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| 2016 Election: | Hillary's book | Trump's book | Bernie's book | Ted Cruz's book | | | 2016 Senate Debates |
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(click a book cover for a review or other books by or about the presidency from Amazon.com) |
from The Last Line of Defense, by Ken Cuccinelli (number of quotes indicated): |
BOOK REVIEW by OnTheIssues.org:
Ken Cuccinelli does not like the federal government. But unlike so many other hard-core anti-government conservatives, Cuccinelli has done something about it. Most specifically, he has sued the federal government, as Virginia's Attorney General. Cuccinelli is now running for Governor of Virginia. His campaign's success depends on the voting public accepting Cuccinelli's argument that the federal government is too big; inappropriately claims too much power; and that its size and power should be reversed by state action. Since so many federal workers reside in Virginia, that's a tough sell; Cuccinelli is relying on the less-populated non-Washington-oriented parts of Virginia as his base.
Cuccinelli's book outlines his major legal actions against the federal government. That's all this book is: just a detailed account of several lawsuits, including detailed legal analysis of his own actions and related actions, as well as analysis of the Supreme Court's rulings on each. It's not exactly a political book nor a policy book -- but one gets enough of Cuccinelli's views on the issues that we manage to outline them for OnTheIssues. In general, Cuccinelli considers states the last line of defense against federalism; hence the title of this book. The legal actions detailed include:
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Cuccinelli is an interesting politician because he acts on his beliefs rather than just spouting them on national TV. In most states, he might be a Tea Party favorite and a strong frontrunner for Governor in a Tea-Party-friendly year like 2013. But a huge percentage of his constituents are the very federal workers whom he attacks as spending the taxpayers' money on unconstitutional grounds. We therefore cannot see Cuccinelli winning in Virginia this year -- but his solid campaign and solid history may make him a Republican contender in other national venues later.
-- Jesse Gordon, jesse@OnTheIssues.org, September 2013
| OnTheIssues.org excerpts: (click on issues for details) |
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Budget & Economy Ronald Reagan: Don't reslice the pie; help America produce a bigger pie. |
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Corporations Milton Friedman: Free markets are excellent at keeping businesses in line. |
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Energy & Oil Ken Cuccinelli: We exhale CO2 every day; it's not a killer. Ken Cuccinelli: EPA's cap-and-trade policy is based on junk science. Ken Cuccinelli: CO2 regulations force unproven & expensive technology. Ken Cuccinelli: Plenty of doubt whether global warming science is "settled". Lisa Jackson: Economic consequences aren't my jobq. |
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Environment Al Gore: Over-representation appropriate for global warming dangers. Ken Cuccinelli: Federal coal mining permits usurp state authority. Ken Cuccinelli: Join with EPA for stormwater management. Ken Cuccinelli: Regulating water runoff is not part of Clean Water Act. |
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Foreign Policy Ronald Reagan: 1964: If we lose freedom here, it's the last stand on earth. |
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Government Reform Jim DeMint: Politicians &bureaucrats systematically violate Constitution. Ken Cuccinelli: God gives us our rights; Constitution only guarantees them. Ken Cuccinelli: Photo identification curbs voter fraud. Milton Friedman: Greatest threat to freedom is concentrated power. Sandra Day O`Connor: Federal-vs.-state issues are Court's most difficult cases. |
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Gun Control Ken Cuccinelli: It's not extremism to be concerned about bans on firearms. |
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Health Care Elena Kagan: Uninsured engage in commerce by raising others' premiums. Elena Kagan: Without individual mandate, ObamaCare is unsustainable. George W. Bush: OpEd: Medicare Part D is largest entitlement in 40 years. John Roberts: Can't require insurance as commerce, but ok as tax. John Roberts: Congress can REGULATE commerce but cannot COMPEL it. Ken Cuccinelli: ObamaCare forces citizens to make purchases. Ken Cuccinelli: ObamaCare is costly at both federal and state levels. Ken Cuccinelli: Repeal ObamaCare as a tax, by simple majority. Ken Cuccinelli: Allow cross-state purchasing & health savings accounts. Ruth Bader Ginsburg: ObamaCare is not a tax because it raises no revenue. Samuel Alito: Key question: is ObamaCare a tax or a penalty? |
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Immigration Ken Cuccinelli: Welcome LEGAL immigrants; but no blind eye to lawlessness. |
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Jobs Ken Cuccinelli: Workers should not be forced to join unions. |
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Principles & Values Ken Cuccinelli: Liberty Pie: increasing government's slice reduces citizens'. Tea Party: 2009: finally confronting big-government leviathan head-on. |
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Social Security Ken Cuccinelli: Medicare & Social Security are Constitutional tax authority. |
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Tax Reform John F. Kennedy: 1963: Our tax system siphons too much out of private economy. |
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Technology Ken Cuccinelli: Net neutrality directly defies a federal court order. Ken Cuccinelli: Net neutrality violates private property rights. |
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Welfare & Poverty Barack Obama: Community organizing brings about redistributive change. Ken Cuccinelli: "General welfare" doesn't include welfare to individuals. Ken Cuccinelli: Charities help with minimal overhead; government can't. |
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Page last edited: Dec 23, 2018
