SCOTUS allows Trump Muslim ban enforcement, but says it must allow broader exemptions for relatives
Source: Washington Post
"The Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed the Trump administration to enforce its refugee ban for now, but said it must allow broader exemptions to the president’s travel ban for family members, including grandparents. The justices in a short order refused the administration’s request that it stay a lower court’s decision that said the Trump administration had too severely interpreted the court’s decision last month about exempting those with close family relationships. The justices on Wednesday said the government’s appeal of the lower court should go through normal channels, with the next stop at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit." (07/19/17)
Zombies R Us
Source: Future of Freedom Foundation
by John W Whitehead
"RIP George Romero (1940-2017). Romero—a filmmaker hailed as the architect of the zombie genre—is dead at the age of 77, but the zombified police state culture he railed against lives on. Just take a look around you." (07/19/17)
Report: Republicans could target Obamacare tax in wider tax overhaul
Source: Reuters
"Republicans will consider using planned tax reform to eliminate one of the biggest taxes in Obamacare, if the Senate fails to overturn the healthcare law, a senior Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives said on Wednesday. Kevin Brady, the top Republican on tax policy in the House as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, said Republicans will look at the 3.8 percent Net Investment Income Tax in discussions aimed at unveiling a tax reform plan in September. The levy is a weight on economic growth, he said in an interview with Reuters. Efforts by Republicans to overhaul or repeal the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare, collapsed in the Senate on Tuesday in a major setback for Republican President Donald Trump." (07/19/17)
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-congress-brady-tax-exclusive-idUSKBN1A41X1
Triple jeopardy
Source: J Neil Schulman @ Rational Review
by J Neil Schulman
"O.J. Simpson is back in the news. Tomorrow, July 20, 2017, O.J. goes before a Nevada parole board that may release him after serving nine years in prison. Never having had a firearm in his hands during the incident for which he was tried, Simpson was convicted of armed robbery — with corollary charges — of a former business associate who had in fact stolen from Simpson for resale O.J.’s personal memorabilia. O.J. Simpson was trying to recover that stolen property in the presence of armed security. The Nevada conviction was for doing only things O.J. Simpson had every right to do. But the actual reason behind this kangaroo trial was political. Nevada prosecutors and a judge colluded to imprison O.J. Simpson for the California double murders for which he was acquitted after a criminal jury trial in California Superior Court." (06/19/17)
http://jneilschulman.rationalreview.com/2017/07/triple-jeopardy/
EU closer to sanctions on Poland over changes in judiciary
Source: ABC News
"A senior European Union official warned Wednesday the bloc is coming closer to imposing sanctions on Poland for the government's controversial attempt to take control over the judiciary, which has provoked a huge new wave of street protests and heated debate in the Polish parliament. The ruling conservative and populist Law and Justice Party had been rushing to get parliament's approval for a contentious draft law, which would reorganize the nation's highest court. It has had to slow down after vehement objection from the opposition, alarm from the EU and mass, peaceful protests against the measure." (07/19/17)
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/polands-lawmakers-continue-battle-judiciary-48718188
Some ICOs now ban Americans — who should expect more ostracism
Source: Bitcoin.com
by Wendy McElroy
"American financial policies have circled the world through tax and compliance treaties that are enforced to varying degrees by signatory nations. Americans are required to disclose income earned and wealth held abroad to the IRS. To maximize the tax grab, the policies also impose onerous reporting requirements on financial institutions with stiff penalties for non-compliance. And, so, Monaco Visa asked every applicant Some ICOs Now Ban Americans Who Should Expect More Ostracisma question: Are you a citizen of the United States? Those who checked the 'yes' box were directed to a page that stated, 'sorry, your citizenship excludes you from participation in this ICO due to excessive regulatory risk from your SEC [Security and Exchange Commission].'" (07/18/17)
https://news.bitcoin.com/some-icos-now-ban-americans-who-should-expect-more-ostracism/
McCain diagnosed with brain tumor after blood clot removed
Source: ABC News
"Sen. John McCain, 80, has a brain tumor, the Mayo Clinic and the Arizona Republican's office announced Wednesday night. 'On Friday, July 14, Sen. John McCain underwent a procedure to remove a blood clot from above his left eye at Mayo Clinic Hospital in Phoenix,' reads a statement from the Mayo Clinic, released at the request of McCain. 'Subsequent tissue pathology revealed that a primary brain tumor known as a glioblastoma was associated with the blood clot.' … According to the American Brain Tumor Association, more than 12,000 people a year are diagnosed with glioblastoma. The American Cancer Society puts the five-year survival rate for patients over 55 at about 4 percent." (07/19/17)
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/sen-john-mccain-brain-tumor/story?id=48736008
Jeff Sessions treads on the property rights of Americans
Source: The Atlantic
by Conor Friedersdorf
"Earlier this year, Justice Clarence Thomas, perhaps the most conservative jurist on the Supreme Court, attacked a government abuse that shocks many Americans when they first learn about it. In scores of cities and towns, law enforcement simply takes property from citizens, then sells or keeps it. They say that the property is related to a crime. But no one needs to prove that the property owner broke any law. Indeed, there are cases where everyone agrees he or she is innocent. And still the stuff is taken!" (07/19/17)
GOP targets Endangered Species Act as protections lifted
Source: San Francisco Chronicle
"Congressional Republicans are moving forward with legislation to roll back the Endangered Species Act, amid complaints that the 44-year-old law hinders drilling, logging and other activities. House and Senate committees were holding simultaneous hearings Wednesday on bills to revise the law and limit lengthy and costly litigation associated with it. The bills come as a federal court lifted federal protections for gray wolves in Wyoming and the Trump administration is removing protections for grizzly bears in and near Yellowstone National Park. House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Rob Bishop said the bills would curb excessive litigation and allow officials to focus on actual species conservation." (07/19/17)
Immunity for prosecutors encourages fraud
Source: Ludwig von Mises Institute
by William L Anderson
"Criminal trials are not market-based events, but, nonetheless, guilt and innocence depend upon all of the participants – and especially jurors – having correct information presented to them within the rules of due process. People rightfully are disturbed by wrongful convictions. Prosecutors have huge incentives to convict, and benefits of winning convictions are likely to outweigh any potential costs. More convictions mean electoral victories (many members of Congress are former prosecutors), raises for staff attorneys, and prestige." (07/19/17)
https://mises.org/blog/immunity-prosecutors-encourages-fraud
