The N.B.A. Continues To Kiss Chinese Ass

The National Basketball Association’s kowtowing to China hits American shores.

South Park Banned In China After Episode Mocking Chinese Censorship

South Park mocked Chinese censorship so, of course, they were censored in China.

Alliance Between Netanyahu And Trump Making Support For Israel A Partisan Issue

Prime Minister Netanyahu’s actions toward two Democratic Congresswomen,seemingly at the bidding of President Trump, is the latest example of the growing partisan divide over policy toward Israel.

Conservatism without Originalism

A defense of a modest philosophy of judicial interpretation.

Tulsi Gabbard Files Ridiculous Lawsuit Against Google

Tulsi Gabbard has filed a seemingly frivolous lawsuit against Google due to a temporary suspension of her advertising account.

Federal Court Dismisses Covington Teen’s Lawsuit Against Washington Post

A Federal Judge has dismissed a defamation lawsuit filed by a Kentucky teenager alleging he had been defamed by the coverage of his confrontation with a Native American man in January.

Ocasio-Cortez Sued For Blocking People On Twitter

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is being sued for blocking people on Twitter. She’s likely to lose the lawsuits.

On Foreign Policy, Biden Is The Anti-Trump

Joe Biden delivered his first major foreign policy address of the campaign. It’s not perfect, but it’s better than what we have right now.

Appeals Court Upholds Ruling That Trump Can’t Block People On Twitter

The 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld a District Court ruling that President Trump cannot block Twitter users from accessing his account.

People For The American Way STOP GORSUCH FOR SUPREME COURT JUSTICE RALLY in front of the United States Supreme Court on First Street, NE, Washington DC on Tuesday night, 31 January 2017 by Elvert Barnes Protest Photography People For The American Way STOP GORSUCH FOR SUPREME COURT JUSTICE RALLY in front of the United States Supreme Court on First Street, NE, Washington DC on Tuesday night, 31 January 2017 by Elvert Barnes Protest Photography

Gorsuch Confounding Expectations

President Trump’s first Supreme Court appointment has joined the liberal bloc on several cases.

Supreme Court Strikes Down Lanham Act Prohibition On “Immoral” Trademarks

The Supreme Court has struck down a provision of the Lanham Act barring approval of “immoral” or “scandalous” trademarks as unconstitutional.

Washington Supreme Court Rules Against Florist Who Refused To Serve Same-Sex Couple

The Washington State Supreme Court has ruled against a Seattle-area florist who refused to provide flowers for a same-sex wedding.

Trump Supports Amendment To Ban Flag Burning. He’s Wrong.

Donald Trump has endorsed a proposal by a Republican Senator to ban flag burning.

SCOTUS Remands Case Of Oregon Baker Who Refused Service To Same-Sex Couple

The Supreme Court declined to rule on the merits in a case dealing with a Oregon baker who refused to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding reception.

Office of Special Counsel Recommends Kellyanne Conway Be Fired

Presidential adviser Kellyanne Conway stands credibly accused of multiple violations of Federal law. The President will do nothing about it.

They’ve Got XCIX Problems, But Arabic Numerals Ain’t One

Amusing results, and a history lesson, in a new poll

A Comparative Note on Prisoner Voting

Sanders’ suggestion is not as outside democratic norms as one might think.

Americans Want to Ban Hate Speech But Can’t Define It

Two-thirds want social media platforms to ban harassment and racist, sexist, and other offensive speech.

Media, Free Speech, and Violent Extremists

Free expression sometimes enables horrible crimes. How does a free society deal with that tension?

Amazon Prime Removes Anti-Vax Documentaries

A powerful Congressman successfully pressured a media giant to pull content. We should be worried.

Trump Delivers Bizarre, Incoherent, Red Meat Speech At CPAC

In a two-hour rant before an adoring crowd of CPAC sycophants. President Trump displayed everything wrong with him and his Presidency.

Australia’s Top Cardinal Convicted Of Abusing Children

Cardinal George Pell, the top Catholic Cleric in Australia, has been convicted of sexually abusing boys in the 1990s.

Florida Student Charged With Creating Disturbance Over Pledge Of Allegiance

A student in Florida has been charged with creating a disturbance after declining to recite the Pledge Of Allegiance in class.

New Hampshire Supreme Court Rejects Challenge To Prosecutions Of Topless Women

The New Hampshire Supreme Court rejected a challenge by three women to their prosecution for going topless on a public beach in the Granite State.

Judge Rules Against White House, Orders Jim Acosta’s Press Pass Restored

A Federal Judge in Washington ruled that the White House acted improperly when it arbitrary revoked CNN reporter Jim Acosta’s press pass.

Europe’s Crackdown On “Hate Speech” Making Blasphemy Laws Cool Again

Europe has abandoned centuries-old laws against blasphemy, but the assault on so-called “hate speech” threatens to effectively bring them back.

Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooter Charged With Multiple Federal And State Crimes

Charges have been filed against the man responsible for the massacre in Pittsburgh in both Federal and State court.

Memetic Warfare and Stochaistic Terrorism

America’s tradition of unlimited free expression increases the danger of violence.

Jamal Khashoggi’s Final Words Should Carry Far Beyond The Arab World

Jamal Khashoggi’s final column includes a message that should resonate far beyond the Arab world it was addressed to.

Federal Judge Dismisses Stormy Daniels Defamation Suit Against Trump

A Federal Judge has dismissed a defamation lawsuit filed against the President

Democracy and Institutional Design III: Towards a More Complex Discussion of Democracy

Part III is here (a lot sooner than Part II was).

Federal Judge Strikes Down State Law Targeting Boycotts Aimed At Israel

For the second time this year, a Federal Court has struck down a state law designed to punish businesses that engage in a boycott aimed at Israel.

Cell Phone Alert Test Goes Basically As Planned

Yesterday’s test of the Presidential Alert system went about as planned.

Texas Trying To Force Students To Stand For Pledge Of Allegiance

The State of Texas is arguing in Court that a school district can force a student to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. This is a blatant violation of the First Amendment.

Selectively Disobeying Trump’s Orders

Just how far should White House staffers and civil servants go in protecting the public from an erratic president?

Judge Denies Alex Jones Bid To Dismiss Defamation Lawsuit

Alex Jones lost a bid to dismiss a lawsuit filed by families of children killed in the Sandy Hook massacre.

Trump Revokes Brennan’s Security Clearance

The former CIA Director has been stripped of his access to classified information after repeatedly criticizing the President.

Trump Revokes John Brennan’s Security Clearance, Threatens More Revocations

In what appears to be a move based purely on vindictiveness, President Trump has revoked the security clearance of former CIA Director John Brennan.

Charlottesville Anniversary March A Complete Dud

White supremacists held a rally in Washington on Sunday, and almost no one but their opponents and the police showed up.

Alex Jones Loses Access To Social Media

Facebook, Google, and several other companies have closed down accounts associated with conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.

Trump Launches Unhinged Attack On Robert Mueller And The Russia Investigation

Another morning, and another unhinged Twitter attack on the Mueller investigation by a President who claims the entire investigation is a “hoax” and “Fake News.”

Federal Judge Blocks Release Of Plans For 3-D Printable Guns

A Federal Judge in Washington State has, at least temporarily, blocked the release of files that would allow anyone to make a 3-D printed gun. The First Amendment seems to clearly indicate that this ruling is wrong.

California Court Rules That Yelp Can’t Be Forced To Remove Negative Comments

Federal law protects internet companies from liability for statements written by others.

Trump Declines Request to Lower Flag for Capital Gazette Victims

What was once a rare symbol of national mourning has become so commonplace as to be meaningless.

Polish Parliament Amends Controversial Holocaust Law

The Polish Government has amended a controversial law that sought to punish people for discussing the role that some Poles played in the Holocaust.

Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy Announces Retirement

After thirty years on the bench, during which he played a central role in some of the Supreme Court’s most significant rulings, Justice Anthony Kennedy is retiring.

Supreme Court Strikes A Blow Against Public Sector Unions

In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court has ruled that public sector unions cannot force employees to pay membership fees.

SCOTUS Strikes Down Law Requiring Crisis Pregnancy Centers To Provide Abortion Information

In a 5-4 ruling, the Supreme Court struck down a California law requiring Crisis Pregnancy Centers to provide information about abortion.

SCOTUS Declines Case Of Florist Who Refused To Provide Services For Same-Sex Wedding

The Supreme Court declined, for now, to hear the appeal of a Washington state florist who declined to provide services for a same-sex wedding. The issues it raises, though, are likely to return to the Court in the future.

Supreme Court Strikes Down Ban On “Political Apparel” At Polling Places

In a significant First Amendment ruling, the Supreme Court has held that a Minnesota law barring “political apparel” at polling places is unconstitutional.