Written

A water drop and ripples

For young children the risk of the vaccines could in fact be higher than for COVID.

By Justin Katz | November 8, 2021 |

Not that long ago, the expectation was that older folks would take on additional risk in order to reduce the risks to children.  As with much else, this principle appears to have inverted with COVID.  Thus, I’ve got to say that I’m pretty much on the same page as Paul Alexander: Why vaccinate our children…

A water drop and ripples

The RI School Committee Association is emblematic of the RI establishment.

By Justin Katz | November 8, 2021 |

I’ve said it again and again over the years:  Rhode Island government is structured such that the state is the center of everything, and various committees, associations, chambers, and other organizations that people think represent the interests of various segments of civil society do not.  They are there to represent the state government’s interests to…

Silhouette over digital background

Here’s how to properly regulate Big Tech in two easy steps.

By Justin Katz | November 8, 2021 |

During a conversation with Blake Masters on a recent episode of his podcast (go to 48:40 at that link), Andrew Klavan mentioned the contra-regulation argument he sometimes hears that government is simply too slow and legislators too old and out of touch to regulate fast-moving technology.  The only response Masters and Klavan offered (per my…

A water drop and ripples

Wendy Schiller may be the most aptly named political science professor in the country.

By Justin Katz | November 8, 2021 |

If her analysis in the news is essentially Democrat spin, what does she teach in the classroom? Schiller also said Biden brings a restoration of “stability” and “predictability” to the presidency: “He seems to me to have a moral fortitude where he is really certain that what he’s trying to do is the right thing…

A medical test

The Political Co-Op’s leveraging of an early intervention story was cynical and gross.

By Justin Katz | November 8, 2021 |

First, let’s start with a thrilling observation of how wonderful our country and civilization are. Progressive candidate for the RI Political Cooperative, Mike Niemeyer’s daughter has severe brain damage, but as Katherine Gregg reports in the Providence Journal, modern life is full of miracles: In a telephone interview on Friday, Niemeyer described the invaluable help a team…

A water drop and ripples

How can any organization not be free to take beliefs into account when hiring senior management?

By Justin Katz | November 6, 2021 |

Some news stories, even ones where “my side” wins, so to speak, gives me a how-did-we-get-to-this-place headache.  The somewhat autonomous British island of Guernsey nearly passed an anti-discrimination law that would have forced all organizations, including Catholic schools, to ignore their belief systems when hiring employees, even in leadership positions.  Even local Protestants spoke up…

Landmark Hospital

Fining hospitals for failing to comply with COVID vaccination mandates is nuts.

By Justin Katz | November 6, 2021 |

We’ve reached the point of lunacy in the Ocean State.  Katherine Gregg reports for the Providence Journal: The Rhode Island Department of Health has slapped violation notices on Landmark Medical Center in Woonsocket and the state-run Eleanor Slater Hospital for failing to comply with the state’s COVID-19 vaccination mandate. If both Landmark and the state hospital…

Aaron Regunberg tweets about CO2

With progressives like Regunberg, cynical blame comes first, analysis second.

By Justin Katz | November 5, 2021 |

Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on the reason and one’s perspective), Aaron Regunberg deleted the tweet shown in the featured image of this post before the time of this writing. His anti-American and anti-capitalist word-association response, however, is still worth pondering. The image is of a chart from an article in Financial Times by Alex Kaufman that purports…

Cash, cuffs, and the American flag

Maybe it should be a crime to impose regulations that drive businesses to try to bribe officials.

By Justin Katz | November 5, 2021 |

Arresting a private business manager for attempted bribery of a public official raises an interesting crime to contemplate. Offering money for enhanced service is not a crime.  I’ve never heard of somebody being arrested for trying to slip a m’aitre d’ cash to find somebody without reservations a table in a busy restaurant.  And if…

A water drop and ripples

#LetsGoBrandon can’t stop, won’t stop.

By Justin Katz | November 5, 2021 |

This gets better and better. Not only does “Let’s Go Brandon” carry a potent political message, not only does it offer a single unifying phrase, but it’s also getting really fun. It’s not a phrase, it’s a movement! #LGB pic.twitter.com/MpeKAEVfWB — Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert) November 5, 2021