Keith Burgess-Jackson, J.D., Ph.D.

Here is Kurt Schlichter's latest column.

To the editor:

Donald Trump stomping his foot and demanding U.S. troops on Mexico's border, acting as if he is a spoiled child who did not get his way, is not the thoughtful study, careful strategy or discussion on possible repercussions that we depend on from the president of the United States. ("White House makes hasty plan to send National Guard to border, leaving mission and duration unclear," April 4)

Trump is lashing out in frustration because of thoughtless campaign promises of building a wall to keep out unauthorized immigrants. He declares falsehoods that we are being overrun, when in fact the thoughtful actions of President Obama and a downturn in our economy resulted in a net outflow of undocumented immigrants, with more leaving the United States than coming in.

Can Trump get even this right?

Marcy Bregman, Agoura Hills

Note from KBJ: Rest assured that Trump is getting this right, Marcy. He is doing precisely what we elected him to do, which is secure our borders.

Today we honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on the 50th anniversary of his assassination. Earlier this year I spoke about Dr. King’s legacy of justice and peace, and his impact on uniting Americans. #MLK50 Proclamation: https://t.co/XXtPO0VX5A pic.twitter.com/SH0esMSyMT

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 4, 2018

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In a series of essays that appeared throughout his career, Kant set out his proposals for a liberal state. John Gray has summed up the four main philosophical tenets underlying liberalism in his book with that title:

1. It is individualistic, in that it asserts the moral primacy of the person against the claims of any social collectivity.
2. It is egalitarian, inasmuch as it confers on all . . . the same moral status.
3. It is universalist, affirming the moral unity of the human species and according [only] a secondary importance to specific historic associations and cultural forms.
4. It is meliorist in its affirmation of the corrigibility and improvability of all social institutions and political arrangements.

These four characteristics give us an admirable way in which to organize Kant's political theory.

(Roger J. Sullivan, An Introduction to Kant's Ethics [Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1994], 9 [endnote omitted; italics, ellipsis, and brackets in original])

Tormato (1978). Forty years gone.

Here.

Here.

Donald Trump's approval rating is 51%. Barack Obama's approval rating at the same point of his presidency was 46%.

Martin Luther King Jr was assassinated 50 years ago today. The worst part about his death is that his four children lost their daddy. Click to enlarge.