Iran

If you pay terrorists – you’re showing terrorism pays. Human nature dictates: Reward a behavior – and you’ll get more of that behavior.

The year that is just closing, 2015, has been full of events that continue to dominate the news, including renewed racial tensions on the streets of American cities, growing fears about terrorist attacks on the territory of the United States, and one of the most fear-focused presidential campaign seasons in living memory.

In Today’s edition of The Heartland Daily Podcast, we listen in as Senior Fellow Peter Ferrara talks with Inside Track radio. Ferrara was on to discuss, among other things, the GOP budget proposal and how entitlement reform could save trillions of dollars and help millions of people.

Islam is not inclined toward any form of modernity and most certainly not toward any form of personal freedom so the world has to remain watchful and, at this point, far less inclined to give its terrorists a pass with the claim they do not represent Islam.

President Obama, Secretary of State John Kerry, and 28 Senate Democrats remain fixated on “dangerous manmade climate change.” In the process, they are ignoring real threats to our living standards and very lives.

Just one year ago, the Wall Street Journal has reported, saboteurs attacked a power substation near San Jose, California. They cut fiber optic cables and shot up 17 transformers, causing them to overheat and fail. Apparently, they wanted to trigger a monumental blackout. Thankfully, grid operators were able to reroute power and avoid blackouts.

A Federal Energy Regulatory Commission official called the attack “purposeful, extremely well planned and executed by professionals who had expert training.” Other utility experts said it could have been a “dress rehearsal” for much bigger operation – one that could take down much of the entire US or even North American electricity grid for weeks, months or even a year. That would have a devastating effect on our economy, living standards and lives. Indeed, many people would likely die, as food, fuel and even safe drinking water become unavailable.

Despite America’s jubilant cries of energy independence, the global nature of the crude oil commodity and the continued vulnerability of the world’s supply network to regional political discord are not to be dismissed.

It is impossible not to conclude that violence is not built into the DNA of mankind.

October 17 was the fortieth anniversary of the oil embargo slapped on America by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). That action changed the entire geopolitical map by taking the power from the United States and giving it to the Middle East. As a result of the embargo, America slid into a serious recession.

Reactions to recent events, cross-posted at America’s Uncommon Sense: Budget and National Debt If not now, when? If not the House, who? These two questions lie at the core of…