PUBLICATIONS BY Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Research
Commentary
Books
Media Appearances
2009 Research
July 20, 2009
Spending Spree and Cutting Defense Don't Add Up
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
(Special Report #62)
Our leaders are cutting back on defense, even in the midst of a war in Afghanistan and ongoing terrorist threats. That's a mistake, because protecting our nation is one of the few jobs specifically assigned to the federal government by the Constitution.
2008 Research
July 09, 2008
The Roots of Modern Conservative Thought from Burke to Kirk
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
(First Principles #19)
If we had to pick the thinkers more responsible than any other for planting the intellectual roots of modern conservative thought, I believe we would select Edmund Burke and Russell Kirk. They were separated by almost two hundred years but united in their adherence to the priceless principle of ordered liberty.
April 14, 2008
The Heritage Foundation's Leadership on Missile Defense
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
(Heritage Lecture #1075)
One of The Heritage Foundation’s main objectives is for the U.S. to fully deploy a comprehensive missile defense system within the next decade. Heritage will continue to lead the way in educating Americans about the need for this type of comprehensive protection.
March 14, 2008
Public Diplomacy: Reinvigorating America's Strategic Communications Policy
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D., Helle C. Dale, Colleen Graffy, Michael Doran, Ph.D., Joseph Duffey, Ph.D., and Tony Blankley
(Heritage Lecture #1065)
U.S. government agencies are hampered in their efforts to improve public diplomacy by a combination of poor leadership, inadequate coordination, and insufficient resources. As we seek to improve the U.S. image abroad and engage in a war of ideas with Muslim extremism, improving the relevant public diplomacy structures of the U.S. government are crucial.
2007 Research
May 03, 2007
The Hegemony of Ideas
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
(Heritage Lecture #999)
As an alternative to the failed cut-and-paste solutions offered by distant government bureaucracies, a "fraternal association of the English-speaking peoples" (in the words of Winston Churchill) can lead the way in halting and then reversing socialism through the concrete applications of conservative ideas, creating an irresistible momentum and expanding spheres of freedom in every corner of the globe.
April 12, 2007
President Must Veto Unconstitutional, Irresponsible War Funding Legislation
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #1422)
The President is right to threaten a veto of Congress's legislation. Anything that falls short of the standards of constitutionality and responsibility must face a presidential veto.
2006 Research
December 08, 2006
Real Reform at the United Nations
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
(Heritage Lecture #979)
For Britain, the United States, and our allies to achieve real reform in the United Nations, we must use alternative means to demand reform, including financial leverage. This is the only way to achieve real reform, and real reform is the only way for the United Nations to be effective in the world of today and tomorrow.
November 29, 2006
Feulner on Friedman: A Tribute
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #1266)
Heritage Foundation President Edwin Feulner pays tribute to Milton Friedman in this collection of speeches and essays.
September 20, 2006
Korea and the United States: Forging a Partnership for the Future
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
(Heritage Lecture #963)
The U.S. and the Republic of Korea must maintain their strong security and economic relationship to counter threats from North Korea and to increase economic freedom.
2005 Research
October 06, 2005
A Line in the Sand for Fiscally Responsible Lawmakers
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D., and Alison Acosta Fraser
(WebMemo #874)
Policymakers who are serious about controlling spending must give up their earmarks and postpone the drug benefit.
2004 Research
August 10, 2004
Free Trade by Any Means: How the Global Free Trade Alliance Enhances America's Overall Trading Strategy
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D., John C. Hulsman, Ph.D., and Brett D. Schaefer
(Backgrounder #1786)
The Bush Administration should consider a Global Free Trade Alliance (GFTA) as a complementary part of America's existing trade agenda of promoting free trade by any means. The GFTA would offer free trade among the U.S. and other nations that have a demonstrable commitment to free trade and investment, minimal regulation, and property rights-on the one condition that they reciprocate this access to the U.S. and the other GFTA members.
January 13, 2004
Regaining America's Voice Overseas: A Conference on U.S. Public Diplomacy
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D. et al.
(Heritage Lecture #817)
That America has unilaterally disarmed itself of the weapons of ideological warfare is all the more astonishing in light of the fact that victory in the Cold War was largely the product of victory on the ideological front. Only full-service public diplomacy and international broadcasting offers the format to permit the kind of dialogues that can kindle a democratic "fire in the minds" of listeners, viewers, and Internet users.
2001 Research
November 02, 2001
Time to Give President Bush Trade Promotion Authority
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
(Executive Memorandum #788)
A cornerstone of President Bush's trade agenda is securing Trade Promotion Authority (TPA). Formerly known as fast-track authority, TPA would limit Congress to a straight up-or-down vote on any trade agreements negotiated by the Administration.
September 21, 2001
A New Agenda for America
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D., Kenneth Adelman, David Malpass, and Denise Bode
(Heritage Lecture #721)
Ken Adelman, David Malpass and Denise Bode discuss three domestic and foreign policy areas where change is necessary to the future of our nation and the cause of freedom worldwide.
March 07, 2001
Commemoration of Kim Dae-Jung's Presidency
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
(Heritage Lecture #696)
"I had little idea then that my friend would one day serve as president of Korea and institute the very reforms we were discussing at the time."
January 23, 2001
Pressing Concerns
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
(Executive Memorandum #712)
One area of foriegn policy that requires early attention is the U.S.-Republic of Korea alliance.
1999 Research
February 10, 1999
Challenges in U.S.-Asia Policy
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
(Testimony #9999)
For the past 50 years, peace, stability, and prosperity in Asia have depended on American leadership and involvement.
1998 Research
May 05, 1998
BG1175: The IMF Needs Real Reform
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1175)
The IMF Needs Real Reform, Not More Money
1996 Research
February 06, 1996
What Are America's Vital Interests?
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
(Heritage Lecture #557)
I believe America's vitality and leadership abroad will return, but I think it will take a change of administration to accomplish this. It is a challenge and an opportunity that we, as a great nation, cannot afford to let pass.
1995 Research
September 07, 1995
The Voice of America: Don't Silence America's Voice in the Global Marketplace of Ideas
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1052)
"Ideas have consequences." This simple truism became the battle cry of the Reagan Revolution of the 1980s.
2009 Commentary
November 05, 2009
Curbing a Constitutional Crisis
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
These are the times that try conservatives' souls. A liberal president wants funding for defense slashed.
October 27, 2009
A Tale of Two $250s
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
This fall, as American families anticipate the holiday season and an uncertain economy in 2010, they're likely to decide to cut back. Maybe they'll stay home for Thanksgiving instead of flying to Grandma's house. They'll put fewer gifts under the Christmas tree.
October 15, 2009
Tax the Wealthy Even More? That's Rich
By Ed Feulner, Ph. D
Your parents probably told you that you can't get something for nothing. But your government is sending a very different message. For now, at least. The non-partisan Tax Policy Center recently released a report finding that almost half (47 percent) of American households will pay no income taxes this year.
October 08, 2009
Defusing the Iranian Threat
By Ed Feulner, Ph. D
No wonder presidents seem to age so quickly -- dealing with the country's toughest problems every day takes its toll. Many of those problems seem almost insolvable.
September 10, 2009
Reading, Writing and Rap Sheets
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
The president has countless things to worry about, but at least he can be confident his children are safe. Whether the First Family is vacationing in the Grand Canyon or hosting town halls in New Hampshire, Secret Service agents are always on the job.
September 04, 2009
Hurtling toward a train wreck
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Nobody could have been happier to see August end than the liberals pushing government-run health care. The month, to put it mildly, was not kind to President Obama and his allies. Their worst nightmares were realized -- Americans examined the bills being proposed and turned out in great numbers to voice their opposition.
August 17, 2009
(Not) Providing for the Common Defense
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
During the John Adams administration, Americans were offered a chance to bribe their way out of a war. Most responded by chanting, "Millions for defense, not a penny for tribute."
August 10, 2009
More Spending, Less Recovery
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
If there's a parade going by, any good politician will jump in front and claim to be leading it. But it's especially brazen to do so when you're promoting policies likely to bring that parade to a screeching halt.
August 06, 2009
Piling on the spending
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
This year, millions of Americans accepted a salary freeze or even a pay cut so they could keep their jobs. They ought to be asking why the federal government isn't willing to make a similar sacrifice.
July 27, 2009
Public Health Plan: Your Only "Option"?
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Last month, House lawmakers set a new land-speed record by voting for the Waxman-Markey cap-and-trade (or cap-and-tax) bill before they'd even seen the final copy. Now it seems President Barack Obama is trying to top that dubious feat.
July 14, 2009
Americans Deserve American Laws
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
When a Supreme Court justice decides a case, should he or she look exclusively to the Constitution and U.S. laws? Or should foreign policies or laws come into play?
June 19, 2009
Government Motors: a dead-end deal
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
As a rock-ribbed conservative, I seldom agree with the socialist president of Venezuela. But it happened last week.
June 04, 2009
Urgency vs. Duty of Constitution
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
In business, the urgent often crowds out the important. It's important to have a long-term business plan. But it's urgent to make this week's payroll.
June 01, 2009
Cooling North Korea's Reactors
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Politics, they used to say, "stops at the water's edge." Not anymore.
May 26, 2009
A Sure-Fire Economy Killer
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Some things, virtually everyone agrees on. We all want a cleaner environment. And we all want a booming economy.
May 19, 2009
Salvaging Social Security
By Edwin Feulner
Following the news from Washington has never been easy. But there's an added challenge today: the problem of large numbers. It's almost impossible for anyone to really grasp the idea of a billion, let alone a trillion. Even the experts get confused.
May 11, 2009
Misunderstanding Kemp
By Edwin Feulner
While mourning a close friend, it's interesting to hear what others have to say about him. As expected, the recent passing of Jack Kemp generated glowing tributes from commentators both right and left.
May 04, 2009
A Cure Worse Than The Disease
By Edwin Feulner
Emily Morley got some very bad news in March 2006. Her cancer had spread, the doctor informed the 67-year-old Canadian. She would need to see an oncologist.
April 21, 2009
Keeping LOST Underwater
By Edwin Feulner
Some things are quintessentially American. Consider the rescue of Captain Richard Phillips by Navy SEALs.
April 21, 2009
School Choice and a Lesson in Hypocrisy
By Edwin Feulner
Even for those of us who live and breathe politics, the workings of the U.S. Senate are often difficult to understand. It takes only 51 votes to pass a bill, for example -- but first, 60 senators must agree to grant "cloture" to end the debate. And because of odd Senate policies, when John Kerry said a few years ago, "I actually did vote for the $87 billion before I voted against it," that bizarre statement was accurate.
April 13, 2009
Battle for the Border
By Edwin Feulner
Almost two years ago I visited southern California to watch the U.S. Border Patrol at work. The federal government was building a fence and, with help from the National Guard, federal agents were stepping up patrols and slowing the flow of illegal aliens across our southern border
April 07, 2009
CEObama: The Car Czar
By Edwin Feulner
As the saying goes, be careful what you wish for -- you just might get it. Just ask American car makers.
March 31, 2009
The Claw-Back Calamity
By Edwin Feulner
The drive to "claw back" executive bonuses is waning in Washington. Lawmakers are softening a House-passed bill to tax away big-money bonuses paid at bailed-out companies. Some felt the rhetoric had gone over the top.
March 25, 2009
Shine a Light on Spending
By Edwin Feulner
Work in Washington long enough, and you're bound to agree with almost everyone at least once. Even socialists occasionally have good ideas.
March 17, 2009
An Economic Fate We Can Avoid
By Edwin Feulner
It's not always enjoyable to look in a mirror. But we can learn a lot when we do. Perhaps it's time for the United States to give it a try.
March 02, 2009
Preventing the Return of $4 Gasoline
By Edwin Feulner
You may have forgotten what you did on vacation last summer -- but you probably remember how much it cost to fill your gas tank for the trip.
February 23, 2009
Still Waiting for Open Government
By Edwin Feulner
"Today does not mark the end of our economic troubles," President Barack Obama announced as he signed the so-called stimulus bill. "But it does mark the beginning of the end."
February 13, 2009
An Open Letter to the Congress and the President of the United States
By Edwin Feulner
An Open Letter to the Congress and the President of the United States
February 11, 2009
Honoring Lincoln
By Ed Feulner
“What is conservatism?” Abraham Lincoln once asked. “Is it not the adherence to the old and the tried, against the new and the untried?” It is that, and so much more
February 10, 2009
The Power of Zero
By Ed Feulner
In Washington, politicians like to seek common ground. So let’s begin by noting that many from both parties agreed with President Barack Obama’s recent warning: "A failure to act, and act now, will turn crisis into a catastrophe and guarantee a longer recession, a less robust recovery, and a more uncertain future."
February 03, 2009
A Sham "Stimulus"
By Ed Feulner
If there's any good news from this recession, it may be this: We've seen how Washington works. The picture is so ugly, it may be enough to spark real reform in the years ahead. Here's what's been going on:
Every so often Congress gets hold of a bill that simply must pass. A defense spending bill, say, during war time. So lawmakers exploit the situation, tacking on pet projects that have nothing to do with defense
January 23, 2009
A two-step plan for economic success
By Ed Feulner
Just before Inauguration Day, President-elect Barack Obama refused to comment on Israel's battle with Hamas. The United States has only one president at a time, he said. Well, now it's his turn.
As the country's first black commander in chief, Obama has already made history. He's our president – our only president until 2013 - and all Americans should wish him well.
January 15, 2009
Our economic answer is freedom
By Ed Feulner
A nation's economic situation can turn on a dime.
For example, in November 2007 the Federal Reserve expected the American economy to grow as much as 2.5 percent in 2008. In January the Fed revised that forecast downward, a step it would take repeatedly throughout the year as gasoline prices soared and the housing market plunged. By fall, it was clear our economy was in trouble.
January 14, 2009
The Lasting Legacy of Fr. Neuhaus
By Ed Feulner
You know that relations between religious denominations are improving when a devoted Catholic is proud to have a former Lutheran pastor baptize his grandchild. In fact that pastor, who became a Catholic priest in 1991, is a key reason why relations improved, and will continue to do so in the years ahead.
January 05, 2009
School Choice: The Real Test
By Ed Feulner
It’s official: President-elect Barack Obama’s two daughters are attending Sidwell Friends School in Washington, D.C.
The decision comes as no surprise. That elite private school launched former first daughter Chelsea Clinton on the path to success years ago. And the Obama girls are certainly used to attending a private school.
2008 Commentary
December 31, 2008
Health-Care by Committee
By Ed Feulner
A camel, they say, is a horse designed by committee. To take the expression further, let’s call it a committee of experts. After all, only “experts” could take something as graceful as a horse and replace it with something as difficult as a camel.
December 29, 2008
Bale up the bailouts
By Ed Feulner
So much for checks and balances. It looks as if the Bush administration intends to spend billions of dollars bailing out the American automotive industry. That announcement came immediately after Congress - the branch of government that is constitutionally required to deal with spending measures - declined to intervene.
December 15, 2008
Economic Elixir: A Coded Approach
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Back in the 1990s President Bill Clinton and British Prime Minister Tony Blair crafted what they called a “third way” of governing. Supposedly this approach would be neither liberal nor conservative, but would split the difference.
December 09, 2008
Civics Class: Gimme an F
By Ed Feulner
Americans are about to get a civics lesson -- and not a moment too soon
October 22, 2008
Forced Into an Unhealthy Choice
By Ed Feulner
Can you imagine the government forcing you to take benefits you didn’t want? How about a situation where you'd have to sue the government to get out of taking those benefits?
October 14, 2008
California drilling
By Edwin Feulner
When it comes to energy, we're supposed to pick between a clean environment and affordable fuel. But what if we could have both?
October 14, 2008
Financial Forensics
By Ed Feulner
Two things should be clear to anyone trying to figure out the financial crisis. One is that we need to get to the bottom of what caused it and why. The second is that we can’t rely on Congress to conduct such an investigation.
September 23, 2008
A Free-Market Fix
By Ed Feulner
Nobody has ever lost money by betting on the federal government to overreact to a crisis. And as Congress weighs a bailout of the financial markets, it looks as if that’s where the smart money should go yet again.
September 16, 2008
Defenses for a Dangerous World
By Ed Feulner
It’s easy to get a bit complacent on the security front these days. We’ve gone seven years without a terrorist attack on U.S. soil, and we’re seeing progress in Iraq as well. But we still live in a dangerous world.
September 09, 2008
India marches into modern era
By Ed Feulner
Mumbai, India -- When I told friends I would be visiting India, the immediate response was, "Why? China's the country of the future!" Well, I've visited China many times. It was time to meet some of the business, academic and governmental leaders of the world's "biggest democracy," as India bills itself.
September 08, 2008
India: Land on the March
By Ed Feulner
Mumbai, India -- When I told friends I would be visiting India, the immediate response was, “Why? China’s the country of the future!” Well, I’ve visited China many times. It was time to meet some of the business, academic and governmental leaders of the world’s “biggest democracy,” as India bills itself.
August 30, 2008
Conservatism Isn't the Culprit
By Ed Feulner
Thousands of Republican politicians, activists and partisans are now lining up behind John McCain and preparing to advance into the fall campaign. If they hope to win, many pundits maintain, their task is obvious: Ditch conservatism, which is intellectually bankrupt.
August 28, 2008
Unions: What Works -- and What Doesn't
By Ed Feulner
"We must hang together, gentlemen," Benjamin Franklin warned his fellow colonists during the American Revolution, "else, we shall most assuredly hang separately."
August 20, 2008
A senator in the 'no'
By Ed Feulner
Some years back, a newspaper comic strip showed lemmings running toward a cliff. One said to another, "Don't worry, this was a bipartisan decision."
August 18, 2008
Getting Government Out of the Way
By Ed Feulner
It’s time, as they say, for some good news and some bad news. First, to get it out of the way, is the bad news: The unemployment rate last month climbed to 5.7 percent, the highest it’s been in four years.
The good news is that our economy remains in good shape. It’s still growing, and there’s much we can do to help it grow even faster. The main thing, of course, is to get the government to stop interfering with entrepreneurs who are trying to work, build businesses and create jobs.
August 06, 2008
Stall that slide to the '70s
By Ed Feulner
There aren't many who long for a return to the 1970s. Those of us old enough to recall that decade tend to think of gas lines, a hostage crisis and Watergate. President Jimmy Carter never used the word "malaise," but he acted as if America was doomed to decline, and it was his job to make sure it went smoothly.
July 28, 2008
Kyoto Treaty: Pointless Promises
By Ed Feulner
Next month, the greatest athletes in the world will visit Beijing for the Olympic Games. Undoubtedly they’ll set new records in plenty of sports
July 28, 2008
Stall that slide to the '70s
By Ed Feulner
There aren't many who long for a return to the 1970s. Those of us old enough to recall that decade tend to think of gas lines, a hostage crisis and Watergate. President Jimmy Carter never used the word "malaise," but he acted as if America was doomed to decline, and it was his job to make sure it went smoothly.
July 21, 2008
Constitutional Confusion
By Ed Feulner
Every president, every senator, every member of Congress and every Supreme Court justice takes an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States.
July 08, 2008
Champion of Freedom
By Edwin Feulner
Independence Day 2008 — like July 4, 1826, and July 4, 1831 — will long be remembered as a very special day in the history of American Independence.
July 02, 2008
No Room for Negativity
By Ed Feulner
We're about to mark another national birthday. But we don't seem to be in the mood to celebrate. Polls show 80 percent of Americans think the country's on the "wrong track."
June 24, 2008
U.N. Leaders: Wrong on Rights
By Ed Feulner
You know you’re doing a good job if you upset the right people -- such as petty bureaucrats at the United Nations.
June 18, 2008
Time to get serious about energy
By Ed Feulner
About 50 miles off the coast of Florida, deep sea rigs are now drilling for oil. That makes perfect sense. For decades, the U.S. has banned any new offshore drilling, locking that oil away for a rainy day while we imported relatively cheap oil from overseas.
June 17, 2008
Wages: It Pays to Look at the Big Picture
By Ed Feulner
Charles Dickens captured the spirit of an era in a single sentence: “It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.” For American workers, that sentiment still seems to apply.
June 09, 2008
At This Restaurant, Taxpayers Are Cooked
By Ed Feulner
Recently, an attendant on my United Airlines flight drew groans when she announced that the price of our in-flight meal had gone up. Her captive audience would have to pay $7 instead of $5 for a box lunch with soft drinks and coffee.
May 27, 2008
War is Expensive, But Defeat Costs More
By Ed Feulner
It's one thing to put a price tag on something. It's another to figure out its cost.
May 26, 2008
Saluting those who serve
By Ed Feulner
For many Americans, Memorial Day marks little more than the start of summer. It's a day off to mow the lawn, go to the pool or grill in the back yard.
May 19, 2008
Saluting Those Who Serve
By Edwin Feulner
For many Americans, Memorial Day marks little more than the start of summer. It's a day off to mow the lawn, go to the pool or grill in the back yard.
May 07, 2008
Food & Federal Fuel Follies
By Ed Feulner
"What could possibly go wrong?" That's what members of Congress probably thought when they started shoveling bigger subsidies at ethanol producers. Now, with food riots erupting in some parts of the world, we have our answer: a lot.
May 01, 2008
Examining a 'Nation at Risk'
By Ed Feulner
It's all too easy for lawmakers to throw cash at a problem. After all, they're spending somebody else's money. Take the way they've handled (or, rather, mishandled) education policy.
April 21, 2008
Getting Defensive
By Ed Feulner
Think your life is a whirlwind? Try stepping onto the deck of an American aircraft carrier. It’s busier (and more efficient) than most major airports. As many as four jets can take off every minute.
April 14, 2008
Homing In on a Solution
By Ed Feulner
During a recent visit to the doctor, I noticed a sign on his wall: “First, do no harm.” That is, of course, part of the Hippocratic Oath. If only we could convince lawmakers to adopt that adage.
April 07, 2008
An Enlightened Debate
By Ed Feulner
A flash of inspiration is known as a light-bulb moment. In an instant, things become clear, like items in a room when you flip on a light switch.
April 01, 2008
A bear of a dilemma
By Ed Feulner
The drive from Washington, D.C., to Philadelphia isn't long, but it's certainly becoming expensive. On a recent weekend it cost me $65 to fill up the tank on Interstate 95.
March 24, 2008
Eliminating the Rogue Missile Threat
By Ed Feulner
The Sept. 11 attacks proved that even vast oceans can no longer protect the American homeland from a determined enemy. Terrorists are eager to kill civilians any way they can, and we must think creatively to counter them.
March 19, 2008
In Iraq, a "Surge" Of Success
By Ed Feulner
Are we succeeding in Iraq? Look no further than the front page of your daily newspaper. What had been a steady barrage of bad news has now slowed to a trickle.
March 13, 2008
Treading a Foreign Policy Tightrope
By Ed Feulner
After so many debates, primaries and stump speeches, it's difficult to believe Election Day is still eights months away. But it's probably good that political campaigns last so long. Now that they're marathons instead of sprints, they give candidates a chance to prove they can endure great stress for long periods of time.
March 04, 2008
A Better World, Because of Buckley
By Ed Feulner
In this vast universe, the powers of man are surprisingly limited. No one can command that the sun rise or set, that the winds blow or be still, or that the rain fall or stop falling.
February 15, 2008
A Heritage of Conservative Victories
By Ed Feulner
Ask a conservative to name landmark dates in political history, and Jan. 20, 1981 (President Reagan’s inauguration) would be high on the list. So would Nov. 9, 1989, the day the Berlin Wall fell, and Dec. 25, 1991, when the Soviet Union formally dissolved.
February 12, 2008
Maritime Defense: A Sinking Feeling
By Edwin Feulner
Even the strongest military powers are often paralyzed by an age-old weakness: They tend to focus on past threats rather than on future ones.
January 18, 2008
Profiles in Change
By Edwin Feulner
The presidential campaigns have boiled down to one word: “change.” Candidates from both parties insist they’re agents of “change.” Elect me, each says, and our government and our country will be better.
January 15, 2008
A Race Everyone Wins
By Edwin Feulner
Every January, there's new proof that competition forces everyone involved to get better. That's when millions of Americans tune in to the NFL playoffs, where only the best teams advance.
January 08, 2008
Making 2008 A Year to Celebrate
By Edwin Feulner
Political reporters love a horse race. Bruising campaigns -- with their polls, promises and pandering -- offer endless excitement for scribes. By contrast, day-to-day governing -- with its conversations, cooperation and compromises -- seems boring.
January 08, 2008
Parents, Do Your Homework
By Edwin Feulner
This is a time of the year when, as the popular holiday song goes, "Mom and Dad can hardly wait for school to start again."
January 07, 2008
Cracking the Code
By Edwin Feulner
To win votes, candidates highlight areas where they disagree. So throughout this election year, we’re sure to hear plenty about the differences between the presidential hopefuls.
2007 Commentary
December 17, 2007
Spying the Truth
By Edwin Feulner
It’s sad but true that our intelligence community is more talented at leaking information than at identifying upcoming threats. So let’s consider the latest National Intelligence Estimate, which says Iran halted its nuclear weapons back in 2003.
December 12, 2007
Hot for Nukes
By Edwin Feulner
Environmental lobbyists have America between a rock and, well, a hot place.
December 03, 2007
Stuck in a Real State
By Edwin Feulner
Americans are at our best when we volunteer. In revolutionary times, it was the Minutemen, sworn to leave their homes and fight the British at a moment’s notice. Today, hundreds of thousands of volunteer firemen donate their time and efforts to protect their fellow Americans.
November 26, 2007
Building Real Wealth
By Edwin Feulner
Every silver lining, it seems, comes with at least a little bit of cloud.
November 13, 2007
Targeting Terrorists
By Edwin Feulner
Every day, millions of Americans visit malls, ride trains and enter office buildings. Checking every one of them would be impossible, so a terrorist who's willing to die could detonate a bomb and kill many people virtually any time.
November 06, 2007
Taxes: Time to Cut and Run
By Edwin Feulner
Politicians say the oddest things. Recently, Maryland's Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley called a special legislative session. He wants lawmakers to raise taxes to close an expected budget shortfall. Among the taxes he hopes to increase are the sales tax, the corporate income tax, the tobacco tax and income taxes on the people many politicians call "the rich."
October 30, 2007
Maneuvering Against Missile Defense
By Ed Feulner
In the 1990s, Congress decided it was time for the United States to build a missile-defense system. This was a reasonable -- even overdue -- step. After all, we’d been completely defenseless against any sort of missile attack since the missile had been invented.
October 16, 2007
They Just Don't Get LOST
By Ed Feulner
This year a Democratic majority took power on Capitol Hill. But new leadership has done nothing to address an old problem: Lawmakers racing to pass bills they haven't actually read.
October 03, 2007
Testing, Testing
By Ed Feulner
Can you, without peeking at a textbook or doing a quick Google search, say roughly when Abraham Lincoln was elected president? Could you name which country the United States sparred with during the Cold War? Do you know where the phrase "all men are created equal" comes from?
September 26, 2007
Paging Dr. Bureaucrat
By Ed Feulner
Sen. Hillary Clinton, the New York Democrat, recently unveiled her latest comprehensive health-care reform proposal. Mrs. Clinton says that this version of her proposal is different from her last one, and claims it could accomplish great things.
September 18, 2007
The Law: An Arresting Tale
By Ed Feulner
It’s a common complaint: “There oughta be a law against [fill in the blank].” But these days, we hardly need more laws. Too many things are already illegal.
September 12, 2007
Lessons in school choice
By Ed Feulner
Recently, GQ magazine compiled its list of the 50 most powerful people in the nation's capital. Political leaders such as Condoleezza Rice, Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi topped the list.
September 04, 2007
News on Salary Doesn't Add Up
By Ed Feulner
There seems to be an unwritten journalistic rule that all economic news must be bad news. The stories we read and hear tend to be negative. Good economic news, if it makes it into print at all, is usually buried behind the crossword puzzle, the comics and the horoscopes.
August 27, 2007
Laboring to Uncover the Truth
By Ed Feulner
Here's an "only in Washington" story for you. A handful of federal investigators have uncovered evidence of multiple crimes. In the last six years alone, these gangbusters have won 775 criminal convictions and the repayment of $70 million taken illegally from American workers. So how does Congress react? By moving to cut their budget next year.
August 20, 2007
Fueling the Push for a Better Car
By Ed Feulner
Today’s modern technology would doubtless awe the people whose pioneering work made it possible. If Alexander Graham Bell flipped open a cell phone or Philo T. Farnsworth watched a high-def television, they’d be dumbfounded. Technology has taken their relatively crude inventions and made them immeasurably better.
August 13, 2007
Picking the Correct Adversary
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
To paraphrase the great newsman Paul Harvey, we usually think we know what the news is, but it’s often difficult to get “the rest of the story.” That’s especially true when it comes to getting accurate information out of Iraq.
August 06, 2007
Fencing Class
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
This is the southwestern-most point of the continental United States. Several Mexican families swim in the Pacific Ocean on one side of the border fence, while a group of Americans walk the beach on the other side. I've come to see what our border agents face every day.
July 27, 2007
Growing 'green' (we're not talking broccoli) in the big city
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
The rich soil of the Midwest can grow just about anything. Including, apparently, dollar bills. In fact, to grow those, one doesn't even need a plot of land.
July 20, 2007
Falling back into favor
By Edwin Feulner
"Anyone who is popular is bound to be disliked," Yogi Berra once observed. By his definition, the United States is very popular these days.
July 05, 2007
Court wisely permits more issue ads in weeks before vote
By Edwin Feulner
Happy Independence Day. On this date 231 years ago, our founding fathers made a claim that must have struck most foreigners as absurd: "That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States." In the years ahead, Americans would fight and die to make that boast a reality.
June 27, 2007
Warring against wasteful spending
By Edwin Feulner
Even the longest journey, it's said, begins with a single step. Recently in the House of Representatives, the minority party took such a step, one that may allow our country to begin the long journey back to responsible government.
June 21, 2007
Get those oil drills going at top speed
By Ed Feulner
Welcome to the first summer driving season with gasoline at $3.40 per gallon -- and up. Lawmakers have responded, predictably, by vowing to do something to bring prices down. Unfortunately, when Congress gets involved, prices usually go up. Take alternative fuels. Lawmakers love to tout their support for ethanol mandates, and farmers here in Illinois share their enthusiasm. But, in the big picture, ethanol is bad for Americans, farmers included.
June 14, 2007
Russia needn't fail Europe screen test
By Ed Feulner
It's unlikely the neighbors would complain if a family installed an alarm system. Especially if the family offered to install alarms in every home on the block. Such a generous offer would protect everyone from crime. Friendly, law-abiding neighbors would realize they have everything to gain and nothing to fear.
June 07, 2007
Dear Diary: They Still Just Don't Get It
By Ed Feulner
You can learn a lot by reading someone's diary. Consider The Reagan Diaries. Anyone who still buys the absurd notion that our 40th president was an "amiable dunce" will be shocked to read the words of a first-rate leader, guiding policy and easily outflanking his political opponents.
May 31, 2007
To be successful, here's what immigration bill must do
By Ed Feulner
It's difficult to write about the Senate's proposed immigration reform bill, because it's such a moving target. And yet the branch of our government that calls itself "The World's Greatest Deliberative Body" intended to have a final vote last Thursday, even though most senators hadn't even seen the massive bill (350 pages in one printing) until a few days earlier.
May 24, 2007
Why are we making war in Iraq? To keep the peace
By Ed Feulner
Americans are famously impatient -- and with good reason. Throughout our country's existence, we've enjoyed steady progress. Indeed, we consider progress to be our birthright. Consequently, we're almost always in a hurry to move forward.
May 22, 2007
Wrong way on reparations
By Ed Feulner
The United States motto is written on most of our money: E Pluribus Unum, "out of many, one." But if Congress has its way, plenty of our dollars will be spent to separate Americans into ethnic groups instead of bringing us together as one people.
May 17, 2007
Just improving IRS collection won't vastly boost revenue
By Ed Feulner
Ever worry about the long arm of the IRS? You're not alone. Just ask Sen. Max Baucus, the Democratic chair of the Senate Finance Committee.
May 10, 2007
Thought police on patrol in D.C.
By Ed Feulner
There was a time when federal crimes were few. The Constitution mentions only three: treason, counterfeiting and piracy. Fast forward 220 years, though, and you find that Congress has declared more than 4,000 offenses to be federal crimes.
May 03, 2007
Path to fairness isn't in the cards
By Ed Feulner
Democracy can be messy. You find that in any number of stories about voting irregularities. For example, in Florida's 13th Congressional District, Republican Vern Buchanan won last fall by just 369 votes. Democrat Christine Jennings cried foul, noting that some 18,000 ballots were cast without a vote for either candidate. (The House of Representatives is investigating.)
April 26, 2007
Will rules never stop, for law's sake?
By Ed Feulner
Some jobs are harder than others: selling snowshoes in Jamaica, for instance, or swimsuits in the Antarctic. Yet, either of those jobs would be a snap compared with selling paper products to Congress.
April 19, 2007
America must win
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Some things we've come to count on. Old Faithful will erupt every 90 minutes or so. Halley's Comet will return every 75-76 years. The United States will always have the world's most powerful military.
April 12, 2007
Unbalancing act: Congress' spending plans don't add up
By Ed Feulner
Whether you filed your taxes early or will join the last-minute crowd this weekend, let me ask: Are your taxes too low?
April 05, 2007
U.N. needs to get around the bloc
By Ed Feulner
Even before it was officially born, the U.N. was beset by tensions. President Roosevelt floated the concept of a "United Nations" during World War II. It seemed achievable: After all, free countries such as the United States, Britain and Australia managed to set aside their differences with the Soviet Union long enough to defeat Nazi Germany.
March 29, 2007
It's time for a dose of reality in federal health-care spending
By Edwin J. Feulner
"If something's free, I'll take two," a mentor of mine once said. His point was that people don't value things they don't pay for, especially things the government "gives" them.
March 22, 2007
Ethanol isn't worth getting pumped up about, but oil shale might be
By Edwin J. Feulner
Winter is barely behind us, and gasoline prices are already rising. Worse, experts predict more price increases are right down the road.
March 15, 2007
Our leaders need to adopt conservative programs voters want
By Ed Feulner
Politicians always insist they're paying attention to us. Hillary Clinton, for example, launched her Senate bid a few years ago with a "listening tour" of New York state. And every Friday while Congress is in session, the city of Washington clears out, with lawmakers flying home to host town-hall meetings with voters.
March 08, 2007
Speak softly, America, and start carrying a bigger stick
By Ed Feulner
Osama bin Laden and Ronald Reagan wouldn't have agreed on much. But both men understood one thing: Military weakness invites trouble.
March 01, 2007
We need a new commission to tackle entitlement programs
By Ed Feulner
In any policy battle, it helps to have allies. So it's good that AARP seems finally ready to help press for reform of entitlements such as Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
February 22, 2007
Object of a proposition: English as a national language
By Ed Feulner
In the mid-1950s, French educator Jacques Barzun said, "Whoever wants to know the heart and mind of America had better learn baseball." He correctly recognized the sport as a cultural touchstone that united us.
February 15, 2007
TV or not TV? That's not a question for the government
By Ed Feulner
In recent years, for example, MP3 files have supplanted the compact disc as the best way to store and listen to music, just as CDs themselves replaced vinyl albums and cassette tapes two decades ago.
February 08, 2007
Use window of opportunity to close door on budget waste
By Ed Feulner
It happens to a lot of families. Despite a nice raise, spending still exceeds income. The credit-card debt is piling up. Mom and Dad need to have "the big talk." It's time to decide where to cut their spending to make ends meet.
February 01, 2007
Despite setbacks, conservatism has a bright future
By Ed Feulner
Conservatives come in all shapes, sizes and ages. At a recent gathering of activists and thinkers, I had the pleasure of introducing my granddaughter Betsy. She’s famous in our house for her smile, her charm — and her $187,000 mortgage.
February 01, 2007
America can't afford to lose latest space race
By Ed Feulner
It's easy to take American military invincibility for granted. On land, at sea and in the air, no force can match us -- a situation that has prevailed since the Soviet Union collapsed.
January 25, 2007
Dollars spent on entitlements could instead boost economy
By Ed Feulner
For Americans, the good times are rolling. Our economy is buzzing, with some 5 million new jobs created just since 2003. Unemployment is 4.5 percent, a near-historic low and even lower than during the boom years of the late 1990s. Meanwhile, tax revenues are soaring, up 11.8 percent in a year. Even inflation is under control. Consumer prices increased just 2.5 percent last year, the lowest rate in three years.
January 24, 2007
An Agenda Republicans and Democrats Should Advance in Congress
By Ed Feulner
When historians sit down to write about the recently departed 109th Congress, one fact is likely to stand out: The supposedly conservative majority spent as if it was a liberal majority.
January 18, 2007
Entitlement programs soak up money that could boost business
By Edwin J. Feulner
Teachers give report cards for a reason: So students (and their parents) will know what subjects they're doing well in, and where they need to improve.
January 11, 2007
New approach adds up to a better way to get results
By Edwin J. Feulner
The road to hell, they say, is paved with good intentions. Frequently, so is the road to government waste. Three years ago, President Bush announced a $15 billion initiative to fight AIDS in developing nations. Our government has spent freely since, but it's unclear how many people we've helped. The program, says a recent Associated Press report, "pushed so hard for fast results that basic record keeping and accountability often went by the wayside, making it hard to judge the true success."
January 04, 2007
Complaints about greenhouse gases are just a lot of hot air
By Edwin J. Feulner
Those of us old enough to remember the 1970s have no desire to relive those days. After all, it was an era of price controls, gasoline lines and stagflation. These ills were triggered when our government attempted to "fix" the economy by subverting the free market. Instead it simply ended up creating an economic nightmare.
2006 Commentary
December 28, 2006
'07 to-do list: Open government, win in Iraq, fix entitlements
By Edwin J. Feulner
'Now is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions,'' Mark Twain said. ''Next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual.''
Cynicism aside, though, compiling a list of resolutions can be a good exercise -- even for politicians.
December 21, 2006
Maybe U.N. doesn't have to stand for Utterly Negligent
By Edwin J. Feulner
In recent years, the United Nations has often gone out of its way to avoid getting involved in the world's trouble spots. It ignored genocide in Darfur. Pulled out of Iraq in 2003. Done nothing to stem Iran's nuclear ambitions. Can an organization this compromised do much to improve things?
December 14, 2006
Congress should reapprove scholarship fund for private schools
By Edwin J. Feulner
Most sports seasons end, and players get time off to rest and plan for next year. In Washington, though, politics is the sport, and the season never ends.
December 07, 2006
The questions keep coming, but the answer is to keep going
By Edwin J. Feulner
Thursday, Dec. 7, marks a solemn occasion. In Hawaii, halfway across the Pacific, they'll honor the thousands of Americans killed 65 years ago at Pearl Harbor on what President Franklin Roosevelt correctly called "a day that will live in infamy."
November 30, 2006
Make U.S. investment pay off in E. Europe
By Edwin J. Feulner
It's always a pleasant surprise when a government program works well and accomplishes what it was set up to do.
November 23, 2006
Counting on government adds up to excessive dependency
By Edwin J. Feulner
Thanksgiving is the perfect time to count your blessings. Many of us will prefer to follow Will Rogers' advice and "thank God we're not getting all the government we're paying for."
November 16, 2006
Idea of buying votes with federal largess is a spent force
By Edwin J. Feulner
'Money can't buy me love," the Beatles famously sang. That should be the lesson conservatives take from the Nov. 7 elections, because the real story of this year's midterm vote is that the supposedly conservative majority spent as if it was a liberal majority.
November 11, 2006
Cutting Taxes May Not Cut Revenues
By Edwin J. Feulner
Everyone knows that in math, 4-2 = 2. But that’s not always true when it comes to tax policy. Sometimes (often, in fact) 4-2 = 3. In other words, if we cut certain tax rates in half, we won’t necessarily cut tax revenues in half.
November 09, 2006
A Tour of Guantanamo Prison Shows America at Its Best
By Edwin J. Feulner
GUANTANAMO BAY -- At least two detainees at the holding facility here skipped lunch today because they're on a hunger strike. Which is a pity for them -- the food was delicious. By contrast, the steady stream of news about "Gitmo" tends to leave one with a bad taste.
November 02, 2006
We've cut federal taxes, but now it's time to cut spending
By Edwin J. Feulner
Half a loaf, they say, is better than none. And that's true, as long as you're allowed to keep that half.
October 26, 2006
Stop snarling -- the wolf isn't at our doors just yet
By Edwin J. Feulner
Back in 1980, Ronald Reagan asked a simple question: "Are you better off today than you were four years ago?" In those days of "stagflation" many weren't, and Reagan won a mandate for change.
October 19, 2006
U.S. can't afford to pull out of Iraq
By Edwin J. Feulner
Iraq's bloody civil war worsened today, when 10,000 heavily armed troops from the Shiite state of Shiastan pushed north from Najaf and Rumaythah. The attack threatened to trap three battalions of U.S.-backed Sunnis in the region.
October 14, 2006
U.S. Higher Education: Pay More, Learn Less
By Edwin J. Feulner
Many parents believe that where their children attend college is the most important decision a family will make.
October 05, 2006
America needs an effective defense against missile attack
By Edwin J. Feulner
If North Korea fired a long-range missile at the United States today -- like the one it test-fired this summer -- could we defend ourselves?
October 03, 2006
Benefits of stronger Japanese military
By Edwin J. Feulner
Japan has reason to celebrate these days. Several weeks ago, a baby named Hisahito was born -- the first male heir to the "Chrysanthemum throne" in four decades.
September 28, 2006
A stronger military for Japan would benefit U.S., too
By Edwin J. Feulner
Japan has reason to celebrate these days. Several weeks ago, a baby named Hisahito was born -- the first male heir to the "Chrysanthemum throne" in four decades.
September 21, 2006
U.S. visa policy a passport to reduced competitiveness
By Edwin J. Feulner
During a war, a country needs to rally its allies. Unfortunately, in the midst of the global war on terrorism, we're finding ways to push some of our best allies away.
September 14, 2006
Legal Services fails to make case for more money
By Edwin J. Feulner
Anyone who's watched a police drama knows the drill: "You have the right to speak to an attorney, and to have an attorney present during any questioning.
September 08, 2006
What the U.N. needs now
By Herbert London, Christopher DeMuth, Frank Gaffney Jr., and Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee soon will vote on President Bush's renomination of John Bolton as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, a position he has held for just more than a year as a recess appointment. He has acquitted himself well in the job to date, validating the confidence expressed by Mr. Bush and those of us who have known and admired him for many years.
September 07, 2006
What Congress should put on top of agenda
By Edwin J. Feulner
Returning to work after a vacation is always difficult. There are phone calls to return, e-mails to answer and work piled high in the in-box.
August 31, 2006
Rebuilding in the Big Easy doesn't have to be so hard
By Edwin J. Feulner
Perhaps Thomas Wolfe was correct -- you can't go home again. Certainly that's what many former Louisiana residents are saying one year after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and nearby communities.
August 24, 2006
Case for transparent government is open and shut
By Edwin J. Feulner
It's not yet five years old, but it's already experienced at throwing away cash. A recent congressional report found that 32 DHS contracts "experienced significant overcharges, wasteful spending or mismanagement." Federal credit cards were used to buy beer-brewing equipment and iPods. Tax money was squandered on luxury hotels and "training" sessions at golf and tennis resorts.
August 21, 2006
Maturity milestone
By Edwin J. Feulner
There it was at our staff meeting: the first birthday cake with the magic number 65 on top. They went with the big number candles, so they wouldn't have to bother lighting dozens of separate ones. Probably a smart move.
August 17, 2006
History proves new welfare reform will be successful
By Edwin J. Feulner
Many states are upset with Uncle Sam these days. Seems they don't like being pushed to achieve reasonable goals. Starting Oct. 1, the federal government will demand that states meet new standards for helping people get off welfare. In order to keep receiving federal money, states will need to make sure at least half of their welfare recipients find jobs or at least search for work rigorously.
August 10, 2006
Flat chance? Tax concept is again making the rounds
By Edwin J. Feulner
Politics, it's said, is the art of the possible. Small wonder, then, that most politicians leave such small footprints. After all, the "possible" is, by definition, achievable. To leave a mark on history, a politician must do the seemingly impossible.
August 03, 2006
U.S. needs to keep up the fight against trade barriers
By Edwin J. Feulner
The open microphone at the recent G-8 summit produced two newsworthy revelations. The first is that President Bush sometimes uses colorful language when discussing world hot spots.
The second, far more important news arising from "Open Mic Nite" came as the president and British Prime Minister Tony Blair discussed the Doha Round -- the multinational talks designed to expand free trade:
July 27, 2006
Seminars make better judges
By Edwin J. Feulner
Imagine a profession where you're expected to be an expert on criminal procedure, congressional redistricting, wetlands regulation, abortion and war -- among other topics. Well, welcome to the world of a federal justice.
July 20, 2006
Deep-six this idea of protecting whales from Navy sonar
By Edwin J. Feulner
U.S. military dominance goes largely unquestioned. No army can hold a battlefield against our troops. No planes can ground our Air Force. No enemy ships can challenge our naval dominance. hales, though, are a different story
.
July 13, 2006
Buffett thinks this is one tax that's a good idea
By Edwin J. Feulner
The federal government won't be getting a windfall of Buffett bucks after all. This year the world's second-richest man, Warren Buffett, turns 76. He's built a fortune worth an estimated $44 billion. He's also a strong proponent of the federal death tax, which (were he to die in 2011) would claim some 55 percent of his estate. So it must have occurred to some IRS bureaucrats that they might eventually cash a probate check for upwards of $20 billion.
But that's not going to happen.
July 06, 2006
Read your way to an educational, entertaining summer
By Edwin J. Feulner
If Fourth of July celebrations prove anything, it's this: Nobody wears their love of country on their sleeves like Americans do.
And that's as it should be. For all of its faults and foibles, America has demonstrated repeatedly over the last 230 years that it truly deserves our devotion. Ask yourself: If the United States didn't stand for something noble and fine, would we be having a national debate about how many people should be allowed to immigrate here?
June 29, 2006
Lawmakers can't cut and run from huge looming deficits
By Edwin J. Feulner
It happens to a lot of us. Credit card offers pour in, we sign up for too many cards -- then wind up spending ourselves into a deep hole. The only solution: Cut up the cards and cut back on spending until the debt is paid down.
June 22, 2006
In 'economic World Cup,' America has big lead on Europe
By Edwin J. Feulner
Here are two pieces of news. Can you tell which is good and which is bad? 1. Economic growth in the coming months is expected to range between 3 percent and 4 percent. 2. Economic growth in the coming months is expected to be 0.7 percent.
The answers might surprise you. The first sentence is actually bad news, because we're talking about the white-hot American economy. GDP grew 5.3 percent in the first quarter, so a drop back to 3 percent would represent a slowdown.
June 15, 2006
After heavy spending, maybe Congress sees light
By Edwin J. Feulner
Is Congress finally listening? For years now, ordinary Americans have voiced their discontent with policymaking in Washington. They've been especially dismayed with politicians' spendthrift ways regarding all matters, great and small.
June 08, 2006
Was expansion to G-8 a case of Russian to judgment?
By Edwin J. Feulner
Leaders of the world's freest countries will flock to an increasingly unfree nation next month. That's when the annual Group of 8, or G-8, meeting will draw the leaders of Britain, Italy, France, Germany, Canada, Japan and the United States to Russia.
June 01, 2006
'E pluribus whatever' hardly a unifying national motto
By Edwin J. Feulner
Last year, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution congratulating the West Oahu baseball team for winning the 2005 Little League World Series. Those young men were an American success story because they never gave up.
May 24, 2006
We can't retire worries about Social Security, Medicare
By Edwin J. Feulner
Sometimes the biggest stories don't make the newspaper. Earlier this month, the trustees of the Social Security and Medicare trust funds issued their annual report on the future of the programs -- to little fanfare.
May 18, 2006
U.S. should spell it out: Iran can't go nuclear
By Edwin J. Feulner
There's a reason few people write letters anymore. In a world of BlackBerrys, e-mail, cell phones and fax machines, the old-fashioned letter is simply too slow to deliver important information.
May 11, 2006
Photo IDs could improve image of election process
By Edwin J. Feulner
Vote early -- and often." We hear this quip every time an election rolls around, and with good reason: Electoral fraud is as old as the ballot box itself and still happens in the United States. Just last year a judge in Washington state ruled that some 1,678 illegal votes were cast in its 2004 election -- more than enough to change the outcome of the governor's race.
May 10, 2006
Don't let the Senate defund the troops to pay for pork
By Edwin J. Feulner
Need proof of how pork-addicted Congress has become? Consider this: Some in the Senate are looking for ways to shift funds from the troops in Iraq to some of their favorite pet projects.
At risk is the $94.4 supplemental spending bill President Bush requested from Congress to provide $92 billion for hurricane relief and the troops in Iraq and $2.4 billion for avian flu response. Despite his warning that anything above this amount would lead to a veto, several senators abused the must-pass status of the legislation to add $14 billion in wasteful pork-barrel goodies for influential constituents, labor unions and corporations.
May 04, 2006
Congressional squawking won't bring fuel prices down
By Edwin J. Feulner
When a crisis strikes, Americans can count on Congress to swing into action. So as gasoline prices soared toward $3 per gallon, lawmakers did what they do best: They complained.
April 27, 2006
More money set to disappear in D.C.'s trackless wastes
By Edwin J. Feulner
If a pair of senators from Mississippi have their way, our federal government will soon find itself being railroaded -- literally.
Senators Trent Lott and Thad Cochran, both Republicans, want Washington to invest some $700 million to move a private rail line that runs along the Mississippi coast.
April 21, 2006
First Principles, folks!
By Edwin J. Feulner
Think tanks?well you can guess what they do. So in his new book, Getting America Right: The True Conservative Values Our Nation Needs Today,
April 20, 2006
Medicine for Medicaid
By Edwin J. Feulner
Government isn't very business-like. That's especially true when it comes to accountability. If a private business discovered it was being defrauded to the tune of billions of dollars every year, it would find out exactly where that money was going -- and plug the holes.
April 14, 2006
Washington is now a burden shouldered by the people
By Newt Gingrich and Edwin J. Feulner
For us, the moment of clarity came in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Government on all levels had fundamentally failed. Thirty-four senior citizens abandoned in a nursing home drowned in isolation while 22,000 people trapped in the Superdome were without water because the government couldn't get the water from outside the dome inside.
April 13, 2006
Corporate gravy train is railroading rest of the country
By Edwin J. Feulner
Most of the big public policy debates in Washington these days somehow involve homeland security. It animated the controversial ports deal, for example, and it underscores the battle over illegal immigration.
April 07, 2006
Avoiding tax hikes
By Edwin J. Feulner
Going to work. It's a daily routine for most Americans.
But suppose one day your boss suddenly announces the office is moving. He can't say where or when, though. Oh, and work hours would be changing, too. But what those hours will be, he couldn't say.
March 30, 2006
U.S. shouldn't back new plan for U.N. Human Rights panel
By Edwin J. Feulner
Franklin D. Roosevelt coined the term "United Nations" in 1942, when an alliance of democracies (with the help of the Soviet Union) was fighting the totalitarian Axis powers. FDR dreamed of a post-war world in which free people would help promote peace and make everyone safer. So how has the actual United Nations measured up to that ideal?
March 23, 2006
Message to U.S.: We need to reach Islamic hearts, minds
By Edwin J. Feulner
In many ways the Cold War was a conflict of ideas. America and its allies stood for freedom; the Soviet Union, for oppression. They built walls to fence people in. We built towers to broadcast over those walls.
March 23, 2006
Curing the Conservative Crack-Up
By Edwin J. Feulner
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times?." That Dickensian description of Europe during the French Revolution holds true for American conservatives today.
In the modern American edition, though, the two cities of our tale are not Paris and London. They're "Washington, D.C." and "everywhere else."
March 16, 2006
Budget joyride might end in crash for congressional GOP
By Edwin J. Feulner
An iron rule of politics holds that contested elections are won and lost in the middle. Roughly 40 percent of voters will vote for the Democrat and 40 percent for the Republican, leaving the outcome in the hands of the undecided 20 percent.
March 10, 2006
Port of Gall
By Edwin J. Feulner
Our Founding Fathers envisioned the Senate as a "cooling saucer" that would give lawmakers the time they needed to blow off steam and make the right decisions.
March 02, 2006
America needs a better policy on immigration
By Edwin J. Feulner
Latin will never be a truly dead language -- at least not as long as "E pluribus unum" appears on our money. That's our national motto: "Out of many, one." We've always been willing to open our arms to immigrants and help them become Americans.
February 23, 2006
Wal-Mart's shelf-correcting system is model for government
By Edwin J. Feulner
Anyone who's ever filed a tax return or visited the Department of Motor Vehicles understands that government does two things well: spends our money and wastes our time. Unfortunately, both traits were on display during the response to Hurricane Katrina.
February 16, 2006
Cut out the meddle man
By Edwin J. Feulner
Follow the logic, if you can: The federal government is running deficits. The states are enjoying surpluses. And -- the federal government is shelling out billions to the states.
Hardly makes sense, yet that's exactly what's happening.
Last year, every state ran a budget surplus (except Arkansas, which finished dead even). Illinois finished the year $315 million in the black.
February 09, 2006
Homeland security is too important for Patriot games
By Edwin J. Feulner
When Congress passed the USA Patriot Act shortly after 9/11, it added a "sunset" provision for 16 key provisions. The idea was to make lawmakers revisit the act after a time and ensure that it was working as intended.
February 02, 2006
Government looks best when you can see what it's up to
By Edwin J. Feulner
A doctor who mistakes one medical condition for another has little hope of curing a patient. The same principle holds true in politics: A misdiagnosis can worsen the pain instead of relieving it. Take the Jack Abramoff scandal. Broad calls for "housecleaning" make it sound as if the problem rests with certain individuals: Replace them and the problem is solved.
January 26, 2006
Put substance, not style in State of the Union address
By Edwin J. Feulner
It's usually a safe bet: The more hype surrounding an event, the more disappointing the event itself. Take the Super Bowl: After a two-week media circus, it's often the worst football game of the season. The same principle applies to the State of the Union address. Until the 20th century, presidents quietly sent them to lawmakers in writing. But in recent decades, the state of the union address has become "The State of the Union Address," complete with wall-to-wall media coverage and "expert" commentary.
January 21, 2006
Mourning in America for Reagan's often-forgotten ideas
By Edwin J. Feulner
"It is time to check and reverse the growth of government, which shows signs of having grown beyond the consent of the governed." It could be a clip from one of today's talk radio shows. After all, federal spending has jumped 33 percent since President Bush took office. Washington now spends nearly $22,000 per household, the most since World War II. Government is doing so much "for" us, it's difficult to keep track of everything it's doing "to" us.
January 12, 2006
What's more helpful than a useless bridge? An attention span
By Edwin J. Feulner
This year the Cubs will win the World Series. Or, maybe not. But one thing's for sure -- if the North Siders do win in 2006, as my own White Sox did last year, it won't be a triumph gained simply in October. While baseball's champion is crowned in the fall, winning a World Series requires teamwork throughout the year.
January 04, 2006
The Downside of Dirty Hands
By Edwin J. Feulner
Sometimes, it seems, our elected officials think they can solve any problem if they just spend enough on it.
2005 Commentary
December 21, 2005
Fighting the Good Fight
By Edwin J. Feulner
We've always known winning the war on terror would be difficult. But hearing critics such as Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., claim that "we're making no progress at all" in Iraq, you'd think it was impossible. Fortunately, the pessimists are wrong.
December 20, 2005
A To-Do List Before Spending Hits Tipping Point
By Edwin J. Feulner
When looking at the federal spending landscape, it's easy to get pessimistic. As we've shown over the past several weeks, Washington's current spending and future commitments will bankrupt our country unless we deal with them.
December 13, 2005
How Lobbyists Use Gov't to Turn Profits
By Edwin J. Feulner
Some words get a bad reputation they don't deserve. If you call someone an "ideologue," he'll probably be insulted. But if the idea is good, where's the shame?
December 13, 2005
Keeping Our Cool
By Edwin J. Feulner
You can do a lot of things when December rolls around and temperatures plunge. But would you hold an international conference on global warming?
December 05, 2005
Entitlement Fix Not an Option for Uncle Sam
By Edwin J. Feulner
When the federal government first sent men into space, it vowed to bring them all home safely. "Failure is not an option," flight director Gene Kranz famously told mission control when Apollo 13 was in danger.
December 05, 2005
Channeling Choice
By Edwin J. Feulner
"Trust the people." It's a simple concept, one that any self-respecting American politician will claim to honor. Unfortunately, our government often falls short of this simple credo.
November 29, 2005
U.S. Budget Process Needs an Off Switch
By Edwin J. Feulner
Sometimes just taking the first step in a long journey proves impossible. Recently, Republican moderates in the House of Representatives revolted when their leadership attempted to take the smallest of steps: trimming federal spending by $54 billion over five years.
November 28, 2005
Putting the Squeeze on Big Oil
By Edwin J. Feulner
Who can resist good theater? Certainly not American lawmakers. All the pieces were in place on Nov. 9, as the Senate held hearings about the soaring price of energy. The CEOs of the five largest oil companies were the guest stars, called in to endure lectures from a host of lawmakers.
November 22, 2005
Future is Littered With Moral Hazards
By Edwin J. Feulner
Stock analysts used to say, "As General Motors goes, so goes the country." Political analysts soon may be saying the same thing. GM's pension and retirement promises have much in common with Washington's Social Security and Medicare promises: In the long term, none can be kept.
November 21, 2005
Soldiering On
By Edwin J. Feulner
Sometimes, even empty symbolism can be harmful. Unfortunately, quite a few voters in San Francisco don't seem to realize that.
November 21, 2005
By Edwin J. Feulner
November 15, 2005
Drug Benefit Needs a Year On Sidelines
By Edwin J. Feulner
"Promises are like babies," the saying goes. "Easy to make, hard to deliver." And when it comes to government entitlements, our elected leaders in Washington may soon find out just how hard. Because there's no way they can deliver everything we've been promised.
November 15, 2005
"You Know What the News Is?"
By Edwin J. Feulner
"May I have your undivided for just a moment," veteran radio newsman Paul Harvey will say, before announcing what "this day's news of most lasting significance" is. As Harvey frequently notes, it probably isn't found on the front page of your newspaper.
November 09, 2005
Verdict's In On Alito
By Edwin J. Feulner
The second time's a charm. On Oct. 31, President Bush nominated Judge Samuel Alito to fill the Supreme Court seat that will be vacated by retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. Alito is an excellent choice, because of what he'll likely do on the court -- and what he likely won't do.
November 08, 2005
Cut Spending to Save Needed Tax Cuts
By Edwin J. Feulner
If you say, "I have good news and bad news," people usually ask for the good news first. So here's the good news: Our economy is growing, easily outpacing the tepid performance of other industrialized nations.
November 01, 2005
A Rainbow in the Aftermath of Katrina: Realization that Overspending Must Stop
By Edwin J. Feulner
Author Malcolm Gladwell writes about the "tipping point," the moment when an idea that has been quietly building support takes hold. Suddenly the idea has the power to change everything.
November 01, 2005
A Herd of Academic Minds
By Edwin J. Feulner
If there's one word any college student knows, it's "diversity." Every university, it seems, is "committed" to diversity -- or at least says it is. For example, Arizona State says on its Web site that it "champions diversity."
October 25, 2005
Flat-Out Smart
By Edwin J. Feulner
Imagine a law that affected everyone in the country but was so confusing that only a select few could understand it. And those select few didn't even include the people who enforced the law.
October 19, 2005
Getting serious about spending
By Edwin J. Feulner
Talk is cheap. The federal response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita won't be cheap. Congress now faces a test of political courage. Will lawmakers have the spine to reprioritize federal spending, stop hemorrhaging red ink and instead redirect funds where they're needed most?
October 11, 2005
Improving the N.E.D.
By Edwin J. Feulner
Words matter. In politics, for example, people tend to equate "Republican" with "conservative." But as we've learned in recent years, plenty of Republicans aren't all that conservative.
September 27, 2005
The End of the ACT
By Edwin J. Feulner
Every once in a while, a big Hollywood star or athlete will declare bankruptcy. News reports will note that the person earned, and somehow managed to spend, tens of millions of dollars.
September 19, 2005
Don't bind New Orleans in red tape
By Edwin J. Feulner
At some point, a hurricane is downgraded from a crisis to a problem. Now that most residents have been rescued and the water in New Orleans is dropping, the crisis is nearing an end.
September 19, 2005
For U.N. to Work, Big Changes are Needed
By Edwin J. Feulner
After two Senate hearings, hundreds of questions and a five-month filibuster, John Bolton finally made it from Washington to the United Nations. Now the difficult work really begins.
September 12, 2005
High Chairman
By Edwin J. Feulner
With the levees repaired and some of the pumps running again, New Orleans residents finally have something to look forward to: dry ground. Things will never be the same, of course, but most people will be able to stitch their lives back together.
September 06, 2005
State of the Union
By Edwin J. Feulner
As President Lincoln spoke those words, he had just led the country through a bloody war of secession. Yet he never doubted that the defeated southern states would rejoin the United States.
August 30, 2005
Keep the Death Tax Dead
By Edwin J. Feulner
In Washington, nothing's certain except death, taxes and special-interest lobbying groups. So it makes sense that the death tax has its own lobbyists.
August 16, 2005
Lacking Energy
By Edwin J. Feulner
It sometimes seems the longer that legislation hangs around Washington, the worse it gets. That's certainly the case with the recently signed energy bill.
August 09, 2005
Social Security's Second Career
By Edwin J. Feulner
If Social Security were a worker instead of a government program, it probably would have retired several years ago. After all, the New Deal program turns 70 on Aug. 15.
August 01, 2005
The Plane Truth
By Edwin J. Feulner
Here's a puzzle: The federal government has introduced a program that will improve service for private pilots nationwide and at the same time save taxpayers billions of dollars. Who could oppose this?
Lawmakers.
July 27, 2005
Over-Regulation: Where Scandal Really Adds Up
By Edwin J. Feulner
There are really only two paths a country can take after a terrorist attack. It can vow to fight back, as the United States did after 9/11.
July 26, 2005
Running Up the Score
By Edwin J. Feulner
General Motors wanted to boost sales this year, so it cut prices. When the automaker offered its cars to the public at the same prices it charges employees, cars started flying out of showrooms.
July 18, 2005
Protect the Patriot Act
By Edwin J. Feulner
Nothing lasts forever. Even some federal laws come with expiration dates.
When lawmakers passed the USA Patriot Act in 2001, they put in "sunset" provisions.
July 11, 2005
The Money Pit
By Edwin J. Feulner
Many lawmakers want to fix Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the two huge government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) that buy and sell mortgages. That makes sense.
July 05, 2005
Stop Spending the Surplus
By Edwin J. Feulner
It's long past time for Congress to return the budget surplus to taxpayers.
June 30, 2005
The Rise in Dependency
By Edwin J. Feulner
Is the American tradition of self-reliance disappearing? That's a painful question for conservatives to ponder. After all, we're dedicated to reducing the role of government and promoting individual freedom and opportunity.
June 20, 2005
The Risk of a "Risk-Free" Life
By Edwin J. Feulner
"We cannot guarantee a risk-free life." Reasonable words, and good ones to hear from a world leader in an era when many expect government to protect us from all harm.
June 15, 2005
China's Choice
By Edwin J. Feulner
It's astounding how much the world has changed since the end of World War II. Those 60 years have brought us television (now delivered via satellite in high definition), jet air travel (at close to the speed of sound) and the Internet.
June 13, 2005
Stop Provoking a Trade War
By Edwin J. Feulner
Have you heard? There's a war on. No, not the war against terror. Everyone's heard of that.
June 02, 2005
Hit the Road Bill
By Edwin J. Feulner
There are two types of debt: Good debt and bad debt. If, for example, you take out a mortgage to buy a house, you're piling up debt, but it's good debt.
May 27, 2005
Tough Cell
By Edwin J. Feulner
In real life, money follows results. When an inventor creates a useful product, investors find him, market the product and sell it. There's no need for the federal government to get involved.
May 26, 2005
The Revolution of Truth: 2005 Commencement Address to the Thomas More College of Liberal Arts
By Edwin J. Feulner
President Sampo, Dean Mumbach, Chairman Monaghan, members of the Board of Trustees, reverend fathers, administration and faculty, distinguished guests, close friends and loving relatives, and most of all, the Thomas More College class of 2005.
May 19, 2005
Ganging Up on Crime
By Edwin J. Feulner
When the federal government was small, it thought big.
Indeed, it focused exclusively on big issues.
May 12, 2005
Solutions for Social Security
By Edwin J. Feulner
The federal government makes many demands on us. It insists we pay taxes, for example. So the least we can expect in return is honesty.
May 06, 2005
Filibuster Follies
By Edwin J. Feulner
Some lawmakers may not realize it, but there's a fine line between raising legitimate objections and simply obstructing business.
April 29, 2005
Protecting Your Property
By Edwin J. Feulner
A man's home is his castle. Or at least it used to be, before years of property rights started being eroded. But the tide finally may be turning back in the right direction.
April 22, 2005
Back to Earth
By Edwin J. Feulner
For many of us, a birthday is a time to examine our successes and failures while we decide where we should go from here.
April 19, 2005
Let There Be Light? Taxation
By Edwin J. Feulner
There's a worldwide race to the bottom going on. And if the United States doesn't get moving again, we might even lose it.
April 15, 2005
Bitter Medicine
By Edwin J. Feulner
Imagine you're running a company. You've been providing prescription-drug coverage to your retired employees for years.
April 08, 2005
Needlessly Negative
By Edwin J. Feulner
Bonbarded by doom and gloom stories, it's no wonder some Americans are pessimistic about our economy.
March 31, 2005
Checkbook Security
By Edwin J. Feulner
When the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. Well, many, federal lawmakers seem to think spending is the only tool they have, so they "fix" problems by throwing more money at them.
March 28, 2005
The Logic of Force
By Edwin J. Feulner
Many people have good ideas, but few live to see those ideas define an era and even win a war. George Kennan did, even though he eventually backed away from the ramifications of his idea.
March 17, 2005
Green Light from Greenspan
By Edwin J. Feulner
Welcome aboard, Alan Greenspan. In congressional testimony just a year ago, the Federal Reserve chairman urged Congress to make the president's 2001 tax cuts permanent and asked lawmakers to slash government spending as much as possible.
March 09, 2005
Courting Trouble
By Edwin J. Feulner
It's time for some changes at the Supreme Court. How about forcing all justices to retire at age 70? Even better, let's dissolve the Court and let the Senate serve as the court of last resort.
March 03, 2005
Pick the Low-Hanging Fruit
By Edwin J. Feulner
Finally, Washington is showing signs of progress. After years of partisan bickering, federal lawmakers once again may be able to mount a bipartisan effort to address real problems effectively.
March 01, 2005
Shorten Gantlet Nominees Run to the Cabinet
By Edwin J. Feulner
If you think it's difficult for a president's cabinet nominees to sit through hearings on Capitol Hill and run the gantlet of hostile questions, consider that the televised portion is only the end of the process.
February 22, 2005
Out to Sea
By Edwin J. Feulner
Thanks to American intervention, the fate of Iraq and Afghanistan now can be determined by their own citizens, rather than by brutal tyrants.
February 11, 2005
Averting a Budgetary Shipwreck
By Edwin J. Feulner
A federal budget is like a cargo ship. A ship leaves port loaded with goods; a budget leaves the White House loaded with goodies.
February 04, 2005
The Hidden Tax
By Edwin J. Feulner
January 28, 2005
A Force for Good
By Edwin J. Feulner
There's a theory that great individuals drive human events. Larger-than-life figures appear, seize the moment and shape history, for better or worse.
January 21, 2005
Railing Against Reform
By Edwin J. Feulner
President Bush has grabbed the third rail of American politics, and he isn't letting go. During last year's presidential campaign, he repeatedly warned Americans that Social Security is in a crisis and needs to be fixed soon.
January 21, 2005
Copy of Railing Against Reform
By Edwin J. Feulner
January 20, 2005
Remove Security Barriers
By Edwin J. Feulner, John Hamre and Charles Boyd
President Bush's re-election and the change of leadership at the Department of Homeland Security give us another chance to get homeland security right.
January 13, 2005
A Mandate for Ownership
By Edwin J. Feulner
The voters spoke loud and clear last year, handing President Bush a mandate to replace big government with a true ownership society. Now, we've handed him a "Mandate" to help achieve this goal: The Heritage Foundation's Mandate for Leadership.
January 06, 2005
The Cost of Treading Water
By Edwin J. Feulner
All too often, bad news accompanies good news. And people usually want the good news first, so here it is: Economic freedom is expanding around the globe.
2004 Commentary
December 23, 2004
Why Rumsfeld Must Stay
By Edwin J. Feulner
President Bush made the right call earlier this week in expressing his confidence in Donald Rumsfeld, his embattled secretary of defense
December 22, 2004
Still on Target
By Edwin J. Feulner
"$85-million U.S. missile test goes nowhere," trumpeted the Detroit Free Press. "Intercept missile test fails at launch," added The Associated Press. It's enough to make a long-time supporter of missile defense think twice, right?
December 16, 2004
Delivering Choice
By Edwin J. Feulner
'Tis the season to trim the tree, spend time with family and mail Christmas cards. But make sure to use up all of your 37-cent stamps. If the post office has its way, it will cost 41 cents to mail a first-class letter next year.
December 09, 2004
Open and Accountable
By Edwin J. Feulner
On Capitol Hill next month it'll be out with the old and in with the new, as the 109th Congress takes the oath of office.
December 02, 2004
Providing Healthy Choices
By Edwin J. Feulner
Ever wish you could just fire your current health plan and hire a better one? If you worked for Uncle Sam right now, you could.
About 85 percent of all federal employees, including members of Congress and the White House staff, are covered under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP).
November 23, 2004
We're Not in this Alone
By Edwin J. Feulner
Just a year ago, Italian troops in Iraq were bleeding and dying.
On Nov. 12, 2003, a truck crashed into the Italian headquarters in the southern city of Nasiriyah.
November 19, 2004
A Flatter and Fairer Tax Code
By Edwin J. Feulner
As President Bush rebuilds his cabinet, we can expect to hear many in the media and on Capitol Hill claim the president lacks a mandate for his nominees and his policies.
November 16, 2004
Stop Denying the Fact That There Definitely is a Bush Mandate
By Edwin J. Feulner
Never mind the 59.4 million Americans--a record number--who voted for President Bush. cording to numerous commentators on the left, Bush still hasn't earned a mandate.
November 10, 2004
"Creeping Totalitarianism"
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
It's company policy at The New York Times that opinion columnists may not officially endorse presidential candidates. Still, there was no doubt during the past year which man most of the page's writers were backing.
November 08, 2004
Liberty's century
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
A few years back, British author Harold Evans wrote a book calling the last 100 years The American Century. He was mostly correct.
November 08, 2004
'Ownership Society' Will Limit Growth of Government
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
An ownership society would limit government by producing non-governmental solutions to address the challenges of the future.
November 04, 2004
Left Without a Fix -
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
These days it's conservatives who have the ideas. And, in an interesting twist, we're remaking the country by fixing the failed policies of the left.
November 02, 2004
Marketplace of Ideas Would Free Universities from Liberal Tyranny
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
These are heady days for conservative thinkers. After all, most of the ideas that will shape the 21st century are being hatched on the right.
October 29, 2004
The Case of the Missing Explosives
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
The New York Times created quite a stir on Oct. 25 when it reported that 380 tons of powerful explosives had disappeared from a storage site in Iraq. John Kerry immediately seized on the story, launching an ad that blamed President Bush.
October 21, 2004
An Economy That's Working
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
In an election year, voters are bombarded with high-blown rhetoric and plenty of statistics.
October 07, 2004
Free Speech -- For Some
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Don't we deserve at least as robust a debate on campus as we already have in the political arena?
September 30, 2004
Oil-for-Corruption?
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
The cover-up is always worse than the crime, they say. But that doesn't necessarily hold true when you're dealing with the crime of the century -- in fact, two centuries.
September 23, 2004
Me and My Shadow
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Based on her "Meet the Press" comments, the possibility Madeleine Albright might again become an influential foreign policy voice if John Kerry is elected is disturbing.
September 16, 2004
Undermining Abstinence
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Parents: When you bought your children's new school supplies, did you make sure you had everything?
September 14, 2004
A Key Victory in Terror War
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
This fall, expect to hear a lot on the campaign trail about Iraq. Was it a mistake? Can we win? Is it worth it? Even some conservatives seem to wonder.
September 07, 2004
What's the Beef?
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Back in 1906, Upton Sinclair shocked the world with "The Jungle," an unsettling depiction of conditions at a Chicago meatpacking plant.
August 31, 2004
Bad Judgement
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
I've got a job offer for you. It's at the very top of your profession. Good pay. Lifetime security. Prestige. Power. Influence. Sound good?
August 20, 2004
Wasting a Good Solution
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Our country has a problem. And we have a solution. But politics is threatening to interfere.
August 19, 2004
U.N. Shareholders Due Oil-for-Food Answers
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
It was an image many investors yearned to see: Former Enron executive Ken Lay in handcuffs, facing civil and criminal charges stemming from the collapse of the company he led for 15 years.
August 13, 2004
Ready to Respond
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
There are plenty of lessons we can learn from the 9/11 Commission report. But perhaps the most important is that serious threats don't appear overnight -- they grow over time. And our ability to respond must change and grow as well.
August 06, 2004
The Truth about Outsourcing
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
First, the bad news: Some of us will lose a job this year. It's inevitable. After all, in the last 10 years, the country has lost more than 7 million jobs each quarter on average.
July 30, 2004
High on Cents, Lacking Sense
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
There's a reason so many people buy lottery tickets despite the astronomical odds against winning: They believe that if they just had more money, their problems would vanish.
July 22, 2004
Dangerous Delay
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
These gatherings are all political theater, of course. The candidates were selected months ago, and the speeches they'll give will be approved by focus groups and filled with poll-tested buzzwords. But, for the most part, that's all right. After all, everyone recognizes the conventions for what they are: Harmless displays of politics.
July 16, 2004
All Worked Up
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Last month, our country said farewell to Ronald Reagan. Even his former enemies had to admit President Reagan won the Cold War, tamed inflation and rebuilt the economy after the stagflation of the Carter years.
July 09, 2004
State of the Unions
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
We already know traditional marriage enjoys widespread support. A constitutional amendment will express that settled opinion, and protect a key building block of our civil society. Let the process begin.
July 02, 2004
The Road to Freedom
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Americans always have been an audacious people. In 1776, a group of patriots dared to declare independence from Great Britain.
June 24, 2004
Day of Reckoning
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Honesty is often the first casualty of a political campaign, as the candidates take shots that they hope will dent the popularity of their rivals.
June 18, 2004
Winning the War
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
With the memory of Ronald Reagan fresh in our minds, it's worth paraphrasing one of his most famous comments: When it comes to terrorism, are you safer today than you were three years ago?
June 14, 2004
Mission Accomplished
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
My office windows in Washington, D.C., overlook more than half a dozen American flags, all flying at half-staff in memory of Ronald Reagan. Those flags will remain lowered as we mourn the passing of our 40th president.
June 09, 2004
The Legacy of Ronald Reagan
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
At a time when patriotism was mocked, he exposed the bankruptcy of modern liberalism and proved that true liberty is still a fighting faith. And like all great presidents, he created a yardstick against which future presidents will be measured.
June 03, 2004
Growing an Economy
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Governing can be like gardening. If you do it correctly, the investment in time and energy is worthwhile -- even though it takes a while to reap the benefits.
May 28, 2004
Why Stay Vulnerable?
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
No one doubts that the United States has the best offense in the world. Just weeks after 9/11, our military went to war in Afghanistan. Some said it would be a quagmire. After all, during the 1980s the Soviet Union was bogged down for years in Afghanistan and eventually withdrew in defeat. But our troops won an overwhelming victory in a matter of weeks.
May 24, 2004
"Lay Your Hammer Down"
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Hillsdale College Commencement Address: "Lay Your Hammer Down"
May 21, 2004
Storm Warning
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Those of us old enough to remember the 1970s sometimes think of it as the era of the bad disaster movie. Well, get ready for some cinematic déjà vu.
May 13, 2004
A Leader in her Prime
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Margaret Thatcher became Britain's first woman prime minister in May of 1979. Any review of her tenure should begin by noting just how bad things had become before she came to power. In the late 1970s, Thatcher's once-proud nation had hit rock bottom.
May 10, 2004
Trade Sanctions Pile Up While Congress Fiddles
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
If private companies worked the way Congress does, we'd probably never be able to compete in the global marketplace. Efficiency, productivity, responsiveness to changing conditions -- all seem lacking under the Capitol Dome.
May 06, 2004
Sizzle and Steak
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Our economy expanded 4.2 percent in the first quarter of the year. That follows 4.1 percent growth in the fourth quarter, and 8.2 percent growth in the quarter before that.
April 27, 2004
Send the Right Message
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D. and Sam Brownback
Parents naturally want what's best for their children. Unfortunately, when it comes to sex education, our schools aren't giving our children enough of what we know is best for them: real abstinence education.
April 26, 2004
Winning the Peace
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
President Bush recently tapped Negroponte, the current U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, to be our next ambassador to Iraq. He will officially assume that post July 1, when a new Iraqi interim government takes power.
April 19, 2004
Down to Earth Day
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Some holidays, such as Veteran's Day and Memorial Day, are a time for reflection. Others, like July 4th and Thanksgiving, are a time for celebration. This year, we ought to add Earth Day to the list of days to celebrate -- but only if we rename it Growth Day.
April 08, 2004
Red Light on Highway Pork
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
You might think Congress would have more important things to do than arrange funding for specific road- and bridge-building projects back home. After all, we're at war.
April 01, 2004
Fault Lines
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
During a recent interview with "60 Minutes," Clarke promoted his new book by pinning the blame for the Sept. 11 attacks on the current Bush administration. "[President Bush] ignored terrorism for months, when maybe we could have done something to stop Sept. 11. Maybe. We'll never know," he told Lesley Stahl.
March 29, 2004
Playing Catch-Up on Economic Freedom
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Say you're making a list of the world's freest economies. Where would you place the United States? Would we be number one? In the top three? The top five?
March 26, 2004
A Taxing Choice
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Leadership means doing what's right, not necessarily what's popular. That often means making difficult choices. Still, it's amazing how quickly the right policy can become the popular one, once people understand its importance.
March 25, 2004
William F. Buckley Jr. in "The March of Freedom"
By Ed Feulner
The following chapter appeared in "The March of Freedom: Modern Classics in Conservative Thought," a publication of The Heritage Foundation featuring essays from 15 writers, scholars, and statesmen whose thoughts and deeds gave conservatism its contemporary form. An introductory commentary from Heritage President Edwin J. Feulner Jr. is followed by an essay from the late William F. Buckley Jr.
March 24, 2004
Demanding the Truth
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Winston Churchill said: "A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on." That was in the pre-digital age.
March 18, 2004
A Beneficial "Disaster"
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
One year after the United States and our allies launched the Iraq War, Spain's newly elected Socialist prime minister says he considers the war a failure. In fact, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero calls it "a disaster."
March 10, 2004
The Power of "No"
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
During the first three years of Bush's presidency, he's been reluctant to use his veto power. So reluctant, in fact, that he's never vetoed a bill, and no president this century has completed his term without a veto.
March 04, 2004
Security ? for Social Security
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
The TV commercials used to say, "When E.F. Hutton talks, people listen." Well, E.F. isn't saying much these days, but the financial world has a new sage—Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan. Markets, traders, even lawmakers hang on his every word.
March 01, 2004
The State of Conservatism 2004
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
This year may be a decisive one for the future of the Conservative Revolution. Will conservatives be able to govern while remaining true to our principles? Can we create a federal government that is smaller and less intrusive, that protects us from foreign foes while safeguarding our civil liberties, that promotes the rule of law while allowing the free market to prosper
February 27, 2004
The wrong remedy for Rx drugs
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
The growing price tag of the Medicare prescription-drug bill has caused many in Congress to take a much-needed second look at what they passed last November.
February 26, 2004
"Road" Scholar
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
In print and in person, Hayek was eloquent in his explanations of why the road to prosperity is paved with freedom -- both economic freedom and personal freedom. Today, six decades after "The Road to Serfdom" first hit bookshelves, it's still a critical roadmap for where we should go and what we must -- and must not -- do.
February 19, 2004
Flunking the Jargon Test
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Educating our children is possibly the most important job there is. And faddish trends such as "edu-speak" are causing us to fail at it.
February 12, 2004
Checking out the Patriot Act
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
We should keep a careful eye out to make sure the Patriot Act isn't abused, just as we should keep a careful eye on everything the federal government does. But many librarians are stressing out over nothing.
February 09, 2004
A brake for highway spending
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
President Bush has experienced more than his share of Churchillian moments leading America in the war on terror. Now, with rising concern over the growth in the size and scope of the federal government, his first Churchillian moment on domestic policy appears close at hand.
February 05, 2004
Looking for the Union Label
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
In this election year, many union members are undoubtedly wondering why their leaders are spending so much to support candidates that they and their fellow local members don't support. Before long, they may get some answers.
January 29, 2004
A Shield That's Working
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
When it comes to homeland defense, we are getting what we pay for. Our men and women in uniform, with strong leadership from the White House, are keeping us safe. And that's the best investment we can make.
January 22, 2004
Flat, Fair and Forever
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
There are two things we should do this year: Make the previous tax cuts permanent and begin replacing the entire tax code with a simple and fair flat tax.
January 15, 2004
To Tell the Truth
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Lawmakers could easily trim spending 3 percent this year, instead of increasing it 9 percent. But first we'd need Congress to show some honesty in the budget process. Sadly, we can't count on it.
2003 Commentary
December 31, 2003
Siren Song
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Every year, as we wade through hundreds of tax forms and thousands of pages of regulations, it's hard to believe the United States is actually a low-tax nation. But for all our faults, we're light years ahead of many European nations.
December 23, 2003
Stop Failing the Iraqis
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
"You're either part of the solution or you're part of the problem," goes a popular military axiom. That's especially true in Iraq, where for years the United Nations refused to help solve problems. Because of that, it ended up making the situation there much worse.
December 18, 2003
The Taxman Clicketh
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
One of Feulner's Laws of Public Policy reads: "There are no permanent victories in Washington." These days, we're seeing that law borne out over Internet taxation.
December 09, 2003
The Cost of Doing the Right Thing
By Edwin J. Feulner
Republicans should ask themselves if the win on medicare is worth the price.
December 05, 2003
Getting Our Money's Worth
By Edwin J. Feulner
It's federal budget season. Do you know where your tax dollars are going?
November 26, 2003
Digging into Spending
By Edwin J. Feulner
When the government starts making spending predictions, hold on to your wallet--you're about to get fleeced.
November 20, 2003
Upholding the Law
By Edwin J. Feulner
Conservatives have long said we don't need new gun laws -- we need to do a better job enforcing the ones already on the books. That's exactly what the Justice Department has been doing -- and the latest crimes figures show it's working.
November 13, 2003
Obstruct and Delay
By Edwin J. Feulner
On Nov. 6, the Senate Judiciary committee approved President Bush's nomination of Janice Rogers Brown to sit on the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. The vote was close—10 to 9—and broke exactly along party lines.
November 05, 2003
Recreating the United Nations
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Now the world has been shaken again, and the United Nations must decide if it's willing to reform to fight the new global war—the war on terrorism. If it won't change, it will be nothing more than a toothless debating society.
October 29, 2003
Finish the Job
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Iraq is indeed a "dangerous place," as the president said yesterday. But as EJF writes in his latest column, it would be a "critical error" to pull out now. We're making a positive difference there -- and we need to stay on course.
October 22, 2003
Patriot Games
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Scaremongers have had a field day with the Patriot Act. Too bad they have no evidence to stand on.
October 15, 2003
Lots of Money, Little Return
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Consider the case of William Robertson, who is suing his alma mater, Princeton University, over the school's handling of the $525 million Robertson Foundation.
Robertson's parents set up the foundation at Princeton in 1961 with an initial gift of $35 million. Their objective: "to strengthen the government of the United States and increase the ability and determination to defend and extend freedom throughout the world by improving the facilities for the training and education of men and women for government service."
The amount of money in the foundation has grown substantially over the years—but not the number of Princeton students entering government service.
October 08, 2003
In His Own Hand
By Edwin J. Feulner
Conservatives have always known that Ronald Reagan was a smart man. Now, thankfully, a new book of his letters is making it harder for liberals to dismiss him as some amiable dunce.
October 06, 2003
Investment in Iraq Would Yield Security
By Edwin J. Feulner
'MISSION NOT Accomplished," the editors of Time magazine headline their latest cover story on Iraq.
In a sense, they're right. The job begun so bravely by our troops remains unfinished. Which is why it's imperative that Congress seriously consider President Bush's request for $87 billion - and do so as quickly as possible.
October 02, 2003
March to Irrelevance
By Edwin J. Feulner
These days, Bush is being criticized—for keeping his word.
Many leaders, including French President Jacques Chirac and U. N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, are still seething because the United States and Great Britain led a coalition into Iraq last March without explicit U.N. support.
September 18, 2003
Deliver Us
By Edwin J. Feulner
We know we can count on private services such as FedEx and United Parcel Service to deliver on time. If they didn't, they'd go out of business. And we also know—many of us from bitter experience—that we always can't count on the post office.
That's because the post office is a government-protected monopoly; 19th century laws make it illegal for anyone else to deliver letters. It's also exempt from state and federal taxes and free from most government regulations. That combination is a recipe for disaster.
September 03, 2003
A Bad Environment
By Edwin J. Feulner
The environment in the United States is about to get worse.
Not the environment around us—air, water, soil. That has been improving steadily for decades. I mean the political environment.
August 28, 2003
Still Laboring
By Edwin J. Feulner
Edwin Feulner on Labor Day
August 20, 2003
important_test
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
August 13, 2003
Medicare's Future
By Edwin J. Feulner
The birth of a grandchild gives us a chance to take stock of who we are and where we're going. As a conservative, I tend to be an optimist.
August 06, 2003
A Beautiful Mind?
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Think conservatives are mean? No. Turns out we're just crazy.
July 31, 2003
Laboring for Overtime
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
When she left The Heritage Foundation more than two years ago, I felt certain Elaine Chao was heading off to one of the loneliest jobs in the country: Labor Secretary for a Republican president.
July 24, 2003
The Medicare Mess Contains No Reform
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
How ironic that some senators recently killed a bill that would have limited damage awards in medical malpractice lawsuits. Because once people get a good look at the prescription-drug benefit Congress is preparing for them, they'll probably feel like suing.
July 23, 2003
The "State" of Education
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Residents in many rural areas are relearning Reagan's lesson. It's one of the unintended consequences of the "No Child Left Behind" law.
July 16, 2003
Handling the Unexpected
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Campaign promises sometimes seem as if they're made only to be broken. Still, an apparent flip-flop can make news.
July 09, 2003
Saving Medicare
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Congress has passed "historic legislation" that will "strengthen" Medicare, President Bush said in a recent radio address. It's historic, all right, but don't expect it to do much strengthening.
July 01, 2003
Speed and Cynicism
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Why are Americans so cynical about politics? The way Congress came up with the Medicare legislation offers some clues.
June 26, 2003
Campus Craziness
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Universities once had an honorable mission: Learning. Students were required to take a wide range of classes. They came to school to read, write, argue and discuss controversial issues with professors and with each other. That was the original meaning of a liberal arts education.
June 19, 2003
Balancing the Books
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Some lawmakers say it so often, you'd think it was a mantra: We can't afford to cut taxes, because doing so would increase the federal deficit.
June 11, 2003
Flatten the Tax Cuts
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
In principle, I'm pleased that so many lawmakers seem to realize the importance of reducing taxes. But in practice, not all cuts are the same. Some do virtually nothing to encourage people to work, save and invest more -- which is exactly what we need to get our economy moving again.
June 03, 2003
As Safe As Possible
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Missle Defense
May 29, 2003
A World of Difference
By Edwin J. Feulner Ph.D.
A World of Difference
May 16, 2003
Tax Unfairness
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED051603: Tax Unfairness
April 11, 2003
Smoking Out the Truth
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Smoking Out the Truth: Heritage Foundation President Edwin Feulner discusses the focus of the Justice Department on a four-year old, $289 billion lawsuit against tobacco companies when, he says, terrorism is the "over-arching priority."
April 11, 2003
Thank You, France
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Thank You, France: Heritage Foundation President Edwin Feulner addresses France and Russia's opposition to the war with Iraq and the questionable need for United Nations' approval regarding the war and other similar issues.
February 28, 2003
Cut and Spend
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Cut and Spend
February 28, 2003
A Sensible Inconsistency
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
A Sensible Inconsistency
January 17, 2003
What's Your Agenda
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
What's Your Agenda
January 17, 2003
Cutting Remarks
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Cutting Remarks
2002 Commentary
November 27, 2002
ED112702a: A No-Account Debate
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED112702a: A No-Account Debate
November 27, 2002
ED112702b: Danger: Free Speech at Work
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED112702b: Danger: Free Speech at Work
October 30, 2002
ED103020a: When Doing Nothing is OK
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED103002a: When Doing Nothing is OK
October 30, 2002
ED103002b: Shelter from the Storm
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED103002b: Shelter from the Storm
September 26, 2002
A Time for Choosing
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
A Time for Choosing
September 26, 2002
Intelligence: A Smarter Route
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Intelligence: A Smarter Route
September 10, 2002
ed091002: America the Changed
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ed091002: America the Changed
August 26, 2002
ed082602a: The Real Accounting Problem
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Is it me, or have recent business stories begun to resemble episodes of VH-1's "Behind the Music"?
August 26, 2002
ed082602b: Altared States
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ed082602b: Altared States
July 22, 2002
Less "Static," Please
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Less "Static," Please
July 22, 2002
"Safe Sex": Time To Abstain
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
"Safe Sex": Time To Abstain
June 06, 2002
ABM Treaty: Not With a Bang...
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ABM Treaty: Not With a Bang...
May 24, 2002
Gunning For Your Rights
By Dr. Edwin Feulner
Gunning For Your Rights
May 24, 2002
ed052402: It's (Not) Academic
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ed052402: It's (Not) Academic
May 08, 2002
The Hand that Rocks the Cradle
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
The Hand that Rocks the Cradle
May 06, 2002
Hate is Hate
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Hate is Hate
April 24, 2002
Warming up to the Truth
By Edwin Feulner, Ph.D.
Warming up to the Truth
March 27, 2002
"EZ" Government Help
By Dr. Edwin Feulner
"EZ" Government Help
March 26, 2002
Feeling Undertaxed?
By Edwin Feulner
Feeling Undertaxed?
February 25, 2002
Green-lighting Government
By Edwin Feulner, Ph.D.
Green-lighting Government
February 15, 2002
The Ties that Bind
By Dr. Edwin Feulner
The Ties that Bind
January 23, 2002
Who Killed the Surplus?
By Edwin Feulner, Ph.D.
Who Killed the Surplus?
January 23, 2002
The Naked Truth
By Edwin Feulner, Ph.D.
The Naked Truth
2001 Commentary
December 27, 2001
Down on the Farm Bill
By Dr. Edwin Feulner
Down on the Farm Bill
December 27, 2001
Taxes: On Holiday
By Dr. Edwin Feulner
Taxes: On Holiday
December 13, 2001
Requiem for a Relic
By Dr. Edwin Feulner
Requiem for a Relic
November 30, 2001
Let's Bury this Relic
By Dr. Edwin Feulner
Let's Bury this Relic
November 30, 2001
Picking up the Pieces
By Dr. Edwin Feulner
Picking up the Pieces
November 14, 2001
The Return of Big Government?
By Dr. Edwin Feulner
The Return of Big Government?
October 30, 2001
Education: Lessons Learned
By Edwin Feulner
Education: Lessons Learned
October 30, 2001
Hearing the American Sound
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Hearing the American Sound
October 29, 2001
Avoiding the Next Nightmare
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Avoiding the Next Nightmare
September 21, 2001
Bin Laden...and Beyond
By Edwin Feulner, Ph.D.
Bin Laden...and Beyond
September 21, 2001
Now More Than Ever
By Edwin Feulner
Now More Than Ever
September 14, 2001
Declare War
By Edwin Feulner, Ph.D.
Declare War
September 07, 2001
Slamming the Brakes on Mexican Trucks
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Slamming the Brakes on Mexican Trucks
August 31, 2001
Still Leaving Children Behind
By Edwin Feulner
Still Leaving Children Behind
August 31, 2001
The Internet: A Taxing Problem
By Edwin Feulner
The Internet: A Taxing Problem
August 30, 2001
The Democrats Take the "Fast Track" to Hypocrisy
By Edwin Feulner
The Democrats Take the "Fast Track" to Hypocrisy
August 30, 2001
Piling on "Senator No"
By Edwin Feulner
Piling on "Senator No"
August 16, 2001
Monuments to Ignorance
By Edwin Feulner
Monuments to Ignorance
July 30, 2001
The ABM Treaty, 1972-2001
By Edwin Feulner
The ABM Treaty, 1972-2001
July 30, 2001
Sputnik and Social Security
By Edwin Feulner
Sputnik and Social Security
June 29, 2001
Zero Tolerance? Try Zero Wisdom
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Zero Tolerance? Try Zero Wisdom
June 29, 2001
Warm Climate, Cold Missiles
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Warm Climate, Cold Missiles
May 30, 2001
Dodging the Issues
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Dodging the Issues
May 30, 2001
U.N. Wake-up Call?
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
U.N. Wake-up Call?
April 24, 2001
Taking a Vow on Marriage
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Taking a Vow on Marriage
April 24, 2001
Shooting Down Missile Critics
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Shooting Down Missile Critics
March 21, 2001
Out of Tune on the Debt
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Out of Tune on the Debt
March 21, 2001
As Simple as ABC
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
As Simple as ABC
February 13, 2001
ED021301: The Pitfalls of Prosperity
By Edwin Feulner
ED021301: The Pitfalls of Prosperity
February 13, 2001
A Go-it-Alone Army
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
A Go-it-Alone Army
January 05, 2001
ED010501b: A World Free of Wealth
By Edwin Feulner, President, The Heritage Foundation
ED010501b: A World Free of Wealth
January 05, 2001
ED010501a: Missile Defense on the Move
By Edwin Feulner, President, The Heritage Foundation
ED010501a: Missile Defense on the Move
January 05, 2001
Missile Defense: On the Move
By Edwin Feulner, Ph.D.
Missile Defense: On the Move
2000 Commentary
November 21, 2000
Chads, Butterflies and Change
By Dr. Edwin Feulner
Chads, Butterflies and Change
November 21, 2000
A "Do-Something" Congress
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
A "Do-Something" Congress
November 08, 2000
Economic Freedom & the "Fear of Committment"
By Dr. Edwin Feulner
Economic Freedom & the "Fear of Committment"
October 27, 2000
Hail Columbia?
By Dr. Edwin Feulner
Hail Columbia?
October 27, 2000
The 1 Percent Solution
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
The 1 Percent Solution
September 28, 2000
Marquee Madness
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Marquee Madness
September 27, 2000
ed092700
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ed092700
August 28, 2000
Divorce: Ignoring the cost
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Divorce: Ignoring the cost
August 28, 2000
A few words of advice
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
A few words of advice
August 09, 2000
William F. Buckley Jr.: An Appreciation
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
William F. Buckley Jr.: An Appreciation
July 31, 2000
Gun Buybacks: A Misfire
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Gun Buybacks: A Misfire
July 31, 2000
The Arms Race Myth
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
The Arms Race Myth
June 29, 2000
Social Insecurity
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Social Insecurity
June 21, 2000
The Hidden Phone Bill Tax
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
The Hidden Phone Bill Tax
June 12, 2000
Escaping the Vicious Circle of Foreign Debt
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Escaping the Vicious Circle of Foreign Debt
June 01, 2000
A Matter of Principle
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
A Matter of Principle
June 01, 2000
An Immoral Treaty
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
An Immoral Treaty
April 28, 2000
Playing the Numbers
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Playing the Numbers
April 28, 2000
A Crime Against the Truth
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
A Crime Against the Truth
March 23, 2000
Stamping Out Monopoly
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Stamping Out Monopoly
March 23, 2000
A Simple Question
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
A Simple Question
February 14, 2000
The Future of Conservatism
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
The Future of Conservatism
February 14, 2000
Free Speech for Some
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Free Speech for Some
1999 Commentary
October 20, 1999
Tribute to William F. Buckley Jr.
By Ed Feulner
The list of those who have received The Heritage Foundation's Clare Boothe Luce Award is short but impressive: Shelby and Kathryn Davis, Ronald Reagan, Jay Van Andel, Rose and Milton Friedman, the Lloyd Noble family, and Heritage Trustees Tom Roe and William E. Simon.
1998 Commentary
December 28, 1998
Managed Careless
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Managed Careless
December 28, 1998
Ideas Still Have Consequences
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Ideas Still Have Consequences
November 04, 1998
Animal Rights and Wrongs
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Animal Rights and Wrongs
November 03, 1998
"Poor" is a Relative Term
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
"Poor" is a Relative Term
October 08, 1998
Unintended Consequences
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Unintended Consequences
October 08, 1998
Tax Me Out To The Ballgame
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Tax Me Out To The Ballgame
September 08, 1998
An Enterprising Life, Indeed
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
An Enterprising Life, Indeed
September 08, 1998
Missile Defense: The Stakes Couldn't Be Higher
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Missile Defense: The Stakes Couldn't Be Higher
August 26, 1998
Congress earns passing grade on education reform
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Congress earns passing grade on education reform
August 14, 1998
Dodging Social Security's "Iceberg"
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Dodging Social Security's "Iceberg"
August 14, 1998
Charter Schools Are Smarter Schools
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Charter Schools Are Smarter Schools
July 16, 1998
Curing Dependicitis
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Curing Dependicitis
July 16, 1998
Big Labor's Big Test
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Big Labor's Big Test
July 16, 1998
Welfare for Artists
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Welfare for Artists
June 16, 1998
Unilateral Dismemberment
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Unilateral Dismemberment
May 29, 1998
What Stay-At-Home Moms Do
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
What Stay-At-Home Moms Do
April 10, 1998
Hopping Mad About Medicare
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Hopping Mad About Medicare
April 10, 1998
A Silver Bullet for the Tax Wolf
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
A Silver Bullet for the Tax Wolf
March 20, 1998
Attack of the Supermodels
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Attack of the Supermodels
March 20, 1998
America the Vunerable
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
America the Vunerable
February 26, 1998
Paid Day Care vs. Parental Day Care
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Paid Day Care vs. Parental Day Care
February 26, 1998
NPR: National Partison Radio
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
NPR: National Partison Radio
January 22, 1998
Give Workers Their Dues
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
Give Workers Their Dues
January 22, 1998
No Evidence For Global Warming
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
No Evidence For Global Warming
1997 Commentary
December 22, 1997
ED122297a: No Respect For Truth
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED122297a: No Respect For Truth
December 22, 1997
ED122297b: Serious About Football
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED122297b: Serious About Football
October 29, 1997
ED102997a: Protecting Some of America
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED102997a: Protecting Some of America
October 29, 1997
ED102997b: Do We Need a 51st State?
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED102997b: Do We Need a 51st State?
September 15, 1997
ED091597a: Somebody Fixed Social Security?
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED091597a: Somebody Fixed Social Security?
September 15, 1997
ED091597b: Supply-Side Vindication
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED091597b: Supply-Side Vindication
September 11, 1997
ED091197c: Suing Elsie The Cow
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED091197c: Suing Elsie The Cow
August 14, 1997
ED081497a: The Real Meaning of "PC"
By Edwin J. feulner, Ph.D.
ED081497a: The Real Meaning of "PC"
August 14, 1997
ED081497b:TV Prime Time: Biting the Hand that Feeds Them
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED081497b:TV Prime Time: Biting the Hand that Feeds Them
July 24, 1997
ED072497a: Cleaning Clean Air Cleaner
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED072497a: Cleaning Clean Air Cleaner
July 24, 1997
ED072497b: Taxing Changes
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED072497b: Taxing Changes
July 02, 1997
ED070297b: Postal Service Blues
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED070297b: Postal Service Blues
June 26, 1997
ED062697: Ammunition for the Culture Wars
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph. D
ED062697: Ammunition for the Culture Wars
May 29, 1997
ED052997b: Sex In The Military: What Did They Expect?
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED052997b: Sex In The Military: What Did They Expect?
May 29, 1997
ED052997c: Welfare Reform Miracle
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED052997c: Welfare Reform Miracle
April 17, 1997
ED041797a: Closer To Chemical Warfare
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED041797a: Closer To Chemical Warfare
April 17, 1997
ED041797b: Try the Impossible
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED041797b: Try the Impossible
April 17, 1997
ED041797c: How to Revitalize Our Inner Cities
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED041797c: How to Revitalize Our Inner Cities
February 24, 1997
ED022497a: Truth In Testimony
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED022497a: Truth In Testimony
February 24, 1997
America's Judicial Dictatorship
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
America's Judicial Dictatorship
January 23, 1997
ED012397b: Defending Gingrich
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED012397b: Defending Gingrich
1996 Commentary
December 15, 1996
ED121596c: Crime Can Be Whipped
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED121596c: Crime Can Be Whipped
November 25, 1996
ED112596a: Why It's So Hard To Save
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED112596a: Why It's So Hard To Save
November 25, 1996
ED112596b: A Celebration of Indoctrination
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED112596b: A Celebration of Indoctrination
August 22, 1996
ED082296b: Truth in Testimony
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED082296b: Truth in Testimony
August 22, 1996
ED082296c: Wasting Your Money
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED082296c: Wasting Your Money
July 25, 1996
ED072596b: Dumb And Dumber
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED072596b: Dumb And Dumber
July 25, 1996
ED072596c: Socially Responsible Business
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED072596c: Socially Responsible Business
June 27, 1996
ED062796a: Politicking On The Workers' Dime
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED062796a: Politicking On The Workers' Dime
June 27, 1996
ED062796b: Tune in to Talk Radio
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED062796b: Tune in to Talk Radio
May 16, 1996
ED051696a: Your Right To Know
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED051696a: Your Right To Know
May 16, 1996
ED051696b: "It's The Economy, Stupid," Circa 1996
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED051696b: "It's The Economy, Stupid," Circa 1996
April 25, 1996
ED042596d: Environmental Flip Flops
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED042596d: Environmental Flip Flops
April 25, 1996
ED042596e: Clinton's War on the Armed Forces
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED042596e: Clinton's War on the Armed Forces
April 25, 1996
ED042596f: Are Convervatives Winning or Losing?
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED042596f: Are Convervatives Winning or Losing?
March 25, 1996
ED032596a: Lower Education
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED032596a: Lower Education
March 25, 1996
ED032596b: A Tax Code To Love?
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED032596b: A Tax Code To Love?
March 08, 1996
ED030896: Drifting Toward a Taiwan Crisis
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED030896: Drifting Toward a Taiwan Crisis
February 23, 1996
ED022396b: FDA: The Smoking Police
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED022396b: FDA: The Smoking Police
February 23, 1996
ED022396c: Liberalism's Last Stand
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED022396c: Liberalism's Last Stand
February 15, 1996
ED021596: Why The Budget Debate Matters
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED021596: Why The Budget Debate Matters
January 26, 1996
ED012696a: Chic Prejudice
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED012696a: Chic Prejudice
January 26, 1996
ED012696b: Remember the Victims of Communism
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED012696b: Remember the Victims of Communism
1995 Commentary
December 22, 1995
ED122295: Revolution Makers
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED122295: Revolution Makers
November 30, 1995
ED113095b: Missing: $13.5 Billion
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED113095b: Missing: $13.5 Billion
October 26, 1995
ED102695b: Federal Health System Is Medicare Reform Model
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED102695b: Federal Health System Is Medicare Reform Model
October 26, 1995
ED102695c: Welfare's "Dirty Little Secret"
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED102695c: Welfare's "Dirty Little Secret"
September 28, 1995
ED092895a: Chernobyl Times Two
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED092895a: Chernobyl Times Two
September 28, 1995
ED092895b: Whistling In The Dark
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED092895b: Whistling In The Dark
August 17, 1995
ED081795b: Casualties of the Navy's Thought Police
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED081795b: Casualties of the Navy's Thought Police
August 17, 1995
ED081795c: Renaissance Man
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED081795c: Renaissance Man
August 16, 1995
ED081695: Guess Who's Getting Your Tax Dollars?
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED081695: Guess Who's Getting Your Tax Dollars?
August 01, 1995
ED080195c: Drivers Could Get Speedy Win in Congress
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED080195c: Drivers Could Get Speedy Win in Congress
August 01, 1995
ED080195d: Law of Our Land
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED080195d: Law of Our Land
June 29, 1995
ED062995d: Washington's Spending on Special Interest Groups
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED062995d: Washington's Spending on Special Interest Groups
June 29, 1995
ED062995e: America is Vulnerable to Missile Attack
By Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
ED062995e: America is Vulnerable to Missile Attack
November 20, 2009
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