That Rob Smith Is Brilliant! He'd Look Good On Mt. Rushmore
My fellow Americans. Trade policy in a nutshell. It doesn’t get any simpler than this. Unfettered free trade is good. Tariffs are bad. Y’all can go home now. Class is dismissed.…
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Essays
Writing by John Tamny and Parkview contributors, from the latest commentary to the collected archive.
210 essays · Newest first
Clear filtersThe Dismantling of the Administrative State Can't Come Soon Enough!
Gee, I can’t understand why people hate the federal government so much! Have you heard about the new Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) requirements? This is a new mandate by the…
Jake Paul Won Good Businessman Award, Mike Tyson Won Respect
Jake Paul won the good businessman and marketing genius award, Tyson won the respect award. When I was at Virginia, everyone in my fraternity had to box. The reasoning is a complete man…
Hoping Elon Can Mitigate the Full Moon's 'Challenges'
I’ll be glad when this super moon is over. I never once saw my dad unhinged or in any state of mind where his emotion got in the way of reason. My mother (bless her soul), not so…
With Biden's Reign of Error Over, a List of To-Dos for #47
November 12, 2024 Dear Don: The reign of Terror is over. The Committee of Public Safety has been abolished. Robespierre is gone. The Jacobins’ clothes are smattered with the blood of…
The Left Reducing the Debate to Nazi Accusations Says It All
I once saw a picture of my Dad in a NAZI uniform giving the Heil Hitler salute. He had Nazi paraphernalia in his closet. Dear Kamala, did that make my dad a NAZI? Dad and his three brothers…
Thanks To Donald Trump, I Respect Arnold Palmer a Lot More
I never knew Arnold Palmer had a huge johnson. Thanks to Donald Trump, I now know this, and it makes me respect Arnie even more. I understand Donald Trump because I’m not a pumpkin…
The Greatest Lesson of History Is To Learn History
I’m on a text chain with my 3 brothers and all our sons. All of us are liberal arts majors, mostly history. I dare say we Smiths are a bit contrarian. It’s our knowledge of…
Boone, NC Reminds Us People Have a Soul, Governments Don't
Western North Carolina I wasn’t going to write this piece, but a number of friends asked me to do so. I didn’t want to draw attention to myself by being one of those “hey…
It's Sometimes Helpful for Egomaniacs Like Me To Be Spiritual
I would be a complete fake if I didn’t occasionally jump up on a stump, waive my arms James Waddel style ( look him up ) and state what I think is true. Whether you are a hedge fund…
When Donald Trump Gave Way to Rob Smith As GOP Nominee...
After last week’s jaw dropping news that Donald Trump was dropping out of the presidential race and the Republican Party nominating Rob Smith is his stead, the whole country has been…
There's Something About Inherited Wealth That 'Entitles' Theft
She poisoned the damn dog. I’m pretty sure she killed her ex-husband. For the love of money People will steal from their mother For the love of money People will rob their own brother…
In the State of Virginia, the Past Is Invariably the Present
Last night I sang Dixie. Like the other 25 attendees, I put my hand over my heart, and whupped and hollered at the end of the song. Here in Virginia, history bubbles out of the ground.…
The Education of Sally Muffinsheep By the Great Rob Smith
Sally Muffinsheep was a babe. Now 48, by the time she was 16, it was evident she was going to have a comfortable life. Men would always fall all over her to help her. Born into an upper…
There's No "Joy" In Misery, Democrats: Cut Ties With the Dems
To a certain degree, we all belong to tribes. It takes a strong sense of right and wrong to leave one’s tribe. I’m an Episcopalian, well sorta, maybe, not really anymore. Our…
We've Shamefully Traded Our Responsibility for 'Security'
Women friends of mine are afraid to walk out of their houses after dark in very nice areas of Atlanta, New York, Charleston, Memphis, Marin County and several other places. The # 1 civil…
Kamunism Is the Perfect Recipe For Economic Collapse
Last Friday, Kamala Harris opened her mouth and almost magically raised the price of housing and food at grocery stores. She’s on record stating that high gas prices are the result of…
In Politics, Kamala Harris Is the Skill-Bereft Bohemian Artist
Kamala Harris Is Modern Art One morning 20 plus years ago, I visited the Frick Museum in New York. I’m not one of these touchy-feely types that get all wispy and teary eyed over a…
Manners Are the Adhesive Glue That Binds Society Together
Convention, customs, manners and civility. When my daughter Ella was 16, I met her at a local restaurant for dinner. I was already seated when she arrived and before I could hold the chair…
Since You're Lost Without Me, I'll Explain the Week's News Events
I’ve always thought that if everybody would just listen to me and do as I say, the world would be a better place. Indeed, it would be a nirvana like utopian paradise where trains…
Having the FBI Investigate Trump Shooting Isn't Serious
Joseph McCarthy was largely right about all of the fellow travelers he exposed within the United States government. When the Soviet Union fell and its files were opened, there it all was.…
We Don't Have An Energy or Climate Crisis, We Have a Thinking Crisis
I really dislike the elitist media and the control it has over the “can’t think for themselves crowd.” Across the pond, Nigel Farage’s Reform UK is making waves. Of…
Book Review: Amor Towles' Excellent 'Table For Two'
I have become an Amor Towles fan. Last April I authored a review of Towles’ A Gentleman In Moscow. Occasionally, I have to sue crooked fiduciaries who have breached their duties to my…
Being Appreciative and Experiencing Joy Is a Gift From Above
The best summer of my life was working in Nantucket right after I graduated from Virginia. Southerners have a way of gravitating to one another. While other regions of the countries have 6…