Recent Viewpoints

Kerby Anderson The English language is changing rapidly because progressives have been giving new definitions to words and phrases. Apparently, we can’t even define what a woman is, what a recession is, or what free speech entails. The latest redefinition is the word “freedom,” courtesy of California Governor Gavin Newsom. As part of what may be a run-up to a presidential bid, the governor began an ad campaign in Florida boasting that California is America’s true “free state.” Most of…

Kerby Anderson Politicians and pundits are starting to take a closer look at ESG, which is a system that evaluates companies and countries with an index of Environmental, Social, and Governance concerns. For example, Senator Tom Cotton has been speaking about his concerns with how the system is deployed. Andy Kessler, writing in the Wall Street Journal, argues that ESG is a loser and that you pay higher expenses for a fund with similar stocks but worse performance. In fact,…

Kerby Anderson Rich Lowry argues that “the climate-obsessed green movement is the most stupidly self-destructive force in the world today, leaving a trail of irrationality and folly wherever it goes.” He points to the collapse of Sri Lanka. But he could use other countries as examples of what happens when destructive green policies are adopted by a country’s leaders. He laments that proponents of the green agenda “seek to throw the gears into reverse on the millennia-long human quest for…

Kerby Anderson Seven years ago, the Supreme Court, in a 5-4 decision, struck down laws mandating traditional marriage. We were told at the time, that the decision was settled even though it was enacted by the slimmest of margins. But last month, Democrats in the House of Representatives pushed through legislation, deceptively labeled the “Respect for Marriage Act.” It was intended to codify into law the Supreme Court decision. This would be an unnecessary protection. But the bill’s sponsors point…

Penna Dexter Not that long ago, majorities in both political parties believed that marriage was the union of one man and one woman. In 1996, when Congress passed DOMA, the Defense of Marriage Act, only one Republican voted against it. In 2013, the Supreme Court, in its Windsor decision, struck down DOMA’s definition of marriage. And in 2015, in Obergefell v. Hodges, the Court ruled that states must recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states. The 5-4 Obergefell decision not…

Kerby Anderson Has Christianity made a positive impact on Western civilization? That was a question I posed a few months ago in a commentary, providing a short list of atheists who would agree with that statement. Now, there are more atheists coming to that conclusion. Jonathon Van Maren writes about a number of atheists whom he calls “King Agrippa Christians.” After the Apostle Paul gave his testimony and the gospel, the king said he was nearly persuaded. None of the…

Kerby Anderson What might change if Republicans retake the House and Senate in 2022? Dr. Merrill Matthews suggests that one change might be welfare reform. Back in the 1990s, a Republican Congress passed, and President Bill Clinton signed, a welfare reform package. But some aspects (like the work requirement) have been removed by later administrations. He believes that Senator Rick Scott’s “Let’s Get Back to Work Act” could pass next year. Decades ago, one of the Republican leaders on welfare…

Kerby Anderson More than a year ago, I quoted a social commentator who argued that more and more employees would be working remotely. That is exactly what we are finding. In fact, employers are finding it difficult to get workers back to the office. Notice the difference in employment statistics. Life is returning to normal at restaurants, airlines, and sporting events. They aren’t exactly back to pre-pandemic levels but approaching them. By contrast, companies with offices (especially in major cities)…

Kerby Anderson You have probably heard the phrase, “History Does Not Repeat Itself, But It Rhymes.” That observation is true, especially in economics. Investor Ray Dalio learned that lesson at a young age. In 1971, he was clerking on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. When President Nixon announced that paper currency could no longer be turned in for gold, he expected pandemonium on the floor as stocks took a dive. Instead, the stock market jumped 4 percent…

Kerby Anderson After a mass shooting, one question rarely asked is whether there is any connection to psychiatric drugs. As I have explained in previous commentaries, there are many factors and explanations for young men who decide to shoot innocent citizens. There is no “one size fits all” explanation. It’s worth a brief mention that many of these young men were on what are called SSRI drugs. That stands for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Correlation is not causation, but we…

Penna Dexter The Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision restores the regulation of abortion to the states where it belongs. The abortion industry is pushing back with scare tactics as evidenced at a hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP). In testimony before the HELP Committee, Kristyn Brandi, chair of Physicians for Reproductive Health, tried to convince senators that banning abortion would deprive women with ectopic pregnancies of lifesaving care. Ectopic pregnancy is any pregnancy that…