statism

“For Your Own Protection”

"Every day in this supposedly free country, police commit an act that was impermissible for their antecedents in imperial Rome: In the name of 'officer safety,' they handcuff American citizens who are not criminal suspects while conducting investigations. Police also routinely inflict summary punishment – using batons, Tasers, pepper spray, or other means – against those who resist being detained without cause. Within a few years police will have at their disposal handcuffs that can impart electrical shocks to detainees." Continue reading →

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Bin Laden son-in-law court appearance reignites debate over handling of terrorism cases

"With the surprise appearance in a New York courtroom of Osama bin Laden’s son in law on Friday, the US justice system’s handling of terrorism cases itself went back on trial. Until now, alleged Al-Qaeda figures have been more likely to be blown apart by a missile from a US drone or to disappear into the netherworld of secret CIA or secretive military prisons, before resurfacing in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. But on this occasion, Sulaiman Abu Ghaith, accused of conspiring to kill US nationals, was arraigned in a wood-paneled Manhattan federal courtroom, accompanied by three lawyers and witnessed by the media." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBin Laden son-in-law court appearance reignites debate over handling of terrorism cases

Is the U.S. at War with Al-Qaeda?

"Imagine Ma Barker's gang or a gang of John Dillingers who unilaterally declare 'war' against the U.S. Would the U.S. in turn declare war against them? Metaphorically it might, in order to show a steely determination to capture and stop them. But does their declaration by itself entitle the U.S. to kill them without an attempt to capture them and place them on trial? Certainly not. Lynching is summary execution. No government can be trusted with the power of summarily killing someone, even if that person has 'declared war' on that government. Such a power is too easy to extend and expand and inflict upon the innocent." Continue reading →

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Private Schools in India Serve the Poor, but Can They Survive Attacks by Government?

"I despise policies such as corporate subsidies, bailouts and minimum wage laws. So you’ll understand why I’m particularly upset that the government of India is now trying to undermine opportunity for the poor by shutting down private schools. Because the government schools do a terrible job, there are millions of poor families who are sacrificing to send their kids to private schools. Apparently embarrassed by the fact that so many millions of poor families would rather pay for good private schools than go to free state institutions, the government is trying to regulate the private schools out of existence." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPrivate Schools in India Serve the Poor, but Can They Survive Attacks by Government?

US DOT Blasts Mississippi For Diverting DUI Funds To Speeding Tickets

"Mississippi police agencies have been diverting federal grant funds intended to combat drunk driving into an expansion of the use of speed traps. The US Department of Transportation's inspector general chided the NHTSA for its lax administration of the 'Section 154' grant program that failed to prevent the misuse of taxpayer money. 2926 citations were issued by 127 state and local police officers using the DUI grant money. The analysis found 73 percent of the officers issued no drunk-driving related citations at all. There were only 147 DUI arrests or citations, and the rest were for speeding, seat belt use or other minor infractions." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingUS DOT Blasts Mississippi For Diverting DUI Funds To Speeding Tickets

Indian starving children’s fund used to fix buses

"A fund of millions of dollars raised to help malnourished children in western India has been diverted to maintain public buses, a report said on Friday. The 'Child Nutrition Surcharge' was set up 16 years ago to collect a small percentage of each bus ticket fare in major cities in Maharashtra state, where thousands of children die from malnutrition each year. But public transport officials say that millions raised have yet to be transferred to the state treasury because they allegedly need the funds to maintain buses and keep them on the road, the NDTV news channel reported." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIndian starving children’s fund used to fix buses

Air Force erases drone strike data amid criticisms

"Quietly and without much notice, the Air Force has reversed its policy of publishing statistics on drone strikes in Afghanistan as the debate about drone warfare hits a fever pitch in Washington. In addition, it has erased previously published drone strike statistics from its website." Continue reading →

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With Italy’s Election, the EU Chasm Grows

"Italians went to the polls and rejected the EU's faux austerity program but former premier Mario Monti doesn't accept the new course and has proposed new elections instead. This has happened before. When Ireland voted against the wishes of the Eurocrats, Ireland was made to vote again. Now perhaps it is Italy's turn. The European experiment was supposed to bring peace to Europe. How ironic if it would be responsible instead for a rise in political intolerance, authoritarianism and even, eventually, renewed nationalism and militarization." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWith Italy’s Election, the EU Chasm Grows