POLITICS

November 16, 2004 Castro is Not “Generous,” He’s a Thug Mr.Alexander Marriott, I have read your article concerning the evils of Fidel Castro and Communism ( The “Inspirational” Dictator and the New York Yankee ). I understand that we live...

In the midst of all the election hoopla, one thing remains certain. Congress will return for a final, end-of-the-year session on November 15. This is the most dangerous time of the year–a time when bad bills become bad laws with little fanfare from a distracted...

What made Yasir Arafat’s final days appalling was not the farcical prevarications about whether he were dead or alive, nor the soap-opera quarrel between his wife and his political cronies; it was that so evil a man commanded so much respect. Since his airlift...

According to Edison/Mitofsky Research’s exit polls from last Tuesday’s election, the leading issue on the mind of Americans was not the war on terrorism, the war in Iraq or the state of the economy. Instead, the leading issue was “moral...

On November 2, 2004 while Americans voted, flawed exit polls (indicating among other things that Kerry would carry Florida, the popular vote, and the Presidency) prompted the market to vote on a perceived Kerry Administration. As we have argued before, the prospect of...

In his phone call conceding the election to President Bush, John Kerry is reported as having said we need to “do something” about all the divisiveness in the country. This is wrong on two counts. First, division on matters of principle is a good thing. The...

In recent years, the debate on circumcision has been conducted on a relatively low plane, with proponents arguing that circumcision may prevent some rare conditions. Opponents of circumcision argue that it simply has no medical benefits, and is a violation of a...

Black politicians and the civil rights establishment take it as an act of faith that progress for black people requires racial politics and government programs. How about examining this vision with a few simple, common-sense questions? Whether you’re black,...

I’ve finally decided to support John Kerry in this election. (And, in true Kerry fashion, I’m voting against him, but more on that later.) While I find Kerry repugnant, I believe George Bush threatens America’s freedom more. That’s why...

President Bush received a heck of an endorsement this week: from Hasan Rowhani, head of Iran’s Security Council. This should give pause to those who think that Mr. Bush is viewed everywhere as an enemy by America’s enemies, and Senator Kerry as their...

The concept of supply and demand is a powerful mechanism to frame decisions and likely consequences. For example, suppose the price for red apples is $1.00 per pound today, but increases to $2.00 per pound tomorrow. We are happy to go out on a limb and predict that...

Q: I have read your article entitled “Election 2004: Looking Ahead While Living Today” and while I am leaning towards voting for Bush for the very same reasons you list, I was wondering how you respond to the following quote by Ayn Rand: “A...

The Middle East has so defined the presidency of George W. Bush that historians will, I expect, judge him primarily according to his actions there. And so, too, will American voters in just more than a week, when they go to the polls. It has not been fully appreciated...

As in years past, the weeks and months leading up to the 2004 presidential election have been laced with stern reminders about the importance of voting. But while every citizen has a right to vote on election day, none has an obligation. In fact, morally, many have an...

Though no one will mistake Shall We Dance for a classic Fred Astaire musical, director Peter Chelsom’s romantic dance comedy makes you want to grab a dish and dance ’til dawn. The jovial remake, based on director Masayuki Suo’s Japanese movie of the...

In the months before the 1972 election, Ayn Rand gave her recommendation for voting in that year’s presidential election: “I am not an admirer of President Nixon, as my readers know. But I urge every able-minded voter, of any race, creed, color, age, sex,...

The first presidential election since the act of war on September 11, 2001, offers a clear choice for the so-called war on terrorism, a term which is precisely the problem. As others have pointed out, terrorism is a tactical means to an end: America is engaged in a...

When you vote for a member of the House of Representatives or the Senate, what should be your selection criteria? I’m all too afraid that most Americans, were they to be honest, would answer that they’d vote for the person who has pushed or will push for...