CMC Alum, Lucas Morel, on Lincoln

CMC alum and Lincoln scholar, Lucas Morel, discusses the legacy of Lincoln with Peter Schramm of the Ashbrook Center. Schramm has taught at Claremont McKenna.

You can listen to the audio here. All in all, a nice way to end Presidents' Day.

CMC Econ. Professors on the Stimulus Package

You might remember the blog post I wrote awhile back about Professors Burdekin and Weidenmier being less than optimistic about the current economic stimulus package.

In early February, Professor Weidenmier had some tough words for it.

The president says he hopes the stimulus plan can jump-start the economy within two years, but that's a "pipe dream," according to economist Marc Weidenmier of Claremont McKenna College in Claremont.

"You might be able to do a couple of small-scale projects, but to think you can transform the U.S. infrastructure in a couple of years is ridiculous," he said.

There may be long-term benefits of the stimulus plan, but they will unfold slowly, he said, adding, "It has an economic payoff. The problem is the economic payoff is in decades, not 24 months."

On February 12, Professor Sven Arndt put in his two cents. He was a bit more optimistic, but not much.

Sven Arndt, a professor of economics at Claremont McKenna College, is guardedly hopeful that the federal plan will have some positive effects.

"This package will do some stimulating, no question about it," he said. "The question is how much ... and no one really knows for sure."

Arndt said previous efforts have fallen short.

"We've had so many government programs and they've all been touted as the medicine that will fix us," he said. "This will probably give consumers a confidence boost but it's all going to take some time."

Arndt also noted that people who receive more money aren't necessarily going to spend it all.

"We know that consumers don't spend every dollar of the income they get," he said. "And they are heavily indebted, so you'll have less of an injection into the income stream."

Matthew Spalding, CMC Alum and Scholar, on His Favorite President

It's up at National Review Online and you can view it right here. With writing like this, you can see that Spalding was one of Jaffa's students. 

MATTHEW SPALDING 
This year, everyone’s favorite president ought to be Abraham Lincoln, and the bicentennial of his birth is the perfect occasion to reassess his legacy. This is especially the case for those who have been duped into believing the old liberal claim that Lincoln was one of them, indeed, was the father of today’s unlimited government. But the modern administrative state we detest comes out of the progressive transformation that rose up after the Civil War, when progressive intellectuals looked to European thinkers for guidance, rejected America’s grounding in “the Laws of Nature and Nature’s God,” and set our nation on the course of endless change and constant centralization.

Lincoln took his guidance from the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. His great achievement, in probably the most trying epoch of our history, was to preserve our constitutional republic while restoring its dedication to the core principles of equality and liberty. At a time when the conservative movement is looking for its principles, Lincoln points us toward those timeless truths, “applicable to all men and all times,” that form the central idea of America. It would do us well to reread his words, and take to heart his defense of freedom.

— Matthew Spalding is the director of the B. Kenneth Simon Center for American Studies at the Heritage Foundation.

CMC Alum Chuck DeVore's Act of Statesmanship

DeVore Addresses Reporters, Wears Bad Tie, and Is Still Running For U.S. Senate

In Sunday's Sacramento Bee, DeVore took to task the California state legislature for refusing to solve its problem of spending like drunken sailors.

Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, R-Irvine, countered that the plan didn't solve the fundamental problem of state government – overspending.

"We don't go far enough to reform government," DeVore said, "and we are asking the taxpayers of California for too much of their hard-earned money to cover over a problem of our own making."

In a so-called compromise budget, some Republicans broke rank and called for $14 billion in tax increases, according to Reuters. The bill needs three Republicans to pass, but so far only has two.

Temporary tax increases include a 1 cent sales tax hike, steeper income and gasoline taxes and higher vehicle licensing fees.

Assemblyman Chuck DeVore resigned from the post of Chief Republican Whip, citing the tax increases.

"The St. Valentine's Day deal to raise taxes on hard-working Californians will neither close the budget deficit nor control spending," he said in a statement.

Good for DeVore. Here's more from The Orange County Register, with relevant sections bolded.

SACRAMENTO – State Assemblyman Chuck DeVore resigned Saturday as chief Republican whip over his opposition to a massive tax increase deal brokered by Republican legislative leaders.

DeVore, R-Irvine, who is running for Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer's seat, said, "The St. Valentine's Day deal to raise taxes on hardworking Californians will neither close the budget deficit nor control spending. I believe leadership thinks they are doing the right thing, but I cannot be a party to this agreement as I believe it will harm California."

The compromise plan to alleviate the state's $42 billion budget deficit includes $14 billion dollars in tax increases.

In a letter to Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines of Fresno, DeVore wrote, "the recent agreement you negotiated to increase taxes in exchange for a spending limit will not likely accomplish the twin aims of deficit reduction and budget control that you seek.

"This proposed agreement also strikes at the heart of our longtime opposition to tax increases. Excessive taxation both harms the economy and robs hardworking Californians of a portion of their liberty. Placing our caucus squarely in line with tax increases also demoralizes our supporters, people who were counting on us to hold the line.

Now is the time for principles. Good luck to you, Mr. DeVore and may we have you in the Senate soon enough!