Law & Government
New Jersey Wants Your Baby's Genes
Collecting and analyzing newborns' blood could allow the state to surveil people for life.
Federal Court Blocks Biden's Income-Based Student Loan Forgiveness Plan
The SAVE plan would have dramatically reduced the amount borrowers were required to pay back before receiving forgiveness—and cost taxpayers almost $500 billion over the next decade.
Does MAGA Want Unity and Peace—or Vengeance?
Reason's Zach Weissmueller talked with Trump supporters at the Republican National Convention about heated rhetoric, the weaponization of government, and plans for unity.
The DOOBIE Act Would Limit Government Discrimination Against People Who Have Smoked Weed
Under the law, the feds couldn't deny you a job or security clearance just because you've used marijuana in the past.
Man Who Was Arrested for Flipping Off Cop Settles for $175,000
However distasteful, the First Amendment protects a citizen’s right to give a police officer the middle finger.
Federal Appeals Court Upholds Mississippi's Jim Crow–Era Felon Voting Ban
"In short, 'cruel and unusual' is not the same as 'harmful and unfair,'" the court wrote.
Here's How To Pay for Trump's Tax Cuts
There seems to be general bipartisan agreement on keeping a majority of the cuts, which are set to expire. They can be financed by cleaning out the tax code of unfair breaks.
Federalism Could Heal a Divided Nation
There’s less reason to fight when one-size-fits-all policies are replaced with local diversity.
Ruling in Favor of DIY Distillers Affirms Limits on Congressional Power
A federal judge rejected the government’s excuses for banning home production of liquor.
RNC Speakers Give Exaggerated Impression of Immigrant Crime
Tuesday’s programming was light on policy and heavy on horror.
Dismissal of Trump Classified Documents Case Checks the Power of Special Counsels
The decision agreed with Trump that Special Counsel Jack Smith was improperly appointed, which could have positive downstream effects for the rest of us, as well.
Congress 'Can Regulate Virtually Anything'
How legislators learned to stop worrying about the constitutionality of federal drug and gun laws by abusing the Commerce Clause
Biden and Trump Hope to Tip the Election Scales With Working-Class Proposals
Competing visions on tipping policies highlight the differences in the candidates’ approaches to winning over working-class voters—but neither will provide much benefit.
The Case Against Alec Baldwin Is Not a Slam Dunk
New Mexico law requires quite a high standard for proving criminal negligence.
The 2024 GOP Platform Promises To 'Make America Affordable Again.' So Why Are They Embracing Fiscal Insanity?
Although former President Donald Trump's deregulatory agenda would make some positive changes, it's simply not enough.
Excessive Calls for Recusal Threaten Judicial Independence
Activists and politicians look for almost any excuse to claim that judges should withdraw from cases. Their calls for recusal may be frivolous, but it gives them an opportunity to criticize judges they don't like.
Tennessee Will Not Appeal Ruling Over Wildlife Agents Planting Cameras
While the decision is great news for Tennesseans, it's only the first step in reclaiming Americans' property rights against the open fields doctrine.
Determined To Avoid Presidential Paralysis, SCOTUS Endorses Presidential Impunity
We need not conjure "extreme hypotheticals" to understand the danger posed by an "energetic executive" who feels free to flout the law.
The Best of Reason: Child Welfare Systems Are Trapping Innocent Families
Georgia parents were accused of child abuse after they took their daughter to the doctor. Does the state's story add up?
Journalist Sues Cops Who Handcuffed Him for Photographing 'Cop City' Arrests
After police detained Benjamin Hendren, they urged construction workers to lie about him.
Republicans Confirm Their Plan To Let Social Security Go Insolvent
Which party can do the least to fix America's troubled old-age welfare system?
Seattle University Webinar on the Presidential Immunity Decision
I was one of the participants, along with many other legal scholars.
9th Circuit Rejects Qualified Immunity for Honolulu Cops Who Handcuffed 10-Year-Old Girl
Officers should have known that handcuffing a compliant 10-year-old is unnecessary, the court ruled.
Why the Media Covered for Biden
Plus: A listener asks whether Bruce Springsteen's song Born in the U.S.A is actually patriotic.
Learning to Like the "Loneliest Justice"
That some legal commentators are surprised by Justice Barrett may say more about Court commentary (and the way she was caricatured when nominated) than it does about Justice Barrett.
Ticket Change?
Plus: Journalists shilling for Biden, Zyn imitators pissing off regulators, in defense of Little Tech, and more...
He Immigrated to the U.S. as a Child. He Was Just Kicked Out—Despite Coming Here Legally.
"Documented Dreamers" continue to have to leave the country even though this is the only home many have ever known.
Child Welfare Systems Are Trapping Innocent Families
Georgia parents were accused of child abuse after they took their daughter to the doctor. Does the state's story add up?
How Much Does the President Matter?
We've now had two consecutive presidential administrations deploy versions of this same argument in response to questions about the fitness of the man allegedly running the federal government.
Utah Joins Growing Number of States Ignoring Biden Admin's New Title IX Rule
The Biden administration says its new Title IX interpretation is a legitimate reading of the statute, but opponents characterize it as arbitrary and capricious.
The Authoritarian Side of Effective Altruism Comes for AI
Proposed bills reveal the extreme measures E.A.’s AI doomsayers support.
The National Debt Is Crossing an Ominous Line
The U.S. has successfully navigated past debt challenges, notably in the 1990s. Policymakers can fix this if they find the will to do so.
Thoughts on the Trump Immunity Decision
The Supreme Court's flawed decision largely ignores text and original meaning, and fails to resolve crucial issues.
Rapper B.G. Ordered To Turn Over New Song Lyrics to the Feds
Supervised release shouldn't require former inmates to give up their First Amendment rights.
Indian Students Who Enrolled in Fake University Run by ICE Can Sue the Government, Court Rules
A federal appeals court ruled that the government is not immune from a breach-of-contract lawsuit filed by foreign students duped into enrolling into a fake school run by ICE.
From "Deference" to "Respect" - The Real Import of Loper Bright
The decision to overturn Chevron removes an agency trump card, but does not instruct courts to ignore agency opinions--and they won't.
SCOTUS Will Decide Whether the FDA's 'Regulatory Switcheroos' on Vaping Were 'Arbitrary and Capricious'
The 5th Circuit ruled that the agency violated the Administrative Procedure Act when it rejected applications from manufacturers of flavored nicotine e-liquids.
Presidential Immunity As a Question of Executive Power
There is no textual basis for "immunity" as such, but there are structural reasons why some degree of insulation is inevitable.
Goldsmith on the Trump Immunity Decision
A thoughtful, sober take on Trump v. United States.
