
“The prime minister made it clear to the most powerful man on earth that if he intends to stay the most powerful man on earth, it’s important to make a change in American policy because the practical result of his
by Joel B. Pollak25 Nov 2013, 1:29 PM PST0

Relatives of U.S. citizens applying to immigrate to the United States legally are suffering unprecedented, year-long delays in waiting for their applications to be processed, as President Barack Obama smooths the path for illegal immigrants. In a response to complaints,
by Joel B. Pollak25 Nov 2013, 1:02 PM PST0
President Barack Obama is attempting yet another pivot away from Obamacare, delivering a speech about the need for immigration reform. Some critics have noted that Obama is diverting his energies to immigration–and to fundraising–on the eve of a crucial deadline
by Joel B. Pollak25 Nov 2013, 12:31 PM PST0

CBS News’ Los Angeles affiliate reported Sunday that the idyllic, celebrity-studded community of Pacific Palisades has been hit by a hate crime: eight local cars tagged with swastika graffiti. In a bizarre twist, all of the cars were “Prii (the plural
by Joel B. Pollak25 Nov 2013, 11:35 AM PST0
The Obama administration has strained the U.S. relationship with Israel more than any other. The nuclear deal with Iran is the latest example. Yet Israel might arguably be said to be doing its own part to worsen the relationship, with
by Joel B. Pollak25 Nov 2013, 11:09 AM PST0

The National Security Agency’s director, Gen. Keith Alexander, had offered to resign earlier this year, following the series of leaks by former contractor Edward Snowden, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday. The Obama administration declined Alexander’s offer, according to the
by Joel B. Pollak25 Nov 2013, 6:03 AM PST0
Paul Krugman is the latest lefty to push the line that California’s version of Obamacare, Covered California, is working so well that it redeems the rest of the program. This is a repeated refrain among Democrats because it was always
by Joel B. Pollak24 Nov 2013, 10:49 PM PST0

Harvard professor and noted civil rights and international law expert Alan Dershowitz criticized the nuclear deal with Iran sharply on Sunday, saying that it “could become a Chamberlain moment” for President Barack Obama. “I don’t think that this deal was
by Joel B. Pollak24 Nov 2013, 2:51 PM PST0

The persistent theme of much mainstream media coverage of President Barack Obama is the earnest effort to justify the leap of faith the American electorate made in 2008–a leap that the media themselves convinced the voters to make. Buzzfeed’s Ben
by Joel B. Pollak24 Nov 2013, 12:58 PM PST0

I caught up Sunday with Yossi Klein Halevi, the American-born Israeli author of the masterful Like Dreamers: The Story of the Israeli Paratroopers Who Reunited Jerusalem and Divided a Nation, who is in the U.S. on a book tour. He had
by Joel B. Pollak24 Nov 2013, 12:05 PM PST0

Even as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the interim deal in Geneva on Iran’s nuclear program an “historic mistake,” Secretary of State John Kerry claimed that there was “no daylight” between the U.S. and Israel on Iran. On the
by Joel B. Pollak24 Nov 2013, 7:50 AM PST0

Secretary of State John Kerry, defending the Geneva agreement on Iran’s nuclear program, told ABC News’ This Week that despite the deal’s flaws, it was, at least, better than what the Bush administration had done: In 2003, Iran made an
by Joel B. Pollak24 Nov 2013, 7:13 AM PST0

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Sunday’s deal in Geneva on Iran’s nuclear program a “historic mistake,” ruining what U.S. President Barack Obama might have hoped would be a global chorus of relief. Clearly, the U.S. had anticipated Israel’s negative reaction,
by Joel B. Pollak24 Nov 2013, 6:35 AM PST0
One of the few good kings of the Biblical age was Hezekiah, who was unique in his devotion to righteousness, “so that after him there was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those that were
by Joel B. Pollak23 Nov 2013, 11:51 PM PST0

The deal reached early Sunday morning in Geneva between Iran and the P+5 nations (U.S., France, Britain, China, Russia, plus Germany) on Iran’s nuclear program may not stop its progress toward a nuclear weapon, but it will likely postpone military
by Joel B. Pollak23 Nov 2013, 10:29 PM PST0
Dr. Shakil Afridi, the Pakistani doctor who helped the U.S. in the hunt for Osama bin Laden, was just charged with murder, based on accusations stemming from an old malpractice case, according to Reuters. The bizarre turn of events comes
by Joel B. Pollak22 Nov 2013, 1:29 PM PST0
Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has yet to offer a sincere apology for his recent statement that “white suburban moms” were responsible for opposition to the Common Core standards. The closest he has come is his statement on MSNBC’s Morning
by Joel B. Pollak22 Nov 2013, 1:01 PM PST0

The state of California has rejected President Barack Obama’s proposed “fix” for individuals whose insurance policies are being canceled this year as a result of the law. Last week, the president proposed that insurance companies allow those policies to continue,
by Joel B. Pollak22 Nov 2013, 7:12 AM PST0
The Democrats’ exercise of the “nuclear option” to gut the Senate filibuster was a serious blow to American democracy, at least as a constitutional republic. But it has a few advantages: it will help Republicans repeal Obamacare, and it proves
by Joel B. Pollak22 Nov 2013, 6:45 AM PST0
In response to HHS to Delay 2014 Obamacare Signups Until After 2014 Midterms: During the shutdown fight in September and October, President Barack Obama refused any and all proposals to delay the individual mandate. He would not interfere with “settled
by Joel B. Pollak22 Nov 2013, 6:35 AM PST0

Obamacare is hurting millions of people–much to the surprise of the mainstream media, which failed to examine the law before it passed. (They left that task to the fledgling Tea Party, which they then called racist for its trouble). Yet
by Joel B. Pollak22 Nov 2013, 5:23 AM PST0

Carl Cannon, Washington Bureau Chief for RealClearPolitics.com, asked in an op-ed published Friday morning whether, in light of Martin Bashir’s profane–and unpunished–attack on Sarah Palin, the time has come to “pull the plug” on a network that devotes 85% of
by Joel B. Pollak22 Nov 2013, 4:49 AM PST0

Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI) was one of only three Democrats to oppose ending the filibuster on executive and most judicial appointments in the Senate on Thursday. Levin’s dissent is noteworthy: he chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, which oversaw one
by Joel B. Pollak21 Nov 2013, 6:15 PM PST0
My friend Eugene Kontorovich, one of the world’s leading international law experts (on pirates, among other fascinating topics), posted a blog at the Global Post today in which he notes that the European Union is treating Morocco’s occupation of Western
by Joel B. Pollak21 Nov 2013, 1:25 PM PST0
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) applauded his party’s decision Thursday, endorsed by President Barack Obama, to end the filibuster for executive nominees and most judicial nominees, telling MSNBC: “I want the filibuster abolished. Completely.” The new rule passed the Senate by
by Joel B. Pollak21 Nov 2013, 11:24 AM PST0