Opinion and commentary on news, politics, culture, and policy impact.
President Obama’s opening remarks at the Paris climate agreement were effectively an apology for industrial progress. At the kickoff of the talks, Obama remarked, “I’ve come here personally, as the leader of the world’s largest economy and the second-largest emitter, to say that the United States of America not only recognizes our role in creating…
Our right to vote is one of the core foundations of the American republic. Elections determine the future of towns and cities, states and the nation, and as such, every American must be able to say with confidence that electoral results are reliable and reflect the will of all eligible voters—and only eligible voters. This…
Get ready for it! Holiday deals are about to be in full swing as automakers and car dealerships begin to advertise “unbeatable” end-of-the-year deals and “amazing” savings opportunities. Want to hear a better deal? Removing the car dealerships’ monopoly on vehicle sales could save Americans $1,950 on a new car. If you want to buy…
“Allah chose me … to travel to Europe in order to terrorize the crusaders waging war against the Muslims.” So begins an Islamic State magazine interview published last February with the man police now think planned the butchery in Paris. Abdelhamid Abaaoud went on to mock the European authorities who could not block his travels…
Monday morning, Congress released a proposed reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, currently known as No Child Left Behind. The proposal, known as the Every Student Succeeds Act, would makes some important changes to No Child Left Behind, such as eliminating Adequate Yearly Progress mandates (standardized testing benchmarks), but would not accomplish conservative…
When it comes to the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), a proposed trade agreement between the United States and the European Union, there are many opinions on how to structure the arrangement. One disagreement concerns how to protect investors. With any large trade agreement, disputes between investors and governments are bound to arise. To…
Terrorist attacks in Paris, Beirut and Bamako. Brussels in lockdown, worldwide terror alerts from the State Department and Russian planes being shot down in Turkey. The world is on fire and President Obama’s foreign policy is a mess, so Congress must step up and lead. Now that Congress has returned from its Thanksgiving vacation it…
Want to know how government policies waste Americans’ time and money? We saw a vivid demonstration recently at the Port of Baltimore. Before customers can buy Ford Transit Connect cargo vehicles, workers at the Port of Baltimore first unload Ford Transit Connect passenger vehicles from Europe, strip the extra seats, line the floor with durable…
Economic freedom is a matter of principle, but it’s also a boon to family budgets. Just 12 economic policy reforms would save the average household $4,440 a year. Opening up markets to more competition, treating outsiders and insiders equally, and squeezing out bureaucratic delays could push prices down enough to give American families some budgetary…
The small North African country of Tunisia suffered another major terror attack, the third this year. The attack should remind the world that Tunisia faces an array of deadly threats, including the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Information is still coming in, but a suicide bomber reportedly detonated himself in central Tunis, the…
This time there were no petulant attacks on Republicans or cringe-inducing vows that working on climate change would deliver “a powerful rebuke to the terrorists.” It may have taken opinion polls scraping 40 percent. Or maybe it was withering criticism from even members of his own party. Whatever it was, President Barack Obama finally sought…
Television has come a long way since it was dubbed a “vast wasteland” more than a half-century ago. Once limited to a meager handful of government-approved stations, each with cookie-cutter fare, consumers today can choose from hundreds of diverse channels, each competing for their attention. Now, a wave of change is engulfing the market: Internet-based…
Not since the heady days of the “revolution in military affairs” over a decade ago has reforming the Pentagon been such a central focus of Washington musings. Recently, Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain, R-Ariz., kicked off a series of hearings looking at the roles and missions of the armed forces with an eye toward reducing…
The Washington Examiner recently released a piece claiming that our national debt has skyrocketed by nearly $600 billion in the three weeks since the debt ceiling was suspended. While these staggering numbers are accurate, this borrowing has been happening since March, when the Treasury previously hit the debt limit and borrowed from loophole accounts to…
Many Americans still believe in this nation’s enduring principles. It’s easy, alas, for our gratitude to become perfunctory—more something we say than something we feel. But take it from someone who has traveled to many countries: A look at what some people around the globe endure can make your appreciation genuine. Examples abound, but consider…
As Thanksgiving Day approaches, Americans are preparing to give thanks for what Abraham Lincoln called “the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies.” In keeping up this tradition, Americans are hearkening back to the example set by the pilgrims and the members of the Wampanoag tribe almost 400 years ago. In the fall of 1621,…
In 1990, former West German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt told me in an interview that massive Islamic immigration into Europe kept him awake at night. Between pinches of snuff, Schmidt said he worried Muslims wouldn’t assimilate, and that this would become a big problem for the continent. Schmidt’s ruminations are worth remembering following French President François…
As we celebrate Thanksgiving, take a moment to remember the many Americans who gave their last full measure 72 years ago in the attack on the Tarawa Atoll in the Gilbert Islands. Almost two years after Pearl Harbor, the assault by the 2nd Marine Division on a Japanese-held stronghold started on Nov. 20, 1943, five…
Many politicians have recently voiced concern regarding Chinese activity in the South China Sea. With all the issues to be discussed, some might wonder why so much attention has been paid to a body of water so far away from the U.S. The answer lies in an American interest as old as the Republic itself….
While the nation’s attention focuses on a day of thanksgiving, there are some who embrace each day with gratitude for a second chance at life through the revitalization of fundamental relationships and an opportunity to fulfill their potential. The uplifting and inspiring stories of such men and women have been captured in the “Comeback” series…