Writing for his syndicated column, Jacob Sullum observes “The Gray Lady’s Inconsistent Defense of the First Amendment”. He’s right: the New York Times shows a bias for speech rights of liberal-leaning causes, but far less sympathy for speech rights in conservative causes. (Sullum: “The distinctions drawn by the Times are therefore hard to justify on…
Liberty
Law, Laws/Regulations, Liberty
Government’s Overreach: Trying to Learn What You Read
by JOHN ADAMS •
Government officials often act as more than representatives of their people — they pursue an interest apart from their people, an often intrusive one into the lives of private citizens. In North Carolina, online retailer Amazon has filed a lawsuit to prevent block a North Carolina Department of Revenue request for individually identifiable information on…
Laws/Regulations, Liberty
Reason’s Nanny of the Month: Flag Banning at the North Carolina State Capitol Building
by JOHN ADAMS •
Free Markets, Law, Laws/Regulations, Liberty
CNN: Rights Groups Say They Will Challenge New Arizona Immigration Law
by JOHN ADAMS •
A legal challenge is right and inevitable: Arizona’s law will lead to abuse of citizens and non-citizens, and will inhibit a free market in labor, making Arizonans poorer and life there harsher. The law is destined for failure and obloquy, as were the restrictive efforts in California under Gov. Pete Wilson years ago. (That’s something…
Law, Laws/Regulations, Liberty
A Proper American Response
by JOHN ADAMS •
Over at the Washington Post, columnist Michael Gerson summarizes nicely what’s wrong with Arizona’s anti-immigration law: This law creates a suspect class, based in part on ethnicity, considered guilty until they prove themselves innocent. It makes it harder for illegal immigrants to live without scrutiny — but it also makes it harder for some American…
Free Markets, Laws/Regulations, Liberty
Cosmetology Nannies, Part 2: Expensive Courses for Eyebrow Threading
by JOHN ADAMS •
Here’s the second of two posts on cosmetology. (I’ll tackle all manner of topics at FREE WHITEWATER.) The post is about a Texas salon owner who is among those who brought a venerable practice, eyebrow threading, to the Lone Star state. It may seem new to us, but it has been practiced safely abroad, and…
Free Markets, Laws/Regulations, Liberty
Cosmetology Nannies, Part 1: Banning Fish Pedicures
by JOHN ADAMS •
Readers can guess correctly that I don’t spend much time considering cosmetology. Unfortunately, some bureaucrats spend too much time regulating cosmetology. These regulations often inhibit new procedures, favor incumbent businesses over newcomers, and insist on unnecessary and expensive licensing. (The price for mandated coursework benefits, first and foremost, those who are in the business of…
Government Spending, Libertarians, Liberty
Libertarian Beliefs and Expectations
by JOHN ADAMS •
Over at Reason’s Hit and Run, Radley Balko offers a concise explanation of the difference between wanting government to fail, and expecting that it will: I don’t promote government failure, I expect it. And my expectations are met fairly often. What I promote is the idea that more people share my expectations, so fewer people…
Laws/Regulations, Libertarians, Liberty
The Institute for Justice
by JOHN ADAMS •
I’ve added a link to my blogroll for the Institute for Justice, a civil liberties law firm. A tagline from their website tells their tale succinctly: “Litigating for Liberty.” Their motto, “We change the world, and have fun doing it,” tells how much they enjoy their work. If you’ve not visited their site, it’s surely…
Laws/Regulations, Liberty
On the Medical Marijuana Debate at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
by JOHN ADAMS •
Last Wednesday, on the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater campus, there was a debate on a medical marijuana bill before the Wisconsin legislature. See, Assembly Bill 554. (There’s also a Senate companion bill.) The bill would make medical use of marijuana legal under specified and limited circumstances. I attended the debate, along with – by my imperfect…
Freedom of Speech, Law, Liberty
Town of Whitewater Resident Challenges Wisconsin Campaign Finance Laws, Wins Federal Injunction
by JOHN ADAMS •
If a citizen and resident wants to mail postcards about an upcoming referendum in his town, must he register (as Wisconsin law requires) before doing so? If he doesn’t register, will he be prosecuted, as others have been in the past? Here’s a press release about the federal lawsuit against several defendants from the James…