News & Commentary
It's Back to School Time for Teachers, Too
Unfortunately, our nation's education system constantly fails teachers. Parents and students would be better much served by an education system that rewards good teaching (through policies such as merit pay), rather than a failing system that demoralizes and frustrates teachers.
Sarah Palin: An Everywoman Qualified by What She's Done
The 2008 primary was definitely a time of firsts. An African-American squared off against a woman in the race for the Democratic Party nomination, and a little known Republican woman nabs the vice-presidential slot shocking the establishment and energizing the conservative base.
The Shattered Glass Ceiling: Women Voters after Hillary Clinton's Run
The Democratic National Convention is upon us, and much of the press commentary revolves around "her." Hillary Clinton, that is, and whether she and her supporters will unite behind Barack Obama. Both campaigns are now developing strategies to attract the votes of women.
Saving the planet while letting children starve
Today there are millions of children starving and dying of AIDS. Yet some suggest that the greatest moral imperative of our time is attempting to reduce carbon emissions to, theoretically, reduce global temperatures by a fraction of a degree. As IWF president Michelle D. Bernard argued in the following op-ed which appeared Sunday in The Washington Examiner, we need to get our priorities straight and not embrace legislation based on global warming alarmism.
Feminists Meddle with the Market
The Paycheck Fairness Act, a bill that is the equivalent of throwing sand into the wheels of our economic machine. Underlying the bill are the assumptions that our workplace is systematically hostile to women and that existing laws don't provide enough protection for women.
Ongoing Slavery in the US?
When most people hear about human trafficking, they picture a victim somewhere in a far-away country. However as Halima Karzai says, "an estimated 15 to 18 thousand victims are trafficked right here, into the United States from other countries." Read more on human trafficking in the US.
Connecting the Dots on Energy Policy
Most policy debates seem to be a war of competing theories: Will lower tax rates really stimulate greater economic activity? Do generous government welfare programs actually discourage people from seeking employment? Each side marshals data supporting its side and voters have to sort out whose case seems most compelling.
DC Gun Ban Lift Empowers Women
Citizens in the District of Columbia had plenty of reason to celebrate over July 4th weekend. In addition to our nation’s birthday, countless barbeques, and a fabulous fireworks display, citizens of D.C. could finally enjoy their rights as set forth in the Bill of Rights. All citizens of D.C. should rejoice at their new found freedom. But for women especially, guns are the ultimate equalizer in self-defense.
Another Glorious Fourth: What Would the Founders Think?
Independence Day is the most significant of our political holidays. Without the 4th, there would be no President's Day or Memorial Day. As we enjoy comfortable lives in the world's dominant power, it is hard to imagine the circumstances facing Americans in 1776. The colonists represented a string of settlements along the Atlantic coast, hemmed in between the ocean and an inhospitable wilderness inhabited by often hostile Indians.
A Woman's Gratitude When Looking Overseas
As the Fourth of July approaches, one can only hope that women from all ethnic and cultural backgrounds in America also reflect on the many liberties and rights that they ordinarily take for granted. Halima Karzai reflects on the unfortunate circumstances women around the world face.
Fueling a Furor
IWF Visiting Fellow Donna Wiesner in a Washington Times op-ed says, "Congress needs to quit passing the buck and embrace economic reality by crafting actionable public policies to help produce additional domestic energy supplies, both from alternative energy sources and traditional fossil fuels."