Politics Information
Blockchain Could Save Federal Agencies Billions
It's hard to misplace $800 million. Yet the Pentagon recently did. The Defense Logistics Agency, which manages military construction projects, lost track of enough money to fill two tractor trailers with $20 bills, according to an internal audit leaked in February.
Russain Trolls are Pitting Americans Against Energy Industry
According to a March report from the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, Russian trolls are trying to disrupt U.S. energy markets.
On the Road to Idiocracy
Forget about the threat of socialism or even communism; the real threat comes from those who want to foist Idiocracy down our throats. Merriam-Webster defines Idiocracy as "a form of government in which a country or territory is run by fools." And, the madness of anti-government protests that have swept the country since the election of President Donald Trump indicate that the fools are hell bent on taking over.
Thailand's Watery Cave - Something We Can Learn
The world celebrated the rescue of 12 Thai soccer boys from a flooded cave in Mae Sai, Thailand. We grieved over the loss of one brave man, Saman Kunam who sacrificed his life to deliver supplies to the trapped boys. Many of us watched the media reports fearfully, prayed and hoped for a miracle.
EPA is Right to Applaud Oil and Natural Gas Companies
The Environmental Protection Agency recently released a much-anticipated report on greenhouse gas emissions. It contains some great news. Between 2015 and 2016 -- the last year measured -- U.S. emissions dropped 1.9 percent.
The Free Market Is Curing Blindness
The FDA recently approved a revolutionary drug that could restore sight to 2,000 nearly-blind Americans.
Don't Just Do Infrastructure. America Needs Comprehensive Economic Development.
President Trump recently proposed a $1.5 trillion infrastructure program. It's generally a good idea. But infrastructure alone will not produce long-term inclusive growth. To achieve that, America instead needs a comprehensive economic development strategy.
Don't Nuke Consumers' Wallets By Bailing Out Uncompetitive Power Plants
In mid-April, New Jersey lawmakers passed a bill that could raise residents' electric bills by $300 million each year. Legislators want to use the funds to bail out two nuclear power plants owned by Public Services Enterprise Group, the state's largest utility company.
Reducing Global Energy Turmoil with Fracking
When President Trump pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal, analysts warned that Iran's crude oil production and exports could decline, forcing crude oil prices up. Call it "turm-oil" in the energy markets.
The Free Market Is Curing Blindness
The FDA recently approved a revolutionary drug that could restore sight to 2,000 nearly-blind Americans.
Colorado's "Half-Baked" Decision Nixed by the Supreme Court
At the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday, Justice Anthony Kennedy delivered a long-awaited opinion concerning Jack Phillips, the Christian baker who owns Masterpiece Cakeshop located in Lakewood, Colorado, west of Denver. Kennedy and the court ruled in favor of Phillips, 7-2.
The Revised NAFTA Must Protect New Drugs
President Trump hopes to finalize changes to the North American Free Trade Agreement by early May. For months, he has urged his trade negotiators to rework the pact in a way that reduces America's trade deficit.
Trump's Drug Pricing Speech Mostly Hit the Right Notes
President Trump recently delivered a major speech from the White House Rose Garden on prescription drug prices. He announced several policies aimed at reducing the overall cost of pharmaceuticals and limiting patients' out-of-pocket expenses.
NAFTA Supplies America with Energy and Power
The Trump Administration unveiled an agenda for "energy dominance" shortly after taking office, promising to curb the global influence of countries like Russia and China with American energy exports.
American Seniors Deserve Better than Canadian Health Care
Seven in ten Democrats want to establish a Canada-style single-payer system. Progressive lawmakers are even more gung-ho.
"Speech Police" Roam America's College Campuses
A German woman who survived the holocaust says it's reminiscent of the Nazis
Russian Trolls are Pitting Americans Against Energy Industry
According to a March report from the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, Russian trolls are trying to disrupt U.S. energy markets.
President Trump Could Accidentally Help Protect the Environment
No one would mistake President Trump for an environmentalist. Yet his immigration policies could inadvertently safeguard the environment.
A New Low in the Media's War on Fracking
Rolling Stone just dropped a bombshell -- or so it claims in its article, "'The Harms of Fracking': New Report Details Increased Risks of Asthma, Birth Defects and Cancer."
Sec. Zinke's Offshore Plan Is On Point
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke wants to vastly expand offshore oil and gas production -- and politicians from coastal states are livid.
Russian Trolls are Pitting Americans Against Energy Industry
According to a March report from the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, Russian trolls are trying to disrupt U.S. energy markets.
The Grove City Bill: A President vs. Congress
We wrote earlier about the Grove City College Supreme Court case (Grove City College v. Bell) in which the high court ruled that any "financial assistance" used by students and their families to pay for their education at Grove City College made the college a "recipient." What did this mean and what were the implications?
Are Americans Crazy?
Has America simply gone crazy? We never want to think that we are a bit crazy or that people we love are experiencing craziness but it is reality. America has an overwhelming problem with craziness or I should say mental health issues.
It's Time for the FDA To Embrace Digital Technology
The FDA's drug regulators want to know everything. They require pharmaceutical companies to conduct years of testing to prove that experimental medicines are safe and effective.
Marx's Apologists Should Be Red in the Face
May 5 marked the bicentennial of Karl Marx, who set the stage with his philosophy for the greatest ideological massacres in history. Or did he?
Secretary Perry's Coal Bailout Is a Raw Deal for Taxpayers
An independent government agency saved Americans from a massive de facto tax hike.
To Cut Drug Prices, Start with the Facts
Americans are paying too much for prescription medicines. State lawmakers are fed up with Washington's apathy towards high pharmacy bills. So they're taking matters into their own hands and pushing forward with several bills.
The Passing of Two Great Americans
Last Saturday was a poignant day for me. Not only was much-loved First Lady Barbara Bush laid to rest, but I received word of the passing of a dear friend, Gerald Hath (always Gerry to me). The parallels between the Haths and the Bushes were striking.
If You Quit
This column is about something I've thought about doing before and that's just saying the heck with it. Some of you might say it a bit differently.
A New NAFTA Must Halt Intellectual Property Theft
As American negotiators push to conclude NAFTA renegotiations, they should prepare to demand stronger protection of intellectual property rights. Robust IP protections would prevent Canada, Mexico, and other trading partners from freeloading off American ingenuity -- particularly our medicines.
Gas and Oil Re-Invest Tax Windfall
President Trump's recent tax overhaul has American CEOs feeling generous. Walmart and American Airlines are among the big companies giving employees bonuses of up to $1,000 each; Lockheed Martin is putting an additional $5 million toward employee pensions, and Cigna is upping its hourly minimum wage to $16.
Time to Rethink the Renewable Fuel Standard
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt thinks U.S. refiners are forced to blend too much ethanol into their gasoline.
If You Like Waiting Four Hours for an Ambulance, Then You'll Love Single-Payer
"Hello, 9-1-1? I think I'm having a heart attack." "We'll send an ambulance right away. It'll be there in, uh, four hours."
Bipartisan Sense on Patent Office Bias
The Patent and Trademark Office, the federal agency charged with securing certain intellectual property, has become an enemy of America's inventors.
John Skipper, Blackmail in America - Who needs that?
here is no such thing as buying someone's silence. Silence really doesn't exist. If people want to tell the world it's easy to do. Tell one other person in the world and if the information is grimy enough it will be retold a thousand or a million times. Bad news travels fast. Sordid news for some reason always rises to the top. Regardless of how hard you try to cover it, you can't.
AMAC calls for Repeal of the Medicare Anti-Kickback Safe Harbor Statute
The Association of Mature American Citizens [AMAC] has issued a call for its members and other concerned seniors to press their lawmakers, on both sides of the aisle, to repeal the Medicare Anti-Kickback Safe Harbor Statute.
FERC Just Saved Thousands of American Lives
This past January, the independent Federal Energy Regulatory Commission shot down a sweeping proposal from Energy Secretary Rick Perry. By rejecting the proposal, which would have led to dangerous levels of air pollution, FERC helped secure the health of thousands of Americans.
What Switzerland Has to Do With Your Paycheck
President Trump recently traveled to the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland to deliver a message: America is once again open for business.
President Trump Plans To Make Drugs Affordable Again
During his State of the Union address, President Trump pledged to drive down drug prices.
Protect American Ideas Through Trade
We take for granted that the "ordinary" things we use every day are in fact extraordinary inventions and breakthroughs that took years of investment, work, and commitment to bring to life.
