AI Fraud Act Could Outlaw Parodies, Political Cartoons, and More
The bill is broad enough to target a Saturday Night Live skit lampooning Trump, a comedic impression of Taylor Swift, or a weird ChatGPT-generated image of Ayn Rand.
Law & Government
The Chevron Doctrine Discomfits the Weak
Excessive judicial deference gives administrative agencies a license to rewrite the law in their favor.
The Trump Train Rolls Through Iowa
Plus: A listener asks the editors if there are any bad laws that might discourage people from having kids.
Zoning Board Orders Longtime Tenants' Homes Dismantled
Plus: the Supreme Court weighs housing fees and homelessness, YIMBYs bet on smaller, more focused reforms, and a new paper finds legalizing more housing does in fact bring costs down.
According to Law
A keynote address to the Symposium on Common Good Constitutionalism.
Is ESG Already Over?
CEOs are beginning to wonder what to do when environmental, social, and governance factors are at odds with performance.
Why America Should Be More Like Sweden (It's Not What You Think!)
Sweden reformed socialistic aspects of its pension system and introduced partial privatization.
The Strange Disappearance of the Tumamoc Globeberry (Updated)
The Fish and Wildlife Service inexplicably removes a species from its tally of species "delisted" under the Endangered Species Act.
Aurora, Colorado, Police Detained the Wrong Guy at Gunpoint. They Gave Him a Ticket Anyway.
Police forced 44-year-old Teddy Pittman facedown on the road at gunpoint after mistaking him for a fugitive. When they let him go, they slapped him with a traffic ticket.
Does Biden Need Congressional Authorization for His Strikes Against the Houthis? [Updated]
The answer is likely "no" for US military action so far, because it is a defense against attack. But a broader conflict or one of much longer duration would be different.
How To Get Away With Murder (According to Trump's Lawyers)
Step 1: Become president. That's the hardest part.
Review: Starfield Is Really a Video Game About Government
Bureaucracy vs. freedom in outer space
Alabama Set To Use Experimental Execution Method
In killing Kenneth Eugene Smith by nitrogen hypoxia, the state would be using him as a "test subject," Smith's lawyers argue.
DeSantis, Haley Highlight the Republican Party's Deeply Unserious Approach to Social Security
A decade ago, DeSantis was supporting real efforts at reforming Social Security. Now, he's refusing to even acknowledge the problem.
On Economic Issues, the Populist Right and Left Share a Lot of Common Ground
That's bad news for Americans.
Federal Appeals Court Rules in Favor of Reform Prosecutor Removed from Office by Ron DeSantis
"The First Amendment prevents DeSantis from identifying a reform prosecutor and then suspending him to garner political benefit," U.S. Circuit Judge Jill Pryor wrote.
D.C. Circuit Seems Skeptical of Trump's Alarmingly Broad Presidential Immunity Claim
As one appeals court judge pointed out, Trump's defense could literally let a president get away with murder.
Fauci to Congress: 6-Foot Social Distancing Guidance Likely Not Based on Data
Republican lawmakers criticized the former NIH official for playing "semantics" about lab leaks and gain-of-function research during closed-door congressional testimony this week.
How Much Will Taxpayers Pay for Virginia's $2 Billion Arena Plan?
How much public money will be used remains unclear. The consensus answer seems to be "a lot."
The Feds Shouldn't Subsidize Fancy, Risky Beach Houses
Government is "promoting bad behavior," says Sen. Rand Paul. He's right.
Florida Bill Would Make Allegations of Race Discrimination 'Defamation Per Se'
The state Senate bill, which is extremely similar to another House proposal, aims to scrap major First Amendment protections in defamation cases.
How John Deere Hijacked Copyright Law To Keep You From Tinkering With Your Tractor
Hackers are helping tractor owners “jailbreak” their equipment in order to repair it.
9th Circuit Temporarily Restores the Right To Bear Arms As It Mulls California's New Gun-Free Zones
The state's law, which a federal judge enjoined last month, prohibits firearms in most public places.
Supreme Court Takes a Pass on Minnesota Climate Change Case
Only one justice indicated any interest in premature consideration of state-law climate change lawsuits.
Newsom Nixes Psychedelic Decriminalization and Cannabis Cafés
Gavin Newsom supported a ballot initiative to legalize recreational marijuana in California but rejected a social consumption measure.
Guest Post on Israeli Supreme Court Decision Striking Down Law Restricting Judicial "Reasonableness" Review of Government Policies
The post is by prominent Israeli legal scholar Ronit Levine-Schnur (University of Tel Aviv).
Welfare Is Great—for the Welfare Bureaucrats
The clients get a confusing maze and a lot of incentives to stay on welfare.
A Suicidal 21-Year-Old Was Jailed In California. Nine Days Later, She Was Dead.
More than 20 people died while in custody of the Riverside County Sheriff's Department last year.
State Governments Promised Private Companies More than $10 Billion in Subsidies Last Year
The statistic, compiled by watchdog group Good Jobs First, only takes into account "megadeals" involving at least $50 million in subsidies.
Teacher's Union Sues to Stop New York Congestion Pricing Plan
The United Federation of Teachers argues that the near-5,000 page environmental report on New York's congestion pricing plan isn't thorough enough.
Biden Administration Quietly Extended the Unnecessary COVID Bailout for States and Local Governments
Republican senators say the change is "mind-bending and deeply concerning."
Video of Federalist Society "Seat at the Sitting" Panel on Upcoming Supreme Court Cases
The panel covered many cases and featured views many would not expect at a Fed Soc event.
3 Economic Myths That Need To Die
As we step into 2024, it's crucial to adopt a more informed perspective on these dubious claims.
America Has Borrowed $1 Trillion Since the Start of Football Season
The federal government is borrowing money at a mind-spinning rate, and you can't blame it on the COVID-19 pandemic anymore.
Maine's Bad Prostitution Law Could Be Coming Soon to Your State
Beware the “Equality Model” of sex work law reform in 2024.
"Purported Robberies Were Staged" to Support "Fraudulent Visa Applications"
A system for encouraging cooperation by crime victims was allegedly turned into a means of producing visa fraud.
Federal Court Again Refuses to Dismiss Juliana Climate Case
Judge Aiken's reckless defiance of legal rules is turning the "Kids Climate Case" into a zombie climate case.
Judge Blocks Attempt To Dismiss Lawsuit Challenging Idaho Abortion Ban
A state judge ruled that a lawsuit seeking clarification on Idaho's vague abortion ban can move forward, despite dismissing some of the suit's claims.
Federal Judge Questions 'Evolving Standards' Test for Cruel and Unusual Punishment
The Supreme Court judges Eighth Amendment cases with "evolving standards of decency." Some conservative jurists don't like it.
Mickey Mouse Is Now In the Public Domain. Well, Sort Of.
Even though only one very specific version of the character is free to use, it still represents a positive step for creative expression.
Red State, Red Tape
How Florida’s legacy of slow-growth laws is holding back its post-COVID boom.
Who Decides Whether Trump Can Run, and What Sort of Evidence Suffices?
Letting state officials determine whether a candidate has "engaged in insurrection" opens a huge can of worms.
A Police Group's Comments on Civil Asset Forfeiture Show Exactly Why It Needs Reform
"You've got to be able to demonstrate some level of legitimacy" the head of the National Sheriffs' Association says of carrying large amounts of cash.
Trump Wouldn't Be the First Non-Confederate Barred From Office by the 14th Amendment
The weird story of Victor Berger, the Espionage Act, and "Shoeless" Joe Jackson.
10 Stories That Drove Free-Range Parents Crazy in 2023
And some good news, after all.
