Freespace

The political philosophy of Frederick Douglass

I'm excited to see a new book on the political philosophy of Frederick Douglass. It's awful how Douglass has been featured primarily as an activist or a literary figure, while his very profound understanding of the classical liberal principles of the Constitution has generally gone ignored. Other than this book, there are only three I know of about Douglass' thinking: Peter C. Myers' is the best, followed by James Colaiaco's. Then there is the Waldo Martin book, The Mind of Frederick Douglass, which is, frankly, awful, and minimizes crucial elements of Douglass' views because they don't jibe with Martin's own leftist proclivities.

You didn't build that

I love the fact that, thanks to the Tea Party, people seem increasingly willing to challenge the moral assumptions of the welfare state.

Outsourcing

I wonder if Harry Reid wants to pile them up and burn them, too.

Melville, Hawthorne, and the rule of law in a slave society

Some interesting reflections on law and literature in 19th Century America.

The Freeh report

I have not followed the Jerry Sandusky trial with any serious attention, so I have no personal opinion on this matter, but John Zeigler raises some very interesting questions about the Louis Freeh report and its condemnation of Joe Paterno.

Harry Reid's BS about Chinese-made Olympic uniforms

Is expertly swept away by Daniel Ikenson.

Bathroom graffiti I can endorse

Celebrating a win for economic freedom

Victory for economic liberty in Missouri

At long last, and at the instigation of PLF's lawsuit, Missouri has repealed its anticompetitive licensing law for moving companies.

Today's dose of Obamapocrisy

"Many members of the other party believe that wealth comes form the top down. I disagree."

But he didn't disagree back when he was bailing out giant corporate interests with taxpayer dollars, rescuing America's wealthiest from the consequences of their own bad decisions, and funding government make-work projects that even he later admitted weren't so "shovel ready" after all. Back then, the theory was that prosperity tricked down from the top--i.e., the federal government, which invests seized money in its chosen favorites, in order to spur "job creation" and "jump start" the economy. Government-managed economic "stimulus" and "relief" programs are the ultimate "top down"ery.