Author: Norman Leahy

Congress has a long, regrettable history of staging hearings that do little more than create numerous opportunities for individual members to grandstand before the cameras. Such was the case with recent Senate hearings on the merger agreement between two major pro golf tours: the PGA and the Saudi-backed LIV Golf. On the surface, this is about the Saudi regime using its ample checkbook to do a bit of “sportswashing” – buying goodwill though sporting events – to cover up for its many, manifest and horrifying human rights abuses. As Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said in a statement: “A regime that…

Government use of facial recognition technology extends well beyond warrantless snooping. It’s also the big new thing at some of the nation’s busiest airports. But what many passengers don’t know, and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is reluctant to state loud and clear: such scans are voluntary, and you don’t have to subject yourself to one before heading to the gate. Or at least that’s what’s supposed to happen. The reality is a bit messier, as The Washington Post reports: Tawana Petty, who has campaigned against police use of facial recognition software, said she was also flying out of Reagan…

Massachusetts lawmakers may be ready to do something genuinely radical in the name of individual privacy – becoming the first state to ban the sale of cell phone location data. It’s a huge business in which you, the cell phone user, are the product. And it’s largely unregulated, which has allowed all sorts of weird, creepy and in the case of governments and law enforcement, unconstitutional  behavior to thrive. As The Wall Street Journal reports: The legislature held a hearing last month on a bill called the Location Shield Act, a sweeping proposal that would sharply curtail the practice of…

More signs that it’s the summer before a presidential election season: another story about other candidates who might jump into the GOP race because the main contenders look weak or downright doomed. As with previous editions of this line of wish casting, the prime contenders to run are Virginia Gov. Glen Youngkin and Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. Also in common with previous episodes: those making the case for these would-be candidates are self-described GOP wise men, strategists, observers, etc. (RELATED: Tucker Carlson To Host Republican Presidential Forum Without Trump) Not the would-be candidates themselves. A sampling of the narrative being…

Just in case we forgot: Congress is busy working on spending bills for next year’s federal budget. While the worthies are supposed to mute spending, at least according to the budget agreement hatched a few weeks ago to avoid a debt default, whether such restraint actually occurs is an open question. (RELATED: Congressional Watchdog Reveals Effective Ways To Immediately Slash Spending. Will Anyone Listen?) It shouldn’t be. And a recent long-term budget outlook from the Congressional Budget Office demonstrates why. Using that June 3 budget agreement as the baseline for future projections, the CBO says there is a glimmer of…

Few things spur more urgent calls for fundamental change in government institutions than when a major political party or ideological bloc feels it’s losing its grip on power. Those on the left are currently voicing heated cries for fundamental changes in the structure of the U.S. Supreme Court. (RELATED: Supreme Court Ruling Undermines Corporate Wokeness) The reason is simple enough: The Court has overturned long-accepted precedents on items like abortion rights and affirmative action (despite the general popularity of such decisions with the public). While the left is out of step with the American public, that doesn’t diminish the need…

You can tell the national political press is getting restless and bored when it starts to entertain fantasies about fringe candidates making credible bids for a major party presidential nomination. The idea of a Biden-Trump rematch is boring for the press – even the partisan press. Out of this boredom, spring summertime fantasies about fringe candidates making credible moves against the frontrunners. (RELATED: 2024 Candidate Suarez Makes Embarrassing Gaffe During Radio Interview) Let’s be clear: Joe Biden and Donald Trump are the frontrunners for their respective party nominations unless and until voters head to the polls starting in January. Against this…

Let’s be clear about the economic outlook of the two major parties today: They are no friends to free markets or free enterprise. Each is statist in its own way, seeking to use the levers of government power to reward friends, punish foes and generally increase government intervention in the economy. Each party does so because it believes its most devoted supporters want a red- or blue-flavored statism. It was somewhat surprising, then to see GOP presidential contender Mike Pence publish an item in Reason calling for a return to economic first principles. Of a sort. Remember: Today’s version of…

The first Republican presidential debate doesn’t occur until August, and the first votes won’t be cast in the Iowa caucuses until January. But the question now rising in political circles: Who will be the first contender to drop out of the GOP nomination race, and when will it happen? (RELATED: What Do Trump’s Rivals Genuinely Hope To Achieve?) According to The Wall Street Journal, the thinking among Republican consultants, talking heads, donors and others is that a large field of candidates – many of whom are polling in the single digits – needs to show some improvement. And soon. If not, then…

History says the large field of Republican presidential candidates will start to shrink long before the first votes are cast in January’s Iowa caucuses. But until then, it looks like there’s room for more, as former Texas Rep. Will Hurd declared his candidacy for the GOP presidential nomination. While many will say, “Will who?” the former House member and one-time rising star is positioning himself as an anti-Trump moderate (the same general approach as former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie). (RELATED: Most Americans Think Chris Christie Wrong On Stance For Child Gender Procedures) Hurd’s bid is the longest of long…