Inside the Beltway: Ben Carson’s has a call to arms: Read the Constitution then defend it

NEWS AND OPINION:

“Many ungrateful people like to denigrate our nation. They act as if America were the source of evil in the world and a nation to be escaped, but the large number of people risking life and limb to enter this nation illegally tells a different story,” writes Ben Carson in his new book, “A More Perfect Union: What We the People Can Do to Reclaim Our Constitutional Liberties.” The Republican presidential hopeful begins a significant book tour Friday with a sold-out event at the National Press Club; he will visit 38 cities through the first week of November.

His ninth book has a distinctive message:

“I wrote it to help people understand the common sense that the Founders put into the Constitution, and to realize how their common sense has been distorted over time. I believe that in our age of political correctness, it’s especially important to defend the Bill of Rights, which guarantees our freedom to speak, bear arms, practice our religion and much more,” Mr. Carson says.

His advice to concerned Americans? Read the Constitution. Then defend it.

“Unlike many of the lengthy and complex bills that are passed by Congress today, our Constitution, not counting the 27 amendments, is less than 17 pages long. Not only is it small enough to fit in a pocket and short enough to be read in one sitting, but the Constitution is also relatively simple and easy to understand. From the beginning it was designed to be read by the common people — because the founders knew that the Constitution was for everyone, not just the elite,” Mr. Carson says.

Interesting to note is that there is a certain population of insiders in the nation’s capital who carry a neat little copy of the Constitution on their person at all times. They will haul it out at cocktail parties to make a point. Meanwhile, the author cautions against revisionists and politicians who would distort the Constitution in the name of agenda, and urges readers to, literally, learn to defend the document. The book is published by Sentinel; Mr. Carson co-wrote it with his wife, Candy. Find information here: BenCarsonBook.com.

ENGLISH, WHAT ENGLISH?

A record 63.2 million U.S. residents who were either native-born in the U.S. or immigrated legally or illegally now speak a language other than English at home. That is triple the number since 1980, and they make up 21 percent of all residents in America, according to new Census Bureau figures complied by Karen Zeigler and Steven A. Camarota of the Center for Immigration Studies.

They found that the largest percentage increases in the last four years were among Arabic speakers, up by 29 percent, followed by Urdu (spoken in Pakistan), up by 23 percent. The largest numerical increases in that time period were among Spanish speakers (up 2.3 million), Chinese (up 331,000) and Arabic (up 252,000).

“These numbers are a stark reminder that immigration is not just an economic issue. A common language is part of the glue that holds our country together,” says Mr. Camarota.

Of the aforementioned 63 million foreign-language speakers, 44 percent (27.7 million) were actually born in the U.S. Another 25.6 million (41 percent) told the Census Bureau that they speak English less than “very well.”

SANDERS LEADS AMONG ’AGGRESSIVE PROGRESSIVES’

The Republican Party is not alone when it comes to fractionated factions. Yes, it’s establishment versus conservatives versus libertarians, among other things. But in the Democratic world, the “aggressive progressives” are having their say — and they want Sen. Bernard Sanders in the White House.

An online poll now finds the Vermont independent with 50 percent of the vote, followed by Hillary Rodham Clinton with 20 percent and Joseph R. Biden with 6 percent. The results are based on over 151,000 votes at a survey launched by Democrats.com — which bills itself as “aggressive progressives.”

And from co-founder Bob Fertik: “This is not a scientific poll; it is a straw poll of 3 million Democrats.com subscribers.”

Mr. Sanders’ campaign, meanwhile, reports that his followers have organized 2,700 debate watch parties around the nation, and are prepared to cheer when the Democratic contenders meet Tuesday for the first official bout on CNN.

WHERE THE LIBERTY FOLK WILL BE

The Republican Leadership Summit reports that its upcoming national convention is sold out.

The four-day event gets underway Thursday in Nashua, New Hampshire, showcasing the likes of presidential hopefuls Sens. Ted Cruz and Rand Paul, Jim Gilmore and Mark Everson; American for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist; entrepreneur Wayne Allyn Root; economist Mark Skousen; former Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele; and Matt Nye, chairman of the caucus itself. Interesting core group, augmented by 75 speakers who will address such things as “tribal leadership” and “liberty versus the media.”

The goal? “Returning the Republican Party to its core values of limited government, free enterprise and individual liberty,” Mr. Nye says.

MCCAUL’S REALITY CHECK

The ever-meticulous House Committee on Homeland Security chairman Rep. Michael T. McCaul continues to track terrorist activities here and abroad, and offers this overview in his monthly “Terror Threat Snapshot” released Tuesday:

“Islamist extremist groups are consolidating their control over crucial terrain and seizing the initiative to expand their global footprint. Destabilizing aggressors, from the Putin regime in Russia to the world’s leading state sponsor of terror in Iran, are filling the void of American withdrawal to disastrous effect,” the Texas Republican says. “This global surge in radicalism and instability has directly contributed to the elevated threat level here at home.”

Among his findings: Concerted efforts to stem the flow of Americans and others traveling to join jihadis overseas have largely failed. Mr. McCaul says airstrikes on the Islamic State conducted by the United States and its allies are also lacking. He notes that, as of this week, Islamic State has inspired or directed 61 terror attack plots against Western targets, including 17 in the U.S.

“The homegrown Islamist extremist threat in the United States has escalated dramatically this year. There have been more U.S.-based jihadist terror cases in 2015 than in any full year since 9/11,” he adds.

OH, IT’S OLBERMANN’S RETURN

The former face of MSNBC could return to that network to jump-start saggy ratings. Former prime-time gadfly Keith Olbermann walked away from MSNBC four years ago. Now a three-month-old rumor that he would return to his old 8 p.m. slot is percolating in earnest. There is an impending meeting, says Mediaite analyst Joe Concha, between Mr. Olbermann and NBC News President Andy Lack.

“A huge campaign season with plenty of comedy to play with is already underway. There probably isn’t a moment on this roller coaster ride that Olbermann wishes he isn’t attacking with a snarky remark from his old ’Countdown’ chair again,” Mr. Concha notes.

POLL DU JOUR

• 28 percent of Americans have $0 — zero dollars — in their personal savings account.

• 21 percent do not have a personal savings account.

• 14 percent have $10,000 or more in their savings account.

• 13 percent have less than $1,000 in the account; 10 percent have $1,000 to $4,999.

• 9 percent maintain the minimum balance requirement to keep the account.

• 5 percent have $5,000 to $9,999 in their account.

Source: A Google Consumer/GOBankingRates survey of 5,006 U.S. adults conducted Sept. 11-13 and released Tuesday.

• Deep thoughts and useless prattle to jharper@washingtontimes.com