Editor’s note: This article was written exclusively for Forbes by the Center’s fellow for economic and social policy. Click here to read the article at Forbes.com»
Economics & Political Systems
A Whirlwind Tour of the Supreme Court’s Commerce Clause Jurisprudence
There is a widely held view that Congress has virtually unlimited power to legislate, especially concerning economic matters. Consider, for example, the passage of the controversial Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act two years ago. While Congress’ power to regulate … Continue reading
Obama, the Russians, and Missile Defense: Historical Parallels
President Obama has caused quite a stir with a private comment made to Russian President Dimitri Medvedev. In discussing missile defense, Obama suggested he would be prepared to yield to Russian demands after the November election. “This is my last … Continue reading
Is the Health Care Law Constitutional? No, Strike It Down
Editor’s note: A version of this article first appeared in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Neither Porter nor his firm are involved in the ACA litigation. This summer, the Supreme Court will decide whether Congress violated the Constitution when it enacted the … Continue reading
Obamacare: Will It Withstand Constitutional Scrutiny?
The U.S. Supreme Court is now poised to review the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, better known as “Obamacare.” The nine Justices will hear oral arguments totaling an unprecedented five-and-a-half hours beginning on March 26, 2012 and concluding on … Continue reading
Sorry Pennsylvanians, Your Primary Won’t Matter
Many Pennsylvanians who follow politics want the Keystone State’s presidential primary to matter. They observe the candidates in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and elsewhere holding rallies, visiting local diners, and kissing babies. They want some of that attention by … Continue reading
The Election-Year Politics of Energy
Realizing that his popularity may decline as the price of gasoline rises, President Obama is barnstorming the country, emphatically insisting that drilling for more oil isn’t the cure for high gas prices and that wind and solar energy represent our energy … Continue reading
Santorum or Romney? Culture War or Class War?
Editor’s note: A longer version of this article first appeared at American Spectator. The question for Republicans right now seems obvious: Would you prefer Rick Santorum or Mitt Romney to run against Barack Obama? Well, it depends on whether you prefer … Continue reading
Upheavals in American Education: The Start of Something Big?
Reform in America’s public schools occurs with seemingly glacial slowness. In the private sector, businesses (including schools) that provide a lousy product quickly lose customers. They either correct their deficiencies or they eventually close. Similarly, if the problem is poor … Continue reading
A Centennial Verdict on Progressivism (1912-2012)
Contemporary liberals fondly recall their progressive forebears from a century past, who railed against trusts and fought for social justice. Certainly, their forebears did much to make them proud; after all, who now could argue against measures that purified the … Continue reading
Sorry Mess: Presidential Apologies and Pardons
Much ink has flowed over the recent apologies from President Barack Obama, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and General John Allen, commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan, following the burning of copies of the Koran … Continue reading
Hope vs. Despair: The Discussion is Coming
My colleague, Paul Kengor, wrote a brilliant article this week saying that Team Obama will try to cast the presidential election either in terms of class warfare—if Romney is the Republican nominee—or a battle over social issues, if Santorum gets … Continue reading
Satan and Santorum: Perspective from Reagan’s Evil Empire Speech
Editor’s note: A longer version of this article first appeared at The American Spectator. The secular world today trembles and shudders at the sight of Rick Santorum speaking on good and evil at Ave Maria University in Florida in 2008. Santorum’s statement came … Continue reading
Strategic Abdication
From Damascus to Tehran, a test for world leadership is underway. Daily, the Syrian military—well-armed, highly trained thugs whose current mission is to keep dictator Bashar Assad in power—kills up to 200 or more of its own citizens. Protests from … Continue reading
God and Man at CPAC: Facing the 2012 Election
Amidst the hoopla, cheers, and ear-piercing whistles of enthusiastic approval for Republican presidential nominees at this year’s Conservative Political Action Conference, several themes emerged. The most important of these centered on the conflict between what may be titled American foundationalism … Continue reading
The Choice: Bain Capitalism or Solyndra Cronyism
Editor’s note: This article was written exclusively for Forbes by the Center’s fellow for economic and social policy. Click here to read the article at Forbes.com»
Economics: The Cheerful Science
Chances are, you’ve heard economics referred to as “the dismal science.” That unflattering description is glib and catchy; it is also 100 percent wrong. Let me set the record straight and explain why economics—far from being dismal—is cause for hope, … Continue reading
The State of the Union: An Inside Report
On Tuesday evening, I had the honor of attending the State of the Union address as the guest of Congressman Mike Kelly (PA-03). Here are my impressions in abbreviated form: The address seemed more like a rewrite of previous speeches … Continue reading
The Tax Rate Scandal
When Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney casually estimated that his effective tax rate is around 15 percent, progressives immediately pounced on the issue. To this ideological minority with its Ahab-like obsession on class warfare, a rich American paying an effective tax … Continue reading
The 2012 Republican Primary and the Seeds of 1966
The Republican primary contest has come down to a choice between Mitt Romney and the anti-Romney. It is another in a series of battles between the non-conservative and conservative wings of the GOP. Arguably, the political seeds of today’s Republican … Continue reading