Obergefell v. Hodges and the Cult of the Court

Justice Alito

“Americans, whatever their thinking on [same-sex marriage], should worry about what the [Obergefell] majority’s claim of power portends.”

–Justice Alito dissenting in Obergefell v. Hodges

Obergefell v. Hodges, which struck State prohibitions on same-sex marriage, establishes a troubling precedent for democratic institutions and limited government.  Through the “reasoned judgment” of five of its nine justices, the Supreme Court bypassed traditional democratic means to establish the issuance of public benefits for same-sex marriages as a fundamental right under Fourteenth Amendment substantive due process.  Though many libertarians now celebrate the decision, a careful reading should temper any jubilation.  This decision promotes the Cult of the Court, which may now work to restrict rights and actually expand government.

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Federal “Hate Speech” Ban on Horizon

The US government is inching closer to banning so-called hate speech.  The Washington Free Beacon reports, the National Science Foundation (NSF), a federal agency, will spend nearly $1 million in taxpayer money to create an internet database targeting “false and misleading ideas,” “suspicious memes,” and “hate speech” on Twitter.  Though the database will have no authority immediately, it reflects the federal government’s priority and foreshadows passage of a hate speech ban similar to the UK’s Public Order Act 1986.

State-by-State Results of IPR’s 2016 LP Presidential Preference Poll

With IP analysis complete, IPR released the official state-by-state results of its August 12-19 survey, which gauged reader preference for the Libertarian Party’s 2016 presidential nomination field.

Phil Davison Considers 2016 Libertarian Party Presidential Run

Official photo of Councilman Davison

Longtime councilman Phil Davison of Minerva, Ohio has expressed interest in the 2016 presidential nomination of the Libertarian Party. Davison, best known for his inspirational 2010 speech, briefly ran for the Boston Tea Party’s 2012 presidential nomination.

“Would love to run,” says Davison via Facebook, “Think about it every day. Am approached every day about it.”

A self-described “radical,” Davison expressed his libertarian views during a 2011 appearance on Comedy Central’s Tosh.0.  He is pro-choice on abortion, holds relaxed views on marijuana, and is an advocate for free speech.

Should Davison decide to run, he will enter a growing field of candidates for the Libertarian Party’s presidential nomination that includes perennial candidate Kip Lee, progressive activist Robert Milnes, and writer Darryl Perry.