The children’s services departments are systematic child abusers. Their very existence is a crystallization of the sanctimonious, bourgeouis, “I care about your kids more than you do” mentality of the middle class towards the poor. This case is a perfect example of how they operate - on the basis of very cynical calculations regarding what public sentiment will bear and how it will influence the legal decisions in the case.
It is widely believed that judges “don’t care about public opinion.” Nothing could be further from the truth. The opportunity to become a judge is very much dependent on your image with the senior bar establishment (many of whom are judges). Your continuing to remain a judge is also dependent on that same image. If there is public outrage at one of your decisions (e.g. giving “little Adolf Hitler back to his parents”), you can be shut out from any prospects of promotion or even driven out of your judgeship altogether. Because the bar keeps its disputes private, this always shows up in the newspaper as “after many years of service, Mr. X has decided to step down as circuit judge blah blah blah” so except in the case of mindblowingly outrageousbehavior, it’s impossible to track how much this goes on.
I suddenly feel obliged to delete the post for its misleading nature. I honestly didn’t read when it was written- I bet Ludwig von Mises […] posted it on facebook and I just thought wow that’s a pretty big deal. Sheesh- chalk it up to “failure to read” on my part (even the first comment -which I am just now reading- makes the disclaimer that the article is from 2009).
As for tiny font, I’ve been somewhat experimenting in what my font will be. It seems like most people here use Trebuchet MS (size 12) and I thought that that looks pretty cool so I gave that a go. It does look a size smaller than other fonts though. Maybe I’ll go back to 14 if it’s really a bother to other posters. Ah well.
Sorry, Mr. President. A US Federal judge has clarified a decision made last month with some news sure to upset the Obama administration: the White House cannot use the NDAA to indefinitely detain American citizens.
Judge Katherine B. Forrest has answered a request made by US President Barack Obama last month to more carefully explain a May 16 ruling made in a Southern District of New York courtroom regarding the National Defense Authorization Act. Clarifying the meaning behind her injunction, Judge Forrest confirms in an eight-page memorandumopinion this week that the NDAA’s controversial provision that permits indefinite detention cannot be used on any of America’s own citizens.
I didn’t realize they had asked her to reconsider. But doesn’t this make you all warm and fuzzy?..
“Judge Forrest does include in her ruling, however, that Americans can be indefinitely detained, but only providing that the government can link suspects directly to the September 11 terrorist attacks.”
According to France’s 3,200 page Code du Travail, for example, any company inside France that exceeds 49 employees is legally obliged to establish no fewer than three worker councils. If such businesses decide they need to let go some employees, they’re required to present a reorganization plan to all three councils. Is it any wonder that many French businesses simply don’t bother expanding their employee base, a factor that often inhibits their capacity to generate more wealth?
Unfortunately for Europe’s other problem children, it’s precisely in these areas that little reform has occurred. In April, for instance, **Italy’**s Prime Minister Mario Monti tried to change the law that essentially forbade businesses with more than 15 full-time employees from dismissing staff. Monti’s goal was to substitute a situation of jobs-for-life for some and perpetual insecurity for others, with severance provisions for people let go on economic grounds. Under pressure from Italian unions, however, Monti’s proposal was watered down to uphold the extensive powers enjoyed by courts to investigate whether a company’s decision to fire someone was justified. This guaranteed maintenance of the status quo.
Needless to say, Greece is Europe’s poster child for reform-failure. Throughout 2011, the Greek parliament passed reforms that diminished regulations that applied to many professions in the economy’s service sector. But as two Wall Street Journal journalists demonstrated one year later, “despite the change in the law, the change never became reality. Many professions remain under the control of professional guilds that uphold old turf rules, fix prices and restrict opportunities for newcomers.” In the words of one frustrated advisor to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, “Even when the Greek Parliament passes laws, nothing changes.”
Looks like species can invade other areas without people bringing them there…I have no intention of reviving a certain annoying thread, but what do ya know.
