Opinion

The First is all about ideas, conversations, curiosity, and most of all freedom. To that end, we publish a plethora of content from both our own writers and outside contributors. We focus especially on real people, with real jobs, and real opinions, not the blather you see repeated on cable news.

We are not beholden to one person, party, or partisan agenda. We call it like we see it, and we want to bring you those who do the same.

So click below to read some of the premiere content from some of our contributors. Don’t like what they have to say? Have a question? Email them, or contact us at ideas@thefirsttv.com.

OH COLORADO: Your Dissents Make You Stupid | Steve Berman

By Steve Berman
Opinion Contributor

Thu, Dec 21, 2023

I have been following the Colorado Trump ballot removal, and I agree with David Thornton’s rundown of the facts and his deeper dive today. George Conway wrote in The Atlantic (paywall) on Wednesday that it’s not the ruling itself, but the weakness of the dissents that make the case stronger. Erick Erickson disagreed, as do other lawyers I’ve read on social media. …

NOPE: What Pope Francis Really Said | Steve Berman

By Steve Berman
Opinion Contributor

Tue, Dec 19, 2023

If you read the national news sources today, you’d undoubtedly come away believing that the Catholic Church just made a giant turn toward progressivism, allowing priests to bless same-sex unions. Nothing of the sort has occurred. Rather, what you’re seeing is the ignorance and internal bias confirmation of the people reporting it. Here’s what happened. …

UKRAINE: “It’s Got Nothing to Do With You” | Steve Berman

By Steve Berman
Opinion Contributor

Wed, Dec 13, 2023

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stood at a lectern before a group of U.S. Senators and was told to shut up and go sit at the kids table. The New York Times reported on the event: Sen. Lindsey Graham recalled telling Zelenskyy, “It’s got nothing to do with you.” But Zelenskyy is not going to get another red …

GAZA: Terrible Truths | Steve Berman

By Steve Berman
Opinion Contributor

Mon, Dec 11, 2023

If you have never read Mark Twain’s “The War Prayer,” you should read it now. Twain never published the 897-word essay while he was alive; perhaps he couldn’t find a proper venue to print his scathing satire against America’s imperial wars that gave us possession of Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines. According to his …

ISRAEL: It’s About to Get Too Hot to Handle | Steve Berman

By Steve Berman
Opinion Contributor

Wed, Dec 6, 2023

The bond between the U.S. and Israel has been a tight weld since October 7th, but the cracks have now become evident due to political stress. We must not forget the larger political forces at work between the two leaders, President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Biden is a Democrat in an …

HAMAS: Of Course Israel Knew | Steve Berman

By Steve Berman
Opinion Contributor

Fri, Dec 1, 2023

The New York Times broke a story last night that Israeli intelligence had obtained Hamas’ battle plan, at least a year before the horrifying attacks on 10/7. Normally, I take reports from mainstream media about Israel with a handful of salt, given that much of it is slanted and sloppy. But I fully believe this one. The key …

Will Nikki Turn? | Steve Berman

By Steve Berman
Opinion Contributor

Wed, Nov 29, 2023

The Koch network, Americans for Prosperity, in a memo from its AFP Action PAC threw its support behind Nikki Haley, calling her “a candidate who can turn the page and win.” Haley has surged in New Hampshire polling, putting actual daylight between her and the GOP peloton consisting of Chris Christie, Ron DeSantis, and the despicable Vivek …

GAZA: Not America’s Fight, So Hold Your Fire on Palestinians, Please | Steve Berman

By Steve Berman
Opinion Contributor

Tue, Nov 28, 2023

Burlington, Vermont police arrested a man for shooting three Palestinian-Americans near the University of Vermont campus. Jason J. Eaton, 48, was arrested on Sunday for the shootings that took place Saturday around 6:25 p.m., according to the Boston Globe. Two of men were wearing black-and-white Palestinian keffiyeh scarves, Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad said in a …

WHAT THE MAO? Trump Praises Chicom Dictator | Steve Berman

By Steve Berman
Opinion Contributor

Mon, Nov 13, 2023

The other night I watched “The Untouchables” with my family. My wife and oldest son had never seen it. There’s this scene where reporters catch Capone, played by Robert De Niro, and ask about the tax evasion indictments. I’ve seen it umpteen times. The body language, and the words. remind me of someone who used to be …

HAMAS: There Will Be No Bomb Shelters for Gazans, Only Death | Steve Berman

By Steve Berman
Opinion Contributor

Wed, Nov 1, 2023

The Luftschutzhäuser and Luftschutztürme were above-ground, massive structures designed to protect German citizens in World War II. They were truly a marvel of construction, and there were a lot of them, enough to protect five percent of the civilian population in 70 cities throughout Germany. These buildings were nearly indestructible, and in fact after the war, many were simply …

7 Reasons Why I Hate Halloween | Steve Berman

By Steve Berman
Opinion Contributor

Tue, Oct 31, 2023

Let’s take a detour from politics and war. But this might be the most controversial thing I publish all year. And it’s long, because I could write 10,000 words on why I hate Halloween (don’t worry, it’s not 10,000 words). Over the past few years, I broke down and participated in Halloween. I dressed up …

2014’s Message to 2023: Obama was Wrong, Wrong, Wrong | Steve Berman

By Steve Berman
Opinion Contributor

Mon, Oct 30, 2023

One of the trends on creator spaces like YouTube is “this is future me” segments commenting on content filmed in the past, or more likely, hawking a product sponsor. If “future me” 2023 had a message for us in 2014, it’s that the threats in Iran, Gaza, Taiwan and Ukraine were tests to see the …