One of America’s most pious gun grabbers, former Maryland gov. Martin O’Malley, will announce his presidential campaign tomorrow at 10 a.m. in Baltimore. As Baltimore mayor, O’Malley spearheaded one of the most repressive police campaigns anywhere. There will be a lively protest at O’Malley’s launch by folks who have not forgotten the endless pointless jailings […]
Archive | May, 2015
Wash. Times: FDA’s War on Cheap Cigars
Washington Times, May 28, 2015 FDA cigar ban proposal a government regulation too far By James Bovard The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is finalizing regulations that could ban the sale of most of the cigars currently available in the United States. The FDA last year uncorked a 241-page, 70,000 word barrage of proposed restrictions […]
How Investigative Journalists Vindicate Themselves
Some folks wonder sometimes about the purpose of journalism. Well, sometimes barking is its own reward. The real problem is not the journalists that bark but those that grovel at the feet of govt. officials awaiting a pat on the head or a “scoop” that serves only Leviathan. h/t to Patrick McDonnell for another […]
USA TODAY: “Hurricane HUD” & the Baltimore Riots
USA TODAY May 25, 2015 How Baltimore became Pottersville by James Bovard Trusting federal housing subsidies to help save the city is the ultimate triumph of hope over experience. Baltimore’s recent riots are not surprising in a city that has long been plagued by both police brutality and one of the nation’s highest murder rates […]
MP3 of my NPR Debate on Federal Job Training
Marty Nemko had me on his NPR-San Francisco KALW program today to debate federal job training reform with Stephen Baiter, the executive directory of the Workforce Development Board of Contra Costa County, California. Marty wanted a civil debate, so we didn’t bust any chairs over each other’s heads. I have been writing […]
Rage Provoked by Wash. Post Boy Scout Quotes
A Washington Post article today – “Why the Scouts Can do No Right Politically” – included several paragraphs from my USA Today article last week. Here’s a partial outtake: “This month, long before Gates’s announcement, conservative critics slammed the Boy Scouts for new initiatives such as including girls in activities and emphasizing math and science. […]
FFF: Know-Nothing Democracy on Capitol Hill
Future of Freedom, March 2015 (posted 5/22/15) Know-Nothing Democracy on Capitol Hill by James Bovard “You can lead a man to Congress but you can’t make him think,” quipped Milton Berle in 1950. Last December’s congressional approval of the 1,603-page, $1.1 trillion omnibus bill (known as “Cromnibus,” because it was also a Continuing Resolution) also […]
