Paul Jacob

Paul Jacob

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Repression, Michigan-style?

By Paul Jacob (Dec 30, 2007)

Even the world's most repressive regimes often have laws on the books that pretend to grant citizens certain political rights. What matters is the extent to which citizens... more

The chicken or the egg (on his face)?

By Paul Jacob (Dec 23, 2007)

Which came first, the Chicken or the Egg? It’s a funny question, since the subject at hand is pork. I ask it because House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Maryland) brought... more

Through thick and thin

By Paul Jacob (Dec 16, 2007)

Slicing bread used to be a consumer activity. Whether the loaf was made at home or bought at the baker’s — or from the woman next door — the slicing of it was done at the... more

Calling a censor a censor — censored!

By Paul Jacob (Dec 09, 2007)

Canada does not have our First Amendment. It does not have as strong a protection for free speech as we do here in the U. S. of A. I can say this even as America’s free... more

Success under siege by screaming brats

By Paul Jacob (Dec 02, 2007)

Nothing can ruin an already miserable shopping experience faster than a screaming brat throwing a fit to get his way — right in the middle of your local Wal-Mart. Much has... more

Tax the rich, hide the swindle

By Paul Jacob (Nov 25, 2007)

Is it possible that I’m smarter than Warren Buffett? Well, not likely. There’s so much evidence to the contrary, at least of the "if you’re so smart, why aren’t you rich?"... more

Where do judges come from?

By Paul Jacob (Nov 18, 2007)

Patricia Breckenridge was sworn in this past week as Missouri’s newest supreme court justice. It was a pleasant event, even a bit ho-hum, considering it culminated months of... more

Don't forget to lie

By Paul Jacob (Nov 11, 2007)

Maine legislators made a big mistake with the term-limits-weakening measure they referred to voters last Tuesday: they forgot to lie. They didn’t cheat or steal, either.... more

Free rides, no — freed drivers, yes

By Paul Jacob (Nov 04, 2007)

What do New York and Minneapolis have in common? I mean, besides being big American cities whose denizens tend to talk a bit funny. The answer? Taxicab troubles. A few... more

In the toilet

By Paul Jacob (Oct 28, 2007)

Americans have become foul-mouthed. Vulgarity, swearing, cursing . . . such talk is everywhere, and it’s getting out of hand. Now, I’m not perfect, but I do try to keep my... more

The late great Social Security swindle

By Paul Jacob (Oct 21, 2007)

On the Ides of October the first Baby Boomer applied for Social Security retirement. Not disability, mind you: retirement. A Maryland teacher, born a second after midnight on... more

Moderation for everybody

By Paul Jacob (Oct 14, 2007)

Most regular readers of Townhall no doubt think of themselves as conservatives or “on the right.” And they think of their enemies as being “on the left.” But on some... more

We, the Oklahoma 3

By Paul Jacob (Oct 07, 2007)

My car died this week. It needs a new motor. Unfortunately, that costs more than the car is worth. But I don't really even care. You see, as this week's bad news goes,... more

Is the U.S. Senate the world's greatest deliberative body . . . or merely a hundred Lily Tomlins waiting for the phone to ring?

By Paul Jacob (Sep 30, 2007)

Congress passes many bills without reading them. Some are prepared so close to the vote that not even their sponsors really know what they say. That's nothing new. We all... more

A limit with CLOUT

By Paul Jacob (Sep 23, 2007)

In Texas, politicians have proven themselves no exception to the rule: give ’em a penny, they’ll take a dollar; give ’em a dollar, they’ll take your wallet. But there is... more

Hillary's middle class tax increase

By Paul Jacob (Sep 16, 2007)

Remember that middle class tax cut Bill Clinton promised us years ago, the one we never got? Well, now Hillary Clinton wants it back. That is, she wants to take back what was... more

Two strikes, we're out

By Paul Jacob (Sep 09, 2007)

At the start of the school year in Bethel, Washington, the local teachers' union went on strike. A week later, New York city's cabbies went on strike. The two strikes lasted... more

Stop the bus, my kid is getting off

By Paul Jacob (Sep 02, 2007)

Washington, D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty took full control over his city's long suffering public schools earlier this summer. But he sends his own twin girls to a private school.... more

Unhappiness is a drawn gun

By Paul Jacob (Aug 26, 2007)

There's the real world, and there are representations. I don't want to get into heavy-duty metaphysics, here — I gave that up for Lent years ago, and never took to it again... more

Behind closed doors — how Missouri makes judges

By Paul Jacob (Aug 19, 2007)

We are told not to ask how sausage is made. We often postpone telling our children where babies come from. But democracy’s a bit different, isn’t it? I mean, aren’t... more

Increased polar awareness

By Paul Jacob (Aug 12, 2007)

There is no pole at the North Pole, no actual pole. Nor is there a Pole, as in Polish person (though the guy who recently swam in the melted pool that now surrounds the... more

Washington's latest landmark betrayal

By Paul Jacob (Aug 05, 2007)

Chalk up another landmark achievement for congressional Democrats — last week they passed an ethics and lobbying "reform" bill. Or so we're told. "What we did today was... more

Enemies worth a laugh

By Paul Jacob (Jul 29, 2007)

"I always made one prayer . . ." Voltaire wrote. "'O my God, make our enemies quite ridiculous!' God granted it." Recently, ridiculous enemies have been popping up... more

The race to spend more money

By Paul Jacob (Jul 22, 2007)

Everyone speeds . . . but what about over-speeding? Could it be that even in Virginia, the land of perpetually bad traffic, only a minority regularly puts pedal to metal to... more

Life without Callahan (raising my taxes)

By Paul Jacob (Jul 15, 2007)

Without career politicians, life itself would be impossible. Or so they would have us think. Take the recent Washington Post headline: “N. Va. Area Braces for Life After... more

"Bong-hit" speech 4ever, effective speech 2B regulated

By Paul Jacob (Jul 08, 2007)

Independence Day was nice. My kids enjoyed their sparklers and the public firework displays. The traditions of the July 4th holiday went off without a hitch. Well, that is,... more

Sugarcoated insanity

By Paul Jacob (Jul 01, 2007)

Let's not sugarcoat it: If Democrats have their way, the federal government will soon do for energy what it has already done to sugar. Last week the Senate passed a bill to... more

The two Americas

By Paul Jacob (Jun 24, 2007)

Could Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards actually be right about something? Not where to go to get a haircut, mind you, I mean about there being two Americas.... more

Zoning out nature

By Paul Jacob (Jun 17, 2007)

Rats on stilts! If you're an Aussie, you immediately think 'roo. If you are an American suburbanite, you probably think deer. In many suburbs, east coast and west, deer... more

Who's crossing over my bridge?

By Paul Jacob (Jun 10, 2007)

I wonder if there are trolls in St. Louis. Actually, no. I’m not wondering that. I’m wondering if I’m becoming a troll. I’m looking at a picture of St. Louis’s Poplar... more

A wealth of inspiring acts

By Paul Jacob (Jun 03, 2007)

Late on this very night 18 years ago, after six weeks of peaceful protests calling for more democracy and greater freedom, the Chinese government rolled tanks into Beijing's... more

Acts of emergency

By Paul Jacob (May 27, 2007)

I am trying, trying hard to imagine what a "zoning emergency" might be. Is a slaughterhouse about to fall into a swimming pool? Is a dam about to break? Maybe you have a... more

Politicians strike out

By Paul Jacob (May 20, 2007)

Baseball was once America's game. Now football and basketball have muscled in, offering a faster pace that better fits our television age. I love sports, all of the above... more

Not a bright idea

By Paul Jacob (May 13, 2007)

Thomas Edison must be rolling over in his grave. Nikola Tesla is spinning in his. Yes, switch on the politics for the Battle the Bulb: The light bulb faces a government ban.... more

The Queen of England makes me sick

By Paul Jacob (May 06, 2007)

She’s here in America, the Queen of England, and all I can think is, “Didn’t we kick her ilk out of our country a long time ago?" By cannon and musket round, no less. Why... more

Freedom of speech . . . making a comeback?

By Paul Jacob (Apr 29, 2007)

Two events sparked renewed hope this week that Americans might again freely criticize their government. It would be ever so nice were the First Amendment to come back into... more

Atrocity, tragedy, spectacle

By Paul Jacob (Apr 22, 2007)

Here in Virginia it's a bright, sunny, spring Sunday — for most of us. But for those with loved ones killed or wounded at Virginia Tech, today is just one more day in a long,... more

Name your poison

By Paul Jacob (Apr 15, 2007)

Forgive me if I over-imbibe. I tip only one drink per day, but one drink's one too many . . . according to some folks I hear from too often. They, I am sure, would wish me to... more

Homeless activists will always be with us?

By Paul Jacob (Apr 08, 2007)

It's tempting, I know. At least I'm tempted. I see the headline, and my first instinct is to shout, "It's come to this!" Or perhaps make a subtler point: "The poor will... more

Free speech over full disclosure

By Paul Jacob (Apr 01, 2007)

Why did the state of Alabama, back in 1956, want to know so much about those contributing money to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People? Why did... more

Winning the war on warming?

By Paul Jacob (Mar 25, 2007)

It's not cool to express skepticism about global warming. This doesn't worry me much; I gave up "cool" a long time ago. Still, the uncool must be ever so much more... more

Let the sun shine in

By Paul Jacob (Mar 18, 2007)

Spring is springing, so these days we’re all a little more attuned to just how wonderful sunshine is. How much we need it . . . and how much we miss it when it’s not there.... more

What we know won't work

By Paul Jacob (Mar 11, 2007)

Adults have been educating children for thousands of years. Yet, in this 21st century, somehow, I feel a need to remind myself of this fact. In modern times, education... more

Sam Adams, freedom’s full draught

By Paul Jacob (Mar 04, 2007)

Most Americans know Sam Adams as a beer. A very good beer. Oh, sure, folks do remember that the beer’s namesake is one of those founding father-types, but that hardly gives... more

Celebrating our first term-limited politicians

By Paul Jacob (Feb 25, 2007)

Presidents’ Day came and went . . . and I didn’t give my wife a present! As you age, you forget these things. In honor of George Washington, I could have given her a... more

Metro's retro vision

By Paul Jacob (Feb 18, 2007)

Here’s the new definition of “highway robbery”: When government robs us of our highways. Today’s highway robbers are metropolitan planners, and they may be in charge of the... more

Standard socialist operating procedure

By Paul Jacob (Feb 12, 2007)

Dictators are made, not born. And one was just made in Venezuela. In late January, President Hugo Chavez was granted 18 months to rule by decree. The word of one man — law.... more

The awesome clarity of the ruling class

By Paul Jacob (Feb 04, 2007)

Many amongst our elite opinion leaders find government “Of the people” so passé. Yes, they’re all for government for the people, and plenty of it: Nanny-state government run... more

Sock it to Samoa?

By Paul Jacob (Jan 28, 2007)

Lobbyist Jack Abramoff got used to power. He bought favors for his clients from congressmen. Favor-trading, logrolling, porkbarrelling and the like go on all the time in... more

The liberated tomato

By Paul Jacob (Jan 21, 2007)

Attention Naomi Wolf: a federally mandated state trade organization discriminates against Solanum lycopersicum on the grounds of appearance. No ugly ones allowed. The Beauty... more

Brave New Year

By Paul Jacob (Jan 14, 2007)

Once the Christmas lights, ornaments and knickknacks were packed back in the basement and the college football bowl games over, I was struck by a very strange thought: our... more

Yet another five-year plan?

By Paul Jacob (Jan 07, 2007)

How do you tell when a politician is serious about the federal budget? Not sure. Haven’t seen that in quite a while. But I do know lack of seriousness when I see it. In... more