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

Costs on non-military lines will never come down if we do not elect more Republicans in the 2018 Election, and beyond. This Bill is a BIG VICTORY for our Military, but much waste in order to get Dem votes. Fortunately, DACA not included in this Bill, negotiations to start now!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 9, 2018

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Here is Kurt Schlichter's latest column.

We have already reminded ourselves that Kant's ethics is the key to his entire philosophy. How, then, does his Jurisprudence relate itself to the Ethics?

Political laws define duties, as do moral laws; and all duties are ultimately moral. Respect for the sacredness of personality is implied in all duties. In this sense the moral seems ready to shoot through all branches of the political, and to dominate the scene entirely. But there is an important difference in the nature of the motive implied in the two—a difference so important, indeed, that it results in constituting two fields of vastly different character—Ethics and Jurisprudence. Ethical motivation is internal. It is the expression of our conscious respect for duty, and ultimately of our reverence for the absolute value of rational personality. Like the quality of mercy, it may not be constrained. Political motivation, on the other hand, is external. It seizes upon any influence which is likely to be effective in inducing the people to carry out the required act, whatever be their inward state of mind. Any club is good enough to beat a dog, it is said; and likewise any motive that will give results is available to sustain a political law. Fear of death, fear of incarceration, fear of a money fine—these are characteristic political motives. They are external to the real merits of the act. Further, they all have this common quality, that they arise from the application of external force. In general, then, political duties are such as may be made effective by force, and the field of jurisprudence is the field of enforceable law; whereas the very essence of a moral act would be impaired if it were performed from any such external motive.

(E. L. Hinman, "Kant's Philosophy of Law," The Monist 35 [April 1925]: 280-95, at 282-3 [italics in original])

Here are highlights from Stage 3 of the Dubai Tour.

Recently, some people have been getting bonuses, $1,000 more or less, from large corporate employers. Good for them. I would certainly be glad to add $1,000 to my income.

But I wonder, why this generosity now when the economy has recovered? Nine years ago the crippled economy that Barack Obama inherited (and healed) could have used it much more to spur growth. These bonuses are actually bribes. Bribes to garner support for the Trump/​Republican agenda. Today’s joyful recipients may be frowning when tomorrow’s Social Security, Medicare and other benefits are delayed, slashed or even eliminated. Perhaps then those who make these payoffs will be reprimanded.

To paraphrase Billie Holiday: When you’ve got money, you’ve got lots of friends crowding ‘round your door, but when the money’s gone and all your spending ends, they won’t be ‘round anymore.

TERRY MARIER

Bethel Park

Note from KBJ: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is the most reliably Trump-hating newspaper of those I visit on a regular basis. I wonder why. Are there more Trump haters in Pittsburgh, or does the newspaper have Trump-hating editors who choose Trump-hating letters?

President Trump's approval rating is 48%. On the same day of his first term, Barack Obama's approval rating was 46%.

Time to end the visa lottery. Congress must secure the immigration system and protect Americans. https://t.co/yukxm48x9X

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 8, 2018

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Here is Ann Coulter's latest column.