Bag Searches, Gambling, and Tort Reform

Bag Searches

An online petition is urging D.C. not to expand the new policy on random bag searches for public transportation riders.

Research Associate Brian McGraw talks about public reaction to the bag searches.

“Here is a video created by WMATA documenting how quick and painless the searches will be. I can only imagine that it will not always be that nice and easy. Given the frequency of delays on the Metro, potentially missing a train that has actually made it to the platform during rush hour will not painless. The most-liked Youtube comment below the video reads: ‘Pretty sure WMATA is more likely to kill me than a terrorist attack anywhere in the system.’ An interesting comment, given their safety record.”

Gambling

Sen. Reid’s gambling bill would legalize a limited form of online poker.

Policy Analyst Michelle Minton praises the bill.

“While the bill was clearly a payback to the Nevada casinos that treated him so well during his campaign, and despite the fact that there were many problems with the legislation (i.e., the 15 month black out for all online gambling), it would have represented a step forward for professional online poker players. It would have at least provided some measure of protection for poker players from the government.”

Tort Reform

The American Tort Reform Association has a new list of the worst courts for lawsuit abuse.

Senior Counsel Hans Bader explains why these “judicial hellholes” exist.

“[One] phenomenon fueling judicial hellholes is the vast amount of government red tape and new laws constantly being generated, which judicial hellholes turn into a basis for more lawsuits even when the red tape was only intended to be enforced by administrative penalties and not private lawsuits. Activist judges treat technical infractions of arbitrary government rules as being negligence per se or breaches of a newly-created duty of care.”