Author: Thomas L. Knapp

“The Wealth of Nations” and 250 Years of Economists Missing the Point

Source: The Daily Economy
by Daniel J Smith & Gabriel F Benzecry

“From trade policy to public debt, today’s economic debates echo those of 1776. The problem isn’t a lack of knowledge — it’s a failure to teach and apply enduring principles.” 904/27/26)

https://thedailyeconomy.org/article/the-wealth-of-nations-and-250-years-of-economists-missing-the-point/

Thomas L. Knapp

Shield of the Republic, 04/27/26

Source: The Bulwark

“Eric and Eliot review an extended buffet of jackassery before turning to the current state of affairs in Iran. They assess the prospects for a negotiated settlement to the war, and whether we could end up in a ‘no war, no peace’ situation. They also discuss the mutual incomprehension that leaders in both countries exhibit regarding the interests and intentions of the other, Iran’s new collective leadership in the wake of Ali Khamenei’s death, and the structural similarity to the situation faced by Soviet leaders after the death of Stalin. Finally, they respond to reports that the administration is considering deporting to the Democratic Republic of the Congo roughly eleven hundred Afghans in Qatar who were evacuated in 2021 amidst the US withdrawal.” (04/27/26)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dm3kMrnPYE

Thomas L. Knapp

Meet the Four Democrats Who’ll Decide If Trump Gets His Domestic Spying Law

Source: The Intercept
by Matt Sledge

A messy fight over whether the U.S. government can conduct warrantless surveillance of American citizens could come down to whether four Democrats endorse Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson’s latest plan. Johnson was stymied this month when he attempted to push through a reauthorization of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The roadblock came thanks to opposition from most Democrats, plus 20 hard-right members of the GOP caucus. Still, four Democrats crossed party lines to vote for a procedural motion to advance the bill, despite instructions from House Democratic leaders to the contrary. Whether those four support Johnson during a vote this week could prove crucial.” (04/27/26)

https://theintercept.com/2026/04/27/four-democrats-fisa-domestic-spying-trump/

Thomas L. Knapp

Conscription Means Slavery, Not Unity

Source: Libertarian Institute
by Brad Pearce

“While there is a disconnect between the general public and our professional warrior class, and one hears now and again that it would be good for our public to understand military life better, mandatory service would more likely create a false sense of understanding of our professional military that would be more irritating and divisive for everyone. Regarding the premise that mandatory service would build character, this is on its face nonsense.” (04/27/26)

https://libertarianinstitute.org/articles/conscription-means-slavery-not-unity/

Thomas L. Knapp

Neon Liberalism, episode 71

Source: Liberal Currents

“Samantha interviews Bethany Andres-Beck, running in the Democratic primary for Massachusetts’ 6th Congressional District. They talk about the spiritual crisis in the Democratic Party, the need to fix what’s broken in America, and how they intend to fight for working people across a range of issues.” (04/26/26)

https://www.liberalcurrents.com/what-next-democrats-neon-liberalism-71-with-bethany-andres-beck/

Thomas L. Knapp

Is the Lebanon File the Key to Ending the Iran War?

Source: The American Conservative
by Ali Rizk

“One of the important conclusions to draw from the Iran War is how much importance Tehran attaches to Hezbollah, its long-time Lebanese Shiite ally. This is not to be dismissed as business as usual, but rather reflects a major shift whereby supporting Hezbollah has become even more necessary for Iran’s national security.” (04/27/26)

https://www.theamericanconservative.com/is-the-lebanon-file-the-key-to-ending-the-iran-war/

Thomas L. Knapp