When taking on a major and complex agenda, it’s important to distinguish between goal ‘ and purpose. The Republicans in Congress are strong on goals but, so far, short on purpose. Balancing the budget is a proper goal; limiting the … Continue reading
Category: Daily Dose of Reason
Battle of Wisconsin: Rules of Engagement
Imagine if hundreds of anti-ObamaCare protestors camped out in Congress last year, back when Nancy Pelosi was still in charge of the House of Representatives. Imagine if they stayed days on end, dirtying up the halls of Congress and disrupting … Continue reading
Top 10 Things People Do To Get in Their Own Way
1. Have Kids Without Thinking. Too many people have kids because it’s the thing to do, it’s what they feel they should do, or because their spouse/partner wants them to. Very few have kids because they want to, because they … Continue reading
Private Airports: Way of the Future
New numbers released by the Federal Aviation Administration show reports of air-traffic errors having nearly doubled in three years. This raises the question. Who would you rather have controlling airports and airport safety: Government, or the private sector? The nearly … Continue reading
“All I Did For You!”
Parents of teenagers often expect their children to appreciate them. “All I’ve done for you! Why can’t you show gratitude?” To see the error here, think about what gratitude is. Gratitude is an emotion one feels towards someone for something … Continue reading
A Rare Rational Voice on Crime and Psychology
Dr. Hurd’s review of Dr. Stanton Samenow’s latest book, The Myth of the “Out of Character” Crime: People love to make excuses for, and rationalize, their own erroneous actions. Unfortunately this applies to criminals at least as much as ordinary … Continue reading
Discourse For Some
From an A.P. report: “Two former presidents — one Republican, the other a Democrat — will chair a new national institute to promote civility in political discourse in the city where U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was severely wounded in a … Continue reading
The Dog Whisperer Beats Human Psychologists
When it comes to child psychology, I much prefer Cesar Millan — “The Dog Whisperer” — to the mental health establishment. Millan is a dog psychologist, but he’s more of a human one than you think. In case you haven’t … Continue reading
Priorities — D.C. Style
Regarding the budget crisis, some liberal was said to ask, “What kind of priorities do Republicans have — using a weed whacker to the education budget, while allowing well-off people to still have tax deductions on their second homes?” The … Continue reading
Liberalism to Its Ultimate Conclusion
The welfare state is cracking apart. It has run out of money. Most people want the supposed benefits of a welfare state; nearly everybody welcomes something for nothing. But increasingly, it’s apparent to all involved that you can’t get something … Continue reading
The Battle of Wisconsin
The battle between the governor of Wisconsin and his state employees illustrates the case for capitalism — and against government-run monopolies. Government employees hold a monopoly — or at least a strong advantage — in the provision of certain services. … Continue reading
Laissez-faire Socialism
A study by Jonathan Gruber, an MIT professor, found that replacing the individual mandate in ObamaCare, as suggested by many opponents of the law, would significantly erode the coverage gains from the law and raise premiums for health care consumers. … Continue reading