John J. Pitney

The IRS’s Duplicitous Criterion

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At one point, the IRS criterion for flagging political groups included “political action type organizations involved in limiting/expanding Government.” Although this standard might seem evenhanded, it isn’t. One thing that unites conservatives is ...

‘No Single Person Can . . .’

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 In his inaugural today, the president indulged his penchant for straw men. For the American people can no more meet the demands of today’s world by acting alone than American soldiers ...

On ‘States’ Rights’

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Mona Charen is correct that mainstream Democrats have used the term “states’ rights.” In fact, one of them is President Obama: From a statement of administration policy opposing an appropriations bill: ...

Unrealistic Expectations

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Republicans need to give serious thought to what went wrong in their campaign. But some commentators are going too far in suggesting that Romney blew a race that he should ...

Taxing

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Californians have apparently approved Proposition 30, a measure to raise sales and income taxes. Though opponents of the measure raised a great deal of money,  the supporters had boots on ...

Mitt Romney Tests a Theory

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Snap polls indicate that Obama won the night. But Romney seemed to be treating the debate less as a contest than as a last-round job interview. From this perspective, his ...

Last Night . . .

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Biden was too manic and Ryan was too stiff. During the debate, I kept thinking that I’d seen this show before. Then it hit me: Cesar Romero as the Joker ...

Rerun

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Biden was too manic and Ryan was too stiff. During the debate, I kept thinking that I’d seen this show before. Then it hit me: Cesar Romero as the Joker ...

So What Happened to President Obama?

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First, never before in his life had he ever faced a first-rate Republican debating opponent. His races for the Illinois state senate and the U.S. House were one-party affairs. In his 2004 Senate ...