King v. Burwell: Political Consequences
Politics

King v. Burwell: Political Consequences

Last Friday, the Supreme Court granted certiorari in King v. Burwell. Although it was a relist from last week’s conference—increasing the odds of granting certiorari to 49%–the quickness of the announcement caught many by surprise. Following the Court’s announcement, legal experts have expressed disagreement over the merits of the case: both proponents and detractors of … Continue reading

Previewing Holt v. Hobbs: Is Hobby Lobby Dispositive?
Constitution / Politics

Previewing Holt v. Hobbs: Is Hobby Lobby Dispositive?

In an op-ed for The Atlantic, law professor Dawinder S. Sidhu discusses an upcoming case this term, Holt v. Hobbs, which involves the question of whether Arkansas’ Department of Corrections’ grooming regulations violate Holt’s religious freedom.  Sidhu asserts that this case should begin and end with Hobby Lobby.  Yet, Professor Sidhu ignores one key distinguishing factor: here, unlike … Continue reading

A Good Track Record?
Constitution / Gov. Officials / Politics / Presidency

A Good Track Record?

On September 25, 2014, Attorney General Eric Holder announced his resignation. As head of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), Holder has been extremely proactive, placing the DOJ behind a number of important civil rights issues, including voting rights, immigration, and same sex marriage. His engagement with these issues has earned him both praise … Continue reading

A Drop in the Bucket: the Obamacare Application Gets a Reboot
Affordable Care Act / Economy / Healthcare / Regulation

A Drop in the Bucket: the Obamacare Application Gets a Reboot

Flexible and nimble, these are the words chosen by one Obama Administration official as part of the announcement earlier this week that the application to apply for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) shiny new state exchanges would be trimmed to three pages. The presentation of the new form, meant to remind the … Continue reading

America / Economy / Fiscal policy

“Wait, the IRS lost?” Regulatory Deference at a Crossroads

Amid the sea of adjectives that flowed over Monday’s second inauguration of President Obama, several television commentators made a pointed observation. Presidential Inaugurations are certainly occasions to celebrate the American constitutional system; however, there is no more demonstrable picture of this country’s enigmatic arrangement than the sight of President Obama taking his oath at the … Continue reading