Michael McKenna
Columns by Michael McKenna
Musk is spending Trump’s political capital
Republicans, at least in public, seem to be excited about Elon Musk and his boy band careening through the federal government, creating mayhem wherever they go. Published March 2, 2025
Trump knows winning the AI race is more important than climate change
Lost in the fury and energy of the new administration's first week or so was an executive order from President Trump directing the immediate withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Agreement. Published February 26, 2025
Celebrating the indispensable George Washington
This weekend, we celebrate the birthday of the author of that victory, Gen. George Washington, born in Virginia on Feb. 22, 1732. Published February 23, 2025
Border czar Homan’s attack on the pope reveals deeper truths about moral certainty
Next time someone offers an alternative and perhaps contrary thought, you might want to think about it for a minute or two. Published February 19, 2025
Defense Secretary Hegseth, Vice President Vance lay hard truths on Europeans
Last week was the week Team Trump decided to tell Europe some truths. Published February 16, 2025
Does Trump have to spend all the money appropriated by Congress?
"The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America." Published February 12, 2025
Tim Walz isn’t the only knucklehead in Minnesota
President Trump, doing what God created him to do, has dominated the news cycle for the last three months, so one can be forgiven for not following what has been happening in Minnesota. Published February 9, 2025
Trump’s march through Senate an awesome display of raw political power
The American people expect, or at least hope for, basic competence. They also expect caution in the setting of precedents. Published February 5, 2025
Partisan truths: Tariffs, gasoline prices and Kennedy’s confirmation hearing
This newspaper published a column last week offering a simple and correct argument: Imposing a 25% tariff on crude oil imported from Canada would lead to an increase in the cost of gasoline. Published February 2, 2025
Tariffs on Canadian oil will increase gasoline prices in America
One of the themes in the very busy first few days of the Trump administration has been the president's promise (threat?) to impose 25% tariffs on imports from Canada. Published January 29, 2025
Money is really what matters in Washington
A few years back, I was talking to about three dozen Republican Senate staff members about the size of government. I asked them how much the federal government had spent in the previous fiscal year. Published January 27, 2025
Democrats have a Patty Murray problem
President Trump has launched his second term without any of the resistance or mayhem that characterized the first few months of his first term. Published January 22, 2025
What Trump should say in his inauguration address
Inauguration speeches have, like State of the Union addresses, become subject to the terrible, relentless machinery of the Washington bureaucracy. Published January 19, 2025
California wildfires burn away climate change propaganda
These last few months have been, for climate warriors, the winter of their discontent, unlikely to be made glorious summer anytime soon. Published January 15, 2025
Time to stop foreign cash from infecting American politics
There is a loophole in federal law that allows foreign nationals to finance ballot measures. In the 2024 election cycle, Sixteen Thirty Fund spent $37 million on ballot measures across the U.S. Published January 13, 2025
Hurdles to Kennedy’s confirmation as HHS secretary
Would pro-life senators vote for someone to run the Department of Health and Human Services who is unapologetically pro-abortion? Published January 8, 2025
Predictions for 2025 on politics, sports, entertainment and faith
Everyone makes predictions, but only a few are foolish enough to write them down. So, guided by the ancient Roman theory that fortune favors the bold, here goes. Published January 4, 2025
Elon Musk is not your friend
It is difficult to pinpoint why Elon Musk has joined the new administration. Perhaps he wants to preserve and expand his advantages in space exploration or protect his investments in China. Published January 1, 2025
2024 predictions scorecard: What I got right, semi-right and flat-out wrong
This is my final column of 2024, which means it is time to assess the quality of my predictions offered back at the beginning of the year. Published December 28, 2024
Trump should signal U.S. energy dominance early
Last week, in an attempt to make lies sound truthful, the Biden administration issued a study that suggested the production and export of liquefied natural gas might (or might not) exacerbate climate change. Published December 25, 2024
