What we’re up against

Frank racism, courtesy of Republican Party officials.

The Treasurer of the Buchanan County (Va.) Republican Party, who is also the county’s representative on the McCain “leadership team,” published a “satirical” newspaper column about how Barack Obama would paint the White House black and put the Star and Crescent on the flag.

Read it. Think about it. Then send a contribution to Obama, or to the Victory Fund if you’re maxed out. And send an email to bobbyleemay@yahoo.com, thanking him for clarifying the issues in this election.

Footnote For once, “yahoo.com” sounds precisely right. Thank you, Dean Swift.

Author: Mark Kleiman

Professor of Public Policy at the NYU Marron Institute for Urban Management and editor of the Journal of Drug Policy Analysis. Teaches about the methods of policy analysis about drug abuse control and crime control policy, working out the implications of two principles: that swift and certain sanctions don't have to be severe to be effective, and that well-designed threats usually don't have to be carried out. Books: Drugs and Drug Policy: What Everyone Needs to Know (with Jonathan Caulkins and Angela Hawken) When Brute Force Fails: How to Have Less Crime and Less Punishment (Princeton, 2009; named one of the "books of the year" by The Economist Against Excess: Drug Policy for Results (Basic, 1993) Marijuana: Costs of Abuse, Costs of Control (Greenwood, 1989) UCLA Homepage Curriculum Vitae Contact: Markarkleiman-at-gmail.com