Commentary | Hill Country News

Commentary: Depression and the expectations of men

John Fetterman’s announcement that he has checked himself into a hospital was met with bipartisan praise. Far right politicians from Texas senator Ted Cruz to fellow Pennsylvania centrist … more

By Elwood Watson, Guest Columnist | 3/2/23

Gov. Greg Abbott at his fifth State of the State speech as Texas Governor, Feb. 16, 2023.

Commentary: Greg Abbott's 'State of the State' was a weird, alarming infomercial

Last Thursday, GOP Governor Greg Abbott used his fifth State of the State speech, a biennial address mandated by the Texas Constitution, to cut an ad for a large television conglomerate and a … more

By Gus Bova, Guest Columnist | 2/23/23

Students, faculty and others in the community attend a vigil on the campus of Michigan State University following a shooting on campus Feb. 13, when a gunman opened fire on campus, killing three students and critically wounding five others. The gunman shot himself a short time later after a confrontation with police.

Commentary: 'We don’t have to live this way and our children shouldn’t die this way.' Sorrow, reckoning in the wake of yet another mass shooting

Brenda Mitchell’s son, Kenneth, was shot and killed trying to break up a fight outside a Matteson, Illinois, bar in 2005.One week earlier, her younger son, Kevin, left for his third tour of duty in … more

By Heidi Stevens, Guest Columnist | 2/23/23

THE "WAR ON TRUTH": COUNTERPOINT: In the mind of the beholder

America has always had a complicated relationship with the truth. From the Vietnam War to the Iraq War, from swiftboating to birtherism to “alternative facts,” and, of course, the whitewashed … more

By Christian F. Nunes, Guest Columnist | 2/15/23

The House of Representatives is seen through a reflection of the U.S. Capitol dome in Washington, DC, on Nov. 8, 2022.

THE "WAR ON TRUTH": POINT: Truthfully, be careful what you wish for

Should the law do more to punish lying about elections? Careful: Such proposals can curtail legitimate speech and give the government power it’s likely to misuse.Last term, Congress came close to … more

By Walter Olson, Guest Columnist | 2/15/23

The Federal Trade Commission in Washington, D.C.

Commentary: Eliminating noncompete contracts will empower employees and entrepreneurship

The Federal Trade Commission has proposed an imminent ban on noncompete contracts. Prohibiting these contracts is an important step toward assuring we still have access to the American Dream. It will … more

By David Fish, Guest Columnist | 2/8/23

The idea of raising the Social Security retirement age is back in discussion in Congress.

Commentary: The stupid and dishonest idea of raising the Social Security retirement age is back

The people who are in the forefront of pushing Social Security "reform" by cutting benefits have gotten pretty good at hiding their intentions behind plausible-sounding jargon and economists' … more

By Michael Hiltzik, Guest Columnist | 2/7/23

Commentary: Grateful for Punxsutawney’s silly fun

It’s the thick of winter. Cabin fever is setting in. Incivility is worse than ever.A delightful, silly diversion is what we need about now, and Punxsutawney Phil has been delivering needed joy this … more

By Tom Purcell, Guest Columnist | 2/2/23

Tyre Nichols is removed from his car during a Jan. 7 encounter with police officers in Memphis, Tennessee.

Commentary: Body camera footage couldn’t save Tyre Nichols

It’s mind-numbing to imagine, in the era of universal video, that five police officers could participate in the brutal beating of Trye Nichols, which led to his death three days later. That their … more

By Stephen L. Carter, Guest Columnist | 2/1/23

A prayer circle forms at the corner of Garvey Avenue and Garfield Avenue on Sunday, Jan. 22, 2023, near Star Dance Studio where 10 people were killed and 10 injured in a mass shooting Saturday night.

Commentary: The aftermath of shootings often shows us how politically insane our discourse has become

A few minutes into following my colleagues' coverage of a mass shooting that left 10 dead and 10 wounded during a Lunar New Year dance party, I started to wonder if years of being a journalist had … more

By Frank Shyong, Guest Columnist | 1/26/23

Amazon announced in early January that it will lay off more than 18,000 workers.

Commentary: Being laid off is devastating. Yet society never measures that toll

More than 150,000 tech workers lost their jobs in 2022, according to one estimate, and an additional 23,000 have been laid off since the start of 2023.These workers are not alone. More than 30 … more

By Les Leopold, Guest Columnist | 1/25/23

Newly elected Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy holds the gavel after he was elected on the 15th ballot at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C, on Jan. 7, 2023.

Commentary: The US economy is again being held hostage to our ridiculous federal debt ceiling

The individuals in charge of U.S. fiscal policy are often thought to be among the most sober people in the world, so you may be wondering why we're suddenly hearing ideas such as the minting of a … more

By Michael Hiltzik, Guest Columnist | 1/25/23

After police tape was taken down, people line up to place flowers at the entrance to the Star Ballroom Dance Studio in Monterey Park, where 10 people were killed and 10 were wounded.

Commentary: We already know which gun policies work

Rand Corporation, the think tank with origins in Cold War military planning, recently issued its latest update on gun policy research. Rand has been sifting through gun research, offering generally … more

By Francis Wilkinson, Guest Columnist | 1/25/23

Tax Refund Check with W-2 and 1040 U.S. Individual Income Tax Return Forms (Getty Images/TNS)

Commentary: Americans unprepared for consequences of freewheeling federal spending

While waiting at a red light one day, my then-4-year-old son piped up from his car seat, “Mommy, the government should give everyone a dolphin.” Yikes. How did my 4-year-old come to … more

By Rachel Greszler, The Heritage Foundation (TNS) | 1/24/23

The Robert F. Kennedy Justice Department Building on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C.

Guest Editorial: Biden, Trump both mishandled classified materials

President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are both being investigated over their handling of classified materials. While publicly disclosed information reflects that the cases are clearly … more

1/18/23

Commentary: Biden will have to face reality about border situation

Entering the second half of his first term, President Biden faces a hostile, Republican-controlled House of Representatives intent on curbing what they perceive as the administration’s continued … more

By Carl Golden, Guest Columnist | 1/12/23

Commentary: Given up on your 2023 reading list yet?

“Time Enough at Last.”The new year reminds me of that classic “Twilight Zone” episode starring Burgess Meredith as a put-upon bookworm.(No, he wasn’t reading on the wing of an airplane! Get … more

By Danny Tyree, Guest Columnist | 1/11/23

Commentary: 'Let's take a trip for the holidays,' they said

For years, I’ve watched friends and acquaintances take family trips during the holiday season to exciting locations like Disney World, Hawaii, Colorado and Cracker Barrel.Until now, my family has … more

By Jase Graves, Guest Columnist | 1/5/23

A worker at The Gallery Bookstore in Chicago&apos;s Lakeview neighborhood removes water from a window Nov. 10, 2020.

Commentary: Bookstores are a refuge for freedom of speech while censors on both sides wage battle

Freedom of speech is forever embattled. That is its nature. Easy to assent to in the abstract, the principle becomes more challenging when the speech at issue assails one’s most cherished values. … more

By Jamie Kalven, Guest Columnist | 1/4/23

Commentary: Hope is all we have

I’m filled with a renewed sense of hope all of the sudden.Truthfully, I don’t know why I feel such hopefulness.Last Friday I went to the hospital to have a hernia surgically repaired. They … more

By Tom Purcell, Guest Columnist | 12/29/22

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