Source: Ludwig von Mises Institute
by Joshua Mawhorter
“As we approach the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, it is likely that we will hear a common, but mistaken, interpretation of the Declaration by both establishment conservatives and progressive egalitarians. After repeating Jefferson’s words ‘that all men are created equal,’ they will make a simple, true observation — at the time of writing, not everyone was treated as ‘equal’ (e.g., slavery). Following that observation comes the supposition: since the historical period of colonial America did not match the ideal of modern, progressive egalitarianism, therefore, the centralized nation-state was required to increasingly achieve that ideal.” (06/12/26)
Source: CounterPunch
by John W Whitehead & Nisha Whitehead
“America has become an occupied nation. Not by one invading army, but by many occupying powers: the police state, the surveillance state, the war state, the corporate state, the foreign influence machine, and a ruling class that treats the American people as little more than collateral damage in its pursuit of power, profit and control. We have been policed, surveilled, taxed, indebted, manipulated, censored, tracked, searched, silenced and sold out.” (06/12/26)
“The grotesque sexual misconduct involving Democratic politicians (from New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to California Rep. Eric Swalwell) has finally put #MeToo to rest. We were reminded of its demise when it was revealed that Maine senatorial candidate and socialist heartthrob Graham Platner had been discovered to possess a long social media history of crude and pornographic put-downs of women. The demise of Black Lives Matter offers another example of a recurring left-wing phenomenon: movements that begin as moral crusades and end as self-parodies. Almost every BLM cause célèbre has proved fraudulent, following a long tradition that stretches from Al Sharpton’s Tawana Brawley myth to the Duke lacrosse scandal. The aftermath of the death of George Floyd did lasting damage to the country that still reverberates. The current leftist habit of urban intersection takeovers, statue-toppling, name-changing, and violent demonstrations is a legacy of that summer of lawlessness.” (06/14/26)
“The celebrations of the 250th anniversary of independence will be a bit dimmer now with the sudden passing of the greatest historian of the American founding, Gordon S. Wood. Since the 1960s, Wood stood at the pinnacle of the historical profession. The list of awards and accolades he received over his sixty-year career, including the National Medal of the Humanities, is longer than most academics’ CVs. For all the deserved laurels, however, Wood accomplished something most academics only dream of: he crossed into popular culture.” (06/12/26)
“It turns out that I have found something to agree with Keir Starmer about. During Ramadan this year, the prime minister described Muslims as ‘the face of modern Britain.’ I think that is correct. Whether it is also something to be happy about is another question. The PM, for his part, couldn’t be more pleased. Muslims in Britain, he went on to say, are ‘a success story when it comes to diversity.’ Was that qualification (‘when it comes to diversity’) just a nod to reality? Or was it merely his capitulation to some sort of self-imposed linguistic quota according to which he must punctuate two out of three pronouncements with the word ‘diversity’ or go without his pudding? The jury is still out on that.” (06/14/26)
Source: Independent Institute
by William J Watkins, Jr.
“Naturally, the main event of America’s 250th anniversary celebrations will be the Fourth of July, in honor of the Declaration of Independence. But a little tailgate party would be appropriate for the Twelfth of June. For it was on that date, 250 years ago, that Virginia’s Declaration of Rights was adopted. Written primarily by George Mason, Virginia’s declaration inspired Thomas Jefferson in writing the nation’s founding document. It set forth in plain language America’s first principles and provided guideposts for the establishment of a republican government.” (06/12/26)
“The lapsed authorization Friday night of a key national security surveillance provision that aims to prevent terrorist acts underscores the complex role of government in protecting the lives of U.S. citizens – and their constitutional right to privacy. Although the Senate and the House recently voted down a third short-term extension of the provision, Americans need not worry that national security or their individual safety has been massively compromised. Earlier this year, a specialized federal court renewed the annual certification of the tool – Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) – until March 2027. So, standard intelligence-gathering will not stop. However, some members of Congress, as well as political analysts, indicate that they’re ready for partisan wrangling and division around this issue to stop.” (06/12/26)
“The latest attempt to hamper our ability to do things? A series of lawsuits against oil companies for allegedly committing global warming. The plaintiffs want billions and billions to be extracted from these companies for fueling civilization.” (06/12/26)
“The ‘progressive’ wing of the Democratic Party is on a roll, winning nominations and elections. Left-wing leaders are taking earned victory laps as they chalk up victories for candidates espousing socialism, hostility to Israel (and often Jews), identity politics, and other leftist positions that were until recently thankfully rare in American politics. But the radicals’ support for Maine’s deeply troubled Graham Platner, who won the party’s nod to compete in the U.S. Senate race, shows the dangers posed by a movement that seemingly holds ideological lunacy as its highest value. It’s not clear that anybody is in a position to stop them.” (06/12/26)
