Did you know that the health care bills being negotiated in Washington will give the Internal Revenue Service new authority over you? The bills passed by both the House and Senate will require every American to buy a health insurance policy - and they give the enforcement authority to the IRS will make sure you have done so. (more…)

A Nevada senator once mistakenly called a nuclear storage facility that was planned for his state a "nuclear suppository" instead of a nuclear "repository." That senator wasn't Harry Reid, but a nuclear suppository is an apt metaphor for the health care plan he is forcing into the American economy. (more…)

How can public officials�or private citizens�take the principles found in our Governing by Principle primer and apply them to proposed laws, regulations, or other actions? The first step, of course, is to understand the principles and resolve to live by them. But in the rush through the agenda of a committee or board meeting or a legislative session, it can be difficult to evaluate each proposal. (more…)

"Just because a problem exists doesn't mean government should try to solve it." This principle of governing is always important to remember and follow, but never more so than in the economic crisis that now faces the families and businesses of our state. (more…)

Now that Governor Barbour has released his budget plan for next fiscal year, the work begins in earnest to find a way to accomplish the immediate goal of creating a balanced budget in the reality of the current economy. (more…)

At my church, we sometimes sing a song entitled, "Give thanks with a grateful heart." At first blush, that seemed redundant to me. How can you give thanks without a grateful heart? (more…)

When facing the daily Washington onslaught of threats to our liberty, you can be encouraged that there are organizations all over the country who still believe in and are fighting for the principles of freedom on which our nation was founded. (more…)

Last week in Columbus, Ohio, a woman pulled up to a Burlington Coat Factory in a Hummer limousine, walked to the store check-out counter and loudly announced that she had just won the lottery and would pay for everyone's purchases up to $500. (more…)

The health care reform bill now moving through the U.S. Senate includes an individual mandate, which means that if you are not covered by your employer, you will be forced to buy an insurance policy. That policy will have to cover everything Congress thinks you ought to have, which means high-powered lobbyists, and the politicians and bureaucrats they influence, will determine the diseases and devices your policy covers. (more…)