John A. Parnell, Ph.D.
I decided to put Battle4Liberty on hiatus several months ago until after the election. I am considering a new direction with the blog, but I felt compelled to post an update. Since President Trump’s election in 2016, debates about taxes, business regulations, and general free-market principles have been overshadowed by an intense anti-Trump fervor on […]
Read MoreAsk almost any university educator about the purpose of a college education, and you will hear about critical thinking. Higher education involves much more than learning facts and concepts. It’s about learning how to think clearly, assemble facts, and make judgments. Our society today suffers from a shortage of critical thinking. Consider the ongoing racial […]
Read MoreWe are living in difficult times. The ongoing pandemic, social unrest, and a polarized election cycle are challenging our nation to its core. Any of these events can reap enough havoc on its own, but we are dealing with them simultaneously. It is a perfect storm. Times of crisis tell us a lot about character […]
Read MoreProminent Republicans and numerous analysts are calling for a complete overhaul of China-US relations. This is understandable, especially given the fact that China has not provided accurate and timely information about COVID-19. It’s difficult to tell if this pandemic could have been avoided entirely. Still, the world could have avoided much of the human and […]
Read MoreIn my last post, I expressed hope that China and the US would work together to control the spread of COVID-19. The Chinese government has permitted WHO officials into the country, but it’s not clear how much information they are getting. Unfortunately, Beijing has not allowed CDC officials to enter. It looks like Beijing is […]
Read MoreYou might be wondering what the coronavirus has to do with the US-China trade policy. The spread of the virus is taking a toll on the Chinese economy, which could make it more difficult for China to meet some of its commitments in the deal. But the coronavirus crisis is also an opportunity for the […]
Read MoreThe US and China just signed phase 1 of a trade deal. It is not the colossal victory the Trump administration hoped for, but it is definite progress. Here are the major components of the deal: China committed to increase purchases of US goods by $200 billion over the next two years, including $32 billion […]
Read MoreThe US case against Huawei is as serious as ever. The tech company’s close ties to the Chinese government have created a national security threat. Andy Purdy, Huawei’s Chief Security Officer, is charged with defending the company’s integrity during the crisis. Earlier this year, Fox Business’ Maria Bartiromo picked him apart in a lengthy interview, […]
Read MoreIn early June 2019, 240,000 Hong Kong residents took to the streets to peacefully protest proposed legislation that would permit its citizens to be extradited to mainland China for trial. The bill in question was later withdrawn, but the demonstrations expanded into a protest against police brutality and oppression from Beijing. On October 4, Daryl […]
Read MoreIn my last post, I criticized student debt forgiveness proposals from Democrats seeking their party’s nomination for president. Even if you argue that government should subsidize the cost of college, repaying debt incurred by students in the past is a totally different issue. There are obvious problems with debt forgiveness schemes, but I will list […]
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