Brazil: Bolsonaro charged with plotting coup

Source: Le Monde [France]

“Brazil’s attorney general on Tuesday, February 19, formally charged far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro and 33 others over an alleged coup attempt after his 2022 election loss. Bolsonaro, 69, and his co-accused were hit with five charges over the alleged bid to prevent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from taking office after a bitter election race. Attorney General Paulo Gonet Branco filed the charges at the Supreme Court ‘based on manuscripts, digital files, spreadsheets and exchanges of messages that reveal the scheme to disrupt the democratic order,’ his office said in a statement. ‘They describe, in detail, the conspiratorial plot set up and executed against democratic institutions.’ … Bolsonaro has denied the accusations and said he was the victim of ‘persecution.'” (02/19/25)

https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2025/02/19/brazil-prosecutor-charges-bolsonaro-over-failed-coup-bid_6738310_4.html

Without Congressional Action, DOGE Is Mostly Just An Enjoyable Distraction

Source: The Garrison Center
by Thomas L Knapp

“Even for those who believe there’s such a thing as ‘legitimate’ government spending and don’t want the baby thrown out with the bathwater (I’m with the late Harry Browne, who noted ‘we have to remember — it’s Rosemary’s Baby‘), it seems like the Trump administration is accomplishing at least some positive public service with government employment buyouts, reining in USAID, etc. Maybe we WILL actually see a more ‘efficient’ executive branch out of all this, an organization with fewer extraneous employees and with less inclination to pay (an old example) $435 for a $15 hammer. But without congressional action to cut spending, it will all end up costing us at least as much, and probably more, than it did before.” (02/18/25)

https://thegarrisoncenter.org/archives/19378

Trump plans new round of tax hikes on American consumers

Source: CNN

“President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he plans to impose tariffs of around 25% on [American buyers of] auto imports as well as semiconductors and pharmaceuticals shipped to the United States as early as April 2. Trump recently enacted a 10% across-board-tariff on [American buyers of] goods coming from China and 25% tariffs on [American buyers of] all steel and aluminum imports. For tariffs on [American buyers of] semiconductor chips and drugs, he told reporters at his resort in Mar-a-Lago, Florida that he intended to eventually increase the rate even more. … The revelation comes days after Trump ordered an investigation into other nations’ tax and tariff policies, paving the way for new reciprocal tariffs to take effect as soon as April 2, the day after the investigation is set to conclude, Howard Lutnick, Trump’s pick for Commerce Secretary said last week.” (02/19/25)

https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/19/economy/us-new-tariff-plans-trump-intl-hnk/index.html

The Left and the Right: A Non-Mysterious Puzzle

Source: EconLog
by Pierre Lemieux

“Logically and normatively, the Left and the Right are both wrong together against libertarianism and classical liberalism. Therein lies the reason why mainstream libertarians have alternatively fought the Left and the Right depending on which represented the most imminent danger, as Matt Zwolinski and John Tomassi emphasize in their recent book The Individualists. … From the vantage point of the distinction between individual and collective choices, the Left and the Right are, in reality, very similar monsters: they just want to impose different collective choices.” (02/18/25)

https://www.econlib.org/the-left-and-the-right-a-non-mysterious-puzzle/

Palestine: Hamas Offers “All At Once” Hostage Exchange for Israeli Withdrawal from Gaza

Source: Bloomberg

“Hamas said it’s ready to exchange its remaining Israeli hostages all at once with Palestinian [hostages] during the Gaza truce’s second phase as a step leading to a ‘permanent ceasefire’ and the full withdrawal of Israel’s forces from the enclave. The militant group is attempting to hold onto its two longstanding demands as Israel’s security cabinet has a stated war goal of removing Hamas, designated a terrorist group by the US and many other countries, as a governing and military force in Gaza. Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qasim said on Telegram that the group refuses to be either expelled from the Gaza Strip or disarmed, adding that any arrangements for the future of Gaza will be based on national consensus.” (02/18/25)

https://archive.is/QF7sZ

Trump’s Anti-DEI Policy and Private-Sector Dictatorship

Source: Future of Freedom Foundation
by Jacob G Hornberger

“President Trump has upended the liberal/progressive policy of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion by decreeing its immediate end within the federal government. Is that a good thing? Conservatives sure think so. My position? I don’t really care how presidents run their welfare-state, warfare-state departments and agencies. I’m with Murray Rothbard when he was asked about the importance of ferreting out communists in the federal government. He responded — just abolish the jobs and the problem goes away. … What is concerning, however, especially insofar as dictatorship is concerned, is Trump’s efforts to rid private-sector entities of DEI. What authority does a U.S. president have under the U.S. Constitution to dictate the policies of private-sector companies?” (02/18/25)

https://www.fff.org/2025/02/18/trumps-anti-dei-policy-and-private-sector-dictatorship/

FL: Political prisoner Leonard Peltier released from prison

Source: WESH 2 News

“Native American activist Leonard Peltier was released from a Florida prison on Tuesday, weeks after then-President Joe Biden angered law enforcement officials by commuting his life sentence in the 1975 killings of two FBI agents. For nearly half a century, Peltier’s imprisonment has symbolized systemic injustice for Native Americans across the country who believe in his innocence. The decision to release the 80-year-old to home confinement was celebrated by supporters. … After being released from USP Coleman, a high-security prison, Peltier planned to return to North Dakota, where he is expected to celebrate with friends and family on Wednesday.” (02/18/25)

https://www.wesh.com/article/indigenous-activist-leonard-peltier-released-florida-prison/63828731

Talking Economics

Source: Students For Liberty
by Deirdre Nansen McCloskey

“Economics is easy. Thinking like an economist can be reduced to easy and even obvious principles. Consider two of them: (1.) Much of what we want is scarce. Having one such thing means giving up another. … (2.) Every act in society has two sides, at least.” (02/18/25)

https://studentsforliberty.org/blog/talking-economics/

US, Russian regimes wrap first Ukraine ceasefire negotiations in Saudi Arabia as Europe sidelined

Source: USA Today

“In the first major negotiations for a ceasefire in Ukraine since Russia’s invasion nearly three years ago, U.S. officials and their Russian counterparts met in Saudi Arabia after refusing to include Ukraine or other European countries in the talks. As the gathering wrapped on Tuesday, it was still unclear on what terms the bloody conflict could stop. And Ukraine and its European allies questioned whether a deal guaranteeing lasting security could be reached at all without the invaded country’s input. The meeting represented the first thaw in U.S.-Russia relations in years, even amid accusations that the U.S. was making concessions to Russia by holding direct talks in the first place. The negotiations covered security guarantees and territory, according to the U.S. delegation.” (02/18/25)

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2025/02/18/us-russia-wrap-first-ukraine-negotiations/79067276007/