Recent Viewpoints

Kerby Anderson A major campaign issue is health care. Americans are upset with the high cost of health care. Although many candidates are promoting the idea of “Medicare for All,” it won’t bring down costs and has little chance of passing anyway. So, we should be asking if there are any ways to bring down the cost of health care. Fortunately, we have some companies and states that have been able to do so with relatively minor changes. Sean Flynn…

Kerby Anderson No doubt you have heard the phrase: “campaign promises are like pie crust: they are made to be broken.” The first time something like that was uttered was back in the seventeenth century. That shows you how skeptical people have been when a candidate makes a promise. The Democratic presidential candidates are making some extreme promises. Jim Geraghty put together a shortlist from candidates he refers to as “charlatans.” Bernie Sanders promises no one will ever have to…

Kerby Anderson Recently the San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed a resolution that declares the National Rifle Association to be a domestic terrorist organization. I wasn’t too surprised since I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and often read about similar kinds of resolutions passed by the Berkeley City Council. But this resolution is worth a brief evaluation because it points to a dangerous trend. First, the supervisors attempt to redefine terms according to their Leftist lexicon. Even…

Kerby Anderson Earlier this month NFL Quarterback Drew Brees appeared in a short video to promote “Bring Your Bible to School Day.” It wouldn’t even be worth a mention in past years, but a number of critics slammed him for producing the video since it was a promo video for Focus on the Family. Again, this wouldn’t have been controversial even a few years ago. But the culture is different now. Social media lit up with claims that Focus on…

Penna Dexter Twelve philosophers from across Europe, North America and Australia recently released a letter to defend the right of members of their profession to express “skepticism about the concept of gender identity.” These philosophers are asking for open discussion of gender issues. As it stands, they say, philosophers are being censored, sanctioned for expressing their opposition to “replacing biological sex with gender identity in institutional policy making.” In a recent commentary, I wondered where the feminists were on the…

Kerby Anderson While reading yet another article about gun violence and mass shootings, I came to the conclusion that most of us aren’t sure what is true and what is false. For the next few months, we will be talking about and debating policies. It’s worth getting the right facts on the table. First, violent crime has been decreasing for decades. Although I read this in many places and even say it on the radio with some regularity, many people…

Kerby Anderson Two weeks ago, the largest study of the genetic basis of sexuality was published in Science. Based on the genomes of nearly 500,000 people, the research concluded that there was no “gay gene.” But you wouldn’t know that from some of the headlines. Associated Press proclaimed that “New Genetic Links to Same-Sex Sexuality Found in Huge Study.” The Washington Post was a little less spectacular: “There’s No One Gay Gene, but Genetics Are Linked to Same-Sex Behavior.” Fortunately, you…

Kerby Anderson Yesterday I talked about judicial rulings that could affect the outcome of the Electoral College vote in 2020. While those cases make their way through the courts, the attack on the Electoral College continues in the media. Perhaps you have seen the video produced by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez that shows lots of empty farmland. Her voice over proclaims with sarcasm: “Many votes here, you can see.” She also argues that the Electoral College is racist and provides an advantage…

Kerby Anderson The Electoral College has become a controversial issue in the last two decades. But a recent federal court ruling could make it even more controversial. Judges in the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that presidential electors do not have to follow the results of the popular vote in their states. Some worry that a single elector could decide the outcome of a presidential election in a close election. The decision was a victory for one Colorado elector…

Kerby Anderson Some court cases can be complex and convoluted. This isn’t one of them. The Kentucky Supreme Court heard oral arguments for the case of Blaine Adamson. He is the print shop owner who declined to print shirts with a message promoting the gay pride festival but offered to connect the local group to another printer. Before you jump to the conclusion that his decision is merely another religious liberty versus LGBTQ issue, consider other shirts he declined to…

Penna Dexter New Zealand powerlifter Laurel Hubbard recently took two gold medals and one silver in women’s heavyweight categories at the Pacific Games in Samoa. Laurel is one of a growing number of male athletes competing, and — unsurprisingly — dominating and setting records in women’s sports. Hubbard is now looking to compete at next year’s Tokyo Olympics. The International Olympic Committee requires that transgender men desiring to compete in the women’s division of a sport meet certain requirements, including…