Hornberger's Blog

Trade Deficit Blues

by Jacob G. Hornberger January 24, 2011

Ever since the Christmas holidays, I have been unable to sleep. Every night I pace the floors in anxiety. The cause of my concerns? My purchase of a Christmas present for myself — an easy chair. No, it’s not guilt over my new comfort that is causing my distress. Rather it’s the fact that there is now an imbalance ...

Bringing Up Hitler

by Jacob G. Hornberger January 20, 2011

Yes, I know that American statists hate it when someone brings up Hitler in the context of U.S. government policies. But it seems to be that bringing up Hitler can sometimes be instructive, especially given his historical role as a benchmark for evil. That’s not to suggest that every single thing that Hitler ever did was evil, but it seems ...

Supporting Dictators

by Jacob G. Hornberger January 19, 2011

I had a great time on Judge Napolitano’s Freedom Watch last night. It’s refreshing to see a libertarian talk show host, especially on a conservative television network, who recognizes the realities of U.S. foreign policy and the benefits of transparency in government. We talked about the revolution in Tunisia, the U.S. government’s support of the Tunisian dictator, Zine El Abidine ...

The Big Kingdom

by Jacob G. Hornberger January 18, 2011

If you want to get a sense of why foreigners hate the U.S. Empire for its arrogance, elitism, and pomposity, just take a look at the following two editorials by the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. Yes, I know that these two newspapers are not owned and operated by the U.S. government but the mindset ...

WikiLeaks and the U.S.-Supported Dictatorship in Tunisia

by Jacob G. Hornberger January 17, 2011

What has happened in Tunisia provides a perfect encapsulation of U.S. foreign policy and why U.S. officials are so angry over the WikiLeaks leaks. According to the New York Times, some of the WikiLeaks cables “make it clear just how much United States officials, preoccupied with the threat of terrorism in many other Muslim countries, valued Mr. Ben Ali’s cooperation and ability ...

The Evils of the Drug War

by Jacob G. Hornberger January 14, 2011

I’ll be addressing the evils of the drug war tomorrow night, Saturday, at 7-8 pm on my Internet show. Click here if you want to listen live. Most everyone is familiar with the disastrous consequences of the war on drugs: drug gangs, drug lords, drug suppliers, gang wars, muggings, robberies, thefts, corruption of judges, prosecutors, and law-enforcement officials, murders, ...

Unlimited Government Overseas

by Jacob G. Hornberger January 13, 2011

Americans who travel overseas do so at their own risk. That principle used to apply only to foreign governments but now it also applies to the U.S. government, which is exercising unlimited powers against Americans and others while operating within foreign countries. We already know about the omnipotent power of the U.S. military and the CIA to deprive Americans of ...

The Chinese Communists: The New Official Enemy?

by Jacob G. Hornberger January 12, 2011

A good example of the military mindset that has predominated in American society since at least World War II is found in an op-ed in the Washington Timestoday. Its title is “China’s Imperialism on Full Display” and is written by Retired Navy Admiral James A. Lyons, who served as commander in chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet and senior U.S. ...

Republicans, Obamacare, and the Debt Ceiling

by Jacob G. Hornberger January 11, 2011

House Republicans are making a big deal about voting for a repeal of Obamacare. Unfortunately, it is nothing more than standard political posturing. The following is what they will say when the Democrat-controlled Senate votes it down or when Obama threatens to veto the repeal: “If only voters will give Republicans control of the Senate and also give us ...

Va. Gov. Bill McDonnell: A Conservative Big Spender

by Jacob G. Hornberger January 10, 2011

For those who still claim that conservatives are different from liberals, they might want to take a close look at Virginia Governor Bill McDonnell, a conservative darling who has just exposed himself as another big spender and big borrower. According to an article in Sunday’s Washington Post, McDonnell “plans a massive spending campaign that he said would unclog state roads, award ...

Surprise! Republicans Are Caving Already

by Jacob G. Hornberger January 7, 2011

Within two days of being sworn into office, congressional Republicans are already breaking their promises with respect to out-of-control federal spending and borrowing. In their much-ballyhooed “Pledge to America” they promised to cut $100 billion out of non-defense discretionary spending during their first year in office. House Republican leaders, having now taken control of the House, have just announced ...

The Statism of School Vouchers

by Jacob G. Hornberger January 6, 2011

For years, some conservatives have claimed that school vouchers are a gradual method to end state involvement in education. For the life of me, I just cannot understand the logic of their argument. It seems clear to me that school vouchers are just another welfare-state program that would make state involvement in education even more entrenched than it already ...