Last week, President Obama floated the idea of mandatory voting. My friend Jeff Stewart summed it up neatly. Problem: Not enough voters. Solution: Guns I can already see some of you rolling your eyes. "The president wasn't suggesting shooting people who don't vote." OK. Not directly. But in truth, guns lurk in the background behind..
Read morePodcast: Cops Support NSA Spying
In episode 5 of Thoughts from Maharrey Head, I talk about law enforcement support for NSA spying. (more…)
Read moreMaharrey Testifies Before Alaska Senate Committee on Bill to Take On NSA Spying
Following is my testimony before the Alaska Senate Community and Regional Affairs Committee in support of SB13, a bill that would would ban "material support or resources" to the NSA. Last year, the Alaska Senate passed a powerful resolution condemning NSA spying and proclaiming that the Alaska State Legislature “will not assist the federal government..
Read morePodcast: Arizona Newspaper Columnist is the Butt of Her Own Joke
In episode 4 of Thoughts from Maharrey Head, I tell you all about a newspaper columnist who is the butt of her own joke. A columnist for the Arizona Republic knows how to snark. She knows how to belittle those she disagrees with. And she thinks she knows about the Constitution and law. But really,..
Read moreBeware of J.D. Impairment – Lawyers Don’t Necessarily Know the Constitution
When it comes to constitutional issues, most lawyers in America suffer from what I call J.D. impairment. I don't mean to disparage lawyers. But by and large, they don't have a clue about the actual meaning of the Constitution. Of course, most Americans don't have a clue either. What makes this particularly problematic when it..
Read morePodcast: Why You Should Care About the Surveillance State
In episode #3 of Thoughts from Maharrey Head, I talk about the intrusiveness of the NSA and why you should care. The NSA collects our e-mail, phone records, location information, Internet browsing history and other electronic data all without a warrant and with very little oversight. And yet, many Americans seem unconcerned about this gross..
Read moreGovernment Failed? I’m Shocked!
If you want to set yourself up for profound disappointment, count on the government to do something for you. We all know this intuitively. When we head out to the DMV, we expect to have a bad experience. And yet millions of Americans place their faith in government institutions every day, expecting the state to..
Read morePodcast: The Constitutional Ramifications of Net Neutrality
In episode 2 of Thoughts from Maharrey Head, I consider the constitutional ramifications of "net neutrality" regulations. Last week, the FCC unilaterally voted to regulate Internet service providers under a scheme known as "net neutrality." This raises a number of constitutional questions. Does the FCC have the constitutional authority to impose such regulations? Can Congress..
Read more133 Words or Less: There Was a Dress
Once upon a time, in a place called Oceania, there was a dress. The people of Oceania were fascinated by the dress. They spent hours each day discussing the coloring of the dress, and contentious debates often erupted. Was it gold and white? Or was it blue and black? Scientists delved into the reasons for..
Read morePodcast: Taking on the Anti-Nullifiers
In the inaugural episode of my podcast Thoughts from Maharrey Head, I take on the anti-nullifiers. They label us morons and call our efforts to limit federal power through state action illegal. But the anti-nullifiers are wrong. We're not morons, and we're not breaking the law. In this episode of Thoughts from Maharrey Head,..
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