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The Supreme Court's Tariff Decision Vindicates the Rule of Law and the Separation of Powers
Although Trump has other options for taxing imports, the justices reminded him that he needs clear congressional authorization.
5 Reasons To Doubt Trump's Boast About Bringing Down Fentanyl Smuggling
A drop in seizures doesn't necessarily mean a decline in the supply.
Trump's Tariffs Are Not Going To Eliminate the Income Tax
And that's especially true if the tariffs are illegal.
Trump Says Tech Companies Should Build Their Own Power Plants for AI Data Centers
The plan recognizes that public opinion is what's holding data centers back the most.
Don't Believe Trump's Brags About Bringing Down Drug Prices
The president can't just bring prices down with the stroke of his pen, no matter what he claimed in his State of the Union speech.
Trump Gives IVF a Shoutout in the State of the Union Address
The Trump administration signals an intent to continue appealing to the mainstream, not the far right, on IVF.
3 Bogus Economic Stats in Trump's State of the Union
President Donald Trump tossed out a bunch of economic statistics during his State of the Union address. Here are three that are just plain wrong.
Trump Demands Congress Ban Large Investors Owning Homes. Here's Why That's a Bad Idea.
Large investors are a small, beneficial presence in the single-family home market.
Iowa Officials Arrested This Guy for Criticizing Them—Twice. A Federal Judge Says They Are Liable.
A mayor and a police chief "mistook their authority to maintain order for a license to suppress criticism," says U.S. District Judge Stephanie Rose.
Court Rules Chicago Is Liable for $163 Million in Overcharged Parking and Sticker Fines
A 2018 class action lawsuit argued that Chicago was unlawfully overcharging residents for parking and sticker fines.
ICE Whistleblower Says Training Is 'Deficient, Defective, and Broken'
An attorney and former ICE training instructor testified before Congress that changes to the training program “can and will get people killed.”
How Communists Conquered China
The evidence tells a different story than you’ll find in the party's triumphant propaganda.
The Flaws of 'Funded' Inclusionary Zoning
Taxing new housing will always reduce housing production.
Trump Can't Filibuster Through the 6-Year Itch
Those expecting fireworks at tonight's State of the Union will have to sit through the tedious resume-padding of a flagging president.
Eileen Gu Shouldn't Be Surprised That Americans Are Mad at Her for Competing for China
Plus: How to win the medal count, and how Free Agent readers want to fix the Olympics
In Tariffs Dissent, Clarence Thomas Embraced a Dangerous Theory of Executive Power
The conservative justice’s regrettable opinion in Learning Resources v. Trump.
Trump Replaces Old Illegal Tariffs With New Illegal Tariffs
Plus: The U.S. could be going to war with Iran, the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, and why AI surveillance is worrying civil libertarians
Trump's Rationale for His New Tariffs Contradicts the Position He Took Before His Supreme Court Defeat
The president is relying on a provision that the government's lawyers said had no "obvious application" to his goal of reducing the trade deficit.
Ex-Prince Andrew's Arrest Shows the Epstein Scandal Isn't Just About Sex
The king's brother is under investigation for old-fashioned corruption—something Epstein excelled in.
It Looks Like the End of the Road for Rideshare Alternative Empower in D.C.
The company may soon shutter its operations in the District of Columbia, following recent decisions by the D.C. Superior Court and Court of Appeals.
The Government Wants Your Posts Before It Grants You Papers
The Trump administration will start collecting social media account information on immigration forms.
Oklahoma Ends Indefinite Death Row Solitary Confinement
“These men have not been able to touch grass and feel the warmth of the sun for the first time in ten years.”
Can You Trust Wikipedia?
Wikipedia shapes our perception of reality today more than ever before because it informs the large language models like ChatGPT. But can we really trust it?
Trump's New Tariffs Are Probably Illegal Too
Attorneys for the Trump administration even admitted that Section 122 can't be applied to address trade deficits. Trump is now trying to do that anyway.
Trump's Tantrum Over the Tariff Decision Highlights His Narcissistic Authoritarianism
The president neither understands nor appreciates the vital role of judicial independence in upholding the rule of law.
Weekend With Bernie
Plus: U.S. Olympic hockey team wins the gold medal and Mexico kills cartel boss "El Mencho."
Police Drug Tests Are Notoriously Unreliable. They Got This Man Wrongly Charged With Trafficking Fentanyl.
Roughly 30,000 people every year may be getting wrongfully arrested because of unreliable field drug tests, according to one estimate.
The Supreme Court Didn't Fully End the Trade War, but It Reinforced Limits on the Presidency
President Trump will undoubtedly keep trying to impose protectionism, but his options are limited.
D.C.'s Statue of a Confederate General Isn't What Its Critics Think It Is
Brigadier General Albert Pike is honored for his civic and philanthropic legacy, not his role in the Civil War.
Virginia Democrats' Push for Mandatory Government Unions Is Not an 'Affordability' Agenda
The legislation would almost certainly lead to a higher cost of living in the form of substantial tax increases.
Brickbats: February-March 2026
News of politicians, police, and bureaucrats behaving badly from around the world
No More Tariffs on Asian Olympic Dragons!
Robby Soave and Jason Russell celebrate the SCOTUS tariff news before pivoting to the politics of the Winter Olympics.
Gorsuch Blasts Thomas, Alito, and Kavanaugh for Favoring Trump's Illegal Tariffs
What explains the fracture in the Supreme Court's "conservative bloc"?
Judge Orders Takeover of Arizona Prison Health Care Following Years of Barbaric Medical Neglect
A federal judge ruled in 2022 that "no legitimate humane system would operate" like Arizona's prison health care system. Three years later, that same judge found the problems still hadn't been fixed.
Trump Orders New 10 Percent 'Global Tariff' After Supreme Court's Rebuke
The new tariff will be implemented under a 1974 law that gives the president authority to impose tariffs for up to 150 days.
Small Business Owners Celebrate Supreme Court Striking Down Trump's Tariffs
The battle against the president's so-called reciprocal tariffs is won, but the war for free trade and a stable business environment continues.
How the Epstein Files Became the Ultimate Conspiracy Theory
Michael Shermer examines the psychology behind pattern seeking, the limits of suspicion, and how the Epstein files fuel conspiracy thinking.
Even Without the 'Emergency' Powers SCOTUS Rejected, Trump Has a Bunch of Tariff Options
There are many laws that explicitly authorize the president to impose taxes on imports, but they include limits that Trump was keen to avoid.
The Supreme Court Just Struck Down Trump's 'Emergency' Tariffs
"There is no exception to the major questions doctrine for emergency statutes," wrote Chief Justice John Roberts.
