Steve Chapman: Minority of One - chicagotribune.com

Burke, Rahm and pot

Steve Chapman — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 20:50:00 GMT

Ald. Ed Burke is not too keen on the mayor's proposal to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana, partly because because he is "very concerned with anything that gives kids the idea that this is not a bad thing to do." But Mayor Emanuel and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle have by far the better of the argument. Treating simple pot possession as a crime is a pointless endeavor and a terrible waste of resources.

Obama's immigration move

Steve Chapman — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 21:00:00 GMT

President Obama's decision to halt the deportation of illegal immigrants who were brought here as children is at best a rough and temporary remedy for a serious problem. I'm not entirely comfortable with the executive branch electing such broad non-enforcement of a valid law. I'd much rather see the law changed.

Can Chicago teachers win a strike?

Steve Chapman — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 21:24:00 GMT

Members of the Chicago Teachers Union have voted by a nearly 90 percent majority to authorize a strike, which could happen this fall. That doesn't mean it will happen. But teachers may be forgiven for thinking they can get their way by walking. In the past, they always could. This time, I think, is different.

Private sector doing fine?

Steve Chapman — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 21:31:00 GMT

President Obama's remark today that "the private sector is doing fine" may qualify as the most boneheaded thing he's ever said. The White House quickly realized as much in more or less retracting the statement . I'm sure Obama is acutely aware that the private sector is not doing well; if he were, he would have an easy campaign ahead.

John Edwards wins in court

Steve Chapman — Thu, 31 May 2012 21:15:00 GMT

John Edwards was acquitted on one count in his federal corruption trial, and a mistrial was declared on the others. That's not surprising, given the nature of the charges and the evidence. It's a case that should never have been brought, and the federal prosecutors should have the grace and good sense to drop it now.

Obama endorses gay marriage

Steve Chapman — Wed, 09 May 2012 19:11:00 GMT

There are only a few moments in most presidencies that qualify as truly momentous. Barack Obama's surprise endorsement of same-sex marriage is one of those. The last president favored banning such unions by amending the Constitution. Mitt Romney has also endorsed that approach, which makes him opposed to federalism as well as marriage equality. If you think elections don't matter, think again.

The disunited states of Europe

Steve Chapman — Mon, 07 May 2012 21:59:00 GMT

France, Greece and other countries face a problem with which Americans have gotten somewhat acquainted: restoring fiscal balance at a time when hard times and demographic factors, as well as overambitious government, are causing a surge in spending. But the countries of the eurozone have a problem we don't: An overly tight monetary policy.

The U.S. and the Chinese dissident

Steve Chapman — Fri, 04 May 2012 21:25:00 GMT

The good news from Beijing is that the government is willing to let dissident Chen Guangcheng apply to go abroad for education and medical treatment. Whether hell ultimately get to leave is anyone's guess right now. It's a compromise that would satisfy Washington, but the Chinese could kill it if they choose. It's their country, not ours.

Romney, Obama and the bin Laden raid

Steve Chapman — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 21:08:00 GMT

Mitt Romney scoffs at the notion that Barack Obama displayed admirable leadership in ordering the raid that killed Osama bin Laden a year ago. "Even Jimmy Carter would have given that order," he said , which suggests it was an easy, obvious decision -- like drafting Michael Jordan first in the NBA draft.

Joe Walsh: Not a deadbeat dad?

Steve Chapman — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 21:40:00 GMT

After more than a year of legal wrangling, Republican Rep. Joe Walsh and his ex-wife reached an agreement on his child support obligations, issuing a statement saying they "agree that Joe is not and was not a 'deadbeat dad' and does not owe child support." The tea party favorite claimed complete vindication while excoriating the news media for its coverage of the dispute.

U.S. troops, Afghan corpses

Steve Chapman — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 20:28:00 GMT

It would be irresponsible to make too much of the photos of American troops posing with dead Afghan insurgents published today in the Los Angeles Times. This is not My Lai or even Abu Ghraib. The killings themselves, as far as we know, were legitimate. In war, that's not a trivial accomplishment.

Romney, Obama and the NRA

Steve Chapman — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 21:12:00 GMT

It's not hard to understand why the National Rifle Association and gun owners in general had keen fears about Barack Obama in 2008. He once endorsed a ban on handguns in Illinois, and he fretted about people who "cling to guns." If the gun-rights advocates didn't buy his campaign vow pledge that he was "not going to take your guns away," they had some reason.

Allen West, House Republicans' nutcase

Steve Chapman — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 18:55:00 GMT

Conservatives are to be commended when they repudiate members of their movement found to be racist, extremist or otherwise crazy. National Review has severed ties with John Derbyshire and Rob Weissberg for public displays of antipathy to black people, a decision in the best tradition of founder William F. Buckley, who in his early days disowned the John Birch Society. When are House Republicans going to show similar courage?

Fearing our friends in Afghanistan

Steve Chapman — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 21:26:00 GMT

With the war in Afghanistan going badly, Western forces have been ordered to adopt new safeguards to keep themselves from being killed. That's no surprise. The surprise is where the danger comes from: not the Taliban or al-Qaida, but our own allies.

Bad to worse in Afghanistan, and more

Steve Chapman — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 21:42:00 GMT

Some former diplomats forever retain the caution and bureaucratese they learned on the job. Nicholas Burns, who came into the Tribune today to talk about the upcoming NATO summit in Chicago, is not one of those.

Trayvon Martin and the 'stand your ground' law

Steve Chapman — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 20:47:00 GMT

In the uproar over the killing of Trayvon Martin, two guilty parties have been identified: George Zimmerman and Florida's "stand your ground" law. I have no attachment to Zimmerman. But having defended the law when it was passed in 2005, I think it has been the victim of a lightly informed rush to judgment.

My interview on anti-smoking efforts

Steve Chapman — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 18:38:00 GMT

I was interviewed by Bob Garfield for the public radio program "On the Media," discussing the graphic anti-smoking images the federal government has mandated for every pack of cigarettes. The segment starts about 26 minutes in.

Gingrich's 'fantasy land'

Steve Chapman — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 20:10:00 GMT

Newt Gingrich , who promises Americans gasoline at $2.50 a gallon, today accused President Obama of living in a "fantasy land" when it comes to energy because he talks about making fuel from algae. That makes him very different from Gingrich, whose fantasy land encompasses everything.

Santorum: Wrong on pornography

Steve Chapman — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 18:54:00 GMT

I can understand if Rick Santorum wants to prosecute pornographers on the grounds that explicit fare encourages non-marital sex, promotes the use of birth control or saps vital fluids. I would think he's off-base, but he'd at least have a plausible case.

Disabling drunken drivers

Steve Chapman — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Saving lives by preventing recidivism

Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. It's a good rule for dealing with those who have proved themselves to be untrustworthy. And it's increasingly applied in a realm where a lack of dependability can be lethal: drunken driving.

'Ag gag' bill stuffed in Illinois

Steve Chapman — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 21:12:00 GMT

I don't get a lot of opportunities to applaud the Illinois General Assembly, but right now, commendations are in order.

The bad side of the jobs report

Steve Chapman — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 22:14:00 GMT

Today's report that the economy added more than 200,000 jobs for the third month in a row is good news. Total employment, a more important number than the unemployment rate, is now up by nearly 3.5 million jobs since the low point two years ago. The recovery is clearly here to stay, which is a great relief.

The triumph of moderate Republicans

Steve Chapman — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 19:40:00 GMT

Back in Jane Austen's day, a young woman might be smitten with a poor man, but she would marry someone with a fortune if she possibly could. Today's Republicans are similar.

McCain wants war with Syria

Steve Chapman — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 21:47:00 GMT

John McCain must have a stack of forms on his desk demanding U.S. military intervention abroad, with a blank space to fill in the name of the country he wants to attack.

The battle for the Cato Institute

Steve Chapman — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 22:11:00 GMT

I knew Ed Crane just slightly in 1977, when he helped found the Cato Institute. I had only modest expectations. A serious, influential libertarian think tank was a doubtful idea back then. But Crane and those around him have made it a reality. And while we have our disagreements, I have nothing but respect and affection for him.