Author: Thomas L. Knapp

Source: The Atlantic
by Yair Rosenberg

“Throughout his 2024 run, the president promised Americans a return to the prosperity of his pre-COVID first term. ‘Starting on day one, we will end inflation and make America affordable again, to bring down the prices of all goods,’ he told a Montana rally in August. ‘They’ll come down, and they’ll come down fast,’ he declared days later in North Carolina. But at the same time, Trump also promised to impose steep tariffs on consumer goods …. These two pledges could not be reconciled, and once elected, Trump was forced to choose between them. … On issue after issue, whether domestic policy or foreign affairs, the president made incompatible assurances to rival camps on the campaign trail …. Now that Trump is in office, the bill for these guarantees is coming due, and he is making decisions that will inevitably alienate one of his constituencies.” (05/08/25)

https://archive.is/58kny

Source: Washington Post
by Philip Bump

“When President Donald Trump opened his second term in office with a barrage of attacks on his opponents and the structure of the federal government, it became immediately obvious that a clash with the judiciary loomed. How, for example, would the president respond when his efforts to block congressionally mandated funding were inevitably rejected by the courts? Would he listen and pare back his efforts? Or would he simply press the issue, forcing the country to ponder the uncomfortable question of how the nation’s most powerful politician could be held to account? Because one thing was very obvious: The Republican-controlled Congress wasn’t going to do a single godforsaken thing.” (05/08/25)

https://archive.is/KxvLc

Source: Foundation for Economic Education
by Alyssa Serebrenik

“For the past three months, I’ve been living in Denmark, and I genuinely loved it. The streets are clean, the bike lanes immaculate, and the sense of public trust is unlike anything I’ve experienced in the US. It’s no wonder people romanticize this place — ‘free’ healthcare, university stipends, and a government that many believe works well. But the longer I stayed, the more I started noticing cracks. They weren’t always visible at first—more like patterns in conversation, stories from international friends, or the quiet discomfort that settled in certain moments. Coming from the United States, where diversity and individualism are more overtly woven into everyday life, I couldn’t help but notice how the very system that offers so much comfort in Denmark comes with a cost.” (05/08/25)

https://fee.org/articles/the-dark-side-of-denmarks-welfare-state/

Source: The American Conservative
by Doug Bandow

“The president should instead reiterate his message against endless U.S. wars.” (05/08/25)

https://www.theamericanconservative.com/trumps-wwi-victory-day-is-a-bad-idea/

Source: Show-Me Institute
by Cory Koedel

“In the early days of the internet, it was widely seen as a gateway to opportunity. Many believed that the wealth of information available at the click of a button would enhance student learning. However, reality has not lived up to those expectations. A growing body of evidence shows that as students become more connected to the internet, they learn less, especially when their connectivity is facilitated through smartphones. … The research shows exposure to 3G networks caused significantly lower test scores in math, reading, and science. Students also reported greater difficulty making friends and a weaker sense of belonging. For many parents and educators, these results likely confirm what they already know, or at least strongly suspect: smartphones and the constant connectivity they allow are taking a toll on both the academic performance and well-being of our children.” (05/07/25)

https://showmeinstitute.org/blog/performance/phones-down-the-negative-effects-of-the-internet-on-student-learning/