The Dirty Dozen: How Twelve Supreme Court Cases Radically Expanded Government and Eroded Freedom, With a New Preface

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. Sadly, the Supreme Court has handed down many destructive decisions on cases you probably never learned about in school. In The Dirty Dozen, two distinguished legal scholars 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!

A non-lawyer's guide to the worst Supreme Court decisions of the modern era

The Dirty Dozen takes on twelve Supreme Court cases that changed American history—and yet are not well known to most Americans.

Starting in the New Deal era, the Court has allowed breathtaking expansions of government power that significantly reduced individual rights and abandoned limited federal government as envisioned by the founders.

For example:
• Helvering v. Davis (1937) allowed the government to take money from some and give it to others, without any meaningful constraints
• Wickard v. Filburn (1942) let Congress use the interstate commerce clause to regulate even the most trivial activities—neither interstate nor commerce
• Kelo v. City of New London (2005) declared that the government can seize private property and transfer it to another private owner

Levy and Mellor untangle complex Court opinions to explain how The Dirty Dozen harmed ordinary Americans. They argue for a Supreme Court that will enforce what the Constitution actually says about civil liberties, property rights, racial preferences, gun ownership, and many other controversial issues.

In The Dirty Dozen, Two Distinguished Legal Scholars Shed Light On The Twelve Worst Cases, Which Allowed Government To Interfere In Your Private Contractual Agreements; Curtail Your Right 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.--jacket. Promoting The General Welfare -- Regulating Interstate Commerce -- Rescinding Private Contracts -- Lawmaking By Administrative Agencies -- Campaign Finance Reform And Free Speech -- Gun Owners' Rights -- Civil Liberties Versus National Security -- Asset Forfeiture Without Due Process -- Eminent Domain For Private Use -- Taking Property By Regulation -- Earning An Honest Living -- Equal Protection And Racial Preferences. Robert A. Levy And William Mellor. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [261]-290) And Index. A layperson's assessment of 12 of the modern world's most controversial Supreme Court decisions offers insight into how key cases have enabled the government's ability to seize and allocate private resources, in an account that argues how today's Supreme Court is compromising civil liberties as outlined by the Constitution. Reprint. Lists twelve monumental Supreme Court cases in which the outcomes restricted or eroded the civil liberties of the citizens of the United States.