“U.S. President Donald Trump is not a fan of sharks or the ocean. From gutting the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, to seeking the expansion of offshore oil drilling and deep-sea mining while attacking wind energy, his view of our public seas is that they’ll make a good gas station and garbage dump. And, this view is reflected in his major legacy bill recently passed into law by the MAGA majority in Congress. But there’s been little discussion about how this bill will impact our public seas. So, we (Vicki Nichols Goldman and myself) spoke with George Leonard, former chief scientist with the Ocean Conservancy and an ocean policy consultant about what’s going on.” (07/31/25)
“There is a moral absolutism in which many on the modern left frame political issues in terms of absolute moral binaries, good versus evil, oppressed versus oppressor. This mindset can justify intolerance of dissent, as opposing views are seen not as just wrong but as immoral, harmful, and the expression of evil. This results in a tendency toward punitive social policing of language, beliefs, and even intent. There is an institutional authoritarianism because many public bodies now embed progressive ideologies through mandatory training, speech policies, and audits. DEI initiatives are an expression of this. These frameworks often leave little room for open debate or alternative perspectives.” (07/31/25)
Source: Ludwig von Mises Institute
by William L Anderson
“It has been The Project That Will Not Die. What began as a California statewide voter referendum in 2008 to approve initial funding for a high-speed rail system between San Francisco and Los Angeles has become a financial black hole with no railroad to show for it. Despite statements from Gov. Gavin Newsom that the system is fine, the Trump administration has announced it was pulling $4 billion from the project. … California Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered the state to sue for the money, claiming that the Trump administration was breaking a legal contract. No doubt, a friendly federal judge will order the money reinstated, but one doubts that after appeals, the California High Speed Rail Authority will win.” (07/31/25)
“In recent months, Afghanistan has been hit by what could soon be among the world’s largest forced displacements of people in the 21st century. Nearly 2 million Afghans, primarily living in Iran for years to avoid repression at home, have been pushed back across the border. A total of 5.9 million Afghans could arrive from both Iran and Pakistan by the end of the year, the United Nations projects. What’s more, international aid agencies say they can reach only about 10% of the deportees, a result of the hard-line, ruling Taliban restricting aid flows after taking power nearly four years ago. Yet as this tragedy of mass deportation unfolds – a result of a surge in anti-Afghan attitudes in Iran and Pakistan – thousands of people inside Afghanistan are turning the tables on the Taliban with acts of compassion.” (07/30/25)
“Can a government ever dictate health without distorting it? The Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative, spearheaded by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in his role as Secretary of Health and Human Services, positions itself as a sweeping response to America’s chronic disease crisis. Framed as a populist health movement, MAHA seeks to overhaul the nation’s approach to nutrition, environmental toxins, and preventative care. … The Modern American Health Act (MAHA), advanced under RFK Jr.’s platform, marks a shift from nutritional suggestion to digitally enforced compliance. While framed as a path to wellness, it signals an unprecedented fusion of policy, personal data, and tech industry influence.” (07/31/25)
Source: Caitlin Johnstone, Rogue Journalist
by Caitlin Johnstone
“I will probably spend the foreseeable future periodically reminding the world that when everyone was angry at Israel for starving children in Gaza, Israel’s apologists spent days loudly proclaiming that no, they were actually just starving sick children. As their defense they said this. They actually believed this helped their case. Let me back up a bit. On Wednesday, The New York Times posted an editor’s note on an article it had published the previous Friday which included a horrifying photo of an emaciated child named Mohammed Zakaria al-Mutawaq. Caving to pressure from Zionists and influence ops like the Israeli propaganda outlet HonestReporting, the Times went out of its way to clarify that al-Mutawaq ‘had pre-existing health problems’, which Israel apologists instantly and predictably spun as proof that the media are lying about Israel starving Gaza.” (07/31/25)
Source: Foundation for Economic Education
by Jake Scott
“As of Sunday, July 27, the United States and the European Union have signed a new trade agreement, imposing a 15% tariff on most EU goods entering the US, while no new tariffs on US goods entering the EU will be implemented. Given that the trade relationship between the two is worth over $1.68 trillion, the aversion of a potential trade war can only be welcomed—but the news for US consumers is less than ideal. Had this agreement not been reached by August 1, President Trump had first threatened a 30% tariff across the board. While the finalized 15% is lower than the original promised tariff, it is still an increase on the previous 10% tariffs that were introduced on all EU goods entering the US set on April 2, 2025, under Trump, and significantly higher than the 1.2% tariff from before Trump’s second term.” (07/31/25)
Source: Orange County Register
by the editorial board
“Today marks the 113th birthday of economist Milton Friedman, one of history’s most consequential free-market advocates. Reflecting on the work of Friedman this year reminds us how much more sound and sustainable the nation’s policies could be. Born July 31, 1912 to working class immigrants from Eastern Europe in New York City, what made Milton Friedman unique not only was his grasp of economics, but also his ability to simply explain complex ideas. What Milton Friedman understood better than most was that individuals, with private interests and expertise, were best able to advance society.” (07/31/25)
“Who bears the primary responsibility for shaping a child’s moral imagination: the state or their parents? Last term, in Mahmoud v. Taylor, the Supreme Court answered with uncommon clarity in cases where the parents’ religion is at stake: when public schools press lessons that undermine the faith of young pupils, parents may halt participation. The decision matters on three planes.” (07/31/25)
