Rights and Democracy
God’s to Blame Too
We blame the government for bad health care and for trying to improve it. We blame it for the lousy economy and wars that never end and for the education of our children, which is also lousy. We blame it when it runs a deficit and when it tries to lower the deficit by taxing us. We blame it for the high price of gasoline and the low price of corn. In short, we blame government for pretty much everything, but ourselves for nothing. Neither do we blame God.
The Drug War: More Wasted Money and Lives
The Associated Press recently reported on some exhaustive research, undertaken by the nonprofit International Centre for Science in Drug Policy. These tireless scholars examined 300 studies covering the past 20 years, evaluating the public good arising from police crusades against drug peddling.
Kentucky Adopts Civil Rights Resolution
Following the uproar about Rand Paul’s views on civil rights–in particular, how he doesn’t think it’s the government’s job to guarantee them–Kentucky state lawmakers have adopted a resolution “declaring any form of discrimination to be inconsistent with American values.”
Do Yourself a Favor, Rand: Stop Talking
There’s no doubt about it: The tea party is on a roll. Its support helped propel Scott Brown into Ted Kennedy’s Senate seat; it led the way in shouldering aside ultra-conservative Robert Bennett in Utah’s Senate primary, in favor of an even more conservative candidate; and it was a factor in forcing Florida Governor Charlie Crist to leave the Republican Party to run as an independent. And finally, as the pièce de résistance, it saw one of its favorite sons–Rand Paul, son of Libertarian Congressman Ron Paul–win the Republican Senate primary in Kentucky, despite the massed opposition of the entire GOP establishment, lock, stock and Dick Cheney.
Mainstream Media Blues
Recent times have been cruel to corporate media. Newspapers, magazines, TV, and even radio are all battling the wolf at the door. Often, the wolf wins. Print publications especially are under the gun. Many have closed and aren’t coming back. Others are mere shadows of their former selves.
Media Disaster
Academic Diversity on the Supreme Court
Do you realize that if she is confirmed, everybody on the Supreme Court will be a product of either Harvard or Yale? All nine of them.
America’s Crusade Against Workers
But even without new laws, the government could–if it chose–wield the power to influence employer practices by scrutinizing the behavior of its own suppliers and service contractors. Pressure there could alter the tone of management generally, and slow the speedy erosion of employment quality that is now common and growing in our republic.
Worker Fairy Tale
Kagan’s Opponents
Conservative criticism of Kagan’s nomination might be getting more ink, but plenty of people on the left don’t want Elena Kagan to serve on the Supreme Court either.
