Opinion and commentary on news, politics, culture, and policy impact.
China recently conducted its third land-based missile-intercept test. These tests, most likely designed to facilitate “hit to kill” technologies critical for China’s missile defense and anti-satellite programs, are part of a well-planned, enormous military buildup in which the Chinese have been engaged for nearly 20 years. Here are some features of that effort: They have created a large…
“I’d bet they’re asleep in New York. I’d bet they’re asleep all over America,” bemoans Rick the saloonkeeper in the classic 1942 film “Casablanca.” As Humphrey Bogart mumbled those words on a Hollywood backlot, the world could not have been in worse shape. The swastika waved over Rick’s beloved Paris. Nazis boots were on the…
Not a day off since Christmas. The president deserved a real vacation — to sit on the newly screened back porch, daydream for an afternoon, then enjoy a quiet supper. All was well … until the phone rang that night. “Mr. President,” said Secretary of State Dean Acheson, “I have very serious news. The North…
Before many of the major provisions of the Affordable Care Act took effect earlier this year, pundits and economists on both sides lined up their predictions of how the new health insurance law would affect wages. While it is still early, a new report from the Economic Policy Institute indicates that wages fell in 2014…
Half a century ago we saw the spark of powerful ideas that changed the face of America. Some became legislation, such as the War on Poverty. Others became potent cultural trends, like the sexual revolution. Less noticed but no less impactful was the onset of a radical change in our nation’s demographic makeup. That millions…
Labor markets in the U.S. have become steadily less dynamic for the last few decades. In a dynamic labor market, there is more hiring, more firing, more promoting, and more quitting. All that churning leads to a stronger economy on average: more employment, higher productivity, and higher wages. In a paper presented at the Kansas…
Is it possible to have a debate on border security and immigration reform that doesn’t descend into an unproductive shouting match? Yes. I’ve been involved in many such debates all across the country, and none of them proved contentious. In each case the discussion started by identifying the points all sides could agree on. Imagine…
President Obama claims to be running “the most transparent administration in history.” Even those who knew he was exaggerating, though, must have been surprised when dozens of his own inspectors general revealed what a laughably hollow claim this is. Earlier this month, 47 of the federal government’s 73 watchdogs filed a formal complaint about the…
While the U.S. government unbelievably – according to President Obama himself – does not have a strategy for dealing with the threat from ISIS (Islamic State in Iraq and Syria), Iraqis themselves have found a way of countering the propaganda war being waged by this latest terrorist insurgency. In the echo chamber that is the…
What does this mean?
Upon graduating from medical school, physicians typically take the Hippocratic Oath. Though the oath doesn’t actually contain the phrase “first do no harm” that is so prevalently linked to it, the underlying premise is there. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe would do well to adopt such a code for his foreign policy. Abe’s needless and…
Reddit user “meancloth” shared this ultrasound photo of his twins yesterday. Apparently, one of these kids is already just a little bit of a show-off.
ISIS knows exactly what President Obama is going to do. That’s the real problem.
Which state has the largest National Rifle Association chapter in the nation? No, it’s not Texas. As a matter of fact, it’s not located anywhere near the Wild West or the south. The answer is New York. In just one year, the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association saw its membership almost double –…
The federal government needs to treat illegal immigrant children with kindness, and they need to send them home immediately.
Use the arrows below to see the flip-flop in Obama’s thinking about the Export-Import Bank since he became President. Warning: if you weren’t suspicious of how politicians get corrupted by big business and power, you will now. Read more on the Export-Import bank here: Infographic: 5 Facts About One Terrible Government Program Ignore the Rhetoric: The…
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) voted to finalize its “continued storage” rule, establishing a general recognition that onsite storage of spent nuclear fuel is safe for the short, long, and indefinite terms. In the short term, the NRC’s decision recognizes that spent fuel at reactors can be safely stored on site until a geologic repository…
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is seeking to protect the dusky gopher frog on the Endangered Species List by designating over 1,500 acres of private property in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana as a “critical habitat” for the embattled amphibian. But here’s the kicker: The frog hasn’t been seen on the land in question…
An education option that better targets resources, empowers parents, and tailors a student’s learning experience specifically to his needs—while also enabling families to save for college? Sounds too good to be true, but it’s the reality for families in Arizona and Florida that have access to pioneering education savings accounts (ESAs). In 2011, Arizona Governor…
California’s at it again. On Labor Day, Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti is expected to announce a three-year series of hikes to the city’s minimum wage that will raise it to $13.25 an hour, according to the Los Angeles Times. A labor activist, Maria Elena Durazo of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, applauded…