Posts by Alex Knapp

Alex Knapp
About Alex Knapp
Alex Knapp is Associate Editor at Forbes for science and games. He was a longtime blogger elsewhere before joining the OTB team in June 2005 and contributed some 700 posts through January 2013. Follow him on Twitter @TheAlexKnapp.

Ron Paul Versus The Fourteenth Amendment

Ron Paul’s opposition to the Fourteenth Amendment would make a Paul Administration an enemy of civil liberties.

“Straight Talkers” Are Bad Leaders

“Straight talkers” like Chris Christie make for lousy leaders.

A Great Argument For Raising Taxes From Bill O’Reilly

Bill O’Reilly makes a convincing argument for raising taxes on the wealthy.

The Absurdity of Calling Obama a Marxist

When someone calls Obama a Marxist, they’re exposing their own ignorance.

“Soaking the Rich” in Perspective

Some perspective on “soaking the rich.”

An Outside the Box Stimulus Package: Stop Collecting Federal Taxes For Awhile. Period.

Karl Smith does the math and doesn’t see why the Federal government should be collecting ANY taxes right now.

Reagan and Bush Debate Illegal Immigration

The 1980 debate between Reagan and Bush compared to the GOP primary debates in 2011 is flabbergasting.

Obama Should Listen to Small Businesses, Not Conservatives

Obama’s economic policies are failing because he’s listening to conservatives – not small businesses.

Don't Steal From Medicare to Support Socialized Medicine Don't Steal From Medicare to Support Socialized Medicine

Medicare Spending Has Slowed Significantly Under Obama

For the past 18 months, Medicare spending has slowed down considerably – especially compared to the private sector.

The Debt Ceiling and the Imperial Presidency

Congress failing to raise the debt ceiling would involve abrogating an enormous amount of power to the Executive.

The Innumeracy of the Republican Party

Even if we adopt the “Cut, Cap and Balance” plan, tax hikes are a necessity.

Government Debt is Currently Cheaper Than Cash

Right now, it’s more prudent for the Federal government to borrow money than to pay cash.

Philadelphia Decriminalized Pot — And Saved $2 Million a Year

Philadelphia’s marijuana decriminalization program has saved the city over $2 million so far.

If the U.S. Defaults, Eric Cantor Makes Money

If the U.S. defaults, Eric Cantor will make some money.

NBC Removes “Under God” From The Pledge. Who Cares?

NBC stoked a minor furor among the perpetually victimized by using the original version of the Pledge of Allegiance.

Rick Perry Advocates the Biblical Virtues of Keynesianism

Rick Perry makes a valid point about bringing the economy back to Biblical principles.

A Resurgence From the Religious Left?

Left-wing religious groups are firing salvos against the Republican Party on the basis of Ayn Rand’s “anti-Christian” influence.

Two Ridiculous Defenses of the Ryan Medicare Plan

Arguments for the Ryan Plan that characterize it as being “against bureaucracy” are apparently oblivious to the fact that private health insurance is full of bureaucracy.

The First Memorial Day

David Blight recounts the story of the first Memorial Day.

ObamaCare Is Working As Advertised to Increase the Number of Insured

Even before the individual mandate kicks in, the ACA has added hundreds of thousands of people to health insurance rolls.

Quote of the Day, Ryan Plan Politics Edition

The bungled politics of the Ryan plan.

Is Donald Trump Back?

Is Donald Trump back in the race? Not yet, but he hasn’t ruled it out.

Newt Campaign Slogan Open Thread

Gingrich 2012: He will always love America. Unless it gets cancer.

Don’t Count the Tea Party Out of 2012

New rules for the 2012 primary open the door for a Tea Party candidate to take the GOP nomination.

Bin Laden Was Mostly Disconnected From The World

Bin Laden spent the last half-decade in a compound where his only contact with the outside world was a few couriers.

Pesticide Exposure Leads to Lower IQs in Children

A survey of three studies demonstrates consistently that exposure to certain pesticides used in farming diminishes mental development.

Roger Ebert Reviews Atlas Shrugged

Roger Ebert lays the smack down on the Atlas Shrugged film — but not for the reasons you’d think.

What Lessons Has The Economy Learned From 2008? Apparently None.

The systemic risks of financial institutions haven’t changed much since 2008.

Has the Growth of the Financial Sector Harmed the Economy?

A new study finds that the robust growth of the financial sector in the United States in recent decades has come at the expense of entrepreneurship.

Switch From Cable to Satellite – Get a Free Gun

Customers at a Radio Shack in Montana have an opportunity to get a free gun if they switch to Dish Network.

The Fukushima Reactor Suffered a Partial Meltdown

The Japanese government has announced that the Fukushima Reactor suffered a partial meltdown.