Free Republic

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court says a program that lets the government take raisins away from farmers to help reduce supply and boost market prices is unconstitutional. The justice said Monday that forcing raisin growers to give up part of their annual crop without full payment is an illegal confiscation of private property.

Government March Madness: Nanny State Runs Amok in Delaware as Govt Arbitrarily Tears Down 60-Year-Old Basketball Hoops Context, first, from the estimable Ed Driscoll: Change! In the 1990s, in Bill Clinton’s America, “Midnight Basketball” was seen as one way to improve the morale of otherwise disaffected youth, and thus, potentially lower the crime rate in urban environments. In 2011, in Joe Biden’s Delaware, neighborhood basketball hoops are being tossed into giant state-owned dump trucks.

The Obama administration invited banking executives Tuesday to offer advice on changing the government's role in backing the mortgage market. While they disagreed on the exact level of support needed, the group overwhelmingly advocated for the government to maintain a large role in the $11 trillion market.

Happy Patriots' Day. April 15 is the one day a year when our country asks something of us -- or at least the vast majority of us. For those who wear a military uniform, those who serve the rest of us as policemen and firefighters and teachers and other public servants, every day is patriots' day. They work hard for our country; many risk their lives -- and some lose their lives. But for the rest of us, the civilian majority, our government asks very little. Except for April 15. On this day, our government asks that we pay our...

Virginia Senate leaders unveiled a plan Friday to raise an additional $4 billion to transportation. The plan proposes phasing-in a raise of the sales tax on automobiles from three percent to five percent. That's the same sales tax for other purchases. And, it would phase out the sales tax exemption on gasoline over four years. Governor Tim Kaine announces his transportation plan this afternoon.