U.S. stumbles in ranking of global measure of the rule of law
The World Justice Project is out with its most recent global ranking measuring the respect individual nations have for the rule of law. The group broadly establishes that the rule…
Discovering that the political class is a problem
Every now and then, the think tank apparatus will rediscover the notion that our political culture is broken, corrupt, and getting worse, and the only way to fix it is…
Working around controls on ghost guns
Governments are continually looking for new ways to restrict, ban, or otherwise prevent people from owning certain kinds of firearms. High on the ban list, so-called “ghost guns” that sound…
Using legal theatrics to cover for fiscal recklessness
It’s common for elected state attorneys general to file lawsuits they know are weak on substance, but look good in a press release (so they hope). This kind of stunt…
A six figure fine for “incorrectly” parking in her own driveway
As we’ve noted before, the federal government and official Washington aren’t the only sources of bad politicians, politics, and policies. Local governments – through sheer numbers – are far more…
Breyer set to retire from Supreme Court
According to reports, Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, a Bill Clinton appointee, is set to retire at the end of the court’s current term, which runs until the end of…
The nanny state in action
We often write about how government has a tendency to become so intrusive, it becomes more of a nanny enforcing rules than a means of self-government. As bad as things…
Manchin is a “no” on gutting the filibuster
Senate Democrats are forging ahead with other legislative matters in the wake of the massive Build Back Better bill’s collapse last month. Among the items on the agenda: a proposal…
Democrats’ problems are their ideas, not process
Senate Democratic leaders are going to try one more time to vote on the nearly-inert remnants of the Build Back Better bill, while also trying to scrap the filibuster in…
The big difference between being pro-market and pro-business
There’s a rhetorical rift building between conservatives and classical liberals over what, if anything, to do about big business. While this debate requires setting aside the populism that’s replaced old-line…