Jennifer Harper
Articles by Jennifer Harper
Inside the Beltway: Standard of living soars says new Gallup poll
"Americans' ratings of their standard of living are on pace to be the best in Gallup's 10-year tracking history," writes Jim Norman, a Gallup analyst who reveals that two-thirds of the public now says their living circumstances are getting better, 80 percent of the nation say they are "satisfied" with their current standard of living, and the pollster's complex but revealing "well-being index" now stands at 54, a record high. Published September 12, 2017
Trashing Trump: Broadcast coverage of the president now 91% negative, say analysts
Much of the news media continues to offer coverage which is both hostile and biased against President Trump and his administration. Published September 12, 2017
Inside the Beltway: Nostalgia: national debt was $9 trillion in 2007
There once was a bumper sticker which read "Don't tell Obama what comes after a trillion." For the curious, a quadrillion comes after a trillion, and it has 15 zeroes after it — a useful thing when charting the expansion of the national debt, which has reached $20 trillion according to meticulous Terence P. Jeffrey, editor-in chief of CNSNews.com, who spotted the phenomenon on Friday at the Treasury Department's website. Published September 11, 2017
55% of white Democratic voters are now liberal; blacks and Hispanics, not so much: Study
An extensive new Pew Research Center analysis released Friday finds that 48 percent of Democratic voters overall now identify as liberals. A decade ago, that number was 32 percent, and it was even less in previous years -- down to 28 percent in 2000. Published September 11, 2017
Inside the Beltway: Donald Trump’s powerful proclamation for 9/11
Lest we forget, Monday is the 16th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on America, which killed 2,977 people. President Trump has not forgotten, either in his official role or as a citizen. Published September 10, 2017
Stephen Bannon calls himself a ‘street fighter’ still ready to support Trump
Former White House adviser Stephen K. Bannon has a wide ranging, somewhat combative interview with CBS host Charlie Rose, which airs Sunday on "60 Minutes." Published September 9, 2017
Inside the Beltway: Hillary’s revenge: New book not friendly to Biden, Sanders, Obama
Step aside, she's not done yet. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton begins a national book tour next week to promote "What Happened," her 512-page commentary on the presidential election, described by publisher Simon & Schuster as a "deeply intimate account." The big book arrives Tuesday. Published September 7, 2017
Inside the Beltway: ‘Chuck and Nancy’ take over the media radar
Behold, it's "Chuck and Nancy," a simple phrase which became an instant political barometer the moment it was uttered. Indeed, President Trump referred to Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi as "Chuck and Nancy" to reporters aboard Air Force One on Wednesday, primarily for their potential role in the future of DACA. Published September 6, 2017
Donald Trump still has a 59% approval rating in North Dakota
President Trump visits North Dakota on Wednesday, where affection for the president is still robust and stable. Published September 6, 2017
Inside the Beltway: The media gets mawkish over DACA, and agressive toward Trump
Many news organizations unleashed their best adjectives and went for the drama of DACA -- the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program -- which was rescinded by the White House on Tuesday. Published September 5, 2017
Inside the Beltway: A later start to the school day would save billions
It is a morning ritual across much of America. Parents struggle in the gray of dawn to get kids off to school, fatigued students doze at their desks and teachers ponder a weary class as that first bell rings. Should early-bird start times be scuttled at the nation's schools? Published September 4, 2017
‘The Reagan Show’: CNN premieres Ronald Reagan documentary based on rare archival film
One for the Gipper? "The Reagan Show," a documentary built from over 1,000 hours of rare archival film, premieres on CNN at 9 p.m. ET on Monday night. Published September 4, 2017
Inside the Beltway: Not to worry: Donald Trump voters ‘have got his back’
President Trump's actions have spoken louder than the news media's criticism in recent days. Hurricane Harvey and North Korea have forced journalists to cover breaking news and the president's positive role in it all, temporarily muting Trump-bashing down to a dull roar. Published September 3, 2017
Actions speak louder than media words: Harvey called ‘turning point’ of Trump presidency
Hurricane Harvey could mark a visceral turning point for President Trump, who has shown some serious inner mettle and compassion during the weather catastrophe and is aftermath. Though some journalists still insist on Trump bashing, many Americans have witnessed Mr. Trump's decisive precision -- and actions which speak louder than media words. Published August 31, 2017
Inside the Beltway: Trump’s response to Hurricane Harvey earns praise from presidential historian
Presidential historian Tevi Troy literally wrote the book White House response to national disasters. He is the author of "Shall We Wake the President? Two Centuries of Disaster Management from the Oval Office"," published last year. Mr. Troy has a very promising response to what he has seen this week following a catastrophic weather event in the Lone Star State. Published August 29, 2017
Inside the Beltway: Newt Gingrich, historic conservative with a new biography
As a political brand, Newt Gingrich has had authentic staying power over the decades — fearlessly navigating the news media, Capitol Hill and the crisis du jour with finesse and institutional knowledge. But who the heck is he? The answer might be found in a new authorized biography of Mr. Gingrich, published in an era when some forces seek to rewrite history — particularly Republican and conservative history. Published August 28, 2017
Ice and fire: Experts explain the sweeping power politics and intrigue in ‘Game of Thrones’
"Game of Thrones" is not quite over. A group of analysts now ponder the politics of the ongoing Medieval-style saga, which offers much hubbub and has an obsessed audience. On Monday, a spate of experts will weigh in on the political underpinnings of the production at a Cato Institute forum in the nation's capital, just 24 hours after the grand finale of Season 7. Published August 28, 2017
Inside the Beltway: State Fair Food in deep-fried review includes duck bacon, wild boar BLT
August and September is prime time for bodacious food — deep-fried and often on a stick — as featured in the nation's state fairs. Sampling such fare is a primary obligation for politicians, election year or not. Indulging in fair food is a sure fire way to appear as a folksy candidate in touch with constituents. But alas, such encounters are not without peril for political hopefuls, often caught by press photographers in an inopportune moment with a funnel cake. So without further ado, here's just a small sampling of fair fare. Published August 27, 2017
Inside the Beltway: Democrats ‘learned nothing’ from 2016
There is a long history of judgment by the Democratic Party. Erick Erickson, founder of Red State.com and The Resurgent blog, points out that Democrats began pushing the idea that "a vote for the GOP was a vote for racism" since 2000, methodically expanding the narrative through the next seven midterm and general elections. The trend continues. Published August 24, 2017
Fat and happy polar bears no longer a climate change icon say experts
"What is causing the death of the polar bear as a climate change icon? Fat bears are part of it, but mostly it's the fact that polar bear numbers haven't declined as predicted," writes Susan Crockford, a Canadian zoologist who specializes in polar bear populations, and author of the Polar Bear Science blog. Published August 24, 2017
