Recent Viewpoints

by Kerby Anderson Do we have evidence that strict gun control laws reduce the murder rate? This is a question economist Thomas Sowell asks us to contemplate. He explains that this “is not an esoteric question, nor one for which no empirical evidence is available.” After all, we have crime statistics from all 50 states that have very different gun control laws. The fact that you rarely hear a gun control advocate cite such data should tell you something. Sometimes…

by Penna Dexter I resonated with a column by Washington Post economic columnist Robert Samuelson about Americans’ love-hate relationship with vacation. He writes: “In theory we love it; in practice we often dread it.” He nails it when he says, “So much expectation is heaped in a few weeks of free time that disappointment, if not inevitable, is common. Worse, our escape from the job and daily routine fills us with anxiety that, somehow, this interlude will inflict a gruesome…

by Kerby Anderson Superhero movies aren’t what they used to be. They are bigger, bolder, but also more adult-oriented. That is not good news for parents who have kids that want to go to all of these movies. Christopher Gildemeister (Parents Television Council) was on my radio program to talk about his article, Many Superhero Movies Not for Kids. He reminds us that originally superhero comics were for young children but later were able to attract older teens and even…

by  Kerby Anderson Earlier this month was a celebration of “World Refugee Day.” While immigrant activists were talking about the need to provide safe places for refugees, other commentators reminded us that many diseases were making a comeback in America. The returning diseases are: tuberculosis, mumps, measles, whooping cough, scarlet fever, and the bubonic plague. It is probably safe to say that many doctors may not have even seen some of these diseases until now. My grandfather’s doctor saw many…

by Kerby Anderson A federal subsidy, often called “the Obamaphone,” could be losing nearly $500 million annually. That is the accusation made by one FCC Commissioner in a letter sent to the Universal Service Administrative Company. The company is a nonprofit organization that administers a fund that provides a monthly $9.95 subsidy for telecom service to low-income consumers. The subsidy has expanded beyond its initial purpose. It was originally established to help low-income consumers in rural areas obtain access to…

by Kerby Anderson In a recent column, Mollie Hemingway documents that “religious illiteracy among journalists is reaching crisis levels.” She mentions a column from a number of years ago by Terry Mattingly with the title, Reporters, crow’s ears, and Karma Light nuns that provides some humorous examples of reporters who obviously know nothing about Christianity in general or Catholics in particular. She also reminds us of reporters who thought Jesus was buried in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and…

by Penna Dexter The United States Senate recently passed its annual defense policy bill by a vote of 83 to 13. Senator Ted Cruz worked with others in sponsoring and passing 12 amendments to the $602 billion 2017 National Defense Authorization Act. He says, “This bill includes many commendable provisions that make sure our military is strong and our men and women in uniform are fully prepared to defend our freedom.” But when it came down to a vote on…

By Kerby Anderson “What are your kids up to this summer?” KJ Dell-Antonia begins her New York Times column with that question. Although it sounds like a casual question, it strikes at the heart of the problem many parents face when summer vacation arrives. If there is a Mom or Dad at home, the answer to the question isn’t as tough as when either both parents work or a single parent works. Then it becomes a financial and logistical nightmare….

By  Kerby Anderson Should the next president try to relocate some branches of the federal government? Presidential candidates like Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders expressed their disillusionment with a government that seems to live by the motto “business as usual.” The concentration of power in Washington with bureaucracies and lobbyists almost assures that nothing will change. Perhaps moving some of the government outside of Washington would be a positive step. Over the years I have tried to get a conversation…

Kerby Anderson We all know the value of a correct diagnosis. If your doctor can give you the right diagnosis for your symptoms, he or she will be more likely to prescribe the correct medicine or treatment regime. If your car stops working, you certainly hope your mechanic can figure what is wrong so he can fix it. Shortly after the mass shooting in Orlando, we heard lots of theories. Hillary Clinton put forth two. First, she talked about the…

Kerby Anderson After the worst mass shooting in American history took place in Orlando, people were asking what we could do to fight domestic terrorism. Some practical, common sense ideas have surfaced in the last week that deserve attention. The editors at National Review called for a long-term strategy to fight Islamic terrorism. First, they recommend that the U.S. no longer treat the Islamic State, a resurgent al-Qaeda, or other terrorist groups as distant enemies. They are bringing the war…