Source: The American Prospect
by David Dayen and Ryan Cooper
“The last couple of weeks in Democratic politics has seen a rise in what is sometimes called ‘the ideas primary’: the competing sets of policy announcements, often well in advance of the next presidential race, intended to set priorities and draw battle lines for the future. As our colleague Harold Meyerson has documented, the early ideas primary is around tax policy, and in particular a debate that encompasses the role of taxes in society, how to best deal with rampant inequality, and how to prioritize America’s biggest challenges. Sens. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Cory Booker (D-NJ), both of whom appear to be at least considering a run for the presidency in 2028 … have released bills that in different ways expand the standard deduction, which exempts a certain amount of earnings from taxation, and attempt to compensate for that further up the income ladder.” (03/16/26)
“The White House recently released America’s Maritime Action Plan (MAP) to revitalize America’s maritime industry. It proposes a variety of regulatory modifications, subsidies, government financing options, and fees to encourage domestic shipbuilding. Although it includes a wide variety of proposals, two of them, when taken together, show the Trump administration’s hostility to free trade, as well as a general naïveté about the plan. The first is the proposed ‘universal fee’ on foreign-built ships; the second is the proposed regulatory change to the definition of a ‘U.S.-built’ ship.” (03/15/26)
“What’s with all the people who are trying to blame someone — you probably know who — other than Trump for the U.S. air war against Iran? Has he no agency? He’s had it in for Iran for a long time and nearly went to war in his first term, setting the stage by tearing up the rigorous (and superfluous) nuclear-inspection deal the Iranian government had entered into with Trump’s immediate predecessor, Barack Obama. (Iran has not tried to make a nuclear weapon, according to U.S. and Israeli intelligence analysis, and the late Iranian leader, Ali Khamenei, had issued a fatwa against such weapons.) … This is Trump’s war. Claiming that Israel is solely responsible and that Trump is a helpless marionette is invidious and could incite horrendous domestic consequences. That prospect should not be taken lightly.” (03/13/26)
“‘They told me if I voted for Goldwater in 1964,’ William F. Buckley, Jr. allegedly (but not verifiably) once said, ‘that we’d have more war and higher prices. Well, I did, and we do.’ In the run-up to the 2024 presidential election, supporters of Donald Trump delivered similar dire predictions about voting for Kamala Harris. And in the aftermath? The last two words of the apocryphal Buckley quote ring true as well. For some reason, those who still support Trump seem to think that ‘but Kamala! If SHE’D won, we’d have had [insert list of bad things that have happened since anyway here]!’ is some kind of sick burn on those who preferred the empty pantsuit to the senile reality TV star.” (03/14/26)
“The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) faces delays in meeting its schedule for returning to the Moon, according to a new report by the agency’s inspector general. Nevertheless, the project moves forward and remains largely within its budget — a testament to the abilities of SpaceX and Blue Origin, the two private companies participating. In fact, space exploration is largely a private effort these days, with profit-seeking firms developing not just launch capability but also technology for mining Earth’s natural satellite. Unfortunately, opening new commercial opportunities — even in the depths of outer space — is like ringing the dinner bell for bureaucrats and would-be regulators.” (03/13/26)
“Nobody wins at war. In the war on Iran, fought without legal justification and without good reason, bringing devastation to lives, the economy, international law, and the environment, there are certainly no winners. But, though there are no winners in the long run, if there is one country that benefits in the short run, it is Russia.” (03/14/16)
“Trump campaigned in 2024 for a second term on promises of ending foreign wars and improving America’s economy. And now he’s done the complete opposite. In fact, Trump has done exactly what he claimed President Joe Biden or Vice President Kamala Harris would do if they held onto the White House. A March 12 CNN summary of recent public opinion polling about the war in Iran shows that a majority of Americans oppose it, though voters are divided along party lines, with Democrats and independents far more likely to not support the war and Republicans more likely to support it. But MAGA, a populist movement allegedly built on an urge for American isolationism and an aversion to regime change and nation building abroad, has effortlessly dumped those supposed principles and flip-flopped into a rabid band of war-hungry neocons.” (03/15/26)
“It took several decades for students’ individual computer access to become the norm in American schools. But it’s taken only about three years for the share of students using artificial intelligence in school assignments to go from zero to 84%. At the same time, according to a 2025 report by the College Board, only 13% of schools encouraged using such generative AI in all their classes, while 1 in 5 had no policies governing its use. Educators are racing to keep pace with and use AI in ways that safeguard students’ educational interests and support vibrant classroom relationships. There is concern about repeating what some see as the ‘mistakes’ of having allowed students unlimited access to phones and social media. But blanket restrictions on AI in schools could be counterproductive, given that it infuses almost every aspect of daily commerce and communication – and is also shaping emerging career paths.” (03/13/26)
