Brickbats: December 2022
News of politicians and space bureaucrats behaving badly from around the galaxy.
Latest
Review: Astronauts Don't Really Eat Astronaut Ice Cream
The treats you bought in gift shops are too crumbly to eat in microgravity.
It's Been 50 Years Since Humans Walked on the Moon
The last time there was a manned mission to the moon, Pong had just been released on Atari.
The Fractal, Fractious Politics of The Expanse
Taking humanity from Earth to the stars isn't easy.
Review: When Homer Simpson Went to Space
"Deep Space Homer" aired only eight years after the real-life Challenger disaster.
The Space Force Is an Expensive Farce
Why does the newest branch of the U.S. military need horses?
From Space Regulator to Astronaut: Q&A With George Nield
He spent his government career thinking about space. Then he got to fly.
Robert Heinlein's Dream of Private Space Travel Is Coming True
A new generation of companies has made space travel affordable.
Police Killed an Autistic Teenager. Then They Filed Search Warrants Looking for Past Bad Behavior.
After Eric Parsa's death at the hands of Louisiana police, officers received approval for search warrants of the teenager's "incidents of violence or documented behavioral reports" at school.
The Red Wave That Wasn't
Plus: The editors field a question on U.S. ballot counting and talk more on Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover.
Presidents Bush and Obama Mistakenly Think We Need Their Warnings About Disinformation
Thanks, but we lived through the lies of their administrations that they used to sell us war and intrusive government meddling in health care.
Washington Has Been Much More Successful Than California in Displacing the Black Market for Pot
Lighter regulation is one likely explanation.
Climate Reparations and the Problem of Pervasive Corruption
At COP27, poor countries demand climate change "loss and damage" funding from rich countries.
Bankrupt Crypto Exchange FTX Under Investigation
Plus: Democrats retain control of Senate, RIP Sharon Presley and Martin Wooster, and more...
The U.S. Is Entangled in Ukraine for the Long Haul
Accountability, diplomacy, and planning are essential for preventing a forever proxy war.
A Potted Plant Could Beat a Trump Republican
A cult following fails to attract voters dismayed by Democratic policies.
There's No Good Reason To Expand Government-Funded School Lunches
It's an expensive policy with little upside.
COVID Lockdown Helps Bounce Democratic Governor in Nevada
Republican Joe Lombardo ousts incumbent Steve Sisolak over pandemic closures.
Maybe Republicans Need a Policy Agenda After All?
The GOP has hit the dead end of Trump-style personality-cult populism. It's time to try having ideas.
A Michigan Mayor Tried To Stop Constituents From Criticizing Her. Now, They're Suing.
Monique Owens shouted over critical speakers at a September city council meeting, claiming it was her "First Amendment right."
Blake Masters' Defeat Should End the GOP's Fealty to Trump and the Big Lie
The Arizona Senate candidate who said "libertarianism doesn't work" is expected to come up short.
It's All About the Jimmy Hats
Rethinking the constitutional defense of reproductive rights after Dobbs via the Ninth Amendment
Watch Florida Cops Arrest a Legally Blind Man After Confusing His Walking Stick for a Gun
The two sheriff's deputies have been disciplined, and the sheriff called the arrest "unacceptable."
'A Pretty Scary Moment': Dissident Chinese Students Say George Washington University Is Failing Them
The CCP’s tyranny extends even to U.S. college campuses, where Chinese and Taiwanese students fear censorship.
Biden's Student Loan Forgiveness Plan Is Unconstitutional, Says Federal Judge
Plus: Users surge on decentralized social media platform Mastodon, the fall of city drugstores, and more...
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Is Ambitious but Disappointing
There's real grief in this superhero sequel. But it falls prey to too many Marvel movie problems.
Pay Attention to Policy, not 'Narratives'
Punditry ought to be less important than wonkery.
The Election Betting Markets Fell Short. They're Still the Most Flexible Predictor.
People with money on the line try harder than pundits to be right, and they adjust quickly when they've made a mistake.
Jared Polis' Success Shows That Democrats Can Win Without Embracing Big Government
Jared Polis cruised to reelection this Tuesday on a platform that included reducing the state's income tax and giving "more freedom" to Coloradans.
Farm Subsidies and Food Stamps Won't Fix High Grocery Prices. Innovation Will.
With government meddling, many farmers end up doing less with more, and people end up paying more for less.
Oklahoma Court Denies New Evidence Hearing for Death Row Inmate Richard Glossip
After the latest reprieve from the governor, he’s scheduled for execution in February.
Reports of Facebook's Immortality Are Greatly Exaggerated
Critics have said for years that Facebook is a monopoly that can only be killed by federal regulation. Meanwhile, the platform bleeds users, its stock price is plummeting, and it just announced its first-ever round of layoffs.
Impersonators Are Already Running Amok Under New Twitter Rules
Plus: "you can't spoil what's already rotten," inflation stayed high in October, Election 2022 takeaways, and more...
Colorado Voters Approve Decriminalization of 5 Natural Psychedelics
Proposition 122 is the broadest liberalization of psychedelic policy ever enacted in the United States.
Chase Oliver, Georgia Senate Race Spoiler: 'You Can't Spoil What's Already Rotten'
As the race that may decide control of the Senate heads to a runoff, the third-party candidate is fielding criticism from both sides that he spoiled the race.
Worries About Inflation Didn't Stop Voters From Approving Minimum Wage Increases
A minimum wage increase passed in Nebraska and appears to have done the same in Nevada. In D.C., tipped workers will get a possibly unwelcome increase as well.
J.D. Vance Seized His Chance, but the New Right Had a Bad Night
Big-government conservatives underperformed across the country.
Democrats Spent Millions Boosting Far-Right Republicans. How Did It Pan Out?
And is this a good precedent to be setting?
Pot Prohibition Continues Collapsing, and Psychedelic Bans Could Be Next
Two more states legalized recreational marijuana on Tuesday, while decriminalization of five natural psychedelics looks like a winner in Colorado.
The Crime Backlash Mostly Failed To Materialize on Election Night
Apocalyptic attack ads about crime failed to drive a red wave, and criminal justice reform candidates were still successful in several local races around the country.
Voters Approve Anti-Slavery Ballot Measures in 4 States
On Tuesday, voters in Alabama, Tennessee, Vermont, and Oregon approved ballot measures that removed exceptions to anti-slavery laws in their state's constitutions, effectively banning forced prison labor.
How's the New Libertarian Party Doing? Live with Angela McArdle
Join us Thursday at 1 p.m. E.T. for a livestream with the chair of the Libertarian National Committee to discuss the state of the party post-midterms.
Maj Toure: Why Black Guns—and Libertarianism—Matter
Gun control is 'the most racist practice in America,' says the Philadelphia native and community leader.
