I put off linking to Radley Balko’s latest Cato study because I was trying to think of something novel to say about it. But novelty is often overrated.

Take a look at this cover, folks. I defy you to come up with a think tank study that’s more provocatively packaged:

And it also comes with an interactive map that documents but a small fraction of the botched police raids of recent years.

Balko is onto something here. He freely admits that this is only the first stab at trying to understand what the increasing militarization of police departments is doing to the country. More research should be done on this subject, by Cato and by others, but the first draft is troubling enough.

Memo to would-be drug legalizers: Forget medical marijuana. This is your wedge issue.

Most people are happy to have some drug prohibitions and you’re just going to have to live with that. However, worries about having one’s door knocked down at night should create the political opportunity to curtail some of the worst excesses of the War on Drugs.

Seize that opportunity, please.