Since it appears increasingly likely that the winner of the popular vote for president will not win the election, we are already seeing calls to “dump the electoral college.” Predictably, since the Democrat is the candidate who is likely to win the vote but lose the election, these calls are … Continue reading →
Abolish the Electoral College
Abolish the Electoral College
22 Oct 2024 Leave a comment
in politics - USA Tags: 2024 presidential election, constitution law
Bill Maher on the unlikelihood of an ”October Surprise”
22 Oct 2024 Leave a comment
in politics - USA Tags: 2024 presidential election
Here’s Bill Maher’s monologue from his most recent Real Time show, arguing that voters should not expect an “October surprise”. He argues that because Trump has been so persistently awful in familiar ways, that there will be no change in his character before the election (remember that it’s just about two weeks away). He’s in five […]
Bill Maher on the unlikelihood of an ”October Surprise”
WSJ Video on Trump-Biden-Trump Tariffs
22 Oct 2024 Leave a comment
in applied price theory, applied welfare economics, economic history, industrial organisation, international economics, politics - USA, survivor principle Tags: 2024 presidential election, tarrifs
TweetI can pick a few nits with this eight-minute-long video from the Wall Street Journal on tariffs – for example, for all of their many problems, tariffs do not (contrary to what’s reported in the video) cause any net, economy-wide loss of jobs. Nevertheless, this video is quite good, not least because it features the…
WSJ Video on Trump-Biden-Trump Tariffs
Why I wouldn’t vote for Trump
19 Oct 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, law and economics, politics - USA Tags: 2024 presidential election
Nate Silver has a good way of explaining why he will vote for Kamala Harris. Before he looks at anything else, he asks is there anything that is disqualifying about a candidate. His answer is Trump’s support of January 6 disqualifies him, and there is nothing Harris has done that is disqualifying, so he will […]
Why I wouldn’t vote for Trump
Liz Cheney Under Fire for Allegedly Improper Contacts with Cassidy Hutchinson
16 Oct 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of bureaucracy, economics of crime, law and economics, politics - USA, Public Choice Tags: 2020 presidential election, 2024 presidential election
Former J6 Committee Co-Chair and Rep. Liz Cheney has long been criticized for her role in creating a one-sided and at times erroneous record of what occurred on January 6th. That includes editing out Trump’s call for supporters to protest “peacefully,” burying evidence on Trump’s offer to supply National Guard support for that day, and […]
Liz Cheney Under Fire for Allegedly Improper Contacts with Cassidy Hutchinson
Liberals are Losing their Minds over Elon Musk
16 Oct 2024 Leave a comment
in law and economics, liberalism, Marxist economics, politics - USA Tags: Age of Enlightenment, free speech, political correctness, regressive left
Below is my column in The Hill on the Musk mania now sweeping over the media with pundits and politicians unleashing unhinged attacks on the billionaire. In an Age of Rage, Musk is now eclipsing Donald Trump as Public Enemy No. 1. It began with his stance against censorship. Here is the column:
Liberals are Losing their Minds over Elon Musk
Gervais gets it right
16 Oct 2024 Leave a comment
in liberalism, politics - Australia, politics - New Zealand, politics - USA Tags: Age of Enlightenment, free speech, political correctness, regressive left
“No Kidding! No Joke!” Liberals Call on Biden to Commit Unconstitutional Acts in his Final Days
14 Oct 2024 Leave a comment
in law and economics, politics - USA Tags: 2024 presidential election, constitutional law
With the end of the Biden Administration in sight, liberal pundits seem to be striving to prove that the only difference between a law-breaker and a law-abiding citizen is the ability to get away with the crime. Popular figures on the left from Michael Moore to Keith Olbermann are calling on President Joe Biden to […]
“No Kidding! No Joke!” Liberals Call on Biden to Commit Unconstitutional Acts in his Final Days
Cleese on ‘woke’
13 Oct 2024 Leave a comment
in law and economics, liberalism, Marxist economics, movies, politics - Australia, politics - New Zealand, politics - USA, television Tags: Age of Enlightenment, free speech, political correctness, regressive left
John Cleese says woke people want to be right even if they don’t know why:
Cleese on ‘woke’
Colorado Supreme Court Dismisses Another Lawsuit Against Masterpiece Cakeshop
13 Oct 2024 Leave a comment
in discrimination, law and economics, liberalism, Marxist economics, politics - USA, property rights Tags: free speech, gender gap, political correctness, regressive left, sex discrimination
In prior columns, academic articles, and my book, “The Indispensable Right, I discuss the never-ending litigation targeting Jack Phillips, the Christian baker who declined to make cakes that violated his religious beliefs. Phillips continues to be the subject of continuing lawsuits despite the Supreme Court upholding his right to decline to make expressive products […]
Colorado Supreme Court Dismisses Another Lawsuit Against Masterpiece Cakeshop
America’s Ambitious Climate Plan Is Faltering
10 Oct 2024 Leave a comment
in energy economics, environmental economics, global warming, industrial organisation, politics - USA, survivor principle Tags: solar power, wind power
Global emissions are at records, while shift away from fossil fuels slows amid high costs, surging power demandSee By Ed Ballard and Amrith Ramkumar of The WSJ.Keeping the air clean is laudable goal, but the benefit of actions in this area need to outweigh the costs.Excerpts from the article:”Renewable energy is growing faster than expected.…
America’s Ambitious Climate Plan Is Faltering
Addressing the Housing Crisis
10 Oct 2024 Leave a comment
in applied price theory, economics of bureaucracy, economics of regulation, income redistribution, law and economics, politics - New Zealand, politics - USA, property rights, Public Choice, rentseeking, urban economics Tags: affordable housing, land supply, regressive left
Japan’s population is roughly equal to the five most-populous states of the U.S. — California, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania, and Texas — concentrated in a nation that has approximately the land area of Montana, which is only about a fourth as large as those five most-populous states. Moreover, well over … Continue reading →
Addressing the Housing Crisis
What’s going on with Biden and Israel? (and a coda about Trump’s possible mental problems)
06 Oct 2024 Leave a comment
in defence economics, politics - USA, war and peace Tags: 2024 presidential election, Gaza Strip, Middle-East politics, regressive left, war against terror
Although Biden (and now Harris) have proclaimed an ironclad commitment to Israel’s well-being, they’re acting very wonky about Israel’s behavior. First they withheld 2000-pound bombs from Israel (you know, the kind that were used on the targeted strike that killed the leader of Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah), though the U.S. rations some of […]
What’s going on with Biden and Israel? (and a coda about Trump’s possible mental problems)
“Schencking” Free Speech: Walz Makes the Case for the Most Anti-Free Speech Ticket in History
06 Oct 2024 Leave a comment
in law and economics, liberalism, Marxist economics, politics - USA Tags: 2024 presidential election, Age of Enlightenment, free speech, political correctness, regressive left
Below is my column in USA Today on the most chilling moment from the Vance-Walz debate when the Democratic nominee showed why he is part of the dream ticket for the anti-free speech movement. Here is the column: In the vice presidential debate Tuesday, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz pulled the fire alarm. His opponent, Sen.…
“Schencking” Free Speech: Walz Makes the Case for the Most Anti-Free Speech Ticket in History
“Curbing” Free Speech: John Kerry Denounces the First Amendment as “a Major Block” for Censorship
04 Oct 2024 Leave a comment
in constitutional political economy, law and economics, politics - USA Tags: 2024 presidential election, Age of Enlightenment, free speech, political correctness, regressive left
Below is my column in the New York Post on the recent remarks of former Secretary of State John Kerry to the World Economic Forum, the latest in an array of powerful American politicians warning about the dangers of free speech and calling for government controls. He joins his fellow former Democratic Presidential Nominee Hillary…
“Curbing” Free Speech: John Kerry Denounces the First Amendment as “a Major Block” for Censorship
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