Gary Franks Columns category, Page 2
Gary Franks: America can’t afford the $6.20 morning coffee
Oh America, when you go to buy that $6.20 morning coffee, you will need to “borrow” $1.75 to pay for it. Thank God you have an unlimited credit card. But your credit card balance is now an eye-popping $34 trillion, the U.S. national debt. America, this is troubling. To borrow...
Gary Franks: The ‘old guys’ Trump, Biden aren’t what America needs
Nearly 80% of Americans in an October Pew Research poll said they want age limits for the president of the United States. It would seem the age of 80 is the cut-off point. I thought that in a democracy the majority rules. Guess I was wrong. Does anyone know an...
Gary Franks: Biden vs. Trump — can we get a political reboot?
Why should funding go to any foreign nation to help them secure their borders until an obstinate President Joe Biden secures America’s border from an invasion via the use of our military or any other effective means? We spend trillions of dollars to ostensibly protect America, yet Biden refuses to...
Gary Franks: A good economy? I don’t think so.
How strong is America’s economic chain? Our federal government just reported that in 2023 we had a near $2 trillion annual deficit. Add this to the nearly $6 trillion that President Joe Biden racked up in prior years, and you have almost $8 trillion of spending that we could not...
Gary Franks: America needs a constitutional tune-up
We are rapidly approaching our 250th birthday as a republic. And the nation is in need of a tune-up. With just a few tweaks of our Constitution we can put the nation on a path that would allow it to go another 250 years. The Constitution is the supreme law...
Gary Franks: We won the Cold War. Can we win the economic war caused by the border crisis?
In the Cold War, American values won. Democracy and capitalism won. The fall of the USSR occurred without a single shot being fired or any troops being deployed. The Soviet Union had severe economic problems, and its system of government — communism — failed. Our enemies would love to see...
Gary Franks: Where have you gone, Clinton, Bush and Obama?
I am asking the living and healthy past presidents of the United States, except for candidate Donald Trump, to step up, help and contribute to America again as advisers or as prominent and experienced Americans who can influence others. Unconventional times warrant unconventional solutions. Long after leaving office, former Secretary...
Gary Franks: Could the Colorado ‘insurrection’ decision give Trump momentum?
The Colorado Supreme Court has ruled that former President Donald Trump will not be allowed on the ballot in the state due to his alleged breaking of the insurrection clause of the 14th Amendment. The clause was meant to prevent Jefferson Davis, among other Confederate leaders, from seeking political office...
Gary Franks: Attention Iowa and New Hampshire voters — polls say Haley beats Biden by 17 points!
Former President Donald Trump has a big lead over other Republicans fighting for the nomination, but he finishes a distant second to former South Carolina governor and U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley in a theoretical head-to-head matchup against President Joe Biden. The liberal media is quick to cherry-pick what they want...
Gary Franks: How abortion, welfare reform relate to election results
Is it possible that welfare reform and my small contribution toward that effort in 1996 as the Republican chairman of the Welfare Reform Task Force may have inadvertently contributed to the election of a Democrat-controlled U.S. Senate in 2022, a Kentucky governor and a Virginia state legislature in 2023? Sounds...
Gary Franks: No speaker yet? The ball is in the Democrats’ court.
Today’s Democrats have an opportunity to make history and have a positive impact on America. With assistance, they can select which Republican will be the next speaker of the House. Well, a turnabout would be fair play. After all, Democrats brought about former Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s demise along with just...
Gary Franks: Debate lessons to be learned from Ronald Reagan
The Republican candidates for president were at the Ronald Reagan Library in California last week for a debate. One candidate promoted himself well, like Reagan, and remembered the former president’s trademark: “Thou shalt not speak ill of any Republican.” And for those two reasons, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis comes out...
Gary Franks: Will ‘border crisis’ destroy America?
“Let me tell you something New Yorkers, never in my life have I had a problem that I did not see an ending to — I don’t see an ending to this. This issue ( the influx of migrants crossing the Mexican border into the U.S.) will destroy New York...
Gary Franks: CNN poll results show that almost any Republican can beat Biden
The good news for former South Carolina Governor and U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley is that if the election for president were held today, she would clearly beat Biden — by six points. The bad news for her is that nearly every one of her top Republican challengers — except for...
Gary Franks: First GOP debate goes to DeSantis and Haley — surprises for 3rd and 4th place
Republican candidates for president, tell us your plan for America’s future. How will you attack President Joe Biden or any other Democrat, and how will you win in 2024? Do this, and Republican primary voters will reciprocate by handing you the nomination. Former President Donald Trump is leading largely because...
Gary Franks: Distracted Joe Biden is not good for America
I am not that concerned with exploring what has “happened.” I am more concerned with exploring what is “happening.” I would rather prepare for 2024 and beyond than relive 2020. I am more concerned with the actions of a powerful person who can affect my life greatly than a powerless...
Gary Franks: Imagine if in 2010 we had adopted an age-limit amendment
Let’s imagine what America would be like if we had adopted an age-limit constitutional amendment in 2010. After all, in nearly every occupation, there is an established age limit. Nearly all major labor contracts have an age-limit clause. But if you are a federal employee there are exceptions to this...
Gary Franks: Only the GOP can skillfully chase away the Black vote
Maybe it is time to revamp your campaign, Ron DeSantis. I am guessing you have the “A Team” of consultants. OK. What have they done for you lately? Is it possible that one of your consultants participated, aided or abetted the campaign of the Arizona congressman who referred to Black...
Gary Franks: Are both Reconstruction and affirmative action not ‘fair’ to nostalgic white Americans?
It is amazing how nostalgia turns into public policy. The state of Virginia is wrestling with what to do about an already removed statute of Gen. Robert E. Lee, military leader of the Confederacy and an outstanding student at West Point. However, Lee lost the Civil War to Union Gen....
Gary Franks: Labor participation rate better tells the story about our economy
Is the media trying to make President Joe Biden look good instead of reporting the news as news, along with analysis? For example, are we being misled about the condition of our economy? Does anyone not understand that if you are not working, you are unemployed? Biden’s claim that the...
Gary Franks: Supreme Court complicates goal of color-blind society
The biggest losers in the Supreme Court’s recent affirmative action decision are not Black people. When you are already in last place economically, you cannot go any lower. Ironically, good white people in America are the big losers. I am not attempting to mirror the court’s twisted logic — they...
Gary Franks: We need new political choices
I remember when Satchel Paige was pitching for the Kansas City Athletics in 1965. He was at least 20 years beyond his prime, much like President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are today in politics. In his prime his pitches were very difficult to hit. But at an...
Gary Franks: Trump should return to being unpredictable
The best move for former President Donald Trump is the one most unexpected. Being unpredictable or unconventional was the trait that helped him win the White House in 2016, and it would help him today. The baseball pitcher that tips off his pitches eventually gets hit hard, looks bad and...
Gary Franks: Kudos to CNN and CBS for some great reporting
Recently, CNN and CBS each earned kudos for digging deeper on an issue. They asked the tough questions that made folks in authority extremely uncomfortable and had equally as challenging follow-up questions. Adroit investigative reporting better serves the public. When the media does its job, it ensures that we have...
Gary Franks: Some Democrats give hypocrisy a bad name on education
“Public schools are good for your kids but not good for … my kids?” This should be the Democratic Party’s motto. They practice this hypocrisy, and sadly get away with it. The liberal media is AWOL on challenging them. Democrats would say “let public funds be used only for public...
