“Many Democrats recognize they have a problem, but they have diagnosed it as a mere messaging issue — the recurrent complaint of all losers in politics. They think it can be remedied by changes in language and more frequent podcast appearances. California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) seems to think that out-trolling Trump is his path to the White House. Meanwhile, the energy in the Democratic Party remains totally focused on hating and opposing Trump — and what’s left of the mainstream news media is right with them.” (09/04/25)
“Across the country, Democratic candidates with progressive and left-wing [sic] backers are distancing themselves from some of their own supporters’ ideas — and getting plenty of space to do it. New York City Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani, for one, has separated himself from some proposals endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America, despite his status as a member, and despite the group’s full-throated championing of his campaign. Mamdani responded to attacks from the New York Post and rival Andrew Cuomo that referenced the 2021 DSA platform — which included an end to ‘all misdemeanor defenses’ and ‘abolition of the carceral state’ — by telling reporters that ‘my platform is not the same as national DSA.’ He got no blowback for doing so from the national or city chapters of the country’s largest democratic socialist organization, which condemned Cuomo for having no ideas ‘of his own.'” (09/04/25)
“Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota is one of the most liberal members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. She supports socialist policies like Medicare for All and student loan forgiveness. She has even endorsed a democratic socialist to become mayor of Minneapolis. Due no doubt to her ideological convictions, she has said that she lives modestly. In February, Omar told Business Insider that she was barely worth thousands of dollars, despite an annual congressional salary of $174,000. … Omar and her husband’s net worth skyrocketed in 2024 and now ranges between $6 million and $30 million. … I don’t have a problem with Omar benefiting from her husband’s savvy business decisions. But I do have a problem with Omar promoting ideas that discourage capitalism and individual wealth-building while raking in a six-figure income and sitting on millions of dollars in net worth.” (09/04/25)
“A week after the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, a large explosion incinerated a parking lot near the busy Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City, killing more than 470 people. It was a horrifying, chaotic scene. Burnt clothing was strewn about, scorched vehicles piled atop one another, and charred buildings surrounded the impact zone. Israel claimed the blast was caused by an errant rocket fired by Palestinian extremists, but an investigation by Forensic Architecture later indicated that the missile was most likely launched from Israel, not from inside Gaza. In those first days of the onslaught, it wasn’t yet clear that wiping out Gaza’s entire healthcare system could conceivably be part of the Israeli plan. After all, it’s well known that purposely bombing or otherwise destroying hospitals violates the Geneva Conventions and is a war crime, so there was still some hope that the explosion at Al-Ahli was accidental.” (09/04/25)
“As a prosecutor, I appeared many times before grand juries. Honestly, it was like a spa day. Prosecutors are officially ‘legal advisers’ to the grand jury but, as a practical matter, we run the show. Defense attorneys are not allowed in the room, and even if we are aware of evidence suggesting a suspect might be innocent, we’re not legally required to present it. It’s a mini-trial, but without the inconvenience of a defense, judge or high burden of proof. To say that it’s rare for a grand jury to decline to indict would be a gross understatement. In 25 years at the U.S. Justice Department, former U.S. attorney Joyce Vance never saw it in any her cases, nor did law professor Randall Eliason in his 12 years as a federal prosecutor. But it happened seven times in recent weeks in D.C.” (09/04/25)
Source: Foundation for Economic Education
by Lika Kobeshavidze
“In the last few years, everything has changed for college students. Applications capable of writing assignments suddenly became a part of everyday life. What is the real impact of artificial intelligence (AI)? Is it a convenient tool for personalized learning or a path to academic dishonesty? Out of nowhere, AI became students’ best friend. A tool created in 2022 is now a daily habit. Professors may see dishonesty, but students see efficiency. Is AI additional help or a shortcut to avoid learning? The real problem is a decline in educational standards. Will over-reliance on AI make students smarter, or does it come with darker consequences?” (09/04/25)
“As US Congress returns from its summer recess, Washington’s attention is turning toward a possible government shutdown. While much of the focus will be on a showdown between Senate Democrats and President Donald Trump, a subplot is brewing as the House and Senate, led by Republicans but supported by far too many Democrats, fight over how big the Pentagon’s budget should be. The House voted to give Trump his requested trillion dollar budget, while the Senate is demanding $22 billion more. To justify this historic largesse, both Trump and Congress give the same reason: peace through strength. Harkening back to Ronald Reagan’s Cold War military spending spree, today its invocation often boils down to one simple idea: Give the Pentagon more money. But, since Reagan’s famed buildup actually cost much less, it’s worth asking if the problem really is a lack of funds.” (09/04/25)
“Regular readers here know that myself and my co-bloggers (both present and former) spend a lot of time talking about the problems of central planning. There are many, many problems with central planning: the Hayek-Lavoie knowledge problem, issues revealed by public choice analysis, and so on. In this post, I want to highlight a big one: creativity.” (09/04/25)
“The US dollar is not what most people think it is. There are a constitutional dollar (C$) and a Federal Reserve dollar (F$). The former is money; the latter is a money-substitute circulating in place of money. They are fundamentally distinct with different definitions.” (09/04/25)
“To be fully American means building one’s life together with other Americans, embedded in thick layers of associations, in the spirit of self-governing.” (09/04/25)
