“While couched in the language of fighting drug trafficking into the United States, the Trump administration has made no secret of its desire for regime change in Venezuela. Under the leadership of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, with the support of CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Trump’s chief domestic policy advisor, Stephen Miller, Trump’s team has pushed for the removal of Maduro from power. A Trump administration official familiar with policy discussions on the approach to Venezuela told Axios that, though the military build up is ‘about narco-terrorism … if Maduro winds up no longer in power, no one will be crying.’ Another, by comparing it to the American operation against Panama’s Manuel Noriega in 1989, implied that a coup was higher on the agenda.” (10/17/25)
“Earlier this week, Donald Trump made the bold claim that he’s responsible for ending eight wars since taking office this past January — in other words, nearly one war each month of his presidency. Among the wars on his list is the decades-long conflict between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda, which has mired central Africa since the days of the Rwandan genocide in the 1990s in a quagmire conflict involving over one hundred armed groups. But despite Trump’s claim, the DRC-Rwanda conflict is not yet over. And despite belligerent actors taking some positive steps to bring about a lasting peace — including Tuesday’s announcement that the Rwanda-supported M23 rebel group and the DRC have agreed on a mechanism to monitor a fragile ceasefire — the war remains an active conflict between the two neighbors and their allied groups.” (10/17/25)
“If the continuing incompetence of Congress over passing a budget and reopening the U.S. government doesn’t show the absurdity of unlimited representative republicanism, what could do so? Whether or not to extend COVID-era special subsidies for medical insurance appears to be the main issue, but other issues are undoubtedly involved. If it isn’t one thing, it’s another. That’s politics. The problem is that the government has its hands in everything. That means a constituency exists for each thing the government does.” (10/17/25)
“Americans can buy iPhones straight from Apple and sneakers straight from Nike. In fact, in almost every industry, it’s perfectly normal for consumers to buy products directly from manufacturers’ websites and have them shipped right to their doors. But medicines are different. For decades, patients have been forced to run through a gauntlet of middlemen, each of whom piles on fees, to get the treatments they need. The additional costs imposed by these wholesalers, insurers, pharmacy benefit managers, and pharmacies have turned the simple act of filling a prescription into a monthly financial crisis for too many families. Fortunately, that could soon change. A handful of pharmaceutical companies recently started selling medicines directly to patients, shipping the drugs right to their porch or mailbox, so long as they have a doctor’s prescription.” [editor’s note: Cool. Now just get rid of the prescription requirement – TLK] (10/18/25)
Source: Center for a Stateless Society
by Hein Htet Kyaw
“The term ‘fascism,’ as George Orwell once cautioned, has often been diluted, losing its precise meaning and becoming a generic slur. This has led to its misapplication, where its core ideology is overlooked in favour of its more superficial traits, such as authoritarianism and militarism. While these are certainly present in fascist regimes, they are not the sole defining characteristics. However, there are political groups that are accurately identified as fascist. The Myanmar military dictatorships, including the current junta, stand as a particularly fitting and accurate example of a fascist regime.” (10/17/25)
“The hyperbole surrounding AGI misrepresents the capabilities of current AI systems and distracts attention from the real threats that these systems are creating.” (10/17/25)
“To understand the idiotic trade war with China launched by Donald Trump in his second administration, study the idiotic trade war with China launched by Donald Trump in his first administration.” (10/17/25)
“As ICE wreaks chaos and violence in neighborhoods across Chicago, teams of rapid responders are protecting residents and challenging Trump’s attempted occupation by fighting fear through solidarity.” (10/16/25)
Source: The American Conservative
by Eldar Mamedov
“The threat of Tomahawks is not primarily a military calculation but a diplomatic cudgel intended to ‘get a deal.’ The back-to-back calls with Zelensky serve as a performance of resolve, a signal to the Kremlin that the administration is serious about altering the conflict’s dynamics. But beneath this surface lies a far more dangerous strategic gambit. The Tomahawk debate is no longer merely about enhancing Ukraine’s strike capability; it has become the central chip in a high-stakes game of coercion between Washington and Moscow, one where the specter of nuclear escalation is being deliberately invoked.” (10/17/25)
“Last year, China bought $12.6 billion of soybeans from the United States, around 25 percent of the country’s total crop. This year, the Chinese have halted these purchases in retaliation for President Trump’s tariffs, opting for South American producers instead. China has not ordered a shipment of American soy since May and, last month, it announced that it would be buying no soybeans from the United States this fall. … The administration could just roll back the tariffs which have exacerbated agriculture’s underlying pressures. Congress could assert its power to tax. Instead, having hobbled the country’s farmers, federal government officials are now scrambling to offer them a Band-Aid.” (10/16/25)
