“The Nation opposes Trump’s latest war, as do most Americans. But we are concerned that the response of many commentators to the Trump catastrophe is to hope for a return to a failed old order — a system of ‘rules’ and strategies so unpopular that voters have already rejected them. That naïve longing ignores the need for this country to take a new look at its place in the world.” (03/10/26)
“We live in a paradoxical informational landscape. Never before have citizens had access to such an abundance of data, expert commentary, real-time analysis, and historical context. The digital age promised a ‘Great Clarification,’ where the democratisation of information would serve as a universal solvent for ignorance. But despite this unprecedented availability, it has rarely been so difficult to form a coherent understanding of what is actually happening in the world. The problem is not ignorance in the classical sense. The contemporary public is not uninformed; on the contrary, it is hyper-informed.” (03/10/26)
“Until last year, for some 46 years, Iran enjoyed a North Korea-like reputation in the heart of the Middle East: always unpredictable, reckless, dangerous, inevitably to be nuclear, self-destructive, and nihilistic. All that said, was it really ever all that formidable? The mullahs came into power after the removal of the Shah and, subsequently, the interim secular socialists. They did so by taking American hostages, murdering opponents, executing former supporters, and transforming the most secular and modern of the Middle East Muslim nations into the most medieval that routinely hung homosexuals, adulterers, and almost anyone who questioned the authority of the ayatollahs. In other words, these were gruesome people, but they didn’t necessarily have a competent military.” (03/10/26)
“Most commentators are of the view that what prevents the attainment of price stability is the deviation of the policy interest rate such as the federal funds rate from the neutral interest rate also known as the natural interest rate. The natural interest rate, it is held, is the one that is consistent with stable prices and a balanced economy. What is required then is that Fed policy makers successfully direct the federal funds rate towards the natural interest rate. … How is one to implement this framework of thinking? The main problem here is that the natural interest rate cannot be observed. How can one tell whether the market interest rate is above or below the natural interest rate?” (03/10/26)
“It’s been just over a week since the United States and Israel decapitated the despotic regime in Iran, and while it may seem longer – they have been attacking us for 47 years, almost unanswered – the idea that this will be a ‘forever war’ or even a prolonged event is absurd. If you are inclined to believe that and can actually see the future, slip me some winning lottery numbers, won’t you? Since you aren’t psychic, maybe calm down or stop lying. I had no idea how endangered strawmen were until I saw Megyn Kelly rolling several out every single day to avoid criticizing her ‘friend’ Candace Owens for accusing her other ‘friend,’ Erika Kirk, of being involved in the murder of her husband, among other things. What some people will do for success …” (03/10/26)
Source: Niskanen Center
by Robin S Engel & Jennifer Cherkauskas
“In recent years, de-escalation training has become a key approach in law enforcement, providing officers with tactics, skills, and tools to better manage interactions with the public. This focus reflects growing community and law enforcement interest in resolving conflicts and handling challenging, often emotionally charged interactions with members of the public more effectively than in the past, particularly when encountering individuals in crisis. Proponents of de-escalation training argue that it equips officers with enhanced skills to resolve conflicts in highly confrontational situations without the use of force or less severe force (Oliva et al., 2010). Others, however, have raised concerns about the use of de-escalation tactics, suggesting that the training increases officers’ risk of injury by encouraging slower and less effective responses to potentially volatile situations than the operational responses of traditional policing …” (03/10/26)
“President Trump allegedly sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl who was trafficked to him by Jeffrey Epstein, according to documents released by the Department of Justice (DOJ) last Thursday. The White House insists the allegations are ‘completely baseless’ and ‘backed by zero credible evidence.’ … Since the initial release of the documents, two important developments have bolstered the credibility of the alleged victim. This new information has received little national media attention.” (03/10/26)
“In the thin Himalayan mountain air of Nepal, the unambiguous results of the March 5 national elections are breathing new vitality into hopes for clean and effective governance in one of the world’s least-developed nations. The relatively new Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has so far won about 74% of the 165 directly elected seats in the legislature. Its sweeping success positions Balendra Shah, the capital city’s youthful, antiestablishment mayor (and ex-rap star), to become prime minister. Nepal is the third South Asian country in recent years – after Sri Lanka and Bangladesh – to demand both democratic and generational change in political systems characterized by entrenched leadership, nepotism, and inefficiency. In all three nations, youth-led street protests resoundingly called for honesty and accountability, and ousted longtime political leaders, including – last September – Nepal’s four-term Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli.” (03/09/26)
“The Senate is set to consider the ROAD to Housing Act of 2025, or as Rand Paul calls it, ‘Path Toward the Destruction of Property Rights Act.’ The bill would limit institutional investors from buying certain single-family homes. Previously, President Trump issued an executive order to limit Wall Street from competing for homes with Main Street in the single family rental market (SFR). Institutional investors (investors with 100 or more properties) in SFRs have been unpopular for a while and have faced political opposition, particularly from the left, though now Republicans are the chief sponsors of the legislation. However, the extent of institutional investment in SFRs has been wildly exaggerated and the benefits from having them in the market are frequently ignored.” (03/10/26)
