Source: Niskanen Center
by Rachel Levine & Liza Reed
“Permitting reform has reemerged as a priority in the 119th Congress as lawmakers seek to address the gap between stagnant energy supply and surging demand that is pushing prices higher. Today’s permitting processes are not streamlined, and reform has long eluded lawmakers seeking to cut red tape for new critical infrastructure builds. Negotiations on the Energy Permitting Reform Act (EPRA) got close to a deal, but collapsed toward the end of the 118th Congress. Despite the deepening partisan divisions that have led to a shutdown of the federal government, lawmakers still have an opportunity to score a trifecta of energy-related reforms that would promote clean-firm generation, common sense updates to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and streamline permitting for nationally significant transmission lines.” (10/14/25)
“The Department of Homeland Security said it has credible intelligence that Mexican cartels have placed bounties on Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection [gang members]. The Tuesday statement from DHS said criminal networks have instructed ‘U.S.-based sympathetics,’ including Chicago street gangs, to ‘monitor, harass and assassinate’ federal [gang thugs]. According to the federal agencies, the cartels are offering $2,000 for gathering intelligence, between $5,000 and $10,000 for kidnapping and assaults on standard ICE and CBP [gang-bangers] and up to $50,000 to assassinate high-ranking [gang shot-callers].” (10/15/25)
“Israel will allow aid to flow into Gaza through the Rafah border crossing on Wednesday after first threatening to keep it closed if Hamas did not speed up the return of remains of deceased hostages, Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported on Wednesday morning. It said the turnaround came after Hamas handed over the remains of four more hostages late on Tuesday, meaning that eight bodies have now been returned from the 28 that had remained in Gaza.” (10/15/25)
“Plenty of indicators suggest that things are and have been fine in the American economy for a long, long time. And yet, for years we heard about the ‘vibecession’ where almost every economic indicator was pointing toward a great economy but consumers were inexplicably acting as if we were in a recession. The problem wasn’t with the consumers and, paradoxically, the problem was not with the fancy government statistics. The problem was with the talking heads and their refusal to ask why consumer behavior might be more telling than aggregate indicators. To help cut through the noise, we can look to other, less obvious sources combined with economic theory. The New York Times, for example, reports that Hamburger Helper sales have risen 14.5 percent just since the start of the year.” (10/14/25)
“Jacob shows how U.S. officials use massive chaos, much of which they incite, as a way to justify the exercise of omnipotent, tyrannical powers.” (10/14/25)
“The US Department of State says it has revoked the visas of six foreigners over remarks they made on social media about Charlie Kirk …. The United States has no obligation to host foreigners who wish death on Americans. The State Department continues to identify visa holders who celebrated the heinous assassination of Charlie Kirk,’ the department said in a post on X on Tuesday evening in the US. The post was followed by a list of screenshots and critical remarks from six social media accounts, which the State Department said belonged to individuals from South Africa, Mexico, Brazil, Paraguay and Mexico. ‘An Argentine national said that Kirk ‘devoted his entire life spreading racist, xenophobic, misogynistic rhetoric’ and deserves to burn in hell. Visa revoked,’ the State Department tweeted along with a screenshot that had the username blacked out.” (10/15/25)
“Argentine farmers grow lots of soybeans. Argentine farmers also export lots of soybeans. Chinese customers buy lots of soybeans. They used to buy lots of soybeans grown by US farmers. Now they buy soybeans grown by Argentine farmers instead. Oh, did I mention that one reason Milei needs a bailout is that he recently lowered the export tax on (and therefore his government’s revenues from) Argentine soybeans? So now you and I get to pay MORE taxes and HIGHER prices so that American farmers get a bailout, Javier Milei gets a bailout, and Argentine farmers can sell more soybeans to Chinese customers at LOWER prices and pay LOWER taxes. Insult, meet injury.” (10/14/25)
“Madagascar’s military has taken charge of the Indian Ocean island, an army colonel said on Tuesday, after President Andry Rajoelina fled abroad during a standoff with youth-led protesters and security forces. ‘We have taken the power,’ Col. Michael Randrianirina, who led a mutiny of soldiers joining anti-government Gen Z demonstrators, said on national radio. Randrianirina added that the military was dissolving all institutions except the lower house of parliament or National Assembly, which voted to impeach Rajoelina minutes earlier. In a day of turmoil for the nation off east Africa, the 51-year-old leader had sought to dissolve the assembly by decree. Despite flying out on a French military jet, Rajoelina is refusing to step down in defiance of weeks of Gen Z protests demanding his resignation and widespread defections in the army.” (10/14/25)
