by Richard Nelson | Apr 12, 2018 | Blog
According to a 2014 study conducted by the University of Arizona, most people speak about 15,000 words per day. But do you really think before you speak? Counselor and author Paul Tripp writes, “One of the things that separates us from the rest of creation...
by Richard Nelson | Apr 11, 2018 | Blog
Ever had guests that wore out their welcome? That may be the case in one Eastern Kentucky city. Elkhorn City is in Pike County and some residents aren’t happy with the taping of a new reality TV show being produced for MTV. The show’s called...
by Richard Nelson | Apr 10, 2018 | Blog
Back in January we told you about Senate Bill 71 that was being introduced to the 2018 General Assembly session. It was a bill that would require abstinence education be included in sex education in Kentucky’s public schools. The inclusion of such...
by Richard Nelson | Apr 9, 2018 | Blog
One of the highlights of the 2018 General Assembly session is the reform put in motion for Kentucky’s Adoption and Foster Care systems. House Bill 1 passed the House 90-1 and unanimously in the Senate. The legislation institutes wide ranging...
by Richard Nelson | Apr 6, 2018 | Blog
Facebook has been getting lots of negative press lately. First it was the Russian's attempting to sway public opinion through ads. Now it’s a company called Cambridge Analytica which misused data to create voter profiles used in political...
by Richard Nelson | Apr 5, 2018 | Blog
Transgenderism is the idea that one can transcend their biological sex. It's controversial but in some places the debate has been settled and if you express disagreement you could be punished. Canada has a law that fines or even jails people if they use the wrong...
by Richard Nelson | Apr 4, 2018 | Blog
The Second Amendment to the Constitution secures the rights of Americans to keep and bear arms. It’s part of our political DNA ever since the British tried to disarm the colonists. The Founders realized that the right to self-defense is a natural right and so...
by Richard Nelson | Apr 3, 2018 | Blog
Students across the nation rallied at marches and called for more gun regulations or outright gun bans in order to stop school shootings. Critics complained that the many students who don't really understand the debate were used as pawns or simply got caught up in...
by Richard Nelson | Apr 2, 2018 | Blog
A bill banning abortions after 11 weeks is close to becoming law in Kentucky. It says "a human being is entitled to receive ethical and humane treatment and is to be respected and valued in all phases of life." The law is difficult to read as it describes in...
by Richard Nelson | Mar 29, 2018 | Blog
Finland was ranked the happiest country in the world according to a report by the United Nations. In case you were wondering, the US ranks 18th. The report considers among other factors, wealth equality, taxes, access to health care, life expectancy, low...
by Richard Nelson | Mar 28, 2018 | Blog
The U.S. Supreme Court is hearing an important case regarding the free-speech rights of pro-life ministries. The case originated when California passed a law requiring crisis pregnancy centers to post pro-abortion information. The problem is that most crisis pregnancy...
by Richard Nelson | Mar 27, 2018 | Opinion Pieces
Mark Twain famously said that "A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes." Turns out Twain was more right than he ever could have imagined. Researchers at MIT found that fake news travels...
by Richard Nelson | Mar 27, 2018 | Blog
Mark Twain once said that 'A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.' And he said this before the age of social media. Turns out Twain was more right than he could have ever imagined....
by Richard Nelson | Mar 26, 2018 | Blog
Every day, teachers at Crabbe Elementary School in Ashland, Kentucky scour the playground for dirty needles. Since the beginning of the school year they've found 18 used needles on their playgrounds. Ashland is in the midst of a heroin crisis and in order to stem...
by Richard Nelson | Mar 23, 2018 | Blog
Facts are central to responsible public policy formation. Absent facts, public policy rests on shifting sands of emotion, personal preference, and special interest. Lead with facts, land on good policy. Ignore facts, end up with bad policy. Consider the emotion...
by Richard Nelson | Mar 22, 2018 | Blog
We value free speech in this nation so much that we've made it a priority and protected it in the First Amendment of the Constitution. So it's ironic that one of the institutions that benefits the greatest is the place where free speech is most under attack....
by Richard Nelson | Mar 21, 2018 | Blog
Kentucky is considered a homeschool friendly state where parents have maximum freedom to teach their kids. But if one legislator has his way, state-mandated testing and state controlled curriculum would be imposed. Many believe this would seriously threaten what has...
by Richard Nelson | Mar 20, 2018 | Blog
There's a bill in the KY legislature that would redefine poker and blackjack as games of skill and says the law shall not consider them as games of chance. Of course, this is a clever way to legitimize casino games without calling it gambling. But can you really...
by Richard Nelson | Mar 19, 2018 | Blog
Students across Kentucky walked out of class last week to protest gun violence. In Jefferson County, they held pictures of slain students at Parkland, Florida. Some held candles. One middle school student held a sign that said "The NRA loves their guns more...
by Richard Nelson | Mar 16, 2018 | Blog
A remarkable tide of intolerance is increasing at the institution that claims tolerance and civility. I'm talking about our universities. A panel discussion on gender at Portland University was interrupted by protesters who tried to shut it down and dismantle the...