Tonight was the annual State of the Union address, and President Obama did not disappoint. To paraphrase a much better writer than myself: It was the best of speeches, the worst of speeches, it was an account of wisdom, it was a narrative of foolishness, it was a recitation of belief, it was a delivery of incredulity, it was […]
Utah AG Reyes Talks About El Cid, the Great Puhi, Bushido Warriors and Speaking Truth to Power in His Second Inauguration
January 6, 2015 by
Attorney General Sean Reyes began his second year in office and his first since facing voters in November. His inauguration speech set a tone of inclusiveness and cross-cultural depth, as well as a willingness to fight even tough battles when the cause is just. It’s hard to make politics interesting to the average American. Let’s be honest: the […]
The Beautiful Tree by James Tooley is a Powerful Look at Education in the Poorest Neighborhoods on Earth
December 31, 2014 by
Perhaps we’re doing third world development all wrong. That was the thought that stuck with me most after I finished reading James Tooley’s The Beautiful Tree: A Personal Journey Into How the World’s Poorest People are Educating Themselves, a surprisingly readable book about the role of private schools in education in some of the world’s […]
The Two Things That MIGHT Impact Voter Turnout and What They Mean for Count My Vote
December 23, 2014 by
Voter turnout is down, but why fewer voters show up is complicated. Competition and duty help explain it, but only partially. Even with Count My Vote changes taking effect this year, don’t expect higher voter turnout. A New Low for Democracy As a nation, we don’t turn out to vote very consistently, and we’re getting […]
Book Review: Feardom by Connor Boyack
December 21, 2014 by
I’ve long followed Connor Boyack’s career. A libertarian and out of the box thinker, Boyack has never been afraid to defend his conclusions, and he does so with articulation and passion. His latest literary foray is no exception. In Feardom: How Politicians Exploit Your Emotions and What You Can Do to Stop Them, Boyack fervently […]
Between a Rock and a Hard Place: The EPA Rule on Ozone Levels and the Intermountain West
December 12, 2014 by
The EPA Rule on Ozone Levels Recently, the US Environmental Protection Agency (the “EPA”) published an administrative rule that requires states to lower atmospheric ozone levels to 60-70 parts per billion. For states in the Intermountain West, where the level of naturally occurring ozone (or “background concentrations”) routinely reaches 60 – 75 ppb, it’s going to be tough to […]
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