Jurors Could Not Believe That a Reasonable Officer Would Have Done What Derek Chauvin Did
The guilty verdicts on all three counts reflect the logical force of the prosecution's case as well as the emotional impact of watching the assault on George Floyd.
Blue States Reopen Their Economies but Double Down on Mask Mandates
Connecticut, California, Oregon, and Colorado have all signaled that their mask mandates will outlast their pandemic restrictions on businesses.
The Confusion Surrounding Brian Sicknick's Death Was a Failure of Government Transparency
Blame the media for running anonymous sources, but don't let government off the hook for its secrecy and misinformation.
Weed Salvaged the Lost Year
2020 was nobody’s idea of a good year, but the ability to smoke pot in my own backyard, mostly free from fear of arrest, majorly redeemed it.
Latest
Derek Chauvin Trial Judge Thinks Maxine Waters Gave the Defense an Option for Appeal
Plus: All American adults are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, and Keith Olbermann briefly returns to the spotlight.
Montana Becomes Latest State To Protect Free Speech With the FORUM Act
Now 14 states have legislation explicitly protecting free speech on campus.
Coming Out of the Chemical Closet
Neuropsychopharmacologist Carl Hart says most of what the public knows about drugs is both scary and wrong.
The Defense Argues That Derek Chauvin's Fear of George Floyd's 'Superhuman Strength' Justified His Deadly Use of Force
"This wasn't policing," the prosecution says. "This was murder."
The House Just Voted To Let Marijuana Businesses Use Banks. Again.
Maybe this year it will pass the Senate too.
The Government Loves To Grab New Powers in the Name of Your Safety
From protests to the coronavirus, it thinks it can protect you from anything.
Biden's Infrastructure Bill Is a Foolish Way To Fight China
The effort to redefine everything as infrastructure is a gift to central planners—because infrastructure is, almost by definition, centrally planned.
The Indianapolis Shooting Highlights the Shortcomings of 'Red Flag' Laws
Although police seized the perpetrator's shotgun when he was deemed suicidal, he was never identified as a potential murderer.
Why Americans Are Suckers for Quick Fixes From Psychologists
From "power poses" to the self-esteem movement to implicit bias tests, we want to believe one small tweak will solve our problems, says Jesse Singal.
The Return of Reefer Madness in the GOP
Certain politicians and pundits are living in a 1930s fantasy world.
Can Schools Punish Kids for Off-Campus Snapchats?
"The notion that a school can discipline a student for that kind of...non-harassing expression is contrary to our First Amendment tradition."
Podcast
The Government Loves To Grab New Powers in the Name of Your Safety
From protests to the coronavirus, it thinks it can protect you from anything.
Federal Banking Regulations Force Legal Weed Entrepreneurs To Behave Like Criminals
Federal law doesn't prohibit financial institutions from offering banking service to dispensaries and growers, but the added reporting requirements and threat of federal scrutiny keeps many banks away.
Congress Is Closer Than Ever to Ending the Federal War on Weed
Democrats, now in control of both chambers of Congress, say they will push ahead with marijuana reform with or without the support of the White House.
Biden Chooses Cronyism Over Letting Puerto Rico Rebuild
The Jones Act shields the American shipping industry from foreign competition and harms both the environment and disadvantaged communities.
Andrew Yang Gets Schooled on New York Street Vendors
The NYC mayoral hopeful tweeted his foot into his mouth.
Donald Trump's Presidency Is Over. MAGA Rap Is Keeping His Legacy Alive.
Songs like "Gun Totin' Patriot" and "We Outside" might be ridiculous, Trump-worshiping schlock, but their embrace of controversial themes breathes some rebelliousness back into rap.
A Declassified Case Against Torture
Retired FBI agent Ali Soufan argues that the agency's thirst for torture made it harder to protect Americans.
Joy Reid Said Vaccinated People Who Refuse To Wear Masks Are 'Irrational.' Fauci Didn't Correct Her.
Who's being irrationally paranoid?
Pressure Grows on Biden To Rescind Memo That Would Send Thousands Released on Home Confinement Back to Federal Prison
More than 4,000 people released on home confinement could be sent back to federal prison after the pandemic. Senators and advocacy groups say it's cruel and unnecessary.
Michigan Moving To Make 'Emergency' COVID-19 Mandates Permanent
Nothing is more permanent than an “emergency” mandate.
Do Mass Shootings Inspire More Mass Shootings? If So, What Can Be Done About That?
Both advocates and skeptics of the copycat theory recommend self-restraint by the news media.
Florida's 'Anti-Rioting' Bill Gives the Government New Powers That Have Nothing to Do With Riots
Among other things, it calls for online censorship to shield identities of public officials and lets the governor control city police budgets.
May 2021
Magazine
The Last Pandemic
Technological breakthroughs and policy progress mean humanity may never again have to endure a disaster like COVID-19.