Opinion and commentary on news, politics, culture, and policy impact.
Occupational licensing, the system wherein workers need a government permission slip to work in certain regulated professions, has drawn attention and scrutiny from supporters of economic freedom. Burdensome licensing regulations—such as the thousands of training hours most states require to become a barber or cosmetologist—have been found in previous research to raise consumer costs, limit opportunities for aspiring…
On Jan. 19, a Virginia lawmaker introduced a bill in the state’s Legislature specifically aimed at “combating the rise in white supremacist violence.” H.B 1601, prepared by Democratic Del. Marcia Price—with guidance from Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring—would create a criminal offense for “domestic terrorism” and require the superintendent of the Virginia State Police to…
After eight years of President Barack Obama, you’d think that firearms owners—and the entire firearms industry—would be dancing with joy at the presidency of Donald Trump. Certainly, it was great to hear the president speak up for the Second Amendment in his State of the Union address. But as I learned at this year’s SHOT—Shooting,…
At the heart of democracy lies not just the right to vote, but the right to vote in a free and fair election. After all, what incentive do voters have to cast ballots if they have no faith in the integrity of the process or the accuracy of the outcome? That is why, last year,…
Everywhere I go, I carry a Spartans water bottle. I used to hope that someone on the street would yell to me, “Go, Green!” It would be a friendly Spartans cheer reminding me of my home campus, Michigan State University. But now news reports refer to my school every day, emphasizing the horrific sexual assaults…
This weekend, America will once again sit down to watch the “world championship of American football” (our overseas friends indulge us). The Super Bowl always is, and again will be, a huge event. In fact, it is routinely designated a national security special event. Other examples of national security special events are the president’s State…
We live in a Golden Age of economic progress. People living today enjoy long lives, good health, and high standards of living unimagined just a few generations ago. Billions of people around the world have escaped poverty. Things we take for granted—antibiotics, the iPhone, air travel—would have seemed like magic to our great-grandparents. These blessings…
Among the many sensible proposals President Donald Trump called for during his first State of the Union address, one certainly deserves more attention than it has received. Tuesday, before a joint session of Congress, Trump said: All Americans deserve accountability and respect—and that is what we are giving them. So tonight, I call on the…
Another day, another historic statue comes down. This time in California, to no one’s surprise. On Tuesday, the San Jose City Council voted to remove a Christopher Columbus statue from City Hall. The California city joins a long list of other municipalities that have considered removing Columbus statues or have abolished Columbus Day in favor…
This week, Democratic senators high-fived each other for spiking a bill that would protect babies 20 weeks and older in the womb. Hillary Clinton issued a statement filled with excuses as to why she kept a staffer on her 2008 campaign after a woman complained he had sexually harassed her. Discredited author Michael Wolff is…
The Heritage Foundation’s John-Michael Seibler joins us to discuss President Donald Trump’s reference to criminal justice reform in the State of the Union speech—and tell us how Texas slashed the number of prisoners, while lowering crime. Plus: MSNBC turns on “Fire and Fury” author Michael Wolff, and a statue of Columbus is kicked out of…
In one of the most moving parts of the president’s State of the Union address, President Donald Trump honored Ryan Holet—a police officer who decided to adopt the baby of a heroin addict. Holet encountered the baby’s parents while on duty and asked the mother, “Why do you have to be shooting that? You’re going…
Earmarks could be making a comeback. Before a Republican-led Congress banned earmarks back in 2011, lawmakers used earmarks to send funds directly to specific projects and recipients in their districts. This was more widely known as “pork-barrel spending.” While in theory there is nothing wrong with Congress being actively involved in specific funding decisions, lawmakers…
In his first State of the Union address, President Donald Trump focused on themes of economic success, job creation, and praise for military and law enforcement professionals who strive to keep our communities safe and prosperous. He also alluded to criminal justice reforms that can contribute to those same goals of increasing safety and prosperity….
One of the highlights of President Donald Trump’s first State of the Union address was a North Korean defector brutalized by the regime who raised his crutches in defiance. Describing him as a “witness to the ominous nature of this regime,” the president explained that Ji Seong-ho’s “great sacrifice is an inspiration to us all.”…