David Friedman on markets, governments and whether we need either?
19 May 2025 Leave a comment
in applied price theory, comparative institutional analysis, constitutional political economy, David Friedman, defence economics, economics of crime, economics of regulation, environmental economics, history of economic thought, industrial organisation, law and economics, property rights
Once again, pro-Palestinian protestors at the University of Chicago violate campus rules but don’t get punished
19 May 2025 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, economics of education, law and economics, politics - USA, property rights Tags: free speech, Gaza Strip, Israel, Middle-East politics, regressive left
If you’ve read about the various pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel protests across American campuses, one thing you’ll notice is a general reluctance to punish demonstrators when they violate university rules. Of course protests are usually fine if they conform to First Amendment principles (though some schools don’t hold those principles), but they’re never fine when they […]
Once again, pro-Palestinian protestors at the University of Chicago violate campus rules but don’t get punished
“Why Won’t You Call Hamas Terrorists?” Piers Morgan vs Jeremy Corbyn Deb…
17 May 2025 1 Comment
in defence economics, economics of crime, International law, law and economics, laws of war, war and peace Tags: Gaza Strip, Israel, Middle-East politics, regressive left, useful idiots, war against terror
Trump Administration Targets State Climate Laws
17 May 2025 Leave a comment
in economics of climate change, energy economics, environmental economics, environmentalism, global warming, law and economics, politics - USA, property rights, Public Choice, rentseeking Tags: climate alarmism, nuisance suits
The Constitution explicitly states that neither the Congress nor any state may pass an “ex post facto Law,” which imposes criminal liability for past actions that weren’t restricted at the time. The Maryland, New York, and Vermont acts all propose to tax companies retroactively for legally producing fossil fuels.
Trump Administration Targets State Climate Laws
More Gaza narrative promotion from the BBC’s Fergal Keane
16 May 2025 1 Comment
in defence economics, International law, law and economics, laws of war, war and peace Tags: Gaza Strip, Israel, Middle-East politics, regressive left, war against terror
For the past nineteen months the BBC’s Fergal Keane has been a man on a mission. On his periodic trips to Israel, Keane and his team have produced multiple reports presenting a monochrome and highly limited view of the conflict from the perspective of Palestinians, with most playing heavily on the emotions of readers or […]
More Gaza narrative promotion from the BBC’s Fergal Keane
Is this a gold mine? Iwi might need consulting (for a fee) before your development can be given RMA consents
16 May 2025 Leave a comment
in economics of regulation, energy economics, law and economics, politics - New Zealand, property rights, resource economics, urban economics
Bob Edlin writes – West Coast Regional Councillor Allan Birchfield has whipped up a fuss in his neck of the woods by challenging the Ngāti Waewae representative Francois Tumahai over the iwi’s role in resource consenting. The iwi – it seems – must agree to gold-mining consents in gold-mining country, presumably after appropriate consultation or engagement […]
Is this a gold mine? Iwi might need consulting (for a fee) before your development can be given RMA consents
“A Modest Request”: The Supreme Court Hears Challenge to National or Universal Injunctions
15 May 2025 Leave a comment
in law and economics, politics - USA Tags: 2024 presidential election
Today, the United States Supreme Court will hear three consolidated cases in Trump v. CASA on the growing use of national or universal injunctions. This is a matter submitted on the “shadow docket” and the underlying cases concern the controversy over “birthright citizenship.” However, the merits of those claims are not at issue. Instead, the […]
“A Modest Request”: The Supreme Court Hears Challenge to National or Universal Injunctions
Sacramental Snitches: Church to Excommunicate any Priests Complying with Washington State Law
15 May 2025 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, economics of religion, law and economics, politics - USA
We previously discussed the legislation passed by Washington State democrats that requires priests to violate the sanctity of the confessional to report child abuse. I described the law as “blatantly unconstitutional” in eviscerating the right to the free exercise of religion. The state is moving to create an effective system of sacramental snitches and the […]
Sacramental Snitches: Church to Excommunicate any Priests Complying with Washington State Law
“A Circus-Like Atmosphere”: Nessel Drops Charges Against University of Michigan Anti-Israel Protesters
12 May 2025 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, law and economics, politics - USA
Roughly a year ago, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel made a splash in the press after she brought charges against anti-Israel protesters at the University of Michigan. The move followed a refusal of liberal local district attorneys to prosecute the cases despite clear criminal conduct. Now, as violent and disruptive protests are again rising on […]
“A Circus-Like Atmosphere”: Nessel Drops Charges Against University of Michigan Anti-Israel Protesters
Policy whiplash risks eroding NZ’s investment stability
10 May 2025 Leave a comment
in applied price theory, comparative institutional analysis, economics of regulation, energy economics, environmental economics, law and economics, politics - New Zealand, property rights
Roger Partridge writes- Resources Minister Shane Jones recently floated a novel idea: Government-backed insurance for oil and gas investors to protect them against future policy reversals. Let that sink in. A New Zealand minister is contemplating taxpayer-funded insurance to compensate companies against… the decisions of future New Zealand Governments.
Policy whiplash risks eroding NZ’s investment stability
Korea’s Low Fertility Rate
08 May 2025 Leave a comment
in economics of love and marriage, human capital, labour economics, law and economics, population economics Tags: ageing society, South Korea
Fertility rates are falling around the world, but Republic of Korea is the outlier, with a fertility rate of 0.72 in 2024. The International Monetary Fund, in its report on Korea’s economic situation (generally quite good), thought that Korea’s low fertility justified adding an “Annex” to its most recent report on Korea’s economy: “Addressing Korea’s…
Korea’s Low Fertility Rate
Turley Testifies on Over-Criminalization Before the House Judiciary Committee
08 May 2025 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, law and economics, politics - USA Tags: crime and punishment, law and order
Today, I will be testifying on the over-criminalization of federal law before the Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Committee on the Judiciary. The testimony (linked below) is part of a hearing titled “Criminalizing America: The Growth of Federal Offenses and Regulatory Overreach.”
Turley Testifies on Over-Criminalization Before the House Judiciary Committee
Extreme measures by democratic governments
07 May 2025 1 Comment
in defence economics, health economics, law and economics, war and peace Tags: constitutional law, economics of pandemics, war against terror, World War II
Democratic governments, despite their commitment to rule of law, civil liberties, and political accountability, have occasionally undertaken temporary extreme measures when facing grave national crises. These actions are typically justified as necessary to preserve the state or protect the population, though they can be controversial or later seen as overreach. Here are several notable examples: 1. Suspension […]
Extreme measures by democratic governments
Squatter Syndrome: How the Inefficiencies of Our Legal System Are Making a Mockery of Our Immigration Laws
06 May 2025 Leave a comment
in Economics of international refugee law, International law, labour economics, labour supply, law and economics, politics - USA Tags: economics of immigration
It was once said that possession is nine-tenths of the law, an acknowledgement that the possessor of property generally has the advantage in keeping it. This principle has been taken to absurd extremes in some squatter cases, where people invade homes and then demand the right to stay pending long legal challenges. Today, under both […]
Squatter Syndrome: How the Inefficiencies of Our Legal System Are Making a Mockery of Our Immigration Laws
Misguided branch of British Medical Association rejects UK’s Supreme Court decision that “woman” is defined by biological sex
04 May 2025 1 Comment
in discrimination, gender, law and economics, property rights Tags: free speech, gender gap, political correctness, regressive left, sex discrimination
As I reported two weeks ago, the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom voted unanimously to affirm that the term “woman” under the legal Equality Act refers only to biological women and not trans-identified men. That means that a biological male holding a gender reassignment certificate would not have the same legal status as a […]
Misguided branch of British Medical Association rejects UK’s Supreme Court decision that “woman” is defined by biological sex
Utopia, you are standing in it! 
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