“It is a funny thing, that old-time American religion. For a time, John Brown belonged to a Congregationalist church in Hudson, Ohio. He attended a prayer meeting there following the death of abolitionist editor Elijah Lovejoy, who died defending his printing press from a mob of slavery supporters. Brown apparently said little or nothing until the end of the meeting, at which point he stood up and spoke: ‘Here, before God, in the presence of these witnesses, from this time I consecrate my life to the destruction of slavery.’ Unlike those show ponies angling for future Fox News gigs at Charlie Kirk’s memorial service, John Brown meant it. He was that most dangerous and terrible sort of American: a believer.” (10/15/25)
“The conventional view of executive power among formalists is that the Vesting Clause grants a ‘residuum’ of executive powers, including, for example, foreign affairs-related powers traditionally exercised by the British monarch. If removal is executive in nature, and the Constitution does not assign that power elsewhere or otherwise limit the president’s exercise of it, then it vests in the president by virtue of the residuum. As I have written elsewhere, I agree with Nelson and Mortenson that this account of the Vesting Clause is likely incorrect. My view is that ‘the executive power’ is a substantive grant of power, but of only one: the power to oversee the execution of the laws. But that power, I argue, includes removal — not because removal was a freestanding executive prerogative, but rather because it was part and parcel of the power to oversee the execution of the laws.” (10/15/25)
“The historical record shows that, far from meeting the ‘three criteria … for selection of a Peace Prize laureate,’ [María Corina] Machado spectacularly fails all three. Machado did not bring Venezuela’s opposition together. The Nobel committee says that ‘Machado has been a key, unifying figure in a political opposition that was once deeply divided.’ That, Yale University history professor Greg Grandin says, is not true: ‘Machado is not a unifier, as the committee said. She represents the most intransigent face of the opposition.’ … More importantly, Machado has not fought for democracy. … Though the Nobel Prize committee makes its case by focusing exclusively on the controversial 2024 election, Machado’s career didn’t start there. … Not only has Machado not fought for democracy in Venezuela, she has neither fought for a ‘peaceful transition to democracy’ nor used ‘the tools of peace.'” (10/15/25)
“The most expensive political ad campaign of the year is being run by the Department of Homeland Security. DHS disputes that its ads are political. But it has spent at least $51 million this year on ads thanking President Trump for securing the border, according to AdImpact. The next closest ad campaign is the $41 million effort to support California’s redistricting measure, according to AdImpact. … ‘[T]his isn’t a political ad — this is a public service announcement urging illegal aliens to leave,’ Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement to Axios. ‘President Trump’ is the most mentioned phrase across all the ads. Three ads say: ‘Thank you, President Donald J. Trump for securing our border and putting America first.'” (10/15/25)
“We are far from the first to point out that for a truly free people, schools and the state are not compatible. Part of the reason is that state schools do not accept nor truly support the idea of religious liberty. At least any religion except the worship of the omnipotent state. What goes on in Colorado is an example of that. Looking back with 20-20 hindsight, we see that promoting the necessity and acceptance of the power of governments as a primary purpose for ‘public schools’ – government-run, tax-funded institutions. To promote servitude to the state: to governments. Part of that is brainwashing even (and especially) children to see government as the primary (if not only) provider of all good things.” (10/14/25)
“They keep carving out calendar space for Charlie Kirk — days of remembrance, resolutions, flag orders — demanding the hush and reverence reserved for real moral witnesses. Congress moved to mark today as a ‘National Day of Remembrance;’ the White House ordered flags at half-staff after his death; towns are issuing local proclamations like it’s a civic sacrament. … The goal of the far right, Christian nationalists, and white supremacists in this moment is clear: to fix Kirk in the public imagination where Dr. King once stood. But the point isn’t to honor a tradition of justice — it’s to replace it entirely.” (10/14/25)
“Italy’s 2026 World Cup qualifier against Israel was preceded by clashes between some pro-Palestinian demonstrators and police, while thousands of others peacefully marched through Udine in protest at the hosting of a match they felt should not be played. The Gaza ceasefire agreement signed on Monday, along with an exchange of captives between Israel and Hamas, did nothing to diminish the resolve of about 10,000 protesters who descended on the small city in Italy’s far northeast, a small section of whom were involved in unrest at the end of the march.” (10/15/25)
