A Heapin' Plate of Conservative Politics and Religion
by Tom Quiner
A Heapin' Plate of Conservative Politics & Religion
by Tom Quiner
Who is the greatest American composer?
By Tom Quiner [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ft1qAOW4znM] Three of my favorite American composers are George Gershwin, Aaron Copland, and Duke Ellington. Today on the classical radio, I listened to Aaron Copland’s great Rodeo Ballet. The Hoe Down movement is so utterly American, so exquisitely compelling, so deliciously seductive that I felt compelled to share it with Quiner’s Diners readers. My wife and I attend a convention in Las Vegas every year. We frequently…
November 9th, 1989
By Tom Quiner [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKJgA2tS3LE&feature=related] Three giants of the 20th century collaborated on a miracle, the fall of communism. Pope John Paul II, Ronald Reagan. Margaret Thatcher. They each shared a unique character quality: conviction. They didn’t follow the crowd, they led the world based on the courage of their conviction. The Berlin Wall came down 21 years ago. Relive the sheer joy of this triumph of freedom and human dignity.…
Why Republicans need to stand tall for the unborn now
By Tom Quiner FACT #1: Last week’s election swung on economic issues. FACT #2: Last week’s election also swung on concerns over runaway big government. Wouldn’t you say those were two of the biggies? So here is my question: were social issues such as abortion and traditional marriage issues? Of course they were, but not as big as the two above. I pose this question in light of a comment…
The root cause of poverty
By Tom Quiner I heard it said once that avoiding poverty is really pretty easy. You have to do three things: 1. Graduate from high school. 2. Defer child-rearing until your twenties. 3. Get a job. Any job, even if it’s flipping hamburgers. It will lead to a better job, and then an even better job. The Associated Press (AP) just came out with a story that talked about the…
Death of a composer
By Tom Quiner [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBHZFYpQ6nc] His name may not be on the tip of your tongue, but his music is. The great Broadway composer, Jerry Bock died this week at the age of 81. He wrote the music to what is arguably the most beloved musical in Broadway history, Fiddler on the Roof. And if you don’t agree with that assessment, at least concede that the lead character, the beleaguered father,…
Two explanations for the President’s inexplicable remark
By Tom Quiner In the summer of 2009, angry voters crammed into townhall meetings with their Senators and Congressman. They expressed in no uncertain terms their concerns about the health care legislation being advanced by the Democratic Party. They were against it. They responded in three critical off-year elections by defeating candidates in Virginia, New Jersey, and Massachusetts by convincing margins. These were districts that had voted for President Obama…
The Party of Growth
By Tom Quiner [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yt1fYSAChxs] The time has come for the Republican Party to begin acting like Republicans again. This week’s election is not a mandate for Republicans, but rather a mandate for Republican ideas. One of America’s best and brightest pundits is the Wall Street Journal’s Daniel Henninger. He talked about what Republicans need to do in today’s column: “The simplest way for the Republican Party to free itself and…
A little post-election political humor
By Tom Quiner It’s been intense these recent weeks as politicking reach a fever pitch. I think it’s time to decompress for a few minutes with a little political humor. I received the story below from a Quiner’s Diner reader. I think it’s made the rounds over the years. I don’t know who wrote it. But it certainly tickled my funny bone. Hope you enjoy it. The Birth of Political…
A mandate for restraint
By Tom Quiner In the 2006 midterm elections, Democrats picked up 31 seats in the House and 5 Senate seats. In the 2008 elections, Democrats picked up another 21 House seats, 8 Senate seats, and the White House. There are a number of factors that decide elections. One of the critical factors in Republican’s fall from grace was spending and big government. President Bush had run as a “compassionate” conservative.…
Coming Wednesday: Quiner’s Diner election wrap up
By Tom Quiner I’m getting ready to head down to my family room to watch election coverage. Check back tomorrow for Quiner’s Diner humble reactions to this watershed election. God bless America. [Note to the President: God is the Being who grants us inalienable rights, including a right to life. Read the Declaration of Independence for details.] Peace.
The President of the elite
By Tom Quiner I have just completed writing a musical called “The Pope of the People.” It covers John Paul II’s ( JP2) first ten years as Pope (click the icon on the right for more info). What was striking about this man was the way he connected with ordinary people. I talked with a local priest, Monsignor Frank Bognanno, who was with the Pope when he came to Des…
Stay in touch. SUBSCRIBE. (We recently moved our blog and lost our subscribers. Please re-subscribe here)