Opinion and commentary on news, politics, culture, and policy impact.
Heritage Foundation expert Bruce Klinger wrote this week on North Korea: North Korea announced Wednesday that it has conducted a successful H-bomb nuclear test of a miniaturized warhead. Prior to the announcement, sensors had detected a 5.1-magnitude seismic event at the same approximate location of North Korea's 2013 nuclear test. Nuclear experts are continuing to analyze…
This week, President Barack Obama announced executive actions related to guns. Here are 10 common myths about firearms. Myth No. 1: Firearm purchases at gun shows do not require a background check due to the “gun show loophole.” Facts: When the president and others refer to the “gun show loophole,” they imply that there are…
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recently released data showing that 2015 was the second hottest year on record (since 1895) for the U.S. On cue, the media and politicians used this data to hype impending climate catastrophe, pointing to extreme weather events that NOAA data show are not linked to warming trends. At first…
The attack on the Indian air base at Pathankot, which started on Saturday and lasted four days, was likely perpetrated by a Pakistan-based terrorist group and aimed at derailing Indo-Pakistani dialogue scheduled for next week. To keep those talks on track, Pakistan must act quickly on leads against the attackers that Indian authorities have reportedly provided to…
TransCanada, the company that should have built the Keystone XL pipeline years ago, is filing a claim under Chapter 11 of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and is also suing the federal government in U.S. court because of the Obama administration’s rejection of the project. TransCanada first applied for the permit to build…
The Paris climate change conference, which took place last month, was full of exhibitions highlighting new green technology. One of these, called the SolarSoundSystem, involved people pedaling stationary bicycles in order to run generators. While this may seem fun for a while, it provides an important glimpse into the benefits of the affordable, reliable energy…
The administration of President Barack Obama may well go down in history as one of the greatest failures of anyone who ever occupied the Oval Office. However, history will not claim him as a political novice. In a statement on the official White House website, the president acknowledged that he will do whatever it takes to advance…
The House is expected to begin considering the Sunshine for Regulatory Decrees and Settlements Act (H.R. 712), which would address a legal tactic often referred to as sue and settle. Given that interest groups (and arguably agencies) are able to circumvent the rule-making process through sue and settle, congressional efforts for reform should be not a matter of controversy, but…
The next farm bill won’t be considered until at least 2018. However, Congress can take what should be non-controversial action now that sets up the possibility for real reform in the future: Separate agricultural programs from the food stamp program. Food stamps account for about 80 percent of the farm bill costs, making “food stamp bill” a more accurate title than the “farm bill.” From…
In the wake of the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan, including reports that the Taliban may now control more territory than they have at any time in the last 14 years, the U.S. must maintain current troop levels through 2016, and even consider increasing them. U.S. Commander of Afghanistan General John Campbell made clear last…
Americans are moving to places with affordable costs of living and strong labor markets (or good retirement communities). The top destination states of 2015 could hardly be more different geographically and culturally: Oregon and South Carolina. What they have in common is that both states are relatively affordable places to live. The data on moving…
The conservative movement lost a number of its leaders, heroes, and colleagues last year. Before we get farther into 2016, we’d like to take a moment to note some of the people we will miss. Martin Anderson August 5, 1936 – January 3, 2015 Anderson wrote a paper that helped end the draft in 1973, advised Ronald Reagan…
Army Sgt. 1st Class Jeffrey Martin parked the truck outside the concrete slabs arranged in a defensive perimeter around the tactical operations center at Forward Operating Base Shank, Afghanistan. A layer of fine brown dust hung in the air. Out in the distance, high, snow-capped mountains ringed the combined U.S.-Afghan base. C-130 transport planes and…
North Korea announced Wednesday that it has conducted a successful H-bomb nuclear test of a miniaturized warhead. Prior to the announcement, sensors had detected a 5.1-magnitude seismic event at the same approximate location of North Korea's 2013 nuclear test. Nuclear experts are continuing to analyze the data, but preliminary assessments are that North Korea did…
There is no question that the omnibus appropriations bill that Congress passed just before its holiday recess is full of wasteful spending. Even worse, it completely funds Obama’s unilateral, above-the-law executive actions in almost every area, from his immigration amnesty program to his overregulation of power plants. However, there is one area where Congress acted…
Saudi-Iranian relations have fallen to a new low after Saudi Arabia executed a Shiite cleric on Jan. 2 and Iran’s theocratic dictatorship responded with ominous threats, the sacking of the Saudi Embassy in Tehran, and an attack on the Saudi consulate in Mashhad. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir announced on Sunday that the kingdom would…
The controversial measures President Barack Obama announced will likely face constitutional challenges in the courts, but it’s already clear they won’t be effective. The main executive action Obama announced that raises legal questions is about defining who must register as a licensed gun dealer and who does not have to register. The president has some, but…
Throughout President Barack Obama’s speech today on his new executive orders on guns, conservatives tweeted their responses. Here are some of their top tweets: Obama lists Fort Hood and San Bernardino terror attacks as examples of gun violence. Disgusting #StopGunViolence — Joel Pollak (@joelpollak) January 5, 2016 "Every single year, more than 30,000 Americans have…
Frustrated by his inability to bend Congress to his will, President Barack Obama has once more picked up his trusty pen and phone and issued a series of “executive actions” on gun control. While there may be a budgetary impact, several (but not all) of the president’s proposals are not controversial from a legal standpoint,…
This week, the House of Representatives will clear a bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and send it to President Barack Obama’s desk. Although it faces certain veto, it’s becoming increasingly clear that the president is only buying time for a dying law. Obamacare is in bad shape—both economically and ethically. If it were possible…