American Viewpoints

Melissa Venable from BestColleges.com provides information on a survey that says Americans are shifting their thinking on the importance of a traditional college education. The survey shows more interest in community colleges, trade schools, internships and apprenticeships, and directly entering the workforce and less in a traditional four-year degree program.

Townhall.com Managing Editor Spencer Brown reports on inflation that’s affecting prices of common needs that are particularly important when travelling. The price increases affect fuel, food, and typical household needs. Brown also discusses some of the fiscal and energy policies that are effecting the prices in question, including government payments to discourage people from working. Original ai...

Bankrate.com’s Greg McBride discusses new research that shows how Americans are changing our savings and investment strategies. Increasingly, real estate is being purchased as an investment strategy. Cash is also being relied on more often. Last year, stock market investing was the most popular strategy. McBride presents the strengths and possible weaknesses of different personal savings options.

Jacob Sullem from Reason Magazine discusses the CDC’s eviction moratorium order that bans most evictions in the US. Sullem explains the law that the CDC is using to claim the authority to issue the order and the possible results and unintended effects of it.

Scott Shepard from the Free Enterprise Project argues that social media and technology/web companies (including Twitter, Facebook, Google, etc) violate the First Amendment rights of people when they coordinate with government to decide which opinions and news may be posted online. The conversation focuses on social media's blocking of opinions and references to the origins of COVID-19.

Edward Long from the American Consumer Institute explains the push for more regulation on "Big Tech", specifically regarding the tracking and promotion of some products over others online. The conversation informs about the links between search engines, web services, social media, digital tracking of consumers, and proposals by Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D) and Josh Hawley (R) to regulate the companies...

Crime Prevention Research Center President John Lott responds to President Biden's call for more gun control laws across the nation. The President made an address focused on violent crime in America's major urban areas, saying part of the problem is guns being brought in from outside areas with strict gun control ordinances or laws. Lott argues that more laws are both ineffective and add to the da...

Crime Prevention Research Center President John Lott responds to President Biden's call for more gun control laws across the nation. The President made an address focused on violent crime in America's major urban areas, saying part of the problem is guns being brought in from outside areas with strict gun control ordinances or laws. Lott argues that more laws are both ineffective and add to the da...

Lindsey Burke from the Heritage Foundation discusses the increasing conflict about K-12 curriculum and the ideologies public schools are accused of pushing in the classroom. Burke is the Director of Heritage’s Center For Education Policy. The conversation includes the results of a survey of both parents and teachers about ideological activism in schools.

Art Sackler, who represents the Coalition For A 21st Century Postal Service, explains why they are pushing for both reforms and more financial support to benefit the US Postal Service, which currently loses massive amounts of money each year. Sackler argues that the USPS is essential to the nation’s economy despite the presence of private sector competition.

Increasingly, businesses are bringing their employees back into the office. Still, one pandemic-influenced change is likely to remain: virtual meetings. Whether that’s due to more hybrid, work-from-home schedules or some other reason, Zoom meetings are probably here to stay. Andres Lares from the Shapiro Negotiations Institute provides advice on how to avoid “Zoom fatigue” and get the most product...

ConsumerAffairs.com’s Mark Huffman explains what happened in a recent hack that acquired millions of logins and passwords from a variety of online platforms worldwide. More importantly, Huffman explains the risk this poses to everyone when it comes to possible identity theft and risk to personal finances. He also offers advice on how to secure any accounts that may be compromised.

Erica Komisar, a licensed clinical social worker and psychoanalyst, discusses the declining birth rate in the United States. She discusses some of the possible economic and social effects if that continues. While Komisar considers herself a feminist, she argues that feminism and a prevailing “me first” attitude are contributing to the disparaging of motherhood in our culture. Erica Komisar is the...

A recent US Supreme Court ruling reinforced limits on many immigrants who entered the country illegally. Christopher Hajac from the Immigration Reform Law Institute explains the decision and the implications it has on other illegal immigrants.

The R Street Institute’s Tatiana Bolton explains how hackers disrupted a data system in the US House of Representatives. She also discusses the damage this, and other, kinds of hacking could pose to government, businesses, and individuals. She also offers basic advice to protect personal and financial information online.

Guy Bentley from the Reason Foundation critiques laws and other regulations that are designed to prevent smoking and vaping, particularly among young people. Among the aspects of the discussion are the costs to public health, public monies, and unintended consequences of the rules.

Huntington College history professor Marcus Witcher discusses the shift in political and cultural thinking within America’s conservative moment. Witcher is a co-editor of the new book, Conversations On Conservatism, which presents various speeches delivered at the Philadelphia Society.

Nick Proctor from the US Public Interest Research Group explains their “Right To Repair” campaign. That effort addresses an increasing number of products that lock owners out of the technology needed to repair them. These products range from phones to farm equipment. The blocks, often software-based, limit owners to only repair services provided by the manufacturer or those specifically allowed by...

Davis Soderberg from the Free Enterprise Project (part of the National Center For Public Policy Research) discusses his oped, “Hard Work, Competition, and Self-Reliance: Martyrs In The Quest For Equity. Davis argues that laws, policies, and other programs created with the stated goals of achieving equity in the US are, instead, causing more reliance on government and less reliance on a strong work...

Zinberg assesses those claims and the accusations against Dr. Anthony Fauci after thousands of his emails were released due to a Freedom Of Information Act request. The conversation also includes the politicization of the virus, possibly at the expense of people’s health. Dr. Zinberg also discusses the slowing number of new vaccinations around the country and explains why he does not feel that sho...

Gretchen Smith, founder of Code Of Vets, describes their mission and how they quickly meet financial needs of veterans in crisis. The situations COV helps alleviate range from simple needs, like car repairs to help a vet get to work or groceries for unemployed vets, to more complex situations like housing needs and help with medical bills. Smith explains how the requests are vetted, how the money...

Citizens Against Government Waste Vice President of Government Affairs Deborah Collier discusses the increasing ownership governments at different levels are taking over internet access. CAGW argues that consumers are best served when governments own as little of the broadband market as possible and private sector providers own as much as possible. The conversation includes economic development, s...

Melanie Lieberman, Senior Travel Editor for ThePointsGuy.com, provides advice for those who plan to travel over the summer. Among the considerations she urges people to consider is the rising cost of oil and, as a result, higher gas prices. Lieberman also gives tips on finding less expensive vacations and areas that may not be as crowded now that travel is resuming at near normal levels.

Glenn Roper from the Pacific Legal Foundation represents a Florida farmer who is suing the Biden Administration, claiming racial discrimination. The farmer, Scott Wynn, accepted a loan from the American Rescue Plan. He is required to repay the loan although farmers who are racial minorities are now – their loans are forgivable. Wynn is white. Roper argues that the difference in forgivable vs not f...

Jonathan Bydlak, Director of the Governance program at the R Street Institute, assesses the proposal to create a January 6th Commission to investigate the causes and actions of the riots at the US Capitol on that date. Bydlak supports the idea and explains why he thinks it can be done without politics interfering in an investigation. * Image from the FBI