The Dishcast with Andrew Sullivan, 05/15/26
Source: The Weekly Dish
“Jerusalem Demsas On Liberalism And The Dems.” (05/15/26)
https://andrewsullivan.substack.com/p/jerusalem-demsas-on-liberalism-and
Author: Thomas L. Knapp
Should Presidential Pardon Power be More Restricted?
Source: Cato Institute
by Dan Greenberg
“The pardon power is different from other constitutional powers. It is unchecked and absolute: There is no other branch of government that can interfere with a president’s pardons. The Constitution was created in the shadow of absolute royal power; it was designed to resist the corruption of such power. The division of government into three separate branches is meant to ensure a system of checks and balances on government power. From this perspective, the pardon power stands out: The unilateral pardon power looks like the last remaining remnant of royalism in the Constitution. … Do Donald Trump’s pardons give us good reason to change the rules of the Constitution? Is it time to put the brakes on solo pardon power? I think there are lessons to be learned from the president’s abuse of office.” (05/15/26)
https://www.cato.org/commentary/should-presidents-power-be-more-restricted
TX: High court rejects removal of Democratic lawmakers who led quorum break over redistricting
Source: Seattle Times
“The Texas Supreme Court on Friday refused to declare that Democratic lawmakers who briefly fled the state in 2025 to block a vote on new congressional voting maps pushed by President Donald Trump had vacated their office. The all-Republican court dealt a blow to Gov. Greg Abbott and state Republicans in their efforts to severely punish the more than 50 Democrats who bolted for New York, Illinois and Massachusetts in a bid to stop a vote on the maps during a special session. State Republicans had sought their arrest and threatened fines to bring them back to the state Capitol.” (05/15/26)
Mass Transit in the Sky: How Air Travel Went from Elite to Affordable
Source: The Daily Economy
by Donald J Boudreaux
“The golden age of airline service was also an era of restriction and high prices. From deregulation to the downfall of no-frills Spirit, competition exposes what travelers are truly willing to pay for.” (05/15/26)
Investigation identifies 13 victims of US regime’s maritime murder spree
Source: The Guardian [UK]
“A five-month investigation has named 13 previously unidentified victims of US attacks on boats allegedly carrying narcotics in a campaign that has [murdered] nearly 200 people in the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific. It is unclear if the US has ever identified any of its 194 victims before attacking them, and the names of just three had previously emerged, after their families launched legal cases against the White House. … a joint effort by 20 journalists led by the Latin American Center for Investigative Journalism (CLIP) this week published the identities of 13 of those killed, some of whom showed no indication of involvement in drug trafficking.” (05/15/26)
Reason Interview: Jacob Mchangama
Source: Reason
“Jacob Mchangama and Jeff Kosseff discuss the global decline of free speech, why democracies are embracing censorship, and what can be done to protect open debate.” (05/15/26)
https://reason.com/podcast/2026/05/15/the-global-war-on-free-speech/
The FDA’s New Psychedelic Rules Are Groovy, but the Agency Is Still a Bad Trip
Source: Reason
by Steven Greenhut
“The federal Food and Drug Administration nannies have been tormenting Americans for decades, which is no surprise given the pitfalls of putting bureaucrats in charge of such an important function as determining the safety of our food supply, and evaluating drugs and medical devices. Frankly, it’s amazing that we all haven’t starved to death or been denied basic medications, given the FDA’s Byzantine approval process. … One of the benefits, however, of the Trump administration’s Overton-Window-shifting approach toward health policy is its lighter touch toward substances that previous administrations had approached with a prohibitionist view.” (05/15/26)
New York braces for chaotic Monday commute amid Long Island Rail Road strike
Source: NBC News
“New York officials urged commuters to work from home Monday as a strike by Long Island Rail Road workers threatened to disrupt travel for hundreds of thousands of riders across the region. Gov. Kathy Hochul said the state and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority were preparing emergency transit alternatives, including shuttle buses from Long Island into Queens and additional subway service, after negotiations between the MTA and rail unions broke down this weekend, prompting workers to walk off the job and shutting down the railroad Saturday. … The strike — the LIRR’s first in roughly 30 years — has halted service on one of the nation’s busiest commuter rail systems, which carries hundreds of thousands of riders between Long Island and New York City.” (05/17/26)
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/long-island-railroad-strike-monday-commute-rcna345567
Serious Trouble, 05/15/26
Source: Serious Trouble
“‘Advice of Counsel’ Does Not Apply to Advice from Licensed Airboat Captains.” (05/15/26)
https://www.serioustrouble.show/p/advice-of-counsel-does-not-apply
Trying Souls
Source: Common Sense
by Paul Jacob
“‘Could this be the Antichrist?’ So wondered out loud today’s most popular conservative voice … about President Donald J. Trump. That commentator, Tucker Carlson, then answered himself: ‘Well, who knows?’ Later, speaking to Lulu Garcia-Navarro with The New York Times, Mr. Carlson denied (thrice) ever verbalizing that eschatological question. Of course, as Scott Jennings points out, Tucker contextualized the matter by asserting that the president was ‘more of a hostage’ to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in deciding to go to war against Iran. ‘Seems to me it has to be one or the other,’ offered Jennings. ‘Are you a supernatural evil being or are you some weak hostage or slave to other people?'” (05/15/26)