Billy Binion
billybinion.bsky.social
Billy Binion
@billybinion.bsky.social
Journalist. Criminal justice & government accountability. Yes, this is my real name.
This isn't a one-off. Here's another example: This Georgia mom was jailed for letting her 10-year-old walk alone to town. Every sane person wants kids to be safe. But this kind of thing is absurd. reason.com/2024/11/11/m...
Mom jailed for letting 10-year-old walk alone to town
Police handcuffed Brittany Patterson in front of three of her four children for the crime of allowing her youngest son to walk less than a mile away.
reason.com
January 22, 2026 at 6:11 PM
The fugitive police were chasing escaped, by the way.

But this innocent business owner was left with a gutted shop, a bunch of ruined equipment, and an inability to make a real living. reason.com/2025/12/29/i...
Innocent man sues for over $60,000 after police blew up his business. A court says he's entitled to nothing.
Carlos Pena sued Los Angeles for over $60,000 after law enforcement destroyed his printing shop in pursuit of a fugitive who had broken in.
reason.com
December 30, 2025 at 11:11 PM
So why is this happening? When government takes private property for a public purpose—see: eminent domain—the Takings Clause of the 5th Amendment promises “just compensation.” But some judges have ruled there’s an exception to that: when property is taken via “police power.”
December 30, 2025 at 11:09 PM
I’ve reported on a lot of these stories and they’re always so ridiculous they sound fake. Yet they’re not. Courts have ruled over & over that the government does not owe innocent people a dime after police destroy their business, their home, etc. It defies logic.
December 30, 2025 at 2:38 PM
Trump himself has acknowledged—many times—that the U.S. needs immigrants. We benefit when talented, law-abiding people come here & contribute their skills. Others in his admin unfortunately think differently. They need to learn some economics.
December 22, 2025 at 2:50 AM
My guess is certain people in the Trump admin want to make H-1B visa holders' lives miserable so that they want to leave. It's a terrible & incompetent way to do immigration policy. But it's a great way to drive away high-skilled immigrants who help make this country better.
December 22, 2025 at 2:31 AM
A cartoon character come to life
December 19, 2025 at 11:48 PM
I used to work in the performing arts. They connect people across differences—including political ones. It’s unsurprising that Trump has decided his ego matters more, but it’s still really disappointing.
December 19, 2025 at 6:58 PM
Kennedy Center sales have plummeted. When "Parade" was in DC, the show had to downgrade to a smaller theater because so many seats were empty. Trump putting his name on the building is just going to drive more people away from an institution that's supposed to be for everyone.
December 19, 2025 at 6:42 PM
The idea that hiring someone means you’re forced—at gunpoint—to keep them on the payroll forever is absurd. Employment should be based on performance. If you work in customer service and can’t provide customer service, you need to go. Simple as.
December 12, 2025 at 6:53 PM