Archive for July, 2010

While millions of Americans celebrated Independence Day on Monday the old fashioned way — parades, BBQ, political gatherings, and fireworks to commemorate our country’s 234th birthday, several thousand folks with nothing better to do spent hours in the hot, summer sun on Long Island watching a panel of their fellow citizens who also had nothing better to do, chew and swallow as many hot dogs and soggy buns as they could within 10 minutes.  Who says America has lost its competitive advantage in the world?  One of our own once again has captured the annual Nathan’s hot dog-eating contest.

Stuffing as much food into one’s  mouth as possible and swallowing it without throwing up has now become big business in the U.S.  and in other countries as well (Japan being a major competitor).  There is even a franchise organization — MLE (Major League Eating) — that “governs” competitive eating contests that draw probably millions of viewers to events around the world each …

Continue reading Competitive eating has gone mainstream, with lawsuits and arrests »

By a five to four majority last week, the United States Supreme Court ruled that neither a state nor a city acting under a grant of authority from the state, can deny a person the right to possess a firearm as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the Constitution.  Interestingly, of that slim, five-member majority, only one justice had the constitutional backbone to rule the right way for the right reason.  It was not Chief Justice Roberts, and it was not Antonin Scalia, considered by many as the most conservative of the tribunal’s nine members.

Standing alone in his correct and bold interpretation of both the Second Amendment and the Fourteenth, which figured prominently in the Court’s consideration of McDonald v. City of Chicago, Illinois, is Justice Clarence Thomas.  Thomas — who was savagely attacked by Democratic opponents in the Senate when the first President Bush nominated him in 1991 – solidified his reputation as the true constitutionalist on the Court.

The …

Continue reading Gun-Rights case reveals one true “constitutional” justice »

It appears to be an immutable law of governance that government will almost always overreact to a problem (whether real or perceived).  Often, government does this by passing new criminal laws rather than simply taking the time and exerting the effort to enforce laws already on the books.  Passage of the Patriot Act in 2001 — which gave the federal government vast, new powers to limit free speech and privacy, is a prime example.  Other times, the government simply passes laws inconveniencing everyone in an effort to stop the relatively few scofflaws hiding amongst us.  Gun control — in which the government makes it difficult or impossible for law-abiding citizens to purchase or own firearms – illustrates this approach perfectly.

Here in Georgia, concern that drug abusers will gain access to prescription controlled substances, has led state and local officials to overreact in typical fashion. 

At the state level (and as reported in this Blog on March 22nd of this year), …

Continue reading Pain clinics feel government’s heavy hand »