NEWS AND OPINION:
Political hybrids are beginning to emerge and assert themselves. Here come the “conservatarians,” who are complicated, edgy and attracting some name-brand GOP talent. They also represent a mashup of conservative and libertarian ideas, amped up with cutting edge technology, social media and some attitude. Conservatarians will be out in force this weekend at what’s billed as “Reboot 2014,” led by Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington — plus a large cast of activists, strategists, whiz kids and IT gurus who will assemble, they say, “where liberty and technology meet.”
The three day event begins Friday at a chichi hotel in San Francisco, touting a “Conservatarian Hackathon” and “StartUp Alley”, among many things. Oddly enough, the term “conservatarian” has been floating about for years, slowly coming to focus on younger voters who are charmed by smaller government, fewer regulations and fiscal conservatism, but not necessarily social conservatism. Meanwhile, the conference has also attracted the attention of Jeb Bush.
“To choke off economic activity is not a solution it’s a problem,” he proclaims in a welcome video for the event.
Organizers say their goal is “to create a bridge between technology and efforts to advance liberty” and “bring together technical talent and policy advocates to turn ideas into deliverables for liberty.” Or something like that. But there’s always debate about such things. The Cato Institute plans just such a public discussion next week, titled “Libertarianism vs. Conservatism”. It’s lofty fare.
“Liberty and virtue are values that both conservatives and libertarians tout as components of their philosophies. Historically, disagreements about the definitions of and balance between liberty and virtue have taken a back seat to other more pressing conflicts, causing the distinct philosophies to often be lumped together,” the organization states. “As times have changed, elements of the old ’fusionism’ alliance have dissolved, and new conflicts have emerged that impose a strain on the formerly functioning, though imperfect, ideological partnership.”
TWO MOMENTS IN TIME
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HotAir media analyst Noah Rothman compared the responses of two presidents to the downing of civilian airliners during their presidencies. Mr. Rothman was willing to give President Obama some room for “waiting to gather his facts before addressing the situation” presented by the missile attack on Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 over Ukraine on Thursday.
“But 31 years ago, at a time with far less reliable technology or communications capabilities, President Ronald Reagan immediately addressed an eerily similar situation — when Soviet forces shot down Korean Air Lines Flight 007 over the Kamchatka Peninsula. On the day of the attack, calling it an ’appalling and wanton misdeed,’ the president ordered American flags to fly at half-staff at all federal and military installations,” Mr. Rothman recalls.
“Three days later, Reagan delivered an address to the nation from the Oval Office: ’This crime against humanity must never be forgotten,’ Reagan began. He said he grieved for those who died in that attack and for the families of those they left behind. ’Their deaths were the result of the Soviet Union violating every concept of human rights,” the president added. ’Let me state as plainly as I can,’ he continued, ’there was absolutely no justification, either legal or moral, for what the Soviets did’.”
CRUZ CONTROL
“No agency or instrumentality of the federal government may use federal funding or resources to consider or adjudicate any new or previously denied application of any alien requesting consideration of deferred action for childhood arrivals, as authorized by executive memorandum on August 15, 2012; or (2) to authorize any alien to work in the United States if such alien was not lawfully admitted into the United States in compliance with the Immigration and Nationality Act and is not in lawful status in the United States on the date of the enactment of this Act.”
— Text from a legislation introduced Thursday by Sen. Ted Cruz, Texas Republican, which would defund the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, and restrict authorization of illegal immigrants to work in the U.S.
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“The only way to stop the border crisis is to stop President Obama’s amnesty. If we do not put an end to its expansion — to the promise of amnesty that is the reason so many are coming — then more little boys and girls will be trafficked, abused, and even killed,” Mr. Cruz says.
A DEMOCRAT WILLING TO WAIT
“I want to see who the candidates are. I think there should be open competition, I know Hillary Clinton is a formidable candidate. It’s not that I won’t ever be there but right now, I’m not one of those hundred of Democrats flocking and saying the race is over, I think we still have a couple years to go, and instead of worrying about the presidential race, we should worry about this year, keeping the House, keeping the Senate and protecting our flanks in the House instead of worrying about 2016 and the presidency.”
— Former New Mexico governor Bill Richardson, to Ora.tv’s “PoliticKING” host Larry King.
STILL SAYING NO
Not everyone feels good about marijuana legalization.”Big Marijuana, Big Mistake, Vote No”, an Alaska group opposed to the idea, is now fundraising for their cause; Alaskans will vote on the measure in November. In attendance at a preliminary event: former governor Frank Murkowski and assorted GOP state representatives.
“I have more Republicans here than I’ve ever had at my house in my life,” noted Deborah Williams, the former head of the Alaska Democratic Party, and the event host. The group has now raised $40,000 for their cause, according to the Alaska Dispatch.
But the pro-marijuana folks have more money muscle. The Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol in Alaska now has $500,000 in contributions — donated mostly by the Marijuana Policy Project, a national activist group.
WEEKEND REAL ESTATE
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POLL DU JOUR
• 68 percent of Americans support immigration policy that allows illegal immigrants to say in the U.S. with specific requirements; 54 percent of Republicans, 77 percent of Democrats and 70 percent of independents agree.
• 61 percent of Americans overall say passage of significant, new immigration legislation is “extremely or very important”; 61 percent of Republicans, 63 percent of Democrats and 61 percent of independents agree.
• 53 percent overall say the legal process for dealing with illegal unaccompanied children should be accelerated, even if children are deported; 60 percent of Republicans, 46 percent of Democrats and 56 percent of independents agree.
• 39 percent overall say the U.S. should follow the current immigration process; 32 percent of Republicans, 47 percent of Democrats and 36 percent of independents agree.
• 30 percent overall say illegal immigrants should not be allowed to stay in the U.S. at all; 43 percent of Republicans, 20 percent of Democrats and 28 percent of independents agree.
Source; A Pew Research Center poll of 1,805 U.S. adults conducted July 8-14.
• Jeers, cheers, sighs to jharper@washingtontimes.com.
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