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England can teach us about socialism in action

If you want to see modern-day socialism in action, look no further than to the other side of the pond at not-so-jolly old England. The story of Britain's decline is a warning signal to those here in the States who are thrilled by the warm embrace of socialism. Right now, the Brits are having the same debate about the merits of socialism as we are in our major cities and blue states. In England, the foppish Prime Minister Keir Starmer of the Labour Party is out. But instead of turning to the right, it appears the UK will swerve further to the collective ownership of the left. ...

TPS provides loophole for immigrants

The last two decades have been a continuous adventure in redefining the phrase "white supremacy" to include less and less pertinent things. The latest is that the Supreme Court has allegedly joined forces with Trump to "advance an authoritarian, white-supremacist agenda" – in the words of Illinois Democratic Rep. Delia Ramirez – by saying he can end so-called Temporary Protected Status for immigrants. A headline in the The Nation read, "The Supreme Court Once Again Endorses Trump's Racism." The court decision is facially correct in that the law says that TPS designations or ...

Some against school choice program

Choice and competition are two of the hallmarks of the American economy. When stores compete, customers win. Turns out this is also true for schools. That's an inviolable law of economics. A corollary is that monopolies tend to put customers last. This is all happening at a time when public monopoly schools are showing flat or negative performance despite more funding than ever before. This is one reason why so many states are turning to the new model of school choice, with public funds going to scholarships and charter schools, and tax incentives for charitable donations to ...

We stand to lose in Hegstad’s war on diversity

Is Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth resegregating the military? I hear that question a lot since the news broke that our nation's current secretary of defense has actively blocked or delayed the promotions of dozens of senior military officers – with women and people of color disproportionately affected. The Pentagon's recent track record on promotions is in keeping with broader efforts by the Trump administration to push back DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) policies in government, academia and the private sector. It also comes at a time when the Trump administration has made ...

When political rhetoric meets strategic reality

One of the dangers of war is that political rhetoric often collides with strategic reality. After military strikes, escalating tensions and a conflict that many believed would fundamentally alter the balance of power in the Middle East, we appear to be arriving at a familiar destination: negotiations, concessions and an Iranian regime that remains standing. That reality deserves a serious conversation. Supporters of the administration will rightly point out that Iran has suffered significant military and strategic setbacks. Key facilities have been targeted. Military assets ...

War and constitutional indifference

Since its inception, the government of the United States has inexorably exceeded its powers under the Constitution. All three branches have been complicit in a consistent pattern of constitutional indifference. Congress has regulated in areas of governance nowhere articulated in the Constitution. Its general regulatory powers were granted to address interstate commerce, but during the FDR years, the Supreme Court ruled that Congress can regulate events that affect interstate commerce. This has resulted in federal regulation of matters too infinitesimal to measure, that are not ...