Justice O’Connor once explained that “no legal rule or doctrine is safe from ad hoc nullification by this Court when an occasion for its application arises in a case involving state regulation of abortion.” (I think a similar principle applies to the Eighth Amendment; more on Glossip later.) In the lead-up to Dobbs, I listed a host of […]
A 100-year-old law that artificially inflates the price of shipping freight by water in the United States is widely understood to be an economically inefficient bit of protectionism. Could it also be unconstitutional? That’s what a lawsuit filed Tuesday asks a federal district court to decide. In the complaint, the owners of a Hawaii-based rum […]
Happy Tuesday, and welcome to another edition of Rent Free. This week’s stories include: Internal panic at the Department of Housing and Urban Development over DOGE cuts to staff and programs. Karen Bass’ resurfaced comments on how she successfully abused the California Environmental Equality Act (CEQA) provide a teachable moment in the difficulties of reform. […]
From the MIT Technology Review (Jessica Hamzeou): Both Joyce Esser, who lives in the UK, and Jules Rodriguez, who lives in Miami, Florida, have forms of motor neuron disease—a class of progressive disorders that result in the gradual loss of the ability to move and control muscles…. AI is bringing back those lost voices. Both […]
From N.Y. Times (German Lopez): Marvel Rivals is one of the biggest video games in the world. Since its launch in December, more than 40 million people have signed up to fight one another as comic book heroes like Iron Man and Wolverine. {With Marvel Rivals, Disney licensed its intellectual property for the game.} But […]
Two months ago, President Donald Trump promised that Congress would “cut Hundreds of Billions of Dollars in spending next year through Reconciliation!” Two weeks ago, Trump seemingly doubled down: “BALANCED BUDGET!!!” he declared in an all-caps post on Truth Social that, in fairness, could be seen either as a demand for such a thing—or an […]
Does the Free Press Clause provide extra rights to the institutional press, or instead protect all speakers’ equal rights to use the printing press and its technological heirs? My cohost Jane Bambauer and I discuss this with legendary First Amendment lawyer Floyd Abrams. You can also watch our past episodes: Free Speech, Private Power, and Private […]
Apple announced on February 24 that it will spend and invest more than $500 billion in the U.S. over the next four years. President Donald Trump took to social media to credit his administration for the announcement. Without his policies, the president said, Apple “wouldn’t be investing ten cents.” However, Trump’s antitrust and trade policies […]
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