(Unless someone convinces me that would be a mistake.)

Since the Congress hasn’t formally issued a declaration of war since 1942, they apparently must think they are unnecessary any more. We have fought four major wars since then under statutory authority (i.e. passing a law authorizing the use a military force without specifying for what or where). We got mired in Vietnam, the Gulf War, Afghanistan, and Iraq with more or less an open checkbook. The President always had to keep coming back for more money that always was granted. We had to wait until the end (if there was one) to find out the cost – usually in the trillions.

Immigration has been a hot political issue since the 1870’s. The old system was designed to retain ethnic homogeneity by favoring northern and western Europe. Chinese were excluded in a series of acts starting in 1875 and becoming totally restrictive in 1924. The exclusion was not lifted until 1943.

Two major reform acts were approved in 1965 and again in 1986, each becoming more progressive. 1965 saw formal categories for refugees and was more skill-based and family-based qualifications for entry. It altered the political landscape in voting blocs in California, Texas, and Florida.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed into law on July 4, 2025, represents a massive shift in U.S. energy and environmental policy. It significantly rolls back many of the clean energy incentives established by the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) while pivoting support toward traditional energy, nuclear power, and domestic manufacturing.

The Act shifted federal energy policy from green energy subsidies toward fossil fuel and nuclear energy. The most significant impact is on utility-scale renewables. The law shifts the “technology neutral” credits into a much tighter deadline. With varying deadlines, wind and solar energy projects will be phased out.