Conservatives on the Supreme Court are activists too!

Take that, Scalia and Thomas! Fascinating piece by Randy E. Barnett in the National Review Online . Kennedy's Libertarian Revolution. Lawrence vs. Texas is surely shaking things up!

Judicial conservatives move heaven and earth to excise these two provisions from the Constitution, because they think neither is definite enough to confine judges — a charge that is untrue if one relies on the original meaning of these provisions. But disregarding the text of the Constitution because it does not comport with your vision of the "rule of law" is as much judicial "activism" — if one must use this phrase — on the right, as it is when the Left discards the text because it does not meet their vision of "Justice." In either case, judges are substituting for the text something they prefer, which in this case is silence where the Constitution is in fact speaking quite eloquently.

Check out the entire piece.

Europe - What a drag it is gettin' old...

Christian D. de Fouloy has a brilliant article in TCS Europe today about the growing division between the United States and "Old Europe" - Kissing Cousins No More.

Here's a sample:

It isn't just differing policies that are splitting the EU from the U.S. It is also sheer competition. The very idea of forming a United States of Europe comes in large measure to keep up with America. Today, much of the psychological drive for Euro-nationalism is provided by anti-Americanism. The view of many European leaders is that whatever diminishes the stature of the U.S. is of benefit to Europe. Europe is not begging to differ in particulars but beginning to diverge in fundamentals.

Conventionally, we have thought of Europeans as having about the same standard of living as Americans. This is less and less true. For the EU as a whole, GDP per capita is presently less than two-thirds of U.S. levels. America's poorest sub-groups now have higher average income levels than the typical European.

What's behind this? For one thing, Americans work harder. Some 72 percent of the U.S. population is at work compared to only 58 percent in the EU. And U.S. workers are more productive: An EU worker currently produces 73 cents worth of output for every dollar produced by an American.

The new EU Constitution currently has about 40,000 words and goes on and on about what rights the government "gives" to it's citizens (and animals and presumably trees...). The US Constitution has 4,000 words and builds on Lockian philosophy of the Declaration of Independence. Citizens are born with rights and the government's function is to protect those citizens so that they can exercise them.

Good luck, old friend. Whine and try to regulate the world into your proscribed, bureaucratic reality. We will sit back and watch with amusement and still be ready to give you a hand up (again) when you have come to your senses.

Stupidity Kills

Rachel Lucas is all over idiots who lock children in cars during hot weather. I'd go one further... NEVER leave young children alone outside of your home... EVER!

Iran??? We don’t see no stinkin’ Iran

Instapundit, Andrew Sullivan and the rest of the anti-idiotarian Blogosphere are noting the total lack of mainstream media coverage of the anti-theocracy student uprising in Iran. Nothing about the Arab hooligans the Mullahs have brought in to try to squash the students. It’s Tiananmen Square all over again. Where is the outrage?

Where are all of the people who are worried about Christian theocracy under John Ashcroft? Oh… I get it… as long as it’s anti-American theocracy…

Want real coverage? Go here.

Don't Worry Sportsmen...

... we won't take your sporting arms away. If you believe that... take a look at this.

Incrementalism... the friend of the enemies of individual liberties.

Democracy... defined by those who have lived without it.

Democracy is a lot of work and a lot of compromise and it does not take care of you. You take care of it. If you don’t take care of it, somebody else will.

If you want government to take care of you, then come to Iran. This government will tell you how to dress (men and women), what religion to believe in, and what to think. (Not that Iranians are listening…) Government that cares for you turns you into a child.

God, do they ever get it.

From View from Iran Hat tip: Buzzmachine.

Free Iran!