Posts by James Joyner

James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is a Professor of Security Studies. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

The Real Origin of the ‘Washington Redskins’ Nickname

A debunking of the origin story actually aids the case that the motivation was not racist. It doesn’t matter.

Hillary Clinton Wasn’t a Horrible Secretary of State

Yet another autiobiography invites public discussion about her accomplishments.

Obama Outlines Realist Policy, Rejects Realist Label

The President’s second speech to the Corps of Cadets is a vast improvement over the first.

Seahawks Sign Draft Pick With Heart Condition Knowing They’d Immediately Cut Him

The Seattle Seahawks signed a draft choice knowing he would never play a down of football for them, costing them more than half a million dollars.

How America Stopped Thinking Strategically

Today’s foreign-policy disputes rarely consider the way America’s response to one crisis might affect another.

Who Broke the VA?

There’s plenty of blame to go around.

Debtors Prisons Alive and Well

People are still going to jail for being unable to pay their fines. And often billed for the priviledge.

Who Cares Who Edits The New York Times?

The editors of our great newspapers are interchangeable.

Decline of American Social Institutions

The unequal distribution of social capital may be more important than the unequal distribution of income.

Fort Hood vs Benghazi?

James Oliphant asks, “Why Hasn’t the GOP Treated Fort Hood Like Benghazi?”

Shut Up, He Explained

Shutting down rational debate one meme at a time.

Larry Wilmore Taking Colbert Report Time Slot

Larry Wilmore is getting a much-deserved promotion.

NBA Wants to Ban Shelly Sterling, Too

The NBA wants to get rid of Donald Sterling’s estranged wife, too.

Boko Haram Leader Vows to Sell Kidnapped Girls

Boko Haram is threatening to sell the 200-plus Nigerian girls it has kidnapped into slavery.

Is China Number One?

The USA’s 142-year streak as the world’s largest economy is ending.

Supreme Court Thinking About Whether People Can Be Fired For Telling Truth Under Oath

A bizarre case in Alabama highlights a more bizarre judicial precedent.

Donald Sterling: Sympathy for a Devil

I’m uneasy about a world in which a private conversation, illegally recorded, can be used in this fashion.

Supreme Court to Rule on Cellphone Searches

The Justice Department thinks police should be able to search the smart phones of anyone arrested for anything.

A New Gilded Age?

Thomas Piketty’s Capital in the 21st Century is making quite a splash.

Don’t Blame Chipotle for Useless Calorie Information

Vox is mad at Chipotle for doing what the law requires.

Most Expensive States Meet Most Stupid Infographic

Market Watch presents this infographic of “the most and least expensive states to live in the U.S.

Social Mobility and Race in Higher Education

The Affirmative Action debate is too divisive and largely misses the point.

Hollywood’s Changing Male Ideal

On screen body objectification is now equal opportunity.

Democrats’ Recovery Dilemma

The economy may be recovering but voters don’t want to hear that, Democratic strategists warn.

Why Is Revenge Porn Legal?

Wisconsin recently became the third state to criminalize revenge porn. Why is it still legal in the other 47?

New York Becomes 11th ‘State’ To Pass National Popular Vote Law

New York has joined nine other states and the District of Columbia to vote to for an Electoral College bypass.

Portland Dumps 38 Million Gallons of Water Over 16 Ounces of Urine

Portland, Oregon government officials and USA Today headline writers are innumerate.

Donald Rumsfeld Has ‘Absolutely No Idea’ if His Tax Returns Are Accurate

Our tax system is so complicated that whether we’re filing our returns correctly is a known unknown.

New York Times Discovers Adjunct Professors

The editorial board of the nation’s newspaper of record laments a quarter century-old trend.

An Airline Fee That’s Actually Reasonable

We should expect to pay more for the least undesirable seats.

Texas is How Big?

JR is from Texas wants you to know that Texas is big. No, bigger than that.

UConn Dominates College Basketball . . . Not So Much College Itself

UConn won another national championship. Their graduation rate remains embarrassing.

Brendan Eich Had To Go

In an ideal world, we would be more tolerant of leaders who held controversial positions. We don’t live in that world.

WiFi Speeds About to Triple (Does Not Apply to US Government)

Massively faster wireless internet service should be available in early 2015.

Obama ‘Outpacing’ Bush on Judicial Confirmations

President Obama has gotten more federal judges confirmed at every level than his predecessor had at this point.

Trust In State Government

A new poll finds that people in Illinois have an accurate assessment of politics in their state.

USA Isn’t Religiously Diverse

Despite the mythos, 95% of Americans are either Christian or unaffiliated.

Iraq Vet with Post-Traumatic Stress Kills Three, Wounds Sixteen at Fort Hood

Yesterday afternoon’s shooting spree at Fort Hood appears to be a related to post-traumatic stress.

ObamaCare Passes 7 Million Served

After many ballyhooed glitches, 7 million Americans have signed up for ObamaCare. Now what?

The 0.001 Percent

The “99 percent vs. the 1 percent” debate obscures the real income inequality picture.

Harder to Get Job at Walmart Than Admitted to Ivy League School?

.Wonkblog’s “Wal-Mart has a lower acceptance rate than Harvard” is rightly drawing some eye-rolling.

Pentagon Orders Service Seals Off Wreaths Across America Trucks

The DOD says Walmart was violating its trademarks.

Ray Rice Celebrates Aggravated Assault Indictment by Marrying Victim

Ray Rice celebrated his aggravated assault indictment by marrying his victim.