Michael McKenna
Columns by Michael McKenna
Real test of Fiscal Responsibility Act will be sturdiness of spending targets
Without taking sides on the wisdom of the debt limit increase (unironically named the "Fiscal Responsibility Act"), a couple of features of the deal and the surrounding conversation are worth noting. Published June 2, 2023
Be wary of early poll results
Now that the field for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination is starting to settle, it seems an auspicious moment to offer the usual warning about the results of opinion research. Published May 31, 2023
Forget the ‘obituary test’: Live instead to prepare for God’s judgment of your life
Last week, as part of a lovely graduation ceremony, the dean of a business school encouraged graduates to pursue things that give life relevance outside of the workplace. Published May 28, 2023
Durham’s history term paper fails to produce any justice
John Durham, the special counsel appointed back in October 2020 to examine the origins of the claims that Russia had somehow involved itself in the 2016 election, finally closed up shop a couple of weeks ago. Published May 24, 2023
Gorsuch: Coronavirus policies ‘the greatest intrusions on civil liberties’ in peacetime
In a Supreme Court decision last week, Justice Neil M. Gorsuch offered a scathing rebuke to how the U.S. handled COVID-19 both legally and policy-wise. Published May 23, 2023
The hazards of permitting reform in getting energy projects built on time
As Sen. Tom Carper gets ready to add to the melange of proposed permitting legislation, it might be worth thinking about whether the current batch of permitting reform may do more harm than good. Published May 20, 2023
In wake of a budget deal, Republicans should get ready for longer fight
As we head toward what seems to be a deal on the debt limit and associated spending reforms, it is worth thinking about what we can learn from this experience. Published May 17, 2023
Biden is coming for your cars, all of your cars
As part of the propaganda surrounding the White House's effort to ban gasoline-powered cars, President Biden implies that there will be a seamless exchange where current cars and trucks are traded for shinier, more hip, better electric cars and trucks. Published May 14, 2023
If you want to solve immigration crisis, put business executives in jail
The great Roman judge Lucius Cassius, who lived in the first century B.C., routinely sought to cut to the heart of a case or controversy by asking "cui bono?" ("who benefits?"). Published May 10, 2023
Florida is a model for conservatives to win again
We interrupt the usual news of Washington to report that, back in Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Republican legislature just wrapped up a productive legislative session. Published May 7, 2023
How long is long enough? Time for term limits for professional officeholders
Earlier this week, Ben Cardin, Maryland Democrat, announced he was not going to run for a fourth term in the Senate, deciding, one supposes, that being in public office for a mere 56 years is enough. Published May 3, 2023
The 2024 presidential race begins: Will it be a repeat of 2020?
Recently, there has been a rash of informative polling focused on the 2024 presidential campaign. Published April 30, 2023
Biden’s ‘freedom’ campaign favorable to Republicans
In announcing his intention to seek reelection, President Biden extended two great courtesies to voters. Published April 26, 2023
White House is doing its best to help Speaker McCarthy
In its haste to humiliate and marginalize Mr. Manchin over what it thought were unnecessarily restrictive provisions in the legislation, the Biden administration might have played itself into a disaster. Published April 22, 2023
Chinese Communist Party cash ultimately corrupts both Democrats and Republicans
Earlier this week, Rep. Jason Smith, Missouri Republican and chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, gaveled in a hearing on countering China's trade and investment agenda. Published April 19, 2023
Silence is not an option in long march to pro-life America
The Republican Party and the pro-life cause have recently enjoyed a series of victories in the judicial arena (Dobbs) and suffered a series of setbacks (the latest in Wisconsin) in the electoral arena. Published April 16, 2023
Democrats want to run against Trump in 2024
Despite his best efforts, former President Donald Trump is in a good spot with respect to the campaign for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024. Published April 12, 2023
Who’s to blame for the Republican loss of Wisconsin’s Supreme Court?
Republicans moderated or muddied their message on life and lost anyway. Published April 9, 2023
Have a reverent Good Friday and Easter Sunday
This coming weekend, the world's 2.5 billion Christians will celebrate -- emphasis on "celebrate" -- the torture, execution and resurrection of an obscure Jewish carpenter. Published April 5, 2023
Holy Week reminder, dwell on love, not loss
Fretting about the amount of time we have with those we love is pointless. The best thing we can do is to love whoever God has put in our path for as long as they remain with us. Published March 31, 2023
