Bush Ignoring the Rule of Law?

Congress could not pass a bailout for Ford, Chrysler and GM. Don't worry. President Bush says he'll do it on his own. Jacob Sullum notes this is highly illegal.

The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (PDF), which created TARP, authorizes Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson "to purchase, and to make and fund commitments to purchase, troubled assets from any financial institution." Paulson already was stretching the law when he decided to instead purchase stakes in banks (presumably on the theory that shares of their stock constituted "troubled assets"). But a carmaker is not a "financial institution," and loaning it money is not purchasing a "troubled asset." In other words, Bush is acting not only without legal authority but contrary to the stipulations of a law that Congress passed at his behest. That much is familiar. But usually he does this sort of thing under the banner of national security. Is the failure of the Big Three automakers to produce cars that people want to buy part of an Al Qaeda plot?

As I've said many times before, the so-called libertarians and small government conservatives who backed this guy have a whole lot to answer for.

We Can't Do It. But We Expect You To

It turns out that the people cleaning Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff's home were illegal aliens. The Washington Post notes that the Secret Service checked their ID each time they entered Chertoff's home and apparently never found a problem.

Joe Theisman, Sid Vicious or Corey Hill

A new candidate for nastiest leg break from last night's UFC card:



For comparison: here's Sid:



And here's Joe:

How to Boost Home Prices

The Ayn Rand Center's Yaron Brook and Don Watkins write:

Right now the housing market is in disarray. Too many homes built for our current population has sent prices spiraling downward, and millions of homeowners, stuck with mortgages they can't afford and houses they can't unload, are facing foreclosure. Meanwhile, there are millions of peaceful people around the globe eager to bring their wealth, talent, and ambition to this country, but can't because Washington forcibly prevents them from immigrating.
This government-enforced cap on the number of potential home-buyers is just another instance of price manipulation. Imagine if the number of annual immigrants increased from around 650,000 a year to, say, five million. Virtually overnight we would see money pour into the American real estate market, as millions of new businessmen and workers bought and rented homes. Not only would this eliminate the oversupply of houses, we would enjoy the broader economic benefits of welcoming legions of highly skilled and motivated individuals into the American economy.
You might be thinking, "Won't this lead to lower wages or unemployment at a time when we can least afford it?" The history of this country attests to the fact that, in the long run, immigration fosters economic growth. Even in the short run, however, the effect on wages and employment is an open question--it depends on how much capital and entrepreneurial acumen the new immigrants bring and create.

Blagojevich and Obama/Bush's New Deal

Economist Steve Horwitz asks the obvious question

I simply do not understand how those who are in favor of giving government all of these new powers because they sincerely believe that doing so will work out the way their blackboard designs intended can keep a straight face. What kind of cognitive dissonance must it take to believe that the people YOU are handing power over to are "not like" Ted Stevens or Rod Blagojevich? How deeply must one be in denial or engage in rationalization to believe that they are "different?"

Punched Out By Joey Styles

Dave Meltzer is confirming what a number of other pro wrestling Web sites have reported. Joey Styles and Bradshaw got into a brawl backstage and Bradshaw definitely got the worst of it.

Bradshaw realy name John Layfield, has a long history of bullying other wrestlers out of the ring and taking liberties with them in the ring. He had apparently been giving Styles hell for a couple of days before Styles squared off with him.

For those who don't follow wrestling, Bradshaw is a former college football player and Styles is an announcer whos is literally, not figuratively, about half his size.

Bradshaw may be most famous to non-wrestling fans as the husband of Fox News reporter Meredith Whitney.

He Put the Macon in Macon, Georgia

That would be Nathaniel Macon. Jane S. Shaw explains. Check out some of the quotes in the comments.

While the Bush Administration Focused on Iraq

Afghanistan was spiraling out of control. This isn't good news. It has been clear for the past four years that Bush's anti-terrorism strategy basically consists of a global game of whack-a-mole.

U.S. Military Seeks to Enlist Foreigners

The military wants to recruit people here on work visas and student visas to fill slots as linguists as well as specialties facing shortages such as doctors and nurses.