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Remember veterans in December

The holidays are a crowded time of year — with a lot of traditions, expectations and thoughts competing for our attention. We are truly grateful for the organizers of Wreaths Across America, whose wreath-placing events help make sure that the contributions of our veterans are not lost in the busy days of the season. As we often note, it is important to remember our veterans throughout the year. No matter how the stresses and strains of Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year’s Eve find us today, the strain on families who had a child, a sibling, a spouse or other loved one serving in ...

Oversight starts with receipts but doesn’t stop there

When public money is spent, the people deserve to know the ins and outs. It’s encouraging to see Harrisburg lawmakers on this particular bandwagon. The state Senate Intergovernmental Operations Committee opted Tuesday to issue subpoenas to detail the full extent of taxpayer money used to cover certain work at Gov. Josh Shapiro’s Montgomery County home. It is not surprising this vote was along party lines because everything in Harrisburg breaks down to partisanship. The Senate having a Republican majority and the governor being a Democrat provided a built-in tendency for GOP ...

Here’s why Johnny can’t read

Reading and math scores are abysmal across the country, as national testing results keep documenting. Illiteracy rates are rising: The number of 16- to 24-year-olds reading at the lowest literacy levels increased from 16% in 2017 to 25% in 2023, according to data from the National Center for Education Statistics. In some inner-city schools, less than half of kids are reading or doing math at grade-level proficiency. Many high school grads can’t read their diplomas. As an economist, I would submit that this is our greatest crisis. It puts the future of American prosperity in grave ...

Government control in the digital age

Politicians push government IDs. In a TSA announcement, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem sternly warns, “You will need a REAL ID to travel by air or visit federal buildings.” European politicians go much further, reports Stossel TV producer Kristin Tokarev. They’re pushing government-mandated digital IDs that tie your identity to nearly everything you do. Spain’s prime minister promises “an end to anonymity” online! Britain’s prime minister warns, “You will not be able to work in the United Kingdom if you do not have digital ID.” Queen Maxima of ...

Feeling alone this season is more common than we admit

The holidays arrive each year wrapped in lights, music and expectations. We’re told this is the season of togetherness, of full tables and louder laughter, of joy that seems mandatory. But for many people, the holidays don’t feel warm at all. They feel empty. Quiet. Heavy. Being alone during the holidays is often treated as a personal failure, as if something went wrong, as if you missed a turn somewhere in life and ended up here by mistake. But loneliness this time of year isn’t rare, and it’s not a weakness. It’s a shared human experience, especially for those carrying ...

Railroad dodging accountability

Despite Norfolk Southern’s assertions that it would make things right in East Palestine — after a derailment back in February 2023, the company appears to continue to resist doing so. Most recently, it filed motions in federal court seeking to EXCLUDE expert testimony presented by the state of Ohio and the United States as part of ongoing litigation. The proposed $315 million federal settlement between Norfolk Southern and the U.S. Department of Justice is still pending. Among the challenged witnesses are three medical doctors who support Ohio’s effort for a long-term medical ...