Random Observations about...
Politics

Free Markets Make Us Sick?

I'm currently watching the last few minutes of "Is Inequality Making Us Sick?" on PBS. The documentary examines evidence that...

Reverse Hypocrisy

In the comments, Mike asked, recently: I guess this leads me to the question, what do you people think about...

DailyKos: DHS wants new torture technology

If I ever want something original to blog about, all I have to do is go to DailyKos and click...

Congressional Democrats Assisting FARC

A few days ago we learned that leftist narcoterrorist group FARC was being paid by Hugo Chavez to undermine Columbia's...

Planned Parenthood and Big Government

CitizenLink.com: Amid high-profile criminal investigations, Planned Parenthood has announced plans to spend $10 million this election cycle to ensure it...

David Mamet's Political Awakening

In The Village Voice, to their credit: I found not only that I didn't trust the current government (that, to...

Eliot Spitzer: Capitalism + Amorality = Despotism

To repeat my mantra for the last year, I'm not a libertarian, I'm a conservative. I believe a small, limited...

Liberal Fascism at Barnes & Noble

You can read that both ways, really. I've been hearing that Jonah Goldberg's Liberal Fascism has now reached #1 on...

Unity versus Democracy

Just remember: Democracy is, if nothing else, about ideological diversity and peaceful disagreement. Democracy means that different ideas and people...

UK Supports Polygamy

Rediff News: Multiple wives mean financial gains for men in Britain. Men who marry several women are set for financial...

The Fear of God: The Beginning of Stupidity

The bible says the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. In one sense, I agree: if you believe...

Judicial Stupidity

What if I said that a given state judge wasn't aware there was a first amendment guaranteeing freedom of speech...

Caring for the Poor and the Sick

Boston: Mayor Thomas M. Menino embarked on a highly public campaign yesterday to block CVS Corp. and other retailers from...

Copyright

"If you make unauthorized copies of copyrighted music recordings, you're stealing." Agree? If so, I think you'll find you'll be...

Naomi Wolf: A Facist America in 10 Easy Steps

Naomi Wolf has been in the news a bit lately for alleging that America is a nearly fascist nation. I...

Sam Harris Advocates Capital Punishment for Thoughtcrime

Via Jonah Goldberg, a comment from Theodore Dalrymple (an atheist whom I admire much): This sloppiness and lack of intellectual...

Europe and the NIE

From the New York Times, via Insty: Speaking at a joint news conference at the Élysée Palace, President Nicolas Sarkozy...

Bush Administration (Rice) Respects and Enforces Racism

Jerusalem Post: This week the Bush Administration legitimized Arab anti-Semitism. In an effort to please the Saudis and their Arab...

Doing Good, Big Time

Instapundit links to this WaPo story about young professional "world-savers" who can't find lucrative careers in Washington, DC. Armed with...

Failure by Design

One of the beautiful things about socialism (and many other non-functional political programs) is that (a) they don't work, and...

Dalrymple on the Universal Right to Healthcare

"Theodore Dalrymple" comments on a recent spate of articles in The Lancet ("one of the most influential medical journals in...

"Confronting" Evil?

I thought this was worth quoting wholesale, in light of recent (separate) discussions here on the topic of dissent and...

Was Timothy McVeigh a Patriot?

Today's random question: If "patriotism" can merely consist of having good intentions, and wishing to do what's best for your...

Ahmedinejad at Columbia University?

Via Instapundit, a question: Just a random thought on Ahmedinejad speaking at Columbia. Columbia doesn't host ROTC or (I think)...

Light Rail is the Answer To...

... what, again? When taken as a whole, then, most transit systems with light rail use more energy and emit...

ACLU Leader Busted for Child Porn

Speaking of sexual politics, I can't help but wonder how common this sort of thing is in the ACLU --...

The Tyranny of Choice

Over at Volokh, there's an interesting discussion about Barry Schwartz's The Paradox of Choice. I know an argument is making...

Bush Expands Strip Mining

I consider myself a conservationist, but not an environmentalist. What's the difference? For me, it's subtle shift in emphasis between...

FISA Fakery

We've been told that FISA limits the President's power to perform warrantless wiretaps. This is false -- Congress cannot remove...

Less Money Sent to Mexico?

LA Times: A lower percentage of Mexican workers in the U.S. is sending money to family members back home, a...

This Bodes Ill...

This would seem to be an unprecedented move towards undermining rule of law and process. An outrage was committed on...

Progressive Taxation

Incredibly, via the New York Times business editorial pages: The C.B.O.’s most recent calculations of federal tax rates show a...

Ignorance & Arrogance: The Dynamic Duo

This is something that has astonished me for a long time: People do a good job of managing their own...

Who Supports Charities?

I've noticed that people who argue that the government needs to take care of the poor are fond of characterizing...

Mental Illness, Homelessness, and How Universities Make People Stupid

Two nights ago, at dinner with a friend, I mentioned my belief that Universities (by which I mean the liberal...

The Left is Wealthy - Who Knew?

Rolling Stone editor Mark Taibbi, himself a man of the left, notes: This is another dirty little secret of the...

Al "He Played on our Fears!" Gore - as a Hawk

Malkin's Hot Air has a wonderful video of Al Gore accusing Bush's father of understating the dangers of Saddam Hussein,...

Chavez "Nationalizes" Popular TV Station

Reuters: Venezuela TV station says troops seized equipment Venezuelan troops have seized an anti-government television channel's broadcast equipment, the station...

Who Pays Gas Taxes?

I'm from Wisconsin originally; here's a typical cartoon which illustrates the breathtaking economic ignorance so prevalent in the media: Let...

Lou Dobbs' "Flexible" Relationship With Truth

In the course of addressing several ideas promoted by Ron Paul's official campaign website, I recently posted links to several...

Praise for Pet Shop Boys

Besides being quite talented, they have some refreshing common sense: Pet Shop Boys singer Neil Tennant has spoken out against...

John Edwards: A Tin Ear for Irony

When I first saw John Edwards' house, my first thought was: Won't it be rich (pardon the pun) if this...

"Rights"

In many people's minds, marriage is now a "right". (So does the government thus have an obligation to provide homely...

Mind-Blowing Ignorance on the Hill

First, the author: Jane Harman was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1992. During her six terms...

Quick Answer

Malkin: Romney is rendered speechless by a question read by Matthews: "What do you dislike most about America?" Tim's answer:...

Sojourners and Abortion

Jim Wallis's group, Sojourners, is like the ACLU in one regard: In theory, they stand for something I generally agree...

Ban the "Knife Culture"?

TimeOnline clearly thinks the "bible class" aspect of this story is most relevant. Indeed, perhaps so -- since this kind...

Cho Seung Hui: Dishing it out to the "Rich and Privileged"

Sadly, as with Ted Kaczynski, this is what I'd guessed we'd find, politically: Authorities found two three-page notes in his...

"It's all about me... just give me something."

People and corporations who view the government as their personal bank account are a serious problem. But it's not surprising...

Bush's Tax Cuts Were Progressive

I'm just posting this because I often have to refute this misconception. Via World Mag Blog: A new study by...

Of Lightbulbs and Fascism

Nice non-sequitur! Next week: My Little Pony and the pliestocine era... Irwin Stelzer in the Weekly Standard: Consider the simple...

Helpful Tip for Politicians #37

Have actual principles and convictions, don't just fake them. That way, you won't have to remember to keep all your...

Taking Occam's Razor to Freud

Pat Santy re-offers an elaborate theory as to "why psychology seems to attract so many on the left." She traces...

The People's Cube on "Progressive" Motivations

I've had a laugh or two from the over-the-top parodies (and impressive graphics) over at The People's Cube. So I...

More Global Warming Banter

I'm not really obsessed with this issue. In fact, I have no real objection to the notion of man-made global...

Jeff Sharlet on Hate Crimes: Anti-Semitism vs. Anti-Gay (Updated)

This is an example of an entry where I got things really wrong. Jeff's point below was about murder, but...

Thomas Eagleton, Rest in Peace

I see that Thomas Eagleton died last weekend. I took his class on the Vietnam war. I was impressed, and...

Michael Moore IS "Roger"

Via John Ray, from the Times Online, it seems Michael Moore is being exposed by a pair of principled left-leaning...

Australian State Dictates Lightbulb Choices

LA Times: Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull said today that Australia would gradually ban incandescent lightbulbs and require the use of...

Cloning: Great for Humans! Evil for Animals!

Today I received a petition which assured me that cloning animals was a "risky, unnecessary and cruel technology." Well, what...

"Capitalism"

The stunning thing is, "the right" is actually a creation of "the left." Think of a Democrat you know. Imagine...

Minimum Wage: How to Make the Poor Poorer

"Economics Nobel Laureate Gary Becker and Judge Richard Posner", via Jonathan Adler over at Volokh: An increase in the minimum...

Chris Hedges: Projecting Facism?

Chris Hedges, former New York Times and NPR reporter, via Volokh: This is the awful paradox of tolerance. There arise...

PETA's Fakery

One of the dominant characteristics of "leftist" movements and policies is that the general effect is usually the exact opposite...

Blame Bush #73: No Catwoman Love

Well, this is one of the most absurd things I've ever seen President Bush blamed for: Sharon Stone blames US...

Disappointment with Jimmy Carter

To reiterate: I was once a huge fan of Jimmy Carter. Over time, I grew to understand, and see ever...

The Paradox of Public Advertising

A friend of mine just made this observation: My children will never know a world without advertising in the bathroom...

One Mess Created, Time to Create Another

The New York Sun: Advocates for more pro-growth policies in New York will get new ammunition today with the release...

We Shouldn't Legislate Values!

One of the touching things about "the left" is their apparent naivete regarding the ever-dreaded "legislation" of "values" or "morals."...

Islam is Untouchable

In my previous post, I noted Dennis Prager, a Jew, was called a "bigot" for lamenting that a Muslim Congressman...

"Traitor" versus "Homophobic" (Etc.)

In one of our strange diversions (from talking about a serial murderer,) Ryan and I ended up debating (in my...

"Jobs Americans Won't Do"

Via Tammy Bruce: GREELEY [CO] - The line of applicants hoping to fill jobs vacated by undocumented workers taken away...

The New Class of Democrats

Radar Online profiles new Democratic members of the 110th Congress. Among them are... Jason Altmire who wants to clamp down...

Dishonest Rhetoric: Projecting Radicalism, Usurping Traditionalism

The Dixie Chicks, on trends in country music, my emphasis: [Martie] Maquire says she is not trying to say the...

Isolationism

There are really only two possible general approaches concerning American power in the world: isolationism and involvement. And despite my...

Appropos DeVito

You can probably guess this one already. I'm remembering the screams of outrage when Cheney used the F-word at a...

President George W. Bush (D)

As a person, from what can be dimly discerned from a distance, George Bush strikes me as a decent enough...

Those Dangerous/Harmless Iraqi Nuke Plans

Instapundit directs our attention to a JustOneMinute post about the Iraqi nuke plans: The NY Times quotes Peter Zimmerman, who...

Those Selfish Conservatives

I'm not bringing this up to bash "liberals", but one does get a bit tired of a politicial movement which...

"Stuck in Iraq" : In Which I Defend John Kerry

I've been tremendously busy lately, but couldn't help but hear about the latest John Kerry gaffe. I've been no apologist...

March of the Internet Censors

Censorship, as I hear it, comes from the right. And in some senses, that's true. I freely admit to wanting...

David Kuo: An Explanation

I was going to go with this story last week, before it was hot, but I wanted to see if...

Hugo Chavez, Adventures in Wikipedia-Land

While reading the Wikipedia article on Hugo Chavez, I noticed this section, regarding the 2004 recall election: Critics called the...

Disenfranchise This

If I, speaking as a conservative, had to summarize the strongest unifying "liberal"/"progressive" deficiency, is it the tendency to appear...

Idiotic 9/11 Conspiracy Theories

I try. Really, I try. I try hard to give the 9/11 conspiracy theories time and serious consideration. But they're...

Science Fiction and Leftism

When I was a kid, I used to love science fiction. At first, I read everything I could by Asimov,...

The Real Claire McCaskill

Well, I was going to write about the Democratic contender for Missouri's seat in the Senate, but I see she's...

Study: Celebs More Narcissistic

Yet another study carefully quantifies and confirms the obvious -- that people who base their career around wanting public adulation...

The Environment, Christianity, and Secularism

Today's news carries stories of terrorist plots, further inconvenience to travellers, cell phones and explosives, dead children, media photo-fakery, and...

In Seach of ... Theocratic Motives!

There's a certain segment which seeks to find a Christian theocratic motive behind every conservative political doorstep: just about everything...

Anti-Stem-Cell Maneuvering

From the begining this story has been about, and orchestrated by, those who would make money from embryonic stem cell...

George Lakoff on Freedom

Just stumbled across this interesting piece in the New York Times by George Lakoff, the guy who advised Democrats they...

Well, *That* Was At Least Honest

Ariana Huffington: The latest analysis by Democracy Corps, a Democratic polling firm, couldn't be clearer: Democrats need to draw sharp...

Yet Another Derogatory Term for Christians

Well, good to see "excitable Andrew" has made an important contribution to our culture. A while back, we had Madeline...

Hatin' on Ann Coulter

I, for one, am astounded at the frothing level of Coulter-hatred I'm seeing from the mainstream media. I probably shouldn't...

George Lakoff and the Strict Parent

I've long noted the paradox that the systems which envision people as basicly "good" -- e.g., Marxism/Communism, Nazism, more radical...

It's the Facts, Stupid

... to paraphrase Bill Clinton... I've been reading reviews of Lakoff's Don't Think of an Elephant. So far, I've learned...

Jesus, Pacifism, and Resisting Evil

I used to be what I'd call a "radical" pacifist -- not "radical" in the sense that I would do...

Democrats Again Trample Poor for Political Gain

I see the Democrats are again trying to take poor people, who are already living on the edge, barely getting...

Ten Ideas for Democrats?

MoveOn.org to Liberals: Choose three positive ideas - A short news article that both points Democrats in the right direction...

Separation of Church and Mosque?

Not long ago, the city of Cypress, California -- where I used to work, for a while -- "used subterfuge,...

Getting Tough on Illegal Immigration

With the some in the US Border patrol apparently working with Mexico [more] to keep illegal immigrants from being caught,...

Qui Custodiet Ipso Custodes?

Who watches the watchers? I'm not a huge fan of George Will, but I thought this observation was brilliant: [John...

Capital Punishment; the Death Penalty

Recently, in wake of the sentencing of Moussaoui, my girlfriend raised some good arguments about the death penalty. This reminded...

Mexican Drug Legalization a No-Go

Reuters: In a surprise reversal, Mexican President Vicente Fox will not sign a widely criticized reform to decriminalize the possession...

Susan Estrich: How to Win Elections

Susan Estrich has some advice for her fellow Democrats on how to win elections. I think she's right on the...

Michael Savage: Again, NOT a Conservative

I chanced to hear a few minutes of Michael Savage again the other night. What do people see in this...

Leftism Hurt Children

It's unbelievable, the harm we did to poor families and children for so many years, all in the name of...

Being "Progressive" Apparently Means...

Embracing Marx's economic theories, which were formulated in the nineteenth century and utterly discredited by the close of the twentieth....

Lovin' our Country

Today on the way to work I saw old 1980s Cadillac, with heavily-tinted windows. Clearly painted on the back window,...

Monitoring the Canary in the Coal Mine

You know, just when I'm having a nice week I have to hear about ugly stuff like this -- in...

"Structural Violence"

In my experience, the left lies incessantly: sometimes it seems to me that almost every word out of their mouth...

Some Thoughts on Immigration

One simple question: Why do Mexicans want to come to the USA? The answer's obvious -- isn't it? Or is...

Conservatives are Miserable People?

It's funny what you can "prove" in the "soft" sciences, like psychology: What the authors found was that Berkeley children...

Lying About Abstinence in Timken, Ohio

I had an interesting discussion with a friend recently. She comes from the left end of the spectrum, and I...

Jimmy Carter and Robert Mugabe

I didn't know this: When voters in Zimbabwe, the former Rhodesia, elected a black Methodist bishop, Abel Muzorewa, the Carter...

The Dubai Ports World Deal

... is looking increasingly like much ado about nothing. I have no dog in this hunt, but it looks increasingly...

Hawiian Gasoline: Aloha High Prices!

Well this was predictable: Hawaii's gas price controls, imposed last fall when the cost of fuel was hovering around $3...

Tom Erich on Christianity & Diversity

Episcopalian priest Tom Erich: American religion isn't helping. With relentless attacks on homosexuality, conservative evangelicals communicate the message that diversity...

Democrats Misplaying the "God Card"

A column by Patrick Hynes says what many observers have noticed: Democrats have some serious decisions to make about the...

Al Gore & L. Ron Hubbard: Separated At Birth?

Is it my imagination, or since his crack-up, has Al Gore begun to suspiciously resemble Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard?...

Earthlink Harasses Its Customers

My girlfriend was fast asleep at 8AM yesterday, Saturday morning -- her morning to get caught up on her sleep...

The Republican War on Science

This article will serve as a scratchpad for research on this topic; it may be updated periodically with more information...

Islam is a Race?

I've seen this sort of rhetoric used many times before... The leader of Germany's opposition Greens party said Friday that...

Stop and Ask Yourself...

Europeans, why do they hate you? Protests against European newspapers' publication of cartoons lampooning the prophet Muhammad gained momentum across...

Fisking: For Pro-Life Bloggers, a New Hubris

La Shawn is all thrilled she got ink in Nation magazine. I guess it's one of those cases where you're...

The Sheehan and Chavez Show

Does anyone else but me find it more than just a tad creepy that Cindy Sheehan called Bush a dictator...

Ken Salazar Insults Clarence Thomas

Colorado Senator Ken Salazar clearly demonstrates, like most leftists, that he relies upon personal invective and slander rather than reasoned...

Crushing of Dissent

Here's a liberal who is, apparent sensibly, complaining that liberal radio network Pacific Radio is missing a real opportunity to...

Oppose Roy Blunt, Episode 2

In an earlier installment, remarking on some trenchant Q&O observations about Blunt rigging a question & answer session, yours truly...

Oppose Roy Blunt

Republicans are suffering right now from the appearance (justified in some cases) of being willing to do whatever is politically...

PATRIOT Act: The Dangers of "Sneak and Peek"

In response to my previous blog about the PATRIOT Act and library records, "Markus" comments: I don't mind that they...

Golden Globe, Constant Gardner

I hear that Syriana handily beat out contenders such as Cinderalla Man for Golden Globe awards. Based on the feedback...

The Patriot Act and Your Library Records

Just had a discussion with a friend about our alleged loss of civil liberties here in the USA. I asked...

Pat Robertson Apologizes

Last time, I wrote (emphasis added): I hope Robertson will eventually realize the media loves him for a reason, and...

Abramoff, Ethics, and Overspending

A word for our elected leaders, from Michael Reagan, amidst the turmoil of Abramoff investigations: When my dad was first...

Capital Punishment: The Risk to Innocents

One of the prime reasons I've been opposed to capital punishment -- at least under the current system -- was...

Two Things About Kos

While the guy sounds like he's a nice guy in person, there are several things in this essay (via James...

More Noam Chomsky Lies

I mean, I just don't get it. Why does he do stuff like this: 3. Chomsky claimed that Egypt offered...

Jimmy Carter's Endangering Values

From a review of Carter's new book, Our Endangered Values, posted over at World Mag blog: While President Carter believes...

Seeing Rudy Guiliani

Tonight I sat in a room with about 1,200 others listening to Rudy Guiliani speak. Although it wasn't a political...

Progressives are Fascists

Thought for today: "Progressives" are facists. It was rather suprising when I realized this. Consider: Economic control: Someone, I forgot...

North Korean Atrocities

And yet some see... America... as the worst country on the planet??? These people -- and they are not uncommon,...

Carl Officer's Democratic East St. Louis Toodle-oo

East St. Louis alternates between hilarity and tragedy. When I younger, a judge ruled found in favor of a claim...

Deflating the Che Myth

Leftist historian Hugh Thomas: "In all essentials Castro's battle for Cuba was a public relations campaign, fought in New York...

The Beautiful Trick of the Left

The beautiful trick of the left is that they get people to support policies which are the exact opposite of...

The Bill Bennett Flap

There are many sad and deplorable aspects of the current controversy, not the least being the dishonesty of so many...

Judith Miller and the Plame Affair

I've been watching this affair since it was in it's infancy, and "knew" immediately that the reason the Times and...

My View of the Iraq War

I have written this down here for posterity, so I can reference it without re-typing it each time... Saddam has...

Anglican Liespeak

It's fascinating to watch the political (and religious) left at work -- somewhat in the same way that storms are...

The Most Violent First-World Nation on Earth...

Is, er, um... Scotland: A UNITED Nations report has labelled Scotland the most violent country in the developed world, with...

Ted Turner on Kim Jong Il

How does a guy this dense get to be a millionaire? Or, perhaps more accurately, how can a guy this...

Air America & The Pledge: Having It Both Ways

During a recent listen to Air America I heard a rather heated ... uh ... agreement (since there were no...

Demogogues, Left and Right

I've been listening to Air America lately. For one thing, these people seem obsessed with Pat Robertson. While most conservatives...

Cindy Sheehan and the Unprincipled Left

People make the mistake of thinking the left, collectively, actualy means what it says. They remind me of the sheep...

Greg Palast on Galloway

Sometimes, I actually get a twinge of hope for liberals, when I read one writing sensible stuff like this: We...

Why They Hate Us: Bush?

Powerline references this poll which seems to indicate that support for groups like al Qaeda has decreased in Muslim nations,...

Political Correctness and Propaganda

A great observation by "Theodore Dalrymple" (whose real name escapes me at the moment): Political correctness is communist propaganda writ...

Grandfather Twilight and the Department of Peace

Some things are just too bizarre for parody: Grandfather Twilight: Children are dying from bombs and guns. The moon sees...

George Clooney Hates Diversity

Apparently, it means you'll have to think: Clooney, who has just directed Good Night and Good Luck, which is about...

"Bringing Conscience to Ground Zero"

You've just GOT to love a group which is so impressed with it's own moral authority that it would hold...

Motes and Planks

I don't mind that the Canadian liberal party opposed to the war in Iraq. But we kept hearing from Canada...

Longing for Yesteryear

I want to go back to the days when Christopher Hitchens and I were on opposite sides of the political...

Exploiting 9/11

I've been following the flap about the prez's mention of 9/11 for a while now. It's amusing. After the president's...

YES!!!! A Much-Needed Tribute to Liberty

Forgive me as I indulge in what surely must be one of the most WRONG responses you ever see from...

Yo! Tarnanto on Gitmo

A few pithy quotes from James Taranto on the left's latest political dogfight du jour. Quoting Ryan Sagar: There's an...

Durbin: An Apology from Nowhere?

Like LaShawn, I had noticed this too -- yet another story (like the Swiftboat Vets) where the media covers the...

Eminent Domain: Proof that Liberals Love Walmart

A friend of mine has parents who are deeply liberal. Like the stereotypical image of the liberal American -- and...

Lookin' Out My Back Door...

Illinois Senator Durbin appears deeply concerned that Gitmo detainees were kept too warm or cool while being interrogated. He argues...

Liberal Leaders and Followers

Over at Dissecting Leftism, Dr. John Jay Ray has posted a rather interesting essay about leftist leaders and followers. While...

Leftism as a Political Religion

Elsewhere, I gave three typical examples of intelligent liberal voters who knowingly betrayed strongly-held personal beliefs in order to support...

Watergate, Felt, and Colson

An excellent point: I shouldn’t be amazed that with all the media chest-thumping about their heroism in the Watergate story,...

A Founding "Theocrat"

George Washington, extreme right-winger, clearly unfit for public office: "The very atmosphere of firearms anywhere and everywhere restrains evil interference...

Why Pick on Bolton?

John Hinderaker asks: I have to say, though, that I really don't understand what the Democrats are doing on Bolton....

The Conyers Report: Half the Truth, Or Less?

Introduction [If my wordy introduction bores you, skip to the "Analysis" section below. Thanks.] Last night I decided to tune...

Illegal Immigration: The Flood

Illegal immigration as I've never heard it explained: I've been a reporter in Arizona for 30 years. As the border...

Maxine Waters Dives in the Deep End

Sometimes, as a "conservative" -- e.g. one who thinks America's former Constitution and government form is a good thing, and...

www.JesusIsALiberal.org

Background Like many others, when I became a Christian, the question of how faith and politics mixed was one of...

When Your Enemies are Evil...

Speaking about the recent spate of food-throwing violence on the left, conservative blogger ShrinkWrapped suggests a motive: When your enemies...

Airport Screeners: NPR vs. AP

Several weeks ago, I heard a report on NPR which stated, in no uncertain terms, and (a) audits determined that...

Ann Coulter Makes Hate Speech 63% Easier!

In case we didn't have any real problems to worry about today, we can fret obsessively about this: The president...

Senator Ken Salazar: Hooves in Mouth

Colorado Senator Ken Salazar -- who I once mistakenly confused with a nice guy -- recently called popular psychologist and...

Loving Money from Afar

In response to "Money is the root of all evil", Perry Eidelbus comments: That's one of the biggest misquotes of...

Cornyn out of Context

If you been following the Cornyn flap, Beldar's got a great set of comments. In particular he complains about something...

Bush Murdered Thousands of Iraqis

"Just two buddies playing in a tractor -- and signing billions in business deals."On the occasion of Vlad Putin's visit...

Denial is a River... in Cuba?

I am amazed by the ability some people have to deny the obvious when it conflicts with cherished political theories....

Jimmy Carter, The Pope, and the War on Communism

Carter ostracizing CastroEver the Cold WarriorSometimes, it's hard to make it all the way through a MSM "news" article without...

Buying a Republic

Just the party of the people, you understand... Pointing to the left's success in using tax-exempt organizations to raise funds,...

Regulating Blogs in SF?

Liberals lead the way: Just when you thought the Federal Election Commission had it out for the blogosphere, the San...

The Rape of the Republic Continues

Gosh, I wish John Kerry had won. Who knew that the Democrats were so prescient? I mean, I always wanted...

Biden on Democratic Defense

Why Joe Biden has no chance in the Democratic Party; and why today's core of the Democratic Party cannot effectively...

Got Stalin?

To Stalin or not to Stalin -- that is the question. And apparently, it's almost a toss-up: 42 percent of...

Couldn't Have Said It Better...

Fredric Bastiat on socialism, in What is Seen, circa 1848: The more one examines these "forward-looking" schools of thought, the...

Democrats Begin to Simulate Abortion Concern

Exactly how many ways does this Howard Dean statement not make sense? "I want to reach out to people who...

What's Wrong with Anti-Trust Laws?

As a recovering "centrist" who still harbors definite left-leaning tendencies, one of the more "leftist" ideas I believe in is...

Conspiracies Within Conspiracies

History repeats. Democratic Congressman Maurice Hinchey, regarding Rathergate: Now, I mean, I have my own beliefs about how that happened:...

Noam Chomsky and the Liberal Tissues of Lies

At one time, I admired Noam Chomsky. I had absorbed this attitude, unquestioningly, through my college education. I at first...

Speech is Censorship!

Regarding Eason Jordan, Baldilocks quips, pithily: Observe as a new meme is born: the right-wing blogger as First Amendment antagonist....

Cluessless About Marriage

One of the arguments brought to bear regarding gay marriage is that marriage a private affair. Glenn Reynolds today expressed...

Pick Your Ethnicity!

Leftists are so weird. Tonight I heard a woman claim that it wasn't any of our business whether Ward Churchill...

"Widening Gap Between Rich and Poor"

We are often told about some policy "widening the gap between rich and poor." We are told this is evidence...

Why Politics Works the Way It Does

A grand unified theory of political behavior which answers a nagging question that's been bothering me lately...

Ward Churchill: Big Money in Leftism!

You won't believe how much Ward Churchill -- who just called the 9/11 victims 'little Eichmanns' -- makes each year. Or maybe you will.

Liberal Logic Loop

I've noticed this recurring pattern when debating with liberals: Liberal: Your policies are evil. Conservative: No, actually, yours hurt people....

European Relations under Bush and the Neocons

The following is from an article about how a shadowy group of elite advisors in the US have led our...

Blue State "Generosity", Red State Divorce Rate

Two popular leftist tropes... First allegation: "Blue" states (Kerry-voting states) paid more taxes, "red" states received more of the benefits....

Love Your Enemies?

"I play with them and then I smash them." "I will not enage them." "To get that close to that...

Tsunami a "Wonderful Opportunity"

I'm listening to Air America right now. The meme is that Condi is incredibly dishonest, and Barbara Boxer is an...

Doing What's Good for (Abortion) Business

Want a chastity belt? An Pennsylvania abortion-rights group demands the state legislature provide them for free. No kidding!

NCC: Human Rights Not Universal

Leftist front group National Council of Churches (NCC) is apparently doing it's best to makes sure young people don't end up improving the world...

Leftist Myth Du Jour: Bush & Phramaceutical Profits

Listening to Medved, a leftist asserts that one of the biggest money-makers these past years have been the pharmaceutical industry...

Socialized Medicine vs the Tsunami

What has killed more people? The recent tsunami in Asia, or one year of socialized medice in the UK? The answer may suprise you.

IL Churches Must Hire Homosexuals

Well, guess what? It's another installment in our continuing drama: "Protecting homosexual behavior trumps the First Amendment." Be sure to tune in for next week's installment: "Homosexual male church daycare workers mandated by law."

Guantanamo Bay Torture, Direct From Hell

Heather O'Donnell: Ten or so interrogators would gather and sing the Rolling Stones’ “Time Is on My Side” outside [would-be...

Noonan: "Mission Inebriation"

Peggy Noonan apparently believes idealism is fine for dead liberals, but wrong for living conservatives.

Homosexuality and Freedom of Speech

I have written here and here my thesis that the main "point" or effect of making homosexuality a protected category...

Separation of Church and State

Happened to hear a few moments of today's "Michael Medved" show. The topic was Bush's inauguration, and a caller, "Chuck",...

The Pretenders

Perhaps the left is something quite different than I'd imagined -- perhaps it's just the tip of an historical iceberg.

Air Marshals: Making the Skies... Dressier

In the business world, I learned that marketing copy would be of higher quality if it were written while wearing...

The UN: What is it all about?

The New Yorker: Just before Thanksgiving, John Danforth, the United States Ambassador to the U.N., expressed his frustration with the...

Review: John Carpenter's "They Live"

A long review of John Carpenter's late-80s movie about aliens. Or is it Republicans? Or is it really about himself?

Political Motivations

Derek Draper: Although politics does not necessarily provide excitement or power, it does provide a ready-made identity, one where your...

Democrats Gain in Washington Recount

AP: More than 700 previously uncounted ballots were added in [Democratic-leaning] King County after election workers, under the close watch...

O'Reilly: Crypto-Liberal?

I've argued before that O'Reilly is note actually a conservative. And this thought from "Rightwingsparkle" raises the question again: I...

Another Living Liberal Caricature

Been a bit behind on keeping caught up with other blogs, but noticed that last month Deb had attracted a...

Al Franken: "Racist"

I just caught onto the Al Franken/David Horowitz fight. Seems Al called one too many conservatives "racist", as usual without any justification. Unlike so many others, Horowitz didn't take it lying down...

DU Discusses Latest Stem Cell Advances

Okay, it may be a cheap shot to even quote Democratic Underground -- it makes the liberal position look rather...

Conservatives are Classical Liberals

Katie Grant, concerning British Prime Minister William Gladstone: Gladstonian liberalism... was a political creed dedicated to limiting taxation, promoting trade...

Liberalism and the Bible

The philosophy of liberalism, by which I mean claiming to always be "for the little guy" or underdog, is utterly...

Useless Citizens of Heaven

Garrison Keillor: I am now the chairman of a national campaign to pass a constitutional amendment to take the right...

Abortion: Deceptive Labels

Previously, when discussion abortion, I've always used the terms "pro-life" and "pro-choice" -- being fair, I figured, by given each...

Becoming a Two-Party Man

Until this election, I'd never voted for a Republican for President. So I'm not much of a stalwart conservative, at...

Another Leftist Motivation: Being in the Center

The latest bit of evidence in my ongoing question to understand leftism: The psychiatrist Hadassah Brooks Morgan says that John...

Go Away, Comeback Kid?

Weekly Standard: Every candidate that Clinton endorsed, raised money for, or conducted a campaign appearance on behalf of, lost. Toss...

Smokin': Lefty Lunacy

I think the left has utterly lost it. Or at least a much-too-sizable contingent. Yesterday, while waiting in line at...

Europe Has Its Stereotypes Wrong

Three thousand Americans killed in a single day by Muslim extremists. As the nation descends into economic shock and air...

RCRC: Manipulative Pro-Choice Language

The Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice presents itself as a faith-based group who argues that "reproductive choice" (including the choice...

Red State/Blue State Secession Nonsense

Other than suggesting a trade for Alberta (mostly in jest, mind you), I've been largely ignoring the whole "red state"...

Guantanamo and Ashcroft: The ACLU Shows Its Stripes

The left is up in arms about the treatment of the Tablian prisoners being held at Guantanamo Bay. Listening to the specifics of their complaints reveals the breathtaking ignorance of their position...

Bunnie Diehl Sums It Up

... for me: I don't even believe that the morality issue is what cost Kerry this election. But I love...

Left Moves North?

Will prominent members of the left now finally keep their promise and move to Canada, or other places abroad? Not...

Chris Suellentrop Illustrates How the Left Doesn't Get It

I'd like to point your attention to an article by Chris Suellentrop which ran a few days ago in Slate...

Election Returns / Air America

I'm listening to Air America and the spin is that since the real results seemed so "vastly different" than the...

Vote Kerry: Help Democrats Get Real About National Defense

Kerry opens a new line of attack in Rochester, Minnesota, and Random Observations is granted an exclusive interview with campaign spokewoman Stephanie Cutter.

Republicans Stealing the Vote in Wisconsin!

Republicans are trying to disenfranchise minorities in the Badger State again! Or perhaps I'm being ironic...

The Nation: 100 Deceptions

Honestly. I try to see the world from "the other" point of view. But sometimes my curiosity, and ability to...

Because He Could: Partisan Reviews

Was just browsing the Amazon customer reviews on Dick Morris's Because He Could -- Morris's answer to Clinton's My Life,...

Other People's Children

Lately I've had the pleasure of wandering around left-leaning blogs of principle. It's refreshing to find them -- I had...

Presidential Intelligence

The New York Times: To Bush-bashers, it may be the most infuriating revelation yet from the military records of the...

Gettin' out the Vote in Florida

We lost power today for a few minutes. I haven't checked to how the microwave oven and VCR weathered this...

George Soros Behind High Oil Prices?

The BBC, a few weeks ago: US light crude settled at a record closing price of $51.09 on Tuesday, up...

Flu Vaccine Shortage: Heads Must Roll!

Congratulations, my fellow Americans. You are again making me deeply ashamed of our cluelessness. First, for feeling the need to blame someone for every ill in the world. And second, for being to lazy to try to figure out who to blame.

The Trouble with Oil

Oil causes many problems in the world, and increasing oil taxes is a necessary step towards solving these problems. Or is it?

Widening Gap Between Rich and Poor

Oh no! The gap between rich and poor is widening! Gather the villagers! Grab your pitchforks! Light the torches!

Voodoo No More

Once upon a time the media laughed at Ronald Reagan's ideas about how stimulate the economy. They mischaracterized his plan as "trickle down economics". Nobody's laughing any more...

Kerry on Democracy

Kerry argues you can't "impose" a democracy on people. The question is open as to whether it can or will work in predominantly Muslim countries, or at least Iraq in specific. But Kerry's statement is at odds with reality.

Two Legs Good, Four Legs Bad in Congress

Bruce Bartlett: An Oct. 3 report in the Boston Globe recounts many of the ways in which the old Imperial...

Bush, Kerry, Trees and Timber

Who mislead us about Bush's alleged timber company? Bush? Kerry? Or, perhaps, was it FactCheck.org itself? I find something fishy about their reasoning.

History of Unabom

Via Dr. John Ray's "Of Interest" blog: Chase's take on the Unabomber is that he is the social product of...

Debate Thoughts

Was able to catch last night's debate. In my opinion, Bush looked good: confident, tough. The grimacing didn't really work...

How Not to Help Haiti's Poor

A friend forwards a template Amnesty International letter about Haitian refugees to George Bush. I take the time to write back to my friend and address some of the core arguments of the letter.

More Democrat Violence?

Things seem to have gone nuts in the last several days: As you probably know, USA Today reported yesterday that...

Why They Hate Us: Linda Heard

Why do they hate us? Why do they hate us? Linda Heard demonstrates precisely why they hate us. Clip and save this for the next time a left-leaning friend of yours brings up the topic.

"Separation of Church and State"

Only applies to conservatives... Some black pastors say the Bush campaign's appeals have made them more determined than ever to...

Kerry Cheated in Debate?

According to the guys at INDC Journal, it's looking like John Kerry might have cheated in the debates. Ask me if I'm shocked. Actually I am. I guess I'm just not surprised.

Kerry Democrats In A Nutshell...

Sometimes you can tell a lot from the little things: Random Observations about the first presidential debate, Kerry and his crew, and their actions and reactions in a telling news article...

Joining the Big Tent

I'm having a real laugh these days about who is being called "conservative". Consider Glenn Reynolds, for example. Glenn is...

Kerry Hangs with the Cool Kids

Comments on comments on comments about Kerry's comments about Allawi's speech. Or: My view of Kerry's critique of our foreign policy. Ach, just read it.

True Conservatives: Version 1

Why are Democrats currently out of power? What strategies will they be able to use to get it back? What does this mean to us as a nation?

Oncoming Dirty Tricks?

I'm going to be blunt about this: I believe it likely that people in the center of the Democratic party have considered staging attacks on themselves, of various sorts, in order to win sympathy and make conservatives look bad.

Kerry as CinC

Astonished Head: Whether the Kerry campaign had anything to do with the documents or not, their near-total incompetence in handling...

Rathergate: Rove Did It?

I'm clearly having trouble avoiding this topic, but the debacle raises too many hilarious points. I'm loving the "Rove did...