Abolish Everything: December 2024 Puzzle
"Phrase a dishonest politician rarely says out loud"
Politics
Political Ignorance is an Even Worse Problem than I Thought
I've long warned about the dangers of voter ignorance. But the Trump era and the current election reveal that, on one crucial point, I was actually too optimistic.
Your Right To Booze Could Be Impacted No Matter Who Wins the Presidential Election
From tariffs to dietary guidelines, this election may bring the biggest federal changes to alcohol since Prohibition’s end.
Us-Versus-Them: The Pronouns of Populism
Populism’s pronoun usage taps into the darker elements of the human condition.
One More Damned Time: Vaccines Do Not Cause Autism
The Trump campaign is all in on RFK Jr.'s debunked anti-vax crusade.
That Time Al Franken Kept Telling Me Jokes About Mullets
There was music in the cafés at night, and talk of liberal-libertarian cooperation was in the air.
Short Circuit: A Roundup of Recent Federal Court Decisions
Private searches, threatening tweets, and constitutional abominations.
Trump's Critics Keep Undermining Their Case by Lying About Stuff He Supposedly Said
Trump criticized Liz Cheney's interventionism. He did not say she should "go before a firing squad."
Voter Fraud Is Rare, but Many Americans Believe Their Votes Won't Be Counted Correctly
Only one in four Republican voters are very confident their ballots will be counted correctly, and Trump voters are far less likely to believe the election will be decided fairly.
Who Are Langley's Favorite Candidates?
Campaign finance records reveal what the community at the heart of U.S. national security policy thinks about outside politics.
The Wife Vote
Plus: RFK Jr. as health czar, a Miami update, Martha Stewart is pissed, and more...
New Cities Offer a Chance To Rethink How Local Government Works
California would benefit from building more housing and having more experimentation with how public services are delivered.
Voters Like Early Voting and Voter ID, No Matter What Politicians Say
Majorities of Americans want casting a ballot to be easy and secure.
To Get Through This Election, Bet on Sports
Stop treating politics like team sports, even though you can now bet on both.
Compendium of Writings About the 2024 Election and Issues at Stake [Updated]
Links to all my writings on these topics.
Newspaper Endorsements Die in Daylight
More than presidential politics or #AnticipatoryObedience, economics is to blame (or thank) for the long, slow death of a publishing anachronism.
Dave Smith, David Stockman, and Jacob Grier: Who Is The Lesser Evil?
Dave Smith is for Trump. Jacob Grier is for Harris. David Stockman says we're screwed either way.
Halloween Is a Middle Finger to Communists
China's crackdown on costumes is a reminder that the holiday is about freedom.
Partisanship Determines What Americans Believe About Crime
Americans' ignorant or capricious views on crime rates may seem inconsequential, but they have very real effects in setting prosecutorial policy.
To Get Through the Election, Use Ozempic
You might as well lose some weight while you’re losing your mind.
Voters in 5 States Will Decide Whether To Legalize Marijuana or Psychedelics Next Week
The ballot initiatives would allow recreational marijuana use in Florida and the Dakotas, authorize medical marijuana in Nebraska, and decriminalize five natural psychedelics in Massachusetts.
Bannon's Prison Sentence Is Over and He Has Nothing New To Say
Recently released and unrepentant, Steve Bannon returns one week before Election Day with his same old talking points.
Musa al-Gharbi: How Woke Elites Became Out of Touch
The Stony Brook sociologist discusses how progressives are having a hard time processing why more and more black and Latino voters are supporting Donald Trump.
Presidential Punctuation
Plus: Kamala Harris' closing argument, the FTC's harassment of Musk-owned Twitter, and more
Trump Is Not Thoughtful Enough To Be a Fascist
The Republican presidential candidate’s views do not reflect any unifying principle other than self-interest.
Supreme Court Refuses to Remove RFK Jr. from Wisconsin and Michigan Ballots
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was running for President, but now he isn't and he does not want to be on the ballot in states where that might hurt Trump.
What the Past Can Teach Us About Our AI Fears
Regulating AI could threaten free speech, just as earlier proposed regulations of other media once did.
The Year's Most Important Housing Vote
Proposition 33 would repeal all of California's state-level limits on rent control. It's passage could prove to be a disaster for housing supply in the Golden State.
Increase in Tariffs Would Trigger Global Economic Decline, Study Finds
A new IMF study finds that a global increase in tariffs could decrease global GDP by nearly 1 percent by 2025 and over 1 percent by 2026.
This Election Has Been Defined by Presidential Policy Pandering
From taxes to special loans to price gouging, the Trump and Harris campaigns have engaged in a race to see who can pander hardest.
Democrats Changed Candidates but Didn't Shift Their Message
Kamala Harris' closing pitch to voters is exactly the same one Joe Biden had been making.
Tariff Gambit
Plus: Elon Musk's purportedly illegal scheme, nicotine nation, and more...
A Look Back at the Panic Over Big Money in Politics
Law professor Ann Southworth offers a balanced take on the fallout from the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision.
The Perils of Trump's Proposed Bitcoin Strategic Reserve
In 2021 Trump called bitcoin a "scam" but he seems to have realized his political coalition includes cryptocurrency enthusiasts.
How Trump and Harris Meaningfully Differ
Plus: A listener asks the editors if there are closet Trump voters within the halls of Reason.
Trump Thinks News Outlets Should Lose Their Broadcast Licenses, Even When They Have None
Despite his cluelessness, the former president's inclination to punish constitutionally protected speech reflects his authoritarian disregard for civil liberties.
Brené Brown vs. Joe Rogan
Plus: Trump at Madison Square Garden, Florida's abortion amendment, Israel's Iran retaliation, and more...
This Political Season, Americans Need To Chill Out
People are letting politics poison relationships, workplaces, and our whole society.
Brickbats: November 2024
News of politicians, police, and bureaucrats behaving badly from around the world.
