The Maryland Corner: “Redeeming Roger Taney”

(from the forthcoming issue of The Terrapin Times, the first installment of our new feature, dedicated to important political figures, past and present, on the Right from Maryland, tentatively called The Maryland Corner)

Americans have a way of spinning history to bolster our national mythology. JFK’s foreign policy was nightmarish — to speak nothing of [...]

“I swear to God I’m going to pistol whip the next guy who says ‘Shenanigans’!”

Dick Heller, of District of Columbia v. Heller fame, has, again, with two co-plaintiffs, filed a law-suit against D.C., “alleging that the District’s new gun registration is burdensome and continues to unlawfully outlaw most semiautomatic pistols.” I’m pretty sure that the following constitutes shenanigans:
In the District’s view, [acting District Attorney General] Nickles said, the ruling [...]

Who gives a damn about property rights, any-way?

This is, I think, particularly in the aftermath of Kelo, an important question to consider. And I say this not simply because I disagree with that atrocious (but hardly original) decision offered by the left wing of the Court, but, also, because of the some-times outrageous reactions, to wit, along the lines of “I vow [...]

Indiana Common-sense and D.C’s re-action to Heller

Having, long ago, cast aside any meaning-ful connections that I may have held to the ideology of the GOP, I’m not, by default, the biggest fan of Mark Souder, a U.S. Congressman from Indiana’s third district (even if he has a degree from my alma mater). Never-the-less, I’m happy to see him displaying some good [...]

Bob Barr on McCain and the Supreme Court

From to-day’s Wall Street Journal’s opinions, Bob Barr, “Judges Are No Reason to Vote for McCain”:

The idea of a “living Constitution” long has been popular on the political left. Conservatives routinely dismiss such result-oriented justice, denouncing “judicial activism” and proclaiming their fidelity to “original intent.” However, many Republicans, like Mr. McCain, are just as result-oriented [...]

Guns, D.C. (crime), Police power, and the Constitution

As the Washington Post reports, the D.C. Council approved, last night, emergency legislation to end the city’s hand-gun ban, bringing the city (allegedly) into compliance with the Supreme Court’s Heller decision.
City leaders say the legislation goes as far as it can on gun regulations while respecting the high court’s ruling. Weapons must be unloaded, [...]

All Heller breaks loose.

My timidly confessing to agreement with JA’s comment in response to Jim Manzi notwithstanding, I do believe in the (non-absolute) right to arm oneself appropriately as a matter of personal defense, against both common street thugs and the same sort of government that enforces the USA PATRIOT Act. (Paranoid? Maybe. Only maybe.) This being the [...]

Heller and conservatism

Over at The American Scene, Jim Manzi has posted a piece on the Supreme Court, a conservative attitude toward the judiciary, and how legitimately wide-spread “legislating from the bench” probably is.
In the comment box, JA offers a superb bit of candor with respect to Heller up to which I wish I could own.
You’re [...]

“A Somewhat Skeptical Take on Heller“

Forgive the seemingly unnecessary quotation marks: I actually refer to the title of fine post on Reason. He very rightly calls out Justice Scalia for his inconsistencies. Furthermore, he points out, accurately, and distressingly, the narrow scope of understanding generally presented vis-à-vis the Second Amendment:

Justice Antonin Scalia’s opinion avoids any decision on incorporating the Second Amendment [...]