Autiello: Will True Christianity Please Stand Up?
Nick Autiello, Contributor
The notion that homosexuality is a sin and un-Christian is one that is less than a hundred years old. It is wrong, and has no basis in scriptural or historical reality.
SASSO: The Coming New Year
James Sasso, Associate Editor
As the tumultuous 2011 comes down to its final day, this column could contain an obnoxious summary of the year’s extraordinary events. Rather than once again discussing the protests around the world, the death of Osama Bin Laden, Fukushima, America’s political ineptitude, Europe’s demise or the increasingly frightful weather patterns, here I attempt to predict what 2012 holds in store.
SASSO: Kicking the Can
James Sasso, Associate Editor
For one of the first times in his tenure as Speaker, John Boehner has made a statement with which every American, Republican or Democrat, should fully agree; the two-month Senate bipartisan extension of the payroll tax cut fails to fix the nation’s problems sufficiently. Providing a short-term band-aid to a long-term dilemma contradicts what a responsible government should accomplish, but fits the pattern of contemporary American politicking.
CIOCCI: A Foolish Consistency
Mitt Romney is guilty of serial hypocrisy, Newt Gingrich is guilty of being a public intellectual constantly scrutinized by the media and others, and Ron Paul never ceases to remind me about one of my favorite quotes from Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Essays: “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines.”
AKMAN: Jon Huntsman’s Meaningless Campaign
Josh Akman, Columnist
Jon Huntsman did not participate in the CNN Debate in Las Vegas on Tuesday night. Short of his family and small (and getting smaller) campaign staff, no one really noticed. In a bizarre and counterproductive effort to impress New Hampshire voters Huntsman skipped the debate to protest Nevada moving its caucus ahead of New Hampshire’s, which has always been the nation’s first primary. It’s bizarre because no one else skipped the debate. It’s counterproductive because right now, Jon Huntsman is polling 6% in New Hampshire.
SASSO: The 99% Rising
James Sasso
Associate Editor
For the past month a movement has grown out of Zuccoti Park in New York with the potential to grab at the very heart of America’s problems. “We are the 99%” is not simply a catchy phrase used by frustrated jobless Americans , but a commentary on the disgraceful economic inequality that has arisen in the United States since the 1970s.
WALK: Rick Perry’s No George W. Bush
Michele Walk, Editor
Have you heard? Rick Perry might be running for President! And that’s got the pundit class wondering if America is ready for another Texan. But hold your horses — George W. Bush and Rick Perry are hardly the same breed of Republican.
WALK: Hello, Chicago
Michele Walk, Associate Editor
On Wednesday night, damning evidence of the White House sanctioning questionably-legal Chicago-style politics emerged. Did the President and his administration attempt exercise undue influence over the Colorado Democratic Senate primary?
SIEG & WALK: Til a Visa Do Us Part
Michele Walk, Associate Editor
Emily Sieg, International Correspondent
A disturbing number of poor Eastern European women are being exploited in so-called “Schengen Marriages” in the EU. The proliferation of this practice brings yet more hesitation when considering the accession of developing nations, namely Turkey.
WALK: Do Poverty-Reduction Programs Actually Alleviate Poverty?
Michele Walk, Associate Editor
Though the Earned Income Tax Credit is a major improvement over previous welfare programs, a better poverty-reduction policy would be to encourage small-businesses creation by our nation’s poorest.
WALK: Obama – Clinton’s Doppelganger?
Michele Walk, Associate Editor
“Celebrity Doppelgangers” has become the latest trend on Facebook, but the last person anyone expected to participate was President Obama. No – a picture of the “Joker” didn’t appear on the South Lawn – but Obama is showing striking resemblance to Bill Clinton.
WALK: Brown Soars and Coakley Sours
Michele Walk, Moderate
The special election to replace Ted Kennedy’s Senate seat is still over a week away, but one thing is for sure: Massachusetts voters are not about to obediently elect a Democrat for the sake of electing a Democrat. Republican Scott Brown has boots on the ground, impressive fundraising, and the underdog’s zeal. If State Attorney General Martha Coakley wants to win this race, she will have to fight for it – riding on Kennedy’s sordid coat tails simply will not cut it.
MCCAFFREY & WALK: Gaping Security Holes and Those Who Dig Them
Kathleen McCaffrey, Libertarian
Michele Walk, Moderate
National security needs to be totally revamped. Until we bring down costs, employ more resources to out-thinking terrorists, and fail to cover enormous security gaps, we will remain vulnerable to terrorism.
WALK: Breaking the Addiction
America needs to break its addiction to government economic “stimulus.”
WALK: Bernie Sanders Gets It Right
Financial institutions that are “too big to fail” are “too big to exist.”
WALK: ObamaCare Would Repeat the Errors of RomneyCare
There are significant flaws with Massachusetts’ health care reform, which the Democrats’ health care plans are largely modeled on.
WALK: The Stupak Victory
The work of pro-life Democrats and Republicans in Congress has assured that Democrats’ health care reform does not cover abortions.
WALK: Women – The New Face of the GOP
Sarah Palin and Meghan McCain are the strongest voices in today’s Republican Party.
WALK: Pay to Win in Afghanistan
Michele Walk, Associate Editor Ideology: Moderate | Writing From: George Washington University In recent weeks, criticism of President Obama’s Afghan War policy has become increasingly vocal from both sides of [...]
WALK: Vouching for Education
Quality education is the backbone of a strong democracy, but America’s public schools are failing.
WALK: Obama Is Not a Marxist
The radical right is taking their opposition to Obama too far.