bill of rights

Illinois Ranked Last In Personal Freedoms, New Hampshire #4

"We’re ranked #45 overall for freedom, and dead last for personal freedoms. We’ve been at the bottom of that list since 2007. The reasons? It’s hard to get high and/or carry a gun around here. Illinois also has harsh asset forfeiture laws, which put the burden of proof on property owners and grant 90 percent of proceeds from seized property to law enforcement. The freest state, according to the study, is North Dakota, which has low taxes and loose gun laws. The freest state, according to the study, is North Dakota, which has low taxes and loose gun laws. New Hampshire’s motto is 'Live Free or Die' (and indeed, New Hampshire ranked #4 in the survey)." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIllinois Ranked Last In Personal Freedoms, New Hampshire #4

Unhappy about new limits, gun makers urged to move to New Hampshire

"Firearms manufacturers upset over newly restrictive gun laws and proposals in their home states are getting a message from other places: Move here, where the climate is favorable to your products, and so are the tax codes. When the debate over gun laws reignited after the mass shooting in Newtown, Conn., in December, critics of proposals to toughen state laws cautioned that gun manufacturers could move and take local jobs with them. And indeed, now lawmakers and residents in a few states are using restrictions on guns recently passed and proposed elsewhere as an opportunity to attract affected businesses." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingUnhappy about new limits, gun makers urged to move to New Hampshire

Connecticut’s Gun Control: A Rush To Pass Laws That Couldn’t Have Prevented Tragedy

"The grab bag (PDF) of background checks, gun, ammunition and magazine restrictions, limitations on eligibility to own firearms and a new registry of 'weapon offenders' inconveniences people who had nothing to do with the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, and certainly would have had no impact on Adam Lanza's ability to commit that crime. But don't think anybody will get to point that out in a public hearing; the legislation is being sent directly to a vote through an emergency procedure that allows for no stops on the way." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingConnecticut’s Gun Control: A Rush To Pass Laws That Couldn’t Have Prevented Tragedy

Democrats push for $10K fine for gun owners without liability insurance

"A group of congressional Democrats has signed on to new legislation that would mandate liability insurance for all gun owners in the United States — and fine those who refuse to purchase it as much as $10,000. The Daily Caller reports that New York Rep. Carolyn Maloney’s Firearm Risk Protection Act says that all gun buyers — before they buy — purchase and show proof of 'a qualified liability insurance policy,' and that those caught owning a weapon without the insurance are subject to harsh fines." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingDemocrats push for $10K fine for gun owners without liability insurance

Fifteen Benefits of the War on Drugs

"With American drug use levels essentially the same as — and levels of drug-related violence either the same as or lower than — those in countries like the Netherlands with liberal drug laws, public support for the War on Drugs appears to be faltering. This was most recently evidenced in the victory of major drug decriminalization initiatives in Colorado and Washington. Some misguided commentators go so far as to say the Drug War is 'a failure.' Here, to set the record straight, are fifteen ways in which it is a resounding success." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFifteen Benefits of the War on Drugs

US Supreme Court Expands Use of Drug Dogs During Traffic Stops

"America's highest court on Tuesday made it easier for police to use drug dogs to perform warrantless searches during traffic stops. Harris was not actually carrying any drugs that Aldo was trained to detect. Instead, he had several ingredients for methamphetamine: pseudoephedrine pills, matches, hydrochloric acid, antifreeze and iodine crystals. At trial, Harris argued the sniffs were bogus because the dog twice alerted on a truck containing no drugs. He pointed out Aldo was certified as a trained drug dog, but the certification had expired. Prosecutors countered it was 'residual odor' that triggered the alert." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingUS Supreme Court Expands Use of Drug Dogs During Traffic Stops

The GOP’s Drug-Testing Dragnet

"The annual Drug & Alcohol Testing Industry Association (DATIA) conference, held in 2012 in San Antonio, Texas, looks like any other industry gathering. The 600 or so attendees sip their complimentary Starbucks coffee, munch on small plates of muffins and fresh fruit, and backslap old acquaintances as they file into a sprawling Marriott hotel conference hall. They will hear a keynote address by Robert DuPont, who served as drug policy director under Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. Nothing odd about any of this until you consider that the main subject of the conference is urine." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThe GOP’s Drug-Testing Dragnet

The War on Drugs Is Far More Immoral Than Most Drug Use

"See the man in the photo at the top of this article? It isn't immoral for him to light a plant on fire, inhale the smoke, and enjoy a mild high for a short time, presuming he doesn't drive while high. But it would be immoral to react to his plant-smoking by sending men with guns to forcibly arrest him, convict him in a court, and lock him up for months or even years for a victimless crime. That's the choice, dear reader. So take a look at the guy in the photo and make your choice: Is it more moral to let him smoke, or to forcibly cage him with thieves, rapists, and murderers? My own moral judgments don't stop there." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThe War on Drugs Is Far More Immoral Than Most Drug Use

Weed Warrior: Keith Stroup

"I do believe several additional states will fully legalize marijuana over the coming five to ten years, and all states will stop arresting people for private use. So we too should have an exciting next few years. It is difficult to know where the fight for personal freedom will next break through the public consciousness, but it may well involve the militarization of domestic law enforcement—including the use of unmanned drones to gather intelligence on our own citizens by local and state officials who are not worried about terrorism, but are rather seeking a new tool to use to enforce existing criminal laws, those against personal drug use." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWeed Warrior: Keith Stroup

DEA Targets FedEx, UPS in Online Pharmacy Battle

"FedEx may prove a tougher nut to crack. Officials there called the federal probe 'absurd and disturbing' and said it threatened customer privacy. They also accused the DEA of failing to cooperate with them in efforts to resolve the problem. 'We are a transportation company -- we are not law enforcement, we are not doctors and we are not pharmacists,' FedEx spokesman Patrick Fitzgerald said. 'We have no interest in violating the privacy of our customers by opening and inspecting their packages in an attempt to determine the legality of the contents. We stand ready and willing to support and assist law enforcement. We cannot, however, do their jobs for them.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingDEA Targets FedEx, UPS in Online Pharmacy Battle