Why I’m Running for Governor of California
I want to save California and America from the dangers of artificial intelligence.
op-ed
A collection of 403 articles.
The Non-Binary Runner Phenomenon
“However, for me, as a lifelong runner who has logged 10,000 miles on American roads in the past 10 years and who has competed in dozens of races from the 5K to the marathon since 2004, I disagree with Fedorowski. Adding a non-binary category to road racing is misguided and counterproductive.”
Has the “Journal of Controversial Ideas” Become Irrelevant?
“It has published on a range of topics that perhaps seemed controversial to someone at some time (specifically, academics in the early 2020s) but certainly not to the broader culture in 2025.”
Why We Should Still Read Orestes Brownson
“What our country needs is a long-term, multi-pronged rediscovery of the true Constitution and a commitment to live by it. The thought of Orestes Brownson can help us in this rediscovery.”
What Progressives Need to Do
“No, not everyone on the Left supported these tyrannies, yet what progressives cannot escape is that much of the Left lent political legitimacy to regimes that destroyed and damaged tens of millions of lives, leaving festering wounds that still bleed today.”
Redefining College: Adapting Higher Education for the 2020s
“However, if a single mother wants a faster track to employment and signs up for a six-month ‘micro-pathway’ at a local community college to become, for example, a junior data analyst or fiber optics specialist, she will likely have to pay out of pocket.”
When Student Disengagement Meets Worker Disengagement, and a Solution
“Engagement is inseparable from hope and motivation. The top quartile of students most engaged in school are more than four times as likely as the least-engaged students to believe they have a great future ahead of them.”
Vigilantism and the Sex Offender Registry
“Social media and online articles about these incidents boast ten or even 20 comments praising the vigilante for each one condemning the act of violence.”
Does America Have a New Natural Governing Party?
“These are not new principles. They defined the Republican Party for most of its history, a party that had always included a progressive element.”
What Europe Can Learn from the American Election
Writing from Munich, Gerfried Ambrosch considers what Europeans should conclude from the rather decisive electoral victory of President Donald Trump.
Continue to Support the Mises Institute at 99%
“This is not the first time libertarians have disagreed with one another.”
America’s Return to Industrial Policy
“Clearly, industrial policy—the deliberate and coordinated governmental support of industries—is coming back, even if it is not clear yet where it will end up.”
Making Sense of Germany’s Migration Deal with Kenya
“Chancellor’s Scholz’s Germany-Kenya deal fails to address these core issues, and with Kenyan skilled workers favoring English-speaking countries, it may not even alleviate Germany’s skilled labor shortage. Nevertheless, it represents a step in the right direction, as it has German interests at hear
America’s Housing Dilemma: Building for a Future with Fewer People
“Bringing this back to the United States: While we need to address our current housing crisis, the goal should not be to build, build, build anywhere at any cost.”
Where an Anti-Aging Theory Goes Right (and Wrong)
“We need more visionaries and integrated fields…because just as the human body is a complex interplay of atomic, molecular, cellular, and systemic processes, so too must be our approach to increasing healthy lifespan.”
Burning Britain
“Political violence, particularly against minorities, has no place in a democracy. However, neglecting the undeniable social and cultural repercussions of mass immigration is a grave mistake that only serves to empower the hard right.”
Reckless Rhetoric and Its Consequences
“By constantly calling President Trump an existential threat to democracy and comparing him so often to Hitler, many in the press need to be held accountable for demonizing his millions of voters and tilling the fertile soil that produced Crooks and others like him, yet to surface.”
Why Are Democratic Alliances so Sluggish? (And a Proposed Solution)
“The democratic form of government is persistently incompetent at preparing for its own defense, despite fair warnings.”
Historical Shadows: The Far-Right Surge in Germany and Austria
“For far too long, their concerns were ignored by center and left-wing parties, and so they turned elsewhere.”
Yes, to a Palestinian State—Just Not Inside or Right Next to Israel
“There is a strong positive relationship between living under the benefits of a government and human flourishing. Those without its protection must suffer, at the very least, compared to those who are fortunate in this regard.”
Putin’s Very Limited Tactical Nuclear Warfare Options
“Anticipating what a Russian nuclear attack would look like is an important first step in fashioning an appropriate response.”
Jerry Seinfeld Understated the Death of Comedy
“In Carlin’s time, it was edgy and cool to push back against the prudish ideas about obscenity, so playing with the boundaries of the metanarrative was practically encouraged (at least from audiences). Today, quite the opposite.”
College Protests and the Limits of Virtue
“That is, virtuous striving now is something that seeks to turn our social paradigm on its head.“
What Happened to Columbia University?
“Seventy years of an educational ideology steeped in ‘openness’ has wreaked havoc on the United States, and what we see at Columbia University (and at other American universities) is clear proof of that.”
When Promoting Clean Energy, Patriotism Beats Moralizing
“The debate over whether to go green is not a debate over whether to incur costs. It is a debate over which set of costs to incur, and people’s willingness to bear tangible burdens to achieve goals supported by affluent, educated progressives is limited.”
The Freedom to Be Religious as an Atheist
“In other words, now that I have become an atheist, I feel free to appreciate and even dabble in various religions. To put this in terms of Waits Paradox: Once one has quit religion, he is free to be religious.”
Sanctimony: A Political Vice from Which We Must Escape
“Watching this quasi-religious mentality migrate leftward and displace more rational, humanistic values has been painful.”
The Age of Jihad
“As a result, an air of fear hangs over society, regardless of the fact that the likelihood of falling victim to such an attack is very low indeed. But this is how terror works.”
What Jordan Peterson’s Conversation with Destiny Can Teach Us
“Paradoxically, as the amount of online content available for consumption increases, conversations with as interesting a dynamic range as the one between Peterson and Destiny seem fewer and farther between.”
A Possible Solution to the Standardized Testing Debate
“The video games also adapted to my inputs and choices in real time, which meant they could capture my strengths and weaknesses, a fuller view of my aptitude than just a number from how many multiple choice questions I got right.”
America Has a Writing Problem. How Do We Solve It?
“According to the most recent data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), only 24% of eighth and 12th graders are ‘proficient’ in writing.”
Texas and Florida Content Moderation Laws Would Open Pandora’s Box
“A transparency mandate passed by Congress can avoid the controversial and difficult work of legally defining the terminology and specific guardrails for online safety and viewpoint neutrality.”
The Other Victims of the Surveillance State
“No doubt [Araya] Baker’s experience is legitimate, and, of course, it is true that state surveillance is a very serious problem, but paranoid delusions are real, too.”
The New Killing Fields of Europe
“Civilizational states such as Russia and China have a cohort of national and cultural values that are far more deeply enshrined (like them or loathe them) than those of the West.”
Taking a Second Look at Nikki Haley
“It is true that one of the most important rules in politics is that ‘You can’t lose your base,’ but it is also true that in order to win competitive elections, broadening one’s base is essential, and Ambassador Haley might be able to accomplish that.”
“The Great Awokening” and Christianity
“Just as wokeness has eroded traditional liberal values like free speech, freedom of thought, merit, and individualism at an institutional level, it has also eroded traditional Christian doctrine within churches, seminaries, and Christian publications.”
The Age of Unnecessarily Complicated Academic Writing Is Over
“The fact is that effective communication is hard. Clear writing is hard. For the typical undergraduate—and no doubt the typical academic scholar or scientist—it is easier to string together vague buzzwords in meandering sentences than it is to say something clearly and concisely.”
Collective Punishment for Gaza? No. Collateral Damage? Unfortunately, Yes
“Any dictatorship (and Hamas is one, of the Islamic theocratic variety) is first and foremost at war with the civilian population it controls, and then against other surrounding countries, only second.”
What Happened to the American Psychological Association?
“When the most influential psychological association in the world wants to replace an ethic of care for all individuals with a new woke normativity that is gaslighting the next generation of psychologists, their patients, and the public, it should lose all credibility.”
Nothing to Answer for: The Fearless Art of Morrissey
“Refusing to take the path of least resistance when it comes to his career, Morrissey is the antithesis of the cookie-cutter ‘artists’ favored and propped up by the modern music industry.”
Young Americans Could Benefit From Conscription, Now More Than Ever
“Although it might not have been glamorous, my time in the military helped me through challenges that currently burden many young Americans.”
When They’ll Do Anything to Stop Him
“Although the Biden administration and his State Department are rightfully quick to denounce the persecution of Navalny and how Russia conducts its elections, there are many parallels between the Navalny saga and what is happening in the United States as we approach the 2024 United States presidenti
Thomas Friedman Is at It Again
“What is certain, however, is that part two of this degradation will occur in the not too distant future, and part three some time after that, if this advice of this New York Times columnist is followed.”
Against Michelle Wu’s Anti-Market Real Estate Proposal
“If Chairman Wu were in power when Henry Ford was ruining the blacksmith, horse training and saddle making industries, she would have taxed the latter and subsidized the former. How about when computers took out the typewriter, carbon paper, and correction fluid (Wite-Out) industries?”
What Elon Musk and Bill Gates Might Have in Common
“Musk still seems to have his wits about him when managing his other companies, when speaking on longform podcasts, or when staying conveniently on message with regard to China. So what is it about X that is specifically causing Musk to lose his composure and his business sense?”
Geert Wilders: Yet Another Warning to the Center
“Many Europeans are waking up to the failures of multiculturalism and open-border policies and are demanding action. If the parties of the center left and center right continue to fail on this front, someone else will step in.”
The Failure of Multiculturalism
“We have a broken immigration system. Despite saying the right thing, [Suella] Braverman did not take much action to stop it. She ought to be judged similarly to what economists would call a revealed preference. In other words, actions speak louder than words.”
When a Different Standard of Morality Applies to the “Oppressed”
“The woke ideology does not merely advocate for redistribution of resources, but it also calls for (or at least allows for) different moral obligations according to one’s identity. This means that so-called oppressors are bound by a different morality than so-called oppressed identities.”
In Reply to Beckeld: What Is “the West” Nowadays?
“Where I may disagree most emphatically with Beckeld is in his idealization of the ‘West,’ which is supposedly currently at war with barbarous ‘non-Western enemies.’ From my perspective, much of what we see in the impassioned pro-Hamas protests represents where Western civilization has moved in the
What Karl Marx Can Teach Us about Abortion
“What better way to avoid paying for maternity leave, family health insurance, and other perks than to make sure that one’s employees never have children?”
The Media’s Blood Libel of Israel
“All of this could have been uncovered with measured reporting and a skepticism that avoids trusting the word of the baby-murdering terror group, Hamas.”
How Jesse Singal Became the Symbol of Polarization on the Left
“Whether or not Singal is wrong in his conclusions does not matter. He dared to question the truisms, the sacred cows, and that brands him irredeemably transphobic.”
Barbarians in Our Midst
“It is safe to say that the Muslims who have been spouting anti-Semitic hatred and propaganda on our streets in recent days were socialized in a culture whose values are irreconcilably at odds with ours—a parallel society that sees itself not as part of Western civilization but in opposition to it.”
Black Lives Matter’s Shameful Response to the Attacks on Israel
“Meanwhile, the silence of companies such as Ben and Jerry’s that claim to support injustice is deafening. Clearly, when the issue of state-sponsored violence against the nation of Israel is in question, silence is an option…”
Mourning for Palestinians and Israelis—and the Possibility of Peace Ended
“After witnessing the events of the past few days, I admit that part of me is relieved that [my father] died before he had to watch Hamas take away his lifelong dream, slaughtering both it and Israeli civilians on video for the entire world to see.”
As the Violence Escalates, We Mustn’t Forget the Role of Iran
“The disturbing element here is not just the escalation but the advanced level of military precision demonstrated by Hamas—an unnerving signal that Iran’s influence is looming larger than ever.”
War in Israel, War in the West
“This is not Israel’s 9/11. It is not even Israel’s Pearl Harbor. It is worse by an order of magnitude. The closest parallel is the Rape of Nanking.”
Iran Invades Israel Through Hamas
“But one thing is absolutely clear: This is war, not just a terror attack. This is war not just by Hamas on Israel, but by Iran—through Hamas—on Israel.”
The Collapse of the Kabul Foreign Aid Bazaar
“The stated North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) objective in Afghanistan was nation-building, but what was created instead, over 20 years, and fell in days, was a heavily garrisoned foreign aid bazaar.”
Understanding Americans’ Rampant Dissatisfaction with Healthcare
“As a patient, I do not want to hold hands with a robot and confide my health problems to a faceless entity. As a doctor, a patient, and a human being, I reject the currently shattered doctor-patient relationship.”
On the Incoherence of “Decolonizing” the Academy
“Ideological pressure and political conformity in the workplace, professional organizations, industry, and public institutional life are so pervasive that identity politics has all but ruined social tolerance, meritocracy, and the pursuit of excellence.”
A Practical Approach to Career Education for K-12 Students
“America’s K-12 schools typically provide little information to young people on potential careers. They also generally do not provide work experiences that help them understand practical pathways to jobs and careers.”
Checking in on “Woke Europe”
“Like the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, continental Europe would, therefore, do well to dial down the moralizing rhetoric associated with wokeness and return to the enlightened pragmatism, cultural liberalism, and scientific curiosity that gave us the modern world.”
Aliens and America’s Crisis in Meaning
“What gives? Why are people so eager to believe wild tales despite a lack of hard, clear evidence?”
The Atheist Movement Has One Job
“This is the atheist movement’s one job: to help people navigate the world and find meaning, purpose, and community in a society that has long depended on a god-belief for these ends.”
Could AI Become Angry at Humans for Causing Environmental Destruction?
“With artificial general intelligence (AGI) likely just decades away, there is an urgent need to consider the extent of environmental harm we are causing. AGI will likely question if humans are good stewards of the planet and quickly come to the conclusion that we are not.”
Why “Longtermism” Needs Anti-Aging Science to Succeed
“Assuming anti-aging science shows results, then all of those hypothetical people living way off in the distant future may include some of us. And if that is the case, then people alive today have a practical, personal reason to care how our current actions impact the future.”
Is the “Convenience Economy” Worth the Pain It Can Inflict?
“We live in a world where every conceivable product or service is instantly accessible.”
Stop Fearing the Best-Case Scenario with Artificial Intelligence
“What receives less attention but is equally consequential is the extreme scenario in which AI saves all of humanity by making us immortal. Just as we are unprepared for life-destroying AI, we are equally unprepared for our AI savior.”
The Ever Tenuous Coalition That Is the Left
“What makes this conflict noteworthy is that it reveals stress lines within the coalition of today’s Left, a coalition that often seems held together more by what it hates than by strong bonds of friendship.”
The Many Casualties of Hazing
“They were given a choice to participate, and they ultimately decided it was worth risking their life, health, individuality, and future for a chance to be a part of a group of people who ultimately couldn’t care less about them.”
How Do They Still Have Jobs?
“By any normal definition of the role of a Cabinet member, Secretary Mayorkas would have either resigned voluntarily or have had his resignation requested by the President.”
How Ideological Addiction Drives Extremism and Undermines Civil Discourse
“It is made even more dangerous because unlike other addictions, which are widely accepted as harmful, ideological addiction is being constantly fueled by irresponsible members of the political class, the press, and many on social media.”
Democrats’ Endless Anti-Institutionalism
“However, it has now become clear that once in power, Democrats, with a few notable exceptions, have largely sought to remove any impediment to realizing their agenda regardless of how time-honored or important a given tradition might be.”
The Stale Defeatism of the “Chomsky/Carlin Thesis”
“While criticizing the United States, Chomsky, Senator Bernie Sanders, those at outlets such as The Grayzone, and some of my friends have defended the likes of Hugo Chávez and Fidel Castro.”
Gen Z and a New Relationship to Work
“In the long term, it is likely that the workplace will diversify and, in turn, settle into four or five different buckets on a continuum from traditional and non-traditional, with less representation at the extremes.”
K-12 Domestic Realists Chart an Agenda to Go Beyond Education’s Culture Wars
“K-12 education’s collective illusions divert attention away from the dogged fact that most Americans, including policymakers and young people, agree on important K-12 issues.“
Elon Musk’s Bad Take on Longevity
“Zoltan Istvan, an advocate for life extension, has observed in his longevity writings that each human mind is a unique library of information. Every time a person dies, it is like losing the Library of Alexandria.”
A Government Is More Than Capable of Addressing Multiple Crises At Once
“So, to be clear, I largely favor reducing the power of the very federal government being discussed in this piece, but that is quite different from arguing that, at its current scope and scale, it is somehow incapable of addressing multiple priorities at once.”
Boris Johnson’s Most Fundamental Failure: Immigration
“After all, one of the major reasons for the Conservatives’ 2019 election landslide victory was due to [Johnson’s] populist rhetoric regarding mass immigration, including the Conservatives’ promise that ‘overall numbers will come down.’”
Internet Censorship: Democrats, Remember You Could Be Out of Power One Day
“The mainstream media has largely ignored the unsettling censorship tactics of the Biden administration, and Democrats—all the while—clearly cannot imagine a future Republican administration following this administration’s lead and censoring content that does not support the new administration’s pol
A Happy Retirement: A High Bar for High Achievers
“I had lost my ambition and with it my identity. Without CEO status, who was I? If I was not leading a company, what was my purpose? How would I find contentment without that all-encompassing fixation on achievement?”
Who Will Fix a Broken Internet Landscape Before It’s Too Late?
“Despite the enormous improvements that technology has contributed to the human condition, if we do not choose to fix the way the Internet works, there remains the potential for a digital Pearl Harbor-type event.”
How a “National Divorce” Could Actually Unite Americans
“Far from giving up on the American project, national divorce aims to renew and deepen our ability to live in harmony together.”
In Reply to Robert Jensen: The Folly of the Nazi Comparison
“In fact, most Southerners did not own slaves; nor were Union soldiers, most of whom were drafted, fighting for the woke ideals of Jensen or the Southern Poverty Law Center.”
Republicans Should Stop Pandering about Charter Schools
“I have no idea why Republicans and the GOP media fall over themselves rallying to the cause of those who hate them and who would never vote for them, no matter what.”
Arguments Against School Choice Presume We Have Options
“In short, if public schooling on average is so woefully inadequate, how can we take seriously the argument that if a family cannot afford or otherwise access private or home schooling, public schooling is a perfectly sufficient choice?”
Stop Pretending All Cultures Are the Same
“So I will say it with my heart, and others should too: If a culture persecutes LGBT people, is overtly racist, or makes women second class citizens, then to hell with that culture. My culture is better than that one.”
Understanding Why Netanyahu Won
“Whatever else one may think about the unholy trinity of Prime Minister Netanyahu, Ben-Gvir, and Bezalel Smotrich, they are, among other things, willing to discuss the serious internal security concerns that much of the country outside of Tel Aviv faces.”
Work Is About Knowledge That Pays and Relationships That Are Priceless
“And both wages and relationships advance worker opportunity, the essential elements of which are what individuals know (i.e., profitable knowledge) and whom they know (i.e., priceless relationships).”
On the Inevitability of Racism
“As psychoanalysis long ago has perspicaciously demonstrated, prejudice is universal to human nature and is evolutionarily informed.”
COVID-19 and the Banality of Evil
“Compulsory obedience can especially be seen in how the Democratic Party has changed since the election of President Biden in 2020. Before he entered office, COVID-19 was more accepted as an important and legitimate issue.”
Russia Will Pursue Desperate Strategies After It Exhausts Its Missile Supply
“Aside from the fact that history shows that rockets are far more useful at inflicting damage against military than civilian targets, their misuse may indicate an underlying strategic desperation in the Kremlin.”
The First Metaverse Nation
“What is new, in this case, is that the people of Tuvalu are hoping their future metaverse-based civilization will continue to function as a state and will be recognized internationally as a proper nation.”
The Complexity Paradox
“We are great at handling complexity until things get really, really complex.”
Putin’s Nuclear Threats Show that Jacinda Adern is Wrong About Nuclear Weapons
“[Prime Minister Ardern] is correct that nuclear weapons arsenals carry with them great risks of widespread destruction. However, the greatest risk lies in committing not to use them.”
Iran’s Uprising: Precursor to a New Revolution
“The unrest that flared up in response to [Mahsa Amini’s] death has been virtually unprecedented and provides the international community with perhaps the clearest reminder that the Iranian people abhor authoritarianism.”
Why I Support Australian Republicanism
“A republic represents the ability for Australians to recognize formally what has been long known: that we are willing and capable of charting our own future released from the bonds of the past.”
Friendships as Pathways to Upward Income Mobility
“For example, if poor children grew up in a neighborhood where 70% of their friends were wealthy, their future income on average will increase by 20%, similar to the effect of going to a four-year college.”
Salman Rushdie: The Antithesis to Moral Cowardice
“Leading by example, Rushdie refuses to be intimidated into silence.”
When It Comes to Iran, Say “No” to Appeasement
“Without an enemy to demonize, the Islamic Republic would have to answer for its many and grave failures.”
Peter Buxtun, the Hero of Tuskegee, 50 Years On
“In later interviews, Buxtun would shrug off the accolades he later received for his whistleblowing. ‘I don’t want to be embarrassed by an oversupply of compliments. I am who I am,’ he would tell bioethicist Carl Elliott in 2017.”
The Acute Danger of Iran’s Belligerence
“Our collective inability to push back against such a hateful worldview by holding Tehran accountable for the terror it is has funded and weaponized could soon prove to be a costly mistake.”
If the Horseshoe Fits: Illiberalism Across the Political Spectrum
“While far-right ideologues make no secret of their illiberalism, their counterparts on the Left tend to cloak theirs in the language of equality.”
On Finland’s Memorandum with Turkey
“Finns should decide their own fate. Their pact with Turkey signals the opposite.”
Like in Ukraine, We Must Recognize Iranians’ Right to Resistance
“Political leaders in the United States are increasingly recognizing the vitality and capabilities of the Iranian resistance movement and are looking for ways to empower it.”
The Great American School Tragedy: The Coronavirus and Students
“So while parents are generally satisfied with what schools did under trying and unprecedented circumstances, they have good reason to be worried about the pandemic’s effects on their children’s academic and emotional well-being.”
Narrative Ethics: A Modest Proposal
“I wryly refer to the universal adoption of narrative ethics as a ‘modest proposal’ because while telling stories is a fundamental part of human nature, telling stories in perfectly ethical ways is, unfortunately, too often alien to our nature.”
On “The Diversity Paradox”
“Similarly, while professional hockey is considered to have an under-representation problem, the same is not considered true for the National Football League or National Basketball Association, in which African Americans are very over-represented.”
Why the Left Is Accepting Finnish NATO Membership
“With that said, however, as a country with a 70-year commitment to welfarism, it would not be desirable to substitute this for Russia’s brand of plutocratic capitalism.”
When Anti-Israel Bias Finds Its Way into Coverage Choices
“Our media’s acceptance of anti-Semitic narratives is eroding Israel’s standing in the world and, in turn, the nation’s ability to defend itself against an enemy that has long ago broken its borders and used its very liberalism against it.”
The Term Woke Is Losing Its Punch
“It was a linguistic indication that revolutionary consciousness had made ‘the long march through the institutions.’”
The Pandemic Is a Chaos Narrative
“Chaos narratives, however, defy our narrative expectations. There is no order, sense, or logical chronology but, instead, suffering without an apparent purpose or meaning.”
Do David Brooks and the New Right Share Common Threads?
“The general public—and not the elite—is, in fact, the primary obstacle to the New Right’s political project.”
Why Putin’s Russia and Xi’s China Are Cozy Bedfellows
“Why is there this close bond? Why does China do nothing in response to President Putin’s bloodlust?”
Nuclear Iran—Why the Islamic Republic Is Not the Actor We Think It Is
“As the only Western journalist allowed to enter Iran prior to its presidential elections back in 2017, I followed then-candidate Ebrahim Raisi on the campaign trail. Whatever illusions I had about Iran and its ambitions melted under the sheer brutality of his war rhetoric.”
Kids and the Coronavirus: Unintended Consequences Two Years Later
“So, we have been living in two pandemics, but only one has dominated our public health discussions.”
Ukraine and “The Fog of War”
“Amid the memes and rhetoric, there has been much in the way of propaganda, unverifiable information, and outright lies that seem, at times, not to be appreciated for what they are.”
What Whoopi Goldberg Got Wrong about the Holocaust—and Why It Matters
“Only days before Goldberg made her ill-informed comments, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) changed its definition of racism to ‘The marginalization and/or oppression of people of color based on a socially constructed racial hierarchy that privileges white people.’”
No to Money for Hostages
“When I was imprisoned in Iran, I made it clear to the Swiss ambassador to let the Trump administration know not to offer any money in exchange for my release.”
If the Pendulum Doesn’t Swing Back
“The implication is that culture and politics can be thought of as the bob of a pendulum swinging back and forth mechanically between the political left and the right, and that, at the moment, we are simply at the leftward amplitude of such a process.”
When It Comes to Medical Aid-in-Dying, We Must Protect the Vulnerable
“Many such persons will have internalized the idea that they constitute an inconvenient and expensive burden on loved ones, as well as the healthcare system. Legalizing MAID risks reinforcing that message.”
Why I Oppose the JCPOA
“As a former political hostage in Iran, I oppose the efforts to revive the current agreement as it stands. I will explain my reasoning and what I believe is the best path forward.”
A Question for Frances Haugen: Who Decides?
“The question, however, remains: Would politically motivated government officials make better decisions than executives at these companies, and would these decisions be fairly applied to all users?”
It’s Time to Move Away from Outward Markers of Jewish Belonging
“One thing I chose not to do was circumcise my child. While many of my secular compatriots still feel an affinity for this practice as a ‘tribal marking,’ I find it intellectually and ethically difficult to defend.”
What Motivates Retail Cryptocurrency Investors?
“Contrary to the Bitcoin apostles I met at the conference all those years ago, contemporary owners of cryptocurrency seem to be more interested in its speculative properties than its potential as an alternate currency or stable store of value.”
Can Australians Trust the Americans after Kabul?
“As a result of this debacle, it now seems reasonable to question whether Washington is competent enough to assure Australia’s security.”
Letter to the Editor: In Reply to “Buy Out the Settlers”
“Therefore, what possible reason is there to believe that simply bribing a few Jews out of a few homes in the West Bank will result in Hamas and Fatah making peace with Israel?”
Liberal Democracy Lives on the Page, Not the Screen
“Here, I would like to reflect on the optimal mechanisms for sustaining the rational mindset that undergirds liberal democracy.”
Are Cities Heading for a Fiscal Crunch?
“Although they are run down, many still boast high local taxes. Sadly, this forms a vicious cycle of adverse selection, spiraling tax rates, and underfunding. “
Biden’s Tax Policies Would Hamstring Economic Recovery and Social Mobility
“The recovery itself is likely to be the largest job creator this decade.”
In a Future Driven by Artificial Intelligence, “Career Adjacency” Offers Humans Agency
“However trendy this new semantic shift, the word is more relevant than ever: “Career adjacency” is now the future of human work.”
How the “New Atheists” Deradicalized Me
“New Atheism had taught me always to demand evidence; and the evidence revealed that, historically, political radicalism had been a major source of violence and inhumanity…”
To Prevent Politics and Reality from Breaking Up, Keep It Local
“Therefore, if we want to ward off a divorce between our political narratives and reality, perhaps the best thing we can do is bring political affairs as close as possible to our lived, everyday realities.”
Is Inflation Finally Going to Be a Problem?
“Finally, the mere expectation of inflation can actually bring it to pass.”
The Facebook Oversight Board: How to Make It Actually Work
“Accordingly, we believe that Facebook could streamline its appeals process by following the guidelines suggested above.”
Why We’ve Committed Ourselves to Fighting Online Censorship
“We believe this question of censorship is a non-partisan concern that will deeply affect the ability of our country to achieve fairness and progress going forward.”
Is the National Debt Finally Going to Be a Problem?
“As President Joe Biden unveils his own ambitious spending plans, it is worth asking if the national debt is finally going to have its moment.”
Everybody’s Getting the Filibuster—and the Senate—All Wrong
“But let us be clear: It is not fair to claim that the filibuster is a ‘relic of Jim Crow,’ either.”
Knowing Which “Hill to Die On”
“Idealists, in order to change the systems in which they exist, must usually remain in that system.”
Age Quod Agis
“From Saint Ignatius, this short phrase’s message is straightforward yet powerful: Do what you are doing.”
The Politicization of “Zack Snyder’s Justice League”
“Fixated and obsessed with Superman’s ‘whiteness,’ Phillips cannot appreciate a movie for what it is, content instead to completely misinterpret it in order to make her misguided social beliefs more palatable.”
Is Gen Z Really So Different?
“Coming of age in the 1990s, the state of the world seemed every bit as dire to me as it does to many ‘Zoomers.’”
Local Decision-Makers and Keeping Kids Active During the Pandemic
“Yet, paradoxically, it appears as a nation that our collective response to the pandemic has exacerbated the pre-existing epidemic of physical inactivity amid efforts to protect people’s health.”
Confessions of a High School English Teacher
“Because of the comments I had heard from people in the department and from our department head, I was scared my contract would be not be renewed if I revealed my political preferences.”
The Capitol and Democracy Both Qualify as “Sacred”
“The immediate danger of the Capitol attack has ended. However, the work of repairing the tear in the fabric of our nation has only just begun, a task we neglect at our peril.”
Taking an Oath upon the Constitution, Rather than the Bible
“While laws do not and absolutely should not regulate a politician’s religious practices, the time and place for these practices is not when taking an oath of office.”
How to Harness Tribalism to Unify Americans
“To the contrary, we can take advantage of certain aspects of our tribal nature to ease tensions between groups and, critically, to pursue common goals that are important for human flourishing.”
The Foe We Need Is the Foe We Have
“At a time when we are losing a grip on the fundamentals of the American Experiment, a powerful foe has arisen that stands in direct opposition to those fundamentals.”
The Term Limit Catastrophe: Ted Cruz’s Massive “Brain Drain”
“In the nation’s capital, power will always remain; the only question is who has it.”
When Discussing Loan Forgiveness, There’s More Than Just Student Debt
“Relief that starts and stops with student loans is merely distracting from larger issues.”
Why I Don’t Celebrate Black History Month
“When we, as a nation, celebrate these heritage months, all that takes place is pandering and more of an unfortunate tendency: dividing people—in the 21st century, no less—by race.”
Social Media and the Fraught Question of Regulation
“But, with that said, many of the problems that are blamed on social media run much deeper and require broader societal solutions than just legal controls on social media.”
Contra Bridget Phetasy, We Should Not Abandon Partisan Politics
“Given the fact that humans are competitive by nature, how could politics not become some version of a team sport? It is true that hyper-partisanship is not great, but the game is what it is.”
In Response to a Worthy Critic
“I will close here by thanking Senatore for his thoughtful critique of my review. I hope that this response convinces him that my ‘sweeping statements and feel-good-isms’ are not wholly without merit!”
Letter to the Editor: A Much-Needed Reality Check
“Writers like Koenig would be wise to recognize that when it comes to the intense, tribalistic, and bad-faith rhetoric (and actions) that have contributed to American decline, there are at least two sides to the story.”
Mr. President, Please Consider Following John Adams’s Example
“So, if President Trump sticks to his plans not to attend the inauguration of President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, he has a remaining option that still very much respects the peaceful transfer of government set into place by our nation’s Founders.”
The Woke Mob vs. the Trump Mob: the Real Double Standard
“There is a real double standard at work. It is a glaring one, not the one President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris claim exists but, rather, the one they want to gaslight us into accepting.”
The Trump Putsch
“While I am happy to endorse some of President Trump’s policies, I am not willing to endorse his self-serving legal maneuvering simply for the sake of these policies I support.”
A Janus-faced America
“Yet, despite the extremes we have confronted this year, there might be a way of turning away from this ‘great divide.’”
America Was Founded in “Brotherly Love”—Not Slavery
“All of these Lenape ideas are documented in Penn and Tamanend’s treaties and would later find their way into the Constitution of the United States.”
In Reply to Tim Wise: America’s Past on Race Should Not Be Oversimplified
“The toxic consequences of drawing a crude line between America’s past and the state of our modern institutions cannot be understated.”
Jordan Peterson Biographer on Why People Hate Him So Much
“One can readily see why someone who has committed any part of his life to fighting ‘white privilege’ today would resent Peterson personally.”
What Is a Cult, Anyway?
“The word ‘cult’ is tossed around quite frequently in media, but few can offer a precise definition.”
How Democrats Can Win Back Cuban and Venezuelan Voters
“For those accustomed to political polarization, it is easy to transition into this hyper-polarized political climate in the United States and readily pick a side.”
“Won’t Somebody Please Think of the Children”
“By becoming so concerned about the plight of children, we have become child-like ourselves.”
Is the West “at War with Islam”?
“This becomes painfully clear when it is one’s own city that is being attacked. I had cycled through the neighborhood a mere 30 minutes before the attack commenced.”
America: Strained But Strong
“Hopefully, the reality of neither party being dominant will translate into a shared recognition that virtues like tolerance must be rediscovered and resuscitated in our political life.”
A “November Surprise”? History Shows That’s Possible
“The following examples remind us that no presidential race is over until the votes are counted.”
Appreciating the Legacy of James Randi
“The Canadian-born James Randi, who passed away this past week at the age of 92, will surely be remembered as a modern-day Lucian.”
What Struck Me Watching the Final Presidential Debate
“Our public discourse must turn away from retrospective litigation and verbal crossfire and, instead, shift towards real politics…”
Boredom: a Double-Edged Sword, for Individuals and Society
“Compared to these other negative emotional states, boredom might seem like a trivial complaint. However, boredom can cause real problems if not directed towards healthy and constructive behaviors.”
The Politicization of Psychiatry
“Given the numerous historical antecedents, it is likely that—probably sooner rather than later—politics would get in the way of such clinical assessments.“
In Praise of Trump’s “Platinum Plan” for Black Americans
“Many on the Left imply that President Trump’s initiative is just about pandering to black Americans; however, I see his plan as a roadmap to prosperity and fairness.”
Gangs Drive Surging Homicide Rates
“Gang violence is not ‘gun violence.’”
What Ever Happened to Answering the Question?
“These were not typical evasions regarding policies; they were evasions regarding principles.”
Assuaging Conservatives’ Fears about a Biden Presidency
“The former option is President Trump; the latter is politics.”
Members of Congress Should Live Together, But Not in Dorms
“…I propose the Republican Party and the Democratic Party collectively raise money from private donors to build a 535-unit townhouse neighborhood in Washington, D.C., where all of our elected representatives will live together along with their families…”
A Few Reflections on the Death of Breonna Taylor
“Yes, racism does exist. Yes, Breonna Taylor’s death was a tragedy. However, Breonna Taylor’s tragic death is not rooted in racism.”
Changing My Mind on Universal Basic Income
“With 14 million Americans suddenly plunged into indefinite unemployment, has UBI become more popular? It seems like the answer is yes and no.”
Tax Evasion and the Catholic Church’s Plank in Its Eye
“But the hard fact is that the Vatican’s vast untaxed riches—and the Church’s tax-exempt status in many countries—make it impossible for [Pope Francis] to avoid charges of hypocrisy.”
“The American People”—a Phrase Worth Discarding
“…there are perhaps a few other aspects of the phrase that ought to make it first on the chopping block when considering which expressions really out to be expunged immediately from our national discourse.”
Don’t Blame Free Speech for Extremism
“Free speech does not enable extremism. Quite the contrary: It is the primary means to challenge wrongheaded attitudes, ideologies, and belief systems.”
The Grift That Keeps on Grifting: the Troubling Issue on Campus
“One of the most common questions posed by those trying to fight this is: What can we do to stop this? As someone who works in education and higher learning, I can provide three potential options…”
“Systemic Racism”: a Popular Illusion
“These slavery and race theorists are correct about the existence of the stain but wrong about it being indelible.”
Bob Woodward and “Citizen Trump”
“President Trump was acting as the United States’ cheerleader, his Republican supporters argue. He was derelict in his duty to protect the American public, charge his Democratic opponents.”
Searching for Common Meaning in the Age of Polarization
“It is not between Red and Blue states; it is a battle about whether there is meaning outside of politics.”
When the Press Is Just as Guilty of “Election Interference”
“As for now, journalists of Goldberg’s type are simply in the electoral interference business; and they just so happen to be doing it from within the United States’ own borders and from beneath the mastheads of once-respected magazines.”
Secretary Mattis and “Meditations” on Trump
“Secretary Mattis’ words are a warning and a reminder that our roots were born not of anger but of a deeply felt awareness of human limitation.”
In Gratitude for the Executive Order on Critical Race Theory
“The Melting Pot is a quaint notion now perhaps (and no longer widely taught to curious young boys and girls), but I find it useful as a basic counterimage to the sophisticated, academic concept of Critical Race Theory now being taught.”
“Holding the Powerful Accountable”—Empty Words?
“The holding the powerful accountable phrase resonates as it does—and, presumably, is chosen by the news media’s back-patters—because it is, indeed, precisely what a news media should be doing.”
How Looting Destroyed Venezuela: a Cautionary Tale
“And one particular author, Vicky Osterweil, has shamelessly written a book entitled In Defense of Looting.”
For This Black Woman, the GOP Feels Like Home
“Suddenly, the Grand Old Party was no longer seen as white, privileged, and wealthy. Instead, it was truly the party of social justice, freedom, economic opportunity, and the American Dream.”
Don’t Run Away, Conservatives
“But it feels myopic to interpret this as a larger victory or cheer for more of the same, especially if the ultimate goal is to restore some sense of ideological pluralism to mainstream institutions.”
When the Media Is Far from Being an “Arbiter of Truth”
“And when anyone sees past the illusion of impartiality, thereby revealing the propaganda’s true form, the media recovers with yet more gaslighting: You are merely imagining things.”
On Robert Orlando’s “Citizen Trump”
“To do so, he tells President Trump’s life story in the cinematographic style of Citizen Kane, incorporating the iconic snow globe, the campaign poster, and even the mysterious word (‘Rosebud’) that is central to Orson Welles’ masterpiece.”
On Tucker Carlson and Sycophants
“Regardless of whether President Trump succeeds in his bid for re-election to the White House, those who think and speak like Carlson will likely suffer no retribution for throwing red meat to his base.”
The Singular Courage of Tucker Carlson
“In the United States today, this is the language of the revolution’s media advance team. They want to silence one of our most prominent voices of opposition…”
The Case for Free Vaccines
“In the meantime, perhaps given their impressive track record, free-to-consumer vaccines are something we can all get behind.”
Creating an Ethos of Individualism in China
“Although China exhibits authoritarian characteristics, this, by no means, presupposes that liberty is incompatible with its people’s worldview.”
Freedom Requires Courage
“But now, being made ‘uncomfortable’ or being associated with unpopular company is sufficient reason to abandon principle.”
We Need Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, Now More Than Ever
“We must first understand this socialist culture of the woke who seek to control what we think, what we say, and how we live. We must believe—like Solzhenitsyn did—that the truth can defeat them.”
The Harper’s Letter: When the Boring Becomes Incendiary
“Since the response to the letter was far from boring, two things can be asserted. First, a growing minority no longer believes free speech to be valuable. Secondly, those who do believe in free speech no longer believe that it is fully operational.
The Shadow of Progress
“In a worldview that prizes purity above progress, the flawed and erroneous are stains to be expunged. Their remembrance is not only deplorable but damning by association.”
Synecdoche, New York and Synecdoche, Croatia
“Something very similar—and, only slightly less surreal—is currently happening in the Republic of Croatia.”
The Unimaginative Hysteria of Umair Haque
“Never mind that it is the Trump administration standing up for Uyghur Muslims, actual victims of genocide, by imposing sanctions on CPC officials this past week.”
The Dangers of Politicizing the Coronavirus
“It is not often that everyone in the country faces the same towering life-and-death challenge all at once, which is why we should drop the cheap partisan smears and start talking honestly about the greatest threat we have confronted in a generation.”
Anti-Racism Demonstrations That Are Just Too Much
“Those doing things like reenacting a slave raid may have noble intentions, but they are sending the wrong message.”
When Censorship Is Outsourced to the Private Sector
“Our commitment to the rights of others to express themselves, even if they hold heinous beliefs, is something uniquely American, and it is perhaps the finest piece of our cultural heritage.”
Notes on Change and “First World Problems”
“And as the COVID-19 crisis that has changed seemingly everything shows, en masse unemployment and distrust of the federal government is now a “first world reality.””
Liberate the Other Half: Empowering the “Back Row” of America
“Rather than cracking down on higher-income Americans, it is past time to liberate the other half.”
Parallels Between the Coronavirus and Refugee Crises
“This is a perfect example of why a global problem needs a single multilateral response, and not various contradictory unilateral responses.”
How Mexico’s Drug Cartels Have Exploited the Pandemic
“In Mexico, the most effective influencers are either politicians or drug lords.”
Why People Hate Jordan Peterson So Much
“Peterson continued, ‘So the Soviets really implemented and perfected the idea of class and ethnicity based guilt, and it’s a very bad road to walk down, and it’s something that we’re very much engaged in at the moment.’”
Where Is Spike Lee?
“Lee has already proven that he is one of the greatest film directors of all time; now is his time to prove that he is also a responsible influencer upon society at large.”
The Cultural Imperialism of Protest
“Yet I see it more as yet another form of cultural imperialism. It takes an American victim to be brutalized in order for the whole world to come out and protest.”
Colin Kaepernick and a False Dichotomy
“It probably also guarantees he will not be standing anytime soon, given that these are highly charged social issues which are deeply complex and are probably not going to be ‘fixed’ in the foreseeable future.”
Mattis Biographer: Why General Mattis Is Wrong
“Wouldn’t a simple statement of solidarity with the protestors and his personal commitment to help heal the nation be the right use of the General’s reputation and leadership?”
Republicans Do Still Buy Sneakers
“And so, in an age of divisive politics, Nike had suddenly found a way to embrace and commodify protest; they would have a free marketing base like no other…”
Liberals Are Not Immune from the Pull of Authority
“My two cents is that respect for authority is neither a particularly conservative nor liberal trait. Rather, conservatives and liberals hold reverence for different categories of authority and the actors that operate within those spheres.”
Amid Widespread Unrest, Conservatives Must Respond Correctly
“When criticizing this violent upheaval, will [conservatives] go for the low-hanging fruit and come up with absurd, cheap explanations for what is going on? Or, will they engage in serious reflection to prevent this from happening again?”
Will Words Win the Day: Jargon and the Pandemic
“So, how do doctors, scientists, and everyday people traverse the COVID-19 landscape, where each passing day seems to provide new information and new “theories” about our current predicament?”
Joe Biden’s “You Ain’t Black” Comment Is Deeply Concerning
“I can only hope that in this election African American voters cast their ballots on the basis of what each candidate proposes—and not on the basis of what they think their racial essence ought to be. That is what real liberation is all about.”
How Feasible Is Mexico’s Re-Opening Plan?
“According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OCDE), Mexico is the country within the organization that has the lowest levels of testing: at 0.4 tests per thousand inhabitants.”
To “The Last Dance’s” Critics, At Least Michael Jordan Isn’t a Hypocrite
“Basketball fans endlessly discuss whether Michael Jordan or LeBron James is the greatest basketball player of all time. The jury may still be out on that one, but in my book, off-court James is definitely the lesser man.”
Is the Recent Coup Attempt in Venezuela Just the Beginning?
“So, it may seem as if the recent failed expedition against Maduro is a major blunder. However, I would like to think that this is only the beginning, and that those Rambo wannabes may have actually sparked a greater desire for liberation among Venezuelans.”
Understanding Belarus’ Upcoming Presidential Election
“Belarusian independence would become, however, a package of unfulfilled promises.
The Coronavirus Must Alter Our “Normal Way of Life” Going Forward
“If the global social discourse continues to be one where we ignore what does not directly affect us, then when the next global emergency occurs, governments will fail people again.”
Given Tara Reade’s Allegation, the Left Should Reconsider Support for Biden
“It should be deeply disturbing for voters on the Left of the Democratic Party to vote for a candidate who, not only is likely to have sexually assaulted a woman—but who used a position of power to do it and get away with it for years.”
America’s Pastime in the Age of Coronavirus
“Embodying much of the American spirit, baseball once again finds itself on the frontline, being utilized for political gains, with any rebuke of the MLB’s return likely to be chalked up as un-American or—worse still—shouted down as a commie act.”
Applying Coronavirus-style Problem Solving to Climate Change
“It’s by some cruel twist of fate that both the virus and climate change appear to be treatable by the deceleration of society.”
Higher Education Was Already in Trouble Before the Coronavirus
“The pandemic, while it has undeniably worsened the outlook for many institutions, has only exacerbated and brought into sharper relief some of the extant forces threatening to pop the higher education bubble.”
Herodotus and Long-Standing Problems in Anthropology
“Regrettably, in more recent times, anthropology (and the humanities in general) has placed excessive, imbalanced value on emic.”
The Coronavirus Response Does Not Take Place in a Vacuum
“Similarly, University of Zurich researchers in 2015—using data from the time of the Great Recession—estimated that unemployment causes 45,000 suicides per year.”
Principles and the Virus
“I know of no law forbidding our vanquishing of COVID-19; the knowledge of how to do so is therefore discoverable, and our foe is extinguishable.”
Why the Inequality Debate Just Goes ‘Round and ‘Round
“And here, perhaps lies the problem: the single tax’s indiscriminate generosity is its undoing. You cannot offer both sides what they want without dissolving the distinction between them.”
Has the Media Been Partner to a Widespread Mishandling of the Coronavirus?
“Reports about do-not-resuscitate orders being contemplated by hospitals began overwhelming the airwaves until Dr. Deborah Birx directly and publicly disputed these claims.”
The New York Times’ “1619 Project” Was a Long Time Coming
“More recently, The New York Times’ Nikole Hannah-Jones has gone on an antiracism crusade by coming up with the 1619 Project.”
Civil Liberties Still Matter, Even During a Pandemic
“However, reconceptualizing fundamental rights is a serious matter. As such, we must guard against measures such as these continuing to shape our civic life, politics, and economies—even long after this pandemic has passed.”
When Gender Violence Outpaces the Coronavirus in Mexico
“What similarities we have are dwarfed, however, by an immense difference. At the beginning of April, Ana Paola—at the age of 13—was raped and killed in her home in Nogales, while I write this safely from between the covers.”
A Good Friday Reflection: Who Killed Jesus?
“In telling their foundational story, the evangelists sought Rome’s favor by portraying Pilate and Roman authorities in a more benevolent light, thus representing Jews as the real culprits in Jesus’ death.”
When Jordan Peterson’s Defenders Selectively Use History
“Both Tavana and Peterson have expressed support for capitalism and Western civilization without ever addressing the atrocities committed in their name.”
Why Demographics Are Not Destiny
“Both the Left and the Right are wrong that demographics are fundamental to the political future of America (or of any other society). Demographics are not destiny.”
How the Coronavirus in Mexico Is Exacerbated by Inequality
“A governor declared that the disease was for rich people only and that it did not affect the poor. As such, how could we possibly expect Mexican citizens to react seriously to this pandemic when its government was behaving like this?”
There Is No Free Lunch: Landlords Are Not Leeches
We should support rent moratoriums—but not because landlords are ruthlessly exploiting a pandemic.
What Netflix’s “Tiger King” Teaches Us about Race and Class in America
“The United States needs a reality check. Yes, race has been a major issue in the country’s history. But class matters, and we must never forget that.”
How Libertarians View the Coronavirus Crisis
“For those of us who don’t want to go fully off-grid but concern ourselves with the expansion of the state, what might a pandemic response look like?”
On the Passing of Albert Uderzo (And What Postcolonialists Might Learn from Him)
“Uderzo’s approach to postcolonial criticism was much more nuanced and effective. Perhaps it takes a simple comic book illustrator to accomplish the job that overly sophisticated scholars fail to do.”
To Slow the Coronavirus, We Need Messages of Egoism—Not Altruism
“In the time of a silent but dangerous virus, we need to rely upon the individual’s self-preservation instinct to save other lives.“
Glamorizing Disease: Then and Now
“In yet another display of his famous vanity, Lord Byron once wrote: ‘How pale I look!—I should like, I think, to die of consumption…because then the women would all say, ‘see that poor Byron—how interesting he looks in dying!’”
Understanding the Viciousness of Jordan Peterson’s Critics
“McManus and Hamilton have each written exceedingly unfair reviews of Jim Proser’s recent book Savage Messiah: How Dr. Jordan Peterson Is Saving Western Civilization.”
Slavoj Žižek’s “End of Capitalism” and the Coronavirus
“Written in the aftermath of the Great Recession, Mark Fisher’s Capitalist Realism: Is There No Alternative? echoed the bleak skepticism of Fredric Jameson and Slavoj Žižek, in arguing that it is easier to imagine an end to the world than an end to capitalism.”
The A.I. Challenge to the Free World
“Stephen Hawking, the renowned British physicist, brilliantly summarized the main problems associated with AI: ‘Whereas the short-term impact of AI depends on who controls it, the long-term impact depends on whether it can be controlled at all.’”
The Fraught Relationship Between Religion and Epidemiology
“Recently, renowned essayist Thomas Chatterton Williams has taken some heat for mocking a prayer session headed by Vice President Mike Pence in the White House amid the coronavirus outbreak.”
Mexican Women Protest Gender Violence, But Is the Government Listening?
“I cannot fathom the extent of their pain, of course, but I know that if something were to happen to my mother or my friends, I would burn everything until justice were achieved.”
U.S. Inaction with Rohingya Genocide Echoes Past Sins
“More than 25 years after the Rwandan genocide, the United States’ current response—or lack thereof—to the state-sanctioned violence against the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar is chillingly similar.”
The Coronavirus and Modern Malthusians
“One important aspect in controlling the coronavirus and saving patients’ lives will be the use of ventilators in hospitals. How are these produced? They sure as hell cannot be produced in Unabomber-style cabins.”
Bernie Sanders’ Cargo Cult Approach to Scandinavia
“People do run the extra mile to leave something to their children, even if said children happen to be spoiled brats. Bernie fails to understand this.”
“Post-Truth” Politics Comes Far More from the Left Than from Kellyanne Conway
“But, I still think that—in balance—the Internet has contributed far more to truth than to non-truth.”
Sanders, Trump, and the Decline of the Policy Wonk
“Today, we tend to hear more about how ‘health care is a human right’ with comparatively less talk about the economic or health impact universal health care might have on the nation.”
What Leap Years Teach Us about Social Justice Warriors
“Ultimately, the Gregorian calendar had been rejected by Protestants, Orthodox Christians, and Muslims. The rejection was not because of a scientific claim but because of opposition to its origin.”
Coronavirus Outbreak Must Not Morph into Anti-Chinese Stereotyping
“Yes, China could do better in terms of public hygiene. But, moral panic over the foods the Chinese eat is more about cultural prejudices than anything else.”
The Other Aspect of Castro’s Cuba Bernie Should Praise
“Just as Martin Luther King deserves praise for the ‘content of their character’ quote—Castro also deserves credit for his colorblind approach to race.”
Jordan Peterson, at His Core, Teaches Personal Responsibility
“…for all of those who continue to maintain that Jordan Peterson is problematic because of something one of his followers somewhere did, keep in mind that—above all else—Jordan Peterson is a proponent of individuals taking responsibility for their own lives.”
The Travesty of Comparing Jordan Peterson to Hitler
“Not only ought Gabriel Andrade resist implying there are parallels to be found by Peterson and Hitler, but he also should keep in mind how many lives have been positively changed thanks to his ideas.”
What Andrew Scheer Gets Wrong about “Privilege”
“…we have a new entry in the contest for the most craven wielding of social justice lingo in Canadian political history: Andrew Scheer exhorting the individuals aiding indigenous rail blockades to, ‘check their privilege.’”
Bernie Sanders: a Hypocrite?
“He must not antagonize millionaires, but, rather, he must acknowledge that voluntarily giving away wealth is hard to do even while you know that inequality is a problem; and precisely for that reason, we need taxes.”
The Nordic Model is Achievable (Without Going to Extremes)
“After all, the disagreement between the authors of The Times piece and the author of the Jacobin piece is only even made possible by the fact that the Finnish system does not easily conform to either model.”
I Have a Suggestion for My Fellow Black Americans—This Black History Month
“By allowing this ball and chain of victimhood to stay attached to us (and having this mentality that everyone and everything is racist), we are doing ourselves and our ancestors no favors.”
I Was Born in Venezuela, so I Have Something to Say about Bernie Sanders
“With the benefit of hindsight, we know that many lives could have been spared in bloody revolutions, if only these reformers were taken more seriously.”
Reflections of an Ivy League Guy Sleeping Outside for His First Trump Rally
“It is a lot harder to vilify a man for whom 10,000 people will make a pilgrimage for only the chance to see him. I can say—despite my complaints—that I am proud and honored to have been among them.”
The Holocaust Mustn’t Be Used as a Political Talking Point
“Some in Israel, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have been manipulative enough to claim that activists protesting against settlements in the West Bank were akin to Nazi architects of genocide.”
John Kenneth Galbraith’s Newest “Crisis of American Democracy”
“What should concern us now, however, is an emergent threat: the risk of a ‘tyranny of the minority,’ powered further by artificial intelligence (AI).”
Three Simple Rules for Discussing Politics
“I would also add that it is best to avoid the tendency toward what I would call know-betterism, where we take the role of a parental figure trying to guide our political opponents to the light.”
When Criminal Justice Reform Goes Too Far
“While bettering the criminal justice system is always laudable, measures that benefit criminal gangs run afoul of every principle for which our government stands.”
I Didn’t Vote for Trump But Strongly Oppose His Impeachment
“However, now—after seeing how he has been treated by Democrats since he was elected—he will have my vote in 2020.”
Why Progressives Should Not Pin Their Hopes on Impeachment
“So while I think it is important that the impeachment trial proceed, it is far more key for progressives to vest in political and social movements that target the underlying problems.”
Before the March for Life, a Word to the Wise
“If the legal pro-lifer really wants to reduce the number of abortions, he or she has no choice but to argue for why abortion is wrong, why a culture in which abortion is frowned upon is superior…”
For Trump 2020, There’s More to the Story than Just the Stock Market
“But basing a campaign strategy on acceptable headline economic numbers while some parts of the nation are already in a recession is nothing short of tone deaf.”
“Megxit” and America’s Exportation of Identity Politics
“American cultural imperialism is not just about McDonald’s or Disney; America also exports identity politics.”
Writing about Jordan Peterson for the First Time
“Nevertheless, The Rise of Jordan Peterson comes to me as a relief. Prior to Peterson, the position of the hip professor loved by college students (with all sorts of memes and merchandises using his image), was occupied by Slavoj Žižek.”
Why the World Should Thank Trump for Killing Soleimani
“In the event that one is not overly familiar with the past forty years of Iranian history, I will explain what I mean; Iran—over the past four decades—has perfected a playbook of deceit that is so effective that nearly anyone has the potential of falling for it.”
The Killing of Qasem Soleimani, as Seen from Latin America
“One may criticize U.S. imperialism, yet, at the same time, it must be acknowledged that Iran is becoming an increasingly toxic influence in Latin America.”
As a Father to Two Special Needs Children—Weighing-in on Greta
“What is particularly insidious here is that not only is the victim a child, but, on top of that, it is a special needs child.”
Greta Thunberg and Misunderstanding Childhood
“The ‘Greta phenomenon’ tells us far more about our cultural approach to childhood than about global warming.”
The Best Kept Secret of Our Political Divide
“At present, each identity sees the other as its enemy and justifies its own excesses with the excesses of the other, but living in a diverse multi-ethnic democracy means tolerating a certain degree of difference.”
On the Distributions of Education Scores around the World
“In that manner, intelligence may have a genetic base, but, still, differences in intelligence observed among different groups may be environmental in origin.”
Standing By Our Criticisms of Jordan Peterson
“If Peterson manages to dispense good advice in spite of muddled philosophical and political reasoning, this attests to his psychological acuity. But it is does not magically redeem his intellectual output.”
The Best Argument For Jordan Peterson: My Friend, Fred
“But again, this aside, Jordan Peterson’s lessons of personal responsibility and taking charge of one’s life are actually helping people, which brings me to my friend, Fred.”
Mon Laferte and the Power of Toplessness
“Apparently, there is a significant difference between a woman who decides to show her breasts in a glittery outfit or a see-through dress—and someone who does it in the name of a social cause.”
Mexico: A “Failed State”?
“And, at the regional level, Mexico should pursue stronger cooperation with the United States regarding control of arm trafficking, such as Operation ‘Frozen,’ which attempts ‘to freeze the illegal movement of guns between the two countries.’”
When the Left Doesn’t Like Science Either
“At the time when postcolonialist scholars were saying these silly things (starting in the latter half of the 20th Century), some philosophers of science were also developing some strange ideas.”
Getting a Tattoo: Often an Unwise Decision
“This past Mother’s Day, in a survey of over 3,000 mothers who had tattoos, 51% of them said if they had to choose between removing a bad tattoo and receiving a new piece of jewelry (of equal value) as a gift, they would choose tattoo removal.”
The Real Dividing Line in Our Culture Wars
“The dividing line in the culture war is not individualism vs. collectivism but, rather, peace vs. aggression. What are you willing to do to peaceful people, if they group in ways that you dislike?”
The Most Important Thing to Understand about Putin’s Russia
Vladimir Putin may be President of the Russian Federation, but, for all the talk about the various events since he came to power, perhaps the most significant change to have taken place under Putin’s tenure is the elevation in power of the Russian Orthodox Church.
“Woke Capitalism” Needs to Wake Up to the Truth about China
“As Jim Geraghty writes, rather than importing our values, China is exporting its repression into our societies on the back of mass industrial theft and espionage.”
As a Columbia Grad, I Oppose This Latest On-Campus Activism
“It seems, unfortunately, today that there are far too few who are willing to defend Columbia University’s heritage, which so many now take for granted. “
Urging Restraint for the Transgender Community
“It is not overwhelmingly different than when I, as a gay man, criticize the gay community for taking things too far by, for instance, bringing both borderline and actual nudity to public Pride Parades, especially in places where children are often present.”
Having Lived in the Marshall Islands, I Understand Greta’s Concerns
“In 2016, fleeing Venezuela’s socialism, I took a teaching job in Majuro, the capital of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.”
Conservative Media Falls Short in Covering Gang Crime
“There are white gangs, Asian gangs, black gangs, Hispanic gangs, and gangs of all nationalities. To focus only on illegal immigrant gang members, as many conservatives do, is to take the easy way out.”
Standing Up for Dave Chappelle
“Comedy is one of the world’s oldest arts because it appeals to our common, imperfect humanity: we all have flaws, and the best thing we can do about such a tragedy is to laugh about it.”
The Case Against Reparations
“Our justice system—and accompanying moral philosophies—wouldn’t dream of punishing people for the crimes of others, so why should our public policy?”
Basic Errors? Winston Churchill Deconstructs Andrew Yang’s UBI
“The outcome of Andrew Yang’s UBI would be higher rents and, most likely, a property bubble.”
Being Progressive in the 2019 Canadian Election
“Unfortunately, the Liberal party in power turned out to be as much a political creature as ever.”
Soccer and Remembering Women in Iran
“Since women are banned from stadiums in Iran, a girl there was arrested for dressing as a boy in order to attend a soccer match. While awaiting trial, she incinerated herself to death.”
The Amazon Fire and Phony Environmentalism
“As with the opposition to GMOs and nuclear power, Morales’ free pass sadly proves that most environmentalist groups are not really about the environment. They are more about identity politics and, more importantly, about the hipness of being feel-good activists.”
Jordan Peterson: An Antidote to the Frightening Wave of Socialism
“But, fortunately, there is an antidote to Ocasio-Cortez’s socialist wave and its underlying mindsets: it is the hard work and dedication that Jordan Peterson so importantly describes.”
Black America Won’t Be Saved at the Ballot Box
“As a young black man from Southern California watching the systemic problems ailing my community, I believe that repairing our community must come from within, and the impetus is upon us to repair our culture before it’s too late.”
Mexico’s Glitter Revolution: How Should Women Protest?
“Now, pink glitter seems to be the spark of a new revolution in Mexico against gender violence.”
Getting Consistent on Collective Blame
“The Left cannot get enough of sociological explanations for all sorts of violence. It is never about individual responsibility; it is always about social structures.”
A Different Take on “El Chapo”
“Modern society has always had a secret love affair with the criminal.”
The American Approach to College Is the Winning One
“Although many of us may still be encouraged at family dinner tables to pursue stable and lucrative careers in high-paying industries, such as finance, consulting, and medicine, perhaps the curriculum of a general education can help some find their true interests.”
The Real Truth of Rubin “Hurricane” Carter
“To DeSimone and his acolytes, two cold-blooded murderers were freed. To our system of justice, two persons, their innocence always in question, were unfairly tried and convicted.”
Ricardo Rosselló Resigns, But There is Nothing to Celebrate
“With this standard, if the private diaries or WhatsApp conversations of people were opened, prisons the world over would be swamped with inmates, and companies would fire half of its staff on a daily basis.”
What Popular Culture Gets Wrong about “El Chapo”
“Almost one hundred years after his death, Villa’s image enjoys the allure of a romantic Robin Hood in Latin American imagination.”
America Is Too Lenient on Gang Violence
“Much to my dismay, conservative media journalists have conflated political stances against illegal immigration with criminal gang activity.”
The Downsides of Subsidizing Sports
“If history is any guide, subsidies (not just in sports, but in all spheres of economic life) do not usually work.”
On Brexit: In Reply to Clive Pinder
“Given Pinder’s distaste for academia, I don’t imagine he would be fond of this kind of Platonic utopia.”
Letter: In Reply to McManus—Misunderstanding Brexit
“These are the facts and historical context that any fair-minded and rational critic should consider before lambasting the majority of Brits who chose to forgo membership in the European Union.”
NATO: 70 Years On
“Hence, NATO should devise a strategy to address President Trump’s visions about the alliance in order to maintain (as much as possible) its stability.”
“Ban the Box” Falls Short of Its Goals
“While BTB is the most visible approach to signal support for reintegration, it is perhaps not the most effective way to bring about substantial criminal justice reform and truly help ex-felons build a new life.”
Social Democracy and Capitalism: A Reply To Richard Burcik
“If capitalism doesn’t work for us all, it doesn’t work at all.”
Letter to the Editor: In Reply to McManus—Markets Are the Better Way
“Each day, I read an almost endless array of pro-socialist and anti-capitalist articles in a variety of newspapers, magazines, and web sites. Then I ask myself: ‘How could so many bright, well-informed authors be so apparently unaware of the actual realities concerning the history of socialism?’”
In Support of a Federal Anti-Gang Law
“A functioning federal gang prosecution law patterned after Georgia Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act would provide a direct legal outlet for FBI’s ‘increased focus’ on gangs.”
Was the Supreme Court Missing the Big Picture When It Comes to Tech?
“Private companies like Facebook and Twitter are the focal points of more political debate now than any physical space controlled by the government.”
Trump’s Tariffs: Did Mexico Have a Choice?
“This may sound as if Mexico were evil and did not want to help others, but this is not the case. If we become a safe third country, we would be biting off more than we can chew by condemning migrants to hellish conditions—mainly due to organized crime and lack of resources—and becoming the U.S. bac
Why Canada Needs to Ditch the First-Past-the-Post System
“Democratic legitimacy should not be a partisan issue; we, as Canadians, should all be taking this opportunity to discern how to make the country a more inclusive and participatory place.”
Georgia Life Act Has a Pulse, and It Beats Steady
“The larger issues with H.B. 481, such as the constitutionality of the timeframe for an abortion, the extent to which the law imposes an undue burden on a mother, or the attribution of personhood to an unborn fetus, have regrettably been conflated with false claims about mothers receiving abortions
Economic Inequality Is a Red Herring
“There’s nothing wrong with working for minimum wage, just as there’s nothing wrong with being unable to touch your toes— but if you wish to make more money, you must gain valuable skills, experience, and perhaps start stretching.”
A Reasoned Approach to the Abortion Wars
“Nobody can say with confidence exactly what a court will do. What is visible from our analysis is that it is likely not a slam dunk either way.”
When We Make Political Pawns of Children
“Every January, toddlers hold signs with messages that they cannot possibly understand. But children also hold signs they might passively understand, and teenagers hold signs they probably understand, if only imperfectly.”
Modi and the Erosion of Critical Thinking in India
“Postcolonial and post-modern scholarship criticize science as a Western construct with no real legitimate claim to truth or objectivity, thus paving the way for Hindu nationalists to come up with their wild theories.”
Georgia DA: Personhood Critics and the Heartbeat Bill
“Various Democratic District Attorneys in Georgia have recreated what the civil rights laws defeated, choosing political expedience over personhood.”
What Netflix’s Caligula Teaches Us about Trump and His Critics
“If we are willing to be mildly skeptical of a historian who wrote about an emperor removed by one century, then we should also be skeptical of psychiatrists who are too eager to diagnose Mr. Trump with some mental disorder.”
Op-ed: Ronald Sullivan and the Case for Due Process of Law
“This is not about defending Ronald Sullivan or any one individual; it is about affirming the right for lawyers to defend their clients without facing condemnation in their personal and professional lives.”
A Mexican Perspective: The Three Options for Venezuela
“I know several Latin American brothers and sisters who have fled their country. Some were born in the era of Chavismo and have not known anything new, until now.”
Stop Crying “Imperialism”; a Solution Is Needed in Venezuela
“To blame American imperialism, as some do, is to dismiss Maduro’s responsibility and to close our eyes to another socialist catastrophe.”
Is Trump Right on China?
“It’s time to rethink our trade relationship with China, and so far, President Trump has taken the appropriate measures to set it right.”
Camille Paglia and How We Debate Social Issues
“To dismiss topics that are being discussed by college students is a terrible political strategy. The left has professionalized gathering new supporters with questionable narratives—and classical liberals remain inert. We need to change that.”
While the Media Talks “Varsity Blues,” Eerily Quiet on Gangs
“It is high time for media sources and critics to alike engage in serious introspection on their seemingly universal reticence—some might say outright resistance—to responsibly report and comment on gangs.”
A 30-Year-Old Trial Still Speaks Volumes about Castro
“While Eastern Europeans were celebrating the arrival of democracy in 1989, Cuba went through one of its darkest episodes.”
When the Lights Go Out in Venezuela
“Socialists frequently tell us that in their ideal system, private property of the common man is to be respected; only major industries are to be seized…Well, that is exactly what socialism did in Venezuela, and it has not been pretty.”
Pinna: Ocasio-Cortez on the Road
“In the face of all of this evidence, let’s give Cortez another shot and ask one more question: why does it even matter if she was hypocritical? Aside from her being an elected official that people are supposed to trust, it’s because she made it matter.”
When Debating the Border, Let’s Remember Gangs
“With well over one million gang members criminally operating in the United States…Terms like ‘occupation’ come to mind.”
The Future of Political “Gotcha” Moments
“The nail in a candidate’s political coffin, if not hammered in during their impromptu improv session, can also be found after the fact in what generally ends up being the ‘meatier’ section: the Q&A.”
Does Anti-Semitism Run Concurrent with the BDS Movement?
“I can tell you that many protesters who advocate for ‘Palestine’ would find themselves not so welcome in its territories. The outspoken feminists at the National Women’s Studies Association who endorse BDS and attack the Jewish state would not be so loud on the streets of Hebron.”
Pinna: A Partial Defense of Standardized Testing
“Real change has to be made with how standardized testing companies operate, but at its core, the standardized test is an excellent resource for universities and shouldn’t be removed.”
One and Done? Studying the First Step Act’s Lone Anti-Gang Restriction
“Will the First Step Act protect against the release of gang members?”
Should Congress Revise Federal Laws Against Lying?
“When Justice Ginsburg reviewed his case, her concurring opinion warned that the federal false statements statute arms government agents with authority to generate felonies.”
The First Step Act Doesn’t Do Enough about Gangs
“Communities do not have ‘gang problems.’ America has a gang crisis.”
A Response to Matthew Pinna: The Market Is Not Top-Down
“The mere fact that ‘girl’ scooters exist proves that girls tend to have different preferences than boys when making consumer decisions.”
Trump’s Real Victory Is Redefining the Republican Party
“Johnson understood that winning an election was much less important than winning a party. Elected offices came and went every couple of years; parties were institutions anchored in place by their coalitions and organizers.”
From UC Berkeley to Washington, Radicalism Prevails
“In a democracy like ours, perception is reality, and the predictable outcome at Berkeley (and other places) was groupthink and radicalization because a fact-based discourse failed to materialize.”
New Jersey Should Not Be Funding Local Journalism
“I agree that without local news, communities suffer from a dearth of necessary information, but this bill opens up way more problems than it fixes.”
Let Them Speak: Censoring Controversial Speakers Gets Us Nowhere
“If a speaker from the alt-right attracts listeners, it is useless to rush to block him. The better approach is to engage in deep thinking to determine why so many people are willing to follow these messages.”
U.S. Attorney: A Plan to Curb the Opioid Epidemic
“Through persistent and coordinated action by federal, state, and local authorities, together with the assistance of medical professionals and other leaders in our community, we can put a stop to the spread of opioids and their wake of destruction.”
Anderson Cooper Is Wrong; Journalists Should Vote Too
“I hope that on Tuesday, Anderson Cooper—and all journalists wrestling with the same question—show up to the polls.”
Mobs, Jobs, and the Need for a National Gang Prosecution Law
“Putting Georgia gang membership calculations into chilling context, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia Bobby Christine imparted, ‘Think about that. At its height, ISIS probably didn’t have 35,000 members.’”
Jordan Peterson, Women, and Who Really Makes 80% of Consumer Decisions
“The debate about gender and the market can’t be won with a single sentence—or with a single disputed statistic like the 80% figure. It is a nuanced discussion.”
Feminists of the West, Women Are Hurting in the Middle East
Instead of worrying about “manspreading” or subtle displays of sexism, feminists in the West need to focus on major problems affecting women in the world, like being shot going to school or female genital mutilation.
Are Hispanics White? The Answer Has Sweeping Political Implications
“For those of us nerdy enough to frequent the annals of the U.S. Census, it was a jarring thing to hear that Puerto Rico is 70 percent white, according to its own inhabitants!”
When Facebook Spills Blood
“There is no debate about whether social media might fuel genocidal violence. It already has. The question is how best to meet our moral responsibility.”
Winning the Sanctuary City Debate Through Passage of a National Gang Prosecution Law
“Most Americans would be astonished to discover that, despite the devastating size, scope, and magnitude of gang crime, no federal statutory framework specifically designed to prosecute gangs exists.”
Georgia Attorney General: It’s Time to Stand Up to Gangs
“In America, nearly half of all violent crimes are gang-related.”
How Attorneys May Attack Future Mueller Prosecutions
“Rarely do media reports focus on the political leanings of prosecutors, investigators, or witnesses. It is, however, often a highly relevant consideration in cases where selective prosecution claims are made.”
Jordan Peterson Deserves a Closer Reading Than the Media Gives Him
“With that mindset, no wonder we feel bitter, absurd, and helpless. Even though we are living in great times, it is hard to see it.”
“Extra Time” in School Is Just Another Way the Wealthy Game the System
Families with money are using doctors and psychologists to get their kids a leg up, at the expense of those playing by the rules.
When It Comes to the Environment, Don’t Let the “Perfect Become the Enemy of the Good”
“There won’t always be a happy marriage between impactful environmentalism and progressive values. For environmental groups to weather the political storm, they’ll have to be able to tap sources of support from outside the left.”
Manchin Needs to Vote His Conscience, Regardless of What That Means for November
“Signs point to another yes vote from Manchin. Yet, for all this posturing, voting out of fear of losing an election is not any more morally commendable than being whipped.”
The Biggest Problem When It Comes to Polarization
“As Mayor Koch used to say: ‘If you agree with me on 9 out of 12 issues, vote for me. If you agree with me on 12 out of 12 issues, see a psychiatrist.’”
The Troubling Effort to Silence Animal Rights Activists
Last year, The Intercept published an article following the dollars, tracing a link between campaign contributions by big agriculture and laws meant to silence animal rights activists. But what’s happened since?
Do Poverty, Inequality, and Mobility Have a lot in Common? Not Really.
“Despite the stellar success of ordinary people lifting themselves out of poverty through production and access to a stable market, the income inequality narrative has come to dominate our current public policy discourse, especially in the United States.”
What a Recent Supreme Court Ruling Means for Employment Law
“As with all matters legislative, right now our partisan polarization stands in the way. But hope springs eternal that our better angels, and our ability to compromise—on this and other matters, will eventually return.”
Friedman’s Take on Corporate Social Responsibility is Brilliant and Elegant—But Obsolete
Milton Friedman’s argument that corporations refrain from engaging themselves in social and political issues is compelling. But his argument likely doesn’t apply in today’s world, a world where “social consciousness” actually drives business.
The Left-Leaning Media is Following the Money. Not the Issues that Matter
“As newscasters reported in painstaking detail about the intricacies of a politician’s body language or outfit, 3.2 million Americans lost health insurance in 2017. Only 39 percent of Americans can afford a $1k emergency. And 41 million Americans are hungry.”
The Real Questions You Should Ask Your Economics Professor
“Students are commonly told that Jesus was amenable to socialism because he favored the sharing of wealth. But in fact, he taught personal responsibility, voluntary charity, and doing good from the heart, not from someone else’s wallet.”
Glitz: The Problem Goes Deeper than the Cake
“When it comes down to it, most of us realize the cake a Christian baker refuses to bake for a gay couple isn’t just a cake—it stands for so much more.”
Licensing: From Barber Shops to Interior Designers, Restricting the Flow of Labor
Thinking about opening a barber shop, what do you do? If your answer was something other than, “Find out how to obtain the state’s permission,” you’re in for a surprise.
I Support Affirmative Action, Even Though It May Hurt Me
“As a person of Indian heritage, I’m willing to lower my odds in November’s game of chance if it makes the admissions process, as a whole, more inclusive.”
Is College Still Worth It? No Easy Answers to a Simple Question
Professor Caplan thinks students are wise to the true value of a degree, which could help to explain why almost no student ever audits a class and why students spend only about 14 hours per week studying, down from 24 hours per week in 1961.
Cory Booker’s Critics from the Left Are Missing the Point
The cost of a Senate seat, after all, averaged $10,476,451 during the 2012 elections. With that steep of cost, can we expect anything other than politicians sometimes having to speak out of both sides of their mouths?
Public Schools Need Not Crash
We may need to tap into music, sports, video games and even some street talents to reach some students.
Returning to a Less Fragmented America
According to a Pew report, millennials, more than any other generation, are both averse to organized religion and distrustful of other people.
Children Have the Right to Protest, But Leave Voting to the Adults
In our society, whatever is important is what we don’t let children do. They can’t buy property, take out loans, consent to medical procedures (with the glaring exception of abortion), or rent a car.
Ben Carson’s Dining Room Set Is the Tip of the Iceberg
The HUD Secretary’s outrageous spending on tableware is causing an uproar because of how relatable it is — not its cost.
Libertarians Are Going Nowhere, But Their Ideas Are
In many ways, libertarians can rest happily knowing that their ideas are winning, even if their candidates are not.
The Importance of Transgender Representation in Politics
The election of transgender politicians to public office can effectively mobilize transgender individuals to become more politically active and engaged in the political process.
In Defense of the Term “Resistance”
“Far from being a detriment to democracy, resistance to a dictator-lite like President Trump is essential to saving it.”
On Minimum Wage, Progressive Conservatives Miss the Mark
Concerning the Ontarian minimum wage, the lesser of two bad ideas is still a bad idea.
Atlanta Area DA: We Need to Do Something about Gangs
Criminal street gangs are responsible for an average of 48 percent of violent crime in most jurisdictions, yet the mainstream media gives almost no attention to the issue.
What Being “Tough on Drugs” Should Really Mean
Honest criticism of current drug policy should not justify a culture of permissiveness about drug abuse.
In Defense of the Koch Brothers
For the Koch brothers, an ideal government would support gay marriage, freedom of speech, balancing the budget, and capitalism.
Left-Leaning Voice: Trump Is Right About VA Reform
President Trump may be wrong on many things, but he is absolutely correct about reforming the Department of Veteran’s Affairs. Here’s why.
In Defense of Two Parties
Although it may be a pastime to bash the two-party system, it is probably better than any of the alternatives.
Tobacco Use Is Holding Back the Developing World
Tobacco use is the leading single cause of preventable death worldwide.
The Ranging Responses to Trump’s Now Infamous “S–hole” Comment
While many condemn President Trump’s alleged use of such vulgar language, some question the validity of said reports. Others agree with the President’s sentiment.
I Served in a Foreign Military, and It Was Perfectly Legal
As my family swore an oath to pledge allegiance to the United States, a year later I was swearing allegiance to the Republic of Finland.
Drug Testing Is Right for Wisconsin
Even liberals acknowledge that some individuals unfairly exploit welfare programs.
No, You Are Not the #Resistance
The final point is this, and it is something that the “resistance” needs to hear. You are not heroes.
Rep. Barr: Intelligence in the Age of Trump
This is a president who openly and personally attacks the leaders and employees of the agencies in the Intelligence Community. In turn, some of them respond by attacking him, and on it goes.
From Crisis to Conspiracy: The 1979 Iran Hostage Situation
The Iran Hostage Crisis introduced America to political Islam and helped usher in a new era of conservatism, but the lasting legacy of the ordeal remains linked to a fictitious scheme and human fallibility.
In the War on Poverty, Human Mobility is a Key Weapon
Some enthusiasts speculate that eliminating immigration restrictions could double global GDP.
Rethinking Vocational Education
Why a vocational education might be worth it