Source: Electronic Frontier Foundation
by Corynne McSherry & Cory Doctorow
“President Trump’s attack on public broadcasting has attracted plenty of deserved attention, but there’s a far more technical, far more insidious policy change in the offing – one that will take away Americans’ right to unencumbered access to our publicly owned airwaves. The FCC is quietly contemplating a fundamental restructuring of all broadcasting in the United States, via a new DRM-based standard for digital television equipment, enforced by a private ‘security authority’ with control over licensing, encryption, and compliance.” (05/08/25)
“The U.S. and Britain have apparently struck a major trade deal, set to be announced at the White House Thursday morning. It’s the first major trade pact since Trump began a campaign of global tariffs. It may serve as a model for the dozens of other countries negotiating with his administration. The full contours were not immediately clear, though Bloomberg said talks had focused on reducing tariffs for cars and steel.” (05/08/25)
Source: Future of Freedom Foundation
by Jacob G Hornberger
“Every American who cares about liberty should be grateful to the American Civil Liberties Union for the fantastic job they have been doing to protect civil liberties, especially during the past few months. In case after case all across the country, ACLU lawyers have been filing suits and securing favorable judicial rulings in the defense of civil liberties, especially the vital concept of due process of law, a principle of liberty that stretches all the way back to the Magna Carta in 1215. Their efforts have been truly heroic and have also entailed some absolutely excellent lawyering.” (05/08/25)
“The acting administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency has been fired one day after he broke with fellow members of the administration when he told lawmakers he does not support dismantling the agency, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson confirmed to CNN. Cameron Hamilton, who was appointed by President Donald Trump, was escorted out of FEMA’s headquarters on Thursday, according to multiple sources familiar with the situation. … CNN previously reported that Hamilton was given a lie detector test just days after taking part in a meeting with top DHS officials for a policy discussion on the future of FEMA and how to potentially dismantle the agency. That closed-door meeting was reported by CNN and other media outlets. At least a dozen other FEMA officials have also been polygraphed by DHS in recent weeks, primarily for alleged media leaks.” (05/08/25)
“The European Commission Thursday upped the pressure in talks with U.S. President Donald Trump by putting forward retaliation worth nearly €100 billion of imports — including big-ticket items like aircraft — that could get tariffed. The catalog includes passenger cars, medical devices, chemicals and plastics, and a slew of agricultural products. Also back on the list are bourbon and other spirits, after wine-producing nations France and Italy pressured the Commission to remove them fearing Trump’s wrath.” (05/08/25)
Source: Responsible Statecraft
by Nick Cleveland-Stout & Gabe Murphy
“What’s worse than the Pentagon spending taxpayer dollars on golf courses? Spending taxpayer dollars on golf courses that nobody uses. Even as the Department of Defense renovates some of its 145 golf courses, the Army acknowledged in a new Pentagon study on excess capacity that it owns at least six facilities labeled ‘Golf Club House and Sales’ that almost no one uses. … the problem goes far beyond golf courses. The Pentagon oversees some $4.1 trillion in assets and 26.7 million acres of land — a sprawling network of military installations across the United States and the globe. Wasted space and resources in that network could be squeezing taxpayers out of billions of dollars. … the Pentagon has a phantom infrastructure problem made up of empty storage warehouses and training facilities that collect dust. The only thing real about them is the cost, brought to you by the U.S. taxpayer.” (05/08/25)
“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has agreed in principle to settle more than 100 childhood sexual abuse lawsuits filed against it last year in San Diego and across California, according to recent court filings in the cases. Attorneys for the plaintiffs and the Utah-based LDS church, often referred to as the Mormon church, have filed joint motions in dozens of cases in recent weeks informing judges that they ‘reached a settlement in principle’ during a private mediation session on April 10. Each of the filings assert that the ‘proposed settlement includes global resolution of over one hundred other claims.’ The terms of the proposed settlement were not disclosed and may never be released publicly. Unlike settlements involving government agencies, which are a matter of public record, private organizations such as the LDS church can keep settlement agreements confidential.” (05/08/25)
