Are the Cornell 7 Being Tried on Social Media?
Plus: Tennessee botches the execution of Christa Pike, and Sam Altman says the benefits of AI are worth the risks.
Month: October 2026
"Federal Judges Receive Life Tenure—Not a Life Sentence"
"Public criticism is not for everyone. But if it's too much to take, you can always resign."
The Rebirth of History and the Last Man
Francis Fukuyama's new book tackles transhumanism, the urge to struggle, and what happens when people jump willingly back into the swamps of history.
A SCOTUS Petition Argues That Pot Growers, Like Pot Smokers, Cannot Be Categorically Disarmed
The case involves a federal law that criminalizes gun possession by people convicted of nonviolent felonies.
The Bond Market Doesn't Trust the Treasury
To judge from rising 10-year interest rates, the bond market doesn't seem to expect Trump to bring inflation or spending under control.
Who Will Own the Moon?
Property rights in space will attract investment, prevent space serfdom, and allow competition to flourish off-world.
Whistleblower Frances Haugen Trashes Facebook's Flawed Fact-Checkers
Frances Haugen, the woman whose Facebook revelations inspired The Social Reckoning, argues that the real danger of social media isn’t bad speech—it’s the way the platforms are designed.
My New Lawfare Article on Why "The President Doesn't Have Unlimited Power to Impose Import Bans"
Many of the same constitutional and other constraints apply as with tariffs.
Ask Jeeves
How would The Butler vote?
A Visit to a Gun Store Shouldn't Put You on a Government List
Gun registry bans might not be enough to protect gun owners from lists built from license-plate data.
The End of Social Media
Algorithms and short-form video drove engagement. They also made it easier to quit.
Can Nebraska's Dan Osborn Win Over Libertarians?
Dan Osborn discusses breaking with both parties, opposing the Iran war, and how he plans to win over Trump voters.
A Response to Michael Buschbacher on Suncor Energy v. Boulder County
In which I reject the suggestion that my arguments do not support the respondent's position before the Supreme Court
What's Going To Happen in the Midterms?
Plus: Anthropic's Claude constitution, Letitia James to handle Cornell rape case, and more...
Oyez! Oyez! Oyez! The October Term 2026 of FantasySCOTUS is now in session
Predict all of the biggest cases at the Supreme Court.
School Board Member's Objection to No-Indigenous-School-Team-Logos Claim Can Proceed
as a First Amendment claim, though only as to his own right to wear "Wantagh Warriors"-related gear at games and school functions.
Denial of Pistol Permit Based on Allegedly "Unsubstantiated" Past Allegations of Sexual Misconduct and Child Abuse
The government's argument, which the court apparently found persuasive: "The denial was not arbitrary but based on documented allegations, even if unsubstantiated."
The 15th Annual Harlan Institute Virtual Supreme Court Competition
Teams of high school students will present arguments about the constitutionality of the Texas Ten Commandments Law.
Unpacking the Suncor Oral Argument: Two Upcoming Events
Upcoming events at Penn Carey Law and CWRU at which I will discuss what we learned from oral argument in the Supreme Court's first case of the term.
The Federal Government Ran Up a $2 Trillion Deficit in 2026
Congress hasn’t balanced the budget in 25 years.
America Hits a New Debt Record at $40 Trillion and Counting
President Donald Trump has surpassed Barack Obama's record for most debt amassed by a president.
Open Thread
What’s on your mind?
Alito Hints That The Dobbs Leaker Knew A Member of the Majority Would Be Subject To Assassination
This strongly suggests Alito does not think a conservative leaked to "lock in" the votes.
Federal Circuit Again Excludes Judge Newman From Group Photo
The stealth impeachment continues.
Libertarianism and Democracy
Matt Zwolinski is right to emphasize that democracy is generally superior to authoritarianism, but wrong to suggest it should be a central libertarian commitment. Moreover, recent events highlight the validity and importance of longstanding libertarian critiques of democracy's weaknesses.
A Conversation with "One of the Most Influential Supreme Court Justices of Our Time"
Jan Crawford's profile of Justice Alito based upon the interviews that will air on CBS News.
Police Allegedly Destroyed $37,000 of Legal Hemp. Georgia's Supreme Court Just Upended 60 Years of Precedent.
The ruling has major implications for property owners when the government ruins their possessions in the exercise of "police power."
The Millennial Internet Is Dead, and Politicians Killed It.
Social media use is declining, and what's left has shifted from conversation to passive scrolling.
Open Thread
What’s on your mind?
Comparing the Credentials Of Three Decades of Fifth Circuit Nominees
The Butler didn't do it.
Justice Alito on Deciding When to Retire from the Court
Justice Samuel Alito offers candid comments to Jan Crawford of CBS News.
Mamdani Promised To Freeze the Rent. Now His Rent Freeze Is in Court.
A lawsuit alleges New York City's Rent Guidelines Board broke the law by arbitrarily predetermining the outcome.
Minneapolis Activists Used Encrypted Group Chats To Outmaneuver ICE. Now the Feds Want To Prosecute Them.
"I think courts are going to be very suspicious of how broad this is," one Minnesota lawyer tells Reason.
Open Thread
What’s on your mind?
2 Lawsuits Cast Further Doubt on the Claim That ICE Agent Jonathan Ross Killed Renée Good in Self-Defense
According to complaints filed by Good's family, Ross was not in any danger when he fired three shots into her car.
Rand Paul Was Right To Block the Senate's Attempt To Censor the Internet
The bill’s “duty of care” could pressure platforms to suppress lawful speech in the name of protecting children.
Would a Firing Squad Have Been More 'Humane' for Christa Pike?
Lethal injection dresses up the death penalty as something clinical and civilized. But the goal is the same: to kill someone.
Short Circuit: An inexhaustive weekly compendium of rulings from the federal courts of appeal
Water rights absurdities, ponderous parking ordinances, and fast trains.
A Court Rules That San Francisco's Empty Home Tax Is Illegal
San Francisco's tax on vacant homes is bad policy. Now it's also bad law.
Justice Gorsuch on Abuse of Emergency Powers
In a recent talk, he decried a situation where "everything is an emergency."
Want To Stop the Iran War? Don't Pay the Bill
Congress can stop Trump's Iran war by failing to fund it.
Trump Criticizes Fox News for Daring To Show Clips of Democrats
The president sees even straight news coverage as an act of betrayal.
