Author: Eric Scheie

Mary Anastasia O’ Grady has a great article in today’s WSJ. The tantalizing title of “A Path to Victory in the Drug War” had me rolling my eyes until I started reading: The classical argument in favor of marijuana legalization rests on personal liberty. Why, proponents ask, should the federal government tell free citizens what…

The possibility of having Hillary Clinton run for president is being discussed seriously by veteran Democrats. If President Obama were to withdraw, he would put great pressure on the Republicans to come to the table and negotiate—especially if the president singularly focused in the way we have suggested on the economy, job creation, and debt…

I realize Michigan does not speak for the nation, but I thought this poll was interesting enough to share. Romney not only beats Obama by a sizable margin here, while Gingrich loses by a sizable margin. Moreover, if you look at the breakdowns (whether by party affiliation/non-affiliation, age, sex, race, positions on abortion, whatever), there…

It’s Saturday night and I need a throwaway post so I can get back to what I was trying to do before I was rudely reminded that I am neglecting the blog. So…. how about a throwaway post on our thrown away freedom? The latest incident involves what has become almost standard police practice: shooting…

Readers know what I think of Newt Gingrich, but right now I am fascinated by what conservatives think. Especially Tea Party conservatives. What I read in in yesterday’s WSJ was enough to make my head spin in two directions: Consulting work Newt Gingrich performed for Freddie Mac is drawing new scrutiny, now that the Republican…

While the Occupy movement has trouble with basic logic and reason, their reaction to the nutcase arrested (and charged with attempted assassination) for shooting at the White House is just plain bizarre. They actually held a moment of silence for him, and expressed “solidarity” with the accused shooter. I kid you not; here’s the video:…

Is showering while kids are present now a crime? According to at least one interpretation of the law, it apparently is: [U]nder Pennsylvania’s child protection laws, what Sandusky admitted to in an interview with NBC’s Bob Costas could fit the definition of indecent exposure. If children under 16 were involved, it could be a first-degree…

The more Newt Gingrich’s star continues to rise, the more nauseated I become. The biggest problem I have with the man is his support of the death penalty for drug offenses. Under normal circumstances, that would be a deal killer for me. But these are not normal circumstances; we have a president who must be…

Mike McQueary, whose Grand Jury testimony brought down Joe Paterno and got several other Penn State officials indicted (and whose story of the anal rape and constantly shifting statements convince me that he is not credible), has changed his story yet again. Mike McQueary, the Penn State assistant football coach under fire for his reported…

I found a fascinating article on building a do-it-yourself urinal that basically just drains the urine into the ground. This is what it looks like: After detailing how to make it, the author concludes with these remarks: Urine is not full of toxic bacteria like excrement is, so there is no health risk to pumping…

Well, I just spent fifteen bucks on 24 100 watt incandescent light bulbs. But it isn’t enough to buy light bulbs without pointing the finger at the corporate fascists who have reduced me to it. Perhaps “corporate fascist” is too strong a term. Perhaps I should call them “crony capitalists.” Anyway, I found the grim details…

As the race towards the GOP nomination progresses, President Obama continues to lose (by a slim margin of 0.2%) in a hypothetical race against a generic Republican. However, he continues to win in hypothetical races against all specific GOP candidates. Here’s how it looks now: Romney vs. Obama (Romney +2.2) Paul vs. Obama  (Obama +6.0)…

“Call the police!” is a phrase I’ve been hearing a lot these days. As if the police are the Ultimate Arbiters of Everything, and calling them is the best way to solve all problems, stop all crimes, and save endangered lives. Tell that to Konerak Sinthasomphone, who was handed over to Jeffrey Dahmer by an officer…

“I seen that black n—– yonder ruttin’ on my Mayella!!” So testified Robert E. Lee Ewell in To Kill a Mockingbird. Back in the 1930s, such an allegation alone was enough to convict a black man of rape. In the book (as well as in many real life cases), his statement did convict the accused rapist…

Even though it might seem to be of more interest because it’s the only 11-11-11 we (er, most of us) will ever see in our lifetimes, today is Veteran’s Day. So go out and thank a veteran! Those who have defended our freedom can never be thanked enough. A veteran I would especially like to…

Earlier I wrote a comment in which I explained why I am defending Joe Paterno, who has been condemned by a number of commenters at this blog: Without wearing blinders, I have read numerous accounts and reports. Paterno (a longtime family friend) was exonerated of any legal wrongdoing years ago. He has been subjected to…

Ann Althouse has an interesting post about the Penn State protesters who are angry (rightfully, IMO) about the sacking of the venerated Joe Paterno following a media feeding frenzy. She notes that unlike the OWS and Wisconsin protests, “the Penn State protest instantly went into riot mode, with violence galore.” The chief targets of the…

Joe Paterno is wonderful man (and an old family friend), and FWIW, I think firing him at his age is an awful act of disrespect towards someone who has helped Penn State enormously for many decades. It smacks of cowardly institutional CYA. The man is not accused of doing anything himself. He is accused of…

I have just been reading about Carrie Nation’s visit to my beloved hometown of Ann Arbor. Here’s what she said in her memoirs: “I have been to all the principal universities of the United States. At Cambridge, where Harvard is situated, there are no saloons allowed, but in Ann Arbor the places are thick where…

I’ve mentioned fusionism before, but I am fascinated by Matt Welch’s recent Reason article on the subject. Especially this: …The GOP has been more receptive to libertarian ideas these past couple of years. Yes, it’s still not much, and a lot of it is just the skin-deep opportunism of being in opposition, but I think…