Can it get any worse for the workers of Louisiana? In just a few short years, Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and the region; BP’s oil spill wrecked havoc with the fishing and tourism industry; and the government’s drilling moratorium is about to impact a significant segment of the Louisiana economy. Adding to all this, earlier this week Northrop Grumman stated that it would close its Avondale shipyard in Louisiana. In the past decade, the Avondale shipyard built the San Antonio-class amphibious transport docks which has experienced construction and maintenance …
The Merriam-Webster dictionary notes that the word “campaign” dates back to the mid-17th century and has two meanings. The first is “a connected series of military operations forming a distinct phase of a war;” the second is “a connecting series of operations designed to bring about a particular result.” In the case of the latter, it has defined the political realm. Politics abounds with military metaphors: “standard-bearers” who speak in “bullets” and plan their operations in “war rooms,” while “veteran strategists” identify “battleground states” and rely on “partisans.” Earlier this …
During President Obama’s address to the nation from the Oval Office tonight, he stated that he was calling on Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus to lead a long-term restoration plan for the Gulf region. The President noted Secretary Mabus’ prior service as Governor of Mississippi as providing his credentials. While Heritage respects his service, Secretary Mabus left the governorship nearly twenty years ago and much has changed since then. In addition, the Navy needs a Secretary who is able to devote their full attention to the current issues we …
After the American Revolution, ships that were deemed too costly to maintain were sold as merchant ships. Swords had been beaten into plowshares, cannons had been beaten into anchors. By the late 1780s, however, American merchant ships had become easy prey to pirates. Lightly armed, if at all, ship after ship fell victim to the risks of the high seas, particularly in the Mediterranean. Families and communities were forced to pay ransoms for the return of their missing sailors; the government was reduced to paying tribute to the Barbary States …
Most Americans are growing frustrated with Washington’s out of control spending and inability to strengthen our economy. According to a recent Gallup poll, Americans identify federal government debt and terrorism as equal threats to our country. In a Pew Research Center poll, 38 percent of Americans believe that Obama’s economic policies have had no effect so far, while another 29 percent say his policies have made it worse. And according to Rasmussen Reports, a staggering 81 percent of Americans view the size of the national deficit as contributing to our …
