Make It Make Sense, 06/03/26
Source: Washington Post
“Did Trump win the late-night comedy battle?” (06/03/26)
Author: Thomas L. Knapp
Kibbe on Liberty, episode 389
Source: Free the People
“It’s Time to Legalize Home Distilling | Guest: Robert Alt.” (06/03/26)
Are Spinoza’s Philosophy and Neo-Aristotelian Philosophies of Freedom and Flourishing Compatible?
Source: Freedom and Flourishing
by Dr. Edward W Younkins
“The philosophical systems of Baruch (Benedict de) Spinoza and contemporary neo-Aristotelian thinkers such as Ayn Rand, Douglas B. Rasmussen, and Douglas J. Den Uyl represent distinct yet somewhat convergent approaches to understanding reality, human nature, and the conditions for human flourishing. Spinoza’s rationalist monism and determinism appear, at first glance, to be at odds with the teleological realism, moral objectivism, and emphasis on individual agency characteristic of Objectivism and Individualistic Perfectionism. However, upon closer examination, these traditions exhibit areas of comparability, partial compatibility, and parallel insights across metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, and political philosophy.” (06/03/26)
https://www.freedomandflourishing.com/2026/06/are-spinozas-philosophy-and-neo.html
North Carolina’s HB 1173 Risks Repeating California’s Failures
Source: Independent Institute
by Sam Jenson
“In December 2025, just days before Christmas, 13-year-old Jaleeyah Tune was murdered in Goldsboro, North Carolina. According to prosecutors, Jaleeyah was ambushed by three teens with alleged gang ties. In the aftermath of this tragedy, new legislation, House Bill 1173, has advanced in North Carolina. This new bill, known as ‘Jaleeyah’s Law,’ would enhance criminal penalties for gang-related activity. Lawmakers are attempting to prevent tragedies of this kind in the future, but such laws can prove slippery slopes. It cannot be overstated how tragic the loss of Jaleeyah Tune is, but emotionally charged lawmaking has already led to overcriminalization, wrongful gang designations, and erosion of due process before.” (06/03/26)
https://www.independent.org/article/2026/06/03/north-carolina-hb-1173/
Iranians Had a Better Shot of Toppling Their Monstrous Regime Before the War
Source: The UnPopulist
by Pouya Nikmand
“{The country’s rulers have become more entrenched and brutal, turning the glimmer of hope during the protests into fear and despair.” (06/03/26)
https://www.theunpopulist.net/p/iranians-had-a-better-shot-of-toppling
SCOTUS backs SEC in fight over “disgorgement” power
Source: Reuters
“The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a challenge to the Securities and Exchange Commission’s broad authority to recover illegal profits using a financial remedy called disgorgement, buttressing one of the Wall Street watchdog agency’s key powers. The justices, in a 9-0 ruling, upheld a lower court’s decision that had endorsed a wide use of the SEC’s disgorgement authority. President Donald Trump’s administration had defended the SEC in the case. … [Ongkaruck] Sripetch admitted violating securities law, and in a related criminal case was sentenced to 21 months in prison. Sripetch challenged the lower court’s disgorgement order on the grounds that the SEC failed to prove his actions caused stock prices to drop or otherwise financially harmed investors.” (06/04/26)
https://www.reuters.com/world/us-supreme-court-backs-sec-fight-over-disgorgement-power-2026-06-04/
CA: Monterey Park votes to permanently ban data centers
Source: SFGate
“Monterey Park voters made history Tuesday by passing the first permanent ban on data centers nationwide. Voters are on track to overwhelmingly approve the ban, with 86% in favor according to the latest ballot count, leading organizers to claim victory (the official results won’t be certified until July 10). Where other jurisdictions have passed temporary measures to curb the controversial development of these massive server farms, Monterey Park voters’ decision in this election will keep developers at bay unless voters want to revisit the decision in a future election.” (06/03/26)
https://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/monterey-park-data-center-ban-22290345.php
NPR Politics Podcast, 06/03/26
Source: National Public Radio [US state media]
“Why did Governor Polis release election denier Tina Peters?” (06/03/26)
Sal and Mark, episode 5
Source: Free Talk Live
“Sal and Mark are back with a special episode recorded live at BCH Bliss 2026 in Ljubljana, Slovenia — the premier Bitcoin Cash conference. We’ve put together a montage of the best interviews from the event.” (06/03/26)
Alliances
Source: David Friedman’s Substack
by David Friedman
“My previous three posts dealt with the possibility of an alliance between libertarians and Abundance liberals. Neither is a political party, a nation, even an organization; in what sense can they ally? One could imagine a political alliance in which leading members of both groups advise their followers to vote for the same candidate or ballot measure, but that is not what I am talking about. What I am imagining is for members of both groups to treat each other as part of the same intellectual community, read, listen to, comment on and think about each other’s writing, teach and learn from each other, perhaps coauthor books or articles. For that to happen productively there have to be issues on which the participants in the conversation believe that their views could be improved by ideas from the other side.” (06/03/26)