Author: Thomas L. Knapp

Trump Shouldn’t Impose His Will on Ukraine

Source: The American Conservative
by Doug Bandow

“President Donald Trump confronts the failing policy of his predecessor in Ukraine. Eight years ago he did the same in Afghanistan. There the United States was entangled in a shooting war, which made it difficult to leave without an agreement with the Taliban. In Ukraine Washington is waging a proxy war, ultimately more dangerous, given Russia’s involvement, but much easier to leave. Instead, the administration is attempting to impose its preferred solution on both Kiev and Moscow. So far, the path has proved anything but smooth.” (03/13/25)

https://www.theamericanconservative.com/trump-shouldnt-impose-his-will-on-ukraine/

Thomas L. Knapp

A Rare Auction in Japan: 165,000 Tons of Emergency Rice

Source: New York Times

“The results of a rare, closely watched auction in Japan that ended this week are about to be released. But there were no paintings or antique cars on the auction block. The government is selling 165,000 tons of rice — equivalent to roughly two billion bowls — from its emergency stockpile to make up for over 200,000 tons that some Japanese news media say have ‘disappeared.’ But there’s more to the story. Japan doesn’t have enough rice, a pillar of its diet. A shortage forced supermarkets to implement buying limits, and soaring prices have driven restaurants to hike prices of everyday food. Things have gotten so dire that, for the first time, the government is tapping its emergency stockpile in an effort to drive down prices.” (03/13/25)

https://archive.is/aA5Xq

Thomas L. Knapp

Trump, Free Speech Hypocrisy, and the Streisand Effect

Source: Coyote Blog
by Warren Meyer

“I held out some small hope that while it was depressing to consider that Trump was likely to further trash the notion of free trade (and he has certainly delivered on this bad promise), Republicans — after years in the wilderness rightly complaining about government censorship and growing opposition on the Left to free speech — might, just might, do something to make things a bit better. I thought JD Vance calling out Europe on its deteriorating free speech environment in his Munich speech was great. But its easy to call out other countries on this topic, much harder to remain disciplined in one’s own country. It takes a lot of backbone to respect speech from people you really dislike and disagree with. And apparently this administration lacks such a backbone …” (03/12/25)

https://coyoteblog.com/coyote_blog/2025/03/trump-free-speech-hypocrisy-and-the-streisand-effect.html

Thomas L. Knapp

Taking Rights Seriously

Source: Tenth Amendment Center
by Andrew Napolitano

“The world is filled with self-evident truths — truisms — that philosophers, lawyers and judges know need not be proven. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Two plus two equals four. A cup of boiling hot coffee sitting on a table in a room, the temperature of which is 70 degrees Fahrenheit, will eventually cool down. These examples, of which there are legion, are not true because we believe they are true. They are true essentially and substantially. They are true whether we accept their truthfulness or not. Of course, recognizing a universal truth acknowledges the existence of an order of things higher than human laws, certainly higher than government.” (03/12/25)

https://tenthamendmentcenter.com/2025/03/12/taking-rights-seriously-3/

Thomas L. Knapp