Reason,
by
Nick Gillespie
Original Article
Posted by
zoidberg
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12/21/2020 11:36:59 AM
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Do immigrants bring with them the worst attributes of the countries they left behind? (Snip) In their new book, Wretched Refuse?: The Political Economy of Immigration and Institutions, the Cato Institute's Alex Nowrasteh and Texas Tech University's Benjamin Powell take an exhaustive look at the data and find that destination countries not only benefit economically from immigration but that key markers of liberal democracy—such as support for the rule of law and limited government, belief in private property rights, and trust in government—improve when newcomers arrive en masse.
Reason,
by
Billy Binion
Original Article
Posted by
zoidberg
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12/18/2020 9:44:38 AM
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Rep. Justin Amash (L–Mich.) on Thursday introduced a bill to end civil asset forfeiture, which allows the government to take property from someone without ever charging them with a crime. Law enforcement on the local, state, and federal levels can seize assets if they were thought to be used in connection with illegal activity. That's often based solely on suspicion, though. Many people never receive their items back, even if they were acquitted or never charged in the first place. Since 2000, state and local governments have robbed people of more than $68 billion.
Reason,
by
Jacob Sullum
Original Article
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zoidberg
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12/7/2020 11:46:24 AM
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The 2020 elections delivered a resounding victory for drug policy reformers, who won everywhere their proposals were put to a vote. Across the country, in red and blue states, on both coasts and in between, in the Midwest and the Deep South, voters passed ballot initiatives that not only continued to reverse marijuana prohibition but also broke new ground in making drug laws less punitive and more tolerant. New Jersey's approval of marijuana legalization was expected. Preelection surveys consistently put public support above 60 percent, although the actual margin of victory was a few points bigger than the polls suggested
National Review,
by
Jay Nordlinger
Original Article
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zoidberg
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11/18/2020 8:22:53 AM
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Twenty-five years ago, I met Scott Morris, when we both worked at The Weekly Standard. He asked, “What kind of conservative are you? What is the basis of your conservatism?” I attempted a couple of answers, which did not satisfy him. Scott was an intellectual, who had studied philosophy, including over in Oxford. Finally, I said to him, “Look, Scott, I’m a simple fellow: I just hate the Reds. Hate, hate, hate the Reds.” He laughed and laughed, and let me off the hook, for a while.
Reason,
by
Jacob Sullum
Original Article
Posted by
zoidberg
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11/17/2020 5:18:33 PM
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Israel could become the third country in the world to legalize marijuana for recreational use under a plan recently announced by the government. The recommendations from an interministerial committee call for the introduction of implementing legislation by the end of the month. Legalization would take effect nine months after the bill is approved by the Knesset, Israel's parliament. "It's time to make progress and legalize cannabis in Israel," said Justice Minister Avi Nissenkorn. "This is a significant, holistic and responsible reform, which shows the State of Israel isn't ignoring reality and is going in the footsteps of developed countries."
Reason,
by
Eric Boehm
Original Article
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zoidberg
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11/17/2020 5:14:24 PM
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The third time wasn't the charm for the Pentagon, which has once again failed to successfully complete an audit. Thomas Harker, the Pentagon's comptroller, told Reuters that it could be another seven years before the department can pass an audit—something that it has never accomplished. Previous attempts in 2018 and 2019 turned up literally thousands of problems with the Pentagon's accounting system and millions of dollars' worth of missing equipment.
Bloomberg News,
by
Tiffany Kary
Original Article
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zoidberg
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10/29/2020 10:25:55 AM
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As Americans head to the polls more divided than ever on social and economic issues, there’s one thing they’re actually coming together on: cannabis. Much has been made of whether a victory for Democratic nominee Joe Biden, or a potential liberal sweep in the Senate, could bolster marijuana companies. But initiatives on the ballot in a handful of conservative states show Republicans are increasingly on board with legalization as well — perhaps paving the way for an end to federal prohibition, no matter who controls Washington.
National Review,
by
Kevin D. Williamson
Original Article
Posted by
zoidberg
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7/19/2020 12:49:41 PM
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One of the bits of fake news currently making the rounds on the geriatric circuit purports to show George Floyd, at age 17, on the Judge Judy show, where he admits to being a carjacker. The message — that he was a rotten SOB and more or less deserved what happened to him at the hands of Minneapolis police — is impossible to miss. That the video is a misrepresentation would be obvious to anybody with any knowledge of the basic facts of the case.(Snip)If you tell somebody a lie they want to hear, then you do not have to worry
Reason,
by
Ronald Bailey
Original Article
Posted by
zoidberg
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7/2/2020 10:06:03 AM
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The prevalence of immunity to the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 may be much higher than previous research suggests according to an intriguing new study by researchers associated with Karolinska Institute in Sweden. In addition, a new German study by researchers associated with the University Hospital Tübingen in Germany reports that people who have been previously infected with versions of the coronavirus that cause the common cold also have some immunity to the COVID-19 virus. If these reports stand up to further scrutiny, it would be very good news because they suggest that the pandemic could be over sooner
Washington Post,
by
Christopher Ingraham
Original Article
Posted by
zoidberg
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7/1/2020 9:46:11 AM
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After a late-spring lull, daily coronavirus cases in the United States have again hit record highs, driven by resurgent outbreaks in states such as Florida, Arizona and California. Hospitals in Houston are on the brink of being overwhelmed, and public health experts worry the pandemic’s death count will soon be climbing in tandem with the daily case load.(Snip) Against this backdrop, a team of economists at Goldman Sachs has published an analysis suggesting more painful shutdowns could be averted if the United States implements a nationwide mask mandate.
Creators,
by
John Stossel
Original Article
Posted by
zoidberg
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7/1/2020 8:50:27 AM
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Protesters say America's criminal justice system is unfair. It is. Courts are so jammed that innocent people plead guilty to avoid waiting years for a trial. Lawyers help rich people get special treatment. A jail stay is just as likely to teach you crime as it is to help you get a new start. Overcrowded prisons cost a fortune and increase suffering for both prisoners and guards. There's one simple solution to most of these problems: End the war on drugs. Our government has spent trillions of dollars trying to stop drug use. It hasn't worked.
Creators,
by
Jacob Sullum
Original Article
Posted by
zoidberg
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6/24/2020 9:56:35 AM
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Last Friday, three months after Louisville, Kentucky, police officers gunned down a 26-year-old EMT and aspiring nurse named Breonna Taylor during a fruitless drug raid, acting Police Chief Robert Schroeder initiated the termination of Detective Brett Hankison, who he said had "displayed an extreme indifference to the value of human life" when he "wantonly and blindly fired 10 rounds" into Taylor's apartment. But Hankison's recklessness is just one element of the circumstances that led to Taylor's senseless death, which never would have happened if politicians did not insist on using violence to enforce their pharmacological prejudices.
Comments:
Beware of confirmation bias.