If it's in the News, it's in our Polls. Public opinion polling since 2003.

Commentary By Howard Rich

Most Recent Releases

White letter R on blue background
June 10, 2011

Police State Brutality: On The Rise By Howard Rich

Earlier this year in Tucson, Arizona a shooting rampage targeting U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords made international news – and prompted a coordinated effort to demonize Tea Party supporters (and free speech itself).

White letter R on blue background
May 13, 2011

Are You On Obama’s “Enemies List?” By Howard Rich

Wherever possible President Barack Obama has sought to dilute or disguise the ideological war his administration has been waging against capitalism over the past twenty-seven months. As a result, his massive bureaucratic bailout became an “economic stimulus.

White letter R on blue background
April 15, 2011

New Media Catches Obama Bribing the Fourth Estate By Howard Rich

For years, America’s left-leaning mainstream media outlets have belittled and rebuked members of the new media — questioning their credibility, impugning their integrity and assigning all manner of self-serving motivations to their contributions to the marketplace of ideas.

White letter R on blue background
April 7, 2011

Expand Voters’ Rights to Recall Politicians By Howard Rich

With American politicians still refusing to substantively address the looming consequences of their fiscal irresponsibility, it only makes sense that voters are feeling frustrated and powerless.

White letter R on blue background
April 1, 2011

“Homeland” Radiation Threatens More Than Just Our Health By Howard Rich

As the world keeps a watchful eye over the badly-damaged Fukushima Daiichi reactors in Japan, a radioactive threat much closer to home is being deliberately downplayed by our government.

White letter R on blue background
March 25, 2011

Obama On Oil: More Misleading Rhetoric By Howard Rich

President Barack Obama says that Americans are “tired of talk” when it comes to rising gas prices. Unfortunately his administration continues to say one thing and do another on this critical economic front – ignoring opportunities to increase our oil supply while at the same time taking credit for production gains that he is actively seeking to dismantle.

White letter R on blue background
March 10, 2011

Social Security: Why America Can and Should Allow Private Accounts By Howard Rich

The Social Security debate is no different than the debate over any other government program – there are just a lot more zeroes involved. Of course the more zeroes, the less willing Washington politicians usually are to confront the problem – particularly when so-called “guaranteed” benefits are at stake.

White letter R on blue background
March 3, 2011

“Collectively” Bad By Howard Rich

A decade ago, when our national debt stood at a “mere” $5.6 trillion, the federal government was already dramatically overpaying its employees to perform all sorts of non-core functions.

White letter R on blue background
February 24, 2011

Budgeting for Dummies By Howard Rich

President Obama has said that the cuts included in his fiscal 2012 budget will force “tough choices and sacrifices.” Meanwhile, House Speaker John Boehner invoked a former tax-hiking president in defending his chamber’s proposed budget reductions.

White letter R on blue background
February 18, 2011

Entitlements: A Debate Deferred By Howard Rich

Washington politicians have worked themselves into a fine lather lately debating spending cuts. Yet as familiar rhetorical jabs are exchanged over proposed reductions to things like NPR and the National Archives, the real spending debate is being ignored.

White letter R on blue background
February 10, 2011

Going Gingrich By Howard Rich

Have recent elections taught Republicans nothing?

White letter R on blue background
February 3, 2011

“Winning the Future” Requires Real Choice By Howard Rich

In his State of the Union address last week, U.S. President Barack Obama acknowledged that America’s “free enterprise system is what drives innovation.” He also said that if America is to “win the future,” then it must first “win the race to educate our kids.”

White letter R on blue background
January 26, 2011

Government’s “Other” Gluttony By Howard Rich

Over the last decade, America’s leaders chose to address the unsustainable growth of an already bloated federal government by spending unprecedented amounts of borrowed money. First there was George W. Bush’s “compassionate conservatism,” a wholesale abandonment of the Republican view of limited government that quickly turned surpluses into deficits – and independent voters into Democrats.

White letter R on blue background
January 21, 2011

States of Insolvency By Howard Rich

Paced by California and Illinois, state governments across the country continue to mimic the unsustainable fiscal excesses of the federal government – creating crushing deficits and soaring unfunded liabilities. Moreover, any state attempting to plug these holes with tax hikes or other revenue enhancements could create an exodus of businesses and taxpayers – meaning fewer jobs, lost revenue streams and diminished political clout.

White letter R on blue background
January 7, 2011

2011: A Fiscal Reckoning That Cannot Be Avoided By Howard Rich

While the extension of Bush-era tax cuts dominated headlines during the recently-concluded lame duck session of Congress, the coming year will bring with it a renewed focus on public debt – whether policymakers like it or not.

White letter R on blue background
December 23, 2010

Stopping the Descent By Howard Rich

At long last there are finally signs that the American Republic’s breakneck descent into full-blown socialist madness – which was fast approaching terminal velocity prior to November’s elections – could be leveling out.

White letter R on blue background
December 15, 2010

Real Academic Accountability Requires Real Choices By Howard Rich

With fresh data showing that students in the United States are falling further behind their international peers, a commitment to universal parental choice at all levels of government is needed now more than ever.

White letter R on blue background
November 26, 2010

Calling A Shamrock A Shamrock By Howard Rich

As the European economy grapples with yet another bailout of a bankrupt sovereign state, a storyline is emerging that seeks to frame this latest instance of government interventionism along deliberately disingenuous lines.

White letter R on blue background
November 17, 2010

“Give Us Gridlock” By Howard Rich

While it lacks the panache of Patrick Henry’s impassioned “give me liberty” cry (which the Virginian borrowed from Cato, incidentally), the reality is that Republicans looking for a modus operandi in Washington next year could do a lot worse than “give us gridlock.”

White letter R on blue background
November 6, 2010

Obama: The “Anti-Stimulant” By Howard Rich

Mere days after winning the presidency on the strength of his proposed “middle class tax cuts,” U.S. President Barack Obama switched gears and began outlining his vision for a massive “economic stimulus” – one that he promised would create three million jobs.