By Karl Reiner

Authoritarian rulers are not uncommon to Iran.  As Iran's June presidential election nears, the Guardian Council has yet to announce the list of approved candidates.  Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, wants to see a suitable conservative elected as president.  In a country facing a faltering economy, sanctions and entanglement in Syria, the Supreme Leader may face some difficulty in getting his way.

In the 1960s, the Shah of Iran wanted to turn Iran into a new Per...

By Karl Reiner

Gov. Brewer recently asserted that Arizona's controversial SB 1070 served as the catalyst for the creation of the immigration legislation now in Congress.  Although much of SB 1070 was set aside by the courts, the governor believes the law, costly legal fights and publicity helped start the momentum that led to the current bipartisan immigration proposal.

The governor has a point because the SB 1070 effort was not a low cost affair.  The publicity it generated saddled Arizona ...

By Karl Reiner

Economic sanctions were first imposed on Iran by President Carter in response to the hostage crisis.  They are currently imposed by the UN, U.S. and EU to prod Iran into negotiating the nuclear issue.  The goal is to make life difficult for the population. It is hoped that the economic squeeze will create enough popular pressure to force the Iranian government to agree to a nuclear deal.

Sanctions have delayed Israeli military action. At the UN, they have helped maintain unity ...

Posted by Bob Lord

After spending a week in Melbourne, Australia visiting our daughter and son-in-law, I have to reconsider my views about wealth and income inequality. NOT  

Want a job paying $15 per hour? Just move to Australia and work for the minimum wage. 

Yes, the cost of living there is a bit higher than in America, but Australia employs a concept that's a bit foreign to Americans. Every job pays a living wage. Imagine that? Taxes are a bit higher in Australia, and CEOs make a good bit ...

By Karl Reiner

The U.S.-Mexico relationship has its good and bad points.  Over $540 billion in merchandise trade moved between the countries in 2012. Mexico ranks third as an American supplier and second as an export market.  There are security problems involving the massive illegal drug trade, illegal migration (mostly from Mexico and Central America) and the flow of smuggled firearms to Mexico.  With Arizona's state leaders focusing mainly on security, the economic benefit of being a bord...