A giant in stature and influence, the late Henry Hyde’s defense of freedom, justice, and the sanctity of innocent human life left a powerful legacy on Capitol Hill and around the world.  Catch the Burning Flag: Speeches and Random Observations is a handsome hardcover collection that captures the most important thoughts and deepest reflections by the great conservative, renowned for decades as the House of Representative’s most persuasive orator. A must for your library, Catch the Burning Flag includes Hyde’s most powerful speeches (with his own insightful commentary) on a range of topics, from the Clinton impeachment trials, term limits, and abortion to flag burning, the Iran-Contra affair, and the fate of Democracy.

From the Foreword:

“These speeches reflect a rare combination of eloquence and erudition, and something more. In an age of increasing specialization on Capitol Hill, Henry Hyde was the Renaissance man there. Readers of this book must be impressed by the breadth and variety of his expertise. Considering the liberal assault on Hyde as a Catholic extremist who keeps poor women from abortions and persecuted Bill Clinton, the tone here may come as a surprise to some. These selections are free of Republican partisanship and remarkably non-ideological.

A collected book of speeches is rare in 21st Century American politics because hardly any members of today’s political class have anything to say that is worth putting between hard covers. It is painful even to contemplate reading the pabulum passing for oratory–tired rhetoric distilled from partisan talking points. I cannot think of more than two or three sitting members of Congress who conceivably would publish a collection of their speeches that anyone other than members of their immediate families would want to read.

Hyde delivered two of the rare speeches in the contemporary House that were recalled beyond the moment of their presentation: one in behalf of a constitutional amendment against flag burning, and the other against term limits. In each, he was able to take two unpopular causes derided by the liberal establishment (the news media in particular) and elevate them with the combination of eloquence and scholarship that has marked his Congressional oratory.”–Robert Novak

Henry J. Hyde (1924-2007) served as a Republican Congressman from the Illinois 6th District from 1975 to 2007, following service in the state legislature from 1986 to 1974. Considered to be the most persuasive speaker on Capitol Hill, he was chairman of the House Judiciary and International Relations Committees. The Chicago native graduated from Georgetown University and Loyola University School of Law, served in the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946, and the United States Naval Reserve until 1968.

What They Are Saying:

“Henry Hyde’s luminous career demonstrated that strong convictions, strongly fought for, need not be impediments to bipartisan respect and affection. Readers of this volume will be delighted by the power of a much-loved man’s public life. Their delight will be dampened only by the melancholy realization of how rare such men are.”–George F. Will, Pulitzer Prize-winning syndicated columnist

“For more than three decades, Henry Hyde was one of the most respected Members of Congress. No wonder that this collection of his speeches and essays is wise and inspiring, poignant and funny, candid and insightful–sometimes all at the same time. Hyde recently received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, our nation’s highest civilian honor. This book shows how richly he deserved it.”–Carl Anderson, Supreme Knight, Knights of Columbus

While conservatives are presumed to be critical of Darwin’s theory, many on the right, such as George Will, James Q. Wilson, and Larry Arnhart, have mounted a vigorous defense of Darwinism. As Discovery Institute’s John West explains in his book, Darwin’s Conservatives: The Misguided Quest, their attempts to reconcile conservatism and Darwinian biology misunderstand both.

In this small but incisive book, Dr. West addresses how Darwin’s theory, contrary to its conservative champions, manifestly does not reinforce the teachings of conservatism. According to West, Darwinism promotes moral relativism rather than traditional morality. It fosters utopianism rather than limited government. It is corrosive, rather than supportive, of both free will and religious belief. Finally, and most importantly, Darwinian evolution is in tension with the scientific evidence, and conservatism cannot hope to strengthen itself by relying on Darwinism’s increasingly shaky empirical foundations.  This book issues a challenge to conservatives they cannot afford to ignore. According to According to,  Prof. J. Budziszewski of the University of Texas, Austin, hails the book for “showing clearly that Darwinism is not a source of conservative insight into human nature, but only a source of confusion.”

Dr. John West is a Senior Fellow at the Seattle-based Discovery Institute, where he is Associate Director of Discovery’s Center for Science & Culture and Vice President for Public Policy and Legal Affairs. Dr. West holds a Ph.D in Government from Claremont Graduate University and a B.A. in Communications from the University of Washington.

What They Are Saying:

“Darwin’s Conservatives is concise, precise and convincing. …” — Phillip E. Johnson author of Darwin on Trial

“John West rolls through the arguments for a pro-Darwin conservatism like an Abrams tank leveling a street barricade: methodically and irresistibly. If there are any conservative Darwinists left after this rout, it’s only because they won’t stand and fight.” — George Gilder, author of Wealth & Poverty and Telecosm.

Published in 1998, Global Greens narrates the story of international environmental groups in world affairs. It examines how nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) work with the United Nations and other international organizations to promote environmentalist policies and treaties. To understand many of the current foreign policy controversies it is increasingly important to know how international environmental groups are involved.

Global Greens describes in detail NGO activity at some of the most significant UN environmental conferences through the end of the 20th century, including the global warming conference in Kyoto, Japan. Most of the story is serious, but some of it amuses. Inside the Kyoto conference hall, four men disguised as world leaders play soccer with a large inflatable balloon of the planet, activists blanketed the building with propaganda leaflets, and a group of grim-faced individuals stand solemnly around three ice carvings of penguins begging the little creatures to forgive mankind for permitting the global warming that causes them to melt.

As recent news developments have confirmed, environmental groups have been accomplishing–and continue to accomplish–their objectives gradually and under a cloak of secrecy. Few Americans know that nonprofit organizations, staffed by professionals, primarily Americans, and financed by a mix of private and public funds, exercise real power in the conduct of diplomacy and the creation of international policy. A global environmental movement is using international agencies to undermine national self-government, economic freedom, and personal liberty.  Global Greens exposes the behind-the-scenes efforts of this well-funded and ideologically driven force.

James M. Sheehan is an adjunct scholar at the Competitive Enterprise Institute. He specializes in policies concerning international environmental regulation, trade, finance, and foreign aid. Sheehan speaks and writes about such international institutions as the United Nations, World Bank, NAFTA, and the World Trade Organization. He has presented his views on television programs for CNN, C-SPAN, CNBC, Fox News and America’s Voice. His writings have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Baltimore Sun, San Francisco Examiner, Washington Times, and Journal of Commerce. He has testified before Congress and is a frequent guest on radio programs across the country, including National Public Radio.

Sheehan holds a Master of Business Administration from Duke University and a BA in international politics from the Catholic University of America.

What They Are Saying:

“Mr. Sheehan does a masterful job of exposing yet another way the U.S. Constitution is undermined at taxpayer expense–by non-governmental organizations acting in concert with the United Nations.”–Hon. Ron Paul, U.S. House of Representatives (R-TX)

“James Sheehan presents the classic libertarian arguments against the international environmental movement. In his zealous attack on environmental organizations, Sheehan misses the boat on almost every subject but the World Bank.”–Brent Blackwelder, President, Friends of the Earth

“Sheehan meticulously documents how ideological advocacy groups use international organizations and treaties to shape public opinion and policy in this country. His book is a much-needed wake-up call–Americans must thoughtfully but unhesitatingly oppose the agendas of global governance if we are to preserve our system of self-government.”–Alan L. Keyes, former Ambassador to the UN Economic and Social Council

When Barack Obama with great fanfare signed the 2009 stimulus bill, he quietly gutted America’s most successful domestic policy achievement—the 1996 welfare reform. This revolutionary policy had freed millions of Americans from the shackles of dependency. There was no legitimate reason to undo what had succeeded, and the moral and economic costs will be huge. The facts are clear: welfare reform worked for America. And we urgently need to relearn why.

Government Is the Problem is the story of a broken welfare system that needed to be fixed, of a great leader named Ronald Reagan who said that it could be fixed, of doubters who said that it could not be fixed, and of the man—Robert B. Carleson—who fixed it. Carleson pioneered the true reform that reversed a growing dependence on the welfare state and moved America away from the ruinous path of income redistribution.

Much has been written about welfare reform over the years – a lot of it by people who had no involvement with the process. But in this book the real story of how welfare was fixed is told. Bob Carleson has left a fascinating memoir of the insights and ideas that motivated welfare reform; of the controversies and obstacles that threatened to derail it; and of the principles that must be followed to direct scarce public resources to the truly needy.

With the country in economic crisis, Americans are asking questions about government intervention in the economy, about individual responsibility, and about the future of our children’s freedom. What could be more poignant than a testimonial from the man who proved that government is, indeed, the problem?

Robert B. Carleson (1931–2006) was the principal architect of true welfare reform. In 1968, Carleson joined the administration of Governor Ronald Reagan as Chief Deputy Director of the California State Department of Public Works. He was the main author of Governor Reagan’s successful welfare-reform initiative. Then, as director of the California State Department of Social Welfare in the early 1970s, Carleson implemented the new reform.

For the first time since World War II, California’s welfare rolls began to decline. In 1973, Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare Casper Weinberger tasked Carleson with bringing welfare reform to the other states. For the first time since World War II, welfare rolls declined nationally.

In 1981, Carleson joined Reagan’s White House staff as Special Assistant to the President for Policy Development. In that role he served as a special advisor for federalism policy and was the Executive Secretary of the Cabinet Council on Human Resources. He was the author of the Reagan welfare reforms contained in the 1981 Budget Reconciliation Act and was instrumental in the design of the welfare reform signed into law by President Clinton in 1996.

In 1998, Carleson founded the American Civil Rights Union (ACRU) to promote the civil rights of all Americans. Through its legal and public advocacy, the ACRU defends a constitutional understanding of civil rights.

What They Are Saying:

“Bob Carleson was the guiding light and hand behind the historic 1996 Welfare Reform Act. We were all standing on the shoulders of the ‘quiet giant.’ And, oh, by the way, he had provided the same leadership to Governor Reagan on his historic California Welfare Reform Act in 1971. This book is an invaluable history of an invaluable contribution to American law and human dignity.”—Tony Blankley, author of American Grit: What It Will Take to Survive and Win in the 21st Century

“Without Bob Carleson, Ronald Reagan’s dream of welfare reform never would have become a reality. Bob was a man of unmatched tenacity and devotion to conservative ideals—and should be remembered as one of the most remarkable figures of our age.”—Kenneth Y. Tomlinson, former editor-in-chief, Reader’s Digest

“Welfare, both its destructive tendencies and the ways it can be made to help rather than hold people back, are two of the most challenging issues in politics. Bob Carleson was present—and instrumental—at the creation of welfare reform with Ronald Reagan, when the Gipper was governor. And he pioneered many of the reforms that culminated in the pathbreaking federal welfare reform of 1996—one of the most successful public policy changes in history.”—John Fund, Wall Street Journal

“Bob Carleson was one of this country’s finest public servants—ever. A welfare reform pioneer, he enabled then-governor Ronald Reagan to salvage California from bankruptcy—and help the desperately needy to boot. His ideas, incorporated into the hugely successful 1996 federal welfare law, were also critical in elevating Reagan into the Oval Office. Teddy Kennedy may have been the Lion of the Senate; Bob was a Lion for America.”—Allan H. Ryskind, former editor and owner of Human Events

“Bob is considered by many to be the man who had the most to do with Ronald Reagan’s journey from the governorship of California to the Oval Office. As we worked together in the ‘Reagan Revolution,’ it became clear to me that Bob Carleson was no mere number-cruncher or policy wonk. . . . Carleson cared so much about the poor that he devoted the majority of his adult life to trying to reform the failed programs that were creating generational poverty and cycles of dependency. . . . And in the process he remembered that every dollar that went to help the truly needy came out of the pockets of America’s taxpayers.”—Gary Bauer in The Weekly Standard

Published in 2008, the Capital Research Center’s Guide to Nonprofit Advocacy is a directory of over one hundred of the most prominent nonprofit public interest and political advocacy groups in America, both liberal and conservative. Each entry contains contact information, annual revenues, and bullet points of politically noteworthy activities. While not definitive or exhaustive, the Guide to Nonprofit Advocacy is intended to inform readers about the political background and policy preferences of advocacy groups frequently cited by the news media such as AARP, ACLU, American Enterprise Institute, Americans for Tax Reform, Brookings Institution, Code Pink, Common Cause, and numerous others.

As the author says in his preface, Here, There,  & Everywhere is a “grab bag of a book,” containing almost 100 pieces on a multiplicity of subjects. Paul Johnson calls Jay Nordingler “one of the most versatile and pungent writers in America. And Mark Steyn says that this collection is “a virtuoso display.”

In these pages, Nordlinger visits unusual towns, universities–even music camps. He delves into politics, then profiles a number of personalities: George W. Bush, Condoleezza Rice, Naguib Mahfouz, Al Sharpton, Donald Rumsfeld, Rosie O’Donnell, Rodney Dangerfield…. He sends dispatches from Europe–East and West–and the Middle East. He writes on a favorite sport, golf, and a favorite art: music. We meet Tiger Woods, Ben Hogan, Luciano Pavarotti, Meredith Wilson (the composer of The Music Man), and many others.

The book closes with a selection of personal pieces, involving matters large and small. What we have here is a feast of a book, served in several appetizing courses. Mark Helprin says that reading these pieces is “like opening one present after another.” Rush Limbaugh says that the book is “witty, grabbing, and fun.”

And, out the author, Norman Podhoretz says, “The easy informality of his style never fails to engage and delight, the wide-ranging cultivation it reflects never fails to enlighten, and the energy that propels it never fails to amaze.” Readers are invited to experience this for themselves.

Jay Nordlinger is a senior editor of National Review. He contributes pieces on politics, foreign affairs, the arts, and many other subjects. He is music critic for The New Criterion and the New York Sun, as well as for National Review. For National Review Online, he writes a column called “Impromptus.” He has won awards for his work on human rights, in particular. A native Michigander, he lives in New York.

What They Are Saying:

“Jay Nordlinger is one of America’s most versatile and pungent writers. He is at home in geopolitics and sociology, sports and music and literature, and to all these topics he brings an inquiring mind, deep knowledge, and an engaging style. This collection shows him at his wide-ranging best.”–Paul Johnson

“Like all great reporters and essayists, Nordlinger seizes upon the essential details that give a story life in the present and years after. What is most striking about these essays is not their integrity, fearlessness, wit, superb craftsmanship, and the long view they reveal, but that Nordlinger is a man in full. When he writes, ‘For me, the personal transcends the national, historical, and political,’ you know immediately how is portrait of our age has transcended contemporary affairs to read like history. And though always written in pursuit of the enduring and the true, his pieces are so dense in fact and sparkling anecdote that to read them is like opening one present after another. A good man is hard to find: You have found him.”–Mark Helprin

“No matter the subject–and what subject has he not touched upon?–Jay Nordlinger writes like the great conversationalist he is. The easy informality of his style never fails to engage and delight, the wide-ranging cultivation it reflects never fails to enlighten, and the energy that propels it never fails to amaze.”–Norman Podhoretz

“Unlike most of us political pundits, Jay Nordingler has many other strings to his bow. In fact, most of us don’t even have a bow, but Jay does: You’re as likely to find him at Bayreuth or Salzburg as at a political convention. Or at Augusta National. He has what British politicians term a ‘hinterland’–a vast array of interests beyond politics that most normal people call ‘life.’ He writes brilliantly about music, and profoundly about golf, and very perceptively about those strange little linguistic tics that seem to pop up out of nowhere and catch the spirit of the age. For his fans, this long overdue Nordlinger reader is a virtuoso display of his rare versatility, on subjects from Rummy to Rosie, Cuba to comedy, ethnic cleansing in Iraq to ‘erotic vagrancy’ in Hollywood. He is a Jay of all trades and a master of . . . well, almost all (we have a few musical differences).”–Mark Steyn

“Jay Nordlinger is a Renaissance man, and this book proves it. It’s witty, grabbing, and fun. Nordlinger tackles an array of issues, big and small, with rare humor and insight. He also says nice things about me–which counts for a lot. I couldn’t put it down.”–Rush Limbaugh

Larry P. Arnn, the President of Hillsdale College, traces the history of education from the founding of the U.S. Office of Education (based on the Prussian system) in 1869 to the Higher Education Act of 1965 and its subsequent reauthorizations, to contemporary legislation. He connects these changes to fundamental shifts in our understanding of what education is, of the purpose and ends of government, and of what it means to be human. He offers insight into the idea of liberal education as it developed in Western civilization, marked by the confluence of biblical religion and Socratic philosophy.

Mustard Seeds is the journal of a remarkable spiritual odyssey, the origin and destination points of which are identified in the volume’s subtitle. By the mid-1960s, Brent Bozell had contributed as much any individual to the conservative movement’s capture of the Republican Party. But long before that movement’s apogee in the 1980s, Bozell had moved on, discovering that his Catholic faith demanded more than conservatism could accommodate. The writings gathered here demonstrate Bozell’s extraordinary honesty and courage.

Return to Charity?: Philanthropy and the Welfare State, by Martin Morse Wooster, clearly explains how the Victorian idea of charity for the poor was replaced by twentieth century social concepts of poverty and social welfare, which culminated in the “Great Society” welfare entitlement programs of the 196os. Wooster also identifies modern American conservatives who rediscovered the older idea of charity and who favor “faith-based” social service programs. Court cases permitting government assistance to faith-based groups are discussed.

Martin Morse Wooster, a Senior Fellow at Capital Research Center, received his undergraduate degree in history and philosophy from Beloit College.  He is a contributing editor of Philanthropy and a columnist for the Washington Times. He has been an associate editor of The American Enterprise, Washington editor of Reason, an associate editor of The Wilson Quarterly, and Washington editor of Harper’s Magazine. He is also the author of The Great Philanthropists and the Problem of “Donor Intent,” Return to Charity?, The Foundation Builders, and By Their Bootstraps. He has also contributed articles on the history of philanthropy to The Encyclopedia of Civil Rights, The Encyclopedia of Philanthropy, The Encyclopedia of the Victorian Era, and Notable American Philanthropists.