As structured in the Constitution, the federal government consists of three components: the executive branch, the legislative branch, and the judicial branch. While most focus primarily on the executive and legislative branches, the judiciary is just as important and casts an expanding shadow over policy debates. With its own set of institutions and opacity, most Americans have only a vague understanding of the legal system and its impact on the economy. As the size and scope of government has grown, the legal system has lost its moorings, with common law being overwhelmed by statutory law—drowning the economy in red tape.
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The Federal Circuit is unique among the courts of appeals as it is the only court that has its jurisdiction based wholly upon subject matter rather than geographic location. The Federal Circuit Court hears certain appeals from all of the United States District Courts, appeals from certain administrative agencies, and appeals arising under certain statutes.
Washington, DC- FreedomWorks President Matt Kibbe joined Rand Paul and lead counsel Ken Cuccinelli on the steps of the D.C. District Court to file paperwork against President Barack Obama, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, FBI Director James Comey and Director of National Security Agency Keith Alexander in a class action lawsuit against the NSA spying program. In a statement to reporters, FreedomWorks President Matt Kibbe commented:
WHAT: On behalf of 6 million members nationwide, FreedomWorks President Matt Kibbe will join Rand Paul and lead counsel Ken Cuccinelli to file paperwork against President Barack Obama, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, FBI Director James Comey and Director of National Security Agency Keith Alexander for a class action lawsuit against the NSA spying program.A copy of the complaint will be made available as a PDF on www.ConstitutionDefenseFund.com.
In several recents decisions, and active cases, the Judicial Branch appears to be coming to its collective senses and restraining the unconstitutional expansion of government's already unsustainable power. Whether it's the NSA's invasion of our privacy, the disregard for religious liberty under Obamacare, or the $800 billion tax increase levied by the IRS, judges seem to be saying enough is enough.
Personal Freedom and Prosperity 110: The Rule of LawA Predictable and Stable Legal Order"The Law rests upon known, general principles applicable on equal terms to all persons. It follows that the Law is superior to, and thus binds, the government and all its officials.”- Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, Supreme Court of the United States
The startling realization that the NSA has been spying on American citizens is often met with the excuse “I have nothing to hide, why should I worry?” and is subsequently ignored. There are many strong arguments as to why you should care: privacy should be valued for its own sake, large bureaucratic apparatuses have proven to be untrustworthy, and sweeping domestic surveillance invites ‘Big Brother’ into our society. The strongest argument though, is to point out that now or in the future you may indeed have something to hide and not even know it.
Whistleblower Edward Snowden brought warrantless wiretapping to the forefront of national conversation by exposing the National Security Agency surveillance of the American people. While many Americans are outraged at the NSA’s unconstitutional actions, few realize the extensive history of NSA’s spying policies. Since President Truman established the NSA in 1952, the agency has grown in both power and technological capabilities, enabling them to spy upon Americans without consent or probable cause.
On today’s edition of the FreedomCast, Paul Rosenzweig, visiting Fellow at the Heritage Foundation joins me to discuss the latest on the NSA Prism program, Edward Snowden, hero or traitor and how a high school dropout ended up exposing the biggest spy program in US history.
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This weekend Edward Snowden, a low-level employee who worked for a major defense contractor, came out to the press and acknowledged that he was the source of the leaks behind the National Security Administration's controversial spy program. The negative reaction to these revelations of the past week have been swift and strong from average Americans, some elected officials, and tech companies who have been named as participants in the NSA's data gathering scheme.
The National Security Agency (NSA) used a top secret court order to collect telephone records on millions of Americans without their consent. The order demanded Verizon to provide records on an "ongoing, daily basis" to the federal government on calls both within the United States and between the United States and other countries.