Michael McKenna
Columns by Michael McKenna
Republican voters are tired of a party that simply wants to ‘hold the line’
The intramural tussle between Republicans is not going to be settled by pundits or party platforms or people who write columns. It is going to be settled by candidates and voters and elections. Published February 17, 2021
Be grateful for George Washington: America’s ‘indispensable man’
On Monday, we celebrate George Washington's birthday, as we have for almost 200 years. Published February 14, 2021
Catholic schools understand education is essential part of salvation
Those of us fortunate enough to be educated in Catholic schools were glad to be so. Published February 10, 2021
House marches toward its death with vote to strip Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of committee posts
House Democrats, joined by about a dozen unthinking Republicans, on Thursday voted to do away with the committee system and change the way the House of Representatives has operated since its inception. Published February 5, 2021
Pelosi leading nation down dark path by using impeachment as political strategy
On Friday, we commemorate the first anniversary of President Trump's acquittal in his first impeachment trial, even as we look forward to the second trial. Published February 3, 2021
What exactly is Biden trying to stimulate with a U.S. economy already in rebound?
As the rough beast of federal "stimulus" legislation slouches toward reconciliation to be born, it is worth noting that the economy doesn't really need any stimulus. Published January 30, 2021
Energy industry foolishly welcomes Biden as he initiates ‘produce no more oil’ policy
In Washington, you have to be careful what you say, because even if you're kidding, you never know when people might take you seriously. Published January 27, 2021
States must stand up to feds to stop poaching of their power
The word "federalism" does not appear in the Constitution, yet it is the guiding principle that preserves the United States from the defects of unitary governments, like Great Britain, in which all power flows from one central government, and the defects of confederation, in which power is dispersed and consequently attenuated beyond usefulness. Published January 26, 2021
Chinese communists cannot be brought into civilized world through trade
China's aggressive and illicit behavior cannot be ignored, should not be tolerated, and will not be changed by European money. Published January 24, 2021
Trump’s accomplishments will remain part of the American fabric
As he departs the center ring for one of the smaller rings of American politics, it is fitting and proper that we take stock of President Trump's presidency. Published January 20, 2021
Team Trump and Team Black Lives Matter are more alike than you think
Trump crew and Team Black Lives Matter are bound together by grievances against the state and the polity it represents. Published January 16, 2021
We can’t repeat the mistake Southern states made in 1860
In the election of 1860, Abraham Lincoln won the presidency with 39.8% of the vote, the lowest percentage of any person to be inaugurated president. Published January 13, 2021
U.S. elections are not worth sacrificing one’s ‘personal’ life
Those who lost in November need to accept the loss -- gracefully or otherwise -- and move along. Published January 8, 2021
Biden now owns the government. That should not make him happy
Now that the Senate races in Georgia are pretty much done, let's take a look at who is happy and who is not so happy. Published January 6, 2021
Relief bill mash-up sheds light on bureaucratically broken Congress
A few weeks ago, in a column about how crucial the Georgia runoffs were to a bunch of different things, I may have overstated the importance of those races. Published January 1, 2021
21 predictions for 2021: What to expect next year, from Trump to Taylor Swift’s Grammy
Rather than worry about resolutions, let's think about predictions about what the new year might hold. Published December 30, 2020
California’s corrupted policies drive out residents and companies
California, a state with limitless resources and natural beauty, is sinking. It has the highest rate of adult illiteracy in the United States -- and probably the hemisphere -- with almost one-quarter of the adult population illiterate. Published December 27, 2020
Christ’s birth is much bigger than our everyday problems
In 1816, near the starving and ruined city of Salzburg, Father Joseph Mohr suffered through the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars. In that suffering, he wrote a poem about the nativity of Christ. Published December 23, 2020
AOC is right: Democrats need new leadership
The de facto leader of the Democratic Party on Tuesday was rude enough to point out that soon, probably very soon, the party is going to need new leadership. Published December 18, 2020
Don’t get angry with ‘happy holidays’
Season's greetings! Happy holidays! When one hears those sentiments, it is tempting to respond with an aggressive "Merry Christmas." Published December 16, 2020
