By: Jessica Colburn The Second Amendment, while hotly debated, is not well understood because the language of the Amendment is unclear and old, specifically 227 years old. Here, we shed some light on what is meant by the language of the Second Amendment, including the phrases, “a well-regulated militia” and “the right of the people … Continue reading PIAC Gun Control Series: The History of the 2nd Amendment
Politics
An Open Letter to Professors Amy Waxer and Larry Alexander: Don’t Misrepresent Facts, Assert Controversial Positions, and Act Surprised When You Receive Aggressive Responses
By: Robert Bryson Don’t Misrepresent Facts to Assert Controversial Positions On August 9, 2017, Professors Amy Waxer of the University of the Pennsylvania, School of Law, and Larry Alexander, of the University of San Diego, School of Law (my alma mater), published a controversial article in the Philadelphia Inquirer “Paying the Price for Breakdown of … Continue reading An Open Letter to Professors Amy Waxer and Larry Alexander: Don’t Misrepresent Facts, Assert Controversial Positions, and Act Surprised When You Receive Aggressive Responses
California Supreme Court Expands the Public Records Act to Include Emails Sent Between the Private Accounts of Public Officials, If the Emails Concern Public Business
By: Robert Bryson City of San Jose vs. Superior Court (Smith) 2017 2 Cal.5th 608 The Public Records Act (“PRA”) is the California equivalent of the federal Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”) which mandates that government communications and records (aside from a few exceptions) are public property and disclosable to any member of the public … Continue reading California Supreme Court Expands the Public Records Act to Include Emails Sent Between the Private Accounts of Public Officials, If the Emails Concern Public Business
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the House of Representatives Look to Loosen Rules on Payday Lenders
By: Robert Bryson Don’t get one of these – that is the summation of this article. With that aside, let’s dig into payday loans. What are payday loans? Payday lenders offer loan products to “high-risk” individuals, people who ordinarily cannot access credit. A payday loan involves taking out a loan against anticipated future income. For … Continue reading Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the House of Representatives Look to Loosen Rules on Payday Lenders
Counterpoint: Jerry Brown Denies Parole to Leslie Van Houten, Charles Manson Follower and Convicted Murder Shows Some Crimes Cannot Be Redeemed and Not Everyone is Eligible for Parole
By: Robert Bryson Perhaps one of the biggest misconceptions surrounding California policies is that it is always progressive, it is always a leader, an example for the rest of the country and the world. But, that simply isn’t true. California is as much the founder of voluntary workers’ compensation in the United States as it … Continue reading Counterpoint: Jerry Brown Denies Parole to Leslie Van Houten, Charles Manson Follower and Convicted Murder Shows Some Crimes Cannot Be Redeemed and Not Everyone is Eligible for Parole
Point: Governor Jerry Brown’s Denial of Parole to Leslie Van Houten, Charles Manson Follower and Convicted Murderer, Shows the Limits California’s Progressive Approach to Criminal Justice
By: Ridgeway Woulfe On January 19, 2018, California Governor Jerry Brown denied parole to 68-year-old Leslie Van Houten, marking the second time he has done so despite the state’s parole panel recommending release both times. Van Houten has been, and now continues to serve a life sentence for murders she committed when she was 19 … Continue reading Point: Governor Jerry Brown’s Denial of Parole to Leslie Van Houten, Charles Manson Follower and Convicted Murderer, Shows the Limits California’s Progressive Approach to Criminal Justice
Where’s the Beef? How Current Defamation Laws are Already What Donald Trump says He Wants
By: Ridgeway Woulfe Since before his electoral college victory, President Trump has emphasized his intention to restructure libel laws to remove the protections currently in place. He has called the current state of the laws a “sham” and says his solution is that “when somebody says something that is false and defamatory … Continue reading Where’s the Beef? How Current Defamation Laws are Already What Donald Trump says He Wants
Voter Fraud: What is at stake in Husted v. A. Philip Randolph Institute?
By: Robert Bryson and Jessica Colburn In our journey down the rabbit hole of voter fraud, we have discussed how voter identification laws are still a thing, and whether voter fraud even happens. We also talked about Trump’s commission on voter fraud and its ultimate decommissioning. Most recently, we considered the delicate balance between encouraging … Continue reading Voter Fraud: What is at stake in Husted v. A. Philip Randolph Institute?
The Danger of Fake “Fake News”: How Donald Trump’s Improvisation Set about the Destruction of Fact in Society
By: Ridgeway Woulfe "You’re fake news” the president-elect stated, pointing a finger at the journalist probing him in August 2017. The statement appeared improvised, and President Trump has since claimed he invented the term. Immediately, much of society saw the Idiocracy-level absurdity in the statement, yielding a tidal wave of … Continue reading The Danger of Fake “Fake News”: How Donald Trump’s Improvisation Set about the Destruction of Fact in Society
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