Californians Will Finally Get Access to Records About Police Misconduct
Gov. Jerry Brown signs bills dramatically increasing transparency about law enforcement behavior.
Month: September 2018
Brett Kavanaugh's Illegal Beer Consumption Highlights the Perversity of Drinking Ages
The Supreme Court nominee's teenaged tippling was typical, although the law pretends otherwise.
Why Supreme Court Confirmation Hearings Should be Treated as Job Interviews, not Criminal Trials
One of the points at issue in the debate over the sexual assault accusations against Brett Kavanaugh is whether the standards of proof used by the Senate should be those appropriate to a criminal trial or those of a job interview. The latter is the superior approach.
Should Dried Up Tree Frog Sex Ponds Limit Property Rights?
The Supreme Court will rule on whether the Endangered Species Act has failed wildlife and private property owners alike.
Debate: For Political Change, Choose Exit Not Voice
Should we try to make the existing system better-or should we try to launch a new one?
Jeff Flake and the Hated—Yet Vital—Libertarian Center
Temperamental centrism and case-by-case decision-making, on Brett Kavanaugh and other issues, irritates nearly everyone-and is necessary.
Maryland Misdemeanor Law
What Maryland calls "misdemeanors" is very different from what other states do.
USDA School Lunches Still Stink
School's back in session, and that it means time for reports of crummy government-approved school lunches
Debate: Intellectual Property Must Be Protected
Should the law respect copyrights and patents?
Politico Symposium on the Ford-Kavanaugh Sexual Assault Accusation Hearing
The symposium includes contributions by various legal commentators, including Bruce Ackerman, Mari Matsuda, Deborah Rhode, and myself.
Here's What Congress Was Doing While You Were Watching the Kavanaugh Circus
The passage of tax reform 2.0 blows a huge hole in the budget, and a much-touted opioid bill might just make the crisis worse.
MAGA Hat and Colin Kaepernick Shirt Make Kanye West a One-Man Bridge Across Our Political Chasm
Politics is not solely red and blue. Or in this case, red and white.
North Carolina Woman Won't Be Punished for Sheltering Pets During Florence
But she never should have faced criminal charges in the first place.
Victory for Low Expectations! New California Housing Bill Isn't Terrible!
A positive but marginal reform to the Golden State's byzantine housing regulations
'We Are Always on the Verge of Chaos:' The PJ O'Rourke Interview
The libertarian humorist talks about his new book, how to drink in war zones, and why the Chinese are more American than most U.S. citizens.
'We Are Always on the Verge of Chaos:' The PJ O'Rourke Interview
The libertarian humorist talks about his new book, how to drink in war zones, and why the Chinese are more American than most U.S. citizens.
Short Circuit: A Roundup of Recent Federal Court Decisions
Interviewing prisoners, Auer deference in criminal cases, and Rand Paul's neighbor.
The American Bar Association's Lack of Transparency
The ABA president called for a delay in voting on Kavanaugh's nomination, but the ABA refuses to provide any details about this decision
The Worst Defenses for Brett Kavanaugh and Christine Ford
If you want to show your support for the accused or the accuser, stay away from these.
Senate Judiciary Committee Approves Kavanaugh for Supreme Court, With a Twist
Sen. Lindsey Graham had the quote of the day: "I think I know what happened."
Philippines President Duterte Playfully 'Jokes' About All His Drug War Murders
"My only sin is the extrajudicial killings."
Beer, Courage, and Vomit: Major Themes of the Ford-Kavanaugh Hearing
An index of recurring topics
Nashville Cop Charged With Criminal Homicide for Shooting Man in the Back as He Fled
This might be the first time a Nashville police officer has been charged for an on-duty shooting.
The Kavanaugh Nomination Fight Has Pulled Us Further Into a Partisan Quagmire
The Supreme Court confirmation fight is a preview of things to come.
Republican Senators to Plow Ahead With Kavanaugh Vote: Reason Roundup
Plus: Giving cops the finger is protected speech and Elon Musk is under fire from the SEC.
Unions Change Their Tune on Janus Supreme Court Ruling
It was the end of the world...until it wasn't.
Elon Musk Sued by SEC Over Securities Law Violations For Tweets
The SEC wants to bar Musk from being an operator or director of any publicly held company for claiming he had a firm offer to take Tesla private at $420 a share.
Brett Kavanaugh's Anger Should Surprise No One
If he's innocent, he's been falsely accused and dragged through the mud. If he's guilty, he'll try to appear innocent.
After Millions of Dollars Spent and Hundreds of New Lane Miles Built, Bike Ridership Is Down Across America
The 2017 American Community Survey finds the number of people biking to work is falling nationwide.
Rep. Justin Amash Slams 'Pathetic' Spending Bill, Reminds Trump of His Pledge
Trump will "now be put to the test," Amash says.
Philadelphia Cops Arrested for Detaining a Man Without Cause
An investigation concluded that there was no way the officers could have seen a man using drugs as they said they did.
Republicans Attack Democrats, Not Ford, Following Her Testimony Against Brett Kavanaugh
We didn't get another Anita Hill hearing. Let's consider that a small silver lining.
Dick Durbin Argues That E-Cigarettes Will Cause an Increase in Smoking
The senator's claim is based on some highly implausible assumptions.
Epilepsy Drug Is the First Marijuana-Based Treatment Legalized Under Federal Law
The FDA approved Epidiolex in June, and today the DEA made it a Schedule V drug, the least restrictive classification for controlled substances.
Nobel Prize Winner Joseph Stiglitz, Hugo Chavez, and the Return of Socialism: Podcast
Journalist and Soho Forum co-founder Gene Epstein on economists' romance with strongmen and his upcoming debate with Jacobin's Bhaskar Sunkara.
Christine Blasey Ford Was Worth Hearing, But No One on the Senate Judiciary Committee Was Listening
This isn't due process-this isn't even an honest attempt to determine what actually happened.
British Group Fighting Secret Government Surveillance Subjected to Secret British Government Surveillance
U.K. government officials insisted they didn't collect and store communications data of Privacy International. Turns out they did.
Public Transit Can't Ban "Disparaging" Ads
So the Ninth Circuit held, applying the reasoning from the Slants case (Matal v. Tam).
FEMA Director Brock Long Racked Up $151,000 in Unauthorized Travel
One of his unauthorized trips included a tour of a pineapple plantation with his family.
TSA Will Report Weed at LAX to Cops, Who Can't Do Anything About It
It makes no sense. Then again, neither does prohibition.
The 3 Biggest Lies Trump Told About Tariffs at His Crazy Press Conference
Trump says tariffs aren't hurting the economy, new steel plants are opening up, and some stuff about Canada. It's all wrong.
3 Questions To Ask Yourself While Watching the Kavanaugh/Ford Hearings Today
It's a given that many senators are acting in bad faith. But what about the rest of us?
New FAA Reauthorization Bill Tackles Seat Size, Supersonic Jets
Congress gives a nod to new technologies in renewing the aviation safety agency's legal authority, while punting on real reforms.
Dramatic Accusations and Twists Accelerate Ahead of Kavanaugh and Ford Testimony Today: Reason Roundup
Plus: Is postmodernism bad?
Murphy Brown Revival Forgets Its Roots in Desperate Attempt to Join the Resistance
It's neither funny, nor insightful. Why did it even come back?
