A Pew report found that 1 in every 100 U.S. adults is now behind bars. The breakdown along racial and ethnic lines is even more disturbing. In the 18 and over age demographic for males, Pew found that 1 in 106 white males are behind bars compared to 1 in 36 for Hispanic males, and [...]

From Stephen Green @ Vodkapundit: When recessions hit, the worst thing the government can do is something.

In what may well be one of the last published articles he wrote, William F. Buckley Jr. recalls the problems that arose when the John Birchers got too close to Barry Goldwater’s Presidential Campaign: The society had been founded in 1958 by an earnest and capable entrepreneur named Robert Welch, a candy man, who brought [...]

…or you just might find yourself supporting the American Socialist Party: For years the masses have told you that if you snooze you lose. You never believed them. You held your head high and slept in whenever you wanted to, always without fear of loss. Well, dear friends, the times have changed. The ingenious sages [...]

In today’s New York Times, Daniel Leonhardt examines the logic behind the Democratic candidates’ NAFTA-bashing as they campaign in Ohio: The first problem with what the candidates have been saying is that Ohio’s troubles haven’t really been caused by trade agreements. When Nafta took effect on Jan. 1, 1994, Ohio had 990,000 manufacturing jobs. Two [...]

Bars in Minnesota are finding interesting and creative ways to get around the state smoking ban: What started as a quirky idea to get around the statewide smoking ban appears to be spreading like wildfire. Dozens of bars are expected to stage “theater nights” this weekend in which patrons are dubbed actors. The law, which [...]

Robert Poole, former Editor-in-Chief at Reason comments on the passing of William F. Buckley and his role in what eventually became the American libertarian movement: By creating National Review in 1955 as a serious, intellectually respectable conservative voice (challenging the New Deal consensus among thinking people), Buckley created space for the development of our movement. [...]

William F. Buckley, Jr., the founder of National Review and arguably the founder of the modern American conservative movement, died today at the age of 82: William F. Buckley Jr., who marshaled polysyllabic exuberance, famously arched eyebrows and a refined, perspicacious mind to elevate conservatism to the center of American political discourse, died Wednesday at [...]

A great video from Reason.tv. Excerpt: “The biggest immigration problem we got in America is a government that’s not doing its job,” says Armey. “I don’t like illegal immigration, but I’ll tell you something: I don’t run stop lights. But you put me out on the road at two o’clock in the morning on the [...]

The San Jose Mercury News reports on a study of California’s immigrant, including illegal immigrant, population: Countering widespread belief, a new report shows California’s foreign-born population – including illegal immigrants – makes up only a sliver of the state’s population of inmates. The report by the Public Policy Institute of California, released Monday, also suggests [...]

This, apparently, is the crap that the Ron Paul for President campaign is putting in mailboxes all over Texas: Yeah, that’s how libertarians people who pretend to be libertarians act. Pandering to the worst instincts in the American psyche. Sorry, Ron, for me at least, it’s officially over. Frankly, at this point, I don’t even [...]

Here’s a great set of videos explaining the reasoning behind, and the evidence in favor of, The Laffer Curve. Part One: Part Two:

Last week the Judiciary Committee in the Georgia Senate backed a measure that would make it tougher to obtain a “no-knock warrant”: The bill, sponsored by Sen. Vincent Fort, (D) Atlanta, would require officers who want to use so-called “no-knock” search warrants to go to a judge and prove that there is probable cause to [...]

For reasons known only to him, Ralph Nader announced today that he’s running for President: WASHINGTON (CNN) — Ralph Nader is entering the presidential race as an independent, he announced Sunday, saying it is time for a “Jeffersonian revolution.” “In the last few years, big money and the closing down of Washington against citizen groups [...]

Some would say it’s tastless, but I’m not one of them: Presumptive Republican nominee John McCain Friday said he hoped Fidel Castro’s resignation would be followed by his speedy demise, and rapped Democrat Barack Obama for offering talks with Cuba’s next leader. “Fidel Castro announced that he would not remain as president — whatever that [...]

The Cato Institute’s Michael Tanner takes a look in the crystal ball: Barack Obama is now the clear front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination. He’s risen high on his inspiring persona and uplifting rhetoric. At a time of prolonged war and economic uncertainty, he appeals to Americans’ hope for something better than the bitter partisan [...]

The Independent Institute’s Robert Higgs has a great essay out on the debate over illegal immigration as it applies to the welfare state: Anti-immigrationists often say that the Mexicans come here only to go on welfare. Aside from this declaration’s manifest misrepresentation of the truth, one wonders why the obvious remedy for this alleged problem [...]

Reversing a decision he announced two weeks ago, Arizona Congressman John Shaddegg has announced that he will run for re-election in November: Rep. John Shadegg (R-Ariz.), who abruptly announced his retirement just 10 days ago, has changed his mind and will be running for reelection in his Phoenix-area congressional district. Shadegg, who unsuccessfully sought the [...]

Let me ask, does this remind anyone of a marijuana tax stamp? A ban on the sale of cigarettes to anyone who does not pay for a government smoking permit has been proposed by Health England, a ministerial advisory board. The idea is the brainchild of the board’s chairman, Julian Le Grand, who is a [...]

Last week I wrote a post about how Barack Obama was trying to have it both ways on the Second Amendment. Ken Blackwell at Townhall.com, however, believes that Obama’s doublespeak about the Second Amendment (among some of Obama’s other statements) reveals a disturbing pattern in his attitudes about individual rights and a host of other [...]