THE WASHINGTON TIMES

EDITORIAL: Scandinavia learns a hard lesson

The rewards of pride and piety have suddenly expired in Scandinavia. The northern democracies, accustomed to dispensing unwanted tutelage in sanctimony, have canceled their welcome for the wave of migrants from the Middle East and North Africa trying to break down the door to Europe. Published January 31, 2016

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Islamic Relief provides needed aid

The picture of Islamic Relief Worldwide painted by Kyle Shideler in "Funding terrorists must end" (Web, Nov. 29) is riddled with inaccuracies. It undermines the good name of an organization trusted by governments, U.N. agencies and hundreds of thousands of donors to deliver life-saving aid around the world. Published January 28, 2016

EDITORIAL: How to fix the debates

Donald Trump has a knack for drawing attention to a problem, but rarely has a way to fix it. He has done that again, largely by accident, with his row with Fox News over the Republican debates. Published January 28, 2016

EDITORIAL: Good news from Taiwan

The Republic of China (Taiwan) has become an economic powerhouse, the fifth largest in Asia and in the top 20 in the world, and even more important, its political institutions are stable. Real growth has averaged about 8 percent over the past three decades. The older labor-intensive industries have steadily moved elsewhere, replaced by technology-intensive industries. Published January 28, 2016

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Media right on Donald Trump Liberty flap

Charles Hurt's criticisms of the media coverage of Donald Trump's most recent publicized incident completely miss the point ("Donald Trump's Corinthians misquote overblown by media," Web, Jan. 19). Mr. Hurt expounds on the reasons that conservative evangelicals support Mr. Trump, attributing it to the fact that like Mr. Trump, they are politically incorrect people living in a society that directly opposes or demonizes the ideals for which they stand. Published January 27, 2016

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Donald Trump should pick Ben Carson

If he becomes the GOP's presidential pick, who should "The Donald" pick as his number two? Let's start with the candidates he won't select. Published January 27, 2016

EDITORIAL: Obama’s not-so-hot report card

Not everyone can win a popularity contest, which is why not everybody can be the president. As difficult as winning may be, staying in the good graces of the electorate is even more difficult. Seven years after climbing to the top of the heap, public-opinion has put President Obama in his rightful place: well below average. The judgment of his countrymen can be cruel, but it happens to every president. Published January 27, 2016

EDITORIAL: Will Donald Trump show up at GOP debate

Conventional wisdom once held that a front-runner shouldn't debate his challengers because meeting them on the same stage gives them stature. So why do a favor for a challenger? That's why Ronald Reagan wouldn't debate George H.W. Bush in 1980. He sat on his lead, lost to Mr. Bush on caucus night and breathed new life into a challenger who began the race as a footnote in most early polls. Published January 27, 2016

EDITORIAL: Paying for return of Iranian hostages opens prison doors in U.S.

Freedom is priceless, or used to be. A longstanding American policy decrees that the United States will never negotiate with terrorists, and will never pay ransom for hostages. That rule has been honored in the breach -- never is a long time -- but the rule has never been more enthusiastically abused than during the Obama years. Published January 26, 2016

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Climate drivel victimizes poor, middle class

For the past three decades we have repeatedly been warned of snowless winters — the result of human-caused global warming. The predictions have been demonstrably wrong. Published January 26, 2016

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: ‘Green’ agenda hurts West Virginia

The article "West Virginia natural gas production numbers 'shocking'" (Web, Jan. 23) was an interesting read and well-written. These production numbers for oil and natural gas are a glimmer of good news because with the way the Obama administration is determined to eliminate the use of coal in the United States, oil and natural-gas jobs will become even more important to West Virginia's economy. Published January 26, 2016

EDITORIAL: A new energy ‘crisis’

Big Oil, particularly in the Middle East, never had it so good, and now some of the sheiks sound like they've never had it so bad. A gallon of Perrier, Poland Spring or Mountain Valley Water costs more than a gallon of crude, and Big Oil ain't seen nothin' yet. The shale revolution continues to shake up old assumptions and change things as revolutions always do. Published January 26, 2016

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: All lives matter

Every January we are reminded of just how cruel a nation we really are. The annual March for Life in Washington magnifies the legal torture our nation allows on innocent, unborn babies growing in their mothers' wombs. Published January 25, 2016

EDITORIAL: Political squabbling ahead of Iowa caucuses

It was back in 1895 that Finley Peter Dunne's fictional Mr. Dooley first observed that "politics ain't beanbag," but nothing has happened since to throw doubt on Dooley's words. In fact, this year's Republican presidential campaign sounds a lot like something Mr. Dooley would have truly enjoyed. Published January 25, 2016

EDITORIAL: Unsustainable overspending

Compound interest, so the saying goes, is the most powerful force in the universe. It can turn a meager investment into a rich treasure with the passage of time. It can also transform manageable debt into a crushing financial burden that can never be repaid. Sadly, that could be the fate of the United States due to persistent overspending, according to the Congressional Budget Office's (CBO) Summary of the Budget and Economic Outlook. Published January 25, 2016

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Donald Trump’s fool’s gold

A half-century of conservative dedication to the GOP is being threatened by a Rockefeller Republican, all the way down to the man's recently spouted views, inherited wealth and bad manners. Far too many putative leaders have been seduced by the populist siren song of raw appeal. Donald Trump has filled a leaderless vacuum — but at the cost of abandoning principle. Published January 25, 2016

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Flawed polling in 2016 race?

Pundits across the political spectrum have expressed bewilderment at the 2016 presidential race. The entire campaign seems to have slipped down the rabbit hole to some surreal political wonderland. Inevitable winners are losing. Hillary Rodham Clinton is suddenly not liberal enough and Jeb Bush is too liberal. The feminist candidate is being called a woman basher. Published January 24, 2016

EDITORIAL: More to Eric Holder’s Fast and Furious gun scheme

Some of the chickens of Eric Holder, the former attorney general, and President Obama are fluttering over the chicken house again, looking for the roost. One of those chickens, as persistent as a tough old Dominecker hen, is the Holder scheme called "Fast & Furious." Published January 24, 2016

EDITORIAL: Religion and the campaign stump

Evangelical Christians have a passion for spreading the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ "to the whole world," and that's a wonderful thing. This passion has led Christians of various denominations to build hospitals, found colleges and universities, establish orphanages and educate the poor and impoverished. Published January 24, 2016

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Leave God in schools

"Kicking God out of school" (Web, Jan. 10) tells the disturbing tale of the legal director of the New Jersey chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union calling on Glenview Elementary School in Haddon Heights, N.J., to stop saying "God bless America," in honor of first responders and victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Published January 24, 2016