Lawmakers hope for miracle over budget cutting

Unable to stomach even the modest cuts proposed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, California’s Democratic-controlled Legislature instead passed — in time for the June 15 deadline — a $325-billion budget that relies on borrowing to close a $12-billion budget deficit.

Tomorrow marks 20 years to the day since the U.S. Supreme Court’s infamous 5-4 Kelo v. City of New London decision, which the Institute for Justice, the libertarian public interest law firm which represented homeowner Susette Kelo, recently described as the court’s “most universally despised opinion in modern memory.”

Standing in the sun for hours with a placard is not my natural habitat.

This isn’t about national defense. This is empire maintenance.

We have “landmark decisions” where we should have had constitutional amendments.

Loading up the rubber bullets

Like all the other regime change wars Washington and its allies have attempted in the region since 9/11, a full-on war with Iran will be far from a cakewalk.

California law already fortunately — in theory — limits the ability of police to share photo-captured vehicle license plate data with out-of-state public agencies.

If you’re not upset by these developments, then I suppose you just don’t fit the profile of an American who cares much about the Constitution.

If you think federal regulators care about data-driven, evidence-based policymaking, a case currently before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit will leave you scratching your head.