COVID-19 Made Democracies More Authoritarian and Authoritarian Regimes Even Worse
A new report says many democracies have taken steps that are "disproportionate, unnecessary, or illegal" to curb COVID.
Health
Amicus Brief in Title 42 "Public Health" Expulsion Case
I wrote an amicus brief on behalf of the Cato Institute, addressing the important nondelegation and "major questions" issues raised by the federal government's awful policy.
Austrian Politicians Say Vaccines Are the Key to Ending the Pandemic. They're Also Ordering the Vaccinated Back Into Lockdown.
The latest restrictions come less than a week after the country ordered its unvaccinated population into lockdown.
FDA Finally Recommends COVID-19 Booster Shots for All Adults
After months of inconsistent messaging and a chaotic track record, will anybody trust it?
Thousands of Federal Prisoners Aren't Getting Mandated Time Credits Because Prison Officials Won't Negotiate
COVID-19 has led to foot dragging in implementing some FIRST STEP Act reforms.
What's New in the Revised Edition of Free to Move" - Part I: Pandemic Migration Restrictions
For obvious reasons, this important issue wasn't in the first edition of the book. But it's covered in some detail in the new one.
Democrats' 'Build Back Better' Bill Is a Federal Power Grab. Americans Will Pay the Price.
The legislation will have a negative impact on the labor supply and send high prices soaring even higher.
The American Medical Association Would Like Doctors To Use Woke Jargon
A new report commits a bunch of familiar sins.
Was It a Lab Leak? The Mysterious Origin of COVID-19
Matt Ridley and Alina Chan, authors of the new book Viral: The Search for the Origin of COVID-19, say the preponderance of evidence now points toward a lab origin and genetic engineering.
'QAnon Shaman' Jacob Chansley Gets 41 Months in Prison
Plus: Detroit schools close on Fridays just because, Scott Alexander offers a plausible ivermectin theory, and more...
Will Sixth Circuit Take OSHA ETS Case En Banc? (Updated)
A petition has been filed asking the full court to hear the legal challenges to the OSHA COVID-19 vaccinate-or-test mandate.
Dopesick Reinforces These Pernicious Misconceptions About Opioids, Addiction, and Pain Treatment
The Hulu miniseries portrays opioid pain medication as unacceptably dangerous in nearly every context.
OSHA Halts Enforcement of Biden Vaccine Mandate, Pending Litigation
The agency is staying in its lane—for now.
Challenges to OSHA Vaccine-or-Test Standard to Be Heard by Sixth Circuit
As a result of the multi-district litigation lottery process, all of the challenges will be heard in a single circuit.
Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser Will Finally Relax D.C.'s Stubborn Mask Mandate
Unlike in neighboring counties, D.C.'s mandate was never tied to specific metrics.
Divided Sixth Circuit Refuses to Stay FDA's Denial of Vaping Product Application
In rejecting Breeze Smoke's application for a stay of the FDA's rejection of their product applications, the Sixth Circuit disagrees with the Fifth Circuit.
Assessing the Fifth Circuit's Decision Staying OSHA's Vaccinate-or-Test Emergency Temporary Standard
While the court identified serious problems with the new OSHA regulation requiring larger employers to vaccinate or test their workers, its opinion was rushed and sloppy.
Austria Orders the Unvaccinated Back Into Lockdown
Plus: Myanmar releases imprisoned U.S. journalist Danny Fenster, another budding San Francisco small business is strangled by red tape, and more...
Extending Its Stay, the 5th Circuit Says OSHA's Vaccine Mandate Is 'Fatally Flawed'
A unanimous three-judge panel concludes that the decree "grossly exceeds OSHA's statutory authority."
Biden Administration, School Board Association Colluded To Direct FBI Scrutiny at Parents Who Were Critical of School Boards
The National School Boards Association considers aggrieved parents essentially "domestic terrorists," and the FBI agreed to crack down on them.
A Ruling Against Greg Abbott Suggests Federal Law May Require Schools To Mandate Masks
A federal judge concluded that the Texas governor's ban on mask mandates illegally discriminated against students with disabilities.
Dueling Dictionary Definitions Figure Prominently in the Legal Dispute Over OSHA's Vaccine Mandate
Is the COVID-19 virus an "agent"?
Nicholas Christakis: How To End the Covid Pandemic
Misinformation and bad policy can only be defeated by robust, open debate in the public square.
Oklahoma Supreme Court Overturns a Landmark Decision Blaming Johnson & Johnson for the State's Opioid Problems
The justices rejected a broad definition of "public nuisance" that would cover the manufacture of pain medication.
A Shuttered West Virginia Pharmacy Shows the DEA's Role in Escalating America's Overdose Crisis
A drug that treats opioid addiction may also be abused. That’s not a good reason to restrict access.
Sixth Circuit Takes Michigan COVID Mask Rule En Banc
The full court will consider the proper standard for judicial review of COVID restrictions in religious institutions.
The CDC's Director Implies That Face Masks Are More Effective Than Vaccines at Preventing COVID-19 Infection
Rochelle Walensky seems to be relying on a laboratory study that did not measure infection risk.
The Infrastructure Bill Makes Building Back More Expensive
The U.S. government doesn't reflect on its spending history, and that shows.
America Still Seen as Free in an Increasingly Unfree World
Residents of other liberal democracies see the U.S. as respecting liberty even as authoritarianism advances globally.
Here Are the Arguments That Persuaded the 5th Circuit To Block OSHA's Vaccine Mandate for Private Employers
The appeals court said the rule, which was published on Friday, raises "grave statutory and constitutional issues."
Federal Court Temporarily Stays OSHA Employer Vaccination Mandate
The stay may only last a very short time. But it does suggest the judges think the plaintiffs have a serious case to make against the mandate.
They Just Keep Closing Schools and Mandating Masks
So much for politicians, educators, and public health officials learning a damn thing from Tuesday's election.
Democrats Hike Taxes on Vaping, but Not Tobacco, in Latest Version of 'Build Back Better' Bill
Plus: America's mayors want to be paid in bitcoin, Democrats want to subsidize local journalists, and more...
Could the OSHA Vaccine-or-Test ETS Fall Prey to the Congressional Review Act?
Several Republicans are seeking to overturn the new OSHA rule. Despite the razor-thin margins in both Houses, a repeal resolution will not get enacted.
Voters Are Done With COVID-19 and Pandemic-Powered Officials
Panicked Americans surrendered a lot of authority during the pandemic. Now they want their country back.
Biden Administration Imposes Vaccine Mandate on Health Care Facilities that Participate in Medicare or Medicaid
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services has adopted a more stringent rule for health care providers than OSHA is imposing on large employers.
OSHA Employer Vaccination Mandate is Narrower than Earlier White House Announcement - But Still has Legal Vulnerabilities [Updated with brief response to Jonathan Adler]
The rule just issued by OSHA has fewer legal flaws than the initial plan floated by the White House. But it's still problematic, and could set a dangerous precedent if upheld by courts.
The Details of OSHA's Vaccination Rule for Private Employees Suggest Several Ways It Could Be Vulnerable to Legal Challenges
Federal courts will have to decide whether the rule is "necessary" to protect workers from a "grave danger."
OSHA (Finally) Issues Emergency Standard Mandating Large Employers Require Vaccination or Testing (Updated)
The federal standard contains some carve outs that were not part of the White House announcement, likely to help insulate rule from legal challenge. (Updated with a response to Ilya Somin.)
Joe Biden Says Families Separated at Border Won't Be Receiving $450,000 Settlements
Plus: Children's vaccine passports in San Francisco, investors' inflation fears are on the rise, and more...
In Gangbuster Night for Republicans, Glenn Youngkin Wins Virginia Governor's Race
Plus: The Twin cities both say yes to rent control, Eric Adams will be the next mayor of New York City, and more...
A Scathing Rejection of the Case Against Four Drug Companies Highlights Misconceptions About the 'Opioid Crisis'
A California judge said the four jurisdictions that filed the lawsuit failed to prove a "public nuisance" or "false advertising."
Joe Biden Presses Ahead With Vaccine Mandates, Inviting Legal Challenges
Plus: The Twin Cities will both vote on rent control ballot initiatives, New Jersey and Virginia voters will pick a new governor, and more...
Virginia Governor Race Is an Education Policy Wake-Up Call That Democrats (and the Media) Won't Heed
Calling voters racist is an odd closing argument, let alone an effective response to concerns over schools.
The Spending Bill Got Smaller, but It's Still Full of Bad Ideas
Plus, speculation around Virginia's heated gubernatorial race
