So far Mueller’s secured indictments of a few Trump associates on charges having little or nothing to do with his overt mission, and of a few Russians for running an Internet “troll farm” that posted some cheesy social media ads. But he has yet to put real meat on his mandate and doesn’t seem to be getting much closer to Trump himself than when he started. Now he’s hitching his wagon to Stormy Daniels’s star. Why? There are two plausible reasons.
Category: Libertarian Advocacy Journalism
First They Came for Backpage
In 2016, after a court slapped down the attempts of Kamala Harris (D-CA), then attorney general of her state and now a US Senator, to prosecute Backpage for “pimping,” I suggested that merely dismissing the charges was not enough. I am still of that opinion.
Uncertainty is the Root of the Current Market Craziness
Investors put their money into enterprises under certain tax and regulatory conditions. When those conditions start suddenly changing or looking like they may change, the investors worry. And when they worry, they get more cautious about where their money is and what it’s being used for. They sell off, move their money into what they hope are less volatile assets, and the stock market takes a hit.
Syria: Is Trump Finally Putting America First?
During a visit to Ohio to promote his infrastructure plan on March 29, US president Donald Trump dropped one of the bombshells that Americans have become accustomed to over the last year and a half: “We’ll be coming out of Syria, like, very soon …. Let the other people take care of it now.” If he’s serious, if the more hawkish members of his administration don’t dissuade him, and if he follows through, Trump will be taking a giant step in the right direction on foreign policy.
Immigration Enforcement: Just as Bad for Americans as it is for Immigrants
The whole idea of “immigration enforcement” is bad for immigrants and natives alike. It violates the rights of both groups while damaging the American economy and making us all poorer. These agencies and their activities are a repudiation of America itself. Time to de-fund and eliminate them.
Death Penalty for Drug Dealers? Be Careful What You Wish For, President Trump
As a major league drug dealer, perhaps Trump is taking his cue from the murderous cartels of Colombia and Mexico. Now that he has the entirety of federal law enforcement and the US armed forces at his beck and call, why not just kill his competitors? Pablo Trumpobar, anyone? El Trumpo?
Some Questions from the Edge of Immortality
The quest for immortality is as old as humankind, and we’ve publicly agonized over its implications since at least as far back as the publication of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein 200 years ago. As science seemingly moves us closer to the goal, especially if the finish line consists of transplanting brain functions from the body to a computer-generated reality, the questions become more important.
There She Goes Again: Clinton’s Blame Game, Mumbai Edition
Hillary Clinton loves strong women. Well, sort of. She loves women who are strong enough to vote for Hillary Clinton, but not quite strong enough to speak publicly about their encounters — willing or unwilling, as equals or as mere White House interns bedazzled by presidential attention — with her husband.
Cakes, Guns, Discrimination, and Freedom of Association
Boycott (and “buycott”) reinforce “bad” (and “good”) behavior. I personally hope and expect that Dick’s and Walmart will pay a price for their decision to discriminate against would-be gun purchasers and against 18- to 21-year-olds, and that non-bigoted businesses will profit. And please, politicians: Stop grandstanding, get out of the way, and let the people sort these matters out for ourselves.
Capitol Punishment: Or, Keeping House is too Expensive
Politico reports on a letter to US Representative and House Ethics Committee chairwoman Susan Brooks (R-IN), from more than two dozen members of the Congressional Black Caucus, requesting an investigation into “the legality and propriety” of lawmakers sleeping in their offices.