06/28 -- SCOTUS rules against government union agency fees; Schools have created a generation of Permit Pattys and BBQ Beckys
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Thomas L. Knapp
Jun 28, 2018, 6:39:17 AM6/28/18
to Freedom News Daily
Freedom News Daily, 06/28/18
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Presented by the Liberty International
Produced by the staff of Rational Review News Digest
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Today's Freedom News:
1) SCOTUS rules against government union agency fees
2) Kennedy to retire from SCOTUS
3) VA: Accused Charlottesville killer charged with 29 federal hate crimes
4) Report: North Korea continues construction of nuclear research facility
5) FDA approves first drug derived from cannabis
6) US House rejects compromise [sic] bill on border family separations
7) Migrant rescue ship Lifeline docks in Malta after days at sea
8) MA: Mom demands release of daughter separated at border crossing
9) CA: "Permit Patty" leaves the company she founded
10) Syria: Regime air strikes knock out hospitals in Deraa
11) Facebook eases ban on cryptocurrency-related ads
12) Swann home security camera sends video to wrong user
13) Federal judge orders families abducted, separated at border to be reunited within 30 days
14) Libyan, charged with attack in Libya, sentenced in US to 29 years
15) Kremlin aide: Moscow and Washington strike deal to hold Putin-Trump summit
16) TN: Democrats allege voter suppression
17) White House decides against outright limits on Chinese investment
18) VA: Creep travels halfway around the world to harass online teen gamer ... and gets shot by her mom
19) Gang enforcers abduct at least 35 in attempt to suppress free markets
20) Seven states hold primaries, runoffs
Today's Freedom Commentary:
21) Schools have created a generation of Permit Pattys and BBQ Beckys
22) It's still not about the sex
23) How the sharing economy allows me to travel the world
24) Drug prohibition won't end abuse
25) Shut up, they explain
26) Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez could shake up Congress on economy, like Elizabeth Holtzman did on Vietnam
27) The limited effects of the Supreme Court's Janus decision
28) Rather than paying down debt in good times, Spain has decided to spend even more
29) The signals of reassurance
30) The Supreme Court's conservatives [sic] take their long-awaited shot [sic] at unions
31) Can you understand me now? Privacy policy basics
32) Manna from Congress
33) After more than a decade of litigation, the Dancing Baby has done his part to strengthen fair use for everyone
34) Why you should be intensely skeptical of everything you hear about Iran protests
35) The Second Amendment has become "optional"
36) SCOTUS: Force declining judges to leave
37) A template for "incivility"
38) Are central banks embracing too much risk?
39) Drawing that line
40) Does China win or lose from the US-North Korea thaw?
41) Eighty-sixing civility
42) The left tries to blame Trump for their own hate mongering
43) Do immigrants have the right to pursue happiness?
44) The real reason degrees are getting easier
45) Quantum Vibe, 06/27/18
46) An unschooling tale: From watching YouTube to reading financial statements
47) Why the Tax Act will not boost investment
48) Wishful thinking on fake news
49) The First Amendment is not the "Be Nice to Journalists Act of 1791"
50) Disrupt dinner
Today's Freedom Podcast and Video:
51) The national security state's assassination of John F. Kennedy, episode 1
52) Intercepted, 06/27/18
53) Scott Adams Says, 06/27/18
54) Cato Daily Podcast, 06/27/18
55) Essential Libertarianism, episode 36
56) Foreign Policy Focus, episode 212
57) Free Talk Live, 06/26/18
58) AnarchoChristian, episode 12
59) Reason Podcast, 06/26/18
60) The Tom Woods Show, episode 1187
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_____ Today's Freedom News _____
1) SCOTUS rules against government union agency fees
Source: NBC News
"The U.S. Supreme Court dealt a crippling blow Wednesday to unions representing millions of the nation's public employees. The justices said in a 5-4 opinion that state government workers who choose not to join a union cannot be compelled to pay a share of union dues for covering the cost of negotiating contracts. Unions had said such an outcome would cut off a source of income and diminish their political clout in the 23 states where they bargain for both members and non-members alike." [editor's note: The best solution would be eliminating government jobs. The second best solution would be making government employee union membership voluntary AND excluding non-dues (or "agency fee")-paying government employees from contract wages/benefits/protections negotiated by the unions. Minimum wage, no medical, no pension, take it or leave it – TLK] [2nd editor's note: Agreed, but the larger issue is that the term "public employees union" ought to be an oxymoron – SAT] (06/27/18)
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2) Kennedy to retire from SCOTUS
Source: CNN
"Justice Anthony Kennedy, a conservative [sic] who provided key votes for same sex-marriage, abortion access and affirmative action, will retire from the Supreme Court. The retirement is effective July 31, Kennedy said in a letter to President Donald Trump on Wednesday. Kennedy's decision to step down could transform the Supreme Court for generations. Trump will have his second opportunity to nominate a justice and will likely replace Kennedy with a young, conservative [sic] jurist. That would create a bloc of five staunch conservative justices who could move the court further to the right and cement a conservative majority for the foreseeable future." (06/27/18)
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3) VA: Accused Charlottesville killer charged with 29 federal hate crimes
Source: Vice News
"The young neo-Nazi who rammed his car into a crowd of protesters during last summer's violent white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, was indicted Wednesday on 29 counts of federal hate crimes. One of the charges staring down James Alex Fields Jr., a 21-year-old from Ohio, specifically relates to the death of Heather Heyer, a 32-year-old counterprotestor fatally hit by Fields'[s] vehicle when he careened into the crowd. Fields is also facing state charges, including first-degree murder, for Heyer's death." [editor's note: The legitimate questions consist of whether or not he killed her, and if so whether the killing was intentional murder, negligent manslaughter, legitimate self-defense, or unavoidable accident. Apart from their probative value in answering THOSE questions, his beliefs and motive are irrelevant and should not under any circumstances be treated as either crimes in themselves or grounds for "enhancing" his sentence or subjecting him to double jeopardy – TLK] (06/27/18)
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4) Report: North Korea continues construction of nuclear research facility
Source: Fox News
"Despite North Korea's promise to work toward 'complete denuclearization' following the historic summit with Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump earlier this month, new satellite imagery indicates North Korea is making improvements to one of its nuclear scientific research centers at a 'rapid pace.' The images published in a report from 38 North, a website that specializes in analysis of the Rogue Nation, are from June 21 and reveal construction of new buildings and the completion of a plutonium production reactor as well as other support facilities at the Yongbyon Nuclear Research Facility." [editor's note: Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't Iran claim that their "nuke research" is about energy sources not weapons? And how is Korea different? – SAT] (06/27/18)
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5) FDA approves first drug derived from cannabis
Source: Smell the Truth
"Patients suffering from rare forms of pediatric epilepsy will be able to find relief in the first FDA-approved drug made from cannabis. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved an epilepsy treatment created by GW Pharmaceuticals on Monday, earning the distinction as the first approved drug derived from from marijuana compounds, reports Reuters. Known as Epidiolex, the drug has undergone several successful trials proving to be effective against severe forms of epilepsy such as Dravet Syndrome (DS) and Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome (LGS), both of which can develop in children as early as two years old. 'This approval serves as a reminder that advancing sound development programs that properly evaluate active ingredients contained in marijuana can lead to important medical therapies,' FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said in a statement." (06/27/18)
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6) US House rejects compromise [sic] bill on border family separations
Source: Raw Story
"The U.S. House of Representatives rejected a broad 'compromise' immigration bill on Wednesday, as expected, that would have addressed the crisis of families being separated at the U.S.-Mexico border. The House could still vote as early as this week on a narrower measure that is still being developed and that would focus specifically on the family separations issue. On a 121-301 vote, the Republican-controlled House rejected a bill that addressed the family separations, but also gave long-term protections to young 'Dreamer' immigrants brought into the country years ago illegally as children, and provided funding for President Donald Trump's proposed U.S.-Mexico border wall. Trump has demanded that Congress resolve the family separations with legislation, amid an uproar at home and abroad over the separation of more than 2,300 children from their parents that resulted from his administration's policy of 'zero tolerance' toward illegal immigration." (06/27/18)
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7) Migrant rescue ship Lifeline docks in Malta after days at sea
Source: BBC [UK state media]
"The migrant rescue ship Lifeline, carrying 230 migrants, has docked in Malta after five days stranded at sea. The controversial vessel has been accused by Italy and France of ignoring international rules while carrying out its rescues. Malta has said it will detain the vessel while an investigation takes place. The rescued migrants, meanwhile, will be taken in by Malta, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg and Portugal. Malta's Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said the country had no obligation under international law to assist the ship, but was doing so on humanitarian grounds. Italy, a frequent destination for charity-run vessels like the Lifeline, has closed its ports to such vessels under a new government. Another migrant rescue ship, Aquarius, was blocked from docking by both Italy and Malta earlier this month, spending days at sea with 630 migrants on board before being accepted by Spain." (06/27/18)
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8) MA: Mom demands release of daughter separated at border crossing
Source: San Francisco Chronicle
"A Guatemalan woman seeking asylum in the U.S. is suing for the release of her 8-year-old daughter from federal custody, after the two were forcibly separated after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally. Angelica Rebeca Gonzalez-Garcia said Wednesday her daughter is fearful and lonely, having been bruised by another child and dealt with a fever and pink eye (conjunctivitis) since being detained. She's even had to celebrate her eighth birthday among complete strangers, the 31-year-old mother said. 'I'm desperate. I'm pleading. I want my daughter back with me,' she said, speaking through tears in the office of the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, which is representing her in the case. 'She's a little girl. She hasn't done anything wrong.' The ACLU and two Boston-area law firms say they've filed an emergency lawsuit to immediately reunite Gonzalez-Garcia with her daughter, who is only identified in court filings by the initials S.K. They argue that the continued separation violates the family's due process rights, as well as the Constitution's guarantee of equal protection." (06/27/18)
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9) CA: "Permit Patty" leaves the company she founded
Source: Newser
"Alison Ettel gained a nickname and lost a job after threatening to call police on an 8-year-old black girl who was selling water without a permit in San Francisco. The Guardian reports that Ettel, who was dubbed 'Permit Patty,' has resigned from the cannabis company she founded in 2015. Internet sleuths quickly unmasked Ettel's identity after video of the incident emerged Saturday, and NBC News reports at least six companies that used TreatWell Health's marijuana tinctures severed their ties with the company. One such business says those products were some of its best-sellers, but it told the San Francisco Chronicle that it had discounted the products it had left in stock and wouldn't be reupping." (06/27/18)
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10) Syria: Regime air strikes knock out hospitals in Deraa
Source: BBC News [UK state media]
"Air strikes have reportedly put three hospitals out of service in rebel-held south-western Syria, as pro-government forces press on with a major offensive. A medical charity and a monitoring group said the facilities in the towns of Saida, Jizah and Musayfira, east of the city of Deraa, were hit overnight. The strikes came as the army made gains in the region, which borders Jordan and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Up to 50,000 people have been displaced by the fighting in the past week." (06/27/18)
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11) Facebook eases ban on cryptocurrency-related ads
Source: Reuters
"Facebook Inc on Tuesday decided to allow certain ads promoting cryptocurrency and related content from pre-approved advertisers, but would continue its ban on those tied to binary options and initial coin offerings. Facebook had in January banned ads that promote financial products and services that are frequently associated with misleading or deceptive promotional practices." (06/26/18)
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12) Swann home security camera sends video to wrong user
Source: BBC News [UK state media]
"A leading security camera-maker has sent footage from inside a family's home to the wrong person's app. Swann Security has blamed a factory error for the data breach (which was brought to its attention by the BBC) and said it was a 'one-off' incident. However, last month another customer reported a similar problem saying his version of the same app had received footage from a pub's CCTV system. Swann said it was attempting to recover the kit involved in this second case. In the meantime, it said it had notified the UK's data privacy watchdog of both cases. 'Swann Communications (Europe) have made us aware of this incident and we will be making inquiries,' the Information Commissioner's Office said in a statement of its own. 'If anyone has concerns about how their data has been handled, they can report these concerns to us.' Swann is owned by the Infinova Group, a US-based security camera specialist with offices across the globe." (06/27/18)
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13) Federal judge orders families abducted, separated at border to be reunited within 30 days
Source: CBS News
"A judge in California on Tuesday ordered U.S. border authorities to reunite separated families within 30 days, setting a hard deadline in a process that has so far yielded uncertainty about when children might again see their parents. If children are younger than 5, they must be reunified within 14 days of the order issued Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Dana Sabraw in San Diego. Sabraw, an appointee of President George W. Bush, also issued a nationwide injunction on future family separations, unless the parent is deemed unfit or doesn't want to be with the child. It also requires the government to provide phone contact between parents and their children within 10 days." (06/27/18)
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14) Libyan, charged with attack in Libya, sentenced in US to 29 years
Source: Reuters
"Ahmed Abu Khatallah, the organizer of the deadly Sept. 11, 2012, attack on U.S. diplomatic compounds in Benghazi, Libya, was sentenced on Wednesday to 22 years in prison on terrorism and other charges, the Justice Department said. Government evidence showed Khatallah led an extremist militia named Ubaydah bin Jarrah, which he directed to carry out the violence in Benghazi, the Justice Department said in a statement. Khatallah, a Libyan, was convicted by a U.S. jury in November on four of the 18 counts he faced. He was acquitted on murder and other charges. U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans died in the attack on the U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi. The U.S. government said Khatallah sought to incite violence in the months before the attack against the presence of the United States in Libya. He and other members of his group in September stockpiled truckloads of weaponry to mobilize for the attack, the Justice Department said. Khatallah was the first person to be tried in connection with the attack in Benghazi." (06/27/18)
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15) Kremlin aide: Moscow and Washington strike deal to hold Putin-Trump summit
Source: Yahoo! News
"Moscow and Washington have struck a deal to hold a summit soon between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump, Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters on Wednesday. Ushakov said the summit would take place in a mutually-convenient third country and that several more weeks were needed for preparations." (06/27/18)
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16) TN: Democrats allege voter suppression
Source: San Francisco Chronicle
"Democrats in Tennessee's largest county are accusing election officials of trying to suppress black votes in early voting preceding the August elections. Shelby County Democratic Party Chairman Corey Strong on Wednesday criticized the decision by the county Election Commission to make Agricenter International the only open polling location on the first five days of the early voting process, which starts July 13. Strong said the location in suburban east Memphis is too far away for people who live in urban black neighborhoods who rely on public transportation to get to voting locations. He argues the location, plus three new suburban sites being opened later as early voting spots, will make it easier for Republicans to vote compared with Democrats. The majority party of the five-member election commission is determined by the majority party of the Tennessee General Assembly, according to the commission's website. Republicans currently comprise the majority of the General Assembly." (06/27/18)
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17) White House decides against outright limits on Chinese investment
Source: CNN
"The Trump administration has decided against imposing outright limits on Chinese investment in the United States. Instead, it will rely on Congress to strengthen an existing government body that evaluates individual corporate deals for national security risks, senior administration officials told reporters early Wednesday. The Commerce Department is still looking into enhanced export controls, which would stop US firms from shipping certain technology to China. The decision is a more moderate approach as President Donald Trump tries to balance his desire to crack down on 'unfair' Chinese trade practices without hurting US economic growth." (06/27/18)
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18) VA: Creep travels halfway around the world to harass online teen gamer ... and gets shot by her mom
Source: The Register [UK]
"A New Zealand gamer who flew halfway around the world to confront a 14-year-old girl he met online got more than he bargained for when her mom shot him, according to police. .... she had told [Troy George Skinner] over a gaming chat app called, appropriately enough, Discord, that she no longer wanted to talk to him, sparking his trans-Pacific passage. And when he arrived at her house on June 22, he was carrying a knife, pepper spray, and some duct tape he had bought at a nearby Walmart, it is alleged. ... She refused to answer the door, prompting him to try to break into a basement door at the back of the house, it is claimed. At which point the mother -- who had no idea of her daughter's online interactions -- warned him she had a gun. Clearly not aware that when a threatened Virginian mom says she has a gun, it's pretty likely she has a gun and is willing to use it, the six-foot-one, 275lb Skinner returned to the front door ..." (06/27/18)
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19) Gang enforcers abduct at least 35 in attempt to suppress free markets
Source: Engadget
"The US just broke new ground in its bid to shut down illegal markets on the dark web. A slew of agencies (the Department of Justice, Homeland Security Investigations, the Secret Service, the DEA and the Postal Inspection Service) have announced the first-ever national-level undercover bust of dark web outfits selling drugs, weapons and other contraband. HSI agents pretended to be money launderers on multiple sites in an operation that resulted in [abductions of] 'more than' 35 vendors and seizures worth $23.6 million." (06/26/18)
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20) Seven states hold primaries, runoffs
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer
"Voters in five states -- New York, Maryland, Utah, Colorado and Mississippi -- headed to the polls Tuesday to determine party nominees ahead of November's midterm election. Two other states -- Mississippi and South Carolina -- held primary runoffs. ... Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a first-time candidate and former Bernie Sanders volunteer, defeated 10-term incumbent Rep. Joe Crowley in a stunning victory to earn the Democratic nomination in New York's 14th Congressional District. Former Massachusetts governor and Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney easily won the GOP nomination for the U.S. Senate seat in Utah .... Oklahoma became the 30th state to legalize medical marijuana .... In Maryland .... Incumbent Sen. Ben Cardin easily brushed aside a group of challengers in the Democratic primary that included [American heroine and former political prisoner] Chelsea Manning .... [In South Carolina] Incumbent Gov. Henry McMaster won the Republican nomination for governor, fending off a strong challenged by businessman and first-time candidate John Warren. Among those breathing a sigh of relief is President Trump, who rallied for McMaster on Monday night ..." (06/27/18)
_____ Today's Freedom Commentary _____
21) Schools have created a generation of Permit Pattys and BBQ Beckys
Source: Foundation for Economic Education
by Zak Slayback
"It seems like every week there's a new Permit Patty (a grown woman who called the police on an eight-year-old selling water without a permit), BBQ Becky (another grown woman who called the police on a man BBQing without a permit), or someone who calls the police on a lemonade stand. Beyond being an irritant and filling society with busybodies of the worst type -- who calls the police on kids? -- these people are indicative of something deeper. These people are indicative of the infantilization of the American adult." (06/27/18)
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22) It's still not about the sex
Source: The Power of Narrative
by Arthur Silber
"[T]he majority of Americans think that sex -- of almost any kind, perhaps only excepting sex within the 'sanctity' of marriage (but even then, please don't go into detail) -- is dirty and disgusting. Simultaneously, most Americans can't get enough of it. They certainly can't get enough of sex itself, and they can't get enough of gossip and talk of any kind, including by our major news outlets, about sex. The ruling class is well aware of the public's obsession with sex, and they are more than happy to indulge it. That is especially true when the ruling class wants to distract the public from genuinely awful behavior and actions that should be of great concern. Give the public a 'dirty' sex scandal, with all the salacious detail that the media's 'standards' will allow, and the public will ignore everything else." (06/27/18)
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23) How the sharing economy allows me to travel the world
Source: American Institute for Economic Research
by Chloe Anagnos
"I've been fortunate enough to have a career that doesn't limit me to an office. I work from wherever I have internet access, which means I try to travel as much as my bank account lets me. From Fresno to France, Canada to Costa Rica, and soon Indiana to Iceland, I've been able to experience different cultures, languages, and, of course, meals that I otherwise wouldn't be able to enjoy without the help of the sharing economy. Without ride and home-sharing apps like Uber, Lyft, and Airbnb, it would be much too cumbersome -- and expensive -- to get across a city, let alone a continent, which is why it's baffling when others work to ban them." (06/27/18)
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24) Drug prohibition won't end abuse
Source: Eastern New Mexico News
by Kent McManigal
"One of the latest excuses for more government interference in your life is the 'opioid crisis.' Yes, people abuse drugs, including opioids. This is nothing new; they have done so for centuries. Abusing drugs is a dumb vice, but drug prohibition is far worse -- it is wrong. Laws and punishment will never end drug abuse. The desire for the feeling drugs create is too much a part of being human. If it's not one drug, it will be another. Sadly, when use of the safer drugs is as illegal as use of the more dangerous ones -- the penalties being similar -- people choose the stronger, more dangerous drug. This is a natural consequence of cannabis prohibition." (06/27/18)
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25) Shut up, they explain
Source: Town Hall
by John Stossel
"I'm not surprised that mobs shriek at Trump administration officials in restaurants and that Maxine Waters wants more of that. I've watched this happen at American colleges. One example: Heather Mac Donald is a Manhattan Institute scholar who wrote the book 'The War on Cops.' She argues that Americans are less safe today because police, for fear of being called racist, back off. I sometimes disagree with Mac Donald, but she is a thoughtful researcher whose ideas deserve to be heard. At UCLA, when she was allowed to give her 'Blue Lives Matter' speech, many in the audience applauded. But then 'they stormed the stage,' she explains in my video interview with her. The protesters, both white and black, shouting 'Black lives -- they matter!' drowned out any possible questions. Watching video of the event, I was surprised to see what looked like a party atmosphere. Protesters smiled as they got out cameras and recorded each other." (06/27/18)
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26) Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez could shake up Congress on economy, like Elizabeth Holtzman did on Vietnam
Source: USA Today
by Stan Collender
"Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's primary win over House Democratic Caucus Chairman Joe Crowley instantly set the internet on fire and forced political analysts everywhere to change their thinking. To a certain extent that's not at all surprising. A young, largely unknown minority woman with highly progressive positions upset a white male 20-year incumbent who is a senior member not just of the House Democratic leadership but also of the larger Democratic establishment. The veteran New York congressman was better known and much better funded. While there were rumblings about him being in trouble, the general assumption among analysts and pundits was that, in the end, Crowley would be renominated. But at least some of the surprise to Ocasio-Cortez's big victory should have been tempered by the fact that it was not unprecedented. In fact, 46 years earlier, also in New York City, another woman successfully challenged another long-time member of the Democratic establishment a primary. That year, 1972, Elizabeth Holtzman toppled Emanuel Celler, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee." (06/27/18)
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27) The limited effects of the Supreme Court's Janus decision
Source: The Volokh Conspiracy
by Eugene Volokh
"I hope to blog a good deal about today's Janus v. AFSCME decision in coming days. As readers might gather, I disagree with the majority, for reasons discussed in Will Baude's & my amicus brief, but I also disagree with some aspects of the dissent; and in any event, I'd rather deal with separate conceptual aspects in separate posts. For now, let me suggest that, going forward, Janus might not change that much (though after what will doubtless be a thorny transition period). In particular, state legislatures that like the pre-Janus agency fee model -- under which non-union-member state and local employees had to pay 'agency fees' to unions in order to support collective bargaining -- can maintain the practical economic effects of that model, without violating the First Amendment." (06/27/18)
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28) Rather than paying down debt in good times, Spain has decided to spend even more
Source: Ludwig von Mises Institute
by Philipp Bagus
"For the first time after the financial crisis the Spanish Government in 2017 has made it (barely) to the 3% of GDP limit on public deficits as established by the Stability and Growth Pact. The new socialist government believes that it is time to change course now. According to its view after long years of austerity, it is now time to think about increasing government spending. Indeed, the former government already announced an increase in public pensions by 1.6%. The increase in pensions is highly problematic because demographic factors make the public pensions system unsustainable in the long run. The new government wants to maintain the public pension system by aggressively raising taxes. Furthermore, it wants to undo and change parts of the labor market reform of 2012 that permitted a substantial fall in unemployment. It plans to increase the minimum wage. What is most problematic in the government´s narrative is that it is actually not true that the government has been austere after the financial crisis. Most significantly, government finances have not been stabilized." (06/27/18)
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29) The signals of reassurance
Source: EconLog
by Bryan Caplan
"People frequently claim that their political opponents have hidden agendas. When liberals push for expansionary fiscal policy during recessions, conservatives often suspect that liberals' real goal is the promotion of Big Government. When conservatives push for deregulation, liberals often suspect that conservatives' real goal is to enrich the rich. When liberals denounce deportations, conservatives fear that liberals' real goal is to hand citizenship to likely Democratic voters. When conservatives argue for war against a Muslim country, liberals fear that conservatives' real goal is simply to kill Muslims. The normal reactions to such accusations is to accuse your opponents of paranoia. But as you'd expect, these accusations rarely change your critics' minds. Indeed, they cement your critics' sense that you're up to no good -- leading to further polarization and recrimination. What's the alternative?" (06/27/18)
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30) The Supreme Court's conservatives [sic] take their long-awaited shot [sic] at unions
Source: The New Republic
by Matt Ford
"Elections have consequences. Had Hillary Clinton captured the presidency and nominated a Supreme Court justice to fill the vacancy left by Antonin Scalia's passing in 2016, the court might never have taken up Janus v. AFSCME, Local 31. But Trump won and nominated another conservative justice in Scalia's mold. As a result, the court ruled 5-4 on Wednesday in Janus that public-sector unions could no longer collect fees from non-members who are benefiting from the union's collective-bargaining work. Twenty-two states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico up until now have allowed unions to collect the fees, which are known as fair-share fees or agency fees. The Supreme Court previously approved the practice in the 1977 case Abood v. Detroit Board of Education. In his majority opinion, Justice Samuel Alito said the fees could not be justified under the First Amendment. 'We conclude that this arrangement violates the free speech rights of non-members by compelling them to subsidize private speech on matters of substantial public concern,' he wrote, concluding that Abood was therefore overruled. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Anthony Kennedy, Clarence Thomas, and Neil Gorsuch joined his opinion." (06/27/18)
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31) Can you understand me now? Privacy policy basics
Source: Heartland Institute
by Bartlett Cleland
"This week DNA testing service MyHeritage reported that 92 million customer email addresses were exposed, a report that follows on the heels of a virtually constant stream of reports about hacks of consumer information. Why all of the attention about consumer data protection, or put another way, about consumer privacy? Despite coughing up reams of information about themselves in exchange for often minimal benefits, consumers are now suddenly concerned about their privacy. The concern is not wrong; many of the proposed solutions are." (06/27/18)
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32) Manna from Congress
Source: Cafe Hayek
by Don Boudreaux
"There is no shortage of jobs. As long as there are unmet human desires, there are jobs. I myself can guaranteed jobs to lots of people: come to my place and thoroughly clean it once a day; give me a full-body massage each morning and each evening; cook for me; follow me around during the day to fetch me coffee, lunch, and whatever else I ask for ... These are all jobs, and ones that I'd be delighted to have you perform for me. Unfortunately for you, I won't pay you to do these things -- or I won't pay you more than a pittance. Are you still interested in landing one of these jobs? Surely not. I don't blame you, for what you really want above all is not the job but the real goods and services that you can purchase for yourself and your family with the income you earn by performing a job. So when people support 'guaranteed jobs' what they really support is a guaranteed ability, for anyone who goes through the motions of performing a job, to purchase some minimum amount of real goods and services." (06/27/18)
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33) After more than a decade of litigation, the Dancing Baby has done his part to strengthen fair use for everyone
Source: Electronic Frontier Foundation
by Corynne McSherry
"Litigation can always take twists and turns, but when EFF filed a lawsuit against Universal Music Group in 2007 on behalf of Stephanie Lenz, few would have anticipated it would be ten years until the case was finally resolved. But today, at last, it is. Along the way, Lenz v. Universal contributed to strengthening fair use law, bringing nationwide attention to the issues of copyright and fair use in new digital movie-making and sharing technologies. It all started when Lenz posted a YouTube video of her then-toddler-aged son dancing while Prince's song 'Let's Go Crazy' played in the background, and Universal used copyright claims to get the link disabled. We brought the case hoping to get some clarity from the courts on a simple but important issue: can a rightsholder use the Digital Millennium Copyright Act to take down an obvious fair use, without consequence?" (06/27/18)
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34) Why you should be intensely skeptical of everything you hear about Iran protests
Source: Caitlin Johnstone Blog
by Caitlin Johnstone
"Every few weeks I switch from being accused by pro-establishment Democrats of writing propaganda for Putin and Assad to being accused by pro-Trump Republicans of writing propaganda for the Iranian government, all because I am opposed to US-led regime change intervention in both Syria or Iran. Whichever country the US war machine is roaring loudest at on a given day, that's the country I'm writing propaganda for, because somehow the social engineers have succeeded in turning regime change interventionism in Iran vs. regime change interventionism in Syria into a partisan wedge issue. Couldn't possibly just be that I know the US intelligence community lies constantly about such things." [editor's note: Are you figuring out why I post all I can find from this woman yet? Even her critics come at her from "both sides" – SAT] (06/27/18)
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35) The Second Amendment has become "optional"
Source: Reason
by Jacob Sullum
"Ten years ago this week, the Supreme Court for the first time explicitly recognized that the Second Amendment protects an individual right to armed self-defense. Since then the Court has revisited the subject only twice, while it has heard about 45 cases involving the Fourth Amendment and about 60 involving the First. That stark disparity reflects a failure noted by critics on and off the Court. After waiting more than two centuries to acknowledge that the Second Amendment imposes limits on legislation, the Court has passed up dozens of opportunities to clarify the extent of those limits, leaving the task to lower courts that are often hostile to gun rights." (06/27/18)
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36) SCOTUS: Force declining judges to leave
Source: Christine Smith's Blog
by Christine Smith
"I have always been perplexed as to why US Supreme Court judges are given permanency without regard to their competence? I understand the arguments to which permanency is linked and agree with them. Unlike elected positions, these individuals are (rightly) appointed for life; as such, I believe the American people deserve assurance the individuals are mentally and physically (where applicable) competent to adjudicate the matters affecting Americans." (06/26/18)
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37) A template for "incivility"
Source: The Atlantic
by Julian E Zelizer
"In the 1960s and early 1970s, anti-war activists decided to use every tool at their disposal to pressure Presidents Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon to bring an end to the Vietnam War, which was costing thousands of American and Vietnamese lives every week. Today's protesters appear to be following a similar template for their activism. But then, as now, the politics of uncivil protest proved complicated. In the short-term, the use of confrontational and aggressive tactics by protesters can cause a political backlash and inspire some fellow travelers to enter into unacceptable and dangerous territory. But in the long run, uncivil protest has sometimes been the only way to move public debate in the right direction and create pressure on elected officials to change their ways." (06/27/18)
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38) Are central banks embracing too much risk?
Source: Reuters
by James Ledbetter
"Central banks are usually thought of as very conservative institutions; if they were cars they would be safe, family sedans. Lately, though, some central banks have been doing the market equivalent of zipping around in a sporty convertible. In recent years, at least two large central banks have been snapping up large quantities of equities, typically considered a risky investment. The Swiss National Bank now has about 20 percent of its reserves in equities, up from about 7 percent a decade ago. More than half of that is in U.S. equities. And to say that the Bank of Japan (BOJ) has become a player in that country's equity market is an understatement; BOJ currently owns nearly 75 percent of the Japanese exchange-traded fund (ETF) market, again up sharply from just a few years ago. Other central banks, including the European Central Bank and South African Reserve Bank, also make similar purchases, although Japan and Switzerland are the most aggressive buyers of equities." (06/27/18)
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39) Drawing that line
Source: The Price of Liberty
by Nathan Barton
"'Your right to swing your arms ends just where the other man's nose begins.' It is a quote many of us (self-governors, libertarians, anarchists, Christians) have heard. It was written by Zechariah Chafee, Jr., a man few know anything about. He was something almost unheard of today: a lawyer and college professor (at Harvard, no less) who was a classical liberal -- a libertarian, in other words. He was an advocate of civil rights, and of freedom of speech in particular. A New Englander, he taught until a year before he died in 1957, and before New England turned fully into the progressive sewer that it is today. And before Harvard and the other elite schools, public and private, became the enemies of free speech and other liberties." (06/26/18)
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40) Does China win or lose from the US-North Korea thaw?
Source: Cato Institute
by Ted Galen Carpenter
"The Singapore summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un has generated a considerable amount of controversy. Most analysts in the United States and East Asia seem relieved that the meeting continued the recent reduction in bilateral tensions and offers at least some hope that the nuclear crisis can be brought to a peaceful conclusion. However, a vocal minority, especially in the United States and Japan, takes a different view, insisting that the wily North Korean leader outwitted and out-bargained the U.S. president. The debate in the United States largely breaks along partisan lines, with most Republicans praising Trump's performance and most Democrats sharply criticizing it. Another issue that has sparked controversy (although far less attention) in both the United States and East Asia is whether the People's Republic of China (PRC) is pleased or displeased about the results of the summit and the overall U.S.-North Korean rapprochement." (06/27/18)
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41) Eighty-sixing civility
Source: Common Sense
by Paul Jacob
"The 'right to refuse service to anyone' may be a right retained by the people, but since the Ninth Amendment is a dead letter, and the federal government, at least, does not recognize such rights when the refused parties fall into certain 'protected groups,' talking about it at length is probably a waste of time. While the anti-Trump side of the current political-cultural divide seems resolute in denying a right to refuse to bake specialty cakes for gay couples, refusing to serve standard meals to political enemies is apparently copacetic." (06/27/18)
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42) The left tries to blame Trump for their own hate mongering
Source: Investors Business Daily
by staff
"When not worrying that its increasingly hostile anti-Trump antics might backfire on Democrats, the left is busy blaming President Trump's own incivility for the ferocity of their attacks. But this is exactly how the left treats all conservatives, rough-hewn or not. After a week in which a celebrity called for the abduction of the president's young son, a restaurant kicked out Trump's spokesman, and a mob harassed the Homeland Security secretary, Democrats are starting to wonder if their 'resistance' is getting out of hand -- while refusing to take any blame for it. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi managed to perfectly encapsulate this when she said 'Trump's daily lack of civility has provoked responses that are predictable but unacceptable.' The blame-Trump-first meme has been catching on fast. Writing in the Washington Post, Paul Waldman complains about having 'to hear, in the era of Trump, that liberals are the ones being 'uncivil' ... You've got to be kidding me.' ... But the suggestion that things would be better and tempers cooler if Trump weren't so abrasive is utterly and completely false." (06/26/18)
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43) Do immigrants have the right to pursue happiness?
Source: Future of Freedom Foundation
by Jacob G Hornberger
"Next Wednesday, July 4, Americans will be celebrating the anniversary of the U.S. Declaration of Independence. An important question arises: How many Americans truly believe in the principles enunciated in the Declaration?" (06/27/18)
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44) The real reason degrees are getting easier
Source: spiked
by Dennis Hayes
"[W]hile algorithms and managerial pressure have played a role, the Reform report misses another important factor: the introduction of 'learning objectives,' which spell out what students are expected to learn, and 'marking criteria,' which assess students' work according to these objectives. These criteria degrade education enormously, turning the pursuit of knowledge and insight into a regurgitative, tick-box exercise. ... This style of teaching and marking reflects the transformation of higher education into what is, in effect, higher training." [editor's note: The complaint seems to be that education is ceasing to be quite so much a religion and becoming a little bit more of a science. Not sure why that's a bad thing, at least to non-priests – TLK] (06/27/18)
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45) Quantum Vibe, 06/27/18
Source: Big Head Press
by Scott Bieser & Gus Mendes
Cartoon. (06/27/18)
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46) An unschooling tale: From watching YouTube to reading financial statements
Source: Everything Voluntary
by Kerry McDonald
"It started with a 'Dude Perfect' video on YouTube. ... The 'dudes' posted a video of a young boy with muscular dystrophy who had an opportunity to be in a 'Dude Perfect' YouTube video as part of Make-A-Wish's efforts to grant wishes to critically ill children. Jack was mesmerized. He visited the Make-A-Wish Instagram page and was increasingly curious. ... He decided to make an online donation, giving 20 percent of his total savings to this organization that captivated him. He wanted to know how much Make-A-Wish's total annual donations amounted to. I suggested he search on Wikipedia, but he couldn't find the information there so he returned to the organization's website and downloaded their 2017 annual report and analyzed their audited financial statements to determine annual revenue and expenses, all on his own. Were you voluntarily reading financial statements at age nine? I certainly wasn't. And I'm fairly certain that the first time I read one was to prepare for a test, not because I was personally curious about an organization's economic health. This is unschooling." (06/26/18)
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47) Why the Tax Act will not boost investment
Source: The American Prospect
by Dean Baker
"The centerpiece of the Republican Tax Act signed into law at the end of last year was the cut in the corporate income tax rate. The reduction in the tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent, along with other reductions in business taxes, accounts for almost 40 percent of the $1.6 trillion projected gross cost of the tax cuts. Since the law passed, most of the discussion has focused on the division of the benefits of the corporate tax cuts between shareholders and workers. On this score, the shareholders look to be the big winners. According to an analysis by Americans for Tax Fairness that focused on the public announcements from the country's 500 largest corporations, share buybacks announced since the law's passage have totaled more than $400 billion compared with $6.1 billion in announced bonuses or pay increases, with the vast majority of this money falling in the category of one-time bonuses." (06/27/18)
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48) Wishful thinking on fake news
Source: Independent Institute
by Randall Holcombe
"In a New York Times op-ed, Bryan W. Van Norden argues that the ignorant do not have a right to an audience. Van Norden says 'The invincibly ignorant and the intellectual huckster have every right to express their opinions, but their right to free speech is not the right to an audience.' Two of the 'ignorant and intellectual hucksters' Van Norden calls out are Charles Murray and President Trump. I note this to suggest that Van Norden may lean to the left, politically, but I'm setting this observation aside as a curiosity to look at where his arguments ultimately lead." (06/26/18)
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49) The First Amendment is not the "Be Nice to Journalists Act of 1791"
Source: National Review
by Kyle Smith
"Last night a prominent TV journalist posted a take on the First Amendment of such breathtaking inanity that it amounted to pundit malpractice. It was as if the doctor who does your annual checkup failed to notice you have a knife sticking out of your abdomen. It was as if the mechanic you hired to rotate your tires forgot to put several of them back on your car. Report to accept chastisement, Kasie Hunt, Capitol Hill correspondent for NBC News: You said one of the dumbest things any Washington journalist has said in the Trump era, and that is saying something. While President Trump was mocking the media as usual at his South Carolina rally last night, Hunt tweeted, 'The last person to rule America who didn't believe in the First Amendment was King George III.' Leave aside that Trump does not 'rule' America or that the First Amendment didn't exist during the period of British rule anyway. Describing Trump as uniquely antagonistic to the First Amendment among presidents is preposterous. It is historical illiteracy." (06/26/18)
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50) Disrupt dinner
Source: CounterPunch
by Steve Stallone
"Comparing the studied cruelty of Trump's Zero Tolerance program, with its separating families in violation of international human rights law and imprisoning them for a misde[me]anor, the child abuse and parental angst involved, the use of these government-kidnapped children as hostages for, first, $25 billion for The Wall and then for voluntary self-deportation, not to mention the racism -- to somehow equate those offenses with disrupting the dinner parties of that strategy's architects and apologists requires some rhetorical and logical gymnastics. Defending these people's right to enjoy an evening out on the town after a hard day of enforcing and perpetuating barbarism, displays not only an unbelievable lack of proportionality, but an equally unbelievable lack of empathy." (06/27/18)
_____ Today's Freedom Podcast and Video _____
51) The national security state's assassination of John F. Kennedy, episode 1
Source: Future of Freedom Foundtion
"n this series of 5-minute videos, FFF president Jacob Hornberger summarizes and details the circumstantial evidence pointing toward the U.S. national-security state as the orchestrator of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy." [Flash video] (06/27/18)
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52) Intercepted, 06/27/18
Source: The Intercept
"This week on Intercepted, live in Brooklyn: Legendary reporter Seymour Hersh shares what he thinks of Donald Trump, his analysis of the Trump-Russia story, and some wild stories from his new memoir, 'Reporter.' ACLU attorney Lee Gelernt recounts the latest on the immigrant families that are being ripped apart and separated indefinitely, and shares personal stories of the victims he represents in a nationwide class-action suit against the Trump administration. Activist Mariame Kaba explains the historical foundations of the American carceral state and calls for the abolition of ICE and the prison-industrial complex. Multimedia artist and rapper Yassin Alsalman, better known by Narcy, performs an original spoken word and premieres his new song, 'Yemenade.'" [various formats] (06/27/18)
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53) Scott Adams Says, 06/27/18
Source: Scott Adams Says
"Scott Adams talks about the travel ban, GOP video ad, Netanyahu's videos, Melanie, and more with coffee." [Flash video] (06/27/18)
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54) Cato Daily Podcast, 06/27/18
Source: Cato Institute
"The rise of ICOs has raised the question of whether cryptocurrencies are securities. Is the nascent, but valuable technology deserving of that kind of treatment? Diego Zuluaga is author of a new Cato paper on the subject." [various formats] (06/27/18)
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55) Essential Libertarianism, episode 36
Source: Pax Libertas Productions
Introduction to the non-voting series, by Carl Watner. [various formats] (06/27/18)
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56) Foreign Policy Focus, episode 212
Source: Foreign Policy Focus
"On FPF #212, Joanne Leon and Dan Wright join the show for the second in a three-part series covering the many claims that Russia colluded with the Trump campaign to win the 2016 election. In part two, Joanne and Dan break down the FBI Crossfire Hurricane investigation. They explain how the FBI spied on and attempted to put informants into the Trump campaign. We also discuss the role of Carter Page, Peter Strzok, and John Brennan." [various formats] (06/27/18)
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57) Free Talk Live, 06/26/18
Source: Free Talk Live
"Americans' Bad Savings Habits :: In What to Invest? :: Starting a Business :: Cannabis Company CEO Snitches on Child Entreprenur :: Woman Goes Psycho on Plane :: Federal Law Overreach :: Hot Dog Water :: Peer Review Journal Fraud :: Trump Travel Ban Upheld :: Miscarriage Confusion :: HOSTS -- Ian, Johnson, Melanie." [Flash audio or MP3] (06/26/18)
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58) AnarchoChristian, episode 12
Source: Pax Libertas Productions
"Pacifism has become a term of derision in the church today, but that wasn't always the case. Todd Lewis joins me to discuss Pacifism in church history." [Flash audio or Flash video] (06/26/18)
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59) Reason Podcast, 06/26/18
Source: Reason
"In a wide-ranging discussion, [Jeff] Bercovici talks to me [Nick Gillespie] about everything from blood-doping, by which athletes seek to increase their endurance, to Silicon Valley's current penchant for 'blood boys' (don't ask)." [various formats] (06/26/18)
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60) The Tom Woods Show, episode 1187
Source: The Tom Woods Show
"Nathan Dempsey, creator of Liberty Minecraft, discusses what a game involving money, property, and nonaggression might teach us about organizing society -- and what he learned when he set up, side by side, a place that recognized and a place that did not recognize private property." [various formats] (06/26/18)
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