Those who believe that government should be in charge of, and regulate, almost everything we do seem to have taken the September 11 terrorist attacks on our nation and their aftermath as an affirmation that they're right.
Great, now we can add Sweden to the list of countries that are smarter than we are about social security.
As we look for ways to increase security against terrorism – especially in the light of the use of airplanes as terrorist weapons – one common-sense solution seems to be to train and allow pilots to carry weapons. That, along with making the cockpit less vulnerable, would be a step in the right direction.
Just when I thought I knew everything (cue in the laughter) the NCPA's Bruce Bartlett surprises me with a new and timely piece of information.
Now that we have some distance from the terrorist attacks, it's interesting to see our responses to them. Out of the hours of broadcasting and reams of print, three stand out for me.
In a national emergency, perhaps the strongest urge of democratically elected officials is to "do something" immediately. Politicians believe that inaction sends citizens the message that their leaders are indecisive and perhaps incompetent to deal with the crisis. In the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks, Congress and the president are proposing a host of new security measures and other laws and regulations.
We are now at war. President Bush and the U.S. Congress have made that clear and the public has evinced so far overwhelming support for their leaders' calls for waging a long, patient and difficult struggle against both those who attacked us so brutally on September 11 and those who support global terrorism.
Congress has before it several bills to help newly laid-off workers from the airlines and other industries affected by the terrorist attacks on America. President Bush has proposed – and members of Congress from both parties have offered bills – helping these workers to retain their health insurance coverage and avoid joining the ranks of the uninsured.
Remember the first time you peered into a kaleidoscope? With a slight rotation one colorful geometric pattern vanished and unexpectedly became a dramatically different one. The events of Sept. 11 turned America's kaleidoscope, and the grim new pattern that appeared will indelibly change public policy.
The fashionable energy for years has been renewable energy: wind, solar and so forth. The media have been fascinated by them. Taxpayers have subsidized billions in research. Trouble is, they provide less than five percent of U.S. energy supplies.
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to review the Cleveland school choice system, setting the stage for what could be a groundbreaking decision on the constitutionality of all programs – including programs in Milwaukee and Florida – that help parents of children trapped in failing schools choose another school, even if it happens to have a religious founding.
NCPA Senior Fellow Bruce Bartlett urges lawmakers to "remain calm and not overreact" to the economic pressures following the events of September 11.
Congress is under immense pressure to help those Americans who find themselves out of work in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attack pay for continuation of their health insurance.