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Cal Thomas

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

Illustration on the Costa Rican exeption to migrant trends by Linas Garsys/The Washington Times

The exception that is Costa Rica

In the ongoing U.S. debate about immigration, the Central American countries of Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Guatemala are mainly in the news because many of those crossing our border from Mexico are from these nations. Why isn't Costa Rica experiencing a similar mass exodus?

April 17, 2019
"Sanctuary cities are protecting a horrible group of people, in many cases — criminals," said President Trump during a speech. (Associated Press)

Modern sanctuary cities have nothing to do with their original intent

In the category of Mad magazine's "scenes we'd like to see," comes President Trump's threat to transport migrants to cities and states that have declared themselves sanctuaries. Apparently he thinks such a move would force Democrats in Congress who represent these places to vote to fund the wall along our southern border.

April 15, 2019
Taking Shots at Joe the Candidate Illustration by Greg Groesch/The Washington Times

Joe Biden suffers a political hit

Why does it seem like the political equivalent of a Mafia hit job on Joe Biden, who is being whacked before a much-anticipated announcement of his presidential plans?

April 3, 2019
Illustration on poor media behavior by Linas Garsys/The Washington Times

Biases, suppositions and wished-for outcomes

What Sean Davis, co-founder of the web magazine The Federalist, wrote in Tuesday's Wall Street Journal sums up the disgust many Americans are feeling about the way big media handled the Russia collusion story: "It wasn't merely an error here or there. America's blue-chip journalists botched the entire story, from its birth during the presidential campaign to its final breath Sunday — and they never stopped congratulating themselves for it."

March 27, 2019
The Bank of AOC Illustration by Greg Groesch/The Washington Times

Why socialism fails

One of the rotten fruits produced by what passes for today's American education system is the ignorance some young people have about socialism.

March 13, 2019
The Democrats' Jewish Problem Illustration by Greg Groesch/The Washington Times

The Democrats’ Jewish problem

Rep. Ilhan Omar's comment that the influence of the Israeli lobby in Washington pushes lawmakers to take a pledge of "allegiance to a foreign country" was bad enough. A watered-down House resolution condemning, not Omar, but "all hatred" was as tepid as denouncing drunk driving.

March 11, 2019
Illustration on money and Major League Baseball by Alexander Hunter/The Washington Times

Bryce Harper and loyalty

President Harry Truman once said, "If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog." That truism can now be applied to baseball players, notably Bryce Harper.

March 6, 2019
Illustration on the political attacks on Donald Trump by Alexander Hunter/The Washington Times

For Trump and Netanyahu, policies matter more than personal flaws

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing indictment on charges of fraud, corruption, breach of trust and bribery. He's also running for re-election, and with less than six weeks until ballots are scheduled to be cast in Israel, some have raised suspicions of a political hit, not unlike the various hearings and investigations ensnaring President Trump.

March 4, 2019
Illustration on the tax attractions of Florida by Alexander Hunter/The Washington Times

Why people are moving out of high-tax states to Florida and elsewhere

While most attention has been focused on immigrants trying to enter the United States over America's southern border, there is legal migration taking place that has been largely ignored, though it may have at least as much economic and political impact as the other.

February 25, 2019
Illustration on the European Union's continuing connection to the Iran agreement by Alexander Hunter/The Washington Times

Why the purging of evil must not be delayed

One might think that after denying the evidence of Adolf Hitler's rise and objectives that resulted in World War I, Europeans might be more attuned to modern threats.

February 20, 2019
In this June 7, 2017, file photo, then-acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe listens during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing about the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

Assumptions about collusion and presidential powers abound

Here is the problem for Trump critics. They began with the wrong premise. They believed that Hillary Clinton should have won the 2016 presidential election. Then they deluded themselves by embracing the notion that Mr. Trump was illegitimate, unstable, stupid and an offense to everything they consider normal.

February 18, 2019
FILE - In this Tuesday, June 12, 2018 file photo, people pray for America at the 2018 Annual Meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Dallas Convention Center in Dallas. In late July, the SBC _ the largest Protestant denomination in the U.S. _ announced plans to create a high-level study group to develop strategies for combatting sexual abusers and ministering to their victims. The move followed a series of revelations about sexual misconduct cases involving SBC churches and seminaries. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News via AP)

The unfathomable behavior of leaders in the Southern Baptist Convention

My first reaction upon hearing that hundreds of leaders in the Southern Baptist Convention had sexually abused as many as 700 people in 400 churches, including victims as young as 3, was "how could they?" It was the same reaction I had when news of predatory priests in the Roman Catholic Church, and the cover-up that followed the sexual abuse allegations, surfaced.

February 13, 2019