Columns, Politics

Post-Platner Democrats Must Ask: ‘Are We the baddies?’

Below is my column in The Hill on the Democratic establishment and media rallying around Graham Platner. As Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has repeatedly stressed, Platner is needed for them to retake power. The allegations of domestic abuse, the Nazi tattoo, and other controversies are secondary to that single overwhelming goal. The question is, when they take power by any means necessary, what will they be other than the majority?

Here is the column: Continue reading “Post-Platner Democrats Must Ask: ‘Are We the baddies?’” →

Constitutional Law, Courts, Politics

“Dangerous Precedent of Censorship and Sanitization”: Judge Enjoins Removal of Slavery and Climate Displays

George Santayana famously said that those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it. The same is true for judicial overreach. Those judges who yield to the temptation to counter policies that are not to their liking are likely to repeat such excesses of power. That is why the recent decision of U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley in Boston is so concerning. While there are good-faith reasons why some have objected to the removal of slavery and climate change exhibits from national parks and monuments, this is not about the merits but the authority to make such changes. Kelley’s recent injunction smacks of judicial excess rather than measured review. Continue reading ““Dangerous Precedent of Censorship and Sanitization”: Judge Enjoins Removal of Slavery and Climate Displays” →

Constitutional Law, Courts, Politics, Supreme Court

Drinking the Court-Packing Kool-Aid: Buttigieg Joins the Calls to Take Over the Supreme Court

Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg apparently got the message this week that he cannot hope to win the Democratic nomination without promising radical measures, including the packing of the Supreme Court. After denouncing the current Court as “rogue” for not ruling as the left has demanded, Buttigieg endorsed the plan of Democrats like Sen. Elizabeth Warren to pack the Court to reverse adverse constitutional interpretations.

Continue reading “Drinking the Court-Packing Kool-Aid: Buttigieg Joins the Calls to Take Over the Supreme Court” →

Media, Politics

“It’s Just Me”: The New Hunter Biden Seems Strikingly Like the Old Hunter Biden

Hunter Biden is once again reinventing himself with the help of an ever-enabling media and the Democratic establishment. The media is full of reports that people are rediscovering Hunter and finding him strikingly honest and refreshing. In his pitch, he assures viewers that now “it’s just me” and not some team of advisers. The problem is that, for some of us who have been critics of the Bidens for decades, there is nothing new about the new Hunter other than a podcast audience. Continue reading ““It’s Just Me”: The New Hunter Biden Seems Strikingly Like the Old Hunter Biden” →

Academia, Politics

“Knock Them Out”: AAUP and Mellon Foundation Accused of Targeting Civics Centers

There is an alarming media report about an effort by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) to target civics programs with the help of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. It is only the latest accusation of political bias at the AAUP under President Todd Wolfson. I will be debating Dr. Wolfson on the value of institutional neutrality on June 23. Continue reading ““Knock Them Out”: AAUP and Mellon Foundation Accused of Targeting Civics Centers” →

Columns, Media, Politics

“Not Like Classic Abuse Allegations”: NYT Writer Tries a Classic Coke Pitch for Platner

Some people just like classic Coke. Others insisted on the original Reese’s recipe.  New York Times writer Jodi Kantor went on CNN to explain why Democrats can vote for Maine senatorial candidate Graham Platner despite multiple women coming forward to denounce him: this is really not the classic Me Too allegations that Kantor and others seem to prefer for outrage. Continue reading ““Not Like Classic Abuse Allegations”: NYT Writer Tries a Classic Coke Pitch for Platner” →

Free Speech, International

Merkel Receives the First European Order of Merit and Repeats Call for Crackdown on Free Speech

The European Union recently announced the first recipients of its new European Order of Merit, the organization’s highest award. The headliner was Angela Merkel, former Federal Chancellor of Germany, who indeed personifies the European Union for both her fans and her critics. For many years, some of us have criticized Merkel as one of the leading forces behind European censorship efforts that have eviscerated the “Indispensable Right.” Not surprisingly, Merkel called for more censorship and attacks on free speech to a thrilled audience of EU bureaucrats and globalists. Continue reading “Merkel Receives the First European Order of Merit and Repeats Call for Crackdown on Free Speech” →

Politics

Protesters Swarm Pro-Life Speaker in San Antonio as Organizers Call for Them to “Show Your Hate”

When hundreds of women gathered in San Antonio for Turning Point USA’s Women’s Leadership Summit, protesters assembled to denounce them and disrupt their conference. One speaker told protesters to be “obnoxious” and to “show your hate” as a man dressed as death chopped the air with a sickle. Another speaker said that they were just showing that the “hateful values” have no place in San Antonio as another man in a costume mimicked the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Below is an example of what happens when speakers feed this rage addiction. Continue reading “Protesters Swarm Pro-Life Speaker in San Antonio as Organizers Call for Them to “Show Your Hate”” →

Academia, Constitutional Law

Professors Behind the California Wealth Tax Threaten Possible Legal Action Against Critic

There is an interesting controversy brewing in California after four California university professors threatened a political candidate, Richard Lucas, for criticizing them for their roles in the “Billionaire Tax” and sent him a “cease and desist” letter. David Gamage from the University of Missouri, Brian Galle and Emmanuel Saez from UC Berkeley, and Darien Shanske from UC Davis claimed that the public criticism violated anti-doxxing laws by sharing contact information. They are clearly wrong. One of the aggrieved professors, Brian Galle, teaches at Berkeley Law School called Lucas “a clown,” but insisted that sharing public information is unlawful.

Continue reading “Professors Behind the California Wealth Tax Threaten Possible Legal Action Against Critic” →

Columns, Congress, Politics

On the Kavanaugh Anniversary, Democratic Leaders Swap “Me Too” for Maine

Below is my column in The Hill on the Graham Platner controversy on the eighth anniversary of the Kavanaugh nomination. It now appears that there are some women who are not to be believed . . . when the Senate may be in the balance.

Here is the column: Continue reading “On the Kavanaugh Anniversary, Democratic Leaders Swap “Me Too” for Maine” →

Bizarre, Constitutional Law, Politics

The Spanberger Surge: Virginia Governor May Prove the Greatest Gun Influencer Since Charlton Heston

Is Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) a mole for the National Rifle Association (NRA)? After the recent scandal involving the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), some may wonder given a curious turn of events in Virginia. Gun sales have surged after Spanberger and the Democrats passed sweeping gun bans. Spanberger also issued a public statement that could help tank the legislation in court — resulting in the striking down of the law (or parts of the law) after spurring record gun sales.

Continue reading “The Spanberger Surge: Virginia Governor May Prove the Greatest Gun Influencer Since Charlton Heston” →

Criminal law, Free Speech

Minnesota Mob Blindness: St. Paul Prosecutor Drops All Charges Against City Church Demonstrators

Minnesotans are familiar with the perils of “snow blindness,” a temporary blindness caused by overexposure to ultraviolet rays from the reflection from snow and ice. It appears that Minnesota politicians and prosecutors have a type of mob blindness, where they cannot see crimes committed in front of them by the far left. That condition appears to be tragically evident in St. Paul, where City Attorney Irene Kao made an absurd denial of any criminal activity at the demonstration in the City Church on Jan. 18th. While claiming that there were no observable crimes, Kao’s decision just happened to be enormously popular with the mob-driven politics and polling in her state. Continue reading “Minnesota Mob Blindness: St. Paul Prosecutor Drops All Charges Against City Church Demonstrators” →

Academia, Free Speech, Politics

Facing the Big Zero: The University of Oregon Grapples With a Budget Crisis After Years of Woke Excess

It appears that being unrelentingly woke means that you need fewer dormitories. The University of Oregon is facing a major budget crisis and will cut $65 million from its budget and close dorms due to low enrollment. That growing crisis, however, did not stop Oregon from burning almost a million dollars fighting against free speech. It also did not induce its faculty to offer greater intellectual diversity and tolerance to prospective students. Oregon is a cautionary tale for a generation of academic social warriors, but also an opportunity for those who want to restore balance in higher education. Continue reading “Facing the Big Zero: The University of Oregon Grapples With a Budget Crisis After Years of Woke Excess” →

Politics

Federal Inspection Reportedly Finds Delaney Hall in Compliance on Virtually All Standards

Democratic Governor Mikie Sherrill has repeatedly claimed that conditions in the Delaney Hall ICE facility are abhorrent, inhuman, and intolerable. Democratic leaders claimed that the conditions were so horrific that there was a hunger strike going on. As is often the case, there is a closed loop of information fueling such claims. The media ran allegations from advocacy groups, politicians repeated the media reports as fact, and then lawyers cited both as the basis for a lawsuit to shut down the site. The problem is an actual federal inspection that found the facility to be in compliance with virtually every standard. Continue reading “Federal Inspection Reportedly Finds Delaney Hall in Compliance on Virtually All Standards” →

Res ipsa loquitur – The thing itself speaks