Budget Office, November 6, 2009.70 the areas that suffered the least: Richard Florida, "Homeowners.h.i.+p Is Overrated," Richard Florida, "Homeowners.h.i.+p Is Overrated," Wall Street Journal Wall Street Journal, June 7, 2010.71 It's estimated that his estate: Peter Whoriskey, "Steinbrenner Heirs Could Save Millions from the One-Year Gap in Estate Tax," Peter Whoriskey, "Steinbrenner Heirs Could Save Millions from the One-Year Gap in Estate Tax," Was.h.i.+ngton Post Was.h.i.+ngton Post, July 14, 2010.72 eliminating the estate tax would create: William Beach, "Now Is the Time to Permanently Repeal Federal Death Taxes," Heritage Foundation, June 16, 2003 (available at William Beach, "Now Is the Time to Permanently Repeal Federal Death Taxes," Heritage Foundation, June 16, 2003 (available at www.heritage.org).

CHAPTER FIVE: Once Humpty Dumpty Falls, It's Hard to Put Him Back Together 75 I know all too well about the dangers: 75 I know all too well about the dangers: Mike Huckabee, Mike Huckabee, Quit Digging Your Grave with a Knife and Fork Quit Digging Your Grave with a Knife and Fork (New York: Center Street, 2005). (New York: Center Street, 2005).76 almost 30 percent of our health-care costs: Larry R. Gettman, "Economic Benefits of Physical Activity," Larry R. Gettman, "Economic Benefits of Physical Activity," President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports Research Digest President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports Research Digest, September 1996.77 "By our calculation, if the nation": Steven A. Burd, "How Safeway Is Cutting Health-Care Costs," Steven A. Burd, "How Safeway Is Cutting Health-Care Costs," Wall Street Journal Wall Street Journal, June 12, 2009.77 Boeing has reduced: http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2010/04/26/story4.html.78 Obesity rates: National Governor a.s.sociation Best Practices Center; National Governor a.s.sociation Best Practices Center; http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE56Q36020090727.78 Obesity-related health-care costs: National Governor a.s.sociation Best Practices Center; National Governor a.s.sociation Best Practices Center; http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE56Q36020090727.78 on-the-job injuries were seven times higher: "Obesity Increases Workers' Compensation Costs," Duke Medicine News and Communications, April 23, 2007 (available at "Obesity Increases Workers' Compensation Costs," Duke Medicine News and Communications, April 23, 2007 (available at www.DukeHealth.org).78 In addition to diabetes: "'Beer Belly' Linked to Alzheimer's Disease," BBC News, May 20, 2010 (available at "'Beer Belly' Linked to Alzheimer's Disease," BBC News, May 20, 2010 (available at www.news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8693947.stm).78 Obesity is especially dangerous: "Growing Obesity Increases Perils of Childbearing," New York Times, June 5, 2010; Anemona Hartocollis "Mothers' Obesity Tied to Newborn Heart Defects," Reuters, April 28, 2010. "Growing Obesity Increases Perils of Childbearing," New York Times, June 5, 2010; Anemona Hartocollis "Mothers' Obesity Tied to Newborn Heart Defects," Reuters, April 28, 2010.79 higher rates of Cesarean births: New York Times, New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/06/health/06obese.html.79 The babies of obese mothers: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE63R4NH20100428.79 an obese woman who had a stroke: Anemona Hartocollis, "Growing Obesity Increases Perils of Childbearing," Anemona Hartocollis, "Growing Obesity Increases Perils of Childbearing," New York Times New York Times, June 5, 2010.80 Since 1980: National Governor a.s.sociation Best Practices Center, National Governor a.s.sociation Best Practices Center, http://healthyamericans.org/reports/obesity2009/.80 over 40 percent of parents with obese children: "Parental Concerns About Childhood Obesity: Time for a Reality Check?" C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health, December 10, 2007. "Parental Concerns About Childhood Obesity: Time for a Reality Check?" C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health, December 10, 2007.80 Oregon has the lowest percentage of obese children: Anne Harding, "Mississippi Has Most Obese Kids; Oregon Has the Least," Reuters, May 3, 2010. Anne Harding, "Mississippi Has Most Obese Kids; Oregon Has the Least," Reuters, May 3, 2010.80 three recommendations for reducing childhood obesity: Misti Crane, "Study: Family Routines Cut the Risk of Childhood Obesity," Misti Crane, "Study: Family Routines Cut the Risk of Childhood Obesity," Columbus Dispatch Columbus Dispatch , February 8, 2010. , February 8, 2010.81 It's even having an impact on the military: "Too Fat to Fight: Retired Military Leaders Want Junk Food Out of America's Schools," Mission: Readiness, April 20, 2010. "Too Fat to Fight: Retired Military Leaders Want Junk Food Out of America's Schools," Mission: Readiness, April 20, 2010.84 "No one but Mr. Romney disagrees": Joseph Rago, "The Ma.s.sachusetts Health-Care 'Train Wreck,'" Joseph Rago, "The Ma.s.sachusetts Health-Care 'Train Wreck,'" Wall Street Journal Wall Street Journal, July 7, 2010.85 "will soon have affordable health insurance": Mitt Romney, "Health Care for Everyone?" Mitt Romney, "Health Care for Everyone?" Wall Street Journal Wall Street Journal, April 11, 2006.85 Ma.s.sachusetts Taxpayers Foundation stepped into the lab: Robert J. Samuelson, "As Ma.s.sachusetts Health 'Reform' Goes, So Could Go Obamacare," Robert J. Samuelson, "As Ma.s.sachusetts Health 'Reform' Goes, So Could Go Obamacare," Was.h.i.+ngton Post Was.h.i.+ngton Post, July 19, 2010.85 premiums in Ma.s.sachusetts under RomneyCare are rising: Joan Vennochi, "The Forbidding Arithmetic of Healthcare Reform," Joan Vennochi, "The Forbidding Arithmetic of Healthcare Reform," Boston Globe Boston Globe, June 28, 2009.86 "The decision is not whether or not we will ration care": Dr. Donald Berwick, quoted by Katherine T. Adams, "Rethinking Comparative Effectiveness Research," Biotechnology Healthcare, June 2009, 6(2): 3536, 38. Dr. Donald Berwick, quoted by Katherine T. Adams, "Rethinking Comparative Effectiveness Research," Biotechnology Healthcare, June 2009, 6(2): 3536, 38.87 "Limited resources require decisions": Donald Berwick, "A Shared Statement of Ethical Principles for Those Who Shape and Give Health Care," Donald Berwick, "A Shared Statement of Ethical Principles for Those Who Shape and Give Health Care," Annals of Internal Medicine Annals of Internal Medicine, January 19, 1999, vol. 130 no. 2, 14347.

CHAPTER SIX: If You Don't Hear the School Bell Ring, Cla.s.s Never Starts 90 Yet about one-third: 90 Yet about one-third: Jason Amos, "Dropouts, Diplomas, and Dollars: U.S. High Schools and the Nation's Economy," Alliance for Excellent Education, August 2008. Jason Amos, "Dropouts, Diplomas, and Dollars: U.S. High Schools and the Nation's Economy," Alliance for Excellent Education, August 2008.91 A dropout can expect to earn: Ibid. Ibid.91 At City College of San Francisco: David Moltz, "Competing Principles," Inside Higher Ed, June 28, 2010 (available at David Moltz, "Competing Principles," Inside Higher Ed, June 28, 2010 (available at www.insidehighered.com/news/2010/06/28/remediation).92 $25,000 median income: http://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=77.93 initial group of students: op-ed by Adam B. Schaeffer, "Florida's Unheralded School Revolution," op-ed by Adam B. Schaeffer, "Florida's Unheralded School Revolution," Wall Street Journal, Wall Street Journal, May 1, 2010. May 1, 2010.93 the results of national reading tests: Sam Dillon, "Stagnant National Reading Scores Lag Behind Math," Sam Dillon, "Stagnant National Reading Scores Lag Behind Math," New York Times New York Times, March 24, 2010.94 There are more than five thousand: Number of US Charter Schools Grows by 9 percent in 2010," Center for Education Reform, Number of US Charter Schools Grows by 9 percent in 2010," Center for Education Reform, http://www.edreform.com/Home/?Number_of_US_Charter_Schools_Grows_By_9_Percent_in_2010, accessed November 13, 2010. (http://www.uscharterschools.org), last updated February 28, 2010.94 A 2009 study by Margaret Raymond: Margaret Raymond, "Multiple Choice: Charter School Performance in 16 States," Stanford University, 2009. Margaret Raymond, "Multiple Choice: Charter School Performance in 16 States," Stanford University, 2009.95 "As a former teacher": Timothy Knowles, "The Trouble with Teacher Tenure," Timothy Knowles, "The Trouble with Teacher Tenure," Wall Street Journal Wall Street Journal, June 18, 2010.96 "When I first came here ": Mich.e.l.le Rhee, quoted by Stephen Brill, "The Teachers' Unions' Last Stand," Mich.e.l.le Rhee, quoted by Stephen Brill, "The Teachers' Unions' Last Stand," New York Times Magazine New York Times Magazine, May 17, 2010.96 While more than half the states: Stuart Buck and Jay P. Greene, "Blocking, Diluting, and Co-Opting Merit Pay" (presented at PEPG Conference: Merit Pay: Will It Work? Is It Politically Viable?, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, June 2010). Stuart Buck and Jay P. Greene, "Blocking, Diluting, and Co-Opting Merit Pay" (presented at PEPG Conference: Merit Pay: Will It Work? Is It Politically Viable?, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, June 2010).98 Supreme Court of Arkansas: http://www.schoolfunding.info/states/ar/11-21-02supremecourt.php3.

CHAPTER SEVEN: Leave Your Campsite in Better Shape Than You Found It 105 one story in particular: 105 one story in particular: Theodore Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt: An Autobiography Theodore Roosevelt: An Autobiography (New York: Macmillan Company, 1913), 1718. (New York: Macmillan Company, 1913), 1718.107 Lyndon Johnson once put it: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/l/lyndonbjo144728.html.108 "To waste": http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/resources/archives/eight/trconserv.htm.108 "What is a conservative but one": Ronald Reagan, "Remarks at Dedication of National Geographic Society New Headquarters Building" (June 19, 1984). Ronald Reagan, "Remarks at Dedication of National Geographic Society New Headquarters Building" (June 19, 1984).108 "Man is treated as if he were": Ayn Rand, Ayn Rand, Return of the Primitive: The Anti-Industrial Revolution Return of the Primitive: The Anti-Industrial Revolution (New York: Plume, 1999), 277. (New York: Plume, 1999), 277.109 some 60 percent of us live: American Lung a.s.sociation, "New American Lung a.s.sociation Report Finds 60 Percent of Americans Live in Areas Where Air Is Dirty Enough to Endanger Lives," April 29, 2009 (available at American Lung a.s.sociation, "New American Lung a.s.sociation Report Finds 60 Percent of Americans Live in Areas Where Air Is Dirty Enough to Endanger Lives," April 29, 2009 (available at www.lungusa.org/press-room/press-releases/10th-annual-state-of-the-air.html).111 worrisome emissions: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electricity_generation.111 about 70 percent of our states have renewable: U.S. Department of Energy, "States with Renewable Portfolio Standards," May 2009 (available at U.S. Department of Energy, "States with Renewable Portfolio Standards," May 2009 (available at www.apps1.eere.energy.gov/states/maps/renewable_portfolio_states.cfm).111 clever little gizmos: http://www.srpnet.com/newsroom/releases/051810.aspx.111 Only about one in ten American households: Steve Hargreaves, "Millions of Homes to Get Smart Meters," Steve Hargreaves, "Millions of Homes to Get Smart Meters," www.CNNMoney.com, October 27, 2009.113 If, as the Department of Energy predicts: Joel Kirkland and Climatewire, "Global Emissions Predicted to Grow Through 2035," Joel Kirkland and Climatewire, "Global Emissions Predicted to Grow Through 2035," Scientific American Scientific American, May 26, 2010.113 "Expanding nuclear energy makes both environmental": Christine Todd Whitman, "The Case for Nuclear Power," Christine Todd Whitman, "The Case for Nuclear Power," Bloomberg BusinessWeek Bloomberg BusinessWeek, September 17, 2007.115 burning the city's nonrecyclable garbage: Norman Steisel and Benjamin Miller, "Power from Trash," Norman Steisel and Benjamin Miller, "Power from Trash," New York Times New York Times, April 27, 2010.115 almost 350,000 households: op-ed by Rose George, ". . . And Sewage, Too," op-ed by Rose George, ". . . And Sewage, Too," New York Times New York Times, April 28, 2010. The article says 340,000 households, which I rounded to "almost 350,000," and it says 430,000 cars, which I rounded to "almost half a million."115 "The role of government": http://quotationsbook.com/quote/45475/.116 The Minerals Management Service (MMS): Patrick Jonsson, "Gulf Oil Spill: Is MMS So Corrupt It Must Be Abolished?" Patrick Jonsson, "Gulf Oil Spill: Is MMS So Corrupt It Must Be Abolished?" Christian Science Monitor Christian Science Monitor, May 26, 2010.117 According to Thad Allen, whom Obama: Jennifer Lebovich and Carol Rosenberg, "Oil Seeps into Florida Waterways," Jennifer Lebovich and Carol Rosenberg, "Oil Seeps into Florida Waterways," Miami Herald Miami Herald, January 11, 2010.118 "Never let a serious crisis go to waste": Rahm Emanuel, quoted by Jeff Zeleny, "Obama Weighs Quick Undoing of Bush Policy," Rahm Emanuel, quoted by Jeff Zeleny, "Obama Weighs Quick Undoing of Bush Policy," New York Times New York Times, November 9, 2008.119 That's exactly what I did: Thomas L. Friedman, "We're Gonna Be Sorry," Thomas L. Friedman, "We're Gonna Be Sorry," New York Times New York Times, July 24, 2010.122 five-trillion-dollar market: "Captains of Subsidy," "Captains of Subsidy," Wall Street Journal, Wall Street Journal, June 16, 2010. June 16, 2010.122 sixty thousand barrels of oil: Mark P. Mills, "Notes from Underground," Mark P. Mills, "Notes from Underground," Wall Street Journal, Wall Street Journal, July 2, 2010. July 2, 2010.122 At nineteen million barrels a day: CIA World Factbook, CIA World Factbook, https://www.ccia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2174rank.html; Spencer Swartz and Shai Oster, "China Tops U. S. in Energy," Wall Street Journal, Wall Street Journal, July 20, 2010. July 20, 2010.123 "There are many guesses as to what": Stuart Butler and Kim R. Holmes, "Twelve Principles to Guide U.S. Energy Policy," Heritage Foundation, June 26, 2007. Stuart Butler and Kim R. Holmes, "Twelve Principles to Guide U.S. Energy Policy," Heritage Foundation, June 26, 2007.124 "There is little doubt that China's growing": David Pumphrey, quoted by Spencer Swartz and Shai Oster, "China Tops U.S. in Energy Use," David Pumphrey, quoted by Spencer Swartz and Shai Oster, "China Tops U.S. in Energy Use," Wall Street Journal Wall Street Journal, July 18, 2010.125 This milestone: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703720504575376712353150310.html.126 "These efforts to dominate renewable energy": Keith Bradsher, "China Leading Global Race to Make Clean Energy," Keith Bradsher, "China Leading Global Race to Make Clean Energy," New York Times New York Times, January 30, 2010.126 In 1999, the country produced: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/31/business/energy-environment/31renew.html; http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/09/business/global/09trade.html.127 "OPEC sets oil's price ": R. James Woolsey, "How to End America's Addiction to Oil," R. James Woolsey, "How to End America's Addiction to Oil," Wall Street Journal Wall Street Journal, April 15, 2010.127 the projection of American gas reserves: http://www.naturalgas.org/overview/resources.asp.128 For all of these reasons: Matthew L. Wald, "Study Says Natural Gas Use Likely to Double," Matthew L. Wald, "Study Says Natural Gas Use Likely to Double," New York Times New York Times, June 25, 2010.

CHAPTER EIGHT: Good Fences Make Good Neighbors.

132 almost half of Silicon Valley's: 132 almost half of Silicon Valley's: http://www.dukenews.duke.edu/2007/01/engineerstudy.html.132 "We cannot build a unified country": George W. Bush, "Address to the Nation on Immigration Reform," the White House, Was.h.i.+ngton, DC (May 15, 2006). George W. Bush, "Address to the Nation on Immigration Reform," the White House, Was.h.i.+ngton, DC (May 15, 2006).133 case Tom Brokaw doc.u.mented of a family: Tom Brokaw, "The 21st Century Immigrant Story," NBC News, December 27, 2006. Tom Brokaw, "The 21st Century Immigrant Story," NBC News, December 27, 2006.133 "If we didn't have immigrant labor": Thomas Green, quoted by Christopher Helman, "Labor Pains," Thomas Green, quoted by Christopher Helman, "Labor Pains," Forbes Forbes, June 28, 2010.134 "Unfortunately, reform has been held": Barack Obama, "Remarks on Immigration," American University, Was.h.i.+ngton, DC (July 1, 2010). Barack Obama, "Remarks on Immigration," American University, Was.h.i.+ngton, DC (July 1, 2010).135 But it pushed the same poison: Charles E. Schumer and Lindsey O. Graham, "The Right Way to Mend Immigration," Charles E. Schumer and Lindsey O. Graham, "The Right Way to Mend Immigration," Was.h.i.+ngton Post Was.h.i.+ngton Post, March 19, 2010.135 comprehensive immigration reform: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/06/21/kyl-obama-wont-secure-border-lawmakers-immigration-package/.136 "have been more than patient": Jan Brewer, quoted by Peter Slevin, "Both Sides in Immigration Debate Blame Congressional Inaction for Arizona Law," Jan Brewer, quoted by Peter Slevin, "Both Sides in Immigration Debate Blame Congressional Inaction for Arizona Law," Was.h.i.+ngton Post Was.h.i.+ngton Post, April 27, 2010.136 "completely unacceptable": Gabrielle Giffords, "Giffords: Bipartisans.h.i.+p on Border Security Is Possible," Gabrielle Giffords, "Giffords: Bipartisans.h.i.+p on Border Security Is Possible," www.giffords.house.gov, October 13, 2010.137 "Our failure to act": http://www.politico.com/politico44/perm/0410/w_h_watching_arizona_ae7a3dff-98b5-40e2-a702-1eacf15518e1.html . .137 2010 National Drug Control Strategy: Office of National Drug Control Policy, "2010 National Strategy," October 30, 2010 (available at Office of National Drug Control Policy, "2010 National Strategy," October 30, 2010 (available at www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/strategy/).137 The 2009 National Survey of Drug Use: http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/NSDUH/2k9NSDUH/2k9Results.htm#1.1.138 they'd not bothered to actually read: "Napolitano Admits She Hasn't Read Arizona Immigration Law in 'Detail,'" "Napolitano Admits She Hasn't Read Arizona Immigration Law in 'Detail,'" www.FOXNews.com, May 18, 2010.138 "a misdirected expression of frustration": Barack Obama, quoted by Jonathan Weisman, "Obama Gets an Earful from Mexico's Calderon," Barack Obama, quoted by Jonathan Weisman, "Obama Gets an Earful from Mexico's Calderon," Wall Street Journal Wall Street Journal, May 19, 2010.139 a.s.sistant Secretary of State Michael Posner: Kirit Radia, "US Cites AZ Immigration Law During Human Rights Talks with China, Conservatives Call It an Apology," ABC News, May 17, 2010. Kirit Radia, "US Cites AZ Immigration Law During Human Rights Talks with China, Conservatives Call It an Apology," ABC News, May 17, 2010.139 "The Mexican government condemns the approval": Jonathan J. Cooper, "Arizona Immigration Law Target of Protest," a.s.sociated Press, April 26, 2010. Jonathan J. Cooper, "Arizona Immigration Law Target of Protest," a.s.sociated Press, April 26, 2010.139 In fact, a recent New York Times New York Times/CBS News poll: Randal C. Archibold and Megan Thee-Brenan, "Poll Shows Most in U.S. Want Overhaul of Immigration Laws," Randal C. Archibold and Megan Thee-Brenan, "Poll Shows Most in U.S. Want Overhaul of Immigration Laws," New York Times New York Times, May 3, 2010.141 workplace arrests: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/08/23/company-audits-illegal-worker-arrests-way/.141 About 60 percent of illegals: Hans von Spakovsky, "A Broken Immigration Court System," Heritage Foundation, June 18, 2010. He says 59 percent don't show up; I rounded that up to say "about 60 percent." He says that "only 9 percent" appeal; I said that "almost 90 percent . . . don't appeal." Hans von Spakovsky, "A Broken Immigration Court System," Heritage Foundation, June 18, 2010. He says 59 percent don't show up; I rounded that up to say "about 60 percent." He says that "only 9 percent" appeal; I said that "almost 90 percent . . . don't appeal."141 1.2 million illegal Mexican immigrants went home: Stephen A. Camorota and Karen Jensenius, "A s.h.i.+fting Tide: Recent Trends in the Illegal Immigrant Population," Center for Immigration Studies, July 2009. Stephen A. Camorota and Karen Jensenius, "A s.h.i.+fting Tide: Recent Trends in the Illegal Immigrant Population," Center for Immigration Studies, July 2009.141 Mexican immigration in 20089 was one-fourth: Jeffrey S. Pa.s.sel and D'Vera Cohn, "Mexican Immigrants: How Many Come? How Many Leave?" Pew Hispanic Center, July 22, 2009. Jeffrey S. Pa.s.sel and D'Vera Cohn, "Mexican Immigrants: How Many Come? How Many Leave?" Pew Hispanic Center, July 22, 2009.142 immigrants started one-quarter of all new: Kauffman Foundation, "America's Loss Is the World's Gain: America's New Immigrant Entrepreneurs, Part IV," March 2009. Kauffman Foundation, "America's Loss Is the World's Gain: America's New Immigrant Entrepreneurs, Part IV," March 2009.142 "except of useful mechanics": http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=21626.142 Hispanic students remain: http://www.cis.org/california-education.142 illegal immigration costs all of us $113 billion: Jack Martin, "The Fiscal Burden of Illegal Immigration on U.S. Taxpayers," Federation for American Immigration Reform, July 2010. Jack Martin, "The Fiscal Burden of Illegal Immigration on U.S. Taxpayers," Federation for American Immigration Reform, July 2010.

CHAPTER NINE: Bullies on the Playground Understand Only One Thing 145 it was Rick Rescorla: 145 it was Rick Rescorla: Amanda Ripley, "A Survival Guide to Catastrophe," Amanda Ripley, "A Survival Guide to Catastrophe," Time Time, May 29, 2008.148 the president spoke at the Fort Hood: Barack Obama, "Remarks by the President at Memorial Service at Fort Hood," Fort Hood, Texas (November 10, 2009). Barack Obama, "Remarks by the President at Memorial Service at Fort Hood," Fort Hood, Texas (November 10, 2009).148 excerpt from the congressional hearing: Eric Holder, testimony before House Judiciary Committee, Oversight of the U.S. Department of Justice, May 13, 2010, Eric Holder, testimony before House Judiciary Committee, Oversight of the U.S. Department of Justice, May 13, 2010, http://judiciary.house.gov/hearings/p