Meanwhile, over on the Democratic side of the presidential campaign, we find that we have merely made our way over to the other side of the fun house. That race is between Hillary Clinton, queen of mendacity, Bernie Sanders, king of authentic economic lunacy, and, of course, TBD. TBD will get into the race under …
Rhymes With Bruise
I want to begin what I say here by honoring the memory of Justice Antonin Scalia. He was a man who understood himself, who understood the Constitution, and who understood the enemies of constitutional liberty — whose name unfortunately is Legion. Here is Scalia on the reason for this. “God assumed from the beginning that …
Hazlitt and a Spear of Ash
The results from Iowa were almost ideal, whether we are talking about the Republicans or the Democrats. But first, the Democrats and Hillary. It is of course a major big time desideratum that she implode, and I am sure that I am joined in this pious wish by friends of the Republic everywhere. But if …
We Are Most Seriously Displeased
We are not going to appear at the Fox News debate, for we are most seriously displeased. Once the royal majesty of the deal-maker is insulted, how can Ailes still expects the deals to happen? Makes no sense. We have been in a long campaign. Thus far I have said what I think and I …
Presidential Pardon in a World Gone Mad
So let us begin with the “world gone mad” part. David Daleiden, the man behind the Planned Parenthood sting videos, has been indicted by a grand jury in Texas. He made the mistake of gathering secret footage of Planned Parenthood doing appalling things with the bodies of little boys and girls. If he had only …
More to Conservatism Than a Vibe
So how does Donald Trump do it? Do what, you ask? Entirely detached from identifiable conservative principles, and almost equally detached from a recognizable conservative record, he nonetheless is filling up venues with enthusiastic people who are responding to what they think is some kind of conservative vibe. What is it that enabled someone like …
Who Would Palin Comparison?
Ah, what is a political commentator to do? The presidential campaign has not even gotten to the stage of the first voting in Iowa yet, and the whole thing is already a parade of fifteen or more clown cars. What am I supposed to do? I look into my tool chest, and I am already …
Trump, Cruz, and New York Values
Look. It is a commonplace among us, or ought to be, that drivers ed classes in New York teach the students to drive with their knees so that they can give other drivers the bird using both hands. At least that’s what I heard. And this relates, as I am sure you recognize, to an …
Political Freak Outs
As we close in on the first actual voting in Iowa, with actual voters, now just a few weeks away, I would like to register a few cautions. I have addressed the limitations of polling before, but here want to say something about the use made of them by the chattering classes. Keep in mind …
The Wrong Rights
Our Constitution concludes with a Bill of Rights, but these rights are of a particular nature — and are friends of real liberty. But within the last several generations, another set of ostensible rights, with a completely different nature, have crept into our public discourse. These rights, these entitlements, are enemies of liberty. Not only …