I just read this piece at the Weekly Standard. It looks like a good book.
As A proud Neo-Con, I am always looking for the opportunity to share my political philosophy with anyone interested and it sounds like the author of this new book has pretty much nailed it. His book is now being added to the top of my “Must Read” list.
Here is a quote from Peter Berkowitz’s article,
“Douglas Murray, a young Oxford-educated writer, has chosen the more direct approach. Avid and unabashed, he takes on neoconservatism’s harshest critics and does not yield an inch. Indeed, contrary to the many critics who have announced that the neoconservative moment has passed, Murray contends that neoconservatism is just getting started. And the future beckons brightly.
In the opening pages, Murray declares his “belief that the solution to many, if not all, of our problems lies in neoconservatism–not just because it provides an optimistic and emboldened conservatism, but because neoconservatism provides a conservatism that is specifically attuned, and attractive, to people today.”
Murrays book is titled:
Neoconservatism
Why We Need It by Douglas Murray
Encounter, 200 pp., $25.95
And another quote:
“Neoconservatives, Murray shows, differ from both traditional conservatives–and, to use a term that more accurately than “liberal” describes the left in America today, progressives. In contrast to traditional conservatives, neoconservatives are more comfortable with capitalism, always accepted the moral and political necessity of the welfare state, and consistently sought a prominent role for America in creating a stable and just international order.
In contrast to progressives, neoconservatives are more concerned about the costs of modernity’s disruptive ways to the family and traditional morality, strongly doubt the ability of the federal government to improve America through higher taxes and more aggressive social policies, and are skeptical of the integrity and efficacy of the United Nations, while maintaining confidence in the ability of the American armed forces, when diplomacy is exhausted, to advance American interests and ideals.
Although the label neoconservative was originated on the left as a term of reproach, it captures an important truth. In post-1960s America, neoconservatism elaborated a new kind of conservatism, one that made conserving and revitalizing the material and moral preconditions of a free society the top political priority.”
I would agree with all of this except for the premise that Neo-Cons “always accepted the moral and political necessity of the welfare state”.
I believe the welfare state should be completely privatized, from Social Security to Medicare benefits, I would like to see the Government get out of the charity business altogether.
I believe private charities, religion, and on the ground citizens – meaning those in the “neighborhood” do a much better job of helping families in trouble than government ever could hope to do.
I don’t remember ever reading about neocons being tied to the welfare state in any way, shape, or form, so this would be one area where I would diverge from Mr. Murrays analysis of the political movement I have tied myself to. And I am very excited about reading his book.
Jenny Hatch

Shelly had two senior pictures taken, one at school and one at Wal Mart and she did not like either one, so we went up to the park the other day and shot some candids and this is the one she chose for her senior pix for the yearbook. I can’t believe my baby is almost 18 and getting ready for college!

This has been a very busy week. It is late saturday night and I thought I would blog these pictures and videos quickly before I go to bed.
Jeff had a soccer game yesterday for his 7th grade team. During the game our Varsity team played a very exciting overtime game against our main rival and WON! Paul and I kept walking from field to field to watch both games.
Here is an article from our local paper on the game!
“LAFAYETTE — In the win that put Peak to Peak at the top of Class 3A soccer, Trini Mares scored the lone goal to upset Faith Christian in the 2005 state championship.
With a chance to show they still belong at the top of Class 3A soccer Mares led another thrilling win over the Eagles on Friday.
The senior defender tied the game in the final minutes of regulation with a penalty kick and made the game-winning assist as the No. 2-ranked Pumas beat the No. 1-ranked Eagles, 2-1, in two overtimes. The playoffs are still a few weeks away but the homecoming win gave Peak to Peak the Metro League lead and set them up as the favorite for the playoffs’ No. 1 seed.
“I don’t know what it is,” said Pumas coach Peter Chandler, who was trying to take in another dramatic win over Faith Christian. “They are a good team and they’re tough. They did a good job of controlling us. We just persevered.”
Paul and the boys went up to Harper Lake and did a clean up. Our ward adopted the lake and we clean up the grounds around it four times a year. Paul was in charge, so he took the boys while I went to Allisons meet.
Allison had her last gymnastics meet today and then she went to the Home Coming Dance with five friends. A boy had asked her to go with him to the dance, but we don’t let our children date until they are sixteen, so she said no. She went with a group of three boys and three girls. They all went out to supper together and then went to the dance. Afterwards they gathered at a friends house to roast marshmallows and make s’mores. She had a really fun time.
We found her dress at Beautifully Modest after a futile search at Dillards and Nordstroms for something modest. I’m glad these sources exist for us parents who don’t want our children looking like hookers when they go out dancing.
I was pleased when I went to pick them up at the dance. I went into the gym at the school and the teens were all dancing really nice, none of that grinding stuff I keep hearing about. Allison said everyone was really well behaved and no one even asked her to slow dance. They just danced in a big group together, and the older kids who had come with dates danced together on the slow songs.
She said it was nice.
I’m tired and we are singing “Give me Jesus” in church tomorow. This is a rather difficult acapella spiritual that our ward choir has been working on for a couple weeks. I hope it goes well. I need to get to bed, so G’night.
Love,
Jenny

Here is a roundup of the stories I found interesting on the web the past few days: (with a tiny bit of commentary)

The Dear Leader’s
Little Nuke
I am really concerned with the general tone of the Blogophere on this story. Wishful thinking and “it couldn’t possibly have been a nuke” sorts of analysis are the wrong way to approach this topic. What we need in our country is a massive civil defense outreach and preparation by individual families for Nuclear Terror.
Peggy Noonan – No dissent Allowed
Air America Radio Files for Chapter 11
I will be really sad if Air America goes down, what’ll I do when I’m driving and need a good laugh?
Grain stockpiles at lowest for 25 years
It comforts me to know we have several hundred pounds of grains and beans in our home.
U.S. weighs first treason charges in over 50 years

Prophets in the Land Again
Jeffrey Holland, who was prez of BYU while I was there, and is an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, gave one of my favorite talks of General Conference
Recently Discovered this great Herbal Site – Herbal Momma

Turner foundation delivers $1 billion to U.N.
GOP Losing Advantage With Married Moms
Here we go again…
Coloradans join in D.C. safe-school conference
O Be Wise
Elder M. Russell Ballard – My all time favorite talk of General Conference.
Anti-Depressant, Heart Risk Association Needs Further Study
Heart Defects in new Babies tied to Paxil, an Anti-Depressant
Court Hears Antidepressant Murder Case
ANTIDEPRESSANT SIDE EFFECTS
Let them eat Prozac
Second-generation Antipsychotic Medications Appear To Offer Little Advantage Over Older Drugs
But Dangit, they cost three times as much as the old drugs, and we can get the American Taxpayer to pay for them, because everyone knows Medicare Drug Benefits are guaranteed by the American Constitution, and these elderly people are crazy anyway, so who cares if they bludgeon the little nurses aids who are trying to get them ready for bed with a fork…
And of, for all you mommas out there struggling to get your breast milk to flow, don’t bother….we have it on good authority that BREASTFED BABIES ARE NOT ANY SMARTER THAN BOTTLE FED BABIES!!!

And here…
And here
And here
and here
Did I miss any???
And finally the Onion asks it’s readers…
Now, I know you mommas out there are so much smarter than all these formula financed researchers. You just keep eating your whole foods and nursing your babies with mommas milk, and when your little one grows up to be smart enough NOT to buy all the chemical junk that is being shoved on the populace, you just pat yourself on the back and know that you gave your child the very best that life has to offer…
What Makes Human Milk Special?
Jenny Hatch

We Had Abortions Petition!
As a survivor of Adult Rape and Incestuous Sexual Abuse, I am all for Women who have been raped having the right to get an abortion, and I want that abortion to be safe, legal, and the choice of the woman involved.
But I have to wonder about the intentions of the Ms. Magazine Editors with their petition for the We Had Abortions campaign.
I’m not sure that publicly declaring the fact that you ripped life out of your womb is healthy, normal, or empowering. Many women who have had abortions suffer horrible guilt and trauma, often years after the fact.
This excellent Essay from the late Jeannine Baker, is a timely rebutal.
A Spiritual Feminist Ethic on Abortion & Conception:
Woman is Shakti
by Jeannine Parvati Baker
“Arising from the Great Cosmic Song are the growing voices of feminists who respect
life in all its forms–even down to the “unplanned” pregnancies. For too long the
spiritual communities of the pagans and the yogis, the two philosophies I have
studied for many years, have neglected to re-vision abortion.
Lingering still is the rationalization that an “unwanted” child somehow was worse
than abortion–that a “fast death” was better than an entire lifetime of feeling
“unwanted” (with a personal history filled with emotional and/or physical abuse
from immature, irresponsible parents). It seems to me that abortion really is the
ultimate child abuse. And death, whether it be fast or slow, is still death.
In fact, I have left particular “spiritual” communities because of this basic anti-life,
pessimistic perspective on abortion. It seemed to me that on the most primal level, a
person has much more to learn about spirituality by accepting WHAT-IS (i.e., a
pregnancy) than by forcefully “re-cycling” the soul (i.e., terminating the baby). And
besides, having an abortion undermines any and all possibilities of changing the
culture’s basic anti-life/anti-children attitude; much less a personal miracle, wherein
the reluctant parents-to-be learn to accept their coming child.
Allow me first to first turn my attention to the Yoga community wherein it is all too
common for women yogis (yoginis) to abort their babies so that they can get on with
the “real” spiritual work: i.e., a meditation practice. Babies are sometimes seen as a
distraction to a heroic spiritual practice.”
Jenny Hatch

Dr Sarah J Buckley 2005
Introduction
“Lotus birth is the practice of leaving the umbilical cord uncut, so that the baby remains attached to his/her placenta until the cord naturally separates at the umbilicus, exactly as a cut cord does, at three to ten days after birth. This prolonged contact can be seen as a time of transition, allowing the baby to slowly and gently let go of their attachment to the mother’s body.”

We had a Lotus Home Birth with our Son Benjamin. He stayed attached to his cord for six days. I wrote a book titled A Lotus Birth detailing his pregnancy, birth, and postpartum, with a chapter on cord care and tips for Unassisted Home Birth. This book was written for those couples who would like to have as holistic a birth as possible in the sanctity of their own homes!

Jenny Hatch