Source: The Daily Economy
by Barry Brownstein
“Paine warned that complacency endangers liberty, and that only when freedom is threatened do people discover whether they are willing to defend it.” (06/29/26)
https://thedailyeconomy.org/article/thomas-paines-challenge-to-a-complacent-america/
Source: Town Hall
by Mark Lewis
“The failure of America’s education system has been one of the greatest disasters, maybe the greatest, in the nation’s history. We handed most educational institutions over to the government, which means they would be run by politicians, who care for nothing but their own power and self-aggrandizement and control of others. Freedom is not what government wants; indeed, it is the very antithesis thereof. America’s Founders recognized that some government is necessary to protect our rights against monsters who would try to take them from us. Thus, government, which is, by definition, the collectivization (or nationalization) of force to secure us against evil, has a purpose to play in a nation. But since the government largely controls the power, it is very dangerous to liberty. Our Founders understood that, which is why they tried to limit the power and role of government in American society.” (06/29/26)
Source: Quillette
by Graham Daseler
“The US vice president’s new memoir leaves an unflattering impression of its author.” (06/29/26)
Source: Law & Liberty
by Sam Negus
“The first published history of the American Revolution made the case for fiscal prudence as a pillar of self-government.” (06/29/26)
https://lawliberty.org/classic/the-fiscally-conservative-revolution/
Source: Law & Liberty
by Leonidas Zelmanovitz
“When I first arrived in the United States, I loved an idealized image of the country. Today, I love a more complicated reality.” (06/29/26)
Source: Washington Monthly
by Jonathan Alter
“Two Iran experts on how the U.S. plays checkers and Iran plays chess.” (06/29/26)
https://washingtonmonthly.com/2026/06/29/trump-iran-strait-of-hormuz/
Source: Foundation for Economic Education
by Mark Nayler
“Every seven years, the EU approves a new budget, known as a Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). The next MFF will cover the period 2028–34, and has been described by European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen as ‘the most ambitious ever proposed.’ It has to be approved unanimously by the end of 2027, but with general elections due in almost a third of the bloc’s 27 countries next year (France, Italy, Poland, Spain, Greece, Estonia, Finland, and Slovakia), the pressure is on to have negotiations wrapped up by Christmas. After a two-day summit in Brussels on June 18 and 19, however, only one point of agreement had been reached: to bring new funding ideas to the next brainstorming session in October.” (06/29/26)
Source: The American Prospect
by David Dayen
“A bill to update the antitrust laws in the nation’s most populous state faces a critical legislative hearing this week. At a time when California is among the states being relied upon as a substitute for proper antitrust enforcement, which is moribund at the federal level thanks to Trump administration corruption, advocates say the state must have a full suite of tools to succeed. Monied interests are working diligently to stop the bill, but it gained important momentum late last week when a key senator signed on. The office of state Sen. Ben Allen, who is running for statewide office to become California’s insurance commissioner, told the Prospect that ‘the Senator is very likely going to be supporting the bill.’ Allen was one of a handful of Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats whose position on the bill was uncertain as of last week.” (06/29/26)
https://prospect.org/2026/06/29/anti-monopoly-bill-hits-make-or-break-moment-in-california/
Source: Libertarian Institute
by Tom Mullen
“In a few days, Americans will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. There will be fireworks, concerts, speeches, and millions of backyard barbecues. But what precisely are we celebrating?” (06/29/26)
https://libertarianinstitute.org/articles/the-250th-anniversary-of-what-exactly
Source: CounterPunch
by L Michael Hager
“The U.S. lost its war of choice against Iran. Trump and Netanyahu failed to eliminate the perceived Iranian nuclear threat, despite relentless bombing that killed thousands and destroyed both military assets and civilian infrastructure. The desired ‘regime change’ left a more hawkish leader in charge. Iranian forces then deployed missiles and drones to carry out devastating attacks on American bases in the Gulf. Thirteen U.S. soldiers lost their lives. Most significantly, Iranian closure of the Strait of Hormuz sparked global panic in energy, fertilizer, and other vital markets. … If the just-signed MOU maintains the 60-day ceasefire and becomes a full-fledged agreement, America’s benefits could ultimately outweigh what it loses. The possible gains are three: an end to a costly war, a downscaling of U.S. relations with Israel, and a modest retreat from American imperialism.” (06/29/26)
https://www.counterpunch.org/2026/06/29/a-lost-war-a-bad-agreement-and-a-possible-good-outcome/