“Democrats in Washington have committed the party’s newest unforgivable offense: representing the American people. Democratic Reps. Jared Golden of Maine and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington broke with their party Sept. 1 to advance a procedural rule allowing the House to consider Golden’s Northeast Lobsterman Protection Act and a resolution condemning socialism. The rule passed 210–208, with five Republicans opposed, making their votes decisive. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and other Democratic leaders accused them of blindsiding the caucus, called their decision ‘a significant breach of trust’ requiring ‘a serious response’ and asked the Committee on Caucus Rules to review the matter. Think about the political message Democrats sent: Helping Maine lobstermen fight burdensome regulations and allowing Congress to vote on a resolution condemning socialism are now acts of political blasphemy inside the Democratic Party. Democrats will insist their outrage is about House procedure and not lobstermen.” (09/14/26)
“A mosaic is made of broken things. So is a civilization worth rebuilding. Recently, I found an out-of-print book by an author who is clearly a torchbearer. It struck me that his three spheres illuminated something fundamental. His name was Spencer Heath, and in 1957 he published Citadel, Market and Altar. Heath’s civilization comprises three primary spheres. 1. Citadel is the sphere of protection, where what is vital is secured and defended. 2. Market is a sphere of cooperation where we serve each other in reciprocity and mutual benefit. 3. Altar is the sphere of consecration, where art, philosophy, and divinity express our higher-order aspirations. From a sufficient altitude, we can view underthrow through these spheres.” (09/14/26)
Source: Caitlin Johnstone, Rogue Journalist
by Caitlin Johnstone
“The other day I saw another great example of the way people in capitalist societies tend to reframe their dumb luck as the result of their own hard work and resourcefulness. At the end of the last season of the surivalist competition Alone Australia, the winner Trent Felton was asked if he felt he’d just gotten lucky catching dozens of fish while all the other contestants starved, and he insisted that his success was actually due to the fact that he had made the wise decision to work hard obtaining food. ‘My strategy when I went out there was food,’ said Felton. ‘I’ve been a big fan of the show for a long time, and I’ve never really seen anyone leave ‘cause their shelter’s not quite up to scratch or anything like that, so from day one priority for me was food.'” (09/12/26)
“Americans live in a perpetual state of war. Although Congress has not formally declared war since 1942, U.S. presidents have repeatedly deployed troops overseas based on United Nations resolutions, congressional authorizations, or their own executive power—as President Donald Trump has in Iran. But the power that presidents possess in matters of national security is not the product of an inevitable expansion of the executive authority. Congress builds the imperial presidency one step at a time. At key moments in U.S. history and in response to international threats, Congress has made deliberate decisions that have resulted in presidents being allowed to deploy troops and assert executive power over civil liberties. One of the most consequential moments came in the aftermath of the horrific attacks of 9/11.” (09/14/26)
“For much of human history, moving house has been a death-defying ordeal. When pioneer Loren Hastings reached Portland, Oregon, in 1847, he looked back on the Oregon Trail and called it a ‘graveyard.’ Today, you can pack up everything you own and move anywhere in the country without risking life and limb. Convenience has made nomads of us all, turning a tedious and life-threatening experience into one that requires minimal time and effort. It does not matter whether you live in a Texas Hill Country ranch house or in a 500-square-foot, one-bedroom apartment in Washington, D.C. Thanks to the click-and-tap world of same-day delivery made possible by capitalism, it has never been easier to pull up stakes and move to new digs.” (for publication 10/26)
“Ronald Reagan famously said that he didn’t leave the Democrats, the Democrats left him — and now the party threatens to do the same to Sen. John Fetterman. The Pennsylvanian’s video appearance at the Republican midterm convention, praising GOP colleague Dave McCormick as a bipartisan ally as they ‘work with President Trump to fight and defend the steel way of life’, drove his critics around the bend. The left loathes Fetterman even though he votes with his caucus most of the time, and stands by policies central to the Democratic identity … at least until 15 minutes ago … simply because he refuses to go along with the lunacy he calls an ‘orgy of socialism’.” (09/14/26)
“If you’ve followed my interviews, you know I’ve been warning about the high likelihood of a third round of the war – one that would almost certainly be far more intense than the previous two. I’ve also argued that, given Trump’s erroneous reading of the current balance, perhaps the only diplomatic wildcard that could pull us back from this looming disaster is Beijing deciding to step in and force a settlement. I discussed precisely this with Glenn Diesen on his show just yesterday. Hours later, President Xi Jinping declared China’s willingness to use its diplomatic clout to help end the war.” (09/14/26)
Source: Foundation for Economic Education
by Jennie Jones
“I spent my whole day today trying to save a $200 Chromebook. When I think about the hourly rate, it really wasn’t the best use of my time. School starts in less than a week, and I had many other things on my to-do list. But alas, Gemini made me feel like I could solve it, so I kept troubleshooting, and before I knew it, it was 5:00. This is an ironic pattern I have noticed lately as I use chatbots more and more for work. It makes me feel like I can do anything. Things I wouldn’t have ever considered even attempting (read: most tech-related projects), I suddenly feel like trying because there is no harm in asking. And when it works, it does feel so good. ‘I did it myself!’ I cry out like a small child learning to tie her shoes. But there have been a few times now where I realized that just because ChatGPT makes me feel like I could doesn’t always mean that I should.” (09/14/26)
