Forced unionism has been a problem for many American public sector workers. With a 1977 Supreme Court precedent backing them up, union bosses were able to reach into the pockets of employees who weren’t even members of the union and extract dues money to use for campaigning. This was forced speech. The court finally overturned […]
Five Supreme Court Justices to Emulate
At ThoughtCo.com, Marcus Hawkins ranks the top 5 conservative Supreme Court Justices. He lists judges who have all “had a major impact on the interpretation of US law.” No surprise is number one, Clarence Thomas, who I explain in more detail here today. Hawkins writes (abridged): Perhaps the most important role of a conservative judiciary […]
Trump’s Supreme Court Pick a Clarence Thomas Model
In the National Review, Matthew Continetti tells readers that Supreme Court Associate Justice Clarence Thomas, who rarely says a word during oral arguments, should speak more. Continetti suggests such because he feels America could learn much from Thomas if he chose to share his thoughts on the law more openly. He writes (abridged): Clarence Thomas needs […]
One of These 25 People Will Replace Anthony Kennedy on the Supreme Court This Fall
With the announcement of Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy that he will be retiring from the bench, Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has announced that a vote for the confirmation of Kennedy’s replacement will take place by this fall. In November of last year, President Trump announced a list of 25 potential Supreme Court nominees […]
Is Neil Gorsuch to Blame for the Supreme Court’s Slow Pace?
Ilya Shapiro, The Cato Institute’s senior fellow in constitutional studies, writes that the court’s slow pace in decisions this Spring has less to do with its newest appointed justice, Neil Gorsuch, and more to do with the full slate of complicated decisions sitting before the court. Despite that, Shapiro says the decisions handed down thus […]
Trump Restores Constitutional Order
President Donald Trump is quietly restoring constitutional governance with his court picks. As Cato Institute, Ilya Shapiro reminds readers, federal judgeships are for life. The most notable success here is Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch. Those who hoped for another smooth-writing originalist to replace Antonin Scalia got what they wanted. As of Nov. 20, Trump […]
Harry Reid’s Gift to President Trump
The media is so obsessed with Donald Trump’s twittering that it is can’t see the big picture. That is, what is happening in the federal judiciary. To date, President Trump has nominated “nearly 60 judges, filling more vacancies than Barack Obama did in his entire first year,” Kimberley Strassel informs readers in the WSJ. The […]
A Big Win for Blue State Gun Owners?
For years gun owners in blue states have been stymied by restrictions on concealed carry that force them to prove a special “need” before they are allowed to exercise their rights. Now, the results of a court case in Washington D.C. may be about to upend that. The California Rifle & Pistol Association writes: On […]
Harry Reid Paved the Way for a Conservative Judicial Resurgence
Republican appointed judges at the federal district and appellate court levels are underweight. Right now 60% of district court judges are Democrat appointees, and 57% of appeals court judges are Democrat appointees. Only at the Supreme Court level do Republican appointees make a slight majority, 56% of judges. That’s about to change. With Democrat Senator […]
America’s Constitution, The Army Clause
Anyone wondering about the intent of America’s founders on whether or not the U.S. ought to be participating in protracted foreign interventions has an easy reference to their thinking. The Army Clause in the U.S. Constitution says simply and plainly “The Congress shall have Power To …raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money […]