Yahoos of Media Lore

Wall Street Journal editorials are usually very good, the WSJ's editorial page being one of the few of major newspapers whose authors are economically literate. The editors recently argued that last Friday's late-hour budget agreement was "The Tea Party's First Victory." Maybe it was. But consider this passage from the piece: Republicans also showed they are …

Astrology Old and New

Last week an astronomer claimed that the earth's precession required a reevaluation of the zodiacal chart. His announcement created a firestorm, leading to stories of worry and even panic in all the major news outlets in America. It was initially shocking to see just how many people were discomfitted by this news, to see just …

Defending the Kochs

[Author's note: Although I wrote it before the election, I embargoed this essay until today, lest anyone think I was advocating for a political party or for an electoral victory. The sentiments expressed below are unrelated to any partisan agenda.] Billionaire businessmen and philanthropists Charles and David Koch have come in for a lot of …

The Flummoxing Tea Partiers

David Boaz at Cato discusses the fact that the Tea Party phenomenon---and it is a phenomenon---continues to "freak out" commentators on the Left. He writes (preserving his links and italics): With a few rare exceptions like [Jonathan] Rauch and John Judis, non-conservative intellectuals are just freaked out by a mass movement against big government. Jill …

A Winning Agenda

Like many other people, I was underwhelmed by the recently released Republican "Pledge to America." Longwinded, wishy-washy, and mostly tinkering on the edges. I am not a member of the Republican Party (or any other party), and I am indeed one of those who fails to much difference of substance between the two major parties---at …

Washington and the “Spirit of Party”

We have had some discussion on the curious case of Christine O'Donnell (here), and on the apparently dwindling advantage Republicans are enjoying over Democrats as we transition from primaries to the general election (here). For the record, I am not a member of any political party. I am, moreover, repelled by arguments that people should …

The Mysterious Mystery of the Tea Party

This past weekend the New York Times published an opinion essay entitled "The Very Angry Tea Party." Its author makes two main claims: (1) Tea Party activists are very, very, VERY angry; and (2) they are subscribers to a "metaphysical fantasy," believe in "the most egregious of fear-mongering falsehoods," have a "passionate attachment to wildly …

The Beginning of the End?

I think the Rand Paul/Civil Rights Act episode might be the real beginning of the end. Here is why. The only real opposition to the growth of the federal government in the last quarter-century has been the recent Tea Party movement. It may be too late to make any real difference, but it was a …

Here’s the Fuss

About a month ago, Jonathan Capehart asked, "Hey, Tea Party, why all the fuss?" He cites some evidence---rather thin evidence, but evidence all the same---that many self-identified Tea Partiers are at the moment in decent financial shape. So what are they upset about? That is a bit of a disingenuous question, since much of the …

State Aggression and Defensive Action

A candidate for the Republican nomination for California's 11th Congressional District, Brad Goehring, is taking some heat for having posted in his Facebook status---yes, we've come to that---that if he could, he would issue hunting permits and declare "today opening day for liberals. The season would extend through November 2 and have no limits," he …