Cliff Smith

2 weeks ago | thedispatch.com | Jonah Goldberg |Cliff Smith |John Mccormack |Nick Catoggio

That Scott Lincicome is so hot right now! Published April 9, 2025 Scott Lincicome, vice president of general economics at the Cato Institute and a general tariff expert, took some time out of his very busy schedule to talk to Jonah Goldberg about Trump’s trade-deficit delusions,why reciprocal tariffs will harm the United States, and the likelihood of increased inflation as trade tensions rise.

Dec 21, 2024 | deseret.com | Cliff Smith

I love Christmas. The incarnation of God, coming to Earth to be with his creation, is one of the most moving and awe-inspiring events imaginable. Because of that, I have plenty of criticisms of the commercial Christmas culture in America. And yet I still unapologetically treasure Christmas movies. Some Christmas movies are true classics. "It's A Wonderful Life" deserves all the accolades it gets.

Dec 6, 2024 | deseret.com | Cliff Smith

Something has taken hold in America that is particularly toxic. Namely, too many people seem to believe that any grievance justifies any response to rectify it. And this past week, we've seen a particularly dangerous example of this playing out on the internet and in the media. Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was murdered on a sidewalk in midtown Manhattan in what seems to be an assassination. The police called it a targeted killing.

Nov 29, 2024 | deseret.com | Cliff Smith

President-elect Donald Trump has long embraced the phrase "America First" in dealing with foreign policy. This theme started during his first campaign, and he doubled down in 2024. It is true that the phrase has a sordid history from the 1930s, which amounted to isolationism, Nazi appeasement and antisemitism, but it is also true that America's government should primarily champion the interests, values and goals of its citizens. So what does the philosophy mean for America and its allies today?

Nov 23, 2024 | sundayguardianlive.com | Cliff Smith

There is reason to doubt Trump’s second non-consecutive term will be the same as his first. Washington, DC: Days before the election that completed his shocking comeback, President-elect Donald Trump’s post on X, condemned the persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh, praised Narendra Modi, and condemned Joe Biden’s handling of the war in Ukraine. From Trump’s point of view this was a play for the Indian diaspora in key swing states around America. But it was also music to Indian diplomats’ ears.