Published Articles*

by Janie Johnson

Lemonade Lessons:  David Brooks is wrong: Size matters!

Publication: The Daily Caller

Publication Date:  01/04/2011

Liberal collectivists use issues of fairness, social justice, and compassion to make their argument that the government must do more to help whoever they see as needing help (or whoever can get them reelected). Conservative individualists believe that maximum individual liberties (versus state control) and free-market capitalism in an environment of domestic tranquility protected by tough-on-crime and strong-on-defense strategies provide the best path to peace and prosperity.

The “Brooks Doctrine” makes the flawed assumption that both liberal and conservative philosophies are... (read more)

Lemonade Lessons:  Random questions and strange coincidences.

Publication: The Daily Caller

Publication Date:  12/13/2010

Strange coincidences occurred around the time of the recent healthcare vote. FAA grants that had been held up were immediately processed, Medicaid subsidies were given, union carve-outs were agreed to, Medicare Advantage exceptions were made, and hospitals were promised... (read more)

Lemonade Lessons:  Should teachers do well if the kids are failing?

Publication: The Daily Caller

Publication Date:  12/06/2010

Teachers are rightfully concerned that they and their unions are receiving most if not all of the blame for our education system’s decline. Surely parents, school administrators, student-teacher ratios, federal and state mandates, fiscal shortfalls, the percentage of foreign or learning-disabled students, security, and other issues are material factors. (read more...)

Lemonade Lessons:  Do unions hurt good teachers?

Publication: The Daily Caller

Publication Date:  11/29/2010

Many, if not most, discussions of American education begin with curriculum. Do we need more math and science? Are the arts and physical education being ignored or unreasonably minimized? Are the historical “facts” being taught accurate or biased? Is the Constitution or anything to do with civics even in the curriculum?  (read more...)

Lemonade Lessons:  Banning earmarks — not just symbolic.

Publication: The Daily Caller

Publication Date:  11/22/2010

The problem with earmarks is not just their cost, or even the revealing of the weak character of legislators and their lack of adherence to first principles that often devolves into a form of “legalized” corruption. (read more...)

Lemonade Lessons:  Tough choices?

Publication: The Daily Caller

Publication Date:  11/15/2010

What do progressives (liberals) want? Just how many decisions do they feel they need to make for us? How much control of our lives do they think is appropriate? If they could wave a magic wand, what would America look like? Would it look like France or Britain or Germany? Are they thinking Canada or Switzerland or Sweden? (read more...)

Lemonade Lessons:  Is Obama weak on defense?

Publication: The Daily Caller

Publication Date:  11/08/2010

Given the increase in troops in Afghanistan, the extension of the Patriot Act, the continuation of Robert Gates’ stint as defense secretary, the recent success in capturing senior Al Qaeda operatives, and the increase in effective drone attacks in Pakistan, why are so many still worried that our new president may be weak on defense? (read more...)

Lemonade Lessons:  Comfort and complacency (Part III)

Publication: The Daily Caller

Publication Date:  11/01/2010

Why don’t politicians pay more attention to the town hall meetings and the Tea Party members? Can’t they see the grassroots resistance to the direction they are taking the country? Is it so hard for them to comprehend that a significant number of citizens might rise up on their own in opposition to out-of-control government spending, unimaginably huge federal deficits, promised increases in taxes, a weak approach to terrorism and defense, and government takeovers of significant parts of the private sector? (read more...)

Lemonade Lessons:  Comfort and Complacency (Part II)

Publication: The Daily Caller

Publication Date:  10/25/2010

There is room for discussion on government policy; however, no one believes that our corrupt and rigged political process is legitimate or right. Backroom deals hidden from the public, legislative bills voted on before reading, a nearly 70,000-page tax code designed to hide political favors, and crony capitalism are just the tip of the iceberg. (read more...)

Lemonade Lessons:  Comfort and complacency (Part I)

Publication: The Daily Caller

4:08 PM 10/18/2010

What do non-activists, non-pundits, non–constitutional lawyers, non-academics, and non-politicians think about government policy and the political process? Why has the silent majority been silent for so long? How did we get so many losers (on both sides of the aisle) into positions of authority in our government? How and why did we as a nation allow our conservative principles of self-reliance, limited government, and support of free-market capitalism deteriorate into so much liberal collectivism and social engineering? (read more...)

Lemonade Lessons:  Tea Parties are just the tip of the iceberg.

Publication: The Daily Caller

4:08 PM 10/14/2010

What the New York Times and so many other liberal institutions do not realize is that all of this recent political fuss is not about the Tea Parties or the Tea Party members. It is not about the rallies, the signs, the undocumented accusations of off-color or rude or politically incorrect comments, the Tea Party leaders (or lack of same), the candidates they support, or even the candidates they oppose. These are all just symptoms of a much larger frustration and anger. (read more...)

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