Marc Comtois
Christian Whiton and Larry Greenfield report: Proposition 11, which passed with the narrowest of margins (50.8 percent), could mark the most serious challenge to the political class by voters since the foiled term limit movement of the 1990s. It strikes at the core pillar of power: incumbency guaranteed through gerrymandered districts. Californians took away from…
Harry Reid, so classy: “My staff tells me not to say this, but I’m going to say it anyway,” said Reid in his remarks. “In the summer because of the heat and high humidity, you could literally smell the tourists coming into the Capitol. It may be descriptive but it’s true.” Reid was talking about…
In a recent piece in National Review (“Beyond Tax Cuts”), Reihan Salam mentioned a study by economists Alberto Alesina and George-Marios Angeletos called “Fairness and Redistribution” (PDF). As Salam summarized: Their argument was that our beliefs about fairness shape our beliefs about redistribution. If you believe that the system works and that hard work is…
Apparently there was a “vulgarity” problem at Council 94 and J. Michael Downey ain’t gonna take it anymore (h/t). In an internal memo obtained by The Journal, Council 94 President J. Michael Downey tells staff that he will be “fully involved in the decision-making process” of union leadership following the departure of former executive director…
Tocqueville and Thanksgiving….two of my favorite things. The foundation of New England was a novel spectacle, and all the circumstances attending it were singular and original. Nearly all colonies have been first inhabited either by men without education and without resources, driven by their poverty and their misconduct from the land which gave them birth,…
Here’s one of those weekend fluff things to do. The “Typealyzer” (h/t) claims to be able to analyze the content and writing of a blog and then categorize its character. Type in the URL of your favorite blog and away you go. Not for nothing, but both Anchor Rising and, er, Not for Nothing come…
….look out. Rep. Joseph A. Trillo, of Warwick…said he expects a battle over new taxes in the coming weeks and months. “The problem is, if we go down that road — and we may have to, hopefully we don’t — we face the possibility of more people who have to leave [Rhode Island],” he said.…
Some Rhode Island legislators are looking into what businesses require to compete and be successful in the Ocean State: Members of the House Finance Committee spent the morning visiting five prospering manufacturing companies around Rhode Island. Their mission: listen to company executives to find out what the legislature can do to promote job creation…. The…
Glenn Reynolds: Though people still speak of a decision to go to war as something done to enhance the political position of incumbent presidents, history doesn’t support that. Truman fought in Korea and lost the next election. LBJ had to give up the White House over Vietnam. George H.W. Bush won in Iraq and enjoyed…
As a follow-up to my appearance on Matt Allen tonight, I thought it worthwhile to provide a link to VotersUnite.org, which I mentioned to Matt. As I said, they indicate that there are only 15 states that provide the straight-party option, though there are some caveats. For instance: [1] North Carolina: A straight party vote…