The Freedom Watch

Supreme Court Messes With East Texas ‘Patent Troll’ Hotbed

"The Supreme Court on Monday delivered a major blow to so-called patent trolls—shell companies whose business revolves around acquiring patents and then suing others for infringing on them—by making it much harder to bring lawsuits in friendly venues like East Texas. In a unanimous ruling written by Justice Clarence Thomas, the court overturned a lower court's interpretation of federal venue rules and said that patent owners must sue companies in the districts where they are incorporated." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSupreme Court Messes With East Texas ‘Patent Troll’ Hotbed

Maduro: Trump’s ‘imperialist hand’ is behind Venezuelan revolution

"Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Sunday said that his U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump, is deeply involved in 'terrorist' activities and the violence that is unfolding in the South American nation with an eye toward 'taking political control' there. Maduro said on his weekly radio-television show that his country is facing an 'attack by violent forces (...) intolerance and generalized destruction,' and that behind all this turmoil is 'the imperialist hand of Donald Trump.' 'Trump has his hands infected and stuck deeply into this conspiracy and this attack that has as its objective taking political control in Venezuela, recolonizing Venezuela,' Maduro claimed." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMaduro: Trump’s ‘imperialist hand’ is behind Venezuelan revolution

James Bovard: Comey firing justly knocks FBI off its pedestal

"The FBI has a long record of both deceit and incompetence. Five years ago, Americans learned that the FBI was teaching its agents that the bureau 'has the ability to bend or suspend the law to impinge on the freedom of others.' This has practically been the FBI's motif since its creation." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingJames Bovard: Comey firing justly knocks FBI off its pedestal

Sessions’ ‘New’ Drug Policy: Even More Mandatory Minimums

"The directive instructs federal prosecutors to pursue the most serious, readily provable offense. It thus resurrects the emphasis on mandatory minimum sentencing requirements, which have required judges to impose draconian sentences for drug crimes, even when they don't believe these sentences are warranted. Sessions' memo rescinds and reverses the reforms implemented by former Attorney General Eric Holder, which urged prosecutors to charge people with low-level drug cases to avoid triggering mandatory minimum sentences. Nearly half (or 92,000) of the people in federal prison are serving sentences for drug convictions." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSessions’ ‘New’ Drug Policy: Even More Mandatory Minimums

Global Entry Passengers Swept Up In Trump’s Travel Ban

"American citizens certified for Global Entry often learned of the issue only when they sought to travel, according to the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, which says it received 'dozens' of complaints and is seeking agency records about the revocations through the Freedom of Information Act. The CBP did not respond to questions about how many people had been purged and restored to the 'trusted traveler' programs. Several of the people who complained about being removed from the programs were U.S. citizens originally from countries not included in the bans: India, Lebanon, and Pakistan." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingGlobal Entry Passengers Swept Up In Trump’s Travel Ban

WaPo: The U.S. will never win the war in Afghanistan

"Obama signed off on a surge that ended with 100,000 U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan. His generals also promised to break the stalemate. Today, the Taliban controls more of the country than it has since 2001. Why are we still there? We went into Afghanistan after 9/11 to get Osama bin Laden and to punish the Taliban for harboring al-Qaeda. Now bin Laden is dead; al-Qaeda is dispersed; the Taliban has been battered. The United Nations reports that there were more than 11,000 war-related civilian casualties last year, and 660,000 Afghans were displaced, adding to the country’s massive refugee crisis. The war has now cost us over $1 trillion, making it the second-costliest U.S. war." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWaPo: The U.S. will never win the war in Afghanistan

US Arms Both Sides, Will Supply $100 Billion in Arms to Saudi Arabia, Israel

"Details are still emerging, but the plan is for this to set out a series of growing deals over the next decade that will involve more than $300 billion going to arms dealers, not just to arm the Saudis, but in extra aid to Israel to ensure their 'qualitative military edge' over the Saudis." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingUS Arms Both Sides, Will Supply $100 Billion in Arms to Saudi Arabia, Israel

Israel Bans Travel For Settlement Opponents, Sparks Expat Backlash

"The Israel travel ban, passed in the Knesset last month, has drawn widespread condemnation, including from mainstream Jewish organizations such as the American Jewish Committee, the Anti-Defamation League and the Reform movement. Since its establishment in 1999, Birthright has brought more than 500,000 young Jewish adults to Israel. Most of the participants in the program are college-age students. The program’s largest benefactor is billionaire casino magnate and Republican mega-donor Sheldon Adelson." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIsrael Bans Travel For Settlement Opponents, Sparks Expat Backlash