Copyright 2008 The New York Sun Mon, 29 Sep 2008 09:11:48 -0400 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Kenneth Blackwell :: Stories from The New York Sun http://www.nysun.com/authors/Kenneth+Blackwell istoll@nysun.com (Ira Stoll) webmaster@nysun.com en-us KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/reasons-debt-to-faith/86766/ Mon, 29 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EST A respectful, prolonged discussion between atheists and believers about truth and faith is the focus of a brilliant new book by a noted author and theologian, Michael Novak. I first got to know Ambassador Novak through my work at the United Nations, as we both served as an U.S. Representative to the Human Rights Commission. He is a leading Catholic theologian and Templeton Prize laureate who currently serves as a scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. His latest book, "No One Sees God... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/obamas-patriotic-tonic/86575/ Thu, 25 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EST During his Fox News interview with Bill O'Reilly, Barack Obama responded to one question where the statistics contradicted his position by saying that "there are lies, damned lies, and statistics." He then went on to say that 95% of Americans would get a tax break under his economic plan. That's ironic, because his comment on "damned lies and statistics" is the perfect commentary for his own plan. Taken with Joe Biden's novel definition of patriotism, Team Obama is making an argument that... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/demand-accountability/86082/ Thu, 18 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EST The Dow dropped 504 points as major American corporations nosedived, some of which are being saved with your tax money. It is way past the time to give corporate executives additional incentives to avoid asking for a congressional bailout. Instead they must run their companies responsibly. It started when Bear Stearns was bailed out by federal authorities a few weeks ago. What is unprecedented about this is the Federal Reserve, which formerly operated as a lender of last resort to banks, for... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/they-must-think-youre-stupid/85635/ Thu, 11 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EST On Monday, Senator Obama uttered one sentence that could haunt him until Election Day. He said of Senator McCain and Governor Palin telling voters they would bring change, "they must think you're stupid." Given his stances on the surge, social issues, and his past, Mr. Obama will regret those words. Let's start with social issues like Second Amendment freedoms. Mr. Obama denies that he's ever supported banning handguns, right after the landmark Heller case where the Supreme Court struck down... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/palins-strength/85087/ Wed, 3 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EST Senator McCain's pick of Governor Palin to be the Republican vice presidential nominee is historic. Coupled with his party's platform he enthusiastically embraced, Mr. McCain has completely changed the game, and put Senator Obama in a difficult situation. The Obama campaign first attacked Mrs. Palin as inexperienced. Then they released surrogates to wage a vicious and personal smear campaign against Mrs. Palin and her 17-year-old daughter, Bristol, who is pregnant. Teen pregnancy knows no... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/so-this-is-change/84508/ Mon, 25 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST Barack Obama made an interesting choice by tapping Joseph Biden as his running mate. Mr. Biden certainly helps to address one of Mr. Obama's greatest weaknesses. But Mr. Obama has three challenges he must face to win the White House, and while Mr. Biden aids one, his choice makes the other two even more problematic. It also cuts against the central theme of Mr. Obama's campaign. Mr. Biden of Delaware has a long resume. Serving in the Senate since 1973, he has been a presence in Washington for... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/gitmo-russia-and-china-whats-at-stake/83940/ Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST Last week three human rights episodes played out in Russia, China, and America. These events show us how America stacks up against the rest of the world. The world saw the resurgent danger of the old Soviet Union in the modern Russian Federation this past week the Russian military forces invaded the sovereign neighboring nation of Georgia. Although Russia claims to be aiding people in the disputed Georgian province of South Ossetia, the reality is that covert Russian agents have been fomenting... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/say-yes-to-faith-no-to-drugs/83346/ Thu, 7 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST Nineteen percent of eighth graders, 36% of 10th graders, and 47% of 12th graders say they have used illegal drugs, according to a study by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the University of Michigan. These numbers should scare the living daylights out of any parent. But some may just shrug their shoulders and say what can I do? Others will look to government institutions for help. The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, now in its 20th year, has consistently taken a... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/for-energy-do-everything-now/82940/ Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST Nancy Pelosi wants to the save the planet. That was the House speaker's answer to why she is not allowing a vote on expanding domestic oil drilling. Unfortunately, Americans' need for an ambitious long-term plan for energy independence is placing a damper on the speaker's planet-saving pursuits. The energy issue is taking center stage for the public, and the call for a decade-long national mobilization. If this issue is forced to the next level, Senator McCain might win the White House and... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/education-starts-here/82531/ Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST Senators McCain and Obama both say public schools need work, but neither of their proposed solutions get to the root problem of our education crisis. Mr. McCain has supported President Bush's No Child Left Behind policy, albeit with qualifications, calling the policy a "good beginning" but maintaining that "there are a lot of things that need to be fixed." He plans to fix many of these problems with financial incentives, distributed in a decentralized, entrepreneurial network of schools. At the... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/the-gathering-threat/82056/ Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST House Speaker Pelosi is hinting at reinstating the Fairness Doctrine, and many of her liberal colleagues in Congress are doing the same in both chambers. Alleging the press isn't "balanced," they say government should be making sure that all viewpoints — meaning the left's — are "fairly" represented. I agree the press isn't balanced, but Mrs. Pelosi has it backward; liberalism dominates the press, including the three major networks and most major newspapers. Though originally the Fairness... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/the-post-racial-mccain/81543/ Thu, 10 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST On July 16 Senator McCain will address the NAACP at its national convention in Cincinatti, Ohio. It will give him a historic opportunity to lay out his vision for individual empowerment, and offer concrete solutions for solving the challenges facing many African-Americans today. For all the talk of post-racial politics, the Obama camp tries to make his campaign all about race when he speaks to African-American audiences. When campaigning for Rep. Harold Ford of Tennessee for a U.S. Senate seat... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/choosing-our-children/81197/ Thu, 3 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST 'We hold these truths to be self-evident: That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." -- Declaration of Independence It behooves us all, especially in this pivotal election year, to reflect on the words of our nation's Founders in light of medical science's capacity to infringe upon the first human right, the right to life. The Sunday Times of London recently reported... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/the-energy-quagmire/80747/ Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EST America is in a worsening energy crisis, and the increasing consumer costs associated with it are wrecking economic havoc on American families. Tackling this crisis has fallen prey to presidential politics and looms large as a top-shelf issue in this fall's election. Gas prices have topped $4 a gallon, and prices are soaring across all sectors of the economy because of the impact of fuel prices on businesses. Families are hurting. It's worse than just having to cut back on family vacations and... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/same-sex-marriage-a-tale-of-two-cities/80149/ Tue, 17 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EST Right now, many same-sex couples are getting married in California. Recently, the California Supreme Court overturned the ban on same sex-marriages. Though few realize that two aspects of California's same-sex marriages are unlike Massachusetts', and they could redefine marriage in every state. And this issue is heading straight to the November election. On May 14, by a 4-3 vote, the California Supreme Court voted on the right to same-sex marriage. Shortly thereafter, supporters of traditional... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/getting-oil-on-track/79821/ Thu, 12 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EST At this week's G8 Summit, the cost of gasoline is one of the main topics of discussion. With the price of crude oil hovering around $136 a barrel, the industrialized world is looking for answers. But none seem to exist right now. Some blame the skyrocketing costs on increased demand. However, the International Energy Agency does not expect the demand for diesel and heating oil to grow by much — only 0.9 % in 2008. Others are blaming low oil reserves. OPEC says otherwise. In fact, it increased... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/democrats-in-wonderland/79358/ Thu, 5 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EST 'Crawling at your feet, said the Gnat (Alice drew her feet back in some alarm), you may observe a Bread-and-butter-fly. Its wings are thin slices of bread-and-butter, its body is a crust, and its head is a lump of sugar." "And what does it live on?" "Weak tea with cream in it." -- Lewis Carroll, "Through the Looking Glass" Some Democrat leaders are advancing the "dream ticket" scenario. "Put them together and they cannot lose," they say. "I'm open to it," she says. This is the Obama dilemma... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/george-barack-dukakis/78803/ Thu, 29 May 2008 00:00:00 EST On Saturday the Democratic Party's Rules and Bylaws Committee will likely remove all barriers to Senator Obama's nomination. In doing so, Democrats will select a nominee who has been routed repeatedly in crucial swing states by an opponent with the highest negative approval ratings ever to run for an open seat presidency. Last week, Mr. Obama delivered a victory speech having just lost Kentucky by a 2-1 margin to Hillary Clinton. The week before, he lost West Virginia by similar margin. Before... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/democrats-their-own-worst-enemy/76863/ Thu, 22 May 2008 00:00:00 EST Liberals have a propensity for cannibalizing their own. This behavioral trait is entertaining for those on the right and just might cause the Democrats to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory this November. Organizations like NARAL Pro-Choice America and Hamas are weakening the eventual Democrat presidential nominee. Hillary Clinton has been a high profile abortion rights activist since 1992. As a strident liberal who fiercely advocates unrestricted abortion, Mrs. Clinton is the... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/obama-gamble/76417/ Wed, 14 May 2008 00:00:00 EST Even with Hillary Clinton's wide margin win in the West Virginia primary, Barack Obama will be the Democratic standard bearer in November. The Democrats's rush to nominate Mr. Obama, the least vetted presidential candidate in memory, likely will cost them the fall election. Many believe that the voters Mr. Obama needs for victory in November are trending to John McCain. Obviously, Team Obama is looking at a different trail to the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency. West Virginia... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/polishing-the-mccain-brand/75682/ Thu, 1 May 2008 00:00:00 EST In May, Senator McCain will give a much-anticipated speech on judicial nominations and will speak to the members of the National Rifle Association on May 6 and 16, respectively. These two speeches are smart moves. The Supreme Court is the single most-important issue for millions of conservative voters. A candidate's choice of judges can seal the deal or be a deal-breaker. And the Second Amendment is a critical issue in this presidential election. Millions of swing voters are solid Second... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/you-dont-have-a-prayer/75289/ Fri, 25 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EST One issue that's not being discussed much at the moment is what's at stake with our federal courts. Some federal judges are now telling pastors and priests what they can and cannot say during prayers. And some of it is happening in Indiana — the May 6 primary state. While articles in law reviews and scholarly journals are often dry and academic, some point out legal issues actually impacting the lives of people. Ken Klukowski's article in the Georgetown Journal of Law & Public Policy, "In Whose... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/cowardly-abuse-of-freedom/74824/ Thu, 17 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EST "Beyond Obama's Beauty," my February 14 column in this paper, was hijacked, altered, and circulated on the Internet via e-mail. I have never had so many people respond to one of my pieces, albeit an altered version of my piece. I have had people from Europe and China e-mail me about my column. While I am happy to know that volumes of people have read my work, the bad news is that the last few paragraphs were someone else's words and work. Equally disturbing were the factual errors in that... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/what-pope-can-show-our-colleges/74618/ Mon, 14 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EST Religion in American culture and politics returns to the news this week in a big way with the visit of Pope Benedict XVI. Since Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger became pope, he has launched an unapologetic global campaign to reinforce Catholic doctrine and teaching on moral issues. Ultimately, he declares, there is more to being a Catholic than simply calling yourself one — a message he is coming here to teach. Some of Pope Benedict's comments have not been widely discussed. Encouraging the Mass to be... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/obamas-head-fake/74511/ Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EST Not since Walt Frazier have New Yorkers seen such exquisite basketball skills. Now Barack Obama has taken center court and his basketball skills are legendary in the recreation centers of Chicago. The buzz is that his head fake is deceptive and his jump shot deadly. He is apparently attempting to transfer his head-fake skills to the American political arena — fake right, go left. The American electorate should not fall for it. Three revelations over the past month have started to reveal a very... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/obamas-generosity/74124/ Thu, 3 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EST "America is great because she is good. If America ceases to be good, America will cease to be great." — Alexis de Tocqueville The quintessential American worldview is founded on the centrality of God and the primacy of the individual in the life of our nation. Good societies are not created by great governments. Good societies are created by good people acting freely in their own self interest and the interests of others. That notion is in stark contrast with recent revelations regarding... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/philadelphia-attacks-the-scouts/73740/ Thu, 27 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EST "Of all the dispositions and habits, which lead to political prosperity, Religion and Morality are indispensable supports." — George Washington, Farewell Address, 1796 The presidential candidates need to speak out while the spotlight is on Pennsylvania. There is an opportunity for voters in Pennsylvania and across America to know where the candidates stand on an important constitutional issue. The City Council of Philadelphia is attacking the Boy Scouts of America, seeking to drive them out of... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/home-school-war-in-california/73341/ Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EST Recently a landmark ruling that stunned many parents and could have legal repercussions for families across the country was handed down by a California state appellate court. Judge H. Walter Croskey wrote a court opinion that declared California children were only allowed to be taught by teachers credentialed by the state. Such a decision was a stark about-face from the previous California policy that provided parents with options in determining how best to educate their children. A decision... KENNETH BLACKWELL and SANDRA FROMAN http://www.nysun.com/opinion/roe-v-wade-of-gun-rights/72972/ Fri, 14 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EST The two red-hot issues fused by the District of Columbia v. Heller case — guns and judges — are two of the most divisive in American politics. D.C. v. Heller could become one of the most important cases in American history, with profound political and policy implications. The case will directly affect 90 million American gun owners. Whether they have a constitutional right to own guns immediately makes their ownership either a protected right or merely a privilege that the government can... KENNETH BLACKWELL and SANDRA FROMAN http://www.nysun.com/opinion/judging-gun-rights/72413/ Thu, 6 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EST As a historic Supreme Court case on the Second Amendment looms, District of Columbia v. Heller, two unexpected perspectives show what is at stake in this case for all Americans. Between the two of us as authors, our commitment to the Second Amendment, coupled with our real-life experiences, explodes the stereotypical images of gun owners in America. We are living proof that the Second Amendment is a blessing for all Americans, and that all Americans have a vested interest in the pending court... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/giving-families-the-choice/72064/ Fri, 29 Feb 2008 00:00:00 EST Across the country, governors are rushing to pour more and more tax dollars into state-run preschool programs. Today, all but ten states offer some sort of taxpayer-funded preschool for some three and four year olds — primarily based on need. According to the National Institute for Early Education Research, more than $3.3 billion is spent on the nearly 950,000 children who used these programs each year. And last year, 28 states increased government funding by a combined 13%. Reaching our... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/his-disturbing-pattern/71591/ Thu, 21 Feb 2008 00:00:00 EST Senator Obama recently gave us a disturbing foretaste of the contradictory doublespeak we could expect under an Obama presidency. Last week, a deeply disturbed young man went on a criminal rampage at Northern Illinois University, murdering several innocent people before taking his own life. Mr. Obama spoke out last Friday about the tragic event, and exposed the crucial disconnect between his rhetoric and his politics. Speaking of his determination to do "whatever it takes" to end gun violence... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/beyond-obamas-beauty/71278/ Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:00:00 EST "[C]ivilizational war is real, even if political leaders and polite punditry must call it by another name." — Robert D. Kaplan in the December 2001 issue of the Atlantic Monthly It's an amazing time to be alive in America. We're in a year of firsts in this presidential election: the first viable woman candidate; the first viable African-American candidate; and, a candidate who is the first frontrunning freedom fighter over 70. The next president of America will be a first. RELATED: Cowardly... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/his-emotional-side/70929/ Thu, 7 Feb 2008 00:00:00 EST Today is the most important day for Senator McCain. People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. That maxim must guide Senator McCain's speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference today. If it does, he could win the presidency. CPAC is the largest annual gathering of conservatives in America, with thousands attending from across the nation. Put on by the American Conservative Union and sponsored by organizations such as the National Rifle Association... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/who-takes-reagans-torch/70499/ Thu, 31 Jan 2008 00:00:00 EST Now the race is down to John McCain, Mitt Romney, and Mike Huckabee. The conservative coalition is looking for one of them to take up the mantle of Ronald Reagan in truth, not just in name. If one of them does, he can win in November. The only way a Republican can take the White House this year is if the Republican nominee both energizes his party base and also has strong crossover appeal for millions of swing voters. Only a Republican candidate who both secures his base and embodies change can... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/reauthorize-fisa/70079/ Thu, 24 Jan 2008 00:00:00 EST "We must not turn the Bill of Rights into a suicide pact." — U.S. Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson In his State of the Union address next week, it is imperative that President Bush push for the reauthorization of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978. Setting aside foolish partisan politics and ad hominem arguments, FISA is necessary for the national security of America and the safety of Americans. FISA is the law that governs gathering foreign intelligence information. Last... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/dcs-gun-showdown/69792/ Fri, 18 Jan 2008 00:00:00 EST It is time conservatives speak out and demand respect for their civil rights. The U.S. Department of Justice has taken a position in the D.C. gun ban case before the U.S. Supreme Court that puts one of our constitutional liberties at risk. My colleague Sandy Froman recently wrote an opinion piece to protest the amicus curea brief the Justice Department filed on Friday in the D.C. gun ban case, District of Columbia v. Heller. In her Townhall.com column, she explains that the DOJ's position... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/how-to-seal-the-deal/69308/ Thu, 10 Jan 2008 00:00:00 EST After winning New Hampshire, it's clear John McCain is resurgent as a leading Republican candidate. Having crossover appeal to gain independent voters already, there are three things that, if McCain does, he could become the next president. The Arizona senator is in an interesting position, as shown by his five-point margin in New Hampshire. He won a plurality of primary voters in the Granite State, showing that he has a firm foundation on which to build. Mitt Romney, however, won a plurality... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/voters-without-borders/68846/ Thu, 3 Jan 2008 00:00:00 EST On January 9, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments for one of the biggest election law cases in years. This case might decide who becomes president of America, and shape the future of the country. The Court will hear arguments in the consolidated cases of Crawford v. Marion County and Indiana Democratic Party v. Rokita. At issue in the case is Indiana's new voter ID law. This law requires people showing up on Election Day to show government-issued picture identification. It only applies... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/silence-of-the-caucus/68611/ Thu, 27 Dec 2007 00:00:00 EST I could not disagree more with Barack Obama's pork spending, tax raising, and defeat-embracing liberal agenda, but a recent attack by the Clinton campaign on Mr. Obama was the worst sort of personal destruction politics. It was one based on racial stereotypes. Such an attack is racism in all of its ugliness. Though the Congressional Black Caucus and Reverend Sharpton have yet to condemn this vicious racial smear, I can't help but respond. Perhaps the Black Caucus' silence is concrete evidence... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/transcending-huckabee/68398/ Thu, 20 Dec 2007 00:00:00 EST This has been a great week for Senator McCain. Being endorsed by major newspapers, as well as 2000 Democratic vice presidential nominee Senator Lieberman, John McCain has reasserted himself as someone who could win it all. There are reasons for this success. His continued push on ending the disgrace of earmarks, balancing the budget, expanding the military, and transforming entitlements still resonates. And the Iraq turnaround has turned around Mr. McCain's chances. The fact is that Senator... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/to-each-his-faith/68010/ Thu, 13 Dec 2007 00:00:00 EST Much of the reaction to Mitt Romney's religion speech last week reveals that all too many liberals and conservatives alike oppose a faith that dares to proclaim it holds the truth for all humanity. This opposition runs so deep — especially among the Left — that they will even embrace a religion they distrust to try to stick it to evangelical Christians. Mitt Romney gave a well-written, thoughtful speech last week. It reflected his intelligence and his beliefs, and it was delivered with... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/make-english-official/67616/ Thu, 6 Dec 2007 00:00:00 EST One of the most unreported stories of the past month is Democrats in Congress refusing to protect the Salvation Army and other similar organizations from lawsuits for requiring their employees to be able to speak English on the job. This policy issue is also important politically, and Republicans will benefit politically by doing the right thing. John Fund's recent Wall Street Journal article reveals this absurd situation. Lawsuits have been brought by individuals and the Equal Employment... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/gunless-dc-fires-back/66944/ Mon, 26 Nov 2007 00:00:00 EST The debate over individual gun rights just has become a front line issue in the 2008 presidential campaign. The United States Supreme Court decision to hear arguments on District of Columbia v. Heller, the D.C. gun ban case, guarantees it. In the District of Columbia, it is a crime to have a handgun. It also is a crime to have shotguns or rifles unless they are unloaded and disabled. Ordinary people cannot have a gun, even in their own homes. Earlier this year, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/odd-couple-2007-11-15/66530/ Thu, 15 Nov 2007 00:00:00 EST For months, the political chattering class has delighted in what they perceive as the crumbling of the powerful social conservative coalition. The New York Times, always looking to denigrate social conservatives, has reported on "The Evangelical Crackup" and the "deep divide in the Christian conservative movement." Some conservatives even have echoed the Times' premise. They were conservatives, but they were not evangelical Christian conservatives. Yet, they waxed eloquent about the thinking of... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/two-different-women/66126/ Thu, 8 Nov 2007 00:00:00 EST Margaret Thatcher was an unflinching and principled world leader. During an uncertain and dangerous time in history, she stood strong with Ronald Reagan and together they defeated Communism. Hillary Clinton is a two-term New York senator and a former first lady who survived the scandals of her husband's tumultuous presidency. Whenever challenged or outmaneuvered, she typically plays the victim. They are two very different women, indeed. In terms of Democratic presidential primary candidates... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/aborting-sex-selection/65707/ Thu, 1 Nov 2007 00:00:00 EST Hillary Clinton is poised to become the first female presidential nominee of a major American political party. Many pundits already have her as the odds-on favorite to win the presidency. Feminists are ecstatic. They see Mrs. Clinton's candidacy as a watershed moment for their cause. Mrs. Clinton also sees the significance, and is leveraging it for all its worth. Last week, she repeated one of her favorite talking points on American Broadcasting Company's popular show, "The View." Discussing... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/whats-really-at-stake/64776/ Thu, 18 Oct 2007 00:00:00 EST Yesterday, Texas's solidly conservative Governor Rick Perry endorsed Rudy Giuliani for president. Meanwhile, several prominent conservative leaders like James Dobson have spoken out against Mr. Giuliani and other leading Republican candidates. Liberals are delighted. The New York Times even gave Mr. Dobson space in which he opined about the possibility of a third party candidate if Mr. Giuliani wins the Republican nomination. They shouldn't uncork the champagne just yet. The fact that... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/after-schip-the-mad-hatters-table/64369/ Thu, 11 Oct 2007 00:00:00 EST In "Alice in Wonderland," during the tea party, the Mad Hatter sat down to a beautiful white linen tablecloth. He proceeded to make a mess in front of himself, but instead of cleaning up, he just moved to another spot and made another mess. And so on down the table. The other day, I realized that parable was applicable to the government-run State Children's Health Insurance Program. If Lewis Carroll were writing today, he might include members of Congress along with the fantastically unusual... KENNETH BLACKWELL http://www.nysun.com/opinion/forgetting-the-court/63955/ Thu, 4 Oct 2007 00:00:00 EST Republicans were stunned this week by news that prominent social conservative leaders are ready to abandon their winning coalition — virtually handing Democrats the White House — if Rudy Giuliani wins the GOP nomination. These leaders must not lose their command focus on what's at stake in this election. They may not get another chance to impact the Supreme Court in such a dramatic way for a long time. Conservative voters must be prepared to support candidates who share their vision of a...