“There is a good reason Mark Kelly and the other lawmakers felt compelled to warn service members not to carry out illegal orders. That seems to be precisely what the military is now doing at the behest of an administration that disdains any limits on the president’s imperial authority and treats war crimes as a joke.” (12/01/25)
“A quiet transformation is underway. Where hierarchies once dominated, many founding teams have learned that people can be more effective when they organize without formal command-and-control structures. One would think that this recommends an egalitarian or democratic form of organization. Not exactly.” (12/01/25)
“I know this is a quixotic essay. Almost everyone has long since made up their minds, and I’ll probably anger both sides. So why write it? My stock answer: Because I have something original, important, and true to say. Hysterically aborting your baby because you falsely believe the baby will ruin your life isn’t merely morally wrong; it is tragic.” (12/01/25)
“Why did the war in Ukraine start in 2021? As in 2008 and 2012, but unlike 2017 to 2021, Vladimir Putin sensed an American president would not or could not deter him, so he invaded a former Soviet republic. Under past presidents, Putin saw no downside to grabbing Ossetia, the Donbas, and Crimea. Putin was also led to believe the West or Joe Biden would not challenge him following the recent humiliating U.S. withdrawal from Kabul. Biden’s unfortunate remark that a ‘minor’ Russian invasion might not invoke a U.S. response did not help. Based on past experience, Putin saw no real obstacle to a quick victory. ” (12/01/25)
Source: The Daily Economic
by Alexander C Cartwright
“The US housing market in late 2025 is defined by contradictory forces: rising prices but slowing growth, increasing inventory but falling affordability, and a demographic shift that is weakening long-run demand even as short-run supply remains structurally constrained. Against this backdrop, President Trump’s proposal for a 50-year mortgage is an attempt to stretch affordability in a market that has outpaced incomes, and it exposes deeper issues.” (12/01/25)
“The crime of aggression is rightly considered the ‘supreme international crime’ because all the other crimes committed in war stem from it. Initiating a war is a despicable thing to do regardless of the pretext. If the U.S. starts a war with Venezuela it will be yet another black mark on this country’s reputation. Virtually no one is asking for this intervention except for hardline ideologues, exiles, and a few foreign politicians. Most Americans reject attacking Venezuela. The American people do not support aggression against Venezuela. All of this is being driven by the whims of a tyrannical president and the obsessions of his advisers. The president’s coming war with Venezuela is deeply undemocratic and unconstitutional. It is Mr. Trump’s War. He is its instigator and he will be responsible for the consequences.” (12/01/25)
Source: Caitlin Johnstone, Rogue Journalist
by Caitlin Johnstone
“It’s the craziest thing in the world that we already have the technological ability to provide a decent standard of living for everyone on earth, but it doesn’t happen because it’s not profitable. We attained the greatest scientific achievement of all time and then did nothing with it. Our society is completely uninterested in it because capitalism is completely uninterested in it. It’s just so insane how this doesn’t sit front and center in our attention all the time. There are people dying of starvation, exposure and preventable illnesses every single day for no good reason. Humanity became more than capable of ensuring that this never happened to anyone ever again, and just rode right past that stunning moment in history without even glancing up from its smartphone. Can you imagine if we did that with any other major technological development?” (12/01/25)
“One of the most interesting aspects of Silicon Valley is that Richard never originally set out to create a decentralized internet. His initial plan was far more modest: to sell his compression algorithm, a technology that makes digital files smaller and more efficient to store and transmit. He develops this algorithm because he recognizes, through market feedback and investor interest, that there is strong demand for such a tool. This reflects key insights from Hayek and Kirzner.” (12/01/25)
“When we lose a member of our Armed Services to the enemy on the battlefield, we mostly understand that it is part of the accepted risk. However, when Soldiers are ambushed and shot just blocks away from the White House in our Nation’s capital, it shocks us. And so is the case with 20-year-old US Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom of West Virginia, who volunteered to take a Thanksgiving tour of duty to protect the streets of Washington, DC, so that others could enjoy Thanksgiving with family. Sarah was shot in the chest and head, and we lost her. US Air Force SSG Andrew Wolfe is fighting for his life. Both were shot by an Afghan national who was allowed entry into our country, and it appears not properly vetted.” (12/01/25)
“Even Senate and House Republicans seem to comprehend the gravity of the situation. Departing from their normal spinelessness, they joined Democrats on both the Senate Armed Services Committee and the House Armed Services Committee in bipartisan statements vowing to investigate [the murder of two survivors of an illegal Caribbean boat attack]. Democrats — and any decent Republican — should use every tool available to insist on a thorough and independent investigation, reiterate zero tolerance for war crimes and murder, and pledge to hold everyone responsible to the full extent of the law. No wonder Trump and his minions freaked out over Democratic congressmen and senators’ video advising military personnel not to follow illegal orders.” (12/01/25)