Mark Kleiman

Since Herman Cain seems to be having a hard time explaining his position on abortion, the spirit of post-partisanship calls on those of us who aren’t his friends politically to help out. You can see where he’s pinned. Cain knows that he’s supposed to be anti-abortion, and that he’s also supposed to be for minimal […]

If you had been President, would you have caved in to the Iraqi government’s demand that U.S. servicepeople remaining in Iraq be liable to criminal prosecution in Iraqi courts? [Cross-posted at The Reality-Based Community]

Unlike the circus clowns he’s now forced to share a stage with, Mitt Romney is a plausible candidate for the Presidency. But he’s also a singularly unappetizing one, even putting aside his loyalty to the plutocracy. Some people think Romney got the better of his set-to with Rick Perry over immigration, though winning a battle […]

Hasn’t anyone noticed that 999 is just 666 inverted? Sure, Mitt Romney is a Mormon, and Mormons are a cult who believe that the Garden of Eden was in Missouri rather than in the geographically impossible location described in Genesis. But at least he’s not the Anti-Christ. Update Ooops! I’d missed Michelle Bachmann’s comment: “One […]

Margaret Wente of the Globe and Mail reflects on the latest harm-minimization victory in Canada: the decision of the Supreme Court that the national government can’t shut down Vancouver’s safe-injection site. But the column is a really a meditation on the sheer venom and unreasonableness that characterizes drug-policy debates. Wente credits me with something I […]

Treason doth never proper. What’s the reason? Why, if it prosper, none dare call it “treason.” Does it strike you as strange that no big bank ever announces that it has made $2.3 billion in unauthorized trading? Somehow, “rogue” traders always wind up losing tons of money; they never seem to win. This should be […]

Over the past four years, the number of people self-reporting as methamphetamine users on the big household survey is down by half, and meth initiation rates – a leading indicator, and therefore the one to watch – by 60%. The number of people self-reporting cocaine use is down by a third. Middle-school rates of drinking […]

“Doing nothing is not an option.” This was the opening speech of the 2012 campaign, and it was a stemwinder. It was fine to John Boenher not applaud when Obama suggested that it was time for Congress to live up to its responsibilities. The theme was jobs, jobs, jobs. And here’s the FDR part: I […]

There’s lots to quarrel with in Michael Lind’s essay on why libertarians hate democracy. Lind seems to accept the libertarian pretense that libertarians’ fanatical devotion to unfettered market activity is identical to liberals’ concern with open inquiry and individual autonomy, so he mixes true liberals such as Mill and Macaulay with libertarians such as Mises, […]

If Rick Perry is the Republican nominee, he’s going to spend most of September and October working hard to make people forget he said that. So here’s some Memory Hole protection. [Cross-posted at The Reality-Based Community]