Bowing to political realities, the Obama administration reversed itself and announced that Khalid Sheikh Mohammad (KSM), the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, would be tried at Guantanamo in a military commission, instead of in a federal court in the United States. The decision comes as the 10-year anniversary of the September 11 attacks is months away, and on the eve of a House Judiciary hearing on military commissions and the 9/11 case. The victims of 9/11 deserve justice, and it was high time for the administration to make a decision. …
There are two sides to our federal debt crisis—an economic one and a civic one—and both demand attention. As lawmakers in Washington focus their attention on the budget, they would be wise to remember the policy objectives behind their necessary reforms. They must ask: Are we a nation of citizens or subjects? America is at a tipping point. Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, if left unchecked, will devastate our economy and cause irreparable damage to our way of life, all in just a few short years. Alison Fraser, Heritage’s Director …
There is no shortage of criticism of our immigration laws from detractors who contend that they are unjust and immoral. And though criticism of U.S. immigration laws can be fierce – particularly in the case of Arizona’s SB 1070, the Support our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhood Acts – Mexico’s much harsher immigration laws rarely get noticed. Upon Arizona’s passage of SB 1070, critics attacked the law with claims of racial profiling. Among the opponents were the open border lobby, including the Mexican American Legal Defense Fund (MALDEF), other liberal interest groups, President …
A study released Thursday shows that young people in the Arab world overwhelmingly want greater economic freedom and opportunity, and that conditions prior to the current uprisings left them “crying out for change.” Gallup conducted the large poll before the current unrest began, providing a unique, retrospective look at conditions prior to the uprisings. The poll asked over 16,000 nationals, aged 15 to 29, from 20 Middle Eastern and North African countries questions about job creation, access to job-related tools, and obstacles to their success. Young people reported feeling “unable …
Following his party’s devastating losses last November, President Barack Obama made clear that where his party could no longer legislate, it will regulate. Just a month later, America saw his words become action when the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to issue new rules regulating the Internet, even though courts and Congress have stood in opposition to its actions. Tomorrow, the House of Representatives is poised to voice its opposition to the FCC’s unmitigated power grab and will vote on a resolution to block the FCC’s rules, sending a powerful message that enough …
Analysis provided by Heritage Action for America. House Cloakroom: April 4 – April 8, 2011 Analysis: An interesting week in the House of Representatives is brewing as they return to action Monday morning to tackle a variety of issues. The current continuing resolution (CR) expires on April 8th, thus all eyes will be on if a deal will be struck with negotiations between House leadership and Senate Democrats and the White House or a potential shutdown could occur. Tuesday evening, a vote is expected on a House Joint Resolution disapproving …
Florida is widely recognized as the state leader in education reform. Students in the Sunshine State have made the strongest academic achievement gains in the nation since 2003, and they are one of the only states that have been able to narrow the achievement gap between white and minority students. Yesterday, the Washington Post highlighted the Florida model, and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush’s role in its creation: “The president who turned No Child Left Behind from slogan into statute is gone from Washington, and the influence of his signature …
The month of March closed with a victorious week for schoolchildren and families across the nation. School choice bills passed in both Washington, D.C., and in Indiana to expand educational options for students. In Washington, the SOAR Act sailed through the House on a 225–195 vote, reauthorizing and expanding the successful D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program (DCOSP), which has been under attack by the Obama Administration for the last two years. In Indiana, legislation that has been cited as the “broadest” voucher expansion bill in the country similarly won hands-down in …
This is part two in a debate with liberal blogger Tim Mitchell on whether income inequality is a problem. In part one I laid out why income inequality isn’t a problem. In this post I refute arguments made in part one by Mr. Mitchell. For part two from Mr. Mitchell, click here. In a recent post arguing that income inequality is a problem, Mr. Mitchell charges that “most American households have seen little gain in income in the last three decades despite rising productivity growth.” He contends that from 1947-1973 there was “broad-based …
It is perhaps emblematic that on the same day that China releases its long-delayed 2010 defense white paper, the U.S. State Department announces that Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg will be replaced by Under-Secretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns. Coming on the heels of the departure of Wallace “Chip” Gregson from the post of Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs, two of the most important policymaking positions regarding Asia are now in the midst of transition.
