Right Opinion
The best of conservative opinion and commentary, updated daily.
Wednesday, May 3, 2017
Columnist Stephens Stirs Up a Climate of Anger
The last weekend of April delivered one of the more enjoyable spectacles of 2017. It wasn’t Donald Trump’s tent-revival rally in Pennsylvania. Nor was it the cotillion of self-congratulation known as the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. It wasn’t even the People’s Climate March, which begged for some Monty Pythonesque splinter factions — the March for People’s Climate, Climate Marchers for People, whatever.
Trump’s Tariff Will Hurt Americans
With the accusation that Canada is “dumping lumber” on the United States, the Trump administration last week announced plans to impose tariffs of up to 24 percent on imports of Canadian softwood. U.S. lumber companies complain that Canada unfairly subsidizes its lumber industry by letting Canadian loggers cut trees cheaply on government land, and then sell the wood at below-market prices in the United States.
Tuesday, May 2, 2017
Omnibus Picks Up New Riders
While the rest of the city was enjoying an unusually warm weekend, the Hill’s budgeters spent Saturday and Sunday indoors, hashing out a whopping 11 appropriations bills. After clocking out at 1:30 a.m. Friday morning, staffers put in plenty of overtime the next few days on a $1 trillion package that bundles almost a dozen agencies’ budgets into one colossal omnibus. And as usual, some of the most important language came through policy riders, which usually latch on to big spending measures like this one.
Will the Second Civil War Turn Violent?
In a recent column, I made the case that Americans are fighting the Second Civil War. The deep chasm that has opened up between the Left — not liberals, the Left — and the rest of the country is so wide and so unbridgeable that there is no other way to describe what is happening. But I noted that at least thus far, unlike the First Civil War, this war is not violent.
What a Contrast
A major wing of the Democrat Party, otherwise known as the media, served dinner Saturday night in Washington at the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
Exploiting the Presidency
The headline in the March 5, 1929 edition of the Chicago Tribune read, “Plain Citizen Coolidge Shuts Desk and Quietly Goes Home.” Calvin Coolidge would write a newspaper column from Northampton, Massachusetts, for which he presumably was paid a pittance, but other than that he refused to exploit his notoriety or accomplishments as president for money.
Why Can’t House Repeal ObamaCare? Because a Lot of Republicans Don’t Want To
“We’re going to go when we have the votes,” Speaker Paul Ryan said Thursday when asked when the House will pass a bill to repeal and replace Obamacare. Lawmakers will not be constrained by any “artificial deadline,” Ryan declared.
Monday, May 1, 2017
Professor Tells Student to Stop Reading Bible
It’s apparently okay to read history books at Northern Arizona University, but not the Good Book.
Poison for the Mind: ‘The Nation’ on CO2 and Global Warming
What’s “a far more deadly gas” than the Sarin that Syrian President Bashar al Assad used to kill his own citizens—prompting President Trump to respond with a missile attack? *Carbon dioxide.* Or so says The Nation.
No Friend of the Poor
When you’re a conservative, you have to develop a thick skin. You get used to hearing how heartless you are. How devoid of compassion. And why? Because you don’t automatically support every government program that claims to help poor people. Why, you conservatives must hate poor people.
Obama’s Third Term
Just ahead of Donald Trump’s 100-day milestone, Barack Obama stepped back into the spotlight Monday, giving his first public speech since leaving the White House.
A Kolidge Edukashin
One of the greatest cons ever perpetrated on the American public has been carried out through the collusion of academics working in concert with far too many employers.
Sunday, April 30, 2017
Goodbye to a Washington Legend and a Great Friend
When I set out to write about my friend Kate O’Beirne, it’s hard to avoid hyperbole. In my phone’s address book, she’s listed KATE THE GREAT. So, let me tell you about KATE. Because in the way she died, she put one final spotlight on what’s most important in life.
Alas, the Mortgage Interest Deduction Cannot Be Pried Away
Attempting comprehensive tax reform is like trying to tug many bones from the clamped jaws of many mastiffs.
Saturday, April 29, 2017
Following Colorado’s Lead on Pot Is a Bad Idea
The man who would outlaw sugary sodas wants to legalize marijuana. How whack is that?
Building on Reagan’s Vision
When a politician promises something that “holds the promise of changing the course of human history,” we naturally assume it’s typical overstatement. But when President Ronald Reagan said that on March 23, 1983, in reference to his Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), he was exactly right.
Elizabeth Warren: A Factory of Bad Ideas
In the fallout of President Donald J. Trump’s historic victory, the Democratic Party is in a state of panic. It suffered record-breaking defeats across the country and is still trying to clean up the mess caused by Hillary Clinton, a candidate who explored uncharted depths of political corruption.
Pass Tax Reform Now
The economy is stalling. According to the Commerce Department’s report, first quarter economic growth fell to just 0.7%. It should be noted that economic growth has been slowing since the third quarter of 2016. These numbers make one thing very clear: We need tax reform now!
Can ESPN Rebound From Lib Foul-Up?
For the last few years, ESPN has been trying to settle a different score. And unfortunately for viewers, it has nothing to do with sports. The network, whose profits are bleeding more than Curt Shilling’s sock, is sinking under the weight of its liberal politics — and fast. Ratings are deflating faster than New England’s footballs, as a huge chunk of viewers tune out the one-time king of sports.
The Left’s War on Free Speech
I like to introduce the topic of free speech with an anecdote about my children. I have three kids, ages twelve, nine, and five. They are your average, normal kids — which means they live to annoy the heck out of each other.