crony capitalism

Ohio Lawsuit Seeks To Use Court Precedent To Shut Down Speed Cameras

"Earlier this month a Hamilton County, Ohio judge declared Elmwood Place in contempt of court for ignoring a ruling that found speed cameras to be an unlawful 'scam.' A group of lawyers is seeking to replicate that legal success by shutting down the automated ticketing machines in New Miami, a village of 2000 residents located twenty miles to the north, with a class action lawsuit filed on Friday, citing the March decision in the hope that a Butler County Court of Common Pleas judge would agree that the automated ticketing ordinance fails to provide adequate due process to vehicle owners that receive a ticket from Optotraffic demanding payment of up to $180." Continue reading →

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The Minimum Wage Is Cruelest To Those Who Can’t Find A Job

"U.S. youth unemployment now stands at 16 percent for 16–24 year olds, 23 percent for teens, and a shocking 40 percent for black teens. Firms that are already paying more than the federal minimum wage do so because their workers are producing more than $7.25 per hour. Moreover, if workers produce at least $12 per hour, then an increase in the minimum to $10.10 would not affect their job status—but the higher minimum wage rate could drive smaller rivals out of business or prevent new firms from entering. Hence, one should be skeptical of businesses that favor raising the minimum wage." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThe Minimum Wage Is Cruelest To Those Who Can’t Find A Job

Activists file first lawsuit over “Ag Gag” industrial filming law

"RT has been following the story of Amy Meyer, who became the first person the state of Utah tried to prosecute under its new Ag Gag law. She was being pursued for filming a slaughterhouse from a public street. Her case garnered so much attention that it was dismissed, but the ag gag law is still on the books. A new lawsuit looks to change that. [Various parties] have come together to bring a constitutional challenge to the law. They argue that it pits journalists and whistleblowers against the state, encroaches on the public's right to know and hinders independent regulation of these industries." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingActivists file first lawsuit over “Ag Gag” industrial filming law

Florida Study Documents Shortened Yellows At Camera Intersections

"An investigative reporter's claim that Florida cities have been exploiting shortened yellow times at red light camera intersections has been vindicated by a report commissioned by the city of St. Petersburg. WTSP-TV's Noah Pransky has been documenting timing shortfallsthroughout the region since last month, and a new report by the engineering firm Kimley-Horn and Associates confirms several of St. Petersburg's photo enforced intersection approaches fail to meet the minimum specified under state law. They found half of the photo enforced intersections had problems with shortened yellows. As of March, 47,715 tickets worth $7,538,970 have been issued." Continue reading →

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California City Retreats From Red Light Camera Referendum

"City leaders in Riverside, California are backing off the promise made last November to allow residents to make the call about whether to keep or eliminate red light cameras. The city council votes later today on a staff recommendation to pull the plug on the public vote. The city has already postponed the ballot measure that was to be considered in June." Continue reading →

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SEC’s Khuzami Uses Revolving Door to Make $5 Million

"Robert Khuzami, the former head of enforcement at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, is joining Kirkland & Ellis LLP, reports BusinessWeek. Mark Filip, a partner in charge of Kirkland’s government enforcement defense and internal investigations, said Khuzami will help immediately in securities enforcement defense, advising boards and companies and counseling financial institutions on securities regulations." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSEC’s Khuzami Uses Revolving Door to Make $5 Million

Fukushima Plant Admits Radioactive Water Leaked To Sea

"Japanese utility said Monday its crippled Fukushima nuclear plant is likely leaking contaminated water into sea, acknowledging for the first time a problem long suspected by experts. Tokyo Electric Power Co., which operates the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant, also came under fire Monday for not disclosing earlier that the number of plant workers with thyroid radiation exposures exceeding threshold levels for increased cancer risks was 10 times what it said released earlier. TEPCO has been repeatedly blamed for overlooking early signs, and covering up or delaying the disclosure of problems and mishaps." Continue reading →

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Colbert: If poor people want food stamps, they should become massive corporations

"'The Farm Bill is a routine piece of legislation that provides subsidies for farmers while setting aside money for food stamps. It’s a win-win, help for the folks who grow the corn and help for folks who live on nothing but corn syrup.' 'But, last week, House Republicans agreed to an historic compromise on food stamps,' said Colbert, 'by eliminating the food stamps.' 'It is a principled conservative message based on the old adage, ‘Give a man a fish and he’ll eat for a day. Take away his food stamps, and he’ll found FishCo, a multinational food conglomerate that gets a massive subsidy in the next Farm Bill.’'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingColbert: If poor people want food stamps, they should become massive corporations

2012: The Top Fifteen Selling Vaccines

"The ‘medical miracle’ of vaccines has proven quite miraculous on at least one front, the financial one. Investors in the manufacture, distribution and administration of vaccines have reaped handsome rewards since the creation of the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act (NCVIA). For the five producers of the top 15 vaccines, this is a total of $15.925 billion; not at all bad for an industry that was threatening to close down operations 30 years ago. Apparently, limited liability does wonders for the bottom line." Continue reading →

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Farm Bill: Are Republicans the “Stupid Party” or the “Big-Government Party”…or Both?

"It should go without saying that America’s agriculture policy has always been a terrible, stupid, counterproductive exercise in self-dealing cronyism. But when House Republicans severed the traditional connection, arbitrary but politically effective, between farm subsidies and food stamps, it briefly seemed like they were looking for an opportunity to put libertarian populist principle into practice, by separating both outlays in order to trim or reform both separately. But no — instead they were just making it easier for the party’s congressmen to vote for a bloated, awful big government program that benefits mostly-Republican states and interest groups." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFarm Bill: Are Republicans the “Stupid Party” or the “Big-Government Party”…or Both?