IF ALL LAW IS POLITICS, AND ALL POLITICS IS LOCAL, THEN ALL LAW IS LOCAL POLITICS

Clayton P. Gillette, Local Redistribution and Local Democracy: Interest Groups and the Courts (New Haven & London: Yale U. Press, 2011) (From the book jacket: "In this thoughtful book, Gillette examines whether recent campaigns to enact ''living wage' ordinances and other local redistribution programs represent gaps in the traditional theory of political opportunism. He explains why intracity wealth transfers do not necessarily negatively affect the localities that use them. He then inquires into the role of courts in distinguishing between the competing explanations for local retribution. . . ." This is an interesting and worthwhile read. In reading it and following the arguments and discussion, law students should be reminded that in thinking about law one needs to know a lot more than law and what they (are likely to) teach you in (most) law schools (e.g., public choice theory, urban finance).).