Justin Katz

Leaving Obama in the Impulse Rack

By Justin Katz | October 23, 2008 |

In the comments to “The Passive Vitriol of the ‘Intellectual’ Left,” Joe Bernstein gives a personal weight to a phenomenon that many of us have observed: Maybe they’ll continue using the “racist” taunt until they get the reaction they weren’t expecting. It wouldn’t be a bad thing if the US DID elect an Afro-American president.It…

Old Arguments and an Older Profession

By Justin Katz | October 22, 2008 |

It’s jarring to read familiar arguments put forward in the context of prostitution: Proponents say the measure will free up $11 million the police spend each year arresting prostitutes and allow them to form collectives. “It will allow workers to organize for our rights and for our safety,” said Patricia West, 22, who said she…

The Passive Vitriol of the “Intellectual” Left

By Justin Katz | October 22, 2008 |

This MClatchy “report” by David Lightman is really too much: An ugly line has been crossed in this presidential campaign, one in which some people don’t mind calling Barack Obama a dangerous Muslim, a terrorist and worse. “To me, this all feels much worse than we’ve seen in some time,” said Kathryn Kolbert, the president…

Changing Toward Decline

By Justin Katz | October 22, 2008 |

It’s not quite comprehensive, but this multimedia review of some of the arguments against Barack Obama is certainly extensive. There’s been an inclination, with Obama, to hope against reality, but it isn’t enough to recycle the candidate’s slogans as justification for giving him your vote.

Rhode Island: The Least Advisable Place to Go

By Justin Katz | October 22, 2008 |

If such a thing is possible, news that Rhode Island has — perhaps for the first time in history — the highest unemployment rate in the country is both stunning and unsurprising. With all of our assets and attractions our state’s leaders can’t even keep us ahead of a single other state, let alone in…

Work and Health Should Be Only Indirectly Linked

By Justin Katz | October 21, 2008 |

I’m with Jeff Jacoby: De-linking medical insurance from employment is the key to reforming healthcare in the United States. McCain proposes to accomplish that by taking the tax deduction away from employers and giving it to employees. With a $5,000 refundable healthcare tax credit, Americans would have a strong inducement to buy their own, more…

The Worst of the Campus in the White House

By Justin Katz | October 21, 2008 |

In a chilling piece, yesterday, Andy McCarthy argues — I would phrase it — that Barack Obama is the fruit of the leftist lunacy that has flourished on American campuses: For Obama, that society is an ineradicably racist “white world.” He is more opaque than mentors like Jeremiah Wright and Bill Ayers, who mince no…

The Power of Headlines and Scandal

By Justin Katz | October 21, 2008 |

So, if you were to see the headline “Priest compelled to reveal he’s gay,” what would you expect to see in the story? That the Church (or somebody) forced him to admit his orientation as a targeted effort laced with malice. But in actuality, the LA Times story to which the Providence Journal gave that…

The Guilty Husband

By Justin Katz | October 21, 2008 |

In the past decade or so, every divorce of which I’ve been aware has been initiated by the wife. That’s hardly a broad or representative sample, but I do wonder whether the post-divorce cards are so heavily stacked in women’s favor that it affects their understanding of and behavior toward their marriages. With this sort…

Working for Change in Tiverton

By Justin Katz | October 21, 2008 |

Anybody interested in changing the way in which Tiverton’s government conducts business should consider attending Tiverton Citizens for Change’s volunteer/candidate night tonight. We’ll be looking for people to help in myriad ways, from canvassing neighborhoods to putting up yard signs, but even those who aren’t able or willing to help out are invited to meet…