Paul M. Jones

Currently before the House Judiciary Committee, “The Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act of 2009 would authorize Attorney General Eric Holder to deny the sale or transfer of firearms to known or suspected terrorists—a list that could extend beyond groups such as radical Islamists and other groups connected to international terror organizations,” Fox [...]

At best, the rising cost of the debt would intensify pressures to increase taxes, cut spending — or create bigger, unsustainable deficits. By the CBO's estimates, interest on the debt as a share of federal spending will double between 2008 and 2019, to 16 percent. Huge budget deficits could also weaken economic growth by “crowding [...]

A fun (and hypnotizing) audio/video mashup using Alice in Wonderland:
This music and video mash by Aussie band/guy Pogo is apparently built almost entirely from Alice in Wonderland audio/video.

via Yeah Right: Pogo.

Michael Shermer of Skeptic magazine talks about how he became a libertarian in two posts:

Skepticblog » How I Became a Libertarian
Skepticblog » The Other ‘L’ Word: Why I am a Libertarian.

First sign of a gun grab?
The Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act of 2009 would authorize Attorney General Eric Holder to deny the sale or transfer of firearms to known or suspected terrorists — a list that could extend beyond groups such as radical Islamists and other groups connected to international terror organizations.
Critics [...]

Here are two totally intuitive common sense arguments:
“Buying local is better than buying from a chain store—the money stays in the community.”
“New products only benefit the inventor—the money he receives necessarily reduces the money available to other producers.”
Both are intuitive and common-sense. Both are wrong. Both illustrate an additional fallacy—that economics is “just common sense.”

via [...]

Wait, I thought it was only the evil Republicans who wanted to limit freedom of speech?
A private citizen objects peacefully to a proposed government action, and, as a result, is not only forced to appear before Congress to explain but also to be threatened with further burdens if he doesn't cooperate with the arrogant power-mongers [...]

Here is Adam Smith speculating in The Wealth of Nations on the dynamic nature of the British labor market if all tariffs and barriers to imports were removed. Surely, there would be mass unemployment and catastrophic disruption. Not so, says Smith. And he uses a very elegant natural experiment to make his case:

via Cafe Hayek: [...]

Meanwhile, what does it say that the Administration has resurrected or maintained the core elements of so many Bush Administration national security policies while OLC nominee Dawn Johnsen sits in limbo? And would the Administration's policies be any different were she already confirmed?

via The Volokh Conspiracy - It’s Official: Kinder, Gentler Military Commissions.

I'm laughing at Obama, but I'm also thanking him for doing the right thing and reasonably tolerant of the way he's tried to save face by pretending he's not doing exactly the same thing Bush did.

via Althouse: Obama is like Bush — with purported process appurtenances..
Hope and change!