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A rare but encouraging rollback

The “Big Beautiful Bill” did a lot of things, not all of them good. One positive step was to repeal many of the Inflation Reduction Act’s green energy subsidies. It’s a little disappointing that Congress didn’t repeal all of them, as President Donald Trump promised during the campaign. Yet it’s also somewhat amazing to witness a genuine rollback, something that was never a given for this bill and which typically loses out to special-interest politics. To be clear, I want more green energy from more sources, including wind, solar, geothermal and whatever other promising ...

Casino lobby has 3 strategies to kill skills games

For the past five years, I have worked closely with Pennsylvania’s small businesses, veterans’ organizations and the skill game industry to craft a fair and balanced solution for the regulation and taxation of legal skill games. The result is Senate Bill 626 - a proposal that protects organizations that rely on skill games from crushing taxes, ensures proper regulation by the commonwealth and provides law enforcement with tools to combat illegal gambling. Senate Bill 626 has incredibly broad support, as taverns, convenience stores, social clubs and veterans’ organizations all ...

Terrorist sympathizers in the media

A number of writers for the Associated Press are Hamas sympathizers. Their articles for news agencies are routinely blaring hysterical anti-Israel pieces. The articles which they write make claims concerning the number of Palestinians killed in Gaza, crediting “hospital officials and witnesses.” Rarely, if ever, are names given. The “reporters” quote a number of miscellaneous organizations, again without attribution to individuals. Sometimes names are given of “local” people who apparently are either working with terrorist organizations such as Hamas or support those ...

Child custody in Pennsylvania — A view from the bench

On July 1, 2025, Governor Shapiro signed House Bill 378, simplifying the list of factors which a judge must consider in child custody litigation. This important legislation, effective within sixty days, should streamline custody hearings. It was supported by both the Pennsylvania Bar Association and the Family Law Section of the Pennsylvania Conference of State Trial Judges. Since parties in custody litigation often lack attorneys, efforts to simplify the custody process are generally welcome. Couples who are going through a breakup or divorce are frequently forced to divide jointly ...

Deportations in America today

Apparently Mr Trump has gone full ape deporting undocumented immigrants. He is supposed to do this as was Mr Biden. Mr Obama before him was known as “deporter in chief.” The scale and recklessness with which this might be happening is far beyond the other presidents. I say “might,” because as a social scientist, I need to take responsibility for what I say and not simply forward memes. I have not actually seen a raid by the Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Reports, nonetheless, say he is using offshore prisons, has built a detention center in a terrible swamp, ...

Government unions are in lockstep with Democrats

Are government union leaders and the Democratic Party about to divorce? Two prominent union leaders — Randi Weingarten of the American Federation of Teachers and Lee Saunders of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees — announced that they’re leaving the Democratic National Committee, citing the party’s infighting as the reason for their departure. That this is deemed “breaking news” is telling — as though everyone knew union executives, despite their claims to represent their members, were wedded to the Democratic Party. Voters shouldn’t ...