Source: Freedom and Flourishing
by Dr. Edward W Younkins
“In her 2023 work The Two Moralities, social psychologist Ronnie Janoff-Bulman presents a framework for understanding political differences rooted in the most fundamental motivational distinction in psychology: approach and avoidance. She argues that these basic motivational systems give rise to two distinct moralities: a proscriptive morality that defends against negative outcomes and focuses on what we should not do, and a prescriptive morality that moves us toward positive outcomes and focuses on what we should do. The former can be viewed as a morality of justice that emphasizes rules, impartiality, law, order, universal principles, retributive justice, and equality of opportunity whereas the latter can be viewed as a morality of care that is rooted in empathy, connection, compassion, responsiveness, safety nets, and equality of outcomes.” (12/12/25)
“For centuries, Britain and especially London have been a magnet for talent and capital from across the world. Historically the center of the British Empire, and latterly the only financial hub to rival New York, London was a truly global city — full of high earners, a cultural mecca, brilliantly connected to other centers of finance and industry. But recent times have not been good for London, or indeed Britain. I have lived and worked here for over 40 years, and I cannot recall a period when entrepreneurs and investors have been so demoralized.” (12/12/25)
“There are two schools of conservative immigration thought. The first, to which I subscribe, acknowledges immigrants often flee countries ravaged by crime, tyranny and disorder. That’s why many people come to the United States. Our nation’s settlers fled persecution. My father escaped Nazi Germany, which was literally putting people in ovens (although many Republicans lately have struggled with their views on such horrors). Under this long-standing view, Americans should welcome immigrants, but promote E Pluribus Unum. The other conservative view, which is clearly embraced by national conservatives and populists, is that America is fundamentally a white, Christian nation and that immigration, to whatever limited degree we allow it, should align with those demographics.” (12/12/25)
“The Democratic Party is a very old and venerable institution, and as such, it has a lot of rules, a lot of buffers, and yes, this thing of theirs, it has centers of power. You might even call them ‘families’. Now, these families, so to speak, they aren’t at war with each other, at least not usually, but they do have their own interests and priorities, and sometimes conflicts do arise. To truly understand the party, and where it is going, you have to understand the Five Families who lead it. So, let’s take a look, one by one. Which crews are in ascendency? Which are in chaos? And what will it mean for the party as it seeks to take Congress and the White House and put every agency in the country right in its back pocket?” [editor’s note: Yes, viewing the Dramacrat pols like mob bosses does clarify it a bit – SAT] (12/13/25)
“In December 2024, Congress did something unusual: it introduced a bill that openly acknowledges tobacco harm reduction. The POUCH Act of 2024, sponsored by Rep. Jack Bergman (R-MI) and co-sponsored by Rep. Don Davis (D-NC), aims to prevent states and cities from banning or restricting FDA–authorized lower-risk products, including modern nicotine pouches and vaping products. … This should not be a radical idea, but within the chaos of American nicotine regulation, it almost counts as revolutionary. However, the bill also reveals a deeper truth about why the United States struggles so badly with harm reduction. It exposes the forces that keep smokers tied to cigarettes, protect government revenue streams, and effectively eliminate smaller innovators who cannot survive the regulatory gauntlet.” (12/12/25)
Source: Ludwig von Mises Institute
by David Gordon
“The Constitution of 1787 — though not without its good points — had two main defects. First, although the preamble recognized that Americans came together as ‘We the People’ to choose their own form of government, it failed to failed to rule out explicitly the argument of the South that the Constitution was formed by the states, with states having the right to secede if, in their judgment, the terms of the original compact had been violated. Second, it restricted popular sovereignty and called for government by an elite who were deemed fit to rule over the masses.” (12/12/25)
“For most of modern history, the perception of whether a country is ‘rich’ or ‘poor’ has centered on the wealth of its citizens. We look at median incomes and GDP per capita to divide the world into prosperous nations — usually Western democracies with median household incomes above $30,000 — and poorer ones in the developing world, where typical earnings are a fraction of that. This citizen-level view of wealth makes intuitive sense, because income dictates living standards. But there’s another, increasingly-important way of understanding national wealth: by examining the financial health of the state itself.” (12/12/25)
“Millions of Americans gathered around their kitchen tables to visit with friends and family and indulge in favorite recipes late last month. Those who could luxuriate in a long holiday weekend did just that, but not everyone got to enjoy it; about a third of the American workforce still had to get up and go to work as usual on Thanksgiving. Surprisingly, that included at least a few members of the Trump administration’s Labor Department, who spent their holiday dealing yet another crippling blow to the nation’s beleaguered coal miners. On November 26th, the Department of Labor and the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association filed a status update in an ongoing lawsuit over a long-awaited workplace safety regulation. Taken out of context, this may not sound all that exciting, but it’s actually quite devastating.” (12/11/25)
“The problem is communism — in finance. That’s the world according to Robert Kiyosaki, says an Epoch Times profile. ‘Kiyosaki described the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank — established in 1913 with a goal of stabilizing the nation’s monetary supply following years of extreme volatility, and preventing panic — as a Marxist organization,’ Travis Gillmore writes. ‘When the Fed came to America, it was the end of America,’ states Kiyosaki, who co-authored a bestselling investment book, Rich Dad, Poor Dad, in 1997, ‘and our freedom is being stolen via our money.'” (12/12/25)
Source: Foundation for Economic Education
by Daniel J Mitchell
“According to a new report from the New York Federal Reserve, Americans have accumulated over one trillion in credit card debt, an all-time high. It’s a record that would make financial advisor Dave Ramsey lose the remaining hair on his head, but even worse, the share of balances in serious delinquency climbed to a nearly financial-crash level of 7.1%. In other words, Americans are borrowing more and paying back less. This alarming trend has naturally drawn the attention of politicians eager to offer a quick fix. Unfortunately, the solution gaining bipartisan traction is a blanket cap on credit card interest rates. Like most political quick fixes, it is an economic prescription guaranteed to harm the very individuals it claims to protect.” (12/12/25)
