“[R]ather than replicating the classic forms of historical fascism, Trump tends to use the state apparatus itself as an instrument of coercion to secure the loyalty of his supporters and to undermine local countervailing powers. He also seeks to control the institutions that produce and disseminate knowledge and information, to weaken countervailing powers and to impose his ideological conception of society. Trump’s imperialist policy therefore does not represent a break with US practices throughout the 20th century. On the contrary, it continues the various methods employed during that period—military interventions, coups d’état, sanctions, economic pressure, support for allied regimes, and control of strategic areas and resources—but with a notable difference in the rhetoric that accompanies them.” (11/05/26)
“To dominate supply chains, the Trump administration is weaponizing the global AI race. Instead of learning from the lessons of postwar atomic regulation, the administration is reversing them, thereby paving the way for catastrophic risks.” (11/05/26)
Source: Freedom and Flourishing
by Dr. Edward W Younkins
“Gerald Gaus’s The Open Society and Its Complexities (2021) is a response to three theses advanced by Friedrich A. Hayek regarding the Open Society. Hayek’s first thesis is that human beings are not made for a free society. Human evolved psychology makes us xenophobic, parochial, and egalitarian in ways that conflict with the diversity and impartiality of an Open Society. The second thesis is that the operation of institutions in the Open Society is so unclear that we cannot rationally evaluate, critique, or justify that type of society. The third thesis is that the Open Society cannot be governed.” (11/05/26)
“Within hours of Tuesday night’s rout, Vice President J.D. Vance had settled on an explanation: “The reason we lost is the war.” It is a convenient story. The war in Iran is unpopular, and the spike in gasoline prices that came with it certainly didn’t help Republicans. But the war is not what caused the blue wave. Tariffs were the millstone that sank the GOP ticket—and the White House had years of warning.” (11/05/26)
“Perhaps, when we get right down to it, the threat that Pyongyang and Kim pose to the West is not provided by his dream of the world’s strongest army. Rather, it is one of the strongest arguments still in the world today of what the true fruits of socialism are.” (11/04/26)
“The masked secret police, abductions, murders, and violence against peaceful protesters, weaponization of the DOJ, selling of pardons, terrorizing immigrants, occupations of entire cities, open air bribes, assaults on the free press, weaponization of intelligence, brazen constitutional violations, transparent lying to the courts, white supremacist messaging, white supremacist policy, graft, corrupt diplomacy, and too many other offenses to name — these are unacceptable trespasses on our values. They aren’t mere policy differences between the two major parties. If we don’t make it clear that this administration’s violence, racism, corruption, and crime are aberrant and intolerable, we’ll instead make clear that they’re neither. And we’ll make it easier for the next Trump, the next time around.” (11/04/26)
“The GOP isn’t dead, but it sure does look and feel that way in the harsh light of the day after Tuesday’s walloping. The myth of Rasputin is that a Russian monk who pretended to mysticism was poisoned, stabbed, shot, beaten and thrown in a river. He somehow climbed out of the drink and survived. He didn’t. Miraculous recoveries only happen in the movies, as with ‘Boris the Bullet Dodger’ in Guy Ritchie’s beloved ‘Snatch’, which starred Jason Statham, Brad Pitt, Benicio del Toro and Dennis Farina. If you are a Republican feeling low after Tuesday night’s nationwide wipeout, ‘Snatch’ is a good viewing choice. If you or your boss lost, you need to have a laugh because there is no crying in baseball or politics. Wipeouts happen, and the GOP isn’t going to suddenly pull itself beaten and bruised out of the Potomac.” (11/05/26)
“Across the country, Democratic candidates campaigned and won by railing against Donald Trump’s handling of the economy. When they take control of Congress in January, however, they’ll find themselves with few direct levers to bring down prices. We don’t need to guess what happens to politicians who campaign on affordability and don’t deliver. We saw it last night.” (11/04/26)
“Now that Democrats have secured earth-shattering wins in both chambers of Congress, the party’s progressives are sending a message to their more moderate leaders: It’s time to deliver for voters who are demanding meaningful action.” (11/04/26)
