The scene was a familiar one: A team wins a championship and celebrates in the clubhouse afterward. And that’s just what the Cincinnati Reds did at Great American Ballpark on Tuesday night after beating the Houston Astros to clinch their first division crown in 15 years. With players drenched in champagne, Reds owner Bob Castellini broke out cigars, distributing them to all and sundry. That’s when the troubles began. Ohio state law, as it turns out, bans indoor smoking in such facilities. And at least five concerned citizens called in …
As Members of Congress limp out of Washington to face their constituents, it’s worth reviewing their accomplishments—or lack thereof. The most basic function of Congress is to manage the public purse. The most basic step in managing finances—whether of a family, a business, a state, or a nation—is to pass a budget identifying expected revenues and intended outlays. As per his responsibility, the President laid out his budget in great detail in January. For the first time in modern memory, the House of Representatives did not even attempt to pass …
The Obama Justice Department has launched an unprecedented legal assault on Arizona’s attempts to stem the tide of illegal immigration, filing at least three lawsuits against Arizona and other state officials and entities. Supporters of Arizona’s actions argue that the lawsuits not only ignore conditions on the ground in Arizona, but also will make them worse. Are Arizona’s actions justified and constitutional? Do they violate civil rights? Are the lawsuits filed by Justice driven by politics or legal considerations? And what effect will they have on federal enforcement and border …
The radical left in Latin America often prides itself in its ability to stir up the masses and make nations ungovernable by elected officials and representative governments, especially centrist or conservative regimes. But when popular unrest or insubordination, threatens a Leftist leader, the Left cries “coup” and “conspiracy.” The current situation in Ecuador following clashes between the government of Rafael Correa and striking police officials is unclear. Political instability is nothing new to Ecuador. It has had eight presidents in the last 13 years. Since his election in 2006, Correa …
On May 14, 2010, Department of Justice Civil Rights Division Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Perez testified before the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights about the DOJ’s decision to completely drop charges against the New Black Panther Party and two of its members for alleged voter intimidation in violation of the 1964 Voting Rights Act. Perez was also questioned about the department’s decision to seek only narrow injunctive relief against a third defendant who wielded a billy club at the polls on Election Day 2008. After his prepared remarks, Commissioner Todd Gaziano …
