Author: Thomas L. Knapp

Source: Checks & Balances
by Matthew Cavedon

“Today, about 95% of convictions come from plea bargains rather than jury trials.” (07/08/26)

https://chkbal.substack.com/p/the-founders-fought-for-jury-trials

Source: Common Sense
by Paul Jacob

“I’m usually suspicious of business-government partnerships. But some occasional and low-level efforts are inevitable and at worst anodyne. Take the Great American State Fair in the District of Columbia.” (07/08/26)

https://thisiscommonsense.org/2026/07/08/the-states-fair/

Source: Rutherford Institute
by John & Nisha Whitehead

“President Trump has no problem criticizing, condemning, insulting, demonizing and threatening those who refuse to fall in line. He has branded political opponents ‘communists,’ denounced critics as anti-American, lashed out at NATO allies, threatened to cut off trade with Spain, and referred to Iran’s leaders as ‘scum’ amid the ongoing war. In Trump’s America, the president is free to call other nations bad actors, label his opponents dangerous, and treat disagreement as betrayal. But dare to criticize Trump, his administration, ICE, the police state, the war machine, the surveillance state, or the government’s steady assault on the Constitution, and you may find yourself treated as the threat. This is the hypocrisy of the moment: those in power claim an unlimited right to criticize everyone else, while increasingly denying the people the right to criticize them.” (07/08/26)

https://www.rutherford.org/publications_resources/john_whiteheads_commentary/dissent_is_not_disloyalty_the_right_and_duty_to_criticize_the_government

Source: The UnPopulist
by Berny Belvedere

“On Monday night in Seattle, Belgium dismantled the United States 4-1 in their Round of 16 matchup—the worst 90 minutes the U.S. played all tournament, and a stunning collapse from the team that had swashbuckled through Paraguay, dispatched Australia, battled Turkey to the wire, and outclassed Bosnia and Herzegovina in the first knockout round to get here. So what happened? What happened is the president of the United States turned a red card into an international incident. The U.S. lost because it played poorly and Belgium played superbly—that’s not in dispute. But one contributing factor that led to that outcome was surely the brouhaha over Trump’s meddling in FIFA’s enforcement of World Cup rules.” (07/08/26)

https://www.theunpopulist.net/p/the-us-teams-loss-hasnt-shamed-america

Source: Independent Institute
by Scott Beyer

“While homeownership is touted as the main wealth-building tool, renting plus stock investing may be the best path for young workers.” (07/08/26)

https://www.independent.org/article/2026/07/08/homeownership-or-stocks-whats-the-better-path-to-building-wealth/

Source: Eastern New Mexico News
by Kent McManigal

“One of the most important fights in our lifetime, a fight for the future of America, is shaping up right over our heads. It’s the fight against license plate reader cameras and the related spyware that is already being used against you and your liberty. This may even be more important and urgent than defending the natural human right to own and to carry weapons without government interference. These data collectors will be used to violate your right to bear arms and all your other rights as well. If this is to be stopped, it must be stopped now. Before long, it will be too entrenched to stop.” (07/08/26)

https://www.easternnewmexiconews.com/story/2026/07/08/voices/opinion-lpr-cameras-are-watching-you/233796.html