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
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
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
“Take out Every Single Person Who Supports Trump”: Maine Teacher Calls for the Secret Service to Go on a Killing Spree
03 May 2025 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, law and economics, politics - USA Tags: 2024 presidential election

We have been discussing the increasing political violence on the left. That includes a student who published a column recently on “when must we kill them?” I noted that such views are often reflections of the many extremists currently in teaching. That was evident this week in Maine, where English teacher JoAnna St. Germain of […]
“Take out Every Single Person Who Supports Trump”: Maine Teacher Calls for the Secret Service to Go on a Killing Spree
Trump Admin Sues to Block Blue States From Taking Fossil Fuel Companies To Court Over Climate Change
02 May 2025 Leave a comment
in economics of bureaucracy, economics of regulation, energy economics, environmental economics, global warming, income redistribution, law and economics, politics - USA, property rights, Public Choice, rentseeking Tags: climate activists, nuisance suits
The Trump administration filed lawsuits Wednesday against Michigan and Hawaii in an attempt to block the states from seeking damages in court against fossil fuel companies for alleged environmental harm.
Trump Admin Sues to Block Blue States From Taking Fossil Fuel Companies To Court Over Climate Change
The First 100 Days: The Method Behind the Madness in Court Challenges
02 May 2025 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, labour economics, labour supply, law and economics, politics - USA Tags: 2024 presidential election, constitutional law, economics of immigration

Below is my column in the New York Post on the first 100 days of the Trump Administration in court. It is too early to handicap many of these lower courts decisions. I have been critical of some of these orders as either premature or unconstitutional. There is a reason for the hyperkinetic pace of […]
The First 100 Days: The Method Behind the Madness in Court Challenges
Housing affordability
01 May 2025 Leave a comment
in applied price theory, economics of regulation, income redistribution, law and economics, politics - New Zealand, property rights, Public Choice, rentseeking, urban economics Tags: housing affordability, land supply, zoning

Our Mayor dons a keffiyeh
29 Apr 2025 1 Comment
in defence economics, economics of crime, law and economics, politics - USA Tags: Gaza, Israel, Middle-East politics, political correctness, regressive left, war against terror

Ever since the City of Chicago dropped the charges against 26 pro-Palestinian students and two faculty arrested on our campus for trespassing, I’ve wondered whether mayor Brandon Johnson, elected in 2023, has some sympathies for Palestine contrasted with some opprobrium for Israel. (The city also refused to send Chicago cops to take down our encampment, […]
Our Mayor dons a keffiyeh
“This is Not Normal”: Democrats Miss an Obvious Problem with the Arrest of the Wisconsin Judge
28 Apr 2025 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, law and economics, politics - USA Tags: 2024 presidential election, economics of immigration

“This is not normal.” Those words from Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., are undeniably true after the arrest of Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan. However, the reason it is not normal is far more debatable. Dugan is accused of becoming a lawbreaker in seeking to obstruct an effort to arrest a man wanted by federal authorities. If […]
“This is Not Normal”: Democrats Miss an Obvious Problem with the Arrest of the Wisconsin Judge
Raskin: Trump Officials Can Be Arrested for “Kidnapping” Undocumented Persons
28 Apr 2025 Leave a comment
in defence economics, economics of crime, labour economics, labour supply, law and economics, politics - USA Tags: 2024 presidential election, economics of immigration

For some on the far left, “The Rachel Maddow Show” is a godsend. Otherwise, you would have to go to the subway to compete against others raving about microchips and oligarchies. Just take Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), who went on the show on Friday to explain that Trump officials can now be arrested for “interfering with […]
Raskin: Trump Officials Can Be Arrested for “Kidnapping” Undocumented Persons
The challenge for Parliament: striking a balance between historic traditions and tikanga
26 Apr 2025 Leave a comment
in law and economics, politics - New Zealand
Peter Dunne writes – A tense and intriguing political chess game is being played out in Parliament’s Privileges Committee at present. It is a game none of those involved can afford to lose, yet inevitably someone will. On the face of it, the issue at hand is whether the spontaneous haka performed by three Te […]
The challenge for Parliament: striking a balance between historic traditions and tikanga
Supreme Court Hears Major Parental Rights Case Over LGBT Readings
26 Apr 2025 Leave a comment
in discrimination, economics of education, economics of religion, gender, law and economics, liberalism, Marxist economics, politics - USA Tags: sex discrimination

Today, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on a major parental rights case in Mahmoud v. Taylor, a challenge to Montgomery County (Md.) requiring their children to participate in instruction that includes LGBTQ+ themes. It is a case that could produce sweeping changes across the county as parents object to the use of public […]
Supreme Court Hears Major Parental Rights Case Over LGBT Readings
Marriage is in decline
25 Apr 2025 Leave a comment
in economic history, economics of love and marriage, gender, labour economics, law and economics Tags: marriage and divorce

Guest Post: Cultural reports: You didn’t think you’d get rid of me that easily, did you?
24 Apr 2025 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, law and economics, politics - New Zealand Tags: crime and punishment, criminal deterrence, law and order
A guest post by a reader: I regret to inform you that cultural reports are back, wearing a wig and a false mustache. In March 2024, Parliament passed the Legal Services Amendment Bill, which abolished public legal aid funding for section 27 reports, also known as “cultural reports”. Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith stated: “This will […]
Guest Post: Cultural reports: You didn’t think you’d get rid of me that easily, did you?
Where Britain has gone
23 Apr 2025 Leave a comment
in discrimination, economics of crime, economics of education, gender, law and economics, liberalism, Marxist economics, politics - New Zealand, property rights, sports economics Tags: sex discrimination
Ele Ludemann writes – New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill to define the biological definition of man and woman in law. . . . “This is not about being anti-anyone or anti-anything. This is about ensuring we as a country focus on the facts of biology and protect the term ‘woman’ in law”, says New Zealand First Leader […]
Where Britain has gone
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