I was shocked and saddened, as I am
sure all Hugh Slatery's readers were, to hear the news of his passing. My
prayers are with his family and friends, especially his wife and three
children.
It is strange knowing people only through contact online, through
emails and comments and blog posts. When I saw Hugh's picture in
Kevin's post it took my breath away. He looks exactly like I would have
imagined, only much more handsome. I found myself crying off and on
yesterday -- first for Hugh's family and their loss, then over regret
that I didn't know more about Hugh while he was with us and that I
didn't take more time to let him know how much I admired his work.
Looking at that picture, it really saddened me to think that last
night was the first time I ever saw his face. In some ways it was the
first time I really saw his work, too. I had known him first as a
frequent commenter beginning when I blogged at Polipundit and then later
as a blogger here at Wizbang. I had enjoyed his comments which were
not only intelligent, but also witty and supportive, and later his
blogging. Seeing all his blog posts in one collection put everything
into new perspective. As I read back through his archive I had a new
appreciation for the incredible insight he had. I was already a fan,
but I didn't fully realize how much quality work he had produced. I am
not quite up to reading back through his comments since those back and
forth discussions between the "regulars" are much more personal and I am
just not quite ready to go there yet.
I apologize for using so many "I's" here, but knowing Hugh primarily
through his writing I knew less about him and more about what his
writing meant to me. His observations always made me think. Sometimes
they made me smile or laugh out loud. Sometimes the things he pointed
out ticked me off and made me want to pick up a sign and go to a tea
party. He was a kind and brilliant man and he is already missed.
If you did not read Hugh regularly, take a look at his archive of
work. Here are a couple of excerpts from Hugh's posts:
Re
the upcoming midterms:
In the 2006 midterm Democrats picked up control of the
Senate and the House. One of the lesser known facts about that change of
control, from a national viewpoint, is that the change in control of
the Senate came down to a difference of 2,847 votes out of a total of
61.2 million cast nationally. And of the fourteen closest races that
"settled control of the House of Representatives" (according to Karl
Rove) 27,022 votes out of a total of 81 million in all House races made
the difference for Democrats. Fund worries that we are forgetting the
lessons of the 2000 election recount debacle. That take is a little too
kind in my view. I'm concerned that the other side is resolutely
determined to steal it right this time.
Re
Chris Christie on the teachers' unions:
The Tea Party movement has been all over this issue from
its beginning but Governor Christie may be the first big league
politician to actually wrestle the problem to the ground. Think about
that data for a moment. Government employees in New Jersey enjoy health
benefit plans that are 41% more expensive than Fortune 500 private
sector plans. Why do public sector employees that create no wealth
whatsoever enjoy such riches in excess of a private sector that pays all
of the taxes from their own wealth creation? What the Tea Party
movement advanced in general last Spring is being brought home by
Christie in a manner that makes it personal. And therein is the
substance of a winning campaign strategy if only some
conservative/libertarian will show the courage to push a policy on a
national level that surprisingly is being birthed in New Jersey.
Conservatives would be wise to heed Christie's most prescient comment
that "subtlety is not going to win this fight,"
