Category Archives: Law

Using a Police Search as a Free Speech Threat

That’s what is claimed by Jeff Pataky after his home was searched by Arizona police and his computers, records, wireless router, and even his cable modem (presumably to cut off his internet access so as to quit blogging) were confiscated. … Continue reading

Posted in Chris' Page, Law | 6 Comments

Texas Bill Introduced to Reassert 10th Amendment Rights

H.C.R. 50 has been introduced to the Texas House. Authored by Texas State Representatives Brandon Creighton, Bryan Hughes, and Leo Berman, it reasserts Texas’s rights of sovereignty under the 10th Amendment of the US Constitution. RESOLVED, That the 81st Legislature … Continue reading

Posted in Chris' Page, Domestic Politics, Law, Libertarianism | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

The Abolition of Marriage

Having failed to legalize gay marriage almost everywhere by democratic means, a proposed new approach by its advocates is to revoke marriage rights for heterosexuals, in a kind of retaliatory equalization. In effect, the idea is to abolish the legal … Continue reading

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Proper Voting Attire

People are finding out that you have to be careful what you wear to the polling booth. The 40-year-old Houston Realtor was wearing one of her souvenir T-shirts when she went to cast her ballot at a Cypress polling place … Continue reading

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Glass-Steagall : RIP

Continuing the discussion on tonight’s podcast, one of the recurring themes of much of the commentary on our current financial crisis is that the cause is too much deregulation. Possibly there is some truth to this, though the evidence is … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Economics, Lance's Page, Law, regulation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Realism of Ward Connerly

Good Magazine takes a lengthy look at the always fascinating Ward Connerly, and his struggle to end Affirmative Action in the United States. While he continues to be vilified by the defenders of “positive discrimination” and as his ballot initiatives … Continue reading

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Risk and Reward

Many of us, when we hear the phrase “risk and reward” think of Wall Street.  Or business in general. But in reality, “risk and reward” affect us throughout our lives. Our parents take a risk when they conceive us.  They … Continue reading

Posted in Law, Libertarianism, Media, Peg's Page, Philosophy, regulation, Society | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

When Families Fail

Because of my background in working with emotionally disturbed, learning disabled, and generally abused kids, I am often to drawn to stories about the results of extreme neglect of children. I saw some awfully hard cases with some of the … Continue reading

Posted in Law, Libertarianism, MichaelW's Page, regulation, Society | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

BDS in the Halls of Congress

You may not realize this, but the House Judiciary Committee has been holding hearings (of a sort) in an attempt to impeach President Bush. Guys, he is gone in six months. I love this line: “I am really astonished at … Continue reading

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Harry Reid, Idiot

While my opposition to modern liberal left politics is pretty clear, I generally feel that name calling is rarely needed, or warranted. I certainly do not believe that any particular ideology is more or less likely to have virtuous people, … Continue reading

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Because Who Really Needs Evidence Anyway?

Unbelievable: The Motion Picture Association of America said Friday intellectual-property holders should have the right to collect damages, perhaps as much as $150,000 per copyright violation, without having to prove infringement. “Mandating such proof could thus have the pernicious effect … Continue reading

Posted in Law, regulation | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Kelo 3 Years Later

Damon Root at Reason takes a look at what’s happened in the three years since Kelo v. City of New London. By now, even non-cynical people can’t be surprised. So what’s the status of the “comprehensive” and “revitalized” development site … Continue reading

Posted in Chris' Page, Domestic Politics, Law | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Boumediene — The Great Sandbagging

UPDATE: Welcome QandO readers. Please look around after you’ve finished with this post, but McQ says you have to go back over to QandO when you’re done … but I won’t tell if you won’t. _____________________________________________________________ The recent Supreme Court … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, Law, MichaelW's Page, Military Matters, Notes on the war | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Greatest Judicial Opinion of Our Time

This has to be seen by all judicial and college football fans. I’m not sure what the original complaint was, but the opinion is great. Pay special attention to the footnotes to learn that it is the official opinion of … Continue reading

Posted in Chris' Page, Humor, Law | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Backdoor Kyoto — The Next Chapter

The march of the watermelons towards control of US policy continues apace: Polar bears will now be listed as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act. But in announcing the listing, Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne said the decision should … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, energy, Environment, Law, MichaelW's Page, regulation, science | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

This Kid Has a Bright Future Ahead of Him

Ralph Hardy, a 13 year old from Newark, Texas confessed to ordering an extra credit card from his father’s existing credit card company, and took his friends on a $30,000 spending spree, culminating in playing “Halo” on an Xbox with … Continue reading

Posted in Chris' Page, Humor, Law | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Hoist by His Own Petard

John McCain was one politician I admired greatly. While I still believe that the man is a true hero, and while I still do applaud some of what he does, the veil has been lifted from my eyes for one … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Law, Libertarianism, Media | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Hear, Hear

One of my girlfriends is smart as a whip and a talented artist to boot.  Cathy is also hard of hearing. While Cathy can read lips and she also has a device that allows her to converse in very small … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Law, Media, Peg's Page, regulation | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Get Over It!

Justice Antonin Scalia will appear on 60 Minutes this coming weekend. A preview of what he has to say is here. “I say nonsense,” Scalia responds to Stahl’s observation that people say the Supreme Court’s decision in Gore v. Bush … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Law, Peg's Page, Society | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Where Charlton Heston Stood

Over at Where the Buffalo Roam Peter gives us Charlton Heston’s 1999 NRA Convention Keynote Speech in Denver, which was scheduled shortly after the Columbine shootings in Colorado. A perfect reminder of what he stood for, and against. Update: Here … Continue reading

Posted in Firearms, Lance's Page, Law, Libertarianism | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

FEC Complaint Filed Against McCain

Some people are hoping to hoist John McCain on his own campaign finance petard. As satisfying as it would be to see the Senator receive a healthy dose of his bitter medicine, however, the complaints filed against him with the … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Law, MichaelW's Page, regulation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Spitzer Resigns

But there’s no plea deal regarding the potential federal charges. Is it possible that the feds are going to do to Spitzer what Spitzer paid to do to “Kristen”? (HT: JOM): Eliot Spitzer’s tumultuous tumble from the zenith of a … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Law, MichaelW's Page | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Perverse Consequences

Does it strike anyone else as tragically ironic that, if indeed John McCain were declared not to be a “natural-born citizen” due to the locus of his birth, then an “anchor baby” could be elected President but the child of … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Law, Media, MichaelW's Page | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Citizen McCain

THE LATEST non-issue hyped by (who else?) the New York Times is that “some” people are questioning whether or not John McCain is eligible to be a sitting President: The question has nagged at the parents of Americans born outside … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Law, Media, MichaelW's Page | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Wesley Snipes has put tax protesters in the cross hairs of the IRS

Actor Wesley Snipes was found not guilty of federal tax fraud and conspiracy charges earlier this month. Basically he blamed it on the tax advice he received. Whether one believes that he didn’t know that when one earns $38 million … Continue reading

Posted in Lance's Page, Law | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Seeking Justice

Attempting to achieve absolute equity and fairness in our justice system is impossible.  I could list a dozens reasons why this is so – and I doubt that many would seriously argue with me that it is so. Still, that … Continue reading

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Free Will

As a philosophy student, issues of free will were some of the most complex and intriguing that I studied. Is free will real or a chimera? If real, is it always applicable? How do we judge such questions? At one … Continue reading

Posted in Law, Peg's Page, Philosophy | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Talking points for the modern Muslim

Ali Eteraz gives his fellow Muslims the rationale for opposing Sharia courts being imported into the west: 14 – Liberal democracy, as is, is perfectly compatible with Islam You aren’t making your country more Islamic or even earning more reward … Continue reading

Posted in Lance's Page, Law, Religion and theology | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Sharia Law Enforced in Texas!

Well, kinda. After the whole row over the Archbishop of Canterbury’s declaration that Sharia Law in Britain is “unavoidable“, Eugene Volokh notes that it has been allowed in some US court, in a way. It seems some parties entered into … Continue reading

Posted in Chris' Page, Law, Religion and theology | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Good Intentions; Frightening Results

  This morning, I read a column from the Wall Street Journal about race. Just when we thought we’d heard everything from the diversity police, here they come trying to prescribe even the color of charity. The California Assembly last … Continue reading

Posted in Eugenics, Law, Peg's Page, Race, Society | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Not Conservative Enough?

Many Republicans and/or conservatives have been wailing that McCain is not conservative enough for them. No links; loads abound.   The people who complain about this are correct – at least on some topics, IMHO. But, if you don’t want … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Law, Peg's Page | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Better off Dead

Kim at Wizbang links to this story about eugenic thinking in Brittan. The comments came as the Lords debated an amendment, [...] that would have protected unborn disabled children from abortion after the 24 week gestational time limit. The amendment … Continue reading

Posted in Eugenics, Health Care, Law, Synova's Page | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Mukasey on Waterboarding (UPDATED)

Attorney General Michael Mukasey sent a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee regarding the interrogation technique known as waterboarding. Mukasey remarked that it is not an authorized interrogation technique, and that it “is not, and may not be, used in … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, Law, MichaelW's Page, Military Matters, Notes on the war | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Labour regulations in China and India: Economic Freedom in Relief

This is a stunning statistic: …the annual expansion in China’s trade has been larger than India’s total annual trade during last several years. Tyler Cowen hones in on this point, amongst a bounty of good points: The most important factor … Continue reading

Posted in Developmental economics, Economics, Lance's Page, Law, Libertarianism, regulation, social science | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Pining Away For Jihad Johnny

The aptly named Unqualified Offerings has had its share of troubles lately, and I’m not usually one to pile on, but this is simply beyond the pale (emphasis added): Have We Given Justice to Lindh? By Mona American citizen John … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Law, MichaelW's Page, Military Matters, Notes on the war | 6 Comments

Halliburton/KBR and U.S. Government Accused of Covering Up a Gang-Rape (UPDATED)

This is one of the most bizarre and disgusting stories I’ve heard in quite a while: A Houston, Texas woman says she was gang-raped by Halliburton/KBR coworkers in Baghdad, and the company and the U.S. government are covering up the … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Law, MichaelW's Page, Notes on the war | 13 Comments

Happy Repeal Day!

For information on Repeal Day you can visit www.repealday.org: The turn of the twentieth century was a dark time in America. The Women’s Christian Temperance Union, which had been promoting Prohibition for many years, believed alcohol was the cause of … Continue reading

Posted in Culture, History, Lance's Page, Law, Libertarianism, Society | 2 Comments

Attorney-Gate: Leahy’s New Ploy

Sen. Patrick Leahy is running a new gambit in order to force White House officials to testify before Congress, although I think there is another less-obvious goal here as well: A Senate chairman acknowledged explicitly on Thursday that President Bush … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Law, MichaelW's Page | 2 Comments

The Higazy Conundrum

For anyone who has been following the Higazy case and the puzzling circumstances under which a Second Circuit opinion was issued, withdrawn, and then reissued in redacted form, here is some information that seems to have been missed in the … Continue reading

Posted in Law, Media, MichaelW's Page, Notes on the war | 12 Comments

Bad News in Housing

Foreclosure rates could drop!!! That is bad news? It is if it is because courts are throwing out cases because mortgage companies holding securitized mortgages  don’t have the actual note. I’ll let Luke explain: The problem has arisen because most … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, Lance's Page, Law | 5 Comments

White House — Contempt of Congress

Since the resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales the Attorney-Gate charade has basically fallen off the map. That’s a good thing for the most part because there never was any “there” there, at least not with respect to the politically … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Law, MichaelW's Page | 1 Comment

“Constitutional Scholar” Follies

Noted constitutional scholar, conspiracy theorist, sock puppet and all around frustrated guy, Glenn Greenwald, has a melt down over the spinelessness of the Democratic majority. Not to disagree with him, I agree they are spineless, but this little diatribe is … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Glenn Greenwald's Carnival of Fisking, Lance's Page, Law | 15 Comments

Dershowitz on Waterboarding and the Democrats

In the WSJ: Consider, for example, the contentious and emotionally laden issue of the use of torture in securing preventive intelligence information about imminent acts of terrorism–the so-called “ticking bomb” scenario. I am not now talking about the routine use … Continue reading

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Courage Required Of Leaders

ED MORRISSEY: Waterboarding is torture and Congress should outlaw it. That would, however, require courage. Hmmm, didn’t someone around here (and over there) say that recently??? OK, certainly not as eloquently, or verbosely, but it’s the same point all the … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Keith's Page, Law | 4 Comments

Stupid Human Tricks

Here are things not recommended to try in Indiana. A) Speeding through a construction zone. You see orange cones (which seems like all the time around here) slow down. B) Running from the cops, after speeding through a construction zone. … Continue reading

Posted in Keith's Page, Law | Leave a comment

Zero Tolerance Idiocy

Hugging friends is equal to sexual harassment? What has replaced commonsense in school administrators these days? Risk aversion is one thing, defining a problem down to a list of “must not do” activities isn’t the way of solving it. http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/illinoisnews/story/32B579E2975B8BA08625738B007B4E1B?OpenDocument … Continue reading

Posted in Culture, Domestic Politics, Keith's Page, Law | Leave a comment

Levin and the shocking torture memo’s

Marty Lederman has a nice post up on the revelations of Daniel Levin about the development of the “torture memo’s.” Read the whole thing. I do have some caveats. He refers to Jack Goldsmith’s book which criticizes these memo’s and … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Lance's Page, Law | 2 Comments

Clinton and Obama not fit to be Attorney General

I think this hits the nail on the head: Clinton, Clinton, Obama and Schumer.  They have all, to a greater or lesser degree, embraced the concept of coercive interrogation (some, even torture — which is unquestionably illegal), and they have all … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Lance's Page, Law | 2 Comments

Ethnic Cleansing In LA

Who would have thought this kind of thing would happen in this day and age, in America. But, add one part “War on Drugs,” and one part “Illegal Immigration,” and you get volatile results. A south Los Angeles Latino street … Continue reading

Posted in Domestic Politics, Economics, Keith's Page, Law, Society | Leave a comment

The Law Explained: FBI Interrogation Edition

The Appearance Of Impropriety There is a minor brouhaha percolating at the blog-level right now regarding a Second Circuit decision that was issued, withdrawn, and then re-issued in redacted form. The small bit that was redacted is what’s causing all … Continue reading

Posted in Law, MichaelW's Page | 9 Comments