Cal Thomas
Columns by Cal Thomas
Ronald Reagan interview shows little has changed in tax battle
While scanning YouTube videos, I came across an appearance by Ronald Reagan on "The Tonight Show," hosted by Johnny Carson. The year was 1975 and Mr. Reagan was "between jobs," having left office as governor of California, where he served for eight years, but not yet president. He would challenge Gerald Ford for the Republican nomination in 1976, barely losing at the nominating convention, but setting himself up for what would be a successful run in 1980. Published July 17, 2017
Life-or-death decisions should not be left to government
Anyone looking for another reason not to leave life-and-death issues to the state need look no further than the conflict between the British government and the parents of 11-month-old Charlie Gard. Published July 12, 2017
Making America great again requires foundation in Western values
In 1987 when he was contemplating a run for president, Vice President George H.W. Bush was criticized for his inability to articulate an agenda for the country. A friend suggested he spend a weekend alone at Camp David to figure out where he would take the nation. Published July 10, 2017
Calvin Coolidge model shows bipartisan respect is possible
When was the last time you heard a member of one political party praise a member of the other party? Published July 5, 2017
Donald Trump personal attacks achieve nothing
President Trump once referred to the health care bill passed by the House as "mean." So how should we characterize his remarks about MSNBC "Morning Joe" co-host Mika Brzezinski? The president of the United States, reacting to her criticism of him, claimed Ms. Brzezinski was "bleeding" from a face-lift when he saw her last New Year's Eve at his Florida resort. He further described her as being "dumb as a rock." That's worse than mean. It's cruel. Published July 3, 2017
Donald Trump winning at Supreme Court
The Supreme Court's decision to allow portions of President Trump's travel ban to proceed is a much-needed victory for the administration. The high court ruled that those "who lack any bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the United States" could be denied entry into the U.S. The ban targets those from six majority-Muslim countries, halting entry until "extreme vetting" can be conducted. Published June 28, 2017
Obamacare repeal effort shows old program is wasteful
Is there anyone who can point to the "Affordable Care Act" (aka Obamacare) and credibly claim it is accomplishing the goals set for it seven years ago? Published June 26, 2017
Puerto Rico statehood may buoy island’s fortunes
The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is drowning. The island, so popular with tourists, is $123 billion in debt. That's more debt than the $18 billion bankruptcy filed by the city of Detroit in 2013. In May, San Juan declared a form of bankruptcy after creditors filed lawsuits demanding their money. A federal district judge appointed by Chief Justice John Roberts will handle the case. Published June 21, 2017
Donald Trump facing outrageous amounts of leftist rage
That didn't take long. Less than 48 hours after the shooting rampage targeting Republican members of Congress and their staff on a baseball field in Alexandria, Va., followed by the picture of Republicans and Democrats kneeling in prayer at Nationals Park before their annual charity game, things returned to normal or abnormal. Published June 19, 2017
Liberal clergy often feel left out
The religious left feels left out. According to an article in The New York Times, liberal clergy feel excluded from the political arena and blame the religious right for occupying what they once believed was their exclusive territory. They are, according to the story's headline, "seeking to break right's grip on nation's moral agenda." Published June 14, 2017
Donald Trump accusers are themselves liars
All politicians lie, because they are human and all humans lie. The question before us is this: If President Trump lied to FBI Director James Comey, should that "lie" lead to impeachment? Did he obstruct justice when he allegedly "hoped" that Mr. Comey would not pursue an investigation of former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn? Many Democrats think so. Most Republicans do not. Published June 12, 2017
Increasing terror obvious except to the ignorant
In television it's called a "loop," the replaying of the same scene over and over and over again. Published June 7, 2017
Paris pullout has led to hysteria
For sheer hilarity and hyperbole it's hard to beat a recent headline on a Washington Post editorial opposing President Trump's decision to remove the United States from the nonbinding and unenforceable Paris Climate Agreement. Published June 5, 2017
Angela Merkel criticism of Trump shows nation ungrateful
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has had enough of President Trump. Speaking last Sunday in a Munich beer hall, Ms. Merkel suggested that Europe may no longer be able to rely on the United States as a faithful ally and that the continent "really must take our fate into our own hands." Published May 31, 2017
Terrorism reactions are too predictable and mundane
The terrorism scenario is always the same. Events repeat themselves, like in the film "Groundhog Day." Published May 29, 2017
Saudi Arabia will not combat terrorism
Trusting Saudi Arabia to combat terrorists and extremists and "drive them out," as President Trump called on the kingdom and other Arab and Muslim nations to do in his Riyadh speech, is akin to forging an alliance with the Ku Klux Klan to combat racism and anti-Semitism. Published May 24, 2017
Roger Ailes was a genius
Roger Ailes was no genius, not in the league of Stephen Hawking and Albert Einstein. The founding chairman of Fox News Channel, who died last week from complications after suffering a fall, understood and respected Middle America from whence he came. Published May 22, 2017
Single-payer health care system has been tried before without success
The ransomware cyberattack that wormed its way into at least 74 countries recently exposed new vulnerabilities in the United Kingdom's National Health Service (NHS), as if it weren't vulnerable enough. Published May 17, 2017
Donald Trump campaign rhetoric has not changed in office
During an interview last June in his New York office, I asked Donald Trump about his use of language that many considered insulting and divisive. "Will there be a pivot for you from the primaries to the general election campaign?" Published May 15, 2017
Obama getting awards promotes his liberal agenda
Awards once meant something. There was a time not that long ago when they were given in recognition of important accomplishments. Today, we tend to value celebrity over steady achievement. Fame is paramount. It matters little how one attains it. The Kardashians are just one of many examples. Published May 10, 2017
