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Shelby County v. Holder: Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act Conflicts with Section 2, Which Provides the Proper Remedy for Racial Discrimination in Voting | Ilya Shapiro | Cato Institute: " the racial gap in voter registration and turnout, for example, is lower in states originally covered by Section 5 than nationwide. These problems undermine the Voting Rights Act’s successful legacy."
Monday, February 18, 2013
Assessing New Gun Control Proposals | Trevor Burrus | Cato Institute
Assessing New Gun Control Proposals | Trevor Burrus | Cato Institute: "Assault weapons were defined under the 1994 law by features that have little or nothing to do with lethality. One such feature, a folding stock, allows people of different heights use of the weapon. Another feature, a “barrel shroud,” protects the user from touching a hot barrel. Collectively, these features make the guns look more dangerous, meaning they look more like guns used in movies, but they do not make them more dangerous.
Moreover, assault weapons are rarely used in gun crimes. In 2011, nearly 13,000 people were killed by violent acts, yet only 343 were killed by rifles of any type. By comparison, blunt objects (hammers, bats, etc.) killed 500. Furthermore, if assault weapons are banned, it does not follow that those 343 people would still be alive. The killers would just choose a different weapon."
"According to a 2001 Justice Department survey of state and federal prisoners, only 0.7 percent of weapons used by the prisoners were acquired at gun shows."
"Those with qualifying mental-health issues are already prohibited from purchasing a firearm, but records of mental disorders are often missing from the system."
Moreover, assault weapons are rarely used in gun crimes. In 2011, nearly 13,000 people were killed by violent acts, yet only 343 were killed by rifles of any type. By comparison, blunt objects (hammers, bats, etc.) killed 500. Furthermore, if assault weapons are banned, it does not follow that those 343 people would still be alive. The killers would just choose a different weapon."
"According to a 2001 Justice Department survey of state and federal prisoners, only 0.7 percent of weapons used by the prisoners were acquired at gun shows."
"Those with qualifying mental-health issues are already prohibited from purchasing a firearm, but records of mental disorders are often missing from the system."
Senator Paul Delivers Tea Party Response to State of the Union Address | Rand Paul 2016 | U.S. Senate
Senator Paul Delivers Tea Party Response to State of the Union Address | Rand Paul 2016 | U.S. Senate: "The President does a big “woe is me” over the $1.2 trillion sequester that he endorsed and signed into law. Some Republicans are joining him. Few people understand that the sequester doesn’t even cut any spending. It just slows the rate of growth. Even with the sequester, government will grow over $7 trillion over the next decade."
"It is often said that there is not enough bipartisanship up here.
That is not true.
In fact, there is plenty.
Both parties have been guilty of spending too much, of protecting their sacred cows, of backroom deals in which everyone up here wins, but every taxpayer loses.
It is time for a new bipartisan consensus.
It is time Democrats admit that not every dollar spent on domestic programs is sacred. And it is time Republicans realize that military spending is not immune to waste and fraud."
"This massive expansion of the debt destroys savings and steals the value of your wages."
"Competition has made America the richest nation in history. Competition can make our educational system the envy of the world.
The status quo traps poor children in a crumbling system of hopelessness.
When every child can, like the President’s kids, go to the school of their choice, then will the dreams of our children come true!"
"It is often said that there is not enough bipartisanship up here.
That is not true.
In fact, there is plenty.
Both parties have been guilty of spending too much, of protecting their sacred cows, of backroom deals in which everyone up here wins, but every taxpayer loses.
It is time for a new bipartisan consensus.
It is time Democrats admit that not every dollar spent on domestic programs is sacred. And it is time Republicans realize that military spending is not immune to waste and fraud."
"This massive expansion of the debt destroys savings and steals the value of your wages."
"Competition has made America the richest nation in history. Competition can make our educational system the envy of the world.
The status quo traps poor children in a crumbling system of hopelessness.
When every child can, like the President’s kids, go to the school of their choice, then will the dreams of our children come true!"
Friday, February 15, 2013
Chicago police changing response to 911 calls | Fox News
Chicago police changing response to 911 calls | Fox News: "starting Sunday officers won't respond in person to lesser crimes. Those include vehicle theft or incidents where the victim is safe and doesn't need medical attention.
Those calls will go to another department and police reports taken over the phone."
Those calls will go to another department and police reports taken over the phone."
3 bystanders reportedly shot by police during hunt for murder suspect | Fox News
3 bystanders reportedly shot by police during hunt for murder suspect | Fox News: "A vehicle that matched the description of Dorner’s truck was driving down the road, but was delivering newspapers, the report said. Two older women were delivering papers when police opened fire, the report said."
"Another person was shot driving a pickup truck after additional Torrance police arrived at the scene, the report said."
How could that happen?
"Another person was shot driving a pickup truck after additional Torrance police arrived at the scene, the report said."
How could that happen?
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Not so sinister: Homeland Security is stockpiling ammo _ for target practice | Fox News
Not so sinister: Homeland Security is stockpiling ammo _ for target practice | Fox News: "The Homeland Security Department wants to buy more than 1.6 billion rounds of ammunition in the next four or five years."
That works out to about 200 rounds per federal officers per month.
That works out to about 200 rounds per federal officers per month.
Mish's Global Economic Trend Analysis: Meet Watson, Your Doctor in a Pizza-Size Box
Mish's Global Economic Trend Analysis: Meet Watson, Your Doctor in a Pizza-Size Box: "The original Watson system consisted of 90 IBM Power 750 servers taking up 10 full racks. That works out to 2,880 CPU cores and 15TB of RAM. Watson now fits in a pizza box."
"WellPoint points out that doctors miss early stage lung cancer diagnoses about half the time. Watson, on the other hand, is able to get the right diagnosis on these same cases 90% of the time. Although, Watson will still hedge its bets: When a medical professional consults the system, they will receive results on an iPad or computer in about 30 seconds with possible courses of action sorted by confidence level."
"WellPoint points out that doctors miss early stage lung cancer diagnoses about half the time. Watson, on the other hand, is able to get the right diagnosis on these same cases 90% of the time. Although, Watson will still hedge its bets: When a medical professional consults the system, they will receive results on an iPad or computer in about 30 seconds with possible courses of action sorted by confidence level."
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Book Review: Coolidge | Gene Healy | Cato Institute
Book Review: Coolidge | Gene Healy | Cato Institute: "If there was ever a time when the president could simply preside, it has long passed. As early as the Eisenhower era, political scientist Clinton Rossiter observed that the public had come to see the federal chief executive as “a combination of scoutmaster, Delphic oracle, hero of the silver screen, and father of the multitudes.” Under the pressure of public demands, the office had accrued a host of responsibilities over and above its constitutional ones: “World Leader,” “Protector of the Peace,” “Chief Legislator,” “Manager of Prosperity,” “Voice of the People,” and more."
"In politics, it’s often easier to “do something,” however unwise, than it is to hold firm:"
"But unlike modern supply-siders, Coolidge attacked the beast head-on, instead of hoping to “starve” it indirectly."
"The tax cuts that Coolidge and Treasury Secretary Andrew Mellon orchestrated took millions of people off the tax rolls. Unlike Mitt Romney, Coolidge and Mellon didn’t worry that they’d created a new horde of “takers.”"
"Coolidge “removed William Burns, the head of the Bureau of Investigation, and curtailed wiretapping, one of Burns’s favored tools.”"
"Coolidge ordered the release of Wilson’s remaining political prisoners."
"for all Coolidge’s faults, “the itch to run things did not afflict him….He never made inflammatory speeches….No bughouse professors, sweating fourth-dimensional economics, were received at the White House.”"
"In politics, it’s often easier to “do something,” however unwise, than it is to hold firm:"
"But unlike modern supply-siders, Coolidge attacked the beast head-on, instead of hoping to “starve” it indirectly."
"The tax cuts that Coolidge and Treasury Secretary Andrew Mellon orchestrated took millions of people off the tax rolls. Unlike Mitt Romney, Coolidge and Mellon didn’t worry that they’d created a new horde of “takers.”"
"Coolidge “removed William Burns, the head of the Bureau of Investigation, and curtailed wiretapping, one of Burns’s favored tools.”"
"Coolidge ordered the release of Wilson’s remaining political prisoners."
"for all Coolidge’s faults, “the itch to run things did not afflict him….He never made inflammatory speeches….No bughouse professors, sweating fourth-dimensional economics, were received at the White House.”"
Obama's Executive Death Warrants | Cato Institute
Obama's Executive Death Warrants | Cato Institute: "Khan and Awlaki senior probably weren’t any great loss to humanity, but there’s an important matter of principle here: Can a president really serve as judge, jury and executioner over any American he deems a security threat?"
"Legal scholar Ryan Alford observes that the 13th century marks “the last time when the executive branch of any country governed by the common law had asserted that it was legal to kill a citizen on the basis of an executive order.” Obama’s “executive death warrant” is more than a breach of the Fifth Amendment’s due process guarantee, he argues, it’s an affront to the entire Anglo-American constitutional order."
"It seems it’s perfectly legal for the president to deem you a terrorist and vaporize you with a drone. But there’s one thing that he can never do: penalize you for failure to purchase health insurance. That would be tyrannical, you see."
"Legal scholar Ryan Alford observes that the 13th century marks “the last time when the executive branch of any country governed by the common law had asserted that it was legal to kill a citizen on the basis of an executive order.” Obama’s “executive death warrant” is more than a breach of the Fifth Amendment’s due process guarantee, he argues, it’s an affront to the entire Anglo-American constitutional order."
"It seems it’s perfectly legal for the president to deem you a terrorist and vaporize you with a drone. But there’s one thing that he can never do: penalize you for failure to purchase health insurance. That would be tyrannical, you see."
School bus driver who flunked drug test can keep job, New York court rules | Fox News
School bus driver who flunked drug test can keep job, New York court rules | Fox News: "A New York bus driver who was fired after failing a random drug test should be reinstated, the state’s highest court ruled on Tuesday.
The Albany Times Union reports that the Court of Appeals' unanimous ruling supports the conclusion of an arbitrator who determined the firing of Cynthia DiDomenicantonio in November 2009 was too severe a punishment for the 10-year district employee."
The Albany Times Union reports that the Court of Appeals' unanimous ruling supports the conclusion of an arbitrator who determined the firing of Cynthia DiDomenicantonio in November 2009 was too severe a punishment for the 10-year district employee."
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