There’s a false but persistent notion that a powerful person must, after all, have good judgment: how could he or she be so well-situated without discernment of the highest order? One often hears this expressed as an assertion of flawless understanding: “You don’t really think someone as successful as X could possibly be wrong about…
Politics
Freedom of Speech, Politics
Going to a Protest? Tips to Prepare Your Digital Camera
by JOHN ADAMS •
History, Politics
Bob Strauss on Jimmy Carter
by JOHN ADAMS •
Not long after Jimmy Carter was elected, things began to go sour for his administration. Just about everything, including opposition from both Republicans and sometimes even the Democratic majority in Congress, bedeviled him. Carter called longtime Democratic politician Bob Strauss into the Oval Office, after the Bert Lance scandal broke. Carter found the change in…
Politics
Gallup: Americans Express Historic Negativity Toward U.S. Government
by JOHN ADAMS •
Politics
What Rep. Wynn Hopes You’ll Misunderstand about Next Year’s Election
by JOHN ADAMS •
There’s a story at the Janesville Gazette about the possible candidacy of Andy Jorgensen for the 43rd Assembly District. Jorgensen is now an incumbent representative from the 37th District, and is considering running for the 43rd next year. The 43rd’s freshman incumbent had a few words for his possible challenger. Rep. Evan Wynn’s quoted as…
Libertarians, Liberty, Politics
Can Libertarians Be Christian? Must Libertarians Be Socially Liberal?
by JOHN ADAMS •
One hears all sorts of questions like this, about whether libertarianism requires a certain religious view, or a certain social outlook. One can certainly be a Christian and libertarian, and libertarians run the range from socially liberal to socially conservative. Although libertarianism is more influential in America than ever (so much so that many groups…
Politics
Tommy Thompson’s oddly low-key Senate ‘announcement’
by JOHN ADAMS •
Freedom of Speech, Politics
Tips for Politicians When Encountering Protesters
by JOHN ADAMS •
Yesterday, I posted a video of a confrontation between Rep. Paul Ryan and some activists at a Labor Day parade. (I’ve embedded the video again at the bottom of this post.) Today, I’ll offer tips for how Ryan, or any politician, can avoid embarrassing encounters with protesters at parades, grocery stores, etc. For those who…
Freedom of Speech, Politics
Left Dogs Paul Ryan at Labor Day Parade
by JOHN ADAMS •
Politics
So, who’s filed (so far) to run for president next year?
by JOHN ADAMS •
Politics, Wisconsin
UW-Whitewater’s Professor Emrey on post-recall Wisconsin politics
by JOHN ADAMS •
Government Spending, Planning, Politics
How Politicians, Bureaucrats Pretend They’re Offering Competitive Solutions
by JOHN ADAMS •
A cunning bureaucrat, or a Texas politician, may tell his constituents that he’ll propose charging user fees, rather than using general tax funds, for basic services. He’s sure to contend that this approach makes the services offered more competitive. That’s nonsense, of course. The same government monopoly would exist as before, with the same lack…
Politics
Wisconsin Reporter: Incredible, Ignorant Enthusiasm
by JOHN ADAMS •
I wrote yesterday about a new group of sham news sites, and mentioned the Wisconsin Reporter as among them. (If I had a dime for every time that website misspelled something, and later claimed the misspelling was just a typo, I’d have…lot and lots of dimes.) That’s not their big problem, of course: the big…
Politics
Fighting Over Switching
by JOHN ADAMS •
Not every voter got what he or she wanted last night. Many got far less than they hoped. But it’s not last night; it’s this morning. Here’s the sometimes-grating but inescapable truth: another day is another chance to fight on (or, alternatively, to bask in the afterglow of success). There’s great strength in carrying on,…