Let's encourage self-sufficiency by reforming our safety net

Dec 5, 2019

When welfare reform first inserted work requirements into our welfare system in 1996, some on the Left predicted doom for America’s most vulnerable families. New York Democratic Sen. Patrick Moynihan predicted that we would “find children sleeping on grates, picked up in the morning frozen.” New Jersey Democratic Sen. Frank Lautenberg said that we would see “children begging for money, children begging for food, 8- and 9-year-old prostitutes.” And Massachussets Democratic Sen. Ted Kennedy called the bill “legislative child abuse.”

Why Work Matters

Nov 22, 2019

“What makes work meaningful doesn’t depend on its inspirational nature or on it having a transformative effect on the world,” Manhattan Institute Senior Fellow Oren Cass told the Joint Economic Committee this week. “Work is meaningful because of what it means to the person performing it, what it allows him to provide to his family, and what role it establishes for him in his community.”

Fighting for Utah’s Fair Share

Nov 22, 2019

There are many things unique to life in Western states. One of the special benefits is of our beautiful lands and landscapes. Unfortunately, these same lands are also often subject to federal ownership, which means that the federal government often controls how and who can enjoy it. For many years, the federal government has collected royalties from onshore oil and gas development on public lands. At first, the federal government split this revenue 50/50 with the host states where the development of this land takes place.

Angels in Adoption

Nov 15, 2019

The family is the first and most important institution of our society. It is where we learn the first and deepest lessons that inform our behavior and shape us as adults. By teaching us what it means to live with duties and obligations toward others, the family prepares us for citizenship and teaches us how to live as members of a community.

Fairness for Family Leave

Nov 15, 2019

Strong marriages and families are the bedrock of our society. But to form that foundation, they need the time and flexibility, especially during critical times – like the birth of a new baby, the unexpected illness of a family member, or the aging of a parent. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) was established to provide for these very needs. Signed into law by President Clinton in 1993, it provides unpaid, job-protected leave for specific family and medical reasons.

Sens. Lee, Durbin Introduce Smarter Sentencing Act

Nov 14, 2019

WASHINGTON — Sens. Mike Lee (R-UT), Dick Durbin (D-IL), and others introduced legislation Wednesday that would modernize federal drug sentencing polices by lowering certain mandatory drug sentences. “Our current federal sentencing laws are out of date and often counterproductive,” said Sen. Lee. “The Smarter Sentencing Act is a commonsense solution that will greatly reduce the financial and, more importantly, the human cost imposed on society by the broken status quo. The SSA will give judges the flexibility and discretion they need to impose stiff sentences on the most serious drug lords and cartel bosses, while enabling nonviolent offenders to return more quickly to their families and communities.”

Making It Easier to Work Together

Nov 8, 2019

“Government,” Democrats often say, “is simply the name we give to the things we choose to do together." And while it is true there are many things we do together through government - national defense, interstate highways, and law enforcement to name a few – there are far more things we do together that do not require government programs: producing food, making cars, building homes, and most importantly – raising a family. These activities are all best accomplished by voluntary interactions between citizens.