Dissidents In Black Robes Watch

Worthwhile piece on the means by which judges are circumventing the moronic "tough-on-crime" sentencing guidelines enacted by Congress in the 80s and 90s. Part of the defense of these arrangements---which I doubt was ever totally sincere---was to eliminate racial or social prejudices from sentencing procedures. But when all they succeed in doing is inflicting draconian sentences on non-violent offenders, especially drug users, especially minorities, it's not too hard to see that this was a step in the wrong direction.

In other Tyrants in Seersucker news, the Senate is planning to vote Wednesday on the Federal Marriage Amendment. More on that in the next few days. For now, I'll leave it at saying that the Republicans are on the verge of driving a wedge into their own intestines.