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January 2023

"A Pox Upon Portland"

Jonah Goldberg:

Portland (like Seattle and San Francisco) has many problems common to many American cities, homelessness being just one of them. But it’s different here. I say that as someone who has never lived anywhere without a shameful number of homeless people.

I’ve walked all over downtown Portland, and there are parts that feel like scenes from Escape from New York. When I say “parts” I don’t really mean “neighborhoods” or “sections,” though I’m sure those exist, too. I mean parts of otherwise prosperous blocks. It’s like Portland is a pretty face with pox all over. Not a pretty face with a deformed ear or nose.

If you want to read the whole piece but don't want to register for a free account, here's an ungated piece that Jonah links to: "Everybody hates Portland . . ."


"Victory for Wisconsin Home Bakers"

IJ wins another case against a dopey government regulation.

Yesterday, Lafayette County Circuit Court Judge Rhonda L. Lanford ruled that the government may not prevent people from selling homemade, shelf-stable foods directly to consumers. This ruling means that Wisconsinites may use their own home kitchens to support their families with sales of safe foods like fudges, doughnuts, and roasted coffee beans—that is, any food that does not need to be refrigerated for food safety purposes.