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Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, R-Wis., smiles as he departs the chamber just after the Repubican-controlled House of Representatives voted to eliminate key parts of President Barack Obama's health care law and to stop taxpayer funds from going to Planned Parenthood, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2016. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

An agenda for House Republicans

By Jenny Beth Martin

As House Republicans prepare to gather in Baltimore next week for their annual policy/legislative strategy retreat, Speaker Paul Ryan has made clear he wants to use the second session of the 114th Congress to lay out an agenda for what he calls a "confident America," a campaign vision that unifies the Conservative Movement, the Republican Party, and, in fact, all of America.

Saddam Hussein said his Iraqi government had "no connection" with al Qaeda. (Associated Press) **FILE**

Architects of foreign policy blunders treated like Montessori School students

By Bruce Fein

Our chronic gratuitous interventions abroad at staggering expense under the delusion of spreading democracy and peace have diminished our security and spiked the world's misery index. Yet the architects of these failures have paid no price. They have been neither punished nor professionally ridiculed. The establishment treats them like Montessori School students with grades based on effort irrespective of the catastrophic results.

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Richard Cordray speaks during a a hearing in Denver where he discussed his agency's proposal on arbitration, in Denver, Colo., Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2015. If enacted, the plan would severely curtail a contentious practice called mandatory arbitration, which consumer advocates have long argued does a disservice to people who have disputes with banks, credit card issuers and other financial service providers. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley) **FILE**

Another menacing encroachment on privacy

By Bruce Fein

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) sounds benign --evocative of a robust defender of consumer interests. It's the last institution you would suspect of shipwrecking your privacy.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a rally in Biloxi, Miss., Saturday, Jan. 2, 2016. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) **FILE**

The case against political correctness is not the case for Donald Trump

By Nick Novak

Donald Trump seems like he could be a breath of fresh air. He says what's on his mind. He isn't afraid to offend anyone. He knows how to give a speech full of red meat. And allegedly, he knows how to make America great again. Here is the problem. He doesn't know how to make America great again. The only thing he knows how to do is make Donald Trump great again.

Republican Presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, campaigns at Penny's Diner in Missouri Valley, Iowa, Monday, Jan. 4, 2016. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

Ted Cruz -- ethanol's best friend

By Steve Deace

Those who live and die by corporatism and taxpayer-funded subsidies have determined to go all-in to stop Sen. Ted Cruz, Texas Republican, from winning the Iowa Caucuses in a few weeks. Apparently Mr. Cruz believes too much in freedom and limited government for these people's tastes. It won't work, because these people have lost almost all their political clout for various reasons. Not the least of which is most people are tired of the corporatist gravy train.

Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz. (Associated Press) ** FILE **

Extraterritorial law enforcement: Be careful what you wish for

By Bruce Fein

The United States is aggressively championing the extraterritorial use of search warrants for speculative gains in law enforcement. It should be careful of what it is wishing for. It might get it, and trigger an epidemic of international headaches from tyrannical and democratic foreign nations alike demanding access to electronic information about their citizens stored in the United States.