A New Year approaches. Along with it comes a brand new Congress. There are many things Congress needs to do next year. However, I believe there are five that are of the utmost importance; things that the new Congress should make New Years Resolutions.

Resolve to Reform Healthcare…By Repealing Some of It

In 2010, we saw a lot of talk about reforming health care, and we got reform. Just really bad reform, with things like freedom impinging mandates.| MORE ›

Once again, President Obama’s law enforcement approach to terrorism has allowed another threat to slip by, and this time it may be a mistake with fatal consequences.

Earlier tonight, NORAD released a statement that it was tracking an unidentified flying object over Eastern Europe, and which appeared to be taking a westerly track. The details are sketchy at this time, and a military spokesman commented that there no other information is prepared to be released at this time.| MORE ›

We would like to wish all of you a very merry Christmas and, of course, a happy New Year. May these holidays be filled with joy and happiness, and may 2011 be your best year yet.

The second session of the 111th Congress is over, and I’m still getting a little mixed up in the alphabet soup of bills and treaties that were just passed, shot down, repealed, or ratified. DADT, CR, DREAM, START, TAX. Actually, that last one is not really an acronym, though I think “Trusting Americans eXasperated,” or something like that, works very well. Oh, and there was a health care bill passed for Ground Zero workers.

So, Well, in the end I think it’s a wash, but it’s not so clear cut.| MORE ›

At first, the details about how accused Portland, Ore. attempted-bomber Mohamed Osman Mohamud was arrested gave me pause. This was not an operation that was stopped at the last-minute, skin of teeth, 24 Jack Bauer style. Rather, it was essentially a manufactured fake, with the FBI in on the “planning and execution” from the very beginning. Mohamud’s accomplices were undercover FBI agents. Even the bomb was a hoax.| MORE ›

So where do Republicans stand after the election? From where I’m sitting, in a fairly good place. If they had to win only one chamber, I’d rather them win the House. Obviously, the Senate would have just been the icing on the cake, but being in control of the Senate these days is not all it’s cracked up to be (as I’ll cover in a bit).  Here’s a few reasons why I think the new power structure is good for them:| MORE ›

Last week, President Obama called out the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, accusing it of funneling contributions to the business advocacy group from foreign corporations to its U.S. political activity. This, of course, ignited a political firestorm.

The left had a “eureka!” moment. After all, American typically don’t like foreign actors meddling in their elections.| MORE ›

At The Week, Daniel Larison makes a case for the disbandment of NATO, saying that it is now being used as cover to expand American interests into the Middle East and Africa (emph. mine):

The Alliance is not only outdated for America’s European allies, who increasingly see no reason to participate in “out-of-area” missions, but also functions as a potential enabler of American involvement in parts of Asia and Africa where no vital American interests are at stake.| MORE ›

Pakistan has been in the news a lot lately. Last Monday it was reported that NATO helicopters chased insurgents over the border from Afghanistan.  Then two insurgents were killed in the tribal region that spans the border with Afghanistan. It all came to a head on Wednesday when two Pakistani soldiers were killed during a fight between NATO forces and insurgents.

That last event led to Pakistan to ban NATO supply convoys from entering Afghanistan.| MORE ›

I remained silent on The Phenomenon from New Jersey for too long a time. Here at RATA, at least. Now it’s time for some outspokenness; if Republicans don’t force this guy to become one of their main national leaders in the coming years, they deserve to be crushed inevery single election.

This guy is not some average politician. He proves that fiscal conservatives can be in your face, aggressive, passionate, and still win elections.| MORE ›