The Dirty Dozen
Houston Lawyers Chapter
Speaker:
- Robert A. Levy, Cato Institute, co-author, The Dirty Dozen: How Twelve Supreme Court Cases Radically Expanded Government and Eroded Freedom
Speaker:
- Robert A. Levy, Cato Institute, co-author, The Dirty Dozen: How Twelve Supreme Court Cases Radically Expanded Government and Eroded Freedom
Alexander Hamilton wrote that "the judiciary, from the nature of its functions, will always be the least dangerous to the political rights of the Constitution." If only that were true.
The Founding Fathers wanted the judicial branch to serve as a check on the power of the legislative and executive, and gave the Supreme Court the responsibility of interpreting the Constitution in a way that would safeguard individual freedoms. In some cases, like Brown v. Board of Education and United States v. Lopez, the Court fulfilled its role, protecting us from racial discrimination and the heavy hand of the federal government.
But sadly, the Supreme Court has also handed down many destructive decisions on cases you probably never learned about in school. In The Dirty Dozen, Mr. Levy and his co-author, William Mellor, shed light on the twelve worst cases, which allowed government to:
•interfere in your private contractual agreements
•curtail your rights to criticize or support political candidates
•arrest and imprison you indefinitely, without filing charges
•seize your private property, without compensation, when someone uses the property for criminal activity-even if you don't know about it!
The Dirty Dozen is not a book just for lawyers. It's for all Americans who want to understand how the Supreme Court can affect our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Robert A. Levy is the chairman of the Cato Institute and a member of the board of directors, which he joined in 1997 after 25 years in business. He also sits on boards of the Institute for Justice, the Federalist Society, and the George Mason University School of Law. He founded CDA Investment Technologies, a major provider of financial information and software, and was its CEO until 1991. Levy clerked for Judge Royce C. Lamberth on the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., and for Judge Douglas H. Ginsburg on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. From 1997 until 2004, Levy was an adjunct professor of law at Georgetown University. He has written numerous articles on investments, law, and public policy. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Washington Post, National Review, and many other publications. Levy has also discussed public policy on national radio and TV programs, including ABC's Nightline, CNN's Crossfire, Fox's The O'Reilly Factor, MSNBC's Hardball, and NBC's Today Show. His new book, co-authored with William Mellor, is The Dirty Dozen: How Twelve Supreme Court Cases Radically Expanded Government and Eroded Freedom. Levy received his Ph.D. in business from the American University and his J.D. degree from the George Mason University School of Law.
Registration, hors d'œurves, and cash bar beginning at 6:00 p.m.
Program 7:00 - 8:00 p.m.
$10 paid at the door
Please RSVP by Monday, October 13 to houston.fed.soc@swbell.net.
1 Hour CLE Credit - Approval Pending