Obama's administration is opposing common law global warming suits?

August 27, 2010

Author: Luke A. Wake It is surprising to see that the Obama Administration has filed a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court supporting the petitioners in AEP v. Connecticut. They are asking the Supreme Court to reverse the Second Circuit decision permitting Connecticut and number of other plaintiffs to sue energy companies for their emission … ...

Is there such a thing as “smart regulation”?

August 26, 2010

Author: Timothy Sandefur My friend Ed Brayton, blogging at Dispatches from The Culture Wars, argues that when talking about government regulation of the economy, “The issue should not be one of regulation vs no regulation, it should be one of smart regulation. Regulations well designed to achieve the goal of protecting consumers…without ...

Taking economic liberty seriously

August 26, 2010

Author: Timothy Sandefur Reason magazine has posted a very kind review of my book, The Right to Earn A Living. … ...

Are lead bullets on their way out?

August 26, 2010

Author:  Damien M. Schiff Earlier this month, the Center for Biological Diversity submitted a petition to the Environmental Protection Agency requesting that the latter ban lead-based ammunition and fishing tackle.  CBD submitted the petition pursuant to the Toxic Substances Control Act.  The petition concedes that EPA is forbidde ...

LAUSD eliminates race-based teacher policy

August 26, 2010

Author: Joshua Thompson There has been a lot of great coverage of PLF's excellent settlement with the Los Angeles Unified School District, whereby LAUSD agreed to eliminate its race-conscious Teacher Integration Transfer Program.  Here's a snippet from the Los Angeles Daily News: Wednesday's announcement by the Pacific ...

How the commerce clause was twisted to give Congress power over everything

August 25, 2010

Author: Timothy Sandefur Our friends at Reason.tv have prepared an outstanding video about the legal issues surrounding the commerce clause, and how courts have expanded Congress' powers under that provision. The best part is when Prof. Chemerinsky concedes that Congress could force people to buy cars if it wanted to. … ...

Should Congress strengthen the Clean Water Act? No: Plan is sleight of hand

August 25, 2010

Author: Reed Hopper Read my op-ed in the Duluth News Tribune. Here is an excerpt: "In a recent letter to colleagues, U.S. Rep. Jim Oberstar claimed his new bill — “America’s Commitment to Clean Water Act” (H.R.5088) — would “restore, but not expand, the geographic scope of the Clean Water Act” that existed bef ...

PLF and Ward Connerly announce that LAUSD ends race-based teacher placement

August 25, 2010

Los Angeles, CA; August 25, 2010: In a legal settlement responding to a Proposition 209 lawsuit by Pacific Legal Foundation attorneys, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) has rescinded its policy of race-based discrimination in teacher assignment. Therefore, PLF announced today that it has dismissed the lawsuit as of this week. “U ...

The salmon wars, continued

August 25, 2010

Author:  Damien M. Schiff The Ninth Circuit this week issued another decision in the longrunning dispute over whether and how to protect populations of salmon and related fish under the Endangered Species Act.  In Modesto Irrigation District v. Gutierrez, the plaintiffs challenged the National Marine Fisheries Service's decision not ...

Update: Ninth Circuit denies rehearing in Leu v. IBC

August 25, 2010

Author: Daniel Himebaugh The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit will not rehear the appeal in Leu v. International Boundary Commission. You may recall that this is the case in which former International Boundary Commissioner Dennis Schornack claimed that President Bush lacked the power to terminate his appointment as a commissioner.  ...