The Fight Goes on in Venezuela
Monday September 16, 2024 | Alvaro Vargas Llosa

Edmundo González Urrutia, the real winner of Venezuela’s presidential election in July, has decided to go into exile in Spain, disheartening many Venezuelans. For many, he was the last hope of halting the country’s descent into chaos. According to official tallies obtained and published by the opposition, González secured nearly seventy percent of the vote. However, he was forced to spend weeks holed up in the Dutch embassy after his victory. (more…)

Uncle Sam Paying over $1 Trillion in Gross Interest
Monday September 16, 2024 | Craig Eyermann

The U.S. government has paid its creditors more than $1 trillion in interest during its 2024 fiscal year. CNBC reports on Uncle Sam’s new grim fiscal policy milestone: (more…)

California’s Next “Green New Deal” Should Be Red Tape Reduction
Monday September 16, 2024 | Josh T. Smith

California has long positioned itself as a leader in green energy, with lofty environmental goals and a slew of policies designed to make those goals a reality. For over three decades, the state has poured billions into subsidies and mandates, from tax incentives for solar panels to rebates for electric vehicles. Yet, despite those efforts, progress is thwarted by the very regulations meant to support green development. (more…)

VP Harris’s Proposal Will Increase Housing Prices
Friday September 13, 2024 | Randall G. Holcombe

Presidential candidate and VP Harris has proposed giving first-time home buyers up to $25,000 to go toward their down payments, plus another $10,000 tax credit. If enacted, this proposal would raise the price of housing. (more…)

Living in the Shadow of the Twin Towers
Wednesday September 11, 2024 | Mary L. G. Theroux

On this anniversary of “9/11,” I am mourning the loss of our American culture, of the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave. (more…)

The Hidden Politics Behind the Nippon-US Steel Deal
Tuesday September 10, 2024 | Scott Semet

According to reporting by Reuters, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US (CFIUS) has blocked the $14.9 billion takeover of US Steel (USS) by Nippon Steel (Nippon) due to the “consequences to national security” and a “continued loss of viable commercial production capabilities.” Because the United States defends Japan’s sovereignty, it is difficult to imagine the latter undermining US national security. Moreover, Nippon has agreed to no “layoffs or plant closures or idling of US Steel facilities.” Domestic politics may motivate this decision, namely helping Democrats in contested races, particularly Vice President Harris. (more…)

Ricky Pearsall’s Near-Death Experience
Monday September 9, 2024 | K. Lloyd Billingsley

On August 31, San Francisco 49ers receiver Ricky Pearsall was walking through downtown San Francisco when a robber pulled a pistol and demanded Pearsall’s upscale watch, according to some reports, a Rolex. The rookie receiver refused to hand it over, and in the ensuing struggle, the assailant shot Pearsall in the chest. Miraculously, the bullet struck no vital organs and passed out his back.  (more…)