Real estate agents in New York have argued that if landlords are forced to pay brokers’ fees, they will pass those costs on to tenants. There’s evidence that may
Reasonable LibertarianismReason Posts for Wednesday, 2/5/2020, and Thursday, 2/6/2020
- Is Joe Biden Is Getting Closer to Supporting Marijuana Legalization? — Eric Boehm: In New Hampshire, Biden says marijuana should be “basically legalized.” That’s an accurate representation of his proposed policies, but it also shows how he’s lagging on the issue.
- New York Court Says Daily Fantasy Sports Betting Law Is Unconstitutional — Scott Shackford: Lawmakers legalized DFS betting. The state’s top justices say that’s not allowed.
- Trump Denounces ‘Dirty Cops,’ ‘Leakers,’ and ‘Liars’ in Post-Acquittal Victory Speech — Billy Binion: “These people are vicious,” Trump said.
- Class-Action Lawsuit Challenges Detroit’s Asset Forfeiture Racket — C.J. Ciaramella: The lawsuit says Wayne County police stop and seize cars simply for entering or leaving certain areas.
- A Tennessee County Destroyed Hundreds of Records Requested by a Local Newspaper — Zuri Davis: The Hamilton County Attorney’s Office later admitted that its policies conflict with the state’s public records law.
- New York Regulators Issue Surprise Ban on Charging Renters Broker Fees — Christian Britschgi: Brokers and building owners are vowing to fight a regulation they say will be catastrophic for their industry.
- New York Police Try To Pin Gang Witness’s Death on Criminal Justice Reforms — Scott Shackford: The state’s new rules requiring information-sharing with defense lawyers are not to blame here.
- City Officials Want To Clamp Down on Dragon’s Ascent, a Video Game That Pays Skillful Players — Masha Abarinova: Mayor Muriel Bowser: “Immediate action is necessary to regulate these electronic devices before they infiltrate the city.”
- Alexander Hamilton’s Influence on Free Press Law: Free Speech Rules (Episode 10) — Eugene Volokh and Austin Bragg: Episode 10 of Free Speech Rules, a video series by UCLA law professor Eugene Volokh
- Rental Car Companies Collect $4 Billion in Special Treatment While Complaining That Their Competitors Get Special Treatment — Eric Boehm: Now those companies are asking state lawmakers to ban or cripple potential competition from car-sharing programs.
- Judge Upbraids UConn for Unfair Investigation — Robby Soave: The university disallowed the testimony of witnesses who would have undermined the accuser’s credibility.
- Reason Roundup: What Americans Think About Prostitution Laws — Elizabeth Nolan Brown: Plus: Buttigieg ekes out a win in Iowa, Mitt Romney blows everyone’s minds, and more…
- Australia Moves To Restrict Cash and Build Up Its Surveillance State — J.D. Tuccille: It’s all part of the international push by officials to monitor the public. You’re next.
- The War on Porn Is Back — Katherine Mangu-Ward: Conservatives hope to renew their old alliance with radical feminists.
- Uncle Sam Doubles Down on His Spending Addiction — Veronique de Rugy: The federal government is not a good steward of your money.
Wednesday, 2/5/2020:
- Did Republicans Buy the Argument That Impeachment Requires a Crime? — Jacob Sullum: While some senators seemed to endorse that misbegotten claim, others explicitly rejected it.
- Senate Votes To Acquit Trump on All Charges — Billy Binion: While some Republicans conceded that the president acted inappropriately, they concluded that his conduct was not impeachable.
- Undercover Cops Hired 118 Handymen, Then Arrested Them All for Not Having Licenses — Christian Britschgi: Undercover sheriff’s deputies posing as homeowners hired handymen to paint, install recessed lighting, or do other tasks that require licenses. Then they arrested them.
- ‘The President Is Guilty.’ Mitt Romney Will Break Party Lines, Vote To Remove Trump. — Eric Boehm: It won’t change the result of Trump’s impeachment trial. It matters anyway.
- New York City’s Commission on Human Rights Thinks It Can Tell Prada What To Sell. Prada Agrees. — Robby Soave: The city’s overzealous commission has ordered the company to stop selling dolls some said were racial caricatures.
- Lawsuit Targets Nashville Courts for Treating Bail Money Like Down Payments for Fines, Fees — Scott Shackford: ACLU argues the practice violates the Eighth Amendment.
- On Marijuana, Sanders Promises the Impossible, While Bloomberg Promises More of the Same — Jacob Sullum: The former New York City mayor, who thinks legalizing pot is “one of the stupidest things we’ve ever done,” nevertheless says “putting people in jail for marijuana” is “really dumb.”
- Meet Titania McGrath, the Wokest SJW on Twitter — Nick Gillespie: “Say what you will about ISIS but at least they’re not Islamophobic.” Journalist Andrew Doyle has created the ultimate parody account.
- L.A. Politicians Want To Seize Private Apartment Building to Prevent Rent Increases — Christian Britschgi: Gil Cedillo, city councilmember, has introduced a motion asking the city to study its options for seizing the 124-unit Hillside Villa.
- Trump Bashes Socialism While Endorsing a Status Quo Socialism of His Own — Peter Suderman: The president promised to protect Medicare and Social Security, America’s biggest entitlement programs.
- A Group of Prosecutors Want SCOTUS To Save Death Row Inmate James Dailey — Zuri Davis: Former prosecutor Bennett Gershman: “The use of jailhouse informants…is one of the great abuses in criminal trials across America.”
- In California, Protecting Workers Means Outlawing Their Jobs — John Osterhoudt: Assembly Bill 5 was designed to constrain the growth of the so-called gig economy. In practice, it’s closing off opportunities
- Reason Roundup: State of the Union: Trump Tells Tall Tales, Dems Walk Out — Elizabeth Nolan Brown: Plus: Iowa updates, Ancestry.com tells cops to buzz off, and more…
- Government Should Repeal Out of Date Laws — John Stossel: “People commit crimes all the time without knowing it. It’s impossible to know what sort of behavior is criminal.”
- Good and Bad Reasons for Acquitting Trump — Jacob Sullum: Republicans should think twice before endorsing the dangerous myth that impeachment requires a criminal violation.
