A look back on our editor’s choices for their favorite Merion West articles of 2017.
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Editor’s Choice: The Top Five Merion West Articles of 2017
Is Ayn Rand Affecting Trump’s America? An Interview with Steve Simpson
“When people say things like “Trump is the Ayn Rand presidency,” that’s nonsense. She’s influenced the political right, but there’s a big gap between Objectivism and what many conservatives believe.”
Can Polarization Be a Good Thing?
A final positive consequence of polarization is that it slows down the government.
Forever in Vogue: Corruption in the Capitol
From the Abscam days to the present, political corruption in America appears to be all but inescapable. It is a societal problem in need of correction. However, it must be solved on an individual level.
Reasons to Be Skeptical of UBI
While the idea has attracted fervent support from across the political spectrum, practical constraints keep it from being anything other than a utopian pipe dream.
Yes, Mr. President, Foreign Intelligence is Different
Former Congressman Bob Barr’s take on our current intelligence climate.
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The Federal Government is Using Drug Policy to Erode the Second Amendment
Is the ATF trying to ensure that no marijuana “user” can purchase a firearm from a licensed dealer?
Rep. Jason Altmire: We Need Moderate Voters to Reduce Polarization
Centrist Democrat Jason Altmire (D-Pa) outlines his vision for a less polarized future in which moderate voters participate more in primaries to ensure that fewer hardliners make it to Congress.
Welcome to America, Now Give Us Your Laptop and Cell Phone
Congressman Bob Barr (R-Ga), in this Merion West op-ed, discusses how the federal government is increasingly claiming the right to search people’s laptops and smart phones.
Why Are there No Skyscrapers between Midtown and the Financial District?
Is there a better explanation than the traditional answer of bedrock? Some experts claim the origin of the gap in the skyline actually is more related to demographics and discrimination.
Richard Lindzen: Thoughts on the Public Discourse over Climate Change
MIT atmospheric science professor Richard Lindzen suggests that many claims regarding climate change are exaggerated and unnecessarily alarmist.
The Loss of Intellectual Humility
It’s amazing how unwilling people are to reconsider their beliefs, even in light of persuasive new evidence to the contrary. Here’s one answer of why.
The Liberal Case for Markets
If liberals actually care about making poor people better off, then there is no better system for accomplishing this than the free market. Life expectancy in capitalist countries is much higher than in socialist or communist ones.
