Category Archives: Law

Administrative, Law, Media Criticism, Political Commentary

The Election

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I’m concerned about the loss of the House, of course, both because it will stymie any useful legislation for the next two years and because some loons will be in charge of committees (e.g., Maxine Waters). Also, it will mean all investigations of the Trump administration all the time. On the other hand, that will make it more likely that both Trump and the Republicans in the House will win in 2020.

I assume that Sessions’ resignation was requested, now that Trump has more votes in the Senate to confirm someone who will actually know what he’s doing and what the job of the Attorney General is.

In terms of space, I won’t miss Culberson; his defeat probably means no Europa mission. The biggest loss from a space standpoint is Rohrabacher, unless he can find enough votes in absentees to pull it out. He is one of the few on the Hill who understands what has to happen in space, and if he’d won, and the Republicans had kept their majority, he’d have finally been chair of the Science Committee, where he would have had a lot more clout to make better things happen.

Note: Posting remains light because I’m in DC this week after the dual conferences in LA last weekend. Hopefully things will be back to normal next week, for a couple weeks, before I go to Europe at the end of the month.

[Update after driving to Manassas from Falls Church]

Maybe it’s not a great idea to blab on the phone on the Acela. Jerry Nadler’s plans to impeach Trump and Kavanaugh. Yeah, you want more Trump? That’s how you’ll get more Trump in 2020.

Business, History, Law, Media Criticism, Political Commentary

Trump And Birthright Citizenship

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Thoughts from Instapundit. It’s pretty clear that the writers of the 14th Amendment never had any idea it would be used for this. It was to deal with the aftermath of American slavery and continuing resistance by the Democrats to end it.

And of course, I’m long on record of believing that no one should have birthright citizenship. Work here, live here, but citizenship is a privilege to be earned, regardless of parentage or place of birth.

[Wednesday morning update, finally home in California after over six weeks away]

To clarify, in response to a discussion on an email list:

Simply, if you are born here, you have a right to stay here. It makes no sense to deport someone to a country in which they’ve never lived (i.e. DACA, even though Obama’s order was illegal). Everyone born here or otherwise legally here would have the same path to citizenship. But citizenship of someone born here via that path would not entitle their family to citizenship (i.e., an end to “anchor babies”). Everyone, including children of citizens born here, is responsible for earning their citizenship. Others are legal residents, but they don’t get to vote to confiscate my wealth.

Also, this is not about “preserving the Republican Party.” It’s about preserving the Republic itself.

Business, Economics, Law, Space, Technology and Society

Space Access

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Henry Vanderbilt will be on the show on Friday with a “mystery guest.” Hope this is good news about a resurrection of the conference.

I’ll miss it because I’ll be attending this event in DC. Flying up from Orlando this afternoon.

[Afternoon update, from MCO]

[Friday-afternoon update]

Here’s the official press release:

We are very pleased to announce that there will be a Space Access Conference next spring, April 18th-21st 2019, in California’s Bay Area at the Fremont Marriott Silicon Valley.

Space Access 2019 will be run by a team from the Experimental Rocket Propulsion Society with advice & support from us. The SA2019 Conference Chair will be ERPS’ Michael Wallis, with much relevant experience with both space and conference running. Proceeds (if any) will benefit both ERPS and SAS.

We expect the conference style will evolve – that’s one of the benefits of bringing in a new crew with fresh perspectives. But the essence of Space Access will remain the same: Three intensive days focusing on the technology, business, and politics of radically cheaper space transportation, discussed in depth by a cross-section of the people making it happen.

We will post occasional pointers to updated conference information on the space-access.org website, but the primary web page for SA2019 information will be https://sa2019.erps.org/. Check it out for conference hotel and registration information, and for the conference program as it evolves.

See you all there in six months!

About the same in terms of distance from LA, maybe a little further. But I look forward to it.

[Bumped]