The Learning Curve, 02/26/25
Source: Pioneer Institute
“Director/Actor Samuel Lee Fudge on Marcus Garvey & Pan-Africanism.” (02/26/25)
Author: Thomas L. Knapp
The Right’s DEI Obsession: Are We Missing the Real Problem?
Source: Chasing Liberty
by Jeff Charles
“Over the past few years, DEI has been turned into both a sacred cow and a political scapegoat, depending on who you ask. But here’s what I’ve noticed — too many folks on the right have started blaming DEI for just about everything, from plane crashes to bridge collapses to stubbed toes, without any real evidence. It’s become the conservative version of how the left cries ‘racism’ at everything, and quite frankly, it’s embarrassing.” (02/26/25)
https://www.libertychasers.com/p/the-rights-dei-obsession-are-we-missing
Romania: Winner of presidential election arrested, charged in latest rigging attempt
Source: Yahoo! News
“Romania on Wednesday indicted far-right politician Calin Georgescu for ‘false statements’ over his financing for last year’s presidential election, where he won the most votes but which a court annulled. The country’s constitutional court in December cancelled the elections following allegations of Russian interference and claims of ‘massive’ social media promotion of Georgescu, who shot to prominence virtually overnight. Georgescu has denied any wrongdoing and called the annulment a ‘formalised coup d’etat,’ while prosecutors are investigating suspected election offenses. The charges Georgescu faces include making ‘false statements regarding the sources of financing of the electoral campaign and declarations of assets,’ prosecutors said in a statement, without naming him.” (02/26/25)
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/romania-prosecutors-indict-far-election-172934884.html
Nullifying the Constitution Won’t Make America Great Again
Source: Rutherford Institute
by John & Nisha Whitehead
“Anyone who wants to put America first needs to start by putting the Constitution first. This should be non-negotiable. Winning an election does not give President Trump — or any politician — the authority to sidestep the Constitution and remake the government at will. That’s not how a constitutional republic works, even in pursuit of the so-called greater good. Thus far, those defending the Trump administration’s worst actions, which range from immoral and unethical to blatantly unconstitutional, have resorted to repeating propaganda and glaring non-truths while insisting that the Biden administration was worse. ‘They did it first’ and ‘they did it worse’ are not justifications for disregarding the law.” (02/26/25)
Rising, 02/26/25
Source: The Hill
“Robby Soave delivers radar on how Elon Musk’s DOGE is under attack form so-called ‘malicious compliance.'” (02/26/25)
Palestine: Israeli regime plans to violate ceasefire terms, source says
Source: The Hill
“Israel will not withdraw from a strategic corridor in the Gaza Strip as called for by the ceasefire, an official said Thursday. Israel’s refusal could spark a crisis with Hamas and key mediator Egypt at a sensitive moment for the fragile truce. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, said Israeli forces needed to remain in the so-called Philadelphi corridor, on the Gaza side of the border with Egypt, to prevent weapons smuggling. The official spoke hours after Hamas released the remains of four hostages in exchange for over 600 Palestinian [hostages], the last planned swap of the ceasefire’s first phase, which ends this weekend. Talks over the second and more difficult stage have yet to begin. Israel was supposed to begin withdrawing from the Philadelphi corridor on Saturday, the last day of the first phase, and complete it within eight days.” (02/27/26)
Why this “megaphone diplomacy” isn’t helpful
Source: Responsible Statecraft
by Anatol Lieven
“On ascending the throne in 1881, Tsar Alexander III of Russia proclaimed that ‘From henceforth, all matters of state will be discussed quietly between Ourselves and God.’ Both parts of this statement contain excellent advice for contemporary leaders. If you have a direct line to God (and several obviously think that they do), you should use it. And whether talking to the Divinity or anyone else, international affairs should be discussed quietly. This is probably pointless advice when offered to products of democratic political systems; and in the case of President Trump he would need to experience something like a lightning bolt on the road to Damascus to follow it. Nonetheless, recent days have, or should have, offered a lesson in the folly and dangers of megaphone ‘diplomacy.'” (02/26/25)
https://responsiblestatecraft.org/trump-zelensky-2671218070/
Trump vows to slap 25% tariffs on American buyers of EU products
Source: The Guardian [UK]
“Donald Trump has threatened to slap 25% tariffs on the European Union claiming the 27-country bloc was ‘formed to screw the United States.’ Speaking at his first cabinet meeting on Wednesday, the US president said he would soon release details of the latest tariff threat. ‘We have made a decision and we’ll be announcing it very soon. It’ll be 25%,’ he said. The EU is the US’s third largest trading partner alongside China. Trump has said he will impose 25% tariffs on the US’s two largest trading partners, Canada and Mexico, next week. Trump did not give further details but mentioned carmakers and said the levies would be applied ‘generally.’ ‘And that’ll be on cars and all other things,’ he said.” (02/26/25)
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/26/trump-european-union-tariffs
True libertarians not on the Trump Train
Source: Eastern New Mexico News
by Kent McManigal
“I’m disappointed with how many former libertarians are now fans of big government just because Donald Trump is the president. Some have abandoned all pretense of supporting liberty. If this is all it takes to make someone turn their back on liberty, were they libertarian to begin with? To me, it matters what you do, not what you say you are. This includes some highly influential ‘libertarian’ social media accounts that now seem to be nothing more than Republicans using ‘libertarian’ in the name. … ‘Libertarian’ has a specific meaning; it means you reject the initiation of force, property rights violations, and fraud as ways of dealing with others; those are things no one has a right to do.” (02/26/25)
Why I Am Not A Conflict Theorist
Source: Astral Codex Ten
by Scott Alexander
“Conflict theory is the belief that political disagreements come from material conflict. So for example, if rich people support capitalism, and poor people support socialism, this isn’t because one side doesn’t understand economics. It’s because rich people correctly believe capitalism is good for the rich, and poor people correctly believe socialism is good for the poor. Or if white people are racist, it’s not because they have some kind of mistaken stereotypes that need to be corrected — it’s because they correctly believe racism is good for white people. … I think simple versions of conflict theory are clearly wrong. This doesn’t mean that simple versions of mistake theory (the idea that people disagree because of reasoning errors, like not understanding Economics 101) are automatically right.” (02/26/25)
https://www.astralcodexten.com/p/why-i-am-not-a-conflict-theorist