Source: Reason
by Jacob Sullum
“In the guise of investigating ‘potentially unlawful advertiser boycotts,’ the commission is punishing the organization for its views.” (04/14/26)
Source: The Hill
“TMZ, the tabloid known for its sensational headlines and dirt-digging on Hollywood celebrities and other famous people, is opening up shop in Washington, D.C., with an eye on covering Congress. Producers for the website arrived on Capitol Hill this week as Congress returned from a two-week recess, and confronted Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham (S.C.) and Ted Cruz (Texas) as they got settled in the halls of the Capitol. A video the outlet posted on Monday showed Graham putting his hand in front of the camera and ignoring a TMZ staffer who asked him, ‘Can I just ask you about the bubble wand, sir?'” (04/14/26)
https://thehill.com/homenews/media/5830247-tmz-opens-dc-bureau/
Source: Antiwar.com
“Saudi Arabia Wants US to End Its Hormuz Blockade, Israeli Strike Kills 3-Year-Old in Gaza, and More.” (04/14/26)
Source: Heartland Institute
by Ronald Stein, PE
“Recent calls for a more realistic shift from ‘decarbonization’ to ‘low carbon’ suggest that discomfort with ideology-driven climate policy is finally beginning to surface in public debate. For years, climate discussions in many countries have been dominated by abstract targets, slogans, and numerical commitments. Yet behind these lofty ideals lies a deeper and more practical question: have we come to understand energy far too narrowly? Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz in early 2026 have made that question impossible to ignore.” (04/14/26)
https://heartland.org/opinion/strait-of-hormuz-tensions-and-the-material-benefits-of-fossil-fuels/
Source: Al Jazeera [Qatari state media]
“Iran has demanded that it receive compensation for the destruction caused by the United States and Israel’s attacks, as the country remains defiant and regional powers continue their attempts to mediate an end to the conflict. Tehran’s envoy to the United Nations said on Tuesday that five regional countries must pay compensation, based on his accusation that their territories were used for launching attacks on Iran. … An early estimate indicates that Iran has suffered about $270bn in direct and indirect damages since the start of the US-Israel war on February 28 …. Despite the scope and depth of the damage, as well as the impact of the US naval blockade on Iranian ports that began on Monday, Iranian authorities have signalled that they do not intend to give major concessions in negotiations with Washington, including on nuclear enrichment.” (04/15/26)
Source: Garrison Center
by Thomas L Knapp
“The deadline for filing US federal income tax returns falls (usually) on April 15, a date that’s worked its way into the American vocabulary as ‘tax day.’ That’s really not a very accurate term. For one thing, most Americans pay all sorts of other taxes (sales taxes, excise taxes, property taxes, etc.) all the time. You can’t swing a cat without hitting a tax … and there’s probably a tax on swinging cats, which I recommend against doing for all kinds of reasons other than potential tax implications. For another, most Americans pay federal income tax year-round through withholding from their paychecks (or quarterly ‘estimated’ payments). April 15 is just the day when the government demands that you do their paperwork for them to make sure they took as much as they wanted to take from you last year.” (04/14/26)
Source: The Hill
“Robby Soave gives his radar on opposition to self-driving cars from some prominent progressive leftists, including New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.” (04/14/26)
Source: Antiwar.com
by Kyle Anzalone
“Donald Trump sold himself to the American people as the ultimate dealmaker during his first run for President. He argued that Obama’s poor negotiating skills had impoverished the American people, and he would Make America Great Again by getting tough with both allies and adversaries. The American people bought the narrative and elected him over Hillary Clinton in 2016. In the President’s five years in office, he had been unable to cement any agreement that benefited Americans. … It should come as no surprise that Saturday’s talks in Pakistan to end the conflict failed. Trump has proven he is unable to take a good deal when it is gifted to him.” (04/14/26)
https://original.antiwar.com/kyle_anzalone/2026/04/13/the-art-of-failure
Source: Portland Press Herald
“The Maine Legislature on Tuesday passed a controversial measure temporarily prohibiting new data center development for more than a year, sending it to Gov. Janet Mills for final approval. The bill, LD 307, would create a limitation on data centers with electric loads of at least 20 megawatts by preventing the state, local governments and quasi-governmental agencies from issuing permits or other approvals until November 2027. In the meantime, a new Data Center Coordination Council — also created in the bill — would get time to study the centers’ potential impact in Maine and issue policy recommendations. The House voted 79-62 to enact Tuesday, sending it to the Senate, which voted 21-13 to approve it later that evening. The bill’s fate now lies with Mills, who has expressed concerns that it does not include a carveout for a data center proposal in Jay.” (04/14/26)
Source: The Daily Economy
by Julia R Cartwright
“To understand the American tax code, you first need to understand a theory developed while watching liquor regulations in the American South. Economist Bruce Yandle noticed that two groups supported Sunday alcohol bans: Baptist ministers, who wanted to protect communities from drinking, and bootleggers, who wanted to eliminate their competition for a day. The two groups had different motives, but pushed for the same policy. Yandle called this dynamic ‘bootleggers and Baptists,’ and it helps explain nearly every major provision in the US tax code.” (04/14/26)
https://thedailyeconomy.org/article/bootleggers-baptists-and-who-benefits-from-tax-complexity/