Source: The Daily Economy
by Rebak Attila
“Current energy prices reflect the delayed costs of regulatory priorities that misallocated investment and undermined energy resilience.” (05/18/26)
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer
by Tom Corbett & Bob Cindrich
“A judiciary that cannot operate without intimidation is not fully independent. A country that cannot accept lawful judicial outcomes will not continue to be governed by law.” (05/18/26)
Source: Eunomia
by Daniel Larison
“The people urging the U.S. to escalate are fanatics and ideologues who just want to see Iran in ruins no matter what it takes.” (05/18/26)
https://daniellarison.substack.com/p/escalation-in-iran-would-be-madness
Source: Ludwig von Mises Institute
by George Ford Smith
“In 2000, the world braced for Y2K. It came with a date and a remedy. There was panic about doomsday but as I and other programmers stretched the year field from two to four characters, apart from scattered hiccups, the lights stayed on. Everything about Y2K was known — the problem, the solution, and the deadline. Q-Day is something else entirely. Q-Day is shorthand for the moment when quantum computing crosses a line we assumed would hold — when the mathematics that secures modern life can be broken, and broken quickly. On Q-Day the locks will be quietly and rapidly picked. And the unsettling part is that the thief may already have your safe, waiting for the day the combination becomes trivial to compute.” (05/18/26)
https://mises.org/mises-wire/lines-we-thought-machines-wouldnt-cross
Source: Common Sense
by Paul Jacob
“‘I think the last thing we need right now is a war that’s 9,500 miles away.’ Just place a period after the word ‘war’ in President Trump’s comments to reporters, after last week’s summit with Chinese ruler Xi Jinping and discussion about China’s democratic neighbor, Taiwan, the Republic of China. Which raises the question: How best to avoid war over Taiwan?” [editor’s note: That one’s easy — the US regime minds its own business. “Problem” solved – TLK] (05/18/26)
Source: Townhall
by Kirt Schlichter
“Winston Churchill once observed that there’s nothing quite like the feeling of being shot at and missed. The Republicans are enjoying that glorious sensation as we speak. Thanks to redistricting decisions in various courts as well as some surprising examples of GOP manhood in their wake, it looks like November is a jump ball. The midterms were supposed to be a rendezvous with disaster, and historically, the tides are still against us. But Democrats have just had the miserable experience of discovering that fate is fickle. Recent events have made it so that Republicans have a fighting chance, and our joy and relief that we’re not necessarily destined for doom is amplified by our delight in hearing Democrats squeal in agony as all their dreams die.” [editor’s note: The midterms are nearly six months away. Six months is forever in politics, so take all predictions with a grain of salt – TLK] (05/18/26)
Source: Paul Krugman
by Paul Krugman
“China shouldn’t worry — Trump is too weak and unfocused to be a threat.” (05/18/26)
Source: Big Head Press
by Scott Bieser
Cartoon. (05/18/26)
Source: Reason
by Jeff Luse
“A streamlined process for environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act gives the government broader discretion to approve projects.” (for publication 06/26)
https://reason.com/2026/05/18/less-green-tape-for-more-clean-energy/
Source: Law & Liberty
by Jeffery Degner
“Forty years ago, the one-hit wonder, Timbuk 3 harmonized, ‘the future’s so bright, I’ve gotta wear shades.’ In the four decades since, the long-run trends in consumer sentiment cast a decidedly darker outlook. Consumer sentiment measures Americans’ views on their economic future, and it’s been getting consistently more dire over time. When that demoralization becomes ingrained in a generation’s psyche, ‘eat and drink, tomorrow we die’ becomes more than a slogan; it becomes a way of life. One of the institutions most dramatically undermined by this persistent gloom is the family.” (05/18/26)