Supreme

NCLA Asks Supreme Court to Rule Against ATF’s Unilateral Bump-Stock Ban

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, January 23, 2024

ATF issued a Final Rule in 2018 defining semi-automatic firearms equipped with bump stocks as “machineguns,” which federal law prohibits.

Key Points: 
  • ATF issued a Final Rule in 2018 defining semi-automatic firearms equipped with bump stocks as “machineguns,” which federal law prohibits.
  • After it hears oral argument next month, NCLA is confident the Court will interpret the statute correctly and set aside ATF’s rule.
  • Just last week, oral arguments were presented to the Supreme Court in NCLA’s Relentless Inc. v. Dept.
  • The Supreme Court should set aside this rule that misconstrues the 1986 law banning machine guns and reverses ATF’s 15-plus year position allowing non-mechanical bump stocks.

Kaplan Survey: Law Schools Concerned about Class Diversity, Amid Affirmative Action Ban Fallout

Retrieved on: 
Monday, January 22, 2024

However, the silver lining lies in the promising trend of an increasingly diverse applicant pool, which presents an opportunity to mitigate any challenges they may face in achieving a representative student body," said Amit Schlesinger, executive director of legal and government programs , Kaplan.

Key Points: 
  • However, the silver lining lies in the promising trend of an increasingly diverse applicant pool, which presents an opportunity to mitigate any challenges they may face in achieving a representative student body," said Amit Schlesinger, executive director of legal and government programs , Kaplan.
  • “It’s unlikely this streak will continue given the Court’s decision, but law schools will likely do their best to stem the bleeding, while not violating the ruling.”
    To speak with a Kaplan law school admissions expert, contact [email protected] .
  • *Admissions officers from 85 of the nation’s 196 American Bar Association-accredited law schools were polled by e-mail and phone between August and November 2023.
  • Among the 85 law schools that participated are 22 of the top 50, as ranked by U.S. News & World Report.

Knights of Columbus Joins Pro-Life Advocates at the 51st Annual March for Life in Washington, D.C.

Retrieved on: 
Saturday, January 20, 2024

WASHINGTON, Jan. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Knights of Columbus, leaders in the pro-life movement since the 1970s, joined with fellow pro-life advocates from across the nation today at the 51st annual March for Life — one of the world's largest annual human rights demonstrations — to support and defend the right to life. For the second consecutive year, the Knights were also proud to partner with the Sisters of Life to co-host Life Fest, where nearly 6,000 youth and adults from around the country gathered to pray for the cause of life, listen to dynamic music and speakers, celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of Mass, spend time in eucharistic adoration, and represent the next vibrant generation of the pro-life movement.

Key Points: 
  • However, during the March for Life, we see the other side — we see hope, solidarity, and faith.
  • That's why the Knights of Columbus continue to march and commit ourselves to building a culture of life.
  • "That's why the Knights have launched programs such as the Ultrasound Initiative and ASAP, or Aid and Support After Pregnancy.
  • The Knights of Columbus' mission to support mothers in need and their children, both unborn and born, continues to guide our work today.

StockX's Annual Report Reveals Top-Traded and Fastest-Growing Brands, Predictions for 2024

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, January 17, 2024

DETROIT, Jan. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Out today, StockX's annual report — Big Facts: Current Culture Index — reveals the top-traded and fastest-growing brands on its platform over the last year, with standouts including Asics, Ugg, and Arc'teryx. The company hit major milestones in 2023, surpassing 50 million lifetime trades, 15 million lifetime buyers, and 1.7 million lifetime sellers. The strong performance was fueled in part by international growth and an increasingly diverse customer base — female users now make up 38% of StockX's user base and were vital to the growth of brands like Ugg and Asics.

Key Points: 
  • DETROIT, Jan. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Out today, StockX's annual report — Big Facts: Current Culture Index — reveals the top-traded and fastest-growing brands on its platform over the last year, with standouts including Asics, Ugg, and Arc'teryx.
  • The company hit major milestones in 2023, surpassing 50 million lifetime trades, 15 million lifetime buyers, and 1.7 million lifetime sellers.
  • In 2024 we expect newcomers and challenger brands to continue to flourish and compete with heritage labels.
  • By way of trends, we're forecasting bolder and more innovative designs and an emphasis on running, performance basketball, and competitive sport in hype culture."

Kettering Foundation Names Four Additional Senior Fellows

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, January 17, 2024

DAYTON, Ohio, Jan. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Four inspirational leaders have accepted appointments as senior fellows, the Charles F. Kettering Foundation announced today. The new fellows are William Barber II, Neal Katyal, Kelley Robinson and Alexander Vindman, They join 9 senior fellows from diverse backgrounds and political views appointed since November to strengthen the Foundation's focus on encouraging civic participation and fighting the rise of authoritarianism and threats to democracy in the US and around the globe. The senior fellows have distinguished records in religion, law, civil rights and international relations.

Key Points: 
  • DAYTON, Ohio, Jan. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Four inspirational leaders have accepted appointments as senior fellows, the Charles F. Kettering Foundation announced today.
  • For more than 40 years, the Kettering Foundation has worked to strengthen citizen engagement in democratic societies around the globe.
  • The Kettering Foundation will tap the unique strengths, interests and bases of experience of each of its fellows.
  • The Charles F. Kettering Foundation , headquartered in Dayton, Ohio, is a nonpartisan, nonprofit, operating foundation rooted in the American tradition of inventive research.

Torridon Law PLLC Announces Major Expansion

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, January 17, 2024

In private practice, Philbin spent over fifteen years as a litigation partner at a major international law firm.

Key Points: 
  • In private practice, Philbin spent over fifteen years as a litigation partner at a major international law firm.
  • She was a tenured professor at Syracuse University College of Law and a visiting scholar at the Georgetown University Law Center.
  • Before his time in public service, he represented clients at a major international law firm.
  • After his clerkship, he worked as a Constitutional Law Fellow at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty.

NCLA Amicus Brief Asks Supreme Court to Apply Proper First Amendment Standard in NRA Case

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, January 16, 2024

Vullo issued statements effectively threatening to punish banks and insurers via regulatory action if they kept doing business with NRA.

Key Points: 
  • Vullo issued statements effectively threatening to punish banks and insurers via regulatory action if they kept doing business with NRA.
  • The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit held that Vullo did not “coerce” the banks and insurance companies to end their relationships with NRA.
  • Even if the Supreme Court uses the “coercion” test rather than the constitutionally proper “abridgement” standard, NRA has effectively demonstrated that Vullo “coerced” third parties to cut ties with the organization based on its Second Amendment advocacy.
  • NCLA is a national leader in the ongoing battle against the First Amendment violations by the Administrative State.

Saskatchewan teacher strike: It's about bargaining for the common good

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, January 17, 2024

Both conservative commentators and the premier have argued the bargaining table is not the place for teachers to negotiate concerns about classroom issues.

Key Points: 
  • Both conservative commentators and the premier have argued the bargaining table is not the place for teachers to negotiate concerns about classroom issues.
  • Although bargaining is sometimes interpreted narrowly as a discussion over wages and benefits it is not, by its nature, limited to that.
  • Bargaining can — and has — acted as a democratic tool to expand public resources to areas beyond workplace compensation.

Bargaining classroom size

  • In Ontario, the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario has negotiated that the boards and government provide ongoing classroom size data to the union in order to determine future classroom ratios.
  • The court ruled the government’s decision to unilaterally prevent teachers from bargaining classroom size and composition was a violation of their constitutional rights to bargaining collectively.

Cuts to education


The dispute in Saskatchewan did not come out of nowhere. There has been a 10 per cent drop in per-student funding since 2012-2013. In 2017, the Saskatchewan Party government cut funding to public education by $22 million from the previous fiscal year. In the same period, enrolments have risen to record numbers. These issues pushed teachers to a collective bargaining dispute in 2019, but it was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Staffing crises

  • Becotte’s comments align with research showing attrition rates have hovered at close to 50 per cent over about the last decade.
  • Squeezed board budgets have meant an increase in fees to some Saskatoon and Regina parents for lunch-time supervision.
  • Numbers have dropped for many educational roles, including for educational assistants, English as an additional language teachers, counsellors, librarians, psychologists and other pathologists.

‘Parents rights’ issues

  • The government said this was an issue of parents’ rights.
  • Yet many others interpreted it as an attack on the ability of teachers to provide necessary support and guidance to kids in a safe and supportive environment.

Bargaining as important tool

  • Trying to prevent teachers from including issues surrounding unmet student needs in bargaining is to effectively leave the public in the dark on the conditions of our schools and render governments largely unaccountable.
  • The most important tool that all unionized workers have at their disposal is their ability to collectively bargain.
  • Many of these campaigns have been waged by teachers’ unions.

Unions driving change

  • CUPW’s success encouraged other unions to take a similar position and today public maternity/paternity leave is a universal public program.
  • Unions and their members have real power when they use the tools available to them to seek real workplace and community change.

Bargaining about trade-offs

  • Prioritizing issues related to what unions identify as key “common good” themes might mean that other issues cannot be highlighted.
  • While salaries and benefits will always be an issue, there is overwhelming teacher support for existing bargaining proposals.


Simon Enoch is a member of the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party Charles Smith does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

DeSantis-linked super PAC broke new ground in pushing campaign finance rules in Iowa in support of a 2nd-place finish

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, January 17, 2024

Never Back Down, the Ron DeSantis super PAC, played an outsized role in the Iowa caucuses campaign of the Florida governor.

Key Points: 
  • Never Back Down, the Ron DeSantis super PAC, played an outsized role in the Iowa caucuses campaign of the Florida governor.
  • The only limits currently imposed are that super PACs can’t contribute directly to federal candidates’ campaign funds, and they can’t coordinate with campaigns.
  • In the 2024 Iowa caucuses campaign, the DeSantis-backing super PAC staked out some new territory by largely funding the candidate’s ground game, recruiting and training organizers in Iowa and sending them out early to engage Iowa Republicans face-to-face.
  • And the super PAC touted that the candidate’s wife went door to door with Never Back Down canvassers.

Iran's increased belligerence and nuclear ambitions show why the west needs a more robust policy of deterrence

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, January 16, 2024

The intervention represents a significant level of escalation in the Middle East and is indicative of just how volatile the region has become.

Key Points: 
  • The intervention represents a significant level of escalation in the Middle East and is indicative of just how volatile the region has become.
  • While the Houthis claim their attacks are in retaliation for Israel’s war against Hamas, it’s actually more complicated.
  • It has done this despite the best efforts of the west (and Israel) to deter its aggression and contain its influence.

Revisionist state

  • In short, Iran is a revisionist state – it wants to change the regional order – and its belligerent behaviour is likely to continue.
  • Now the larger (and recurring) problem the west must address is how to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear capability.
  • A nuclear-armed Iran would arguably represent the greatest threat to Israel’s national security and the international liberal order.

Empire, Islam and revolution

  • Much of Iran’s national identity constitutes a mixture of revolutionary fervour, Shia Islam and a form of nationalism focused around Iran’s pre-Islamic history, notably the Persian empire during the Achaemenid dynasty (550-330 BC).
  • Meanwhile, power resides with individuals – such as supreme leader Ali Khamenei – who were influential in Iran’s revolutionary period (1979).
  • As a former imperial power and a country that experienced revolution, Iran presumes that it has the natural right to intervene in other country’s affairs.
  • The coup is thought to have fostered the conditions for the 1979 revolution.

No nukes

  • It would fundamentally disrupt the balance of power in the region and could lead to a spiralling arms race with Saudi Arabia.
  • So the UK’s main foreign policy in the Middle East must be to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear arsenal.
  • The current UK government understandably does not want to escalate tensions and it may want to pursue a risk-free policy in the region.


Ben Soodavar does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.