One of the great triumphs of the federal welfare reform legislation passed in the mid-1990s was an insistence…
CFIF on Twitter CFIF on YouTube
To Get More Federal Money, States Claiming Volunteer Organizations are a Form of Welfare Spending

One of the great triumphs of the federal welfare reform legislation passed in the mid-1990s was an insistence that states lay down tough work requirements for welfare recipients as a condition of receiving federal assistance. Though the fact is little publicized, however, another provision of the law allows states to substitute increased welfare spending for the work requirements and still receive money from Washington. That, of course, is an invitation to mischief, as reported by CNSnews, quoting Congressman Geoff Davis

"Many States have scoured their budgets to find other current program spending--such as for Pre-K, child care, and after school programs--they could report as TANF [welfare] spending," Davis said at a hearing on Thursday. "Others began counting third-party spending--such…[more]

May 22, 2012 • 01:24 pm

Liberty Update

CFIFs latest news, commentary and alerts delivered to your inbox.
Jester's CourtroomLegal tales stranger than stranger than fiction: Ridiculous and sometimes funny lawsuits plaguing our courts.
Home Jester's Courtroom Lawyers Win Big in iLawsuit
Lawyers Win Big in iLawsuit Print
Thursday, February 02 2012

As part of a settlement in a class action lawsuit against Apple, some iTunes customers are eligible to receive $3.25 in iTunes Store credit.  Also as part of the settlement, Apple has agreed not to oppose the Class Counsel's request of attorneys’ fees and expenses of up to $2,117,500. 

According to news reports, plaintiff Gabriel Johnson filed a class action lawsuit alleging that Apple overcharged customers by advertising and distributing $0.99 gift cards before subsequently raising prices for certain songs to $1.29. Johnson’s suit claimed Apple moved from the $0.99 model to a higher-quality track for $1.29 but during the transition continued to promote $0.99 songs.

Although Apple denied the allegations, in order to avoid the cost of litigation, both parties agreed to a settlement in which some customers will get a $3.25 credit -- and the lawyers will get millions.

—Source: forums.appleinsider.com

Question of the Week   
Which one of the following men did the Chicago Tribune describe as: “a bullheaded man whose high place … was won by his ability to waste more money in quicker time on more absurd undertakings?”
More Questions
Quote of the Day   
 
"This week Catholic bishops are heading to federal courts across the country to defend religious liberty. On Monday they filed 12 lawsuits on behalf of a diverse group of 43 Catholic entities that are challenging the Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) sterilization, abortifacient and birth-control insurance mandate. ...  The main goal of the mandate is not, as HHS claimed, to protect…[more]
 
 
—Mary Ann Glendon, Harvard Law School Professor
— Mary Ann Glendon, Harvard Law School Professor
 
Liberty Poll   

Should the Obama administration authorize the use of aerial drones by local police agencies?