The United States is the largest giver of foreign aid in the world, providing $49.5 billion in economic and military assistance in 2011. Clearly, charity is one of our strong suits. But with the slow economic recovery, and approximately $12 trillion in national debt, the fact is that we cannot afford to keep this up. … Continue reading »
In early June, a coalition of urban and rural politicians in the Senate banded together to pass the Farm bill, a legislative piece that distributes welfare benefits to an unlikely pair: wealthy agro-businesses and the inner-city poor. Although widely popular among constituents, a common sense look at the bill reveals serious flaws. The Senate’s version … Continue reading »
The Bipartisan Policy Center recently hosted an event discussing the geopolitical impacts of the US’s recent tight oil boom. Tight oil, or shale oil, production has increased with the expansion of hydraulic fracturing technology used to access shale gas from shale or sandstone formations. Amidst the rallying cries of a “qualified abundance” instead of a … Continue reading »
“Freedom isn’t free” – a refrain often used by soldiers, politicians, and country singers. In context, the phrase refers to the remarkable sacrifices our armed service members have made throughout the history of the United States. However, the true cost of freedom is spread across all Americans and is a far higher price than most realize. Recent revelations regarding the … Continue reading »
With the nomination of Gina McCarthy to be the newest chief of the Environmental Protection Agency, a lot of shade has been thrown on the administration’s lack of transparency and practices of favoritism. First Senator Vitter delayed the vote with 1,038 questions, which he then narrowed to five key demands. Now it is looking like Republicans … Continue reading »
This has been an eventful week in Washington…or should I say, for President Obama and his administration? On top of the recent scandals, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is being accused of soliciting private and non-private companies for donations. Her effort to raise money for the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) … Continue reading »
New revelations came to light in the investigation over the attacks on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi yesterday during a tense House Oversight & Government Reform Committee Hearing. Here’s a list of some new developments from the hearing: 1. The YouTube video had nothing to do with the Benghazi attack. Gregory Hicks, former deputy chief … Continue reading »
On Wednesday, Sally Jewell was officially appointed as the new head of the Department of the Interior. Jewell has spent her professional life outside of the political realm, which made her a desirable candidate for many people. She began her career as an engineer for Mobil Oil where she worked for several years. She later … Continue reading »
Obsessive behavior surrounding climate change continues as the EPA releases their new Tier 3 program for sulfur regulation in gasoline. The program sets new vehicles emissions standards and lower sulfur content in gasoline beginning in 2017. The policy is projected to be more effective than past emissions policy, because it controls vehicle emissions as well … Continue reading »
The unstable housing market caused investors to become apprehensive about investing in homes, but the low home prices simultaneously caused investors to worry about missing out on a good investment. These big time – Wall Street – investors, called cash buyers, do not use 15-to-30 year mortgages; if they want a home they have the … Continue reading »
