For the past several weeks, JBS President John F. McManus has been answering questions for The Hill, the newspaper published for Capitol Hill for and about the U.S. Congress. Periodically, we will reprint the questions along with Mr. McManus’ responses.

The Hill: Dede Scozzafava drops out of the special election in New York's 23rd district and endorses the Democratic candidate. What does it all mean? Are there national implications for this weekend's events in New York?

JFM: Scozzafava's endorsement of the Democrat demonstrates quite dramatically that there is very little difference between establishment Democrats and establishment Republicans. Further, her abandoning the race because of the obvious voter preference for Conservative Party candidate Hoffman indicates that voters are turning once again toward traditional values. Should Hoffman win, his victory will send a large shock wave throughout the nation (her dropping out sent a small shock wave) and signal the shift of momentum away from big government toward the strictures in the U.S. Constitution.

The Hill: What do Democrats stand to gain or lose politically if they go it alone on healthcare?

JFM: As the American people become increasingly more distrustful of government (a very good development!), the Democrats who are pushing hard to establish a more complete federal takeover of the health industry face large-scale repudiation in the 2010 and future elections. There is certainly a possibility of a repeat in 2010 of the 1994 victories by GOP candidates, even though that victory was deceitfully squandered by then-Speaker Gingrich and his essentially meaningless "Contract with America." The rising tide of displeasure over the many federal power grabs will affect the large body of independent, swing voters much more than Democratic and GOP bases.   

The Hill: Could abortion be a deal-breaker on healthcare reform?

JFM: If abortion isn't a "deal-breaker" regarding the Obama/Reid/Pelosi healthcare program, it certainly should be. The philosophical base of our nation is contained in the Declaration of Independence where the purpose of breaking away from Mother England stated that "Men are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights" which prominently included the right to "life." No abortion proponent wants to discuss the medical and scientific fact that life begins at conception. The current plan to takeover the medical industry will have abortion given federal aid and encouragement. Nothing could be more un-American.  

The Hill: The Dow topped 10,000 for the first time in a year yesterday. Are there any political points to be scored by Obama's team? By anyone?

JFM: The Dow Average is like the Consumer Price Index. When the CPI rises too dramatically, the items measured for it are changed to reflect a smaller increase. When some of the companies included in the Dow average go belly up or nearly so, they get dropped and others are inserted. The name of the game is manipulation of figures. We can be sure that some in the Obama administration will delight in the Dow again reaching 10,000, but foreclosures are up, unemployment remains very high, the dollar's value continues to sink, and the average American knows the nation is still in deep trouble. Anyone who points to the higher Dow Average as some sort of indication that the nation is pulling out of the recession — President Obama included — is either daft or dishonest.   

The Hill: Some on the left are growing increasingly frustrated with President Barack Obama. How will this affect the 2010 elections and do you think Obama will need to move left next year to help turnout at the polls?

JFM: The mood in the country is one of fright and disgust and it is growing. It will have a definite impact on the 2010 elections. There will likely be a duplication of the 1994 GOP surge into Congress. One can dearly hope that it will not be taken off track by something like the generally meaningless "Contract with America" concocted by Gingrich. As for Obama moving leftward to appeal to voters, it's hard to imagine he could move any farther leftward without falling off the planet. 

The Hill: Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) has said policymakers need to offset the costs of any new troops in Afghanistan, adding that raising taxes should be seriously considered. Do you agree?

JFM: John Murtha is the congressman who vociferously called for withdrawal of forces from Iraq a few years ago. He earned rebukes from many of his colleagues and seems now to have adopted the Establishment position. His suggestion that taxes ought to be raised to fund adding more U.S. forces to wage the war in Afghanistan is quite a change. What ought to be done, instead, is bring the troops home. Maybe Pennsylvania's voters will decide to send earmark-king Murtha home.
 

John F. McManus, longtime journalist, columnist and publisher of The New American magazine, is President of The John Birch Society.

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RP said:

	... Looks like "The Hill" was throwing some loaded questions. John F. McManus expertly defused them and gave answers I'm sure neither side of the political coin wanted to hear. Good job, John!
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November 02, 2009
Votes: +4

Still Free said:

	John R. McManus always gives the "Right Answers ... because he speaks the Truth -- something that Americans are so starved to hear. Yes, RP, the "political coin" is loathe for the Truth to be exposed in the light of day. God Bless you, Mr. McManus, and thank you for being there for us with all the correct responses.
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November 02, 2009
Votes: +3

DDW said:

	The Truth, yes And here at the JBS seems to be about the only place it can be found.
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November 03, 2009
Votes: +3

Thomas Paine said:

	Go JBS That's all I can say! Go Go Go.
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November 03, 2009
Votes: +3

Carl T. said:

Full Circle I am back to square one. This was where the Democrat party and Republican party were when I became a conservative 45 or more years ago. There was not a dimes worth of difference between the two parties, as George Wallace would say. Well, maybe 15 cents difference today. What i'm getting at is this: If the republicans retake Congress and the White House will they pick up where they left off and try to merge the Western hemisphere?

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November 03, 2009
Votes: +3

Pat Henry said:

	State jurisdiction is another barrier to Federal encorachments http://libertydefenseleague.co...g-freedom/ has some sensible strategy, with sound legal argument hints.
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November 03, 2009
Votes: +3

Lee Gonzales said:

If you run into Jack at they airport don't say... "Hi, Jack." But if you run into Jack's answer to the "Big question" on The Hill, tweet them along. It's interesting that the president of The John Birch Society and the president and founder of the Americans For Tax Reform, Grover Norquist, are responding to the same "Big question." Jack, of course is a Bircher who throughout his years, as a member, chapter leader, coordinator, Public Relations Director, member of the JBS Council, publisher of The New American, and JBS president has worked very hard to explain to the American people the real nature of the Council On Foreign Relations. Grover Norquist, who heads up the AFTR is a member of the CFR. Go figure?

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November 03, 2009
Votes: +1