Posted on October 29th, 2008 by Kip
A remarkably oblivious op-ed on the recent despicable vote by the City Council to extend their own term limits, from a former New York City politician: But those who want to maintain a democratic check on the executive branch should welcome the result. For while Mr. Bloomberg himself may benefit from the change (if New [...]
Filed under: Law, Libertarianism, New York City & State, Politics | 1 Comment »
Posted on October 9th, 2008 by Kip
It's a long-standing principle in the law that "predatory" crimes should not be applied to those whom the law is meant to protect. So, for example, minors usually (though not always) cannot be prosecuted for statutory rape. Due process demands (or ought demand) that someone cannot simultaneously be the perpetrator and the victim of the [...]
Filed under: Children v. Parents; Homeschooling, Constitutional Issues, Gay Rights and Issues, Law Enforcement Abuses, LGBTQ Youth Suicide, New York City & State, Society, Religion, Culture Wars | 2 Comments »
Posted on October 2nd, 2008 by Kip
This was absolutely not the kind of "reform" I was hoping for: The NYPD lieutenant from Long Island who authorized the use of a stun gun during a fatal police confrontation with a naked Brooklyn psychiatric patient committed suicide Thursday morning, police said. On his 46th birthday, Lt. Michael Pigott of Sayville shot himself at [...]
Filed under: Fourth Amendment, Law Enforcement Abuses, New York City & State, Updates | Comments Off
Posted on September 28th, 2008 by Kip
I was finally all prepped to record some video and shoot some pictures of Diamond at the new dog run, now open after a seemingly excessive period of construction and landscaping. I wound up documenting a less-than-festive scene: Standing dumbfounded at the splashy pool (a particular favorite of Diamond's), cruelly thrown over an unclimbable fence, [...]
Filed under: DiamondBlogging, Libertarianism, New York City & State | 1 Comment »
Posted on September 3rd, 2008 by Kip
… and putting a fence on it doesn't help: While John Jay Park itself may be a bit of a thorn in my libertarian side, a fence around the park is not, nor is this sign. Perfectly reasonable in my opinion. But when does my opinion ever count? I tease, of course: the sign was [...]
Filed under: Humor, Law, New York City & State, Property Rights | 3 Comments »
Posted on August 18th, 2008 by Kip
To review: The only incursion upon property rights worse than private-for-private eminent domain (such as that shamefully sanctioned by Kelo v. New London) is landmarks preservation. At least with eminent domain, a soon-to-be-former property owner receives "just compensation" for the incursion upon his rights by the majoritarian mob. With historic preservation, however, the mob doesn't [...]
Filed under: Kip's Law, Law, New York City & State, Property Rights | 1 Comment »
Posted on August 17th, 2008 by Kip
In case there was any doubt about the financing structure of New York City's mass transit bureaucracy, The New York Times assures us: The authority collects far more revenue from subway, bus and commuter rail fares, dedicated taxes, and bridge and tunnel tolls than it draws from direct government aid. In a libertarian paradise (or [...]
Filed under: Fiscal Federalism, New York City & State, Taxation & Fiscal Policy | Comments Off
Posted on August 15th, 2008 by Kip
"It" being old people driving: A pregnant New York City traffic agent was struck by a van as she crossed a Bronx intersection on Thursday, and her baby boy was delivered by Caesarean section shortly before she died hours later, the authorities said. … The van driver, Walter Walker, 72, was arrested and charged with [...]
Filed under: Law, Libertarianism, New York City & State | 2 Comments »
Posted on August 13th, 2008 by Kip
A federal district judge has ruled that New York State's Medicaid program may deny a certain indigent person a certain operation because the state has a legitimate interest in "conserving limited medical resources." As I have said ad nauseum: the notion that an economy can provide all the health care that everyone needs or wants [...]
Filed under: Gay Rights and Issues, Law, New York City & State, Socialized Medicine | 2 Comments »
Posted on July 28th, 2008 by Kip
Tax Policy Blog relays an anecdote about a pet peeve of mine: hotel taxes — Today at the National Conference of State Legislators in New Orleans, one speaker referred to raising hotel taxes as a great way to raise new revenue "without taxing your own folks." That's certainly true in a narrow parochial sense. But [...]
Filed under: Economics & Finance, New York City & State, Taxation & Fiscal Policy | 1 Comment »