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Is this all necessary?

As the retribution tour hits the road in cities such as Chicago and Portland, tensions are increasing between Democrats and Republicans. The question must be asked: “Is all this necessary?” as well as the use of National Guard personnel, which is an unnecessary strain on the military. Soldiers are not police officers, and this places them in a vulnerable position. And of course, the role of ICE in all this places the military in a dicey situation due to the public reaction. Now the Trump administration has a point in arguing that open borders made all this necessary. Moreover, ...

Speech to the military

President Donald Trump’s speech to military leaders at Quantico once again made him appear unserious. US generals are loyal to the Constitution, not the president. Trump treated them to a campaign speech. They responded with silence, and after the speech, some hinted that his address was disjointed and disturbing. For openers, Trump made references to an “enemy within,” which suggests that his opponents are adversaries of the United States because they are critical of his government. He also meandered, stating that the army could be politically beneficial as if the military were ...

Keeping government open

As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, one of my primary responsibilities is ensuring that our government is responsibly funded so it remains open and working for the people we represent, including the hardworking West Virginians. That’s why I’m deeply disappointed to see Washington once again stumble into a completely avoidable government shutdown—this time because Senate Democrats have refused to join Republicans in supporting a commonsense, short-term measure that would keep the government open. Let’s be clear about what this measure—known as a ...

Reading comprehension

Much like a lot of things these days, a speech given last week by West Virginia Board of Education President Paul Hardesty has become a Rorschach test depending on where you stand on the issue of public education versus “school choice.” During the state Board of Education’s regular meeting last week, Hardesty’s message was simple: if you believe in the notion of competition improving the quality of education, then lawmakers need to untie the hands of their local teachers and educators so they can better compete with private schools and home schooling. To demonstrate how ...

Comparing talking points to the truth

On Twitter, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer tweeted, “Let me be perfectly clear: Undocumented people CANNOT AND WILL NOT receive ACA premium tax credits BY LAW. PERIOD. This is a LIE from Republicans to divert attention from their shutdown. Republicans are refusing to lower healthcare costs for the American people.” The capitalization was his. It is a talking point to distract from the truth. CNN’s Jake Tapper pointed out to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, “What you support does bring back funding for emergency Medicaid to hospitals, some of which does pay for ...

Not a passive president

Whatever else you want to say about him, President Donald Trump has what Alexander Hamilton in Federalist No. 70 called “energy in the executive.” Announcing a peace plan for Israel and Hamas, ordering the dispatch of federal troops to protect immigration enforcement personnel in “sanctuary” states, authorizing his budget director to use reorganization powers available after Senate Democrats shut down the government, and announcing a pediatric cancer initiative. No one can seriously argue that this is a passive presidency, though some may say that Trump is not promoting “the ...