Trump’s Iran Policy Does Not Add Up
Source: The Atlantic
by Thomas Wright
“The choice isn’t between a deal and war. It’s between using American leverage and discarding it.” (02/23/26)
Author: Thomas L. Knapp
The Supreme Court Defanged Trump’s Tariff Weapon
Source: Persuasion
by Francis Fukuyama
“The Supreme Court has done the country a service by invalidating Trump’s use of IEEPA tariffs. The Section 122 authority he subsequently turned to mandates a uniform tariff, and not one that can be targeted against disfavored countries. Moreover, that authority expires after 150 days, undercutting its utility as a political weapon. Future tariffs under other authorities may be possible, but almost all of them reduce the president’s discretion in imposing them, requiring formal procedures to justify the imposition of the levy. So, Trump has not just lost the foundation of his economic policy; he has also been stripped of a political weapon that he was particularly fond of deploying against friendly countries.” (02/23/26)
https://www.persuasion.community/p/a-blow-to-trumps-favorite-political
What Was Bill Pulte’s Charity Really Funding With This Mystery Donation?
Source: Mother Jones
by Hannah Levintova & Dan Friedman
“In the wake of the January 6, 2021, riot at the US Capitol, Donald Trump and his close associates found themselves mired in lawsuits that, among other things, sought to hold them accountable for inciting the violence that resulted in injuries to more than 140 police officers and likely contributed to the deaths of five. By 2023, the legal fees had ballooned into the millions, all while Trump also was mounting an expensive presidential campaign. At the same time, a charity run by construction heir, private equity mogul, and Trump donor Bill Pulte — who now runs the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) — made a mysterious, previously unreported donation that raises serious questions about whether it was an effort to quietly funnel money to the legal defense of Trump, other January 6 defendants, or another purpose entirely.” (02/23/26)
In Defense of Human Dignity
Source: Law & Liberty
by Ian Tuttle
“Glenn Hughes’s posthumous book is a reminder of the philosophical sources for the conception of human dignity that ought to define our political tradition.” (02/23/26)
https://lawliberty.org/book-review/in-defense-of-human-dignity/
Senile reality TV star tantrums at Netflix to fire board member
Source: Axios
“President Trump on Sunday threatened Netflix, suggesting it would ‘pay the consequences’ if it didn’t ‘immediately’ fire Susan Rice, who served as ambassador to the United Nations under the Obama administration. The comments come weeks after the president said he decided he shouldn’t be involved in the deal to sell Warner Bros. Discovery and that ‘The Justice Department will handle it.’ The president’s words shouldn’t have bearing over the approval of Netflix’s merger agreement with WBD, but they can still influence WBD’s sale process. … On Monday, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos told the BBC, ‘This is a business deal. It’s not a political deal.'” (02/23/26)
Finding Freedom, 02/23/26
Source: Lions of Liberty
“Breaking the Sugar Cycle, with Dulsa Founder Natalie Nicole.” (02/23/26)
The European Tiger Roars
Source: Foundation for Economic Education
by Harry Phibbs
“Poland was pivotal to the fall of Communism in Europe. The Solidarity protests in the 1980s gave hope that political change was possible, even among those who feared that totalitarian states might prove permanent with their grim monolithic structures. Poland’s subsequent success as a free nation serves as an exemplar to others. What a contrast with Russia, which has also overthrown Communism and remains beset by poverty, tyranny, and an aggressive foreign policy.” (02/23/26)
SCOTUS Won’t Revive NRA Free Speech Suit Against NY Ex-Official
Source: US News & World Report
“The U.S. Supreme Court declined on Monday to revive the National Rifle Association’s lawsuit accusing a former New York state official of coercing banks and insurers to avoid doing business with the gun rights group. The justices in 2024 had reinstated the group’s lawsuit accusing Maria Vullo, the former superintendent of New York’s Department of Financial Services, of violating its free speech rights under the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment. But they declined to do so a second time after a lower court again dismissed the lawsuit. … The case returned to the New York-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled last year that Vullo was immune from the NRA’s claims because the law addressing her conduct was unclear at the time. This prompted the NRA’s second appeal to the justices.” (02/23/26)
Uncanny Valley, 02/23/26
Source: Wired
“AI Researcher Resignations, Bots Hiring Humans, Evie Magazine’s Party.” (02/23/26)
Trump’s Tantrum Over the Tariff Decision Highlights His Narcissistic Authoritarianism
Source: Reason
by Jacob Sullum
“The president neither understands nor appreciates the vital role of judicial independence in upholding the rule of law.” (02/23/26)