Steve Chapman is a columnist and editorial writer for the Chicago Tribune.
Steve Chapman
Latest from Steve Chapman
Why China Is Cooperating on Climate Change
With China, we have a worrisome rival and an indispensable partner.
The U.S. Launches Another Dumb War in the Middle East. Why Hitting ISIS Will Just Make Matters Worse.
For most of this century, we've been fighting wars to enhance our security, and each time, we find ourselves with more enemies and less security.
Ebola Quarantines Ignore Experience and Trample Freedom
When did it become a badge of toughness to succumb to irrational panic?
'No Drama Obama' and the Virtues of Inaction
What President Obama has displayed when dealing with the Ebola crisis are his best qualities, not his worst ones.
The Disastrous Consequences of Unbridled Democratic Rule in Illinois
Will voters keep the status quo or take a gamble on a Republican promising to cut taxes and squeeze $1 billion out of the budget?
Ted Cruz Wants to Give the President Even More Power
The GOP Senator is pushing the Expatriate Terrorist Act, which would allow the president to strip Americans of their citizenship. Really bad idea.
Can the Clintons Help Democrats Win Seats in the Midterm Elections?
Democrats who would rather clean up after Ebola patients than appear with Obama are handcuffing themselves to the Clintons.
This Is How Ebola and ISIS Could Kill Us All
Irrational fears encourage policies that are more dangerous than the threats they are supposed to defuse.
Dangerous People and Deadly Force
The priority for government agencies is to push the development of safer, more reliable and more effective weapons that can spare law enforcement agents awful choices.
Capitalism and Climate Change
The problem today is not that capitalism can't function without ruining the environment, but that the public isn't demanding serious action against global warming.
Do We Need Corporal Punishment?
Most Americans were spanked as kids, believe their parents acted in their interest, and take this treatment for granted. But the wisdom of our ancestors is often wrong.
Obama's Unnecessary, Unpromising War
We don't know how to conduct a successful war against the Islamic State.
A Few Words About Reclining Airline Seats
Face it, people: You've made it clear you want a low price more than you want comfort, so this airline has provided it.
Gay Marriage and the Limits of Tradition
We treasure the customs and practices passed down from our ancestors. And we change them anytime we want.
Democracy and Ferguson
Black residents of Ferguson should have no trouble figuring out the message here: Some would rather they vote than protest. Some would be even happier if they did neither.
What About 'Black-on-Black' Crime?
Raising "black-on-black crime" right now is not a sincere attempt to improve the lot of African-Americans.
Ferguson Shows Blacks Live in a Different America
Black Americans still live in a country with different rules, different dangers, and different rewards.
How Hillary Will Fail Liberals
Obama's presidency would be a hiatus between the military aggressiveness of George W. Bush and the military aggressiveness of Hillary Clinton.
The Intelligence Community's Secrets and Lies
Obama's loyalty lies with the spooks, not with the people who elected him.
The Courts Advance Concealed Guns
In practice, licenses to carry guns in public have allowed law-abiding citizens to take steps they see as essential for their safety, without putting their fellow citizens in danger.
Bad Policies Are Their Own Worst Enemy
Most people don't spend much time thinking about government policies, which is why bad ones can persist for years or decades.
Steve Chapman: Why Bad Policies Are Their Own Worst Enemy
Most people don't spend much time thinking about government policies, which is why bad ones can persist for years or decades.
Is Obama To Blame for the World's Crises?
In practice, our interventions often exact a terribly high price for a dismal result.
Immigrant Kids and the Fear of Disease
The insistence on stigmatizing migrating foreigners because they are not exempt from normal health troubles is an old disorder. But it's entirely homegrown.
The Truth About Violence in Chicago
Judged as a whole, Chicago is doing a lot of things right. Judged by the plight of its least fortunate, that's not nearly enough.
The Real Failures of Immigration Policy
We can send them home, but that won't mean we've seen the last of them.
Secrecy, the No-Fly List, and Concealed Weapons
Even if you don't care about personal liberties, these systems are programmed to malfunction.
When Kids Show Up at Our Borders
In pondering immigration policy, it's sometimes useful to keep in mind that we are, after all, talking about human beings.
The Hobby Lobby Decision Doesn't Mean What You Think It Means
Critics claim the ruling will allow countless companies to deprive female workers of health insurance coverage for birth control. It doesn't.
Obama Likes Secrets, Including Yours
The surprising thing about the Supreme Court's decision on police searches of cell phones was its unanimity.
Parallels Between Iraq and Vietnam
The only thing we learn from history is that we learn nothing from history.
Obama's Deficient Student Loan Plan
But thinking that more federal aid will make college affordable is like believing that a dog can catch its tail if it goes faster.
Americans Are Not Serious About Government Debt
Every politician knows when it comes to the budget, people can accept being lied to. It's the truth they can't abide.
What Went Wrong in Iraq
So what's the complaint today from those who advocated the war most vigorously? We left too soon.
Weed Isn't All That Scary
At pot dispensaries the people you really have to watch out for are the drinkers.
Obama Believes in Limited Government—Beyond the Borders
The president may embrace an activist government at home, but not overseas.
As Obama's Power Fades, Americans Should Celebrate Hobbled Government
However limited the president's power and influence in Washington, they're about to shrink. And that's a good thing.
The FBI Prospers by Feeding Fears
What begins as a temporary problem becomes a never-ending emergency.
Don't Silence Graduation Speakers
The best response to allegedly villainous speakers is to let them speak and make them wish they hadn't.
The Misinformed Case for Voter ID
Stricter new requirements may sound reasonable, but they're not reasonable for everyone-or reasonable for democracy.
The Real Vote Fraud
As a cure for fraudulent voting, a stringent voter ID law is like prescribing morphine for a hangnail. But as a cure for Democratic voting, it's hard to beat.
On Town Prayer, the Majority Has Its Way
Some Americans still stuff their faith down the throats of the minority.
