“According to the International Energy Agency, the increase in low-emission power generation last year had already outstripped electricity supply growth, almost all of which was solar and wind as coal- and oil-fuelled power generation dropped. Even more energy dominoes have begun falling since the start of the US-Iran war, aided by rising gasoline prices, as much as 30% in the US and Europe. Reaching 20 million new car sales (roughly 25%) in 2025, increased EV adoption is also putting a dent in global petroleum sales.” (06/18/26)
Source: Ludwig von Mises Institute
by William L Anderson
“Thanks in large part to the erratic and often-destructive policies coming from Donald Trump’s White House, the Democrats are favored to win both houses of Congress, as they hope to flip several Republican-held seats in the House and the Senate. One of the most closely-watched races is the Senate campaign in Maine, where upstart Democrat Graham Platner is favored to end Sen. Susan Collins’s long political career. Platner’s campaign has been deemed controversial mostly because of his unhinged behavior with women, his Nazi tattoo, and social media statements that alone would have disqualified most people even before they could run for office. … the political crudeness that has become the hallmark of Trump and his MAGA followers is not the reason that someone as morally compromised as Platner is now the darling of the Democratic Party. Instead, they love Platner because of his unabashed fealty to socialism.” (06/18/26)
“Understanding what has gone wrong with journalism in the US requires an understanding of what has gone wrong with the country’s journalism schools.” (06/18/26)
“Since 2009, Social Security has been running in the red, paying out more in benefits than it collects in payroll taxes imposed on both employees and employers. They have been making up the difference by drawing down the program’s Old Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) Trust Fund. But as they’ve just indicated, under current law, they expect to only be able to do that until sometime in the fourth quarter of 2032, which is just over eight years from now. When that money runs out, everyone receiving Social Security benefits will see them reduced by 22%.” (06/18/26)
“Bitcoin steadied near $64,100 on Thursday, down about 1% over the past 24 hours, as traders weighed a hawkish debut from new Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh against early signs the market may be carving out a bottom. The leading cryptocurrency held a market cap near $1.29 trillion and — despite the post-Fed pullback — remained up 2% over the past week. Ethereum and Solana also eased, trading near $1,740 and $72, respectively.” (06/18/26)
“Public Choice is more than you think. The usual quick definition — ‘applying economics to the study of politics’ — is not wrong, but it’s facile. Public Choice asks how political actors use information and respond to incentives. That’s a lot more than just an application of economic tools to a new context.” (06/18/26)
“The approach of July Fourth is making my heart hurt. Love of this country is deep-dyed in my soul, but pondering how or even whether to celebrate the semiquincentennial provokes a riot of mixed feelings.” (06/18/26)
“China and Russia have retrieved downed Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAPs) and tried to reverse-engineer them, an expert claimed, citing newly released documents. Jordan Flowers, executive director of the UAP Disclosure Foundation, said one of the most significant takeaways from the third tranche of UFO files made public on June 12 was that the US’s foreign adversaries also appear to be engaged in research that could threaten national security. … The suggestion that Russia and China may have retrieved downed UAPs and are surveilling the US’s research wasn’t the only mention of a foreign nation in the newly released files. A cable from the Central Intelligence Agency placed its assets in the African nation of Zimbabwe on high alert on July 2, 2008, after a UFO was spotted hovering directly over the country’s main airport.” (06/18/26)
