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Risks and Opportunities for the GOP

By Chris Angle | 09/28/09

With the Republicans fighting to prevent the wholesale government takeover of healthcare while looking towards the next election in 13 months, the political landscape is changing in ways that present them with some risks and some opportunities. While the last two months have been tough for the Obama Administration and the Democrats, Republicans who think that they can just sit back and let Democrat miscues carry them to victory next November are... read more »

Are The Democrats A Serious Political Party?

By Chris Angle | 09/02/09

As Congress returns for the fall session, the Democrats continue to behave in ways that would lead an observer to question whether or not they are even serious enough to be given the reigns of government. To begin with, there is the matter of Harry Reid declaring the townhall protesters to be “evil-mongers”. While no one can dispute that the behavior of some of the protesters was hardly conducive to a respectful dialogue,... read more »

The Danger In Using The Wrong Historical Template

By Chris Angle | 08/02/09

Without question, the last 9 years have been some of the more tumultuous years in the long history of the U.S.  From a controversial presidential election and a terror attack (not to mention two wars) to a global financial crisis and the worst economic performance since the Great Depression, this decade has been one of the more exciting ones. In responding to the various crises, both Democrats and Republicans have tried to draw from... read more »

The Importance Of Federal Reserve Independence

By Chris Angle | 07/16/09

As the Obama administration continues to shape the regulatory overhaul that is being conducted as a result of the financial crisis, one oversight measure that appears to have gained some support across party lines is giving the General Accounting Office broader authority to examine the Federal Reserve's conduct of monetary policy. Of all of the actions that have been proposed in the aftermath of this crisis, decreasing the independence of... read more »

California Dreaming

By Chris Angle | 07/09/09

Despite the fact that California has been forced to issue IOU’s to keep the lights on, it does not appear that certain factions have begun questioning or rethinking their views regarding the role of government and government spending. While California voters said ‘no’ to higher taxes in the special election held in May, these factions continue to pretend that the voters did not mean what they said (despite polls showing that... read more »

More Trouble from North Korea Looms

By Chris Angle | 06/18/09

Over the last 2 months, the world has been treated to a familiar pattern of North Korean saber-rattling. From conducting a nuclear test, to firing off missiles, to declaring that it no longer considers itself bound by the 1953 armistice agreement, the North seems determined to see how far it can push Obama. In the past, bad behavior from North Korea has been rewarded with concessions in an effort to entice the government of Kim Jong Il back to... read more »

An ‘Empathetic’ Judge: A Long-Term Danger

By Chris Angle | 06/01/09

Now that Obama’s much anticipated ‘empathetic’ appointment to the Supreme Court has been revealed, one can be forgiven for feeling that one is perhaps witnessing the next step in the country’s transition from a nation ruled by laws to a nation subject to the arbitrary rule of judges. To be sure, this process has been underway for nearly 2 generations, and Obama’s announced search for ‘empathetic’ judges... read more »

The Republicans And Health Care Reform

By Chris Angle | 05/14/09

Sometime within the next 6 weeks, President Obama is likely to present a plan to Congress that many are predicting will ultimately do what Hillary Clinton failed to do: namely, bring the American healthcare industry largely under the control of the government. While many Republicans are decrying the attempt to socialize the medical industry, the balance of power in Congress suggests that they will have difficulty stopping it. Despite this, many... read more »

Tax Reform: Complex Code Must Go

By Chris Angle | 04/26/09

Another tax season has come and gone, and with it 7.6 billion hours in tax compliance that cost Americans $200 billion (according to a recent Wall Street Journal piece). While a complex and byzantine tax code can benefit those who make their living guiding ordinary mortals through it, or politicians who change it to reward favored interest groups, the current tax code actually hurts the country as a whole. Firstly, the country is hurt... read more »

The Changing Face Of The American Dream

By Chris Angle | 04/05/09

As America continues to watch as stock markets recede and job losses mount, many have yet to accept that the economic landscape has likely changed permanently. While the perennial pessimists may be premature in predicting the irreversible economic decline of the United States, there is no doubt that Americans are currently faced with major challenges that will take a long time to overcome. Since the 2nd World War, except for the decade of the... read more »