Hey, everyone …
It’s a “Firehose Friday” at the freedom movement’s daily newspaper, with all our content — more than 100 news stories, opinion pieces, and audio/video links! — available only here at the web edition.
Why? Three reasons:
First, Steve Trinward is still traveling, I’m still covering, and a web-only edition saves me about half an hour of messing around versus putting out an email edition. I’m not doing that EVERY day (we do have extra content on the web every day!), but …
Second, I can make good use of that saved half hour this particular morning, as both my wife and I have medical appointments to get ready for and out to.
Third, it’s always a good time to remind you that we’re a reader-supported publication and point you to the “send us money” link:
https://news.rationalreview.com/support-rrnd
Have a happy, healthy, and prosperous weekend! We’ll be back Monday with the regular email and social media editions.
Yours in liberty,
Tom Knapp
Publisher
Rational Review News Digest / Freedom News Daily
Source: CBS News
“The Trump administration imposed tariffs of up to 12.5% Friday on [American buyers of] goods from 60 U.S. trading partners it accused of failing to crack down on forced labor. The move, announced Thursday, extended the administration’s tariffs on much of the world. … The new tariffs went into effect at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, when a separate set of 10% levies on [American buyers of] most imports expired.” (07/24/26)
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-tariffs-dozens-countries-forced-labor/
Source: Reason
by Nick Gillespie
“Last year, [Scott] Winters complained to ChatGPT about feeling dizzy and having blood pressure issues. He and his lawyers say ChatGPT advised him to remain ‘recliner-bound,’ and even invoked religious language (‘God did not design your body to endlessly fail’) to cajole the former pastor into taking it easy. A few weeks after consulting ChatGPT, Winters had a ‘massive pulmonary embolism’ intensified by blood clots that might have been linked to his lack of movement. … Contra his legal backers, Scott Winters didn’t nearly die because ‘ChatGPT acted like a medical authority while having none of the responsibility.’ He almost died because he didn’t take responsibility for his health.” (07/23/26)
https://reason.com/2026/07/23/dont-blame-ai-for-your-own-medical-problems/
Source: Underthrow
“Free Yourself with Subversive Innovation.” (07/23/26)
https://underthrow.substack.com/p/free-yourself-with-subversive-innovation
Source: The Daily Economy
by Liza Claire
“As another national campaign season begins, including some unapologetically redistributionist platforms, Americans should expect to hear still more about ‘income inequality.’ Candidates will promise to narrow it, activists will measure it, and commentators will treat it as a proxy for economic justice. But income inequality, while politically useful, is a poor measure of economic health. By itself, it tells us surprisingly little about whether an economy is flourishing or failing. More often than not, it distracts from the question that actually matters.” (07/23/26)
https://thedailyeconomy.org/article/upward-mobility-is-a-better-measure-of-justice-than-income-equality/
Source: NBC News
“The House on Thursday approved a Democratic-led proposal to end the Iran war, directing President Donald Trump to remove armed forces from hostilities. The resolution is nonbinding, however. The House voted 214-208, with four Republicans joining all Democrats to cast decisive votes for the measure: Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Tom Barrett of Michigan, Warren Davidson of Ohio and Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania. Later in the day, the Senate voted 47-49 to reject a ‘joint resolution’ to end the Iran war that would have the force of law, unlike the House version, but would be subject to a presidential veto.” [editor’s note: Concurrent war powers resolutions are binding and not subject to veto — and the war was, and remains, illegal anyway in the absence of Congress declaring war. Impeachment and removal of a rogue president are the BARE MINIMUM appropriate response from Congress – TLK] (07/23/26)
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/house-votes-end-iran-war-senate-republicans-let-trump-continue-war-rcna588874
Source: Garrison Center
by Thomas L Knapp
“To subvert, according to the 193 edition of Webster’s dictionary, is ‘to overturn from the foundation.’ Subversive innovation isn’t about tearing down the existing system. It’s about building your own, stronger foundation and letting the old one fall apart without its ruins falling on you. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are the obvious current example — sound money that can be created and exchanged without the old system’s cooperation makes fiat currency passe — but they’re just one. Anything that improves your life without the state’s involvement or permission makes your situation better and the state’s worse.” (07/23/26)
https://thegarrisoncenter.org/archives/20770
Source: Reuters
“Ousted Ukrainian defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov said on Thursday he would accept no other government position besides his former job, escalating a political crisis that has gripped Ukraine at a pivotal point in the war with Russia. Fedorov’s surprise dismissal this month had sparked rare wartime protests prompting President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to replace his unpopular top general with a respected younger commander. Zelenskiy said on Thursday he had offered Fedorov several other roles, including vice prime minister for defence innovation, but has not indicated he would reappoint him to the defence ministry. Fedorov’s refusal piles pressure on Zelenskiy, whom protesters gave a deadline of Friday to return the 35-year-old credited with cleaning up the defence ministry to his post.” (07/23/26)
https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/ousted-ukrainian-defence-chief-digs-against-zelenskiy-2026-07-23/
Source: spiked
by Miriam Cates
“In France, citizens are generally expected to take responsibility for their own personal safety. I have been fortunate to enjoy regular French holidays since I was a child, and in recent years I have been increasingly struck by the growing contrast between Gallic liberté and Britain’s oppressive nanny state. Over the course of our two-week holiday this year, we visited dozens of cafés, restaurants and boulangeries. Not once were any of us asked if we had any food allergies or intolerances. On the train, no one reminded us to carry water in hot weather or to take our possessions with us at the end of the journey. Crossing an estuary on a small foot ferry, we hung over the side of the boat and no one told us off. … These may seem like small differences between our sister countries but the cumulative effect is significant.” (07/23/26)
https://archive.is/jsd2f
Source: The Hill
“The Justice Department on Thursday said it would withdraw subpoenas issued to several New York Times reporters earlier this month over their reporting on security concerns regarding the new Air Force One jet gifted by Qatar. The development came during a hearing in a Manhattan courtroom in which Judge Arun Subramanian was weighing whether to grant the outlet’s motion to quash, according to multiple reports. … Four Times journalists — Julian E. Barnes, Eric Lipton, Tyler Pager and Eric Schmitt — were hit with subpoenas on July 10, seeking to compel their testimony before a federal grand jury. The Justice Department also sought the reporters’ phone and text messaging records and, in some cases, those of family members, according to the newspaper. The Trump administration was pushing to identify the confidential government sources who spoke with reporters about the donated jet’s security capabilities, a move critics see as a brazen attempt to chill press freedom and suppress unfavorable coverage.” (07/23/26)
https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5986956-justice-department-new-york-times-subpoenas-air-force-one/
