THE WASHINGTON TIMES

EDITORIAL: Finding the Flynn leak

Washington is aflame with speculation over who is responsible for the spy-versus-spy mischief that led to cashiering Michael Flynn, the president's national-security adviser. The president appointed Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster as his successor Monday, but the controversy over the Flynn episode will not go away. Published February 20, 2017

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Put ‘two-state solution’ on ice

With the current leadership of the Palestinian Authority, I suggest that both the United States and Israel abandon for the time being any negotiations to achieve statehood for the Palestinian Authority, or for the Gaza government under Hamas. Published February 19, 2017

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Spyship story not news

The Russian spyship controversy is fake news. Russian spy ships have been off the coast of Connecticut as well as other locations along our coast for 70 years. They are constantly monitoring the comings and goings of our nuclear submarines. Published February 19, 2017

EDITORIAL: The premature obituary

Sometimes blood in the water is just the residue from a bowl of strawberries. When Andrew Puzder withdrew his name from consideration as secretary of Labor last week, following the cashiering of Mike Flynn as the president's national security adviser, President Trump's critics were satisfied at last that the end was near, the Trump administration is collapsing and that there must be a miracle around the corner to deliver them from their broken dreams and gossamer wishes. The water had turned pink. Published February 19, 2017

EDITORIAL: The rose by another name

The courts continue to wrestle with homosexual nuptials and the meaning of "participation." The Washington state Supreme Court last week held that a florist in Richland, Wash., had no right in the law to refuse to provide flowers to two men for their same-sex wedding because to participate in such a rite would violate her deeply held religious beliefs. Published February 19, 2017

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Focus on jobs, not feelings

During his campaign, President Trump talked a lot about infrastructure. He was going to build new schools, new roads, new bridges, etc. He was going to put 100,000 people to work, and that was just for starters. So far, all I've heard for three weeks is 'Everyone is picking on me.' Mr. Trump doesn't like what this person said; he doesn't like what that person said. He is constantly sending out angry tweets. Published February 16, 2017

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Media did due diligence on nominees

Now that Michael Flynn has been forced out as national security adviser, Andrew Puzder has had to withdraw his name from nomination for labor secretary and Betsy DeVos was so unpopular as to have needed the vice president to break a tie vote on her confirmation as education secretary, one wonders whether the Trump administration will learn anything from these debacles. Published February 16, 2017

EDITORIAL: Trump’s missing free market warriors

Andy Puzder's withdrawal for consideration as Donald Trump's secretary of Labor might have been premature but for the easy surrender of the Republicans in the Senate to a left-wing slander campaign. Mr. Puzder's replacement, R. Alexander Acosta, is a labor lawyer without any real-life experience in hiring workers, but he looks confirmable. However, this leaves the new administration with almost no sound voices for free-market ideas. Published February 16, 2017

EDITORIAL: Learning the wrong lesson

In politics as in medicine, getting the diagnosis wrong can be fatal. The wrong medicine won't cure what ails you and it's likely to make things worse. Published February 16, 2017

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Needed: Fearless leaders

The Republican Party is beset by leaders who fear the press. Former House Speaker John Boehner displayed enormous trepidation when speaking to media members, and current Speaker Paul Ryan shows the same weakness. For the past four years Ryan has encouraged his members to vote with the Democrats. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell doesn't even possess confidence in conservatism, much less confidence in espousing it, in public. Published February 15, 2017

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Grow Republican base organically

The GOP, under President Trump and Vice President Pence, has the ability to rewrite many new U.S. strategy playbooks. The primary Republican strategy must be to expand and broaden the party's successes and capitalize on the Trump-delivered majorities. Published February 15, 2017

EDITORIAL: The swamp strikes back

Hercules cleaned the Augean Stables by diverting the course of two rivers through the gates to carry off the grunge and dreck. Donald Trump will need more than a river to collect the dreck as he drains the swamp that is Washington. Published February 15, 2017

EDITORIAL: Democrats finally get a scalp

If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. And then try some more. The Democrats finally got a Cabinet scalp Wednesday, when Andrew Puzder withdrew his name from consideration as secretary of Labor. Democrats had earlier unsuccessfully targeted Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos for honorary termination with extreme prejudice, and missed. Published February 15, 2017

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Voters must pay attention again

Thomas Jefferson and the Founding Fathers held a unique view of the branches of government, their powers and how these powers related to one another. Maybe it's time we revisited this view. The Constitution is at stake and the way in which our country resolves the internal conflicts it is experiencing today could determine our fate for many years to come. Published February 14, 2017

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Schumer an embarrassment

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is becoming a laughing matter in politics. It is amazing how he has changed. Published February 14, 2017

EDITORIAL: Before the missiles whistle

The rogues are restless. The mischief of the bullies doesn't flag from one administration to the next. Projectiles light up the sky from remote launch pads in far-off places, and where there are missiles, there must be a reliable, extensive shield against them. Published February 14, 2017

EDITORIAL: Flynn’s out, but the moles are not

Michael Flynn is gone as the president's official national security adviser, and now the important back story moves to the front. What is this curious episode really all about? Nothing is ever as it seems in Washington. Published February 14, 2017

EDITORIAL: Searching for departed Democrats

Democrats have been meeting over the past few days at "retreats" near Washington to figure out what happened to them last November. They're trying to plot a strategy to destroy the president they despise and to overcome a ballot-box disaster that has left them with fewer officeholders, from top to bottom and across the 50 states, than they've had in a century. Published February 13, 2017

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Disgraceful Democrats

The Senate is referred to as "the greatest deliberative body in the world," which is one of those big lies that are believed if repeated often enough. During the recent confirmation hearings, I haven't seen any deliberating. Published February 13, 2017

EDITORIAL: No retreat from Obamacare repeal

He's not an obstetrician, but Dr. Tom Price better know how to deliver. The Atlanta physician and member of Congress survived a bruising confirmation battle en route to a 52-47 party-line Senate confirmation to become the new secretary of Health and Human Services. He's the point man for the repeal and replacement of Obamacare, which was President Trump's most important domestic pledge to voters. Success or failure will determine soon whether the doctor -- and his boss in the Oval Office -- are heroes or goats. The clock is ticking. Published February 13, 2017