Cliff Smith
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Articles by Cliff Smith
The teachers unions’ activist allies: You won’t believe the outside organizations that drive educational dysfunction
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP) recently released a report making serious accusations against the nation’s two largest teachers unions. Print subscriber? Click here to login/register your account Digital subscriber? Click here to login/register your account. Trusted reporting.Unlimited access. Subscribe for full access to Washington Examiner coverage, expert political analysis, and subscriber-only journalism. Get Unlimited Access › Already a member?
Opinion: Stop giving your political party a blank check Original
Would you vote for a racist? A crook? What about someone who’s been violent? Many are likely offended by such a question. But for true partisans, too often the answer is that it depends on that candidate’s political party. American voters of all stripes need to rethink this attitude. It is hurting the country and oftentimes even their chosen party.
Trump Picks the Wrong Christian Charity
WSJ Opinion: The Democratic Coalition is Ascendant No More Embed code copied to clipboard Your browser does not support HTML5 video.
Opinion: Frederick Douglass and patriotism in an age of division Original
This past Independence Day, and every Independence Day, John Adams’ vision of a “great anniversary Festival” that is “solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with (Shows), Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other,” is realized. America’s founding documents and symbols are everywhere. Its songs are sung, its fireworks lit, its pledges are renewed, and many of our chests swell with pride.
Smith + Stangel-Plowe: Bipartisan solutions for radicalism and antisemitism in Philly schools
Smith + Stangel-Plowe: Bipartisan solutions for radicalism and antisemitism in Philly schools A Decrease font size. A Reset font size. A Increase font size. There is little political consensus between Democrats and Republicans these days, but one area of agreement is this: the School District of Philadelphia has a serious antisemitism problem.
Monitoring and supervision in construction. Part 2: Avoiding error
Ayuda Buscar en la ayuda Buscar en la ayuda Monitoring and supervision in construction. Part 2: Avoiding error Autores: Cliff Smith Localización: The Structural Engineer: Journal of the Institution of Structural Engineer, ISSN 1466-5123, Vol. 103, Nº. 11, 2025, págs.
Opinion: Now that both Trump and Biden have failed on immigration, can we get real about a compromise? Original
In the aftermath of the deaths of anti-ICE protesters Renee Good and Alex Pretti, the latter of which was ruled a homicide by county officials, President Donald Trump announced earlier this month that he would no longer send federal U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents into cities or states unless the governors or mayors “ask” and “say please.” This reversal was stunning.
Israel banned World Vision from Gaza for its alleged connection to Hamas. World Vision must come clean.
(Opinon) In a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it story right before the New Year, Israel announced it is suspending World Vision, the multi-billion-dollar humanitarian Christian agency, along with 36 others, from operating in Gaza. Israel said it believed these organizations were compromised by Hamas and its partners. In other words, Israel banned World Vision due to its connections to terrorists.
Perspective: Dick Cheney was disliked on both sides of the aisle. Here’s why he should be lauded Original
Former Vice President Dick Cheney died last Tuesday at the age of 84. He was disliked by a majority of the public both during and after his vice presidency, including most Democrats and a large section of Republicans. That ire came for multiple reasons, one of which is because he stood up to the mob, when others would rather pander. Some were frustrated at the perception he was a “warmonger” who promoted unwise policies after 9/11.
Guest column: Cassidy should look to the past when considering his political future
In June, U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, of North Carolina, announced he was retiring after opposing President Donald Trump on the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act, due to myriad concerns about the bill and how the vote was handled. Tillis was unsparing in his criticism of the culture he’d decided to leave. “Too many elected officials are motivated by pure raw politics who really don't give a damn about the people they promised to represent on the campaign trail,” he said.
The educational battle between middle America and radical America Original
(July 2, 2025 / JNS) If you were designing a curriculum to teach high school students about the last few decades of American history, what might you include? The health-care reform debates of the 1990s that continue today? The terrorist attack on Sept. 11, 2001, and its aftermath? Barack Obama’s history-making election as America’s first African-American president?
I don't need a manosphere. I had my dad and my grandpas
When I was around 5 years old, I skinned my knee on the driveway. My dad came out to attend to my wound and noticed I was desperately trying to hold back tears. "I can see you want to cry. Why are you fighting it?" he asked. "I don't want to get into trouble," I said. A few days earlier, I'd thrown a fit when my parents wouldn't buy me a toy I'd wanted, and I'd been punished for it. I also knew big boys weren't supposed to cry. Calmly and deliberately, my dad replied, "No, you don't understand.
Being American should trump partisanship
In March of 1981, President Ronald Reagan was shot and critically wounded. Before being wheeled into surgery, Reagan, known for his good-natured quips, famously said to his doctors, "Please tell me you're Republicans.'' Dr. Joseph Martin Giordano, the director of George Washington University Hospital's trauma unit, replied, ''Mr. President, right now, everybody is a Republican.'' But Giordano was a registered Democrat, and he and his team saved Reagan's life.
Perspective: Being American should trump partisanship
In March of 1981, President Ronald Reagan was shot and critically wounded. Before being wheeled into surgery, Reagan, known for his good-natured quips, famously said to his doctors, “Please tell me you’re Republicans.’' Dr. Joseph Martin Giordano, the director of George Washington University Hospital’s trauma unit, replied, ‘‘Mr. President, right now, everybody is a Republican.’’ But Giordano was a registered Democrat, and he and his team saved Reagan’s life.
Ukraine needs victory, and Russia needs a second defeat
Last week, President Donald Trump became concerned that Russian President Vladimir Putin was " tapping him along" and didn't seem to be listening to his overtures to negotiate an end to the war. Shortly thereafter, the administration quietly green-lit $50 million in military aid to Ukraine that Congress had previously authorized, the first time this has been done in Trump's administration. This is a significant turnaround.
Perspective: Ukraine needs victory, and Russia needs a second defeat
Last week, President Donald Trump became concerned that Russian President Vladimir Putin was “tapping him along" and didn’t seem to be listening to his overtures to negotiate an end to the war. Shortly thereafter, the administration quietly green-lit $50 million in military aid to Ukraine that Congress had previously authorized, the first time this has been done in Trump’s administration. This is a significant turnaround.
Why Authorized Distributors Are Crucial For High-Quality Electronic Components
Electronic components are essential for today’s digital world. They’re found in nearly every modern innovation, from advanced medical equipment and aerospace systems to innovative infrastructure and consumer electronics. Because the final product’s quality and functionality are critical in many of these, understanding components and where they come from is critical. Even a single fake component can stop production, lower product quality, and harm a brand’s reputation.
Is It True That American-Born Workers ‘Gained Zero Net Jobs’ Under Biden? Original
Stephen Miller, the White House homeland security adviser and deputy chief of staff for policy, claimed on April 6 that job creation recorded under former President Joe Biden all went to foreign-born workers, leaving native-born workers without any job gains. “During Joe Biden’s Administration US-born Americans gained zero net jobs in four years,” Miller tweeted. “All jobs gains for foreign workers. For American workers, the Biden years were a depression.” Miller’s claim is not a new one.
Tariff Terrorism
That Scott Lincicome is so hot right now! Published April 9, 2025 Scott Lincicome, vice president of general economics at the Cato Institute and a general tariff expert, took some time out of his very busy schedule to talk to Jonah Goldberg about Trump’s trade-deficit delusions,why reciprocal tariffs will harm the United States, and the likelihood of increased inflation as trade tensions rise.
Kharkiv: Under Fire but Out of the Spotlight Original
KHARKIV, Ukraine—Ruslan Misiunia is giving me a tour of this war-torn city as a favor to a friend on his afternoon off. He took me to the site of what had once been a big-box home improvement store, before a Russian glide bomb destroyed it—and killed 19 people—in 2024. Kharkiv, 20 miles from the Russian border and Ukraine’s second-largest city, remains a distance from the front lines of the wider war, but it has seen its share of attacks the last three years.
In Bombed-Out Kharkiv, Ukrainians Live Under Russia's Constant Threat
As spring arrives, skeleton buildings, numb or indignant people, and religious life remain. The once-thriving neighborhood of Northern Saltivka in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, 20 miles from the Russian border, is now mostly a ghost town. It took the brunt of Russia's early offensive into Kharkiv in 2022. Saltivka's apartments were built during the Soviet Brezhnev era, mid-1960s to mid-1980s, known for the cold, gray architecture that many Americans have seen in movies and documentaries.
Library’s OK to show anti-Israel film creates its own controversy
Sometimes you just have to marvel at how politics can lead to absurd outcomes. A perfect example involves library officials in Northbrook, Ill. To avoid controversy, they violated the First Amendment rights of one group and created a more problematic situation. The facts are pretty simple. Controversial, some might say fringe, groups Jewish Voice for Peace, IfNotNow and the Chicago Jewish Labor Bund arranged to screen the documentary “Israelism” at Northbrook Public Library near Chicago.
The dangerous politics of precedent
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The dangerous politics of precedent Original
Have you ever heard of Gerald Walpin? I doubt it. In fact, I probably wouldn't have heard of him either if I hadn't been a law clerk for Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley in 2009, when he was investigating Walpin's firing. Walpin was an inspector general for the Corporation for National and Community Service, which runs programs like "Teach for America." He was removed by then-President Barack Obama after he created problems for an ally of Obama's.
Anora’s Body and Soul
Sean Baker’s “Anora,” which recently won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival and is a strong Oscar contender, is not an easy film but rather a complicated jumble of conflicting themes, ideas, and tones. It’s also the sort of movie your mom told you to avoid; it’s not so much that sex, drugs and violence appear in the film as much as they are the film.
The best Christmas movies you probably haven't seen Original
I love Christmas. The incarnation of God, coming to Earth to be with his creation, is one of the most moving and awe-inspiring events imaginable. Because of that, I have plenty of criticisms of the commercial Christmas culture in America. And yet I still unapologetically treasure Christmas movies. Some Christmas movies are true classics. "It's A Wonderful Life" deserves all the accolades it gets.
The conversation America needs to have about Brian Thompson's murder Original
Something has taken hold in America that is particularly toxic. Namely, too many people seem to believe that any grievance justifies any response to rectify it. And this past week, we've seen a particularly dangerous example of this playing out on the internet and in the media. Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was murdered on a sidewalk in midtown Manhattan in what seems to be an assassination. The police called it a targeted killing.
What will 'America First' look like in a second Trump administration? Original
President-elect Donald Trump has long embraced the phrase "America First" in dealing with foreign policy. This theme started during his first campaign, and he doubled down in 2024. It is true that the phrase has a sordid history from the 1930s, which amounted to isolationism, Nazi appeasement and antisemitism, but it is also true that America's government should primarily champion the interests, values and goals of its citizens. So what does the philosophy mean for America and its allies today?
The debate in Trump world over Ukraine isn’t what India thinks it is
There is reason to doubt Trump’s second non-consecutive term will be the same as his first. Washington, DC: Days before the election that completed his shocking comeback, President-elect Donald Trump’s post on X, condemned the persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh, praised Narendra Modi, and condemned Joe Biden’s handling of the war in Ukraine. From Trump’s point of view this was a play for the Indian diaspora in key swing states around America. But it was also music to Indian diplomats’ ears.
‘Fight Club’ Was Never Just About the Fight Original
Revisiting David Fincher’s cult classic at 25. Published November 16, 2024 Let’s talk about it, shall we? The writer Chuck Palahniuk has always identified with the plights of outsiders. In the tradition of “social model novels” like The Joy Luck Club and The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, his books aim to explore the uncertain roles that people play in society. This interest was on full display in his best-known work, Fight Club.
Massachusetts teachers’ event is not about education
What do you think might be the slogan of an all-day event for teachers in Massachusetts, sponsored by some of the largest and most influential teachers’ organizations in the state and their partner organizations, shortly before a presidential election? “More pay for teachers?” “Protect teachers’ pensions in 2024?” “Better teachers for better student outcomes?” And who would you think would be their partner organizations? Maybe various parent-teacher associations or school administrators.
The stakes of this election aren't as high as everyone thinks Original
No country lasts forever in its present state. Governments fall, constitutions are altered or abolished, boundaries are redrawn, and wars, famines, natural disasters and shifting demographics constantly change the nature of what a country is.
Thirty Years Later, ‘Pulp Fiction’ Still Searches for the Good Original
There’s more to Quentin Tarantino’s classic than senseless violence. Published October 26, 2024 “Aw man, I shot Marvin in the face!” So says Vincent Vega, the twist-ready, long-haired hitman in Quentin Tarantino’s zany, irreverent, and ultimately hilarious Pulp Fiction. “Why the f—ck did you do that?!” asks his newly retired partner Jules Winnfield, noticing their informant’s blood splattered all over the back of his 1974 Chevy Nova. “I didn’t mean to do it, it was an accident!” Vincent replies.
Where Doth Evil Reside? Original
A look at the evolution of horror film. Published October 26, 2024 Like the gothic novel, classic horror pits past against present. Either modern science goes too far or evil rises from the grave. When a man finds an old castle overgrown with foliage and overlooked by modernity, he should encounter either Dr. Frankenstein, a mad scientist making a monster, or Count Dracula, a wicked old lord who lost his soul. Each man was justly punished for seeking forbidden knowledge.
What the U.S. can learn from Mexico about distrust in elections
Former President Donald Trump and his running mate JD Vance aren't the only Republicans who refuse to say outright that President Joe Biden won the 2020 election. Some resort to artful dodges, like Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton, who recently wouldn't say that Trump lost, only that " Biden was elected." Others refuse to discuss the Capitol riot, saying it should not be an issue in the 2024 election. Former Wisconsin Gov.
Why Politically Engaged Christians Are Good for Our Politics
Some say believers should sit out this election, and politics altogether, but doing so is worse for the country. By and Published October 20, 2024 Hi and happy Sunday. The intersection of religious faith and politics is always contentious, but it seems more pronounced in an election in which both major party candidates are so unpopular. Christians of all stripes face questions about the proper role of government and politics—especially with so much baggage attached to Donald Trump.
House Rules
Published October 19, 2024 First some presidential housekeeping and then, let’s really put the House in order. This week, for the first time since she became the presumptive Democratic nominee, Kamala Harris is on the wrong side of the swing state shift. That’s the admittedly somewhat arbitrary 2-point margin by which a Democrat needs to win the national popular vote to carry the seven swing states, which are slightly less Democratic than the nation as a whole. But not entirely arbitrary.
The Best Worst-Case Scenario
Alas, the altitude. By Published October 19, 2024 Jonah explores what a Kamala Harris presidency might look like, examines the potential worst-case scenario of either presidential candidate winning, and dives into who The Dispatch’s content is designed to reach.The Agenda: —Best- and worst-case scenarios for the election —What would a Harris presidency look like? —Irrational voting practices —Does Trump believe in democracy?
Shawshank’s Redemption Original
Thirty years ago, it was a box office flop. Then it became one of the most beloved movies ever made. Published October 19, 2024 At around half an hour to midnight on a random Saturday in the late 1990s, I was flipping through the channels and figured I’d watch a little bit of The Shawshank Redemptionbefore going to sleep. I’d never seen it and thought it would end in half an hour. Turns out, the movie had only started a few minutes earlier. I didn’t go to bed till after 2:30 a.m. that night.
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