Each semester, The American Spectator holds its college essay contest, an opportunity for undergraduates to show their writing skills and sound off on a pressing issue. Our most recent topic, “The pros and cons of binge drinking,” elicited this essay…
There are always people who believe that Washington’s actions are immutable. Yes, they say, the people can elect Republicans who pledge to overturn Obamacare, but when the smoke clears much of it will still be standing. And sure, we have…
It’s always painful to take on the myths and ideological narratives of the left. The pundits of the liberal (excuse me, “progressive”) media make a pretense of listening to reason, but when their views are challenged, they become abusive. You…
As many readers of The American Spectator will know, I was a member of the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission, a 10-member body appointed by Congress to investigate the causes of the financial crisis of 2008. The Commission issued its report…
Let’s understand something. Increasing regulation, and spreading it over the rest of the financial economy, only solves Congress’s problem; it makes everything else worse. We’ve seen this before. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act in 2002 imposed immense costs on U.S. companies and…
Two narratives seem to be forming to describe the underlying causes of the financial crisis. One, as outlined in a New York Times front-page story on Sunday, December 21, is that President Bush excessively promoted growth in home ownership without…
Apparently dissatisfied with their presidential choices, Republicans are asking, “Why don’t we have another Ronald Reagan?” But if we think seriously about what made Ronald Reagan a great leader and a great president, we may find that there’s a reasonable…