Amity Shlaes, author of the fine The Forgotten Man: A New History of the Great Depression, has an essay originally published at Forbes in which she praises Calvin Coolidge as The Great Refrainer. Shlaes writes that When Harding died suddenly in 1923, Coolidge knew he was going to need another pair of hands to launch…
Politics
Government Spending, Politics
Draining the Swamp of Red Ink
by JOHN ADAMS •
Congressman Paul Ryan’s office released the text of a speech he delivered in Oregon. Ryan’s noted for a budget roadmap he’s drafted, but it says much about our politics that budgetary reform makes both many Democrats and many of Ryan’s fellow Republicans uncomfortable. The address appears below. Rep. PAUL RYAN: Like my home state of…
Politics
Poll: Senate candidates Feingold and Johnson in dead heat — Walworth County Today
by JOHN ADAMS •
Economy, Government Spending, Politics, Taxes/Taxation
Number of the Week: Slow Growth Adds to Deficit – Real Time Economics – WSJ
by JOHN ADAMS •
If, for example, the U.S. economy grows at an inflation-adjusted annual rate of 1.7% — about the rate it’s currently growing — government debt will reach 122% of annual economic output as of 2015, up from 93% now. Annual growth of 2.7% would cut that estimate to 110%. The difference equates to about $2.2 trillion,…
Politics
Kim Hixson / Evan Wynn 43rd Assembly Forum 2010 — WCLO
by JOHN ADAMS •
I posted yesterday on a Wisconsin State Journal profile of the candidates for the 43rd Assembly District, Kim Hixson and Evan Wynn. See, Wisconsin State Journal – Candidate Profiles: 43rd Assembly District. Nearby station WCLO has a podcast of interviews with both candidates: “WCLO News Director Stan Stricker spends 30 minutes with each of the…
Government Spending, Politics
Opinion: A step toward curing Washington’s spending disease – eliminating earmarks – Rep. Eric Cantor – POLITICO.com
by JOHN ADAMS •
There is no question that earmarks – rightly or wrongly – have become the poster child for Washington’s wasteful spending binges. They have been linked to corruption and scandal, and serve as a fuel line for the culture of spending that has dominated Washington far too long. These reasons alone would justify completely eliminating earmarks,…
Politics
Wisconsin State Journal – Candidate Profiles: 43rd Assembly District
by JOHN ADAMS •
In the Wisconsin State Journal, reporter Deborah Ziff has a profile of the candidates for the 43rd Assembly District, Kim Hixson and Evan Wynn. See, Candidate profiles: 43rd Assembly District. Each candidate supplies information about his age, family, address, political party, current occupation, community service, education, and website. The profile also includes a map of…
Libertarians, Politics
Hot novel ‘Atlas Shrugged’ stars in [Wisconsin] Senate debate – JSOnline
by JOHN ADAMS •
A famous libertarian novel made its way into a debate on Monday: U.S. Senate candidates Ron Johnson and U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold clashed sharply Monday night on Ayn Rand’s famous novel “Atlas Shrugged” about an economy crumbling under the weight of government intrusion and regulations. See, Hot novel ‘Atlas Shrugged’ stars in Senate debate –…
Politics
Republican Candidate in Ohio Took Part in Nazi War Reenactments
by JOHN ADAMS •
Astonishing and disgraceful: Before he launched a campaign for Congress in northwest Ohio, Republican candidate Rich Iott took part in World War II reenactments dressed in the uniform of Nazi Germany’s Waffen SS. Iott was involved with a group called Wiking, which reenacts the exploits of the 5th SS Panzer Division, mainly on the Eastern…
Libertarians, Politics, Wisconsin
Libertarian Terry Virgil Runs for Lt. Governor (and Governor!) of Wisconsin
by JOHN ADAMS •
Freedom of Speech, Laws/Regulations, Liberty, Politics
Camp Politics: Training the Next Generation of Censors Since 1974!
by JOHN ADAMS •
Libertarians, Politics
U.S. Senate Candidate Ron Johnson: Republican or Libertarian?
by JOHN ADAMS •
Official Misconduct, Politics
Video: Scott Walker’s Good Friend (Update 22 in a Series)
by JOHN ADAMS •
One sometimes hears that all political ads are exaggerations. Not all of them — sadly, this one from the Barrett Campaign about Republican Scott Walker’s failure to clean house after abuses at the MIlwaukee County Mental Health Complex is true. (H/t to the Journal Sentinel.) Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tK2RgmPhg4 I’ve posted about Chianelli’s policy, and the tragedy…
Politics, Wisconsin
WI Republican Candidate Ron Johnson’s Testimony Against Child Abuse Bill
by JOHN ADAMS •
There’s a video now available on YouTube of Republican senate candidate Ron Johnson’s testimony against a Wisconsin bill that would have made it easier for victims of child abuse to sue their abusers. (The bill was defeated.) The video (h/t to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) is revealing for more than one reason. Superficially, it shows…