American Conservative, October 19, 2020 The Voting Rights Mirage by James Bovard The most dangerous political illusion is that votes limit politicians’ power. Americans have been endlessly hectored in recent months to cast their votes in the presidential election. But trusting ballots to leash either Donald Trump or Joe Biden would be the ultimate triumph […]
Tag Archives | Lyndon Johnson
Veterans Day: The Lost Soldier I Met at the Baltimore Bus Station
Baltimore Sun, November 9, 2018 On Veterans Day, I remember ‘Bobie’ from Baltimore by James Bovard Veterans Day is a time for parades and tributes to those who served in America’s armed services. But most celebrations ignore the human carnage that inevitably follows when politicians send their fellow citizens off to foreign wars. Considering the […]
Podcast: Hitchhiking to an Antiwar Awakening
Here’s the 7 minute story of how my hitchhiking follies led to my antiwar awakening via a drunken Vietnam war vet in a desolate, dicey Baltimore bus station. I welcome critical feedback on how to notch up future podcasts. Just a little overlap between the video and my oped last week in the Baltimore Sun […]
FFF: Pro-War Media Deserve Criticism, Not Sainthood
Future of Freedom Foundation The Pro-War Media Deserve Criticism, Not Sainthood by James Bovard June 20, 2018 The media nowadays are busy congratulating themselves for their vigorous criticism of Donald Trump. To exploit that surge of sanctimony, Hollywood producer Steven Spielberg rushed out The Post, a movie depicting an epic press battle with the Nixon […]
The Hill: A Politically Weaponized FBI is Plenty Dangerous
The Hill, June 13, 2018 A politically weaponized FBI is nothing new, but plenty dangerous by James Bovard The Justice Department Inspector General is expected to release on Thursday its report on alleged FBI misconduct during the 2016 presidential campaign. Trump supporters and opponents are already pre-spinning the report to vindicate or undercut the president. […]
Fear-Mongering and Servitude (2011)
Freeman, June 2011 Fear-Mongering and Servitude by James Bovard In his 1776 essay, “Thoughts on Government,” John Adams observed, “Fear is the foundation of most governments; but it is so sordid and brutal a passion, and renders men in whose breasts it predominates so stupid and miserable, that Americans will not be likely to approve […]
FFF: Antiwar Awakening From a Baltimore Boozer
Future of Freedom Foundation Anti-War Awakening on a Bus Trip from Baltimore by James Bovard August 17, 2017 In the summer of 1975, I took off hitchhiking from the mountains of southwest Virginia to visit a college girlfriend in New England. Less than 300 miles into the trip, my thumb lost whatever magic it once […]