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Cal Thomas

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Cal Thomas

Cal Thomas is one of the most widely syndicated political columnists in America. Based in Washington, he is a wide-ranging social commentator, not a "beltway insider," who supports traditional conservative values and the American "can-do spirit." He'll take on virtually any topic, from the decline of the family to growing terrorism worldwide.
A syndicated columnist since 1984, he is the author of “America’s Expiration Date: The Fall of Empires, Superpowers and the United States” (HarperCollins/Zondervan, January 2020). His latest book is “A Watchman in the Night: What I’ve Seen in 50 Years Reporting on America” (Humanix Books, May 2023). Readers may email Mr. Thomas at tcaeditors@tribune.com.

Columns by Cal Thomas

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred announced Friday that the 2021 All-Star Game and 2021 draft will be moved out of Atlanta. “Major League Baseball fundamentally supports voting rights for all Americans and opposes restrictions to the ballot box." (AP Photo/John Amis, File)

The counterproductive politics of Major League Baseball

When the NFL decided not to punish players who kneeled during the pre-game national anthem, some fans reacted by refusing to attend games, buy league merchandise or watch games on TV.

April 5, 2021

In this image from store video, George Floyd, right, is seen inside Cup Foods on May 25, 2020, in Minneapolis. Former Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin is on trial for the death of Floyd at the Hennepin County Courthouse in Minneapolis, Minn. (Court TV via AP, Pool)

Evidence versus the George Floyd narrative

It is difficult to change a narrative once it has been established in the public's mind.

March 31, 2021

Ensuring Ballot Integrity Illustration by Greg Groesch/The Washington Times

Georgia voting law ensuring ballot integrity is not racist

At his news conference last Thursday, President Biden said of Georgia's new voting law, "It makes Jim Crow look like Jim Eagle."

March 29, 2021

In this March 1, 2021, photo, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas speaks during a press briefing at the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) ** FILE **

Alejandro Mayorkas asks Americans to ignore thousands of migrants crossing the border

No country can long endure if it refuses to control its borders.

March 24, 2021

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice speaks during the State of the State Address in the House Chambers of the West Virginia State Capitol Building in Charleston, W.Va., on Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021. (AP Photo/Chris Jackson, File)

West Virginia: Another tax-free heaven?

West Virginia is unique among America's 50 states. In 1861, delegates from Virginia's northwest counties voted to break away from that state over the issue of slavery and their refusal to be part of the Confederate states.

March 22, 2021

President Joe Biden sits next to a bowl of Irish shamrocks, left, as he has a virtual meeting with Ireland's Prime Minister Micheal Martin on St. Patrick's Day, in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, March 17, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Now comes Biden’s taxes

The front-page headline in Monday's Wall Street Journal said: "Biden weighs how to pay for Agenda." Who purchases something they know they can't afford, and then worries about paying for it later? Only government.

March 17, 2021

President Joe Biden speaks about the COVID-19 relief package in the State Dining Room of the White House, Monday, March 15, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Tell the truth, President Biden, on the COVID-19 recovery

When a politician promises to "tell the truth," as President Biden did in his nationally televised address last Thursday, you can add that statement to familiar ones lacking the ring of sincerity.

March 15, 2021

Biden being Catholic and pro-abortion illustration by The Washington Times

Pro-life Evangelicals for Biden should have known better

Evangelical Christians, who once were content with staying out of earthly concerns, have grown into an influential subset of American politics.

March 10, 2021

Illustration on expanded illegal immigration by Alexander Hunter/The Washington Times

Biden administration’s immigration strategy offers a lesson on how to ruin America

No nation can survive if it fails to control its borders.

March 8, 2021

Transgender rights activist Mara Keisling joins advocates for LGBTQ rights as they rally before a vote in the House on the "Equality Act of 2019," sweeping anti-discrimination legislation that would extend civil rights protections to LGBT people by prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, at the Capitol in Washington, Friday, May 17, 2019. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

What happened to America’s cultural boundaries?

Every sport has its boundaries. Rules for playing the game may occasionally change, but the boundaries remain.

March 3, 2021

Former President Donald Trump speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), Sunday, Feb. 28, 2021, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Trump at CPAC 2021: Dumping on Biden drowned out by his election fraud conspiracy theories

Former President Trump emerged from 38 days of self-enforced silence for a lengthy speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando, Florida.

March 1, 2021

Illustration on the spread of government debt by Linas Garsys/The Washington Times

Latest pork-packed ‘COVID relief’ bill costs too much and its spending is misdirected

President Biden has challenged those who oppose the Democrats' $1.9 trillion bill disingenuously dubbed "COVID relief," or the more deceitful "American Rescue Plan."

February 24, 2021

Illustration on Rush Limbaugh by Greg Groesch/The Washington Times

Rush Limbaugh’s conservative influence explained

Conservatives got tired of either being ignored or having their ideas, values and beliefs demonized, and so when Limbaugh came along, accurately describing, defending, even promoting their beliefs, they flocked to him.

February 22, 2021

Rush Limbaugh

The Rush Limbaugh I knew

The man who picked me up at an airport too many years ago to recall the date asked if I had ever heard of a guy named Rush Limbaugh.

February 17, 2021

In this Feb. 1, 2019, file photo, Bill Gates smiles while being interviewed in Kirkland, Wash. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File)

‘Climate expert’ Bill Gates’ synthetic beef folly

What is it about people who are successful in one field and believe that gives them credence to serve as an expert in a totally unrelated field?

February 17, 2021

In this Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021, file photo, Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks to reporters during a news conference at a COVID-19 pop-up vaccination site in the William Reid Apartments in the Brooklyn borough of New York. More than 9,000 recovering coronavirus patients in New York state were released from hospitals into nursing homes at the height of the pandemic under a controversial order that was scrapped amid criticisms it accelerated outbreaks, according to new records obtained by The Associated Press. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, Pool)

Exposing Andrew Cuomo’s deadly lie

The people who hand out Emmy Awards should ask New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to return the one they gave him.

February 15, 2021

Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., left, the lead Democratic House impeachment manager, and other impeachment managers, walk through the Rotunda to the Senate for the second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump, Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

The Trump impeachment trial is a bad drama

If the second impeachment trial of Donald Trump were a play it would close after one performance. The plot is known, the outcome is certain and the drama is contrived.

February 10, 2021

Illustration on Congress' spending addiction by Alexander Hunter/The Washington Times

Congress’ spending folly turning Americans into ‘free money’ addicts

The problem with free money is that it leads to an addiction much like an addiction to drugs.

February 8, 2021

Illustration on school choice by Alexander Hunter/The Washington Times

Conservatives should embrace home schooling to rescue America’s next generation

During the rebellious 1960s, the slogan "power to the people" became a mantra for the young to protest what they saw as oppression from their elders.

February 3, 2021

FILE - In this Jan. 27, 2021, file photo President Joe Biden signs a series of executive orders on climate change, in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington. In a flurry of executive actions in his first eight days in office, the president is trying to steer the U.S. economy from one fueled by fossils to one that no longer puts additional heat-trapping gases into the air by 2050. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

Can Biden eliminate ‘systemic racism’?

Second only to his fixation on "climate change" is President Biden's focus on "systemic racism."

February 1, 2021