Daily news coverage of politics, policy, and issues shaping the nation.
As the 113th Congress draws to a close, Republican Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Mike Lee of Utah are facing harsh criticism from colleagues for supposedly opening the door to confirmation of presidential nominees — a claim Lee’s office said is “a complete fabrication.” Through a series of procedural moves, Lee and Cruz tried…
A federal judge today ruled that President Obama’s executive actions on immigration are unconstitutional—the first time a court has weighed in since the president’s Nov. 20 announcement. “President Obama’s unilateral legislative action violates the separation of powers provided for in the Constitution as well as the Take Care Clause, and therefore, is unconstitutional,” wrote U.S….
Most Americans don’t watch C-SPAN and I cannot blame them. More often than not, it seems as though the Senate is in a quorum call or a lone senator is debating something totally irrelevant to the issues that are important to most Americans. That changed a little bit on Saturday when Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas…
Marijuana use is down among teens, according to a new study by the National Institutes on Drug Abuse and the University of Michigan. The study, titled “Monitoring the Future,” is a yearly survey of drug use among eighth, 10th, and 12th graders. Researchers found that there has been a drop of two percentage points in…
Jeb Bush took to Facebook this morning to announce he will be “actively” exploring a potential 2016 presidential run. Here are nine facts you may not know about this probable GOP candidate. 1) Jeb is not actually his name—it is a combination of his initials: John Ellis Bush. 2) As the second son of George…
It did not take much time before Twitter ignited in debate and conversation over former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush’s pre-announcement announcement about his bid for the White House. I am excited to announce I will actively explore the possibility of running for President of the United States: https://t.co/luY4lCF2cA. — Jeb Bush (@JebBush) December 16, 2014 Here’s…
One Arizona county may be closing its doors on smokers today. Pima County, home of Tucson, is voting on a proposal that bans county offices from hiring smokers and hits current employees who smoke with a 30 percent increase in their health insurance premiums. One critic says it’s a “slippery slope” that could lead to hiring…
A week after Senate Democrats released what the media have dubbed the “torture report,” one of the men who waterboarded 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed is speaking out about his role in the program. “I do not mind giving my life for my country, but I do mind giving my life for a food fight…
Despite annual controversy surrounding religious holiday displays, nearly 3 out of 4 Americans believe Christian symbols should be allowed on government property, according to the Pew Research Center. Pew found that 44 percent of Americans believe Christian symbols such as the nativity scene should be allowed on government property, even if other religions' symbols are not present….
Teachers are not ready to teach. That was the bold message delivered by the National Council on Teacher Quality last week in a scathing national report on educators. Atop a long list of findings, the report says most states haven’t done enough to prepare new teachers for the higher standards their students are expected to…
Jonathan Gruber’s health-care forecasting is failing in Colorado as Vermont’s Gov. Peter Shumlin prepares to use the economist’s math for single-payer health care. As Vermonters anxiously await a Gruber-modeled financing plan for Green Mountain Care, modeling done for Colorado’s health exchange by Jonathan Gruber Associates has proven wildly erroneous. In 2011, following Colorado’s decision to…
For two decades Atlanta restaurant owner Jim Dunn offered a group health plan to his managers and helped pay for it. That ended Dec. 1, after the Affordable Care Act made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. Health-law subsidies for workers to buy their own coverage combined with years of rising costs in the company…
In the midst of the debate over a mammoth government spending bill, Republicans and Democrats found something to agree on: their dislike for Sen. Ted Cruz, who forced a rare weekend session for the Senate. But rather than back down, Cruz opted to call out Washington politicians on Sean Hannity’s radio show Monday. “Too many…
Just two weeks ago, a sole gas station in Oklahoma swept headlines for dropping gas prices below $2 a gallon. Today, 13 states have joined that list, and the trend is expanding. Gas for less than $1.90 a gallon can be found in at least one station in Oklahoma, Louisiana and Ohio, according to CNN….
The Heritage Foundation’s James Carafano spoke to Fox News earlier today about the hostage crisis that played out in Sydney, Australia. Carafano, a Heritage vice president and E.W. Richardson fellow, said that regardless of the Man Haron Monis’ motives, you can expect Islamic State terrorists to capitalize on the situation. Fast forward to 3:40 to…
Barbara Walters’ annual “10 Most Fascinating People” list included the expected mix of celebrity and media types–and one unusual person. David Koch, a political activist on the right and billionaire business leader whose donations have earned him repeated mentions from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, made the list this year. In an interview with Walters…
It began at 9:24 a.m. local time, when an armed man took 17 customers and staff hostage at Lindt Café in Sydney, Australia. After more than 15 hours of failed negotiations, armed police stormed the site, attempting to rescue the hostages. At 2:35 a.m., Sydney police declared the crisis over. Two people, including the gunman,…
A Twitter campaign called #IllRideWithYou spread across Australia today following news that a gunman, reportedly Muslim, had taken hostages in a Sydney cafe. Amid the chaos, Australians banned together in hopes of combating “anti-Muslim sentiments” and started a Twitter campaign using #IllRideWithYou. The hashtag began after an Australian woman named Rachael Jacobs saw a Muslim…
How do ordinary Vermonters defend their constitutional rights against some of the most well-funded special-interest groups in the state? Facebook, of course. Vermonters seeking to preserve the state’s gun rights have taken to the Internet to combat a new threat to personal liberty. Gun Sense Vermont Exposed, a Facebook group launched in August, tracks nearly…
The fetal surgery enterprise came to life like most innovations do: from an idea inspired by a problem. For innovators Drs. Michael Harrison and Scott Adzick, the problem was death—and in their minds, avoidable death that could be prevented by upending science as the world knew it. “The idea arose from the frustration of caring…