by Ryan McMaken, originally published at Mises.org. Last year, we covered a story coming out of Texas in which the state government was planning to institute a state-controlled “gold depository” that would allow individuals to store their gold in a presumably safe place outside the United States banking system. This proposition was met with emotionally-charged denunciations…
In a totalitarian state, the government controls the people. In a free Republic, the people control the government. Dictators can not enslave a people without first deceiving them. They invariably will convince the people that they must voluntarily give up a portion of their individual liberty in order to achieve public safety. In a Republic,…
BATON ROUGE, La. (May 23, 2016) – Today, the Louisiana House gave final approval to a bill that would require a court order for the use of “stingrays” to track the location of phones and sweep up electronic communications. If Gov. John Bell Edwards signs the bill, it would not only protect privacy in the…
COLUMBUS, Ohio (May 23, 2016) – Last week, an Ohio House committee passed a bill that would reform asset forfeiture laws to prohibit the state from taking property without a criminal conviction in most cases. The legislation also takes on federal forfeiture programs by banning prosecutors from circumventing state laws by passing cases off to…
BATON ROUGE, La. (May 23, 2016) – Last week, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards signed a bill into law that will serve to resurrect the state’s dormant medical marijuana program by making an important technical change to current statute. The move is an essential step for the state to reject the unconstitutional federal prohibition on cannabis in…
MONTPELIER, Vt. – (May 23, 2016) – Federal law prohibits hemp production without permission from the feds. Growers in Vermont are doing it anyway – in increasingly large numbers. Vermont provides a textbook example of how removing layers of law at the state level can effectively nullify federal prohibition of hemp. In 2013, the Vermont…
Under the guise of taking care of us, they steal our money and our freedom.
JACKSON, Miss. (May 20, 2016) – A financial transparency bill signed into law by Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant will shine the spotlight on state funding used to help enforce federal laws or implement federal programs. It could ultimately set the stage to end state involvement in such federal actions. Sen. Eugene Clarke (R-Hollandale) sponsored Senate…
SALEM, Ore. (May 20, 2016) – Two years after voters approved legalizing recreational marijuana, the Oregon Liquor Control Commission has approved the first marijuana licenses under the state’s recreational marijuana system. This represents one more step toward nullifying federal marijuana in practice in the state. In 2014 the state voters approved Measure 91, legalizing recreational…
CHARLESTON, W. Va. (May 20, 2016) – A law legalizing limited raw milk consumption in West Virginia is now in effect. This represents a first step towards nullifying a federal prohibition scheme in practice. Sen. Robert Karnes (R – Upshur) introduced Senate Bill 387 (SB387) in January. The legislation allows West Virginians to enter into agreements to share…