The Vital Center, 02/25/26
Source: Niskanen Center
“Rethinking feminism and dependence, with Leah Libresco Sargeant.” (02/25/26)
https://www.niskanencenter.org/rethinking-feminism-and-dependence-with-leah-libresco-sargeant
Author: Thomas L. Knapp
How America Chose Not to Hold the Powerful to Account
Source: The Atlantic
by Adam Serwer
“Around the world, powerful men are facing consequences for their actions. Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was convicted of trying to overthrow the government in a January 6–style coup, as was his South Korean counterpart, Yoon Suk Yuol. Marcin Romanowski, the former deputy justice minister in the right-wing Polish government, is in hiding in Hungary, accused of misusing public funds. The former Prince Andrew — Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor — became the first member of the British Royal Family in several centuries to be arrested; he’s been accused of crimes related to his relationship with the late sex-trafficking financier Jeffrey Epstein. They’re all unfortunate not to be American. Otherwise they probably would have gotten away scot-free.” (02/25/26)
The Trade Deficit Is the Dumbest Economic Statistic
Source: Exiled Policy
by Jason Pye
“A budget deficit occurs when the federal government spends more than it collects in revenue. It reflects fiscal policy choices. By contrast, the trade deficit is an accounting outcome. It simply means Americans buy more goods and services from abroad than foreigners buy from us. Treating the trade deficit as if it were the budget deficit leads to policy distortions. If you believe it represents money being ‘lost,’ you impose tariffs as a corrective tool. Those tariffs raise costs, invite retaliation, and shift supply chains without eliminating the macroeconomic forces producing the deficit in the first place. The result is higher prices at home and little measurable change in the overall balance. The trade deficit would be a concern if capital were not flowing into the United States. But the imbalance is matched — dollar-for-dollar — by capital flowing into the country.” (02/25/26)
https://exiledpolicy.substack.com/p/the-trade-deficit-is-the-dumbest
Power of the Purse vs. the Pretext of Emergency
Source: Independent Institute
by Addison Gills
“The Supreme Court’s tariff ruling and the structure of the Constitution.” (02/25/26)
https://www.independent.org/article/2026/02/25/power-of-the-purse-vs-the-pretext-of-emergency/
UN approves first carbon credits under Paris Agreement market mechanism
Source: Al Jazeera [Qatari state media]
“The United Nations has approved the first credits to be issued under a carbon market established by the Paris climate accord, aimed at reducing emissions – a mechanism that has faced scrutiny over greenwashing concerns. The UN-run market allows companies and countries to offset their excess emissions by financing projects that cut greenhouse gases in other nations. The UN Climate Change announced on Thursday that the new initiative involves a clean cooking project in Myanmar, which distributes efficient cookstoves that reduce pressure on local forests. Implemented in partnership with a South Korean company, the project will generate credits that will count towards the climate targets of South Korea and Myanmar.” (02/26/26)
NPR Politics Podcast, 02/25/26
Source: National Public Radio [US state media]
“Is the FCC ‘equal time’ rule leading to media censorship — and self-censorship?” (02/25/26)
Kibbe on Liberty, episode 374
Source: Free the People
“War with Iran Is Looming | Guest: Jon Hoffman.” (02/25/26)
Trump’s address to Congress trumpets how he usurps Congress
Source: Los Angeles Times
by Jackie Calmes
“For this year’s State of the Union address, as usual, the president was the center of attention. That’s just where Donald Trump lives, so it’s no wonder that he broke his record for the length of the nationally televised speech. He was the star of his own unreality show, with an audience of tens of millions. In front of him, idolatrous Republican lawmakers popped up and down to applaud like clowns in wind-up music boxes of old. In fact, a president comes to the Capitol as a guest in Congress’[s] home, there only by invitation of the speaker of the House. It’s a historical nod to the separation of powers so essential to America’s system of government. But of course Trump acts as though he owns the place.” (02/25/26)
The Pentagon Threatens Anthropic
Source: Astral Codex Ten
by Scott Alexander
“Anthropic signed a contract with the Pentagon last summer. It originally said the Pentagon had to follow Anthropic’s Usage Policy like everyone else. In January, the Pentagon attempted to renegotiate, asking to ditch the Usage Policy and instead have Anthropic’s AIs available for ‘all lawful purposes.’ Anthropic demurred, asking for a guarantee that their AIs would not be used for mass surveillance of American citizens or no-human-in-the-loop killbots. The Pentagon refused the guarantees, demanding that Anthropic accept the renegotiation unconditionally and threatening ‘consequences’ if they refused. … The idea of declaring a US company to be a foreign adversary, potentially destroying it, just because it’s not allowing the Pentagon to unilaterally renegotiate its contract is not normal practice. It’s insane Third World bullshit that nobody would have considered within the Overton Window a week ago.” (02/25/26)
https://www.astralcodexten.com/p/the-pentagon-threatens-anthropic
Three Things to Remember If US Bombs Iran
Source: The American Conservative
by Ted Snider
“There are three things to remember if the U.S. goes to war with Iran: It was never about nuclear weapons, it was never about helping the Iranian people, and Iran was genuinely negotiating a diplomatic solution.” (02/26/26)
https://www.theamericanconservative.com/three-things-to-remember-if-u-s-bombs-iran/