Eric Schuler

Misdiagnosing the Election

by Eric Schuler | Jan 19, 2017 | Featured Articles, Libertarianism, Politics

After the election of Donald Trump, the American people have been subjected to several different theories to account for the outcome. These theories have been offered by leading political figures and major media outlets. And each time one theory fails to prove sufficiently persuasive, it is either ratcheted up further or replaced--usually by a claim that is more sensational. To date, the most prominent theories offered to explain the election have been the following, each proceeding in quick succession after the other: FBI Director James Comey deliberately threw the election to Donald Trump...

Obama Finally Spares a Whistleblower

by Eric Schuler | Jan 18, 2017 | Blog

On Tuesday, President Obama decided to commute the sentence of whistleblower Chelsea Manning's remaining prison sentence. Although rumors of the decision had been circulating for weeks, it was a very surprising change of heart for an administration that has earned a reputation for zealously prosecuting whistleblowers. It's easily the best news of the year so far, and Obama deserves credit for granting Manning freedom. Manning is rightly hailed as an American hero after leaking thousands of secret documents to Wikileaks, including US diplomatic cables, war logs from Iraq War 2, and a video...

Reject the Binary in US Foreign Policy

by Eric Schuler | Jan 9, 2017 | Blog

On Twitter over the weekend, Donald Trump issued a series of tweets on Russia that were a cause for both relief and frustration: Having a good relationship with Russia is a good thing, not a bad thing. Only "stupid" people, or fools, would think that it is bad! We..... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2017 have enough problems around the world without yet another one. When I am President, Russia will respect us far more than they do now and.... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2017 both countries will, perhaps, work together to solve some of the many great and...

$18 Trillion in US Government Debt Disappears Overnight

by Eric Schuler | Jan 6, 2017 | Blog

One of my favorite afternoon activities is refreshing this handy report from the government, which provides a daily update on the national debt to the penny. It sounds depressing I realize, but there's something kind of hilarious about the debt as well--namely, that most people still apparently believe that it will one day be paid off in full. As the number rises, this disconnect between the reality and the conventional wisdom gets a little funnier. Dark humor, granted, but humor nevertheless. In any case, imagine my surprise today, when the national debt seemingly plummeted $18 trillion...

Obama’s Legacy: Symbolism Over Substance

by Eric Schuler | Jan 4, 2017 | Featured Articles, Libertarianism

President Obama's decision not to veto the recent UN resolution on Israeli settlements generated significant outrage on both sides of the aisle. Lost in the furor, however, was the simple fact that the resolution did not actually do anything. It was just another symbolic gesture without substance. In this way, it was also the perfect capstone for Obama's presidency. When it came to the controversial issues where Obama's personal position appeared to be aligned with peace and civil liberties, he was unwilling to take a stand. He saved his political capital to push through destructive policies...

Rex Tillerson and Russia: Conflict or Confluence of Interest?

by Eric Schuler | Dec 18, 2016 | Featured Articles, Foreign Policy

Politics breeds bad incentives. While not everyone may agree with that statement, we all routinely witness its unhappy results. Economic policies are passed that benefit a small minority of business interests while raising prices for all consumers. Government officials are often allowed to break even the most serious laws with impunity. And on the most important issue of war and peace, politicians have started wars on false pretenses, even after being elected on an antiwar platform. The precise reasons for decisions like these will vary--maybe a prominent donor is pushing for it, maybe a...

The New York Times Discovers a Harsh Truth

by Eric Schuler | Dec 16, 2016 | Blog

Its real estate is more valuable than its journalism.

You Can’t Keep the “Good Part” of the Affordable Care Act

by Eric Schuler | Dec 14, 2016 | Blog

President-elect Donald Trump has been in the news lately, suggesting his plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act would keep the parts that people like. By this, he's referring primarily to the provision that prevents health insurers from denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions. Of course, the trouble here is that all of the destructive parts of the Affordable Care Act were the (utterly unsuccessful) attempt to make coverage of pre-existing conditions sustainable. New evidence of this failure comes in all the time. Perhaps even more important than the Affordable Care Act's...