… because we’re within shouting distance of our goal!
We’re running a short (10-item) “weekend special edition” this morning. Enjoy.
THANK YOU to supporters CJTS, RT, and MB! Their contributions over the last 24 hours, totaling $130, bring our year-end fundraiser total to $1,828.84!
That puts us just $921.66 short of the finish line — and YOU can take us there by supporting the freedom movement’s daily newspaper at:
Once we’ve raised $2,750.50, supporter GL will “match funds” to get us to the goal of $5,501 … after which, I’ll stop talking about money ENTIRELY for the remainder of 2025, and MOSTLY until October of 2026.
If you think your prospective contribution is “too small to bother with,” you’re almost certainly wrong. $2.50, $5, or $10 makes a real difference, and if you value our publication in that amount and can afford to, I hope you’ll help out via:
Yours in liberty,
Tom Knapp
Publisher
Rational Review News Digest / Freedom News Daily
Source: The Atlantic
“How YouTube Ate Podcasts and TV.” (12/12/25)
https://www.theatlantic.com/podcasts/2025/12/how-youtube-ate-podcasts-and-tv-with-rachel-martin-ashley-carmen-and-derek-thompson/685230/
Source: Freedom and Flourishing
by Dr. Edward W Younkins
“In her 2023 work The Two Moralities, social psychologist Ronnie Janoff-Bulman presents a framework for understanding political differences rooted in the most fundamental motivational distinction in psychology: approach and avoidance. She argues that these basic motivational systems give rise to two distinct moralities: a proscriptive morality that defends against negative outcomes and focuses on what we should not do, and a prescriptive morality that moves us toward positive outcomes and focuses on what we should do. The former can be viewed as a morality of justice that emphasizes rules, impartiality, law, order, universal principles, retributive justice, and equality of opportunity whereas the latter can be viewed as a morality of care that is rooted in empathy, connection, compassion, responsiveness, safety nets, and equality of outcomes.” (12/12/25)
https://www.freedomandflourishing.com/2025/12/can-polarized-moral-politics-be-bridged.html
Source: SFGate
“President Donald Trump said Saturday that ‘there will be very serious retaliation’ after two U.S. service members and one American civilian were killed in an attack in Syria that the United States blames on the Islamic State group. ‘This was an ISIS attack against the U.S., and Syria, in a very dangerous part of Syria, that is not fully controlled by them,’ he said in a social media post. The American president told reporters at the White House that Syria’s president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, was ‘devastated by what happened’ and stressed that Syria was fighting alongside U.S. troops. Trump, in his post, said al-Sharaa was ‘extremely angry and disturbed by this attack’. U.S. Central Command said three service members were wounded in an ambush Saturday by a lone IS member in central Syria.” (12/13/25)
https://www.sfgate.com/news/world/article/assailant-opens-fire-on-syrian-and-us-forces-in-21240584.php
Source: The American Conservative
by Luke Johnson
“For centuries, Britain and especially London have been a magnet for talent and capital from across the world. Historically the center of the British Empire, and latterly the only financial hub to rival New York, London was a truly global city — full of high earners, a cultural mecca, brilliantly connected to other centers of finance and industry. But recent times have not been good for London, or indeed Britain. I have lived and worked here for over 40 years, and I cannot recall a period when entrepreneurs and investors have been so demoralized.” (12/12/25)
https://www.theamericanconservative.com/the-great-british-brain-drain/
Source: US News & World Report
“The U.S. Justice Department is suing four more states as part of its effort to collect detailed voting data and other election information across the country. The department filed federal lawsuits against Colorado, Hawaii, Massachusetts and Nevada on Thursday for ‘failing to produce statewide voter registration lists upon request [sic]. So far, 18 states have been sued, along with Fulton County in Georgia, which was sued for records related to the 2020 election. The Trump administration has characterized the lawsuits as part of an effort to ensure the security of elections, and the Justice Department says the states are violating federal law by refusing to provide the voter lists and information about ineligible voters.” (12/12/25)
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/nevada/articles/2025-12-12/justice-department-sues-4-more-states-for-access-to-detailed-voter-data
Source: Freedom Works
“Steve Swedberg, Competitive Enterprise Institute ‘Fed’s Risky Interest Rate Cut.'” (12/12/25)
https://internetradiopros.com/freedomworks/?name=2025-12-13_zfw12122025.mp3
Source: Orange County Register
by Steven Greenhut
“There are two schools of conservative immigration thought. The first, to which I subscribe, acknowledges immigrants often flee countries ravaged by crime, tyranny and disorder. That’s why many people come to the United States. Our nation’s settlers fled persecution. My father escaped Nazi Germany, which was literally putting people in ovens (although many Republicans lately have struggled with their views on such horrors). Under this long-standing view, Americans should welcome immigrants, but promote E Pluribus Unum. The other conservative view, which is clearly embraced by national conservatives and populists, is that America is fundamentally a white, Christian nation and that immigration, to whatever limited degree we allow it, should align with those demographics.” (12/12/25)
https://archive.is/yjnoQ
Source: Fox News
by David Marcus
“The Democratic Party is a very old and venerable institution, and as such, it has a lot of rules, a lot of buffers, and yes, this thing of theirs, it has centers of power. You might even call them ‘families’. Now, these families, so to speak, they aren’t at war with each other, at least not usually, but they do have their own interests and priorities, and sometimes conflicts do arise. To truly understand the party, and where it is going, you have to understand the Five Families who lead it. So, let’s take a look, one by one. Which crews are in ascendency? Which are in chaos? And what will it mean for the party as it seeks to take Congress and the White House and put every agency in the country right in its back pocket?” [editor’s note: Yes, viewing the Dramacrat pols like mob bosses does clarify it a bit – SAT] (12/13/25)
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/david-marcus-meet-five-families-democratic-party
Source: Providence Journal
“A shooting at Brown University has left at least two dead and nine injured on Saturday, Dec. 13. Two of the dead and eight of the injured have been confirmed as Brown University students. The school is still on lockdown as the shooter is not yet in custody. Providence police have released limited information about the suspected shooter – only that he is male, was wearing all black or dark clothing, and may be in his 30’s. … In what he described as the last regular update of the evening, Providence Mayor Brett Smiley emphasized that law enforcement has not received any additional credible information that there’s any ongoing threat.” (12/13/25)
https://www.providencejournal.com/live-story/news/crime/2025/12/13/brown-university-providence-rhode-island-active-shooter-live-updates/87754385007/
Source: BBC News [UK State Media]
“Cambodia has shut its border crossings with Thailand, as fighting continues between the two forces on Saturday despite US President Donald Trump earlier saying they had agreed to a ceasefire. The crossings will be closed until further notice, according to Cambodia’s interior ministry. Earlier, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said he told Trump a ceasefire would only be possible after Cambodia had withdrawn all its forces and removed landmines. Thai officials said four soldiers were killed on Saturday, as both sides reported continued bombing and artillery exchanges. Cambodia has not been updating its military casualty figure. Cambodia’s defence ministry said that Thai fighter jets bombed hotel buildings and a bridge, while Thailand reported several civilians were injured in a Cambodian rocket attack. The four deaths on Saturday bring Thailand’s total military death toll since Monday to 15, with 270 others injured. It added that six civilians had also been injured.” (12/13/25)
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd0kkyx3vvxo
