On this day in 1787, the Second Constitutional Convention embarked on a four month-long process that resulted in the masterful document responsible for shaping our country. Though battered and bruised today, the Constitution of the United States remains the framework for our nation’s government. On May 25, 1787, however, the Founders had no assurances of such success. The current form of government – the Articles of Confederation – was fundamentally flawed, and it seemed possible that the young nation would fail before it really began. The state legislatures were unable …
Attorney General Eric Holder came under fire today from his predecessor at the Justice Department for pursuing criminal action against CIA employees involved in the enhanced interrogation of terrorists. Following a speech at The Heritage Foundation, former Attorney General Michael Mukasey called Holder’s handling of matter “absolutely outrageous.” He said the cases involving CIA employees were settled by career prosecutors who determined the prosecutions should not go forward. “The current attorney general, when he took office, without reading the memos, directed that those investigations be reopened,” Mukasey said. “I think …
When it comes to the budget, there’s fact and fiction, distortions and reality. And today, the left has been lobbing lies about Chairman Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) House-passed Fiscal Year 2012 Budget – The Path to Prosperity – alleging that it puts Medicare at risk. In a new video, Chairman Ryan lays out the truth behind his budget plan. And in a statement today, Ryan noted: This video lays out the clear choice our nation faces on Medicare: Will Medicare become a program in which a board of bureaucrats manages its …
People often remember the entire decade of the ’90s as a period of robust economic growth. Economic growth was so impressive in the latter half of the ’90s, in fact, that some claim the Clinton-era tax hikes spurred the economy to prosper. But was that actually the case? Did tax hikes really lead to a stronger economy? The data tell a different story. Growth in the first half of the decade following the Clinton tax hike was clearly subpar, and real wages actually fell. The economy didn’t take off until …
President Obama’s address to Britain’s Parliament in historic Westminster Hall was of a piece with many of his speeches: a mixture of soaring generalities and devils in the details, with some dubious history thrown in. The President’s entire visit to Britain has delivered a mixed message. Both leaders have evidently been told that they should downplay the fact that a Special Relationship exists between the U.S. and Britain and focus instead on what is now supposedly an “essential” relationship. But both the President and the Prime Minister have—rightly—ignored these promptings …
What’s the monster under the bed keeping Americans up at night? Government regulations. According to a new poll, most voters say that too many federal government regulations are more of an economic threat than too few. Resurgent Republic reports: By a margin of 55 to 36 percent, voters are more concerned that the federal government has too many regulations that will hurt the economy, rather than too few regulations to hold private businesses accountable. Republicans are more concerned about too many regulations by 77 to 16 percent, as are Independents …
This coming weekend we will celebrate the Memorial Day holiday. While it serves as the unofficial start of summer, it also marks a solemn remembrance of all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our nation. As a 24-year U.S. Navy veteran and graduate of the Naval Academy I am deeply humbled by those we have lost throughout our history. Now, as a freshman Representative from Minnesota and member of the House Homeland Security Committee, I believe I have the same mission as the one I previously …
On Saturday, President Obama used his weekly radio address to call for the quick reauthorization of No Child Left Behind (NCLB). Obama lauded the progress of Booker T. Washington High School in Memphis, Tennessee—his inaugural Race to the Top Commencement Address winner—and showcased the low-income school as an example of how to reverse course and get positive results: We need to encourage this kind of change all across America. We need to reward the reforms that are driven not by Washington, but by principals and teachers and parents. That’s how …
A prominent group of retired military chaplains has written a letter to current chief chaplains in the Armed Forces urging them to support conscience protection for currently serving chaplains and service members regarding homosexual behavior. The 22 chaplains, each of whom has held a leadership post as an endorsing agent for military chaplains, called on the chief chaplains of the Army, Air Force, and Navy to “strongly encourage the adoption of broad, clear, and strong protections for conscience,” especially in light of recent confusion over the conduct of same-sex marriage …
President Obama has some explaining to do. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) yesterday revealed that 3,700 federal contractors — who were recipients of $24 billion dollars in stimulus funds — are tax evaders. In total, they owed the government at least $757 million dollars – probably more since the IRS databases don’t include those who didn’t file taxes or haven’t yet been assessed. And it goes even further than that. The Washington Times reports:
