“A new political action committee chaired by Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker plans to invest at least $20 million aimed at boosting Democratic House candidates for the midterms while also expanding his national political footprint ahead of a potential 2028 presidential run. The ‘Ready for the Fight’ PAC — evoking a phrase Pritzker uses to close his political speeches — will focus on what the governor says are overlooked races, as well as a few competitive contests, according to Pritzker’s team. The PAC plans to reserve air time against the embattled Rep. Max Miller in Ohio’s 7th Congressional District and Brandon Herrera, a Republican candidate in Texas’[s] 23rd Congressional District. Both are running in Republican-leaning districts, but Pritzker sees an opening, arguing they’re weak candidates facing a Democrat-friendly national climate.” (09/08/26)
“The US health care system includes many employers, each competing for the money that can be made off the services of a nurse. The NHS is the – near – monopsonistic employer of nurses in the United Kingdom. Karl was quite right, the workers get screwed by the single employer. There’s not all that much Marx did get right – and most of what he did was what he cribbed from Smith and Ricardo – but this part, monopoly purchase of labour being bad for workers is one of those few things correct that he independently arrived at.” (09/08/260
“Hungary expelled 10 Russian diplomats on Tuesday, saying they had acted in ways incompatible with their diplomatic status, in a stark reminder that the pro-Russian years of former Prime Minister Viktor Orban are over. Russia’s Foreign Ministry said it would retaliate and its response would be painful for Hungary, Interfax news agency reported. … Those kicked out ‘were engaged in activities in Hungary that are unacceptable for diplomats under the Vienna Convention,’ Hungarian Foreign Minister Anita Orban, who is not related to the former prime minister, said in an emailed statement on Tuesday. ‘This decision … does not imply breaking off diplomatic relations with Russia. Hungary intends to continue the necessary dialogue,’ the statement added.” (09/08/26)
“What recourse do people have when encryption technology that they thought was pretty good comes up against an AI program capable of impressive mathematical reasoning? In a July blog post, Anthropic disclosed that its researchers, using their Claude Mythos Preview model, had discovered improved ways to attack cryptographic algorithms (the mathematical methods used to keep online data private) — a development with transformative implications for cryptography. The concern here isn’t just about protecting data — it’s also about protecting identities. In the last few decades, society has found sophisticated ways to blur or redact things to protect people’s anonymity. But as it begins to flex its muscles, AI may be able to de-blur them instantly.” (09/08/26)
“Families with young children are potentially eligible for dozens of public benefits to support them during periods of unemployment and to supplement their earnings during periods of employment. Access to these benefits varies depending on earnings, marital status, age of the children, and where families reside. This patchwork across programs and states is so complex that social scientists, advocates, and policymakers often narrow their focus to examine a single program in isolation. While this gives a clear view of the impact of any one program, it risks missing the forest for the trees.” (09/08/26)
“Three paintings have been stolen from a museum dedicated to French impressionist painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir in southern France in an early morning burglary. Two thieves broke into the museum in Cagnes-sur-Mer, near Nice, a little before 6am (0400 GMT) and took four paintings, Mayor Bryan Masson said in a post on social media on Tuesday. ‘Spotted thanks to the town’s video surveillance cameras, the two individuals fled, abandoning one of the stolen paintings as they ran,’ Masson said, adding his office estimated the value of the stolen works at 9 million euros ($10.5m). … The theft comes less than a year after eight items valued at about $100m were stolen during a daylight robbery from the famed Louvre Museum in Paris.” (09/08/26)
Source: Ludwig von Mises Institute
by Wanjiru Njoya
“Property rights are defined in many ways. It often happens that academics who are interested in the scope, regulation, or protection of private property rights debate endlessly at cross purposes because they do not share the same definition of property rights in the first place. Some debaters attempt to beat their opponents by initiating a definitional game of ‘gotcha.'” (09/08/260
