Politics
Republicans Blow Another Opportunity At the Ballot Box
Abortion and the shadow of Donald Trump hobble GOP prospects.
Both Republicans and Democrats Want 'Buy American' Provisions for E.V. Chargers
When the Biden administration temporarily suspended its own protectionist policies, Senate Republicans voted to reinstate them.
Inside Ron DeSantis' Crackdown on Drag Shows
"Is there any way to stop this from happening tomorrow?" Ron DeSantis' former chief of staff asked about a Christmas-themed drag show on tour in Florida.
The U.S. Needs a Fiscal Commission Because Congress Won't Do Its Job
In the last 50 years, when the budget process has been in place, Congress has managed only four times to pass a budget on time.
'Unhinged' 'Scum' Ramaswamy Shows His YIMBY Side
"Land use restrictions are constricting the supply of housing," said Ramaswamy at tonight's GOP presidential debate in Miami.
Vivek Ramaswamy Knows That Republicans Who Embrace Cancel Culture Are Fools
"We don't quash this with censorship because that creates a worse underbelly," said Ramaswamy.
Republicans Pivot to Bombing Iran in Third Debate
Sen. Tim Scott: "You actually have to cut off the head of the snake, and the head of the snake is Iran and not simply their proxies."
Exit Poll: Most Voters Think Trump, Biden Should Not Run in 2024
Why can neither major party find someone who isn't decrepit and disliked?
'A Tyranny of the Minority': Why This College Dropout Wants To Cancel Cancel Culture
"Being a true free speech champion does require that you defend speech that even you disagree with," says libertarian Rikki Schlott.
'The Town Without Zoning' Elects a Pro-Zoning Town Government
Pro-zoning candidates in Caroline, New York, won the elections for town supervisor and three seats on the town board.
Abortion's Big Night
Plus: RFK Jr., Wichita's libertarian mayor, Hamas' death toll accuracy, the cult of Erewhon, and more...
Ohio Becomes the 24th State To Legalize Recreational Marijuana
Voters approved a ballot initiative that will allow possession, home cultivation, and commercial distribution—assuming that state legislators don't interfere.
The Best of Reason Magazine: Love, Trade, and Force: The Machinery of Freedom at 50
David Friedman's anarchism doesn't have the answer for everything. That's the point.
In Colorado, Voters Could Undo Key Component of TABOR Law
The "Taxpayers Bill of Rights" requires that the state return excess revenue to taxpayers. A ballot question could change that.
November 7 as Victims of Communism Day—2023
I have long advocated using May 1 for this purpose. But November 7 is a worthy alternative candidate, which I am happy to adopt if it can attract a broad consensus.
10,000 Dead
Plus: Trump's asset valuation expertise, surfer COVID rage, Adam Neumann's flop, and more…
No Malarkey: Even Democrats Think Biden Is Too Old
Plus: A listener asks the editors about requiring gun buyers to pass a psychological assessment.
Maine Voters Will Decide on Bernie Sanders-Backed Utility Plan
A plan to have the state take control of Maine's two private electric utility firms has divided the political left.
"The Hidden Life of Law School Adjuncts: Teaching Temps, Indispensable Instructors, Underappreciated Cash Cows,"
"or something else?," now out in the Texas Law Review Online (by T. Markus Funk, Andrew S. Boutros, and me).
20 Years to Disaster
"The United States has about 20 years for corrective action after which no amount of future tax increases or spending cuts could avoid the government defaulting on its debt."
Ideas Have Consequences Turns 75
Richard M. Weaver seemed to question whether liberal order was compatible with human flourishing. By the end of his life, he saw individual liberty as more than incidental to the good society.
Dobbs Is Reshaping American Politics
A wave of ballot measures reminds us most Americans are moderate on abortion.
Mitt Romney, Like So Many NeverTrumpers, Was Hobbled by His Own Grubby Political Ambitions
The Mormon wing of the conservative #Resistance turned out to be just as fallible as the hawks and libertarians.
Short Circuit: A Roundup of Recent Federal Court Decisions
Gift cards, strong medicine, and cloud search warrants.
Battle Lines Drawn
Plus: House GOP defies White House on Israel funding, Gaza City surrounded, SBF guilty, Republican under indictment seeks reelection
Video of University of Minnesota Conference on Potential Disqualification of Donald Trump Under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment
The conference includes a variety of legal scholars and other experts on different sides of the issue, including VC bloggers Josh Blackman and myself.
Are Right-Wingers More Prone to Believe Conspiracy Theories than Left-Wingers?
An extensive new study finds that the answer is "no." Belief in conspiracy theories is about equally common on different sides of the political spectrum.
Biden Threatens To Veto GOP Spending Bill That Would 'Cut' Amtrak Funding to Double Pre-Pandemic Levels
Amtrak has historically received $2 billion in federal subsidies each year. Under Republicans' "draconian" cuts, they'd receive over $5 billion next year.
Escalation in Gaza
Plus: Everyone's favorite congressman survives another day, the Senate passes spending bills, New York City goes to war on tourism, and more...
Is Chaos the Natural State of Congress?
The federal budgeting process was broken long before Matt Gaetz and Kevin McCarthy's recent spat.
Spending Recklessly in Good Times Is a Recipe for Disaster in Bad Times
Years ago, when interest rates were low, calls for the federal government to exercise fiscal restraint were dismissed. That was unwise.
87% of Americans Want Politicians To Do Something Before Social Security Runs Out of Money
Entitlement reform has long been considered a third rail in American politics, but that perspective might be changing.
The Southeastern Legal Foundation Is Hiring
"SLF is hiring Litigation Attorneys who are committed to putting their courtroom, legal strategy, and communication skills towards advancing our public interest mission."