Sep 25 2009

Yes, Virginia, It Really Is a Tax

Yesterday, Sen. John Ensign (R-NV, 92%) interrogated one Thomas Barthold, chief of staff for the Joint Committee on Taxation; Ensign wanted to know whether the Internal Revenue Service was responsible for enforcing the ObamaCare provision requiring individuals to pay a “penalty” of $1,900 if they fail to purchase an “approved” health-care plan.
Why is this important? [...]

Jul 1 2009

Paul Rahe: Obama’s tyrannical ambition

We have invited political historian Paul Rahe to write something for us on the themes of his timely new book Soft Despotism, Democracy’s Drift: Montesquieu, Rousseau, Tocqueville, and the Modern Prospect. Professor Rahe writes:

President Obama has one distinguishing feature. He is a man of rigid self-discipline. Politicians are a lot like actors: they tend [...]