The vulgar goes mainstream
To be vulgar once earned societal disapproval, ostracism from polite company and — in my grandmother's era — put a young person in danger of having his mouth washed out with soap. Published May 2, 2018
Cal Thomas
Articles by Cal Thomas
Learning from North Korea's history
Before meeting with North Korea's very "honorable" (Donald Trump's words) dictator, Kim Jong-un, the president should bone up on the history of that country's duplicity and deception, including ways it has used the wishful thinking of some past U.S. presidents to achieve its objectives. Published April 30, 2018
'Crazy Bernie' is at it again
There he goes again. Despite the lowest unemployment rate in 17 years, including declining rates for minorities, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Vermont Independent, affectionately called "crazy Bernie" by some conservative talk show hosts, is again flirting with the idea that the federal government should guarantee every American a job, paying a minimum of $15 an hour and health care benefits. Published April 25, 2018
To follow Jesus, or to follow Trump
"No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other." Published April 23, 2018
The return of the 'old-fashioned'
Call me old-fashioned -- and I've been called worse -- but do I sense the possible end to the sexual revolution, which exploded in the Sixties and whose fallout continues today? Published April 18, 2018
Welfare reform again
When President Bill Clinton signed the welfare reform act in 1996, which he negotiated with House Speaker Newt Gingrich, the left claimed people would starve. They didn't. According to the nonpartisan Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, between 1996 and 2000, the employment rate for single mothers increased from 63 percent to 76 percent. Published April 16, 2018
Searching and seizing
'The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized." — Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution Published April 11, 2018
Syria, Donald Trump and isolationism
The isolationist spirit — a reluctance to become involved in foreign entanglements — goes back in U.S. history to Thomas Paine and his 1776 pamphlet " Common Sense" and to George Washington's 1796 Farewell Address. Published April 9, 2018
Free speech takes another hit
Fox News host Laura Ingraham has apologized, as has the network, for nothing more serious than her tweet: "David Hogg rejected by four colleges to which he applied and whines about it. (Dinged by UCLA with a 4.1 GPA totally predictable given acceptance rates.)" Published April 4, 2018
What's wrong in Washington (and America)
At dinner with friends, I was asked what is wrong with Washington. The question presumes a standard by which "wrong" can be defined. Published April 2, 2018
John Bolton's enemies
Among the several ways to judge a person's fitness for office are the enemies he has made. Published March 28, 2018
The budget and national insecurity
President Trump wants us to believe that the ridiculous 2,232-page spending bill passed by Congress, but unread by most members, is a matter of "national security," because it has money to rebuild the military. He said he had to sign the bill for that reason, but promised never to sign one like it again. We'll see. Published March 26, 2018
The Russian selection
Perhaps Vladimir Putin was using his experience meddling in U.S. elections to meddle in his own. Published March 21, 2018
The unbalanced California 'FACT Act'
On Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments over whether pro-life pregnancy help centers in California should be required to post notices informing women of the availability of abortions elsewhere. The pregnancy help centers are contesting the law, disingenuously named the California Reproductive FACT (Freedom, Accountability, Comprehensive Care and Transparency) Act, claiming it violates their free speech rights, as well as undercuts the reason for their existence. Published March 19, 2018
Apocalypse now?
Since the beginning of recorded history there have been end-of-the-world predictions. In recent years we have had radio preachers, politicians and scientists declare with certainty that the world would soon end, either because of our decadent lifestyle, or because of "global warming," now known as "climate change." Published March 14, 2018
How Trump critics respond to success
President Trump's critics, who include many establishment Republicans, are finding themselves left with few issues given the president's recent string of successes. Published March 12, 2018
Only fools believe North Korea
To what shall North Korea's latest pronouncement to give up its nuclear weapons in exchange for certain "security" guarantees be compared? Published March 7, 2018
Harvey Schmidt was fantastic
You wonder how these things begin. For Harvey Schmidt, co-writer of the longest-running musical in history — who died last week at 88 — and his collaborator, Tom Jones, it began when the two were students at the University of Texas. Published March 5, 2018
Boldly going like no president before
Of all the promises candidate Donald Trump made during the 2016 presidential campaign, none will be more difficult to fulfill than cutting the size and cost of the federal government. That's because Congress, which must decide whether to keep a federal agency, has the final word in such matters and spending, especially since spending in one's home state or district, is what keeps so many of them in office. Who doubts that self-preservation is the primary objective of most members of Congress? Published February 28, 2018
Why deterrence can work
MIAMI — The list of failures in the Feb. 14 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, are becoming legion. If any or all of those failures had been addressed, 17 students and teachers might be alive today. Published February 26, 2018
