Posts by Doug Mataconis
About Doug Mataconis
Doug Mataconis held a B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University and J.D. from George Mason University School of Law. He joined the staff of OTB in May 2010 and contributed a staggering 16,483 posts before his retirement in January 2020. He passed far too young in July 2021.
SCOTUS Fumbles On The Fifth Amendment
Yesterday, the Supreme Court narrowly decided a case on the right against self-incrimination that is likely to do great harm to individual rights.
Scott Walker: The GOP’s Sleeper Candidate For 2016?
Scott Walker could be the GOP’s surprise candidate in 2016.
Most Americans Oppose Obama Administration’s Incoherent Syria Policy
Two polls indicate that most Americans oppose the President’s latest moves on Syria. This makes sense considering actual policy there seems to be entirely incoherent.
Arizona Law Requiring Proof Of Citizenship To Register To Vote Struck Down By SCOTUS
Today’s decision by the Supreme Court was, on the surface, a victory for Federal Supremacy, but the issue itself is far from resolved.
Obama’s Job Approval Numbers Take A Hit In Wake Of NSA Revelations
President Obama’s poll numbers seem to be suffering under the weight of nearly two months of scandals and/ media attention.
Americans Don’t Have Much Confidence In The News Media
Public trust in the news media, along with many other institutions, continues to fall. That’s troublesome for many reasons.
Detroit’s Pre-Bankruptcy Negotiating Game May Not Be Working.
Detroit faces some immense problems. Papering over them with short term deals with creditors isn’t going to solve them.
RNC Chair: Political Conventions Should Be Earlier Than Late August
The Chairman of the RNC wants the GOP to hold its quadrennial convention earlier in the year. He’s right.
“Happy Birthday To You” And What’s Wrong With Intellectual Property Law
A song written when Grover Cleveland was President is still protected by Copyright Law. That makes no sense at all.
Military Judge: Obama’s Comments On Military Sex Abuse An “Undue Command Influence”
Did President Obama’s comments about taking a tough stand on military sexual assault constitute “undue influence” on specific cases? One military judge says that they did.
Two Boston Parking Spaces Sell For $560,000
Are two parking spaces in Boston really worth $560,000? According to an auction earlier this week they are.
Republicans Haven’t Learned The Lessons Of 2012
The GOP seems to be making the same mistakes that led to defeat in 2012.
U.S. Says That Syria Has Used Chemical Weapons, Will Reportedly Start Arming Rebels
The U.S. is now confirming that the Syrian government has used chemical weapons. What’s next?
Organ Transplants, Medical Ethics, And Children
Getting the courts involved in the organ transplant issue could end up being a huge mistake.
Poll: Gridlock Is The Biggest Problem With Congress
Congress gets bad grades in Gallup’s latest poll, and gridlock is the main reason
Supreme Court Rules Human Genes Cannot Be Patented
Thanks to the Supreme Court, your DNA cannot be patented.
When Is A Leak Not Really A Leak? When It’s Beneficial To Those In Power, Apparently
Outrage over leaks like those that Edward Snowden makes doesn’t exist when its politicians doing the leaking.
Cigarette Ads Returning To Television
Thanks to those new electronic cigarettes, ads for cigarettes are back on television for the first time since the Nixon Administration.
Rep. Peter King (R., New York) Wants Journalists Prosecuted As Spies
One Congressman thinks it would be a good idea to treat journalists as criminals.
What Happens When A President You Don’t Trust Has These Powers?
Even if you trust the current occupant of the White House to exercise the powers granted to the agencies operating in secret under him, do you trust all future Presidents?
George W. Bush Rebounds In The Polls, Still Below Other Ex-Presidents
A George W. Bush renaissance? Not exactly.
Why Won’t Chairman Issa Release The Full Transcripts Of Interviews With IRS Employees?
Without full transcripts, the excerpts released by the House Oversight Committee are worthless.
ACLU Files Suit Over NSA Phone Records Data Mining
The ACLU is suing over the NSA’s data mining. Does it really have a chance?