Articles

The Hill : Yes, we should follow the science, but who should make the decisions?

June 21, 2021 | By GLENN ROPER

“Follow the science” has been a frequent refrain throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. And who can disagree with that simple slogan? After all, science is perhaps our best tool for understanding and combating insidious threats like microscopic viruses. Science has served us well: It was the application of scientific principles that decoded ...

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Blue-collar fishermen deserve to make a living

November 30, 2020 | By GLENN ROPER

Austen Brown started fishing commercially with his father off California’s coast when he was only 8 years old. By the time he was 13, Austen was making his own living as a fisherman, and he has spent the past few decades fishing for everything from codfish to shark. But perhaps his favorite target is the … ...

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The Hill : Courts should interpret unclear laws in favor of freedom, not bureaucratic preference

November 02, 2020 | By GLENN ROPER

A federal appeals court in Denver is considering a controversial question: Does a “bump stock” — a firearm add-on that allows bullets to be fired in rapid succession — turn an ordinary rifle into an illegal machine gun? In 2018, the federal agency that regulates firearms concluded that it does. A Utah gun lobbyist sued … ...

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Governments should uphold separation of powers during COVID-19

July 20, 2020 | By GLENN ROPER

As America begins to open up from the COVID-19 pandemic, various state and local stay-at-home orders, and the lifting of those orders, have been subject to legal challenges. Many of these lawsuits claim that government action violates the “separation of powers.” Yet there is confusion as to what that term means and how it impacts ̷ ...

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NYC Education Chancellor Carranza’s policies of racial discrimination are causing growing concern

October 23, 2019 | By GLENN ROPER

New York City’s education chancellor Richard Carranza recently suggested the city’s “Gifted and Talented Programs” for students be changed or scrapped because of supposed racial inequality. This summer, PLF wrote about the multiple discrimination controversies surrounding Carranza’s tenure as education chancellor. ~~~ ...