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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

Election Season Dirty Tricks Illustration by Greg Groesch/The Washington Times

Dirty tricks: Then and now

Students of the Watergate era (or those old enough to have lived through it) will recall the "dirty tricks" played by Richard Nixon's henchmen, most notably Donald Segretti. Mr. Segretti, who was hired by Nixon's deputy assistant, Dwight Chapin, was tasked with smearing Democrats, including 1972 presidential candidate Sen. Edmund Muskie of Maine.

October 24, 2016
Millennials Clueless to Communism Illustration by Greg Groesch/The Washington Times

The Bernie Sanders effect

Many millennials are OK with socialism, even communism, according to a YouGov poll commissioned by the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation.

October 19, 2016
The Bickering Bickersons Illustration by Greg Groesch/The Washington Times

Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump fighting distracts from issues

Not since George and Martha in the play "Whose Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" or for older readers Don Ameche and Frances Langford in the radio comedy "The Bickersons," have we seen the kind of verbal pugilism practiced in Sunday night's presidential debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.

October 12, 2016
Illustration on the candidates's relative attitude to the U.S. Constitution by Alexander Hunter/The Washington Times

Constitution at stake in election

This election is about a lot of things, but it is fundamentally about the U.S. Constitution and whether federal judges will adhere to their oath to "faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all the duties incumbent upon me under the Constitution and laws of the United States," or dilute, attack and destroy our founding document.

October 10, 2016
Hillary's Tax Plan Illustration by Greg Groesch/The Washington Times

Donald Trump tax leak proves need for tax reform

What would you think of an individual or a company that earned a pre-tax profit of $29.9 million in one year, paid nothing in taxes and still received a $3.5 million refund?

October 5, 2016
An official stands on stage during preparations for the vice-presidential debate between Republican vice-presidential nominee Gov. Mike Pence and Democratic vice-presidential nominee Sen. Tim Kaine in at Longwood University in Farmville, Va., Monday, Oct. 3, 2016.(AP Photo/AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Faith and the VP debate

In every election cycle since Jimmy Carter introduced "born again" into the political lexicon, a politician's faith has been an object of curiosity and contention.

October 3, 2016
The First Trump Clinton Debate Illustration by Greg Groesch/The Washington Times

Advice for second debate

Donald Trump scored a gentleman's "C" in his first debate with Hillary Clinton. She was programmed, like one of those androids from the film "Westworld," spewing out well-rehearsed sound bites, smiling (sometimes condescendingly), and even tossing in a few wiggles. It was all designed to make her look warm and wonderful.

September 28, 2016
Trump Shadow Illustration by Greg Groesch/The Washington Times

It’s time for President Donald Trump

Now that all of my inside-the-Beltway, elitist, morally superior friends and colleagues have weighed in with their self-righteous denunciations of Donald Trump, it's my turn.

September 26, 2016
Illustration contrasting Trumpand Hillary on Islamic jihadism by Alexander Hunter/The Washington Times

U.S. needs voice of certainty amid Islamic terrorism threat

In Florida Monday, following the bombings in New York and New Jersey, Donald Trump referred to the captured bombing suspect, Ahmad Khan Rahami, as an "evil thug." He then added, "Hillary Clinton is a weak and ineffective person and I will tell you, if you choose Donald Trump, these problems are going to go away far, far greater than anybody would think."

September 21, 2016
Lying Hillary Illustration by Greg Groesch/The Washington Times

Hillary Clinton is a congenital liar

In 1996, The New York Times columnist William Safire diagnosed Hillary Clinton's real problem. He called her a "congenital liar."

September 14, 2016
Illustration on Hillary's Nixonian "can't recall" strategy by Alexander Hunter/The Washington Times

Hillary Clinton channeling Richard Nixon

One wouldn't think Hillary Clinton and former President Richard Nixon would have a lot in common, but in responding to FBI investigators that she "could not recall any briefing or training by State related to retention of federal records or handling classified information," Mrs. Clinton took a page straight out of Nixon's playbook.

September 7, 2016
Apple's EU Tax Problem Illustration by Greg Groesch/The Washington Times

The EU’s taxing problem

Economics was not one of my favorite subjects in college, so I avoided economic courses. But I do know a few things about human nature. If you tax income at too high a rate, corporations will look elsewhere for relief.

September 5, 2016
Illustration on immigration, loyalty and citizenship by Alexander Hunter/The Washington Times

Donald Trump’s call for an oath to America

Loyalty oaths have been tried in the past, but eventually were struck down by the courts as either too vague, or an unconstitutional violation of free speech. These applied, as far as I can tell from reading their history, only to American citizens.

August 31, 2016
Illustrations on scandals in Hillary's past by Alexander Hunter/The Washington Times

Hillary Clinton’s ethical problems

The prize quote of this incendiary political year may go to Hillary Clinton. In response to Donald Trump's charge that the Clintons set up a pay-for-play arrangement that granted big contributors access to Mrs. Clinton while she was secretary of State, Hillary Clinton said, "My work as secretary of State was not influenced by any outside forces. I made policy decisions based on what I thought was right to keep Americans safe and protect our interests abroad."

August 29, 2016