“No charge leveled against individualist, pro-capitalist classical liberalism has been less deserved or more enduring than the charge of heartless Social Darwinism. The absurdity of it is obvious after a few moments’ thought. Charles Darwin’s findings on natural selection described the ‘struggle for life’ among the lower animals, which must essentially adapt themselves to their environment as they find it. (Some species instinctively make limited, repetitive modifications.) In contrast, in a capitalist society, competition turns from a life-and-death contest among consumers to a creative contest among producers who change the environment in their quest for consumers’ freely chosen custom.” (09/04/26)
“The Alternative for Germany appealed on Monday to lawmakers from Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservatives to support its bid to rule Saxony-Anhalt after the far-right party surged into first place in the eastern German state’s election. The anti-immigrant, pro-Russia AfD won nearly 44% of the vote, official results showed, an outcome that underlined the deep unpopularity of Merz’s ruling coalition and also triggered alarm among Germany’s neighbours, France and Poland. However, the party — which wants to deport immigrants, halt support for Ukraine and ditch the euro — has fallen short of an absolute majority in the state legislature, winning 39 of the 83 seats, and hopes to win over individual conservative lawmakers. The election result raises serious questions about the longstanding refusal of Germany’s mainstream parties, including Merz’s Christian Democrats (CDU), to work with the AfD, a policy known as the ‘firewall’.” (09/07/26)
Source: Independent Institute
by Ryanne Swanson & Raymond J March
“Payton Herres successfully underwent heart transplantation surgery as a preteen. A year later, she began taking everolimus—a vital medication used to prevent her body from rejecting the transplant. Her insurance provider soon after denied coverage, leaving her with an indispensable but largely unaffordable prescription. Herres’[s] situation was alarming, but not uncommon. About 30% of Americans find themselves with uncovered treatment despite having health insurance. Unfortunately, medications for rare and/or chronic conditions, in some cases, have no generic alternatives. Not covering expensive but seldom-utilized treatments is an easy way for health insurance providers to cut costs. Unfortunately, these decisions can leave unsuspecting and financially strapped policyholders with few options. This is when Mark Cuban stepped in.” (09/04/26)
Source: The American Conservative
by James P Pinkerton
“So is the Pentagon doing right by drones, or not? Until there’s some new war somewhere, we simply won’t know. Obviously, plenty have loud opinions, but the paucity of hard facts—the proof is in the fighting—has inspired one savant, abiding in the immortal empyrean, to warn against bad methodology: ‘One begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts.’ Who is this sage? Why, Sherlock Holmes, of course. Okay, Holmes is a fictional character, and yet his methods—pattern recognition, omission analysis, structured inference—are timeless.” (09/04/26)
“The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court on Thursday to immediately allow new restrictions on mail-in balloting …. The administration says the new rules, set out by President Donald Trump in an executive order, are necessary to keep noncitizens from voting. Under the plans, states would have to get approval for the design of their ballot envelopes from the Postal Service and would have to provide the federal government with lists of voters who are eligible to receive mail ballots. … Trump’s executive order prohibits the Postal Service from delivering mail-in ballots in states that do not turn over voter data through a new online portal.” (09/03/26)
“Since the U.S. and Israel started the war at the end of February, at least 1,700 Iranian civilians have been killed, and the total is probably much higher. Compared to the horrors of the war in Gaza, that may seem low, but these are all lives of innocent people snuffed out in a war that the president started on a whim. If not for the criminal actions of the U.S. and Israeli governments, all these people would be alive today. When we count the human cost of our government’s wars, we tend to give short shrift to the lives of the people in the country that our military is bombing. Even though Iranians are the ones bearing the brunt of our government’s aggression, their deaths and injuries are often treated as an afterthought. The loss of innocent lives caused by our military never seems to generate that much outrage.” (09/03/26)
“One of Russia’s top nuclear generals is clinging to life after a suspected Ukrainian assassination attempt outside his home. Major General Nikolai Varpakhovich, 56, was being driven out of his property when a would-be assassin pulled up next to him and opened fire in Saratov, Russia. The close ally of Vladimir Putin accused of ordering a deadly missile strike on Kyiv’s children hospital, was hit in the face and chest, reported Kanal 24, a Ukrainian news outlet. His driver reportedly managed to escape, later returning to the scene and calling for an ambulance. Varpakhovich was left in critical condition and was flown to Moscow on a medical evacuation flight, the report said. The gunman has not been found.” (09/03/26)
“Democratic socialism is a terrible ideology. If implemented, its agenda would cause grave harm and imperil democracy itself. And in seeking massive state control of the economy, today’s socialists ironically have much in common with the MAGA nationalists they claim to oppose. Both promote government control over the economy, and both paths undermine liberty, prosperity and democracy. Socialists do not control the Democratic Party in the way MAGA largely dominates the Republicans. But their influence is growing.” (09/03/26)
