Each of these are pretty short. None were drafted sober. All were finalized within 24 hours of the conclusion of the 2nd night’s debate. A few may even be right. So here they are, my reaction to the next Democratic nominee and 19 also-rans.
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The Slow Growth of Corporate Governance
I. What makes a government? What is a government but a set of legal structures providing services to an area in exchange for monopolistic power over what is allowed in that area? Those services include stability—generally in the form of contract and law enforcement—and public goods—most commonly as monetary policy. These services may be broader: […]
Continue readingMore TagMost things most people believe are wrong
The title of this post comes from the one and only Terry Pratchett, specifically the witch Granny Weatherwax in Equal Rites, but it may as well be the mantra of the social sciences. My job as a policy analyst revolves, in part, around people’s misconceptions and thus this post: a list of the things I’ve recently […]
Continue readingMore TagMapping Atlanta’s Flights
My last post was about changes in flight patterns from Atlanta to the rest of the United States. As these things can be a bit abstract, I took a break from my other projects (more on that at a later date) and made a map. It shows all of the direct flight routes between ATL […]
Continue readingMore TagMaking Gardens Visible: some maps
Oftentimes when (community) gardens are appreciated it is for fulfilling a temporary need. They replace vacant lots, turning illegal trash pits into something pretty that increases property values. They green otherwise dull, industrialized, cities and create a sense of community where there is none. Victory gardens help socialize children into a nationalistic project of civic engagement […]
Continue readingMore TagMay 2018 Election Endorsements: Round 2
In Portland, Oregon, it is election time! Ballots are due by May 15th, so be sure to vote. Ideally in a way that agrees with my opinions….In my last post I went overboard researching the three competitive races for judge on the ballot. Here I am going to touch on the rest of the races […]
Continue readingMore TagMapping Community Land Trusts; a new approach
The following is a summary of my senior thesis for the Political Science Department at Haverford College. In the 1980s the then mayor of Burlington, Vermont, championed a novel non-public sector approach to affordable housing and concerns about gentrification called a community land trust. That mayor, Bernie Sanders, is now a senator and the […]
Continue readingMore TagThe growing legality of extrajudicial execution
A different body of law applies to police officers and everyday citizens. If a non-cop inadvertently breaks the law they cannot claim ignorance of the law as a legal defense. The onus is on every citizen to know what is and isn’t legal no matter how bizarre, and then follow those laws. Police officers (and […]
Continue readingMore TagJourneys in Spam
I receive a lot of spam comments on this blog. I moderate (e.g. delete) them to keep things clean here. Most are advertisements for payday loans or inane comments followed by a link, but sometimes there are real gems. Here are a few of my favorites. Formatting is preserved and usernames are in bold. I simply couldn’t leave […]
Continue readingMore TagDefending Free Speech; or ‘why hate speech is antidemocratic’
This article is written primarily targeting white people, though the principles in question are universal. CW: racial slurs, and their discussion. There has never been, and never will be, a democracy that does not have freedom of speech. Obviously this doesn’t mean there cannot be any regulation on speech—social shaming for screaming at everyone […]
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