Cal Thomas

I wasn't going to write a second column on the passing of Rush Limbaugh but given the reaction from hostile and snarky individuals -- even from a few self-styled conservatives -- explaining his influence is key to understanding him and more importantly the movement for which he was such a powerful spokesman. As with the former president, Donald Trump, Limbaugh spoke for people who felt…

The man who picked me up at an airport too many years ago to recall the date asked if I had ever heard of a guy named Rush Limbaugh. When I said I had not, he turned on the car radio and said, “listen.” After 15 minutes I was hooked. Limbaugh, who died of lung cancer on Wednesday at age 70, spoke my values. He didn’t tell people what or how to think, as his detractors often charged, but…

What is it about people who are successful in one field and believe that gives them credence to serve as an expert in a totally unrelated field? Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft and reportedly the fourth richest person on the planet, now self-identifies as a climate expert, and not only an expert, but a fervent disciple of the latest religion for the non-religious, which would be "climate…

The people who hand out Emmy Awards should ask New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to return the one they gave him. Cuomo received an Emmy for what they called his "masterful" COVID-19 press briefings. The media lauded those performances, extolling his honesty and transparency. It now turns out he was as honest as many other politicians and as transparent as a brick.

The problem with free money is that it leads to an addiction much like an addition to drugs. In the case of the $1.9 trillion "relief" bill that has no Republican support, Congress is the supplier, while those on the receiving end become increasingly addicted to government and less self-reliant.

During the rebellious '60s, the slogan "power to the people" became a mantra for the young to protest what they saw as oppression from their elders. Now comes a moment when significant numbers of Americans can exercise real power in ways that will improve the country. Most people will never attain a level of influence comparable to a president, a member of Congress, a Supreme Court justice, a…

Second only to his fixation on "climate change" is President Biden's focus on "systemic racism." In addition to reinstating mandatory race theory training for federal employees, Biden proposes spending even more money we don't have to fix a problem beyond the government's reach. As with original sin, curing racism is best solved internally. It is a matter of the heart.

President Biden and his press secretary, Jen Psaki, have assured us he is a "devout Catholic" who "attends church regularly." The question is not new but should be asked again and a credible answer demanded. How can one be devout about one's faith and not comport with Scripture and the teachings of the Catholic Church? As the Apostle James wrote, "faith without works is dead." (James 2:14-26…

There is a perception, supported by many surveys, that what passes for contemporary journalism is more biased, even propagandistic, than in earlier times. One of the definitions of "journalism" on Dictionary.com will affirm that attitude for many: "writing that reflects superficial thought and research, a popular slant, and hurried composition..." Journalism has, in fact, been infected by bias…

In 1980, singer Neil Diamond recorded a song that celebrated American immigration, first in the early 1900s and then more recently. The song included this chorus: "On the boats and on the planes / They're coming to America / Never looking back again / They're coming to America." The song makes no distinction between the legal and orderly immigration of the early 20th century and the chaotic…

“For all sad words of tongue and pen, the saddest are these, ‘It might have been’.” — John Greenleaf Whittier. There are many things beyond human control, among them, when and where you were born and who your parents are. As President Trump leaves office, he will have time, but perhaps not much time given that his enemies seek to destroy his businesses and his chance for running again for any…

Twitter and Facebook have permanently banned President Trump from their social platforms. Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and attorney Sidney Powell have also been permanently banned as Twitter announced a purge of “accounts dedicated to sharing content related to the far-right QAnon conspiracy theory.”

The mob violence that occurred at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday was deplorable and disgusting. It is the antithesis of a free society that wishes to remain free. Any supporter of President Trump and his policies must denounce this horror with even more vehemence than they denounced the riots of last summer, but the two are not equivalent. 

It isn't that the alleged exploits, profits, and questionable business deals involving Hunter Biden and his father, Joe Biden, were not known for most of this election year. Much of mainstream media either ignored it or put it down as right-wing extremism. Until now. We've recently learned that the U.S. Attorney's Office in Delaware is investigating Hunter Biden's tax affairs, and has been…