Archives: January 2024
Excerpts on Florida from Reason's vaults
Latest
This Florida Republican Is All in on Criminal Justice Reform
Former state lawmaker Jeff Brandes says the Florida Legislature has "ceded its role" to high-profile Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Trump's Promise to 'Indemnify' Cops 'Against Any and All Liability' Is Absurd for 2 Reasons
Police officers already are routinely indemnified, and suing them for abuse is much harder than Trump claims.
Social Media Censorship and The First Amendment
Stanford's Jay Bhattacharya debates St. John University's Kate Klonick on the federal government's role in social media censorship.
Biden Expands Pardons for Low-Level Federal Marijuana Offenders
The pardons freed no prisoners, but the White House says they will ease the burden of a criminal record.
My Favorite Things (TSA Version)
A reined-in TSA would be the sound of music to many Americans' ears.
ICE Leaked These Asylum Seekers' Personal Information. A Court Just Dismissed Their Lawsuit.
“The victims may not have been persecuted or tortured due to the data breach yet, but the likelihood of those outcomes has increased due to ICE’s conduct.”
Why a Huge Budget Deficit Might Be Good News for California
California is facing a projected deficit of $68 billion, a larger amount than the entire annual budget of the state of Florida.
This Christmas, Americans Can Afford More Toys Than Ever
The rising prices throughout much of the economy make it a little easier to appreciate the things that seem to be inflation-proof, like video games.
Review: The Florida Novels of Charles Willeford
“Just tell the truth, and they’ll accuse you of writing black humor.”
If You Ignore Claudine Gay's Plagiarism, Shame on You
Academic malfeasance by Harvard's president deserves media coverage and condemnation, not excuses.
Was the Capitol Riot an 'Insurrection,' and Did Trump 'Engage in' It?
The Colorado Supreme Court's reasoning in deciding that Trump is constitutionally disqualified from running for president seems iffy.
USDA Announces New Rules That Could Ease Another Baby Formula Shortage
The rules would allow the government to temporarily ease restrictions on WIC formula purchases during a shortage. But those restrictions shouldn't exist in the first place.
How Biden Hobbled His Own Infrastructure Push
At nearly every turn, the infrastructure package opted for policies that limited supplies, hiked prices, added paperwork, and grew government.
Stella Assange: Why Isn't Julian Assange a Free Man?
Stella Assange discusses the imprisonment of her husband on the third episode of Just Asking Questions.
The Flimsy RICO Case Against Atlanta's Cop City Protestors
Law enforcement officials appear to have tarred ad hoc bands of protesters as members of an organized criminal movement.
All I Want for Christmas Is for Congress To Exercise Fiscal Restraint
Lawmakers can take small steps that are uncontroversial and bipartisan to jumpstart the fiscal stability process.
Substackers Battle Over Banning Nazis
Some Substack writers are pressuring the platform to change its moderation policies. Others are urging Substack not to listen.
This Company Is Running a High-Speed Train in Florida—Without Subsidies
Brightline is the first privately funded intercity rail line in the U.S. in over 100 years.
Libertarian History/Philosophy
Jennifer Burns: Why Milton Friedman Matters More Than Ever
The biographer of the Nobel laureate says he made us "free to choose" in areas far beyond economics.
Milei's New Anti-Protest Measures Are Put to the Test
Milei's critics have argued the government's measures are a "criminalization of the right to protest," but a closer look shows that those concerns are somewhat exaggerated.
10-Year-Old Kid Offered Probation for Peeing Behind His Mom's Car
His mom is rejecting the prosecutors' absurdly strict probation rules.
Sentencing Commission Again Proposes Restricting Judges' Use of Acquitted Conduct
Judges can sentence defendants for charges they were acquitted of by a jury, a practice that troubles criminal justice advocates, civil liberties groups, and several Supreme Court justices.
Genre-Bending Anime Spy x Family Tackles Cold War Espionage
State power and oppressive surveillance serve as the backdrop for this animated spy comedy.
Self-Driving Cars Have Arrived. They Will Make Us Safer.
The good news: Regulators have exercised unusual restraint.
G.M. To Lay Off 1,300 Michigan Workers Despite $824 Million in State Incentives
The bulk of the employees may be able to find work elsewhere within the company, but the state could still be on the hook for the promised cash.
Jennifer Burns on Milton Friedman's Legacy
Was Milton Friedman the most important libertarian of them all?
This Innocent Woman Is on the Hook for Thousands After a SWAT Team Destroyed Her Home
An error-prone investigation in search of a fugitive led police to Amy Hadley's house.
Houthis Ruin Christmas
Plus: The fertility crisis, the origins of Israel, El Segundo's tech scene, and more...
Giuliani Never Puts Up, but He Never Shuts Up Either
The former Trump lawyer could have avoided a massive defamation verdict by presenting his "definitively clear" evidence of election fraud.
Removing Trump From the Colorado Ballot Won't Make Things Better
You're not going to save democracy by kicking people out of elections.
Millions of Kids Left Classrooms During the Pandemic. New Data Show 50,000 Hadn't Returned 2 Years Later.
According to an analysis from the Associated Press, 50,000 children in 22 states were still missing from schools in fall 2022.
Texas' New Immigration Law Will Lead to More Policing With Less Accountability
S.B. 4 will let officers arrest people well beyond the border. It also “provides civil immunity and indemnification” for state officials who get sued for enforcing it.
The Best of Reason: Meet Florida's Python Bounty Hunters
Eradication of the apex predator is "likely impossible."
What J.D. Vance Could Learn From Reading Hillbilly Elegy
The senator used to know why the U.S. Steel/Nippon deal is nothing to fear.
Southern Border Showdown
Plus: Houthi attack, Milei misinformation, Instagram rooster eugenics, and more...
The Paradoxical Freedom of Tradwife TikTok
"It's not really a movement. Nobody is pushing it. People are just living it."
California Officials Force Elderly Couple To Dismantle Home, Citing Blocked Ocean Views
Plus: Austin's newly passed zoning reforms could be in legal jeopardy, HUD releases its latest census of the homeless population, and a little-discussed Florida reform is spurring a wave of home construction.
The Florida Barrier Reef's Last Stand
Summer heat this year posed an existential threat to the world's third-largest barrier reef.
