No more bipartisan bailouts

By MICHAEL D. TANNER

One of the few lines in President Obama’s State of the Union address that actually received bipartisan applause was his vow of “no bailouts, no handouts, and no cop outs.” Of course the president then went on to claim credit for his bailout of the auto industry and promise additional handouts to the “green energy” industry.

Both liberals and conservatives often succumb to a narrative that pits big government against big business. No doubt many of big government’s tax and regulatory policies do make it more difficult for businesses to expand and hire people. But just as often, big business and big government are all too happy to work hand in hand to thwart the free market.Confusing support for free markets with support for the corporate agenda is a bipartisan failing. In a free market, for example, corporations compete against one another on their merits. Government doesn’t pick winners and losers or prefer one type of industry over another.

Light pollution robs Anchorage of a great view

By TOM BRENNAN

Anchorage has a terrible light pollution problem. Because of badly designed store, office and industrial lights – and perhaps some home lighting as well ‑ much of the candlepower goes all over the place, all but blanking out the stars.

The city has regulations on lighting that are supposed to address light pollution, but despite whatever is on the books, the problem is out of control and ruining the view of one of Alaska’s great assets.

An ignored 'disparity': Part IV

By THOMAS SOWELL

Different histories, geography, demography and cultures have left various groups, races, nations and civilizations with radically different abilities to create wealth

In centuries past, the majority population of various cities in Eastern Europe consisted of people from Western Europe -- Germans, Jews and others -- while the vast majority of the population in the surrounding countrysides were Slavs or other indigenous peoples of the region.

The Gaffe Patrol abandons Newt Gingrich

By WESLEY PRUDEN

The Gaffe Patrol keeps its Nieuports, Spads and Sopwith Camels lined up wingtip to wingtip just off the runway at a secret base somewhere deep in Shangri-La, eager to pounce on a politician whose tongue slips. Only the valiant fly with the Gaffe Patrol.

But not always. Mitt Romney seemed to be asking for a visit from the Gaffe Patrol this week when he told a cable-TV interviewer that he “wasn’t concerned about the very poor” because they have “the safety net,” the middle class doesn’t, and the rich don’t need one. Taken in the context of the interview this was unremarkable stuff. Mitt has from the start aimed his campaign at middle-class voters, the overtaxed and underappreciated majority.

Getting nowhere, very fast

By THOMAS SOWELL

California has a huge state debt and Washington has a huge national debt. But that does not discourage either Governor Jerry Brown or President Barack Obama from wanting to launch a very costly high-speed rail system.

Most of us might be a little skittish about spending money if we were teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. But the beauty of politics is that it is all other people's money, including among those other people generations yet unborn.

Obama's racial politics

By WALTER E. WILLIAMS

There's been a heap of criticism placed upon President Barack Obama's domestic policies that have promoted government intrusion and prolonged our fiscal crisis and his foreign policies that have emboldened our enemies. Any criticism of Obama pales in comparison with what might be said about the American people who voted him in to the nation's highest office.

Obama's presidency represents the first time in our history that a person could have been elected to that office who had long-standing close associations with people who hate our nation. I'm speaking of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Obama's pastor for 20 years, who preached that blacks should sing not "God Bless America," but "God damn America."