Walter Olson
@walterolson.bsky.social
Writer on law etc.; Cato Institute. Election law, Maryland civic stuff, cooking. Blogged at Overlawyered back when. No kings, no tyrants.
It's not original to me!
January 19, 2026 at 5:40 PM
It's not original to me!
/2
Trump's plan to seize Greenland is unjust, illegal under both US and international law, and stupidly counterproductive. The same is true of his imposition of tariffs on European nations opposed to it. See my discussion here: reason.com/volokh/2026/...
Trump's Plan to Seize Greenland is Simultaneously Evil, Illegal, and Counterproductive
NA Donald Trump's plan to seize Greenland has the rare distinction of simultaneously combining grave injustice, massive illegality, and extreme…
reason.com
January 19, 2026 at 2:27 AM
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Reposted by Walter Olson
Also we all have our various issues with FIRE but: FIRE is literally representing the plaintiffs here lol
January 18, 2026 at 3:33 PM
Also we all have our various issues with FIRE but: FIRE is literally representing the plaintiffs here lol
Reposted by Walter Olson
9/ In exchange for a norm for severely limiting what it does do with its military, the US gets to live on a planet where most countries operate on the assumption that the US military isn't a direct threat to them.
That has a myraid of benefits far outweighing potential plunder or territorial gain.
That has a myraid of benefits far outweighing potential plunder or territorial gain.
January 17, 2026 at 10:24 AM
9/ In exchange for a norm for severely limiting what it does do with its military, the US gets to live on a planet where most countries operate on the assumption that the US military isn't a direct threat to them.
That has a myraid of benefits far outweighing potential plunder or territorial gain.
That has a myraid of benefits far outweighing potential plunder or territorial gain.
Reposted by Walter Olson
Did you see Gorsuch's concurrence in Case v. Montana on Wednesday? It seems to have telegraphed this cert grant.
I wrote about it: www.techdirt.com/2026/01/15/j...
I wrote about it: www.techdirt.com/2026/01/15/j...
Justice Gorsuch Reminds: The Fourth Amendment Isn’t Dead Yet
The Supreme Court released a few decisions this week. All of them are important for the parties involved, and ultimately for everyone, but not to the immediate degree that some of the other pending…
www.techdirt.com
January 17, 2026 at 2:45 AM
Did you see Gorsuch's concurrence in Case v. Montana on Wednesday? It seems to have telegraphed this cert grant.
I wrote about it: www.techdirt.com/2026/01/15/j...
I wrote about it: www.techdirt.com/2026/01/15/j...
Reposted by Walter Olson
Rather than focusing on auditing welfare programs, the Trump admin is throwing away hundreds of billions on a mass deportation project that doesn't focus on fraudsters and will increase the deficit. www.cato.org/blog/nonciti...
Noncitizens Were Underrepresented in Welfare Fraud Convictions in 2024
Benefits fraud is a serious issue, and whoever commits it should be held accountable, including through deportation in the case of a noncitizen.
www.cato.org
January 13, 2026 at 3:25 PM
Rather than focusing on auditing welfare programs, the Trump admin is throwing away hundreds of billions on a mass deportation project that doesn't focus on fraudsters and will increase the deficit. www.cato.org/blog/nonciti...
Reposted by Walter Olson
The real value is spite. The economic losses are the Spite Premium we pay for the little thrill leaders get from inflicting setbacks on a foe or rival, even if it costs us as much as it costs them
January 18, 2026 at 1:07 PM
The real value is spite. The economic losses are the Spite Premium we pay for the little thrill leaders get from inflicting setbacks on a foe or rival, even if it costs us as much as it costs them