SCOTUS - SIGN UP - March 2015

We used to hear about the single mother who worked two and three jobs to make ends meet for her and her children.  But today we're hearing more about the society of dependency that children in America are being born into, and at alarming rates.  According to the US Census, approximately 15 million children are currently living without a father in the home.

Democracy and Power 101: Government is powerThe essence of Government is power; and power, lodged as it must be in human hands, will ever be liable to abuse. —James Madison, Speech in the Virginia State Convention of 1829-1830

Nationwide arts and crafts store Hobby Lobby is stuck between a rock and a hard place. Or, as the case may be, between fundamental rights and the government enforcement of law. A first amendment battle is brewing on the grounds of religious freedom and, as the battle is heating up, neither side looks ready to budge. 

The inefficiency of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at enforcing their very own rules designed to curb fraud and government waste, is costing companies millions.  Some experts predict that such fraud will only grow into the new year. Nowhere is this more apparent than within the bureaucratic nightmare that is the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).

Yesterday, I reported on the volume of regulations headed our way in 2013 that rivals Darth Vader's Galactic Empire for sheer size, as well as oppressiveness. Today, The Heritage Foundation is out with its Top 10 Regulations of 2012:

Every year since college, my best friend Dan and I have submitted our best observations on a wide range of topics that reflect on the year that has just expired. We follow the well established template of The McLaughlin Group program. Here are my reflections on 2012.

My daughter spoke Finnish on Christmas Eve.I thought my nine-year-old had just made up some Swedish Chef-style gibberish until she provided a detailed translation. And a few of her phrases sounded a lot like my older Finnish relatives talking.As it turned out, my daughter had discovered Google Translate. She converted a few English sentences to the obscure Nordic language, clicked the “listen” button, and practiced the paragraph repeatedly until she had it memorized.

Very soon, only 1 in 3 physicians will be independent. The rest will work for hospitals, insurance companies, and increasingly, Accountable Care Organizations. The trend is a result of perverse incentives in the medical market that make it difficult or impossible for doctors to operate outside of a corporate practice.Rather than alleviating this trend, so that doctors can focus on treating their patients, Obamacare exacerbates the problem.

As we approach the inevitability of the fiscal cliff, taxpayers are understandably concerned. How much more will I have to pay in taxes?   Will the the economy worsen?  What will the spending cuts mean for my family? What surprises await for personal and business taxes and regulations in 2013?First, the new taxes. Personal income taxes will be going up for everyone. As reported today by The Right Scoop,

In November, dock workers in southern California went on strike, creating havoc in the local economy and supply chain. Now, America might be set for worse.