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Americans' thoughts on higher ed changes

National Columnists

A recent I&I/TIPP poll found that just 24% of Americans believe college degrees are worth the cost. Even among the college-educated, nearly half, 49%, said it wasn't worth the expense. Another 14% were unsure. This isn't an outlier. Over the last year, polls from Gallup, Pew and NBC News showed a significant majority of Americans have soured on higher education. It wasn't always like this. In 2010, 75% of Americans said a college education was very important, according to a Gallup poll. In 2025, the number had plummeted to 35%. For decades, popular culture has pushed ...

Fire victims struggle with inferno of regulations

National Columnists

Last year, California wildfires destroyed 13,000 homes. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced: "We are 100% committed to getting this neighborhood rebuilt again!" Gov. Gavin Newsom echoed that, saying his officials were "responding to it at scale, with efficiency ... addressing building codes, permitting issues, and moving forward to rebuilding." Great! It sounded like bureaucrats would get out of the way and let fire victims rebuild quickly. But no. Not when government bureaucrats are in control. More than a year later, fewer than 30 of the 13,000 destroyed homes ...

War creates illusion of control

National Columnists

In times of war, leaders often project the outcome they hope to achieve. Confidence can rally a nation, strengthen morale, and signal resolve to adversaries. Yet history reminds us that war rarely unfolds according to the plans or predictions of any single leader. The gap between projected outcomes and the complex, often obscured reality on the ground remains one of the defining features of modern conflict. Today, that gap is widening under what military strategists have long called the "fog of war." Recent statements from President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ...

Meat isn’t climate threat

National Columnists

Do you eat steak? You're killing the planet! So say climate activists. Silly media agree: Vox warns that beef is the "worst thing we eat when it comes to global warming.” The World Economic Forum, which says it's "committed to improving the state of the world," released a video promoting a future where "you'll own nothing and you'll be happy. You'll eat much less meat." How does meat threaten the climate? Cows give off methane – a greenhouse gas. "Cow flatulence," says Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) on MSNBC, "it actually is an issue." As usual, she gets it wrong. ...

We can't protect what we don’t understand

National Columnists

There's a special story unfolding at Bernheim Forest and Arboretum in Kentucky, where eastern golden eagles have made their winter home. Scientists have been tracking golden eagles since the 1970s, but the first known pair to be tracked simultaneously in eastern North America was at Bernheim. It all began with Harper, a male golden eagle that was successfully captured and equipped with a transmitter in 2015. Four winters later, Harper's mate was also fitted with a solar-powered GPS tracking device. They named her Athena. As part of the Eastern Golden Eagle Working Group, Bernheim ...

Aviation security issue must be fixed — now

National Columnists

When a Transportation Security Administration official warns that airports could "quite literally shut down," we are no longer talking about inconvenience, delays or political theater. We are talking about vulnerability in one of the most sensitive and critical systems in our country. Aviation security is not just another government function. It is a frontline defense. And when that defense shows signs of strain, every American should pay attention. Let's speak plainly. When security systems are stretched thin, when agents are overwhelmed, when focus is fractured, the margin ...