Earlier this month, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler announced that its five commissioners will conduct a vote on February 26 to decide whether to grant itself the authority to regulate the Internet under Title II of the Communications Act of … Continue reading
Economics & Political Systems
2016: Super Primary? A Bad Idea
After losing New Hampshire, Florida, and Illinois, the presidential candidate limped along with declining support and amid calls for his withdrawal from the race. He was short of funds with a thin organization. He was a beleaguered candidate. Then came … Continue reading
Obama Drops Plan to Tax College Savings Plans
Only a week after proposing to hit the middle class with a tax on college savings plans, President Obama dropped the assault on so-called “529 plans.” These plans have been used by parents for two decades to save for their … Continue reading
Giving Workers Freedom to Work More Hours by Rolling Back Obamacare
Unemployment has been falling but the number of Americans not working—or working fewer hours—has remained stubbornly high since 2008. The Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as “Obamacare,” is part of the reason for this. By requiring businesses with more … Continue reading
Illegal Immigration: Is Europe Losing Control of its Borders?
The cargo ship recklessly headed towards the coast of Italy. The crew had abandoned ship and the Italian coast guard scrambled to intervene. After regaining control of the ship the coast guard discovered a troubling reality: 800 illegal immigrants were … Continue reading
The U.S. Economy In 2015: Challenges And Opportunities
Editor’s note: A longer version of this article first appeared at Forbes.com. With the stock market at an all-time high, a bonanza of cheap gasoline, and unemployment at 5.8 percent, there is increased optimism about the U.S. economy. Yet challenges … Continue reading
Assessing Thomas Piketty’s “Capital in the Twenty-First Century”
Editor’s note: This article first appeared at Forbes.com. French economist Thomas Piketty’s Capital in the Twenty-First Century was the most talked about treatise on political economy in 2014, if not the 21st century. To those of us who understand and … Continue reading
Paris: The Frontline in a European Battlefield
They rushed to the third floor gripping their Kalashnikov automatic rifles and entered the room where the editorial board had gathered to meet. The rifles fired, innocent lives were destroyed and lost, and then they left. Outside, they entered a … Continue reading
Congress and Obama’s Executive Order: Allow Firms to Invite Guest Workers
Many Americans are upset by the decision of President Obama to issue an executive order to reform immigration policy. The executive order effectively grants undocumented immigrants the legal right to remain in the United States if they have been here … Continue reading
Bernie Sanders Video Clip
Bernie Sanders speaking at Liberty University on CSPAN.
The Cuba Deal: Coexisting and Profiting with Tyrants
Editor’s note: This article first appeared at Forbes.com. We all celebrate when an innocent person is released from prison. The freedom of Alan Gross is welcome news. But the release of three convicted Cuban spies and operatives (who were directly … Continue reading
The Powerful Force of Political Names: Are the Brands Going Out of Style?
The 2014 midterm elections came to an end with the crushing defeat of Sen. Mary Landrieu in Louisiana. Her loss, however, was part of a series of defeats for political families over the last two midterm elections. In Louisiana, Landrieu … Continue reading
Saudi Arabia versus the Keystone Pipeline
Wow, I had barely recommended repealing the laws that restrict U.S. oil exports as part of an overall ramping up of competition in global oil markets when news hit that the Saudis were cutting the price of oil shipped to the U.S. … Continue reading
Time to Allow Oil Exports and Put a Big Hurt on Some Producers
Editor’s note: This article first appeared at Forbes.com. For those of you old enough to remember the 1970s, you may recall how dismal economic conditions were as a result of unenlightened policies coming out of Washington. Among the more counterproductive … Continue reading
Martin Luther King and the Berlin Wall
Editor’s note: This article first appeared at The Washington Post When we think of Martin Luther King Jr.’s great speeches, we don’t think of Berlin. And when we think of great American speeches in Berlin, we think of John F. … Continue reading
Congress makes history: This is a big deal … Congress has cut spending two consecutive years
Editor’s note: A version of this article first appeared in USA Today. I recently attended a political event where a Republican congressman was making a re-election pitch. It was the usual stump speech. But one thing he said especially struck … Continue reading
10 Reasons Why There May Not be a Conservative Wave in 2014
On Tuesday, Americans will head to the polls to vote in several highly contested midterm races across the country. Many in the conservative media have high hopes for numerous Republican victories. I’m not so sure. Though Republicans will likely retain … Continue reading
Why Pennsylvania should not enact a severance tax on natural gas
As the governor’s race heats up in Pennsylvania, one of the central issues is whether to enact a severance tax on natural gas. Democrat candidate Tom Wolf has emphasized the fact that Pennsylvania is the only state in the country without … Continue reading
Scotland: May We All Live Free
The important cultural analysis by Geert Hofstede, conducted in the 1970s and 80s, and impacting many research paradigms since, concluded that the United States is the most individualistic culture in the world. However, there are a handful of Western countries … Continue reading
The NLRB’s contribution to Obama’s anti-business crusade
Editor’s note: This article first appeared at Forbes.com. Having written earlier this summer about the whack-a-mole regulatory state running wild under the presidency of Barack Obama, the biggest question in my mind was which of the myriad federal regulatory agencies would be … Continue reading