Legal System

The Microsoft and WorldCom-Sprint cases show the need to distinguish legal from economic barriers. 

For two years, the White House has been haranguing owners of large websites, telling them not to violate their visitors' supposed right to privacy. Now, just on the face of it, this is absurd. The proper way to think about websites is as private property. When you go to a website, you are a visitor on someone else's property; the owner has the right to record what interests you. If you don't like it, you shouldn't visit. It's that simple.

In The Constitution of Liberty Friedrich Hayek warned that the rule of law could evolve into the rule of despotism unless the rules that are enforced by the state are known, certain, and prospective rather than retrospective. Throughout history, a hallmark of governmental tyranny has been the opposite kind of behavior: random arrests and incarceration for breaking "laws" that the alleged lawbreakers had no way of knowing about; constantly shifting definitions of what is legal and what is not; and sudden announcements that behavior which was thought for years to be legal and proper was illegal.

Clinton's antitrust man calls for the creation of a global antitrust authority. But antitrust is never legitimate, says D.T. Armentano, especially not on a global level.  

The system has never worked but less now than ever. Gene Callahan calls for eliminating patent protection.

The jury verdicts looting tobacco companies and exonerating the federal government at Waco are both contrary to the rule of law. 

The leading victim of antitrust is cheering on an antitrust suit against AOL's "Instant Messenger," a product which is given away at no charge. Shawn Ritenour decries the hypocrisy. 

William Anderson answers an objection to his defense of Microsoft. 

The rest of the world, envious of America’s economic success (thanks in no little part to companies like Microsoft), must be marveling at such a stupendous act of stupidity and arrogance.

The technology is Now Available that would allow your grocery store to track the movements of customers across the store using the distinct infrared signature of each individual. By linking the data with information at the checkout counter, the purchasing habits and meanderings of each person could be analyzed.