Victor Davis Hanson

Big Brother in Brooks Brothers

In George Orwell's allegorical novel "1984," the picture of Big Brother appears constantly in the adoring media.

August 15, 2009

Obamaworld

Are you confused by all that has changed since President Obama took office in January? If so, you're not alone. Perhaps, though, this handy guide to Age of Obama "logic" might be of some assistance.

June 21, 2009

HANSON: Is America pre-modern or postmodern?

During the past 20 years, science and a growing economy gave Americans the most sophisticated and leisured lifestyles in history. We inexpensively call or e-mail anywhere in the world. With online shopping and banking, Americans acquire and spend electronically -- without seeing those with whom we do business. Taxes are filed over the Internet, and stocks are bought and sold daily online.

May 30, 2009

HANSON: A Jekyll and Hyde?

In matters of foreign policy during the president's first 100 days, we have seen two Barack Obamas.

May 3, 2009

HANSON: Still crazier times yet to come

We are in a weird age. Do the smart thing, we were told, and invest in a 401(k) retirement account. Buy into the American dream and own your own home. But lately, it seems that those who put their money in low-earning passbook savings accounts or rented rather than bought may be better off.

April 26, 2009

HANSON: Our new sort of war

President Obama proclaims no more of former President George W. Bush's "war on terror," even as he silently keeps most of it in place. The result is as confusing as it soon will be dangerous.

April 19, 2009

HANSON: Politics and pitchforks

It should have been easy for Democrats to connect depleted 401(k) accounts and lost home equity with the buccaneers of Wall Street who supposedly prompted the panic.

April 12, 2009

HANSON: First of all, ‘Do no harm’

When it comes to our complex economy, President Barack Obama would do well to heed the physician's ancient commandment to first "do no harm."

March 22, 2009

HANSON: Maxing out a crisis card

Imagine that last fall before being elected, Barack Obama had outlined the positions he has embraced since being inaugurated as president.

March 15, 2009

HANSON: Accounting for California’s suicide

What went wrong in California? I think we can all agree on at least three observations.

March 8, 2009

HANSON: Economic anomalies

Are we headed to something like the Great Depression? There is clearly much to worry about. Most of America's private retirement 401(k) accounts have significantly decreased in value since last autumn's crash. Home equity has plunged. The unemployment rate is above 7 percent and climbing.

March 1, 2009

HANSON: ‘Impulsive’ America?

President Barack Obama's first TV interview was with the Dubai-based, partly Saudi-funded Al Arabiya satellite channel. In passing, he faulted past American policy for too readily "dictating" in the Middle East. He had better things to say about Saudi King Abdullah's "courage" in trying to solve the Middle East crisis.

February 22, 2009

HANSON: Hardly the best and brightest

Most historians agree that earthquakes, droughts or barbarians did not unravel classical Athens or imperial Rome.

February 15, 2009

HANSON: Been there, done that

With much fanfare, President Barack Obama announced a new effort to end the endless Israeli-Palestinian struggle - by naming a brand-new Middle East envoy, former Sen. George Mitchell.

February 8, 2009

HANSON: Back to Earth?

Last week the United States got lucky again and took out several suspected terrorists by Predator drone attacks over Pakistan. Antiwar critics prior to Jan. 20 used to decry "collateral damage" from such controversial strikes. But there was a weird silence here about the Obama administration's successful first attack - despite the usual complaints from abroad that several civilians perished.

February 1, 2009

HANSON: Obama’s unreal expectations

For nearly three months since the election, we have been warned by President Obama, his staff and the media not to burden him with unreal expectations that no mere mortal could meet.

January 25, 2009

HANSON: Don’t waste a crisis?

Euphemism comes from the Greek word euphemia, which means "using the good word" - usually in place of the accurate bad one. Recently we've become experts at it.

January 18, 2009

HANSON: A little honesty in ‘09?

The country is still divided over the government bailout of the Big Three automakers.

January 11, 2009

HANSON: The Gaza rules

The Israelis have struck back hard at Hamas in Gaza. In response, the United Nations, the European Union and the Arab world (at least publicly) expressed their anger at the killing of more than 300 Palestinians, most of whom were terrorists and Hamas officials.

January 4, 2009

HANSON: The that-was-then year

As 2008 comes to a close, almost nothing has turned out as was expected at the beginning of the year - whether we consider oil prices, the war in Iraq, political corruption or the collapse of the U.S. financial system.

December 28, 2008