Wealthier European nations in the north cannot continue to subsidize failing economies in the south for long, at least not in the ineffective way they are now. There is a big problem with the European Commission; it often does not place conditions on the loans it gives to countries, unlike the IMF. The result is … Continue reading
The High-Speed Rail Boondoggle
In January 2009, then president-elect, Barack Obama, rode into Washington, DC on an Amtrak train. His, pre-inaugural, one-day trip was a symbolic nod to Lincoln’s similar journey, some years ago. Exactly one month later, now, President Obama signed in-to-law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The ARRA, among other things, provided $8 billion towards … Continue reading
Imagining Debt
$16,168,932,000,000. That is the current US debt burden. That is over sixteen trillion dollars. In order to balance the American debt level, each individual, from tot to geriatric, would have to pay $51,402. The median income of Americans is about $40,000; confiscating all wages would not come close to paying off the debt. If you … Continue reading
What is Wrong with this Picture?
“Gerrymander: to divide (a territorial unit) into election districts to give one political party an electoral majority in a large number of districts while concentrating the voting strength of the opposition in as few districts as possible (Merriam Webster Dictionary).” The 2011 Maryland Congressional districts take gerrymandering to a whole new level. It is well … Continue reading
“Let Detroit Go Bankrupt”
Attributed to Mitt Romney, this is a common attack by Democrats – Mitt Romney said “let Detroit go bankrupt.” It was repeated last night by Vice President Biden who portrays Barack Obama as the valiant defender of the auto industry and the millions of jobs that go along with it. But, as with much that … Continue reading
The Chinese Threat to American Naval Dominance
Despite the present focus on the Middle East, it will be China that poses the greatest Geo-strategic threat to the United States in the future. This fact is the cause of the Obama administration’s “pivot” to Asia, and has also been the source of a considerable amount of anti-China rhetoric in the current campaign. While … Continue reading
Is Greek Democracy really gone with the Rise of Golden Dawn
No it’s not a sequel to the Patrick Swayze classic Red Dawn, an excellent film and little known trivia fact also the first PG-13 film. No, Golden Dawn is actually a “neo-fascist”, or according to its critics a neo-Nazi, political party in Greece. You will recall the Greek TV debate in which the heads of … Continue reading
One Giant Leap for Aerospace
Last Sunday, the private aerospace company SpaceX launched the first commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS). This launch, carried out by the company’s Falcon 9 rocket, is part of a $1.6 billion contract signed with NASA in 2006 to carry out at least 12 such missions. The unmanned launch carried needed supplies … Continue reading
Spy Game: The Case for Excommunicating Huawei and ZTE
The issue rapidly gaining momentum this election season is our future relation with China. It has been a growing issue for decades now, but somehow the American public is finally ready to confront our problematic ally about years of backhanded camaraderie. Outside of the vitriolic personal attacks on character and domestic policy, the presidential campaigns … Continue reading
ACA Focuses on Access
At the American Action Forum, I have been fortunate enough to learn from some of the smartest people in Washington, including former CBO director, Doug Holtz-Eakin. In a meeting with all of the AAF interns, Dr. Holtz-Eakin told us, “It’s about making good policy good politics.” This has resonated with me throughout the past couple … Continue reading
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