Before Thomas Paine published Common Sense in January, 1776, no one in the British North American colonies would utter the word “Independence”. By July 4th, a little over six months later the Continental Congress issued the Declaration of Independence. In more recent times, the concept of placing America First was something like “independence”, not to […]
Ninth Circuit: Second Amendment Protects Right to Open Carry in Public
July 25, 2018 by
On July 24, 2018 a three judge panel of the normally liberal United States Ninth Circuit Appeals affirmed that the Second Amendment protects a personal right to openly carry a firearm in public. The County of Hawaii’s Chief of Police had twice denied George K. Young’s application to carry a handgun because he failed to […]
The Carter Page FISA Applications Are 22 Pages of Nothing
July 23, 2018 by
Since it’s all the rage, I took time to read the Carter Page FISA warrant applications. There’s a torrent of social media and cable news about what these documents prove. A great deal of the commentary starts with and seems to emphasize a particular fact that is technically true. The documents released consist of 412 […]
My Support for Judge Kavanaugh
July 11, 2018 by
Investigating President Trump’s nomination for the Supreme Court, Judge Brett Kavanaugh brought back memories of law school and a nettlesome problem I observed in America. Here’s how I came to believe a Justice Kavanaugh will be good for America. As part of being on law review all members write a piece called a “note”. It’s […]
IT IS THE SOLDIER
July 7, 2018 by
Consideration of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights is often focused on abstract ideals, principles and philosophy. Certainly these are part of the mix that guide our daily decisions and interactions with our fellow citizens. The freedoms and liberties we enjoy in the United States will forever be under attack […]
The Border “Crisis”: It’s About Child Protection, Not Family Separation
July 3, 2018 by
Across the United States there are courts established that deal on a daily basis with the nearly 438,000 American children in foster care. These children have been “separated” from their families for a myriad of reasons. The children have been the victims of abuse and neglect, sometimes inflicted by their parents or caretakers that the […]
Supreme Court Upholds “Travel Ban” With “DUH”
June 28, 2018 by
There’s a legal phrase that an appellate court uses to say a lower court failed to follow the law: ABUSE OF DISCRETION It’s the legal equivalent of “DUH”. In his majority opinion for the United States Supreme Court that upheld President Trump’s limitations on travel to the United States in the case of Hawaii v. […]
Police Officer, Good Samaritan, Guardian Angel
May 15, 2018 by
It is said that every day of life is an important day because you can never have it back. None the less, it is clear when you look ahead on the calendar, some days loom as more important than others. Friday May 11, 2018 was to be more important than others. I was scheduled to […]
Is The OIG and Michael Horowitz Our Best Hope?
April 21, 2018 by
Our constitutional republic is predicated upon the rule of law. We stand to lose the republic and our freedoms when those who have been entrusted with power utilize that power, not for the public good, but rather for personal political gain. As we learn from the Declaration of Independence, “Governments are instituted among Men” to secure […]
Dr. Ford’s Reticence to Testify in Judge Kavanaugh Senate Hearing
Regarding Dr. Christine Ford’s reticence to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee about Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court without a prior FBI investigation: I’ve been thinking. The offer has been made to allow her to testify in a closed session. Even if there were an open session, at congressional hearings, witnesses do […]