News & Commentary
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."
The 'Diversity' Threat to California Charity
In Friday’s Wall Street Journal, IWF Chairman Heather Higgins examines the Foundation Diversity and Transparency Act. The legislation out of California is an enormous threat to private philanthropy. It would require California foundations with $250 million in assets to report the composition by ethnicity and gender orientation of their boards and staffs, the boards and staffs of the charities they support, and the degree to which they are run by or support certain minorities.
Opposing View: Forget about 'gender parity'
In a USA Today op-ed, Carrie Lukas says, "Those fixated on achieving "gender parity" - whether it's in the halls of Congress, university science departments or in day care centers - want to discount men's and women's stated interests and preferences, which frequently diverge."
Saudi Migrant Workers Subject to Abuse
The treatment of migrant workers in Saudi Arabia has been compared to “modern-day slavery.” The lack of a public outcry is sending a bad message to the Saudi government that abuse and discriminatation against migrant workers can continue with impunity for perpetrators.
Scared to Death: From BSE to Global Warming How Scares Are Costing of the Earth
With politicians discussing adopting major, economic-crushing legislation in the name of stopping global warming, it is imperative that the public reads Scared to Death: From BSE to Global Warming Why Scares Are Costing Us the Earth. Scared to Death puts the global climate change craze in the context of other scares, which have turned out to be fueled by alarmist rhetoric and trumped up scientific claims. For a limited time, don't miss your chance to read the books full chapter on global warming.
Title IX Not the Answer for Scientific Men's Club
The latest charge from the gender equity crowd is that women face widespread discrimination in STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). They say government action (in the form of increased Title IX enforcement) is needed to correct this imbalance.