There is a war that has lasted longer than the one in Afghanistan. It is the so-called “war on poverty,” launched by President Lyndon Johnson during his State of the Union address on Jan. 8, 1964. While the poverty rate dropped from 17.3 percent to 11.1 percent in the ensuing decade, it has remained between […]
Cal Thomas
Posted inOp-Eds, sj-web
Founders warned about the dangers of debt
In “Hamlet,” Shakespeare pens one of the most familiar lines — and best advice — ever written. Before Laertes leaves for Paris, his father, Polonius, tells him: “Neither a borrower nor a lender be…” We have ignored that advice for far too long, which is why the U.S. national debt is $20 trillion with more […]
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Trump right to push for prison reform now
It didn’t seem to fit in President Trump’s State of the Union address, perhaps something tossed in at the last minute, like a garnish. But there it was: “As America regains its strength, opportunity must be extended to all citizens. That is why this year we will embark on reforming our prisons, to help former […]
Posted inOp-Eds, sj-web
Which version of the ‘truth’ should we believe?
Partisans tend to read, watch and listen only, or mostly, to information and opinions that reinforce their beliefs. If information surfaces that counters those beliefs, it is usually disparaged, excused or ignored. That’s human nature. Such is the case with the “memo” released last Friday by the Republican majority on the House Intelligence Committee. The […]
Posted inOp-Eds, sj-web
Trump bests Kennedy on all fronts with State of Union speech
President Trump’s first State of the Union address set a new standard. For himself. If he lives up to that standard in future speeches, he may go far in changing his image from a blustering, ad-libbing “entertainer,” to someone who looks and sounds, shall I say it, more “presidential.” The speech was well-crafted, delivered in […]
Posted inOp-Eds, sj-web
A message for my evangelical friends
“Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.” (Romans 13:1) That verse, written by Paul the Apostle, is one of the most difficult for modern evangelicals to fully accept. It was written at a time […]
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High taxes produce a moving experience
One reason Democrats seem so fixated on importing illegal immigrants and allowing their children to stay and become citizens may be the exodus from high-tax and traditionally Democratic states. Anecdotal evidence is usually not helpful in determining trends, but when stories begin to accumulate and sound the same attention must be paid. Two friends of […]
Posted inOp-Eds, sj-web
Better government requires better people
If we don’t like what is happening in Washington — and few do — the blame must be placed squarely where it belongs. It is “we the people” who send those people here. We send people of different and often opposing viewpoints to Washington and expect them to get along. Many quickly turn opportunities to […]
Posted inOp-Eds, sj-web
Nation to be held hostage by Democrats
“You can get a lot farther with a smile and a gun than you can with just a smile.” This quote has often been attributed to the late Chicago mobster Al Capone, who with his fellow organized crime buddies used extortion as one of their tactics to get what they wanted. Today’s modern congressional Democrats […]
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China’s threat should spur lawmakers
“When prosperity comes, do not use all of it.” — Confucius Is China about to do the United States a big favor, however unwittingly? According to Bloomberg, China is considering whether to slow, or even stop, purchases of U.S. Treasuries. At $3.14 trillion, China holds the world’s largest foreign exchange reserves. It is also the […]