const-by-default is definitely nice. Does this extend to both sides of a pointer type? Does int * refer to int const * const?

There is nothing wrong with [&] for short-lifetime lambdas. Lambdas passed to std algorithms or immediately invoked lambdas come to mind.

edit:

Are data members also const by default? How do I declare a non-const data member that is const when accessed within a const member function? (so non-const non-mutable in original c++)