From the Institute for Justice, a law firm for which I have the highest regard: Subject: Staff Attorney Opening at the Institute for Justice Tired of working on cases you don’t believe in? Longing to do something meaningful with your law degree? The Institute for Justice, the nation’s leading libertarian public interest law firm, is […]
Archive | November, 2009
Tom Palmer Book Event @ Cato:
For years Tom Palmer and I have been lecturing in the same summer seminar series in Europe and I have always found his lectures enormously engaging, informative and theoretically insightful. Tom is a personal hero of mine for his efforts to promote liberty behind the Iron Curtain before the fall of the USSR, and he […]
The AMA Open to Medical Marijuana Research
The LA Times reports: The American Medical Assn. on Tuesday urged the federal government to reconsider its classification of marijuana as a dangerous drug with no accepted medical use, a significant shift that puts the prestigious group behind calls for more research. . . . In changing its policy, the group said its goal was […]
Let Them Rot
Rhode Island Governor Donald Carcieri (R) has vetoed a bill that would have allowed domestic partners to provide for the burial of their loved ones, just as spouses and blood relatives are entitled to do under state law. In a veto message, Carcieri said he rejected the bill because the one year minimum requirement for the […]
Liveblogging the Federalist Society National Lawyers Convention
My former student and current federal district court law clerk Josh Blackman has managed to get himself appointed to the exalted newly created position of official liveblogger of the Federalist Society National Lawyers Convention, which is taking place this Thursday through Sunday. Interested VC readers who can’t come in person may want to check out […]
Omaha Beach
This clip from Saving Private Ryan puts the previous video of WWII vets into some perspective. WARNING: It is very intense and disturbing (which is why I am posting it).
“I Never Believed the Letters I Read in Penthouse Until It Happened to Me”:
An amusing story from Claire Berlinski (among other things, the author of a recent book on Margaret Thatcher). Thanks to InstaPundit for the pointer.
Thanks to Those Who Served and Who Now Serve:
From Reason.tv: H/T Laura Barnett
Climate Chavistas?
There are plenty of reasons to oppose the cap-and-trade legislation working its way through Congress, but the claim that a “nasty bureaucratic provision” will require “President Obama to act like Venezuelan strong man Hugo Chavez” is not one of them. The provision at issue — Section 707 in the bill approved by the Senate Environment […]
Shouldn’t A TSA Nominee Respect Privacy?
The Obama Administration’s nominee to head the Transportation Security Administration, Erroll Southers, was censured by the FBI for asking law enforcement personnel to conduct a background check on his ex-wife’s boyfriend. The incident occurred some time ago (1988), and Southers has acknowledged his misconduct and claims he has not done anything similar since. According to […]
U.S. Citizen Sues Over Alleged Rendition
The Washington Post reports on a lawsuit filed by Amir Meshal, who alleges he was subject to extraordianry rendition even though he is a U.S. citizen. From the Post story. Meshal, a Muslim born to Egyptian parents, traveled to Somalia in 2006 “to enrich his study of Islam,” according to the lawsuit. Mogadishu, the Somali […]
A Win for Michael Vick
Yesterday, the U.S Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit affirmed a district court ruling that NFL quarterback and one-time dog abuser Michael Vick is entitled to keep some $16 million in roster bonuses from the Atlanta Falcons. The opinion is here. (HT: How Appealing) Now if only Vick’s new team, the Philadelphia Eagles, had […]
He-Man on Executive Power
By Ilya Somin on November 10, 2009 10:27 pm in Constitutional Theory, Executive Branch, Uncategorized
In one of my recent Constitutional Law classes, I had occasion to quote a much-neglected legal authority: He-Man. Like many presidents, especially in wartime, He-Man claims that he has “fabulous secret powers” and even summarizes his legal position with the immortal words “I have the power.” It’s the best short summary of the late Bush […]
More on the Implications of Pfizer’s Decision to Close Down its New London Headquarters
Over at the Land Use Prof Blog, property scholar Matt Festa has a good discussion of the implications of Pfizer’s decision to close down its New London headquarters for the ongoing debate over the use of eminent domain to promote economic development. As I explained in this post, the construction of this Pfizer facility was […]
Texas’ Amendment 11: Another Post-Kelo Eminent Domain Reform that Falls Short
By Ilya Somin on November 10, 2009 9:18 pm in Eminent Domain, Kelo, Post-Kelo Reform, Property Rights
It hasn’t gotten much media attention, but last week, Texas voters overwhelmingly approved Amendment 11, an eminent domain reform measure that purports to ban “economic development” takings of the kind the Supreme Court upheld in Kelo v. City of New London. Texas badly needs stronger protection for property rights, since it has a long history […]