August 11, 2026

AZ immigration law stopped–for now.

Image by lungstruck via Flickr Susan Bolton made the news, whether she wanted to or not.  U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton, that is. U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton halted implementation of the parts of the law that require police to determine the immigration status of people they stop and think are in the country illegally. […]

Matheson out of loop on Utah’s US Attorney

We’ve mentioned the strange case of the possible selection of Republican Robert Burns for US Attorney of Utah by Democratic President Barack Obama.  Usually, the President selects members of his own party, and usually with the suggestions and advice of members of his party in the state.  In Utah’s case, there are few of these. […]

The Pentagon Papers of the Afghan War? Or more smoke than fire?

Image via Wikipedia Check it at the New York Times here, the Wall Street Journal here, Boing Boing here, and especially here, at Wikileaks. It may be the “largest intelligence leak in history”. Here are a few books that you might want to read: Taliban, by Ahmed Rashid, Ghost Wars by Steve Coll, Unholy Wars […]

The legal challenges to the health care bill

Apparently, there is some question about the legality of the bill recently (as in yesterday) signed into law by President Obama.  I’ve already discussed the questionable procedures used to pass it in the House.  But what about the bill itself?  Is it legal?  Is it constitutional? Let me just say at the outset that rational […]

The Freedom of Information Act and the Presidency

During my undergrad days, I did a stint as a lowly intern in a mammoth sized bureaucracy in Washington, D.C.  The building that housed the “Department” was built in the 1950s, and it smelled that way, too.  One of my main tasks, other than attending endless meetings on subject matter about which I knew or […]