Ernest Istook

Modernizing air traffic control a crucial part of America’s security

As horrid as it was when riotous protesters recently stormed the U.S. Capitol building, that bad day could have been worse.

ERNEST ISTOOK: Obama’s 12 Days of Christmas

ERNEST ISTOOK: Global warming causes terrorism? Also acne and crab grass

Add a biggie to the list of calamities caused by global warming. No longer does it only cause acne, crabgrass and the death of the Loch Ness Monster.

ERNEST ISTOOK: Gun control propaganda blinds us

The Oregon murders should be more than fodder for gun control propaganda and fanaticism, which interfere with the lessons we should learn: Absent fathers create alienation; sensational media coverage only provokes more violence.

ERNEST ISTOOK: Blame Congress, not just Obama, for awful Iran nuclear deal

Blame Congress, as well as President Obama, for the awful nuclear deal with Iran. Lawmakers chose to play political blame games instead of legitimately fighting to block Mr. Obama's terrible agreement.

ERNEST ISTOOK: EPA power grab is water torture for the economy

The EPA is trying to regulate every damp spot in America, and a flood of lawsuits is the result.

ERNEST ISTOOK: Obama’s transgender soldiers will distract from our national defense

Obama picked Pentagon leaders who will risk national defense by putting transgenders in uniform--if they can figure out which is GI Joe and which is GI Jane.

ERNEST ISTOOK: Congress gave Obama the power to make a bad deal with Iran

Obama's nuclear deal with Iran may be full of loopholes, but Congress let it happen by filling the sanctions laws with loopholes. Congress gave the president super powers to cancel the sanctions.

ERNEST ISTOOK: Boycott sanctuary cities because they are unsafe

Sanctuary cities are not safe, as people learned from the murder of Kate Stinle, allegedly by a five-time Mexican deportee and seven-time felon who found sanctuary in San Francisco. Sanctuary cities should be told: No public safety? Then no conventions or tourism.

ERNEST ISTOOK: Big Brother kills choices for low-income Americans

Big Brother's government regulators are out to kill the payday loan industry that serves millions of Americans. The welfare state wants no rivals for the loyalty of low-income people.

ERNEST ISTOOK: This July 4, the rockets’ red glare requires lots of red tape

What is it with the bureaucrats and our celebrations?

ERNEST ISTOOK: Same-sex court decision destroys the democratic process

The Supreme Court's same-sex marriage decision destroys the democratic process. Instead of acting only with clear Constitutional authority, the justices give themselves power over the people by claiming their decision 'interprets' the Constitution rather than making new law.

The Left wants to restrict rights because of Dylann Roof

The blame for the South Carolina church murders belongs on one deranged racist. But politicians and activists cast the blame widely; that's how they justify restricting the rights of millions of Americans.

ERNEST ISTOOK: Plan to wash dishes by hand

Add another $99 to the price of home dishwashers as the Department of Energy enacts new "energy-saving" regulations to comply with President Obama's agenda. It's on top of a $44 price increase from another set of dishwasher regulations in 2012.

ERNEST ISTOOK: Regulators take another run at dishwashers

It's a dirty shame what the bureaucrats are doing to our hands.

Istook: America is now the land of make believe; truth and reality got lost

The sagas of Bruce-to-Caitlyn Jenner and black? white? Rachel Dolezal prove the total craziness of political correctness. "I think therefore I am" doesn't mean imaginary things are real.

ERNEST ISTOOK: Obama White House’s lack of transparency

Two days of congressional hearings demonstrated how the Obama White House shuts down the people's right to know what their government is doing. Even the usually liberal media are upset that President Obama is keeping the bureaucracy's inner workings concealed.

ERNEST ISTOOK: Obama swats free speech, gun control

Gun control and control of free speech would be combined in a new Obama administration plan that could send Second Amendment advocates to prison.

ERNEST ISTOOK: ‘Free’ Internet service expansion of Obama’s welfare state

America's welfare state keeps growing because Congress allows bureaucrats to expand programs, immune from accountability to voters.

America’s middle class shrinks as government suppresses opportunity

We're back-sliding. Millions of Americans tell pollsters they no longer consider themselves middle class. Almost as many of us now self-identify as "lower class or working class" instead. Blame big government for getting in the way.