He talks about “rebuilding America,” but his ideas will do nothing of the sort. Last night, Van Jones launched what he’s calling the “American Dream Movement.” Jones, as you may remember, was President Obama’s Green Czar before he resigned amidst controversy. He was hired last year by Princeton University as a visiting lecturer in the Center for African American Studies. In his almost two-hour, live-streamed event launch—which was heavily promoted by the liberal group MoveOn.org—Jones laid out the liberal vision for America. He called the simple truth that our country …
For the residents of Arizona’s Vekol Valley—80 miles north of the border with Mexico—Homeland Secretary Janet Napolitano’s claim that security at the border “is better now than it ever has been” must seem like a joke. The area is a veritable highway for illegal immigrants traveling to the United States, and it’s marked by evidence of their passage. If the bullet-ridden signs warning, “Danger: ‘Active drug and human smuggling area. Visitors may encounter armed criminals’” aren’t enough of a dead giveaway, the evidence strewn across the valley ought to be …
Yesterday’s topic at the New York Times “Room for Debate” blog series was on the President’s Afghanistan withdrawal announcement and what to do with the resulting “peace dividend”. Heritage’s Mackenzie Eaglen weighed in: Politics matters in war. It’s why the Army Chief of Staff after Vietnam tried to institute a doctrine where the nation only makes large or prolonged military commitments using all forces, including those in the National Guard and Reserves. But the politically expedient path to draw down U.S. forces in Afghanistan more quickly than military commanders suggest—and …
The House voted this afternoon 295-123 against a measure that would have authorized the President’s military intervention in Libya. As Politico reports: The House delivered a stinging rejection of President Barack Obama’s military intervention in Libya on Friday, voting in bipartisan fashion against authorizing the mission for another year. This rebuke is no surprise. Not only had the White House failed to adequately consult Congress, but the President also undertook a doubtful and uncertain strategy committing the U.S. military to a mission not in America’s vital national interests.
New information revealing a Kashmir-focused militant group with links to Pakistani intelligence helped shield Osama bin Laden demonstrates why the U.S. must press Pakistani authorities to take a more comprehensive approach to fighting terrorism. Pakistan has long sought to distinguish between al-Qaeda and Kashmir-focused groups it allows to function openly in Pakistani society. However, the revelations about contacts between members of Harakat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM) and Osama bin Laden show Pakistan’s segmented approach to terrorism has failed miserably. In fact, it contributed to the ability of the world’s most wanted terrorist to …
If you’re following the evolving terms of the budget debate, the hip new phrase is “new revenues.” It sounds so much cooler than “tax increases.” Both parties are massaging their rhetoric in the debt ceiling fight, and the media are using the phrase “new revenues” to describe proposals to reduce the U.S. deficit. Samples: Washington Post blogger Greg Sargent tweeted, “Can someone please settle the question of whether GOP is also saying No to new revenues?” Reuters reported that Senator Max Baucus (D–MT) “said new revenues had to be part …
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) spent 31 years in manufacturing before his election to Congress last November. He’s not letting that experience go to waste. Johnson is out with a new video this morning to coincide with President Obama’s visit to Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh to promote manufacturing. He criticizes Obama’s recent comments blaming inventions like the ATM for unemployment. “This is a depressing display of economic ignorance,” Johnson says. He adds: “Technological innovations create jobs. They drive our economy forward, by helping workers be more productive. That raises everyone’s …
Rep. Darrell Issa knows a thing or two about running a successful business. Before winning his seat in Congress, the California Republican turned a troubled company into a profitable enterprise that manufactured car alarms for the world’s most well-known carmakers. Issa is now turning his attention to saving the long-troubled U.S. Postal Service. “The Postal Service lost $8.5 billion last year. It is going to lose, at least, $8.3 billion this year. And it is projected to lose $8.5 billion the year after that,” said Issa, who serves as chairman …
The White House finally ended its boycott of Voice of America (VOA), the government’s own international broadcasting service, on Wednesday, hours before the President’s speech on U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. Though every President since VOA’s creation in 1942 had appeared on air with VOA, Barack Obama had not; Obama preferred to reach the world via BBC World Service, Al-Arabaya, and others. Given the fact that the Administration has requested $767 million for international broadcasting, this omission was odd, to say the least.
When it comes to making bad energy policy decisions, President Obama is a pro. Yesterday was no exception when the Obama Administration announced it would release 30 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR). This is part of an agreement with the International Energy Agency (IEA) to put a total of 60 million barrels on the market in the next 30 days. Another 27 nations will make up the other half of the oil needed. President Obama and the IEA first explained this irresponsible action by noting …
