Some notable stories from around the Internet:
- Elizabeth Goitein of the Brennan Center for Justice reveals the chilling fact that the President has far more power than you would realize by just reading the Constitution. Over the years, Congress has granted the President vast and sweeping powers and all he or she has to do is to declare an “emergency.” Not exactly a model of checks and balances. If the United States ever has a President who lacks significant self-restraint, this could be a very big problem. What the President Could Do If He Declares a State of Emergency (If you prefer videos, The Atlantic has one of Goitein here.)
- What was the worst year in human history to be alive? Ann Gibbons makes the argument for the year 536. Why 536 was ‘the worst year to be alive’
- If the world’s existing justices and injustices were locked into place for the rest of time, would you be happy or sad? Bryan Caplan wrestles with this question and how he feels about his personal answer. A Conservative Confession
- Is it really news that high school kids lie on their college applications? Maybe. Maybe not. Anemona Hartocollis at The New York Times adds this important insight: college admissions officers don’t have the time or resources to check applicants’ stories. Another serious dent in the idea that colleges are bastions of meritocracy. ‘They’re Not Fact-Checking’: How Lies on College Applications Can Slip Through the Net