Justin Katz

And then There Were Four

By Justin Katz | November 29, 2004 | Comments Off on And then There Were Four

Anchor Rising welcomes Donald B. Hawthorne to our contributors list. Readers may recognize Don’s name from the pieces that he’s published in The Providence Journal taking on Rhode Island’s teachers’ unions (see his Recent Publications on the sidebar). Don’s interests are much broader, however, and he’s sure to be an even more significant benefit to…

Letters, Blue and Red

By Justin Katz | November 29, 2004 | Comments Off on Letters, Blue and Red

According to Boston resident Dan Flynn, to whom Michelle Malkin links, many residents of that city are still suffering a hangover from their indulgence at the country’s political office party. The slurred speech was not charming, and the promotion was not forthcoming. Such is the image that comes to mind while perusing the stream of…

The State of Thanksgiving

By Justin Katz | November 25, 2004 |

For some reason, this entire week has felt like a window for breathing. On a national scale, perhaps that has something to do with its being the first holiday after a startlingly contentious election season. On the personal level, for me, it follows a couple of months of big plans, significant breakthroughs, and large steps;…

Playing Catch-Up

By Justin Katz | November 24, 2004 | Comments Off on Playing Catch-Up

Apologies for the lack of posts over the past couple of days. Judging from my daily rounds, we don’t appear to be the only quick read out there. That’s no excuse, of course, and we do appreciate your readership. (Arguably that appreciation is served by not posting fluff just to fill space.) Among my reasons,…

From the Outside In

By Justin Katz | November 22, 2004 | Comments Off on From the Outside In

The Projo editorial board’s comments on recent healthcare happenings in the state mention a strategy — perhaps a necessity — with much broader application: We are unmoved by Blue Cross’s complaint that United is “an out-of-state for-profit company.” In all-too-cozy Rhode Island, being out-of-state can be an advantage, avoiding as it does the local cronyism…

Facing the Judges

By Justin Katz | November 22, 2004 | Comments Off on Facing the Judges

A word on where Andrew and I differ most significantly on the Taricani matter: Andrew believes that one problem that conservatives face when attempting to trim the powers of the judiciary is that they “pick a hot-button issue — gay marriage, flag burning, ‘under god’ in the pledge of allegiance — to advance the cause…

Meeting the Emotional Needs of the Elite

By Justin Katz | November 19, 2004 |

Brown professor Anne Fausto-Sterling, recent Massachusetts-made spouse of Brown professor Paula Vogel, skirts the heart of the same-sex marriage debate (coming to a small coastal state near you) in a Providence Journal column today. Interspersed with a description of exactly the sort of ceremony that one would expect from New England radicals, Fausto-Sterling offers points…

Black Robes and Conflicting Interests

By Justin Katz | November 19, 2004 |

Andrew, yes that notion that the judge can usurp executive powers when some among the executive branch might have a conflict of interest is the lynchpin. After I read, last night, Torres’s decision demanding that Taricani name his source (PDF), questions about the procedures and powers involved with forming grand juries and appointing special prosecutors…

Our Judicial Supragovernment?

By Justin Katz | November 18, 2004 |

Not being adequately informed about the case and the relevant laws, I’ve been waiting to hear Andrew’s argument in full with respect to Jim Taricani and Judge Torres before taking a position. However, Dan Yorke believes Judge Torres is in the right, and he just said something on his radio show that gives reason, at…

Fixing Something Broken on Purpose

By Justin Katz | November 17, 2004 | Comments Off on Fixing Something Broken on Purpose

I’ve admitted before that I find healthcare to be an eye-glazing issue — especially in Rhode Island. Sometimes it seems reasonable to wonder whether that’s an effect that the industry actively encourages. As William Gamble’s analysis suggests (to my mind, anyway), Blue Cross of Rhode Island could hardly have been better designed for corruption if…