Yearly Archives: 2016

Junk-Rated Borrowers Reap Rewards in a World of Negative Yields

"For investors with $12 trillion of negative-rate bonds worldwide, U.S. junk securities and their 6.9 percent average yield look like a gold mine. But with so many investors streaming into the market, the debt is now yielding almost 3 percentage points less than the average of the past two decades, Bank of America Merrill Lynch index data show. And they’re buying it up at the same time that junk-rated borrowers default at the fastest pace in six years." Continue reading →

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Five Steps to Help Protect the 2nd Amendment

There has been a lot of talk of late about how damaging a Hillary Clinton Supreme Court nominee would be for the 2nd Amendment – with many going so far as to say that things “would be over.” Clearly, she hates your right to keep and bear arms, and whether it’s her, or someone in…

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Republican-Dominated Alabama Legislature Helped Preserve Status Quo in 2016

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (Aug. 11, 2016) – The Alabama State House and Senate leadership soundly rejected the principles of the Founding Fathers during the 2016 legislative session. They protected the status quo by killing six bills that would have helped block the enforcement of unconstitutional policies. To make matters worse, several of the legislative acts did not even…

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To the Governor’s Desk: New Jersey Passes Bill to Expand Medical Marijuana Program

TRENTON, N.J. (Aug 11, 2016) – Last week, the New Jersey Senate gave final approval to a measure that would expand the state’s medical marijuana law, further nullifying federal prohibition in practice. A coalition of representatives introduced Assembly Bill 457 (A457) in January. The legislation would add post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to the list of…

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The Gun Control Battle is a Choice Between a Police State and a Free Society

Gun control proponents often paint the fight over gun rights as a battle between “gun sense” advocates and fringe elements who want dangerous people to have access the firearms. In reality, the conflict is a fundamental choice every society must make. Does it want to live in a police state or a free society? That’s…

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Kansas Legislators Squander 13 Opportunities to Push Back Against Federal Overreach

TOPEKA, Kan. (Aug. 8, 2016) – While there has been much talk of how the so-called “conservative” Kansas state legislature got trounced in the recent primaries, the 2016 legislative session showed that those conservatives weren’t strong constitutionalists in the first place. The legislature soundly rejected the principles of the founding fathers during the 2016 legislative session.…

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Residents Pressure Council to Yank Funding from Drug Task Force Harassing Medical Marijuana Businesses

FERNDALE, Mich. (Aug. 8, 2016) – Bowing to intense pressure by local residents, a Michigan city has yanked a funding for a narcotics task force known for raiding medical marijuana facilities and harassing patients, demonstrating the power of local activism. In May we reported that law enforcement agencies in Michigan actively work to undermine state…

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Now in Effect: Louisiana Medical Marijuana Law Shields Patients and Caregivers from Prosecution

BATON ROUGE, La. (Aug 5, 2016) – On Monday, a Louisiana law specifically exempting medical marijuana patients and caregivers from state prosecution goes into effect. Along with another measure that was signed into law earlier this year, this gives Louisiana a basis for a functional medical marijuana program, setting the foundation to nullify federal prohibition in…

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Bernanke Advises “Perpetual Bonds” To Japanese Government

"In April the former Federal Reserve chief warned there was a risk Japan at any time could return to deflation. He noted that helicopter money -- in which the government issues non-marketable perpetual bonds with no maturity date and the Bank of Japan directly buys them -- could work as the strongest tool to overcome deflation, according to Honda. Bernanke noted it was an option, he said. Bernanke joined central bank chief Haruhiko Kuroda over lunch this Monday and on Tuesday he attended a gathering with Abe and key officials, including Koichi Hamada, another influential economic adviser. The central bank didn’t reveal what Kuroda and Bernanke discussed." Continue reading →

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Police: Parking in Newport Beach Makes You Part of a Criminal Investigation

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (Aug. 4, 2016) – If you park your car in Newport Beach, police will likely scan your license plate with an automated license plate reader (ALPR). According to police, this automatically makes you the subject of a criminal investigation. In an effort to find out what police do with all of the…

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