Heritage Foundation President Edwin J. Feulner today issued the following statement on the death of former Heritage Fellow Tony Blankley: Tony Blankley was a man of principle and passion. A penetrating analyst and compelling commentator, he was a straight shooter who never missed his mark. As press secretary and advisor to Newt Gingrich, he helped craft the “Contract With America,” mapping a course of responsible government that captured the imagination—and the support—of the American people. As the editorial page editor of The Washington Times, he demonstrated a mastery of foreign …
President Obama’s stunning appointments of Richard Cordray to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and of three more bureaucrats to the National Labor Relations Board has been described by many observers as a serious blow to the Constitution and the separation of powers. In addition to the strong Constitutional argument against the President’s actions, there are several signs that the President’s interpretation of recess appointments has not always been the same. As Andrew Grossman points out that several weeks ago, President Obama signed a two-month extension of the payroll tax cut …
In the midst of the administration’s efforts to drastically reduce the nation’s military personnel and hike pay for government employees comes this gem: the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the new director of which was unconstitutionally appointed by President Obama on Wednesday, is prepared to pay a salary of more than $100,000 for an employee to assist in planning bureau events. According to a job listing on USAJobs.com, the federal government’s official employment classifieds site, the CFPB is seeking an “invitations coordinator” to “support management of CFPB’s participation in external events …
After watching as Burma released a mere handful of political prisoners—between 11 and 30, according to various reports, all of whom had very little time left on their sentences—Burmese comedian and former political prisoner Zarganar wrote, “I once likened the situation of my friends in jail as being in the hands of Somali pirates. I now withdraw this comment. The Somali pirates keep their promise.” Indeed, his comments are laden with disappointment, reflecting the sentiments of Burma watchers worldwide. In years past, few would blink at such news, but since …
Two of President Obama’s “recess” appointments will begin their tenure at the National Labor Relations Board without having undergone background checks required of all nominees to the board, which are used to determine any past impropriety or conflicts of interest. The Senate committee handling the nominations of Democrats Sharon Block and Richard Griffin to the NLRB never received the required paperwork from the two nominees. The president submitted the nominations to the Senate on December 15, a day before it entered pro forma session, with most Senators returning to their …
Internal ethnic strife, a deep-rooted but often overlooked challenge facing newly independent South Sudan, has recently emerged as a threat to the country’s stability. Last month, the South Sudanese army and United Nations reinforcements were sent to the town of Pibor in Jonglei state to prevent attacks by members of the Lou Nuer ethnic group against the Murle clan. In the past few months, over a thousand people have died and tens of thousands have been displaced in clashes that started last summer, as cattle raids prompted violence that quickly …
The tents still occupy two parks in Washington, D.C., but there are fewer people living in them as protesters with the Occupy movement flee for warmer quarters. The desertion of the Occupy D.C. is fueling class divisions within the movement among “those who can’t go home again and those who chose not to,” according to the Washington Post. Homeless people flocked to the parks this fall and are now apparently among the few remaining. One of them is Blair Rush, a 41-year-old homeless woman interviewed by the Post. She told …
Congress owes America better start for 2012, and not to repeat the way it ended 2011. Even if the Senate is hopelessly dysfunctional, the House could do better. The final House session of 2011 was a prime example of how to lose public confidence. The body was gaveled into session on short notice Friday morning, December 23rd, and a mere ten members approved legislation for the entire 435-member House. The others had left for the holidays, so instead of a roll call vote on a controversial two-month lowering of the …
Voters in Iowa will caucus today to select their choice for the 2012 presidential nominees. As the rest of the nation watches, Iowa’s choice could help frame the debate for this election year. And as the voters speak, others are weighing in on what they believe is the best direction for America’s government and policy in 2012 and beyond. Over the weekend, The New York Times editorial page was one of those voices, yet again carrying the torch of the liberal, progressive movement. The Times revealed its dismal view of …
College campuses would seem to be ripe environments for intellectual diversity to flourish. But rather than celebrate free speech, academic institutions across America routinely censor student publications and individuals. Such was the case recently at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. Professor James Miller came under attack from the campus administration when he posted a picture and quote from the science-fiction show “Firefly” outside his office door. It was removed by campus police because it was perceived to be a threat to others. When Miller fought back by posting another sign condemning …
