Bush's budget in perspective: The Wall Street Journal (February 10), writes that the new $2.77 trillion budget proposed by President George W. Bush "represents $87,000 in federal spending every second for a year." Which means that in the eight seconds it took you to read this paragraph, Uncle Sam plans to spend over $700,000.
* The right direction: Are conservatives starting to see the light about the failed War on Drugs? Newsday columnist Ellis Henican notes (February 12) that Ethan Nadelman, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, was invited to speak at the recent CPAC convention. Henican wrote: "What do conservatives stand for, [Nadelman] asked rhetorically. Individual freedom. Fiscal restraint. Holding adults responsible for their own personal decisions. Not expecting government to become a 24-hour-a-day nanny. 'Isn't that what conservatism is all about?' Nadelman asked." (Good question!)
* We are not alone: The Cato Institute's David Boaz (February 2) decries the lack of libertarian voices in politics and the media -- even though a new Gallup Poll finds that one in five Americans are libertarian. The poll found that 20% of the public opposes the use of government to "promote traditional values" or to "do too many things that should be left to individuals and businesses." Writes Boaz: "It's no secret that libertarian voters make up a chunk of America. But you'd never know it from watching TV -- or listening to our elected politicians."
* The right direction: Are conservatives starting to see the light about the failed War on Drugs? Newsday columnist Ellis Henican notes (February 12) that Ethan Nadelman, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, was invited to speak at the recent CPAC convention. Henican wrote: "What do conservatives stand for, [Nadelman] asked rhetorically. Individual freedom. Fiscal restraint. Holding adults responsible for their own personal decisions. Not expecting government to become a 24-hour-a-day nanny. 'Isn't that what conservatism is all about?' Nadelman asked." (Good question!)
* We are not alone: The Cato Institute's David Boaz (February 2) decries the lack of libertarian voices in politics and the media -- even though a new Gallup Poll finds that one in five Americans are libertarian. The poll found that 20% of the public opposes the use of government to "promote traditional values" or to "do too many things that should be left to individuals and businesses." Writes Boaz: "It's no secret that libertarian voters make up a chunk of America. But you'd never know it from watching TV -- or listening to our elected politicians."