Dishonest Politics and Coronavirus Relief
Why people continue to trust government officials is a mystery.
Congress
Mark Zuckerberg to Congress: Please Regulate Us (Wink, Wink)
Plus: Unrest and looting in Philadelphia after the police shoot and kill a black man, Trump supporters stranded in Omaha, Biden faces new corruption allegations, and more...
Libertarian Lawmakers or Libertarian Laws?
Advancing laws that further libertarian objectives, no matter who champions them, looks like the surer route to our preferred ends.
Ted Cruz Threatens To Force Facebook and Twitter Heads To Testify About Hunter Biden Article
Plus: Supreme Court won't stop Pennsylvania from counting late ballots, proposed amendment would limit Court to nine justices, and more...
You Can't Always Trust What You Hear Online, and Congress Has Some Ideas About Fixing That
The House Intelligence Committee is mulling ways to stop an "infodemic." Is this really a task we want the government to tackle?
Is the Senate Filibuster a 'Jim Crow Relic'?
The filibuster is not inherently a tool of oppression simply because segregationist politicians in the 1950s and '60s found it useful.
The Next COVID Stimulus Bill Could Cost Trillions of Dollars or Might Not Happen at All
There's a fox, a goose, and a bag of grain. And a hippopotamus in the middle of the river.
Trump Can End Census Now, Says Supreme Court in Ruling That Could Have Big Impact on House Seats
Plus: DOJ sues over Melania Trump adviser's book, Justice Clarence Thomas wants to limit Section 230, and more....
Big Tech Is Just the Beginning: House Dems Seek Major Changes to Antitrust Law
Enforcement is supposed to be about protecting "consumer welfare." Overturning that goal would be bad for all of us.
Debt Reckoning
After years of federal fiscal recklessness, is Washington's bill finally coming due?
House Antitrust Report Hits Apple, Amazon, Facebook, and Google
Plus: Tech companies respond, proposed H-1B visa changes, and more...
No Stimulus Before the Election, Trump Says, but Expect More Spending No Matter Who Wins
It is an abrupt reversal for Trump, who as recently as Saturday had voiced his support for another stimulus package.
Here's Who Has Tested Positive for COVID-19 in Congress and the White House
Plus: Texas attorney general accused of bribery, Homeland Security wants credit reports on immigration sponsors, and more...
Will the Senate Have a Quorum to Confirm Judge Barrett? (Updated)
As more senators test positive for COVID-19, the ability of the Senate to conduct business is threatened.
Justin Amash Votes Against Resolution Urging FBI To Investigate QAnon Conspiracy Theory
Congress' one Libertarian member cited the counterproductive, free speech-threatening nature of the resolution to explain his "no" vote.
As Airlines Begin Layoffs, Nancy Pelosi Promises Bailout
House Democrats are working to extend another round of emergency aid to airlines in a stand-alone bill after the passage of a larger coronavirus relief package stalled in the Senate.
Senate Democrats and Republicans Strike Deal To Subpoena Big Tech CEOs
Bipartisanship isn't dead, sadly.
People Are Missing the Point on Trump's Tax Returns
The U.S. tax code should be front and center.
DC Circuit Rules House of Representatives has Standing to Challenge Trump's Diversion of Funds to Build his Border Wall
The opinion was written by prominent conservative Judge David Sentelle.
Rand Paul, Tulsi Gabbard, Thomas Massie, Ron Wyden Join Forces To Unplug the President's 'Internet Kill Switch'
Under the broad terms of a 1934 federal law, the president has the authority to seize emergency control of almost any electronic device in the country.
Section 230's Latest Attacker: The Justice Department
A new DOJ proposal aims to bring the internet communications law in line with Trump's personal interpretation of it.
Pentagon Uses Pandemic Response Cash To Pay Defense Contractors for More War Toys
Plus: House votes to keep funding the government, DHS recalls intelligence reports, Jeff Bezos is starting a preschool, and more...
After the Stimulus Binge, Brace for a Crash
Skyrocketing debt, higher borrowing costs, and a hobbled economy are predicted in the latest Congressional Budget Office report.
Democrats Scuttle Marijuana Decriminalization Vote Over Fears of Not Being Deferential Enough to Cop Lobbyists
If Congress is too afraid to vote on marijuana reform, how the hell are they ever going to pass policing reform?
Court Thwarts Trump's Attempt To Exclude Undocumented Immigrants From Census
Plus: Raleigh cop uses fake evidence in drug cases, caution on CDC study linking restaurants to COVID-19 cases, and more...
At the RNC, Rand Paul Is Right About the Need To End Wars, but Trump Hasn't Ended Any
Trump even vetoed a bill that would stop him from military action in Iran without congressional approval.
Would Other Countries Trust a U.S. Government-Controlled Silicon Valley?
We don’t trust state-controlled companies in China. Would it be different if we did more of the controlling?
Mike Pence Comes Out Against Marijuana Banking Bill That Would Actually Save Taxpayers Money
The SAFE Banking Act is not a pork-barrel spending bill. Is that why it’s struggling?
Democrats Hate Facebook. Republicans Want To Ban TikTok. The Bipartisan Backlash Against Big Tech Is Here and It's a Disaster.
Even as Americans rely on tech more than ever, our early-pandemic truce with the industry is officially over.
Democrats Sharpen Tech Antitrust Messaging at Historic House Hearing
This isn't a debate about consumer needs. It's all about political control.
What Should Have Happened at the Big Tech Antitrust Hearing
Siri, what color is the kettle?
Is the Senate Filibuster a 'Jim Crow Relic' That Should Be Abolished in the Name of Democracy?
Politicians' opinions about the maneuver depend on which party is in power.
Congress Wants To Regulate Big Tech. They Still Don't Understand It.
Plus: Trump suggests election delay, and more...
Congress Used the Antitrust Hearing To Peddle Petty Grievances Against Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google
The scary monopoly power on display Wednesday was the federal government's.
The Next Coronavirus Stimulus Plan: More Spending, Smaller Unemployment Benefits, and Tax Breaks for Going Out To Eat
Senate Republicans announced Monday that the federal government will pay an additional $200 per week in unemployment benefits. The $600 per week benefits boost will expire on July 31.
'CARES' Package Part Two Is Coming, to the Tune of at Least $1 Trillion
Plus: Gun groups for black Americans are growing, a promising new study on opening schools, and more...
The Majority of Americans Oppose Qualified Immunity. Where Is Congress?
American voters know what's up.
Rand Paul on Republican Plans for Another Coronavirus Stimulus Bill: 'They Simply Don't Care About the Debt'
Congress is currently debating what should be included in the next trillion-dollar (and counting) stimulus bill, but nothing is likely to pass this week.
Justin Amash's Tenure as the Libertarian Party's First Member in Congress Will Be Shortlived
Plus: Homeland Security memo worries masks will thwart their surveillance, the feds are snatching people off the streets in Portland, Congress takes up the D.C. shroom debate, and more...
The Next Coronavirus Stimulus Package Should Also Repeal Tariffs
Abolishing tariffs would have short- and long-term benefits for the economy.
"A Better Way to Limit Congress' Subpoena Power"—My SCOTUSblog Symposium Article on Trump v. Mazars
The article critiques the majority decision, and outlines a better way to limit Congress' subpoena power.
Preliminary Thoughts on the Mazars and Vance Cases [Updated with Link to my SCOTUSblog Article on Mazars]
Vance strikes me as compelling and correct. Mazars creates a complex and unwieldy balancing test.
Roberts, Gorsuch, and Kavanaugh Reject Trump's Assertion of 'Absolute Immunity' From State Criminal Subpoenas
The Supreme Court weighs the legality of subpoenaing Trump’s financial records.
Qualified Immunity Is a Test for Conservatives
The judicially invented license for police abuse undermines the rule of law and the separation of powers.
House of Representatives Votes to Give D.C. Statehood
The House voted to recognize the District of Columbia as a state, but many obstacles still lie ahead.
Rand Paul Tries (Again!) To Make It Harder for Police To Take Your Stuff
Federal civil asset forfeiture bill reintroduced as police reform efforts hit a partisan wall.
This Week in Policing Reform: Utah Outlaws Kneeling on Suspects' Necks, Memphis P.D. Ends No-Knock Raids
There's a lot going on. Here's a rundown of significant police reform news from around the country.
House Passes Policing Reform Package, Including Provision That Would End Qualified Immunity
Republicans have said ending qualified immunity is off the table, and for the moment policing reform looks dead in Congress.
