A new poll shows that in one of the most liberal of states–California–charter schools are impressing voters by a wide margin, particularly among Latino parents. The Los Angeles Times reports: Among those surveyed in the USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll, 52% had a favorable opinion about charters; only 12% had an unfavorable impression. Asked whether charter schools or traditional schools provided a better education, 48% gave superior marks to charters; 24% considered traditional schools more effective. The charter model appealed to Latino parents in particular. Overall, 52% of parents — those who …
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin announced that his country, the world’s leading oil and gas producer, plans to work closely with the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), the oil cartel. Russia has long spoken about linking up with OPEC, but at this point the extent of its participation has been sending high-level delegations to attend OPEC meetings in Vienna as observers. “OPEC is sometimes irritated by us as we, not being a member of the organization, produce more oil, which influences international crude oil prices,” said Putin. “But we …
This week, the U.S. national debt clock hit a nightmarish milestone: a record $15 trillion. Words can’t even begin to describe the scope of borrowed federal spending, but it is no doubt a staggering figure that has risen dramatically in the last decade and is more than $4 trillion higher than when President Barack Obama took office less than three years ago. Unfortunately, Washington does not appear poised to take action to rectify the problem, and those with their hands on the wheel are ignoring the root of the problem: spending. …
What’s a supercommittee to do? Total national debt just hit a new record at $15 trillion, an increase of approximately $700 billion since the Supercommittee’s August inception. Hard as its members try, they just do not seem to be able to deliver the required $1.2 trillion in deficit reduction measures. The situation has deteriorated so badly that even some Republicans are offering up tax hikes. While this is precisely the wrong solution, it has created another insidious problem. Squabbles over the size of tax hikes are overshadowing the more vital …
Seventy-two Members of the U.S. House of Representatives, including Representatives Patrick McHenry (R-NC) and Jim Jordan (R-OH), have joined 33 U.S. Senators in standing tall against continued overspending, overborrowing and overtaxing. In a letter today to the congressional Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, known as the Supercommittee, the 72 Representatives hit the nail on the head: “It is evident that America has a fiscal crisis because Washington spends too much, not because it taxes too little.” Their letter made clear what will happen if the Supercommittee leads Congress to …
Next Tuesday, the contenders for the GOP presidential nomination will square off in another debate, this time focused on foreign policy. If the last few months are any guide, at least one of those debaters will argue that if America just withdrew its military and stopped taunting other countries, then peace would be more likely. Take Iran, for example (as one candidate has), which recently attempted to carry out a targeted bombing in Washington, D.C.: What about just “offering friendship to them” instead of trying to keep them from acquiring …
U.S. Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford is home following an informal and indefinite recall. The Obama Administration cited concern for Ford’s personal safety as the basis for this decision. A more likely explanation, however, is the failure of the Administration’s policy of “engagement” with Bashar al-Assad’s repressive autocratic regime. Assad’s unremitting violence caused the Arab League to suspend Syria’s membership earlier this week, as the country continues its slide toward civil war. The fact of the matter is, no U.S. ambassador should have been in Damascus in the first place—for …
Yesterday, the United States hit an unsavory milestone–$15 trillion in total national debt. Unfortunately, the number shouldn’t have come as a surprise. America’s debt has been growing at a rapid clip. How bad is America’s spending problem? Heritage’s Alison Fraser, Patrick Knudsen and Mackenzie Eaglen put it into context: At $1.3 trillion, the deficit for fiscal year (FY) 2011 was the third consecutive year of deficits exceeding $1 trillion. These deficits are larger than the largest deficit during World War II when adjusted for inflation. Even under President Obama’s February …
The Supreme Court’s announcement on Monday that it will consider the constitutionality of some of Obamacare’s provisions, including the individual mandate, has reignited discussion of the health care law’s many problematic provisions. In addition to increasing insurance premiums and hampering job growth, Obamacare poses significant threats to the religious liberty of institutions and individuals and could have a serious negative impact on families. For Belmont Abbey, a private Catholic college located in North Carolina, the most serious impact is Obamacare’s threats to religious freedom and conscience rights. Late last week, …
Fred Ikle’s insights guided the Reagan policy discussions on all the major strategic questions of that era. Quietly and yet effectively, he marshaled his arguments and expanded his influence by the sheer power of his intellect. To meet with Fred was both to receive a lesson in grand strategy and to be given an assignment: help us advance the case for missile defense; have your team analyze a problem and report your findings back to me in 60 days; serve on a high-level advisory board at the National War College …
