Politico Playbook Audio Briefing, 03/15/26
Source: Politico
“Sanders on BBQ, politics, and sneaking out of the governor’s mansion.” (03/15/26)
The Ethics of Limit
Source: Center for a Stateless Society
by Tommaso Biagi
“Every civilization — flawless, perfect in composition and intention — exists atop a quiet contradiction: We love freedom. We suffer domination. We justify it as ‘necessary authority,’ ‘the public order,’ ‘the social contract.’ We accept prisons ‘for safety,’ wage labour ‘for development,’ psychiatric coercion ‘for health.’ It’s the same ball game. A minority suffers, the majority lives ‘better.’ But better for whom? The one screaming in agony and the one smiling in comfort do not feel the sum. No one consciousness feels the totality. The ‘greater good’ is the fiction written by those for whom it works.” (03/15/26)
France: First round of local elections sees strong showing for National Rally and LFI
Source: The Guardian [UK]
“The first-round of the French municipal elections have seen a strong showing for Marine Le Pen’s far-right the National Rally (RN), as well as for Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s radical left, with both parties likely to increase their local presence ahead of next year’s French presidential race. The French local elections, which now go to a final round runoff on 22 March, are seen as a crucial test of the political temperature before next year’s presidential election. Emmanuel Macron’s two terms in office come to an end in spring 2027 and there is uncertainty about who will next lead the EU’s second-largest economy.” (03/15/26)
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/15/french-local-elections-first-round-results
Zooming In, 03/15/26
Source: The UnPopulist
“Manosphere Men Want a Society That Loves Them For Their Vices: A Conversation With Toby Buckle.” (03/15/26)
https://www.theunpopulist.net/p/manosphere-men-want-a-society-that
Costs and Benefits from the New Energy Crisis
Source: Paul Krugman
by Paul Krugman
“There are many losers, but also some winners.” (03/15/26)
https://paulkrugman.substack.com/p/costs-and-benefits-from-the-new-energy
The Trouble with Trump’s Maritime Action Plan
Source: Independent Institute
by Caleb Petitt
“The White House recently released America’s Maritime Action Plan (MAP) to revitalize America’s maritime industry. It proposes a variety of regulatory modifications, subsidies, government financing options, and fees to encourage domestic shipbuilding. Although it includes a wide variety of proposals, two of them, when taken together, show the Trump administration’s hostility to free trade, as well as a general naïveté about the plan. The first is the proposed ‘universal fee’ on foreign-built ships; the second is the proposed regulatory change to the definition of a ‘U.S.-built’ ship.” (03/15/26)
https://www.independent.org/article/2026/03/15/the-trouble-with-trumps-maritime-action-plan/
A Request from the Freedom Movement’s Daily Newspaper: “Each One Reach One”
Hey, everyone …
We only really bust out the fundraising shotgun once a year, in the fourth quarter. The other nine months, we occasionally remind you that we’re a reader-supported publication (link for that below!), but our main focus, other than continuing to bring you the Internet’s oldest daily news and commentary roundup for libertarians, is to GROW OUR READERSHIP.
And that, really, goes to fundraising as well — the more readers we have, the more readers will likely throw a few bucks our way, right?
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Publisher
Rational Review News Digest / Freedom News Daily
US, Israeli forces strike Iranian cities; Iranian forces hit UAE, Israel
Source: Al Jazeera [Qatari state media]
“Authorities in the UAE say [a] ‘drone-related incident’ sparked fire near Dubai airport while another drone attack has also been reported at Fujairah’s industrial area. US and Israeli forces have continued to bombard Iran, hitting cities including Tehran, Hamadan and Isfahan, as Iranian counterattacks continue, with damage reported in several Israeli cities. … Several Israeli media outlets are reporting that at least one Iranian missile has struck central Israel, although it remains unclear if the impact was from shrapnel or a direct strike. … Israel maintains very strict military censorship regarding information about the damage caused by missiles, particularly at strategic and military sites.” (03/16/26)
Blame Trump
Source: Free Association
by Sheldon Richman
“What’s with all the people who are trying to blame someone — you probably know who — other than Trump for the U.S. air war against Iran? Has he no agency? He’s had it in for Iran for a long time and nearly went to war in his first term, setting the stage by tearing up the rigorous (and superfluous) nuclear-inspection deal the Iranian government had entered into with Trump’s immediate predecessor, Barack Obama. (Iran has not tried to make a nuclear weapon, according to U.S. and Israeli intelligence analysis, and the late Iranian leader, Ali Khamenei, had issued a fatwa against such weapons.) … This is Trump’s war. Claiming that Israel is solely responsible and that Trump is a helpless marionette is invidious and could incite horrendous domestic consequences. That prospect should not be taken lightly.” (03/13/26)
Unattended Baggage, episode 332
Sourc: Unattended Baggage
“What did you THINK was gonna happen?” (03/14/26)
https://unattendedbaggage.substack.com/p/episode-332-what-did-you-think-was