Breaking News

Other Commentaries

Issue of school choice returns to state lawmakers’ agendas

School choice is, once again, the talk of the town in Harrisburg. Hundreds of students, parents, educators, lawmakers, and activists crowded the Capitol steps, rallying support for meaningful education reform. Meanwhile, inside the building, lawmakers advanced one such reform. The Senate Education Committee voted 8–3 to advance the Lifeline Scholarships Program, also known as the Pennsylvania Award for Student Success (PASS). This program would provide scholarships to low-income students attending Pennsylvania’s lowest-performing schools, so they can use the money to find a ...

A renaissance for military technology

The world is entering a new era of great power competition – and under President Trump’s second term, America is rising to meet the challenge with a bold renaissance in military technology. As Vice President J.D. Vance declared in Paris this April, “The United States of America is the leader in AI, and our administration plans to keep that. The AI future is not going to be won by hand-wringing about safety. It will be won by building.” Nowhere is this shift more apparent than in the Trump administration’s embrace of a new generation of defense technology firms. Companies ...

Who was the sucker in the Middle-East?

We are all familiar with the famous saying that, “there is one born every minute.” The aphorism is referring to suckers; people who will believe what they are told regardless of how absurd or outrageous the representation may be. In the Middle East, there is a word, a well-known colloquial, when someone is called a “friar.” Plainly stated, it refers to someone who could be easily suckered. Is Donald Trump playing the role of the sucker in the Middle East trip? The President believes that peace comes through economics. After all, why fight with somebody from whom you are making ...

White House’s approach to tariffs may bring serious consequences

As a result of the Trump Administration’s reckless tariff policies, America’s hardwood industry has faced a range of consequences, including lost revenues, cancelled orders and the high costs of diverting shipments already in route to China. The 125% tariffs that China applied to U.S. imports in response to the staggering 145% tariffs that the Trump administration placed on Chinese goods on April 2 jolted hardwood producers. Immediately, some hardwood prices plummeted, and many lumber processors halted purchases from sawmills, leaving those mills with limited outlets for their ...

A pro-growth agenda for Main Street

Last week, we observed National Small Business Week—a time to recognize the contributions of small business owners, workers, and entrepreneurs across Pennsylvania and the United States. But these individuals deserve more than recognition. They deserve real support from their government. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and the strength of our communities. They’re the employers, the mentors, and the community leaders. From sponsoring youth sports teams to donating to local charities, they are the foundation of Main Street and the heart of towns across our ...

Governor’s ‘price cap’ could hike bills

Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposal to cap electricity prices could, perversely, lead to higher customer bills and a greater risk of blackouts, according to America’s Power, a trade organization of coal-fired power plants. Following negotiations with the governor, power grid operator PJM Interconnection submitted a plan to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to restrict prices for two years—a period that would extend, coincidentally or not, beyond Shapiro’s 2026 reelection campaign. On April 22, FERC approved the settlement. As usual, the governor ran a premature victory ...