by Ilya Shapiro, Shapiro’s GavelOctober 21, 2024.
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The court is fairly conservative, yes, but it’s not a monolith, and it clips the wings of aggressive prosecutors and lower court judges alike. Indeed, last time, for the first time in living memory, the Supreme Court overruled the Texas-heavy Fifth Circuit over the California-based Ninth Circuit. And in the past—which featured landmark decisions on gun rights and affirmative action—the youngest justices in the majority were Thomas and Alito. As the kids would say, math believes the vibe.
Only 11 of the 58 opinions in the cases argued last quarter resulted in a 6-3 “split” and nearly half of the decisions were unanimous. (The previous term saw only five 6-3 “partisan” votes and the same level of consensus.) There were also five 5-4 decisions in five different configurations, four of which the liberal trio held together.
by Eric Boehm, The reasonOctober 23, 2024.
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Less unexpected was the sight that accompanied that noise in Swannanoa, North Carolina, three weeks ago: Helicopters, many of them private and utility, launched and descended from a helipad in the backyard of a local pork store. According to the men organizing this private relief effort after the devastating flooding caused by the remnants of Hurricane Helene, more than a million pounds of supplies—food, heavy road clearing equipment, medical supplies, blankets, heaters, tents, you. say—they flew from here to dots all over the map of western North Carolina.
“We are not the government, and we are here to help,” said one of the two men standing near the makeshift gate—orange road drums—that control entry and exit to the Harley-Davidson parking lot and the piles of donated items neatly arranged inside. “We can do it quickly, we can do it efficiently, and we just want to help our neighbors.” He identifies himself only by his first name and later asks me not to use even that. It’s an understandable request, as what he’s doing is almost entirely illegal. (my italics)
DRH’s comment: The quote I italicized apparently contradicts what Ronald Reagan famously said with the dreaded 9 words in the English language: “I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.” (Parent note: I miss Reagan.)
Also:
The man most responsible for planning Harley-Davidson’s flight is a burly, bearded former Green Beret named Adam Smith—yes, really.
And finally:
They weren’t the only ones who needed help. Smith’s day job these days is running Savage Freedoms Defense, a training and consulting firm, where he uses his military experience to help prepare people to take care of themselves and their loved ones in difficult situations. Through that business and connections with other retired special operations veterans in the area, Smith launched a so-called redneck air force to get supplies to flooded mountain towns. Smith owns motorcycles and knows people who work at a Harley-Davidson dealership. He also knew it would be the perfect place for the temporary team to work: a large parking lot with one entrance, and a large field in the back where the helicopters used to land.
By the end of the first week, they had three helicopters running, and have grown ever since. In addition to food and supplies, the group brought Starlink devices to areas where internet and mobile connections were low.
by Samuel Gregg, Law & FreedomOctober 24, 2024.
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It has a title The Future of European Competitivenessthis 404-page document talks frankly about Europe’s economic problems. Draghi admits that Europe is “stuck in a stagnant industrial framework,” increasingly lacking in innovation, unable to withstand deregulation, weak capital markets, facing a demographic deficit, enduring rising energy prices, and losing the best entrepreneurs to America. Thousands of European businesses, Draghi reports, note “regulatory barriers and administrative burdens as their biggest challenge.” Then there is the European sector of sclerotic tech. “Only four of the top 50 technology companies in the world,” noted Draghi, “are in Europe.”
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One would think that this state of affairs might suggest a solution: a strong withdrawal from the European economy at the national and EU levels. Alas, it is a sign of the dirigiste’s iron grip on the broad lines of the EU’s political class that Draghi’s proposed solution to the blurring of competition equates to political concentration and massive state intervention, which is exactly the opposite of what is needed to make the EU economy more flexible. and was prepared for the challenges of the twenty-first century.
by John O. McGinnis, Law & FreedomOctober 24, 2024.
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Critics also dispute that Dobbs it is unique because it represents the first time the Court has struck down a right that many Americans have come to rely on. But this claim ignores history. The Court erased a great deal of economic freedom when it struck down Lochner v. New York and to protect the constitutionality of contracts Home Building and Loan Ass’n v. Blaisdellbelieving that the Clause of Contract may be overlooked during economic emergencies—the very time when such protection is most important. These decisions ended the rights that Americans had relied on, rights that were enshrined in the original constitution.
DRH Comment: Excellent point. I think he and I have a different understanding of rights, though. I don’t think anyone can eliminate the right; he just can’t see it. For example, I have the right not to be a slave. If someone makes a slave, he will destroy my right, not finish it.
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