Source: The American Prospect
by Andy Berke & Jonathan Gruber

“There exists a place where a government entity, bolstered by public funds, laid more than 600 miles of fiber-optic cable, connecting to every home and business in its service area. For more than a decade, this network has provided internet, voice, and video services to customers. It’s one of the fastest internet service providers in the world, with speeds up to 10 gigabits per second. It has enhanced local economic development, while offering no-cost service to families who need it most. At this point, you no doubt believe we are talking about some utopia far from our shores, in Korea or Scandinavia. But no, this place exists right here in the United States, in the heart of ‘red’ America: Chattanooga, Tennessee. And the service Chattanooga developed is incredibly popular. Consumer Reports has rated it the best in the country.” (06/17/21)

https://prospect.org/economy/infrastructure-success-story-in-chattanooga/

Source: EconLog
by unknown

“In the late 1940s, Milton Friedman was considered an important economist who had made significant technical contributions. At the beginning of the 1950s, however, he moved away from Keynesian economics and as a result was increasingly viewed as a bit of a nut. Two decades later, however, Friedman had become far and away the most important macroeconomist in the world. Much of the ongoing macro debate revolved around economists addressing Friedman’s ideas, pro or con. How did this happen? Edward Nelson’s outstanding two volume study of Friedman provides the most complete answer that I have seen.” (06/17/21)

https://www.econlib.org/friedmans-smashing-success/

Source: Reason
by CJ Ciaramella

“In April, a Minnesota police officer fatally shot Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old black man, during a traffic stop, supposedly after mistaking her gun for a Taser. That same week, a Virginia police officer was fired after the release of body camera footage that showed him pepper-spraying and handcuffing a black Army lieutenant who had the temerity to ask why he was being pulled over. Incidents like those, along with the high-profile deaths of motorists such as Philando Castile and Sandra Bland, underline the dangers of asking armed police officers to enforce traffic laws. Many reformers argue that the task should instead be assigned to unarmed civilians. … A traffic ticket should be a mundane, mildly irritating experience for all parties involved, not a life-or-death moment. Returning traffic enforcement and criminal law enforcement to their proper spheres could put both police and drivers at ease.” (for publication 07/21)

https://reason.com/2021/06/17/no-more-traffic-cops/

Source: Libertarian Institute
by Dave DeCamp

“President Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin wrapped up talks in Geneva on Wednesday. Both leaders had positive things to say about the meeting, but the tensions between the U.S. and Russia were on display during press conferences that followed. World leaders typically hold joint press conferences after summits, but Biden and Putin spoke to the media on their own. Putin spoke with reporters first and described the meeting as ‘constructive.’ … During his press conference, Biden portrayed the meeting as a necessary step for the ‘self-interest’ of the U.S. … While Biden portrays Russia as the party that needs to take steps for better relations, the reality is, the US has been the aggressor. The question is if the U.S. will back off Russia and take steps towards arms control.” (06/17/21)

https://libertarianinstitute.org/articles/what-does-the-biden-putin-summit-mean-for-russian-relations-going-forward/