Author: Thomas L. Knapp

Source: Paul Krugman
by Paul Krugman

“At this point it’s almost routine: Almost every time Donald Trump makes a major announcement about the Iran War, that announcement is preceded — sometimes by only a few minutes — by huge and hugely profitable bets in the oil market. … The Trump administration is making no real effort to crack down on whoever is trading using inside information, and these inside traders are operating with a complete sense of impunity, assured that they can get away with it. The stench of corruption is overwhelming. Yet aside from the raw corruption, these incidents also raise a larger question. The insiders ripped off the parties who sold futures to them at what turned out to be very unfavorable prices to the sellers. What broader damage does this kind of unchecked insider trading do?” (05/07/26)

https://paulkrugman.substack.com/p/grand-theft-oil-futures

Source: The Daily Economy
by Jeffery L Degner

“The Church Committee exposed sweeping abuses by America’s intelligence agencies 50 years ago. Section 702’s recent reauthorization suggests lawmakers are increasingly comfortable with expansive spying on American citizens.” (05/07/26)

https://thedailyeconomy.org/article/church-report-to-fisa-why-wont-congress-stop-the-surveillance-state/

Source: Independent Institute
by Stephen P Halbrook

“Post-Bruen, courts have sought to uphold restrictions that ban firearms in various ‘sensitive places’ based on a misunderstanding of the Founding-era offense of going armed in a manner that terrorized the public. Antonyuk v. James upheld New York’s place restrictions based on its claim that Founding-era Virginia and North Carolina laws banned going armed per se in fairs and markets. However, it conceded that Virginia only prohibited going armed ‘in terror of the Country,’ but maintained that North Carolina had no such element of the offense, adding that place restrictions in the late 19th century followed the North Carolina model. That historical tradition of regulation, the Second Circuit held, justifies New York’s current law.” (05/06/26)

https://www.independent.org/article/2026/05/06/fake-citation-misled-courts-to-uphold-sensitive-place-gun-bans/

Source: Foreign Policy
by Adam Weinstein

“The United States’[s] leaders are still chasing the fantasy of a perfect war—one in which Washington’s technological and logistical might leads to a clear, swift victory. It’s a misconception rooted in what U.S. Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal called the ‘three great seductions’ of modern warfare: covert action, surgical special operations raids, and airpower. Together, they sustain the illusion that war can be precise and controlled.” (05/06/26)

https://archive.is/a9EBz

Source: Reason
by Christian Britschgi

“Despite their limited negative externalities and extreme economic importance, people’s hatred of data centers is only growing.” (05/07/26)

https://reason.com/2026/05/07/expect-the-data-center-backlash-to-get-worse/