New Arizona Immigration Law

The ACLU investigates the new immigration bill signed in Arizona. Among other things, the bill requires that police demand documentation from anyone they come across that they have "reasonable suspicion" of being an illegal immigrant. So, if you look like an illegal immigrant and don't want to be arrested, you will need to keep the necessary documentation on you at all times.

The CSI Effect

The Economist has an interesting article about how jurors today have unrealistic expectations of forensic evidence and demand it in unnecessary situations. Evidence is not nearly as certain (or sexy) as television shows suggest.

Loosening Restrictions on Nurse Practitioners

Current law restricts what nurses, physician assistants, and technicians can treat, demanding that doctors be present and responsible for treating patients with the most benign of ailments. Is this not extremely inefficient?

ACTA Draft Finally Released

After years of secrecy, the countries involved have released a draft of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), which would impose new criminal penalties for copyright infringement.

Another article: http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2010/04/acta-is-here.ars/

JMU Newspaper Raided

Two weeks ago we talked about riots that occurred at JMU. Police have just raided the university's newspaper (with warrant in tow), demanding that all pictures taken during the riot be turned over.

Kevorkian and Assisted Suicide

Today during CLR I said that Jack Kevorkian was not a medical doctor. This was false (my philosophy professor lied to me!), so I'm sorry about that. However, what he did was still problematic for a number of reasons. He was not a long-time doctor of these patients, and many of the people he killed had treatable diseases. Some may even have been mentally ill.

I encourage you all to read up on this, because current laws force people who are terminally ill to live out excruciating pain until death. The question should not be whether a doctor should be allowed to actively kill or passively let a patient die but whether or not the patient is suffering. Unfortunately, when people in the U.S. think about euthanasia today, they usually think about Kevorkian, who actually was doing something insidious.

Here's some literature about the topic:

Active and Passive Euthanasia

Killing and Letting Die

Prescription Drug Laws

I was actually having a pretty tough time finding articles about the rationale behind prescription drug laws. Fortunately, our friend Glenn Greenwald has written an article about it. He argues that the doctor-patient relationship should be like a attorney-client relationship, wherein the attorney recommends buts does not make the client's decision for her.

Privatizing Prisons in California

California is facing extremely overcrowded and inefficient prisons. It has become such a problem that federal judges have ordered CA to release 40,000 inmates. While privatizing prisons is a good move forward, the government could also do something that relates to this week's theme to alleviate the problem.

The Success of Drug Decriminalization in Portugal

This topic came up in our discussion a couple of weeks ago, but I don't think an article was posted. The facts speak for themselves, and I strongly recommend checking them out.

Bias and Beffuddlement: Our Government's Approach to Marijuana Facts and Research

So I was trying to find out our government's exact justification for making marijuana illegal. The first website I went to was the The Office of National Drug Control Policy. Unsurprisingly, the section on health effects is completely biased. There is a part where it claims that marijuana can cause lung cancer, citing the National Institute of Drug Abuse. I went over to their website, and they describe a recent study that claims that there is no connection between marijuana use and lung cancer! This is just one example of how the federal government is deliberately dishonest about marijuana and its effects.

http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/drugfact/marijuana/marijuana_ff.html#go12

http://www.drugabuse.gov/Infofacts/marijuana.html#anchor

Marijuana Wars in California

Reason has posted a video about the status of marijuana in CA. Back in 2007, legislation passed meant to limit the number of marijuana dispensaries in the state, and despite enormous costs, state officials intend to enforce this law. Meanwhile, Obama has broken promises to stop DEA raids on these dispensaries. Just when legalization seems to be gaining ground, our government is fighting back.

Wisconsin DA Threatens Criminal Charges Against Teachers Explaining Contraceptive Use in Sex Ed

Legislators in Wisconsin just approved a law that would require that both the benefits of abstinence and the proper use of contraceptives be taught in public schools. A District Attorney, Scott Southworth, also a Republican and Christian evangelical, wants that law appealed. And before it becomes implemented, he wants to press charges against teachers explaining how to use contraceptives because it contributes to "the delinquency of a minor," a crime punishable by up to nine months behind bars and a $10,000 fine.

FCC Net Neutrality Rule Defeated in Court

A major portion of Net Neutrality policy was defeated by the US Court of Appeals in the DC circuit. The FCC can no longer sanction Comcast for blocking peer-to-peer file sharing. This appears to be a major defeat for the growing techno-populist community. Ultimately, who gets to control the internet?

Journalists and the Government

How the traditional corporate media is is neglecting to criticize the government and even to support free speech.

Airplane Cell Phone Bans

Now the only reason left is, apparently, to protect other passengers from being annoyed.

White House Likely to Renege on Pledge to Try Terrorist in Civilian Courts

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs has endorsed denying civilian trials to terrorists, indicating Obama is likely to renege on yet another of his promises (and not a campaign promise either, but one from during his presidency.)