President Barack Obama’s speech in Egypt on Thursday received mixed reviews both among the crowd at Cairo University and across the Middle East. Indeed, there were some praiseworthy passages in the address including his call for greater religious tolerance, his emphasis on women’s rights, and his recitation of America’s founding principles. But the speech was also highly problematic in many ways that will end up backfiring on the President and the United States: Iraq – Obama attacked the decision to go to war in Iraq as “a war of choice” without …
U.S. Senator James Inhofe (R-OK) has been among the most effective opposition voices against cap-and-trade global warming legislation in recent years, and his rebuttal to Al Gore’s global warming assertions are spot on. Yet, the Senator from Oklahoma is an advocate for a clean environment. It just so happens that he recognizes that nuclear energy is the best way to provide American’s with affordable, emissions-free electricity. And that was the subject of a speech that the Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee delivered on the floor …
While Republicans applaud President Obama for bucking the far left of his party on Iraq and Afghanistan policy, we believe that his defense budgets threaten to leave us vulnerable in an increasingly dangerous world. If anything is certain in these most uncertain times, it is that threats to the homeland will persist. Consider the recent provocations by North Korea and Iran. Last week the North tested a nuclear weapon and fired off a salvo of missiles. It is also reportedly preparing to test a longer-range missile in the near future. …
Today’s committee hearing on charter schools illuminated the powerful impact charters are having on student achievement, and their particular ability to close achievement gaps in states throughout the country. Despite the existence of over 4,600 charter schools in 40 states – with an estimated enrollment of 1.4 million students – the news on the charter school front is not all positive. Rep. Buck McKeon (R-CA) reported that there are overwhelming barriers to the expansion of charter schools due to hostile state legislatures and arbitrary caps, and that 26 states now …
Dr. Nile Gardiner is the Director of the Heritage Foundation’s Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom. Today he commented on President Obama’s speech in Cairo, Egypt for the Daily Telegraph. Below is his commentary in its entirety: It’s never easy delivering a landmark speech before a foreign audience, and a potentially hostile one at that. Barack Obama gave a 56-minute address before a Muslim audience in Cairo that was well received and drew a standing ovation. He made some good points about the need for greater religious tolerance on the part …
LIFTING THE PAY CAP ON 8 MILLION WORKERS Unions Cap Their Member’s Pay Setting a Wage Ceiling: Currently union contracts set both a wage floor and a wage ceiling. Unionized employers may not give productive workers pay raises outside the collectively bargained contract. Seniority-Based Pay: Unions usually demand that employers reward workers for “time served” rather than “hard work.” No matter how good an employee does his job, he cannot earn higher wages than what his union contract specifies. Holding Back American Productivity: This “seniority ceiling” keeps union members from …
President Obama’s speech was an attempt to create deeper understanding between America and Muslims throughout the world, but the feel-good impact of the speech is unlikely to last long or change opinions about America among those who object to U.S. policies in the Middle East and South Asia. His pledge to fight against negative stereotypes of Islam was welcomed by Muslim observers. He also emphasized the need for more tolerance and the safeguarding of diversity in Muslim-majority countries, a point that needs to be made more often and more loudly. …
There are some who believe that the president, having won the election, should have complete authority to appoint his nominee and the Senate should only examine whether the justice is intellectually capable and an all-around good guy; that once you get beyond intellect and personal character, there should be no further question as to whether the judge should be confirmed. I disagree with this view – Then-Senator Barack Obama in 2006 This was said by Harry Reid in 2009 I understand that during her career, she’s written hundreds and hundreds …
Although Congress continues to move rapidly to appropriate the final portion of its billion-dollar aid pledge to Georgia (made in the aftermath of its short, but brutal war with Russia last August), the commitment of the Obama Administration toward Tbilisi remains unclear. Georgia’s Minister for defense, Vasil Sikharulidze visits Washington this week following the conclusion of NATO exercises in the Republic. The military and peacekeeping exercises, conducted under NATO’s long-running Partnership for Peace program, are just part of Georgia’s growing relationship with the transatlantic security alliance. The NATO-Georgia Commission, constituted …
