A Chicago Blog

This is really fascinating stuff from one of my favorite philosophers.

I’m not much of a linguist, but I think there’s something interesting about the phrase “no pun intended.” It seems to be used primarily as a way for someone to call attention to the very pun they don’t intend to make, and at the same time, deflect responsibility for the pun. But is that really [...]

Dear members of the Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy (VRC),
You are failing miserably. I rely on you to ensure that government doesn’t take away my property, my money, my guns, my speech and my freedom. And I must say, I’m beginning to get a little worried. Not only did you nominate John McCain, whose track record on [...]

How full of s___ is Thomas Franks? Let me count the ways.
Go read his column on Libertarian non-profits in the Wall Street Journal. Then, email him about his intellectual dishonesty. Send him this link if you like.
The main thrust of Franks’ argument is the apparent contradiction of self-interested libertarians working in the not-for-profit sector. He [...]

Here’s more evidence that there is a coming Libertarian Generation. (Hat tip: YeahRight)

Michael Gerson wrote a despicable column yesterday bashing a group of Senators he calls the “Coburn 7″ for blocking an AIDS relief bill. According to Gerson:
The seven, led by Coburn, complain that the reauthorization is too costly. They object to “mission creep” — the funding of “food, water, treatment of other infectious diseases, gender empowerment [...]

We should embrace free speech in this country, even when it is offensive. Unerringly. But whenever a certain “speech” touches on our personal or national symbology it is very natural to be outraged. The millions of men and women who have served this country in the military, who have risked their lives, and who have [...]

I picked up a copy of David From’s Comeback and will be be posting a series of blogs over the coming weeks with my thoughts on the book. The short version of From’s argument is that Republicans have to get over Ronald Reagan. According to From “Reagan Republicanism offers solutions to the problems of forty [...]

Here’s an interesting survey released last week by Rasmussen. Unfortunately, they won’t give me direct access to the data, without pay … and I’m too cheap to pay.:
Forty-one percent (41%) of American voters say they are conservative when it comes to “fiscal issues such as taxes, government spending, and business regulation.” A Rasmussen Reports national [...]

Jim Harper at Cato is arguing against mandated product labeling for fast-food restaurants. He writes:
If consumers had unlimited attention, the surfeit of notices would be an unqualified good thing. But consumer attention is not unlimited. Consumers quickly learn to ignore notices that don’t interest them. Notices can easily confuse consumers. Mandated notices often provide information [...]