Opinion and commentary on news, politics, culture, and policy impact.
In his campaign-style speech on Labor Day, President Obama proclaimed that “by almost every measure, the American economy and American workers are better off than when I took office.” In stark contrast, many Americans, particularly likely voters in competitive U.S. House and Senate races, remain frustrated and gloomy about the state of the economy. According…
This week’s referendum on Scottish independence has largely flown under the radar here in the United States. The cable news networks have devoted little attention so far to the issue, as the ISIL threat in the Middle East continues to dominate international coverage. There has been no polling conducted on the Scottish question in the…
Scots go to the polls Thursday to decide whether to continue life within the United Kingdom or as an independent country. That is their choice and they have the right to make it without outside interference. But they also have a right to make an educated decision. So how could Scotland’s decision influence its relations…
Last week, CBS Sports caused an outrage when it refused to air a commercial by a local real estate company. The commercial featured the company owner’s 4-year-old granddaughter reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by a screen shot with the company’s information. That was the entirety of the clip, which Windermere Real Estate created to…
Throughout debate and final passage of Obamacare, the president and liberal allies in Congress assured the American people that the expansive healthcare law would not fund elective abortions. “[U]nder our plan, no federal dollars will be used to fund abortions,”President Obama declared in 2009. Today, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) confirms that’s just another broken…
In a refreshing move, The Washington Post came out against legalizing pot in the District of Columbia in an editorial this weekend. The Post supported the decriminalization of marijuana when it was on the ballot a few years back, but draws the line at outright legalization – which is what’s on the ballot this November…
Today, the U.S. Census Bureau will release its annual report on poverty. This report is noteworthy because this year marks the 50th anniversary of President Lyndon Johnson’s launch of the War on Poverty. Liberals claim that the War on Poverty has failed because we didn’t spend enough money. Their answer is just to spend more….
Many in America, while struggling, also have more assets than you might assume based on media reports. According to research by Robert Rector, a leading authority on poverty and welfare programs at The Heritage Foundation, the official U.S. Census Bureau poverty report (to be released this morning) undercounts welfare income, therefore failing to provide meaningful…
College football is back, to the delight of students and alumni across the country. But between the touchdowns and the tailgating, student debt continues to grow, saddling graduates with loan burdens before they even have a chance to begin their careers. Various proposals, such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s (D-Mass.) bill to allow students to refinance…
The Associated Press (AP) has obtained internal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) documents that show deportations are down 20 percent since last year. Sadly, this news is not surprising as under President Obama deportations have fallen consistently, in 2011 hitting the lowest levels since 1973. According to the ICE documents, from October 2013 to the…
Today Texas Sheriff Gary Painter warned about the possibility that ISIS terrorists could cross the Texas-Mexico border. Painter told Fox News that close to the border people had found “Muslim clothing” and copies of the Qu’ran. “So we know that there are Muslims that have come across and been smuggled in the United States,” he…
Update, 3:09 P.M.: Baby Shane passed away at 6:15 a.m. on Thursday. The Haley family posted this message on their Facebook page: "Today at 6:15 a.m., after meeting his entire family and being baptized into the Catholic faith, baby Shane died peacefully in his mother's arms. We are so grateful for the time that we were blessed…
Here we go again. The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) has announced a new low-income housing proposal. The FHFA is in charge of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, two government-sponsored mortgage enterprises that played central roles in the housing market crash in 2006. Apparently, the old policies didn’t do enough damage. Friday’s Wall Street Journal…
Evidence has been accumulating for some time the Justice Department’s criminal investigation into the IRS scandal isn’t a real investigation. But the latest indication it may be a sham came to light through an embarrassing but highly revealing error made by a senior communications aide to Attorney General Eric Holder. It occurred when that aide…
The House is likely to vote soon on the Revitalize American Manufacturing and Innovation Act, which creates programs and a plan intended to increase manufacturing competitiveness. While Congress’s objective may be laudable, the legislation is counterproductive and creates more government dependence than innovation and competition. Congress should recognize that the true spark to manufacturing innovation…
In President Barack Obama’s second term, the Senate has confirmed more than twice the number of judicial nominees than were confirmed in President George W. Bush’s second term. This is due mostly to the fact that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., succeeded in eliminating the filibuster for judicial nominees (excluding the Supreme Court, at…
In the annals of cynical political maneuvers, President Obama’s decision to postpone executive action on immigration until after the election must win some sort of prize. It’s not just the rawness of the political calculation but also the chutzpah of insisting that the decision came because acting now would have doomed long-lasting reform. Nobody believes…
The primary focus of the federal school meal programs should be meeting students’ needs. But for that to happen, there must be recognition that parents — not the first lady or Congress — know what’s best for their children. Unfortunately, the school meal standards that started to go into effect two years ago under the…
Japan is flush with national pride this week, thanks to Kei Nishikori, the tennis phenom who knocked off seemingly indestructible Novak Djokovic to reach the U.S. Open finals and become the first Japanese to reach a grand slam final ever. If only Japan's economy could perform half as well. For also this week, Tokyo announced…
The grisly propaganda videos released by Islamist terrorists of the executions of innocent American hostages are coldly calculated to intimidate the terrorist group’s enemies, inspire its followers and incite further attacks against the United States and our allies. The Islamic State (formerly known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria or ISIS) considers the…