“The PEACE Act, a proposed ballot measure that essentially bans fishing, hunting, ranching, and trapping, appears to have gathered enough valid signatures to qualify for the ballot in Oregon this November. If it passes and is not reversed in court, look for other states to follow suit and for food prices and insecurity to grow, all for no net reduction in animal cruelty.” (06/04/26)
“An addendum to the president’s ‘settlement’ of his lawsuit against the IRS shields him and his family from liability for any federal offenses they committed prior to May 19.” (06/03/26)
“Ultimately, the new Section 301 tariffs appear to be yet another attempt to give the president a blank check to impose tariffs at will. The same is true of the administration’s plans to use Section 301 to target ‘structural excess capacity,’ which rely on the absurd premise that it is somehow an unfair trade practice for countries to be able to produce more goods than they can use themselves.” (06/04/26)
“To be a RINO is a frequent accusation in today’s atmosphere, generally by those GOP types who claim to be ‘true conservatives.’ Or ‘real conservatives.’ Or ‘classical conservatives.’ Or even Trumpistas and MAGA types.” (06/03/26)
“Winds of change are blowing across California — and should bring hope to all Americans now suffering under arrogant Democratic-machine misrule. It looks like both Steve Hilton and Spencer Pratt will be on the ballot this fall, for California governor and Los Angeles mayor — a huge sign of voter rebellion in a deep-blue state. No, the results aren’t final, because Cali authorities now take weeks to count the last ballots — itself a sign of institutionalized incompetence, as even Third World nations manage to get the task done in a day. Each man will be an underdog in November — but the machine candidates are such total mediocre-at-best hacks, and fury at machine-run government’s failures all across the Golden State is at such a high pitch, that the rebels’ odds are looking better than they have in years.” (06/03/26)
“I have been recuperating from some health issues and have not been writing much, but I really don’t want to miss out on putting my oar in the water prior to the SpaceX IPO. As background, I love to watch what SpaceX is doing in launch and believe they have made a huge contribution to the world in doing so. As a former operator of hundreds of wilderness campgrounds, Starlink was the greatest single new technology for our business in 20 years. But you don’t automatically get your way with stock valuations just because what you do is cool and useful — there has to be some prospect of making back the investment.” (06/03/26)
“Henry Nowak should first be remembered as an eighteen-year-old who had moved to Southampton to begin adult life. He was murdered as he walked back to his student accommodation, and those who loved him have been sentenced to a life of grief. That is where any serious discussion of the case must begin. … Nowak’s grieving family asked the country not to use his death ‘to create further division, hatred or tension.’ Their request was unusually and heartbreakingly dignified, given what they have endured. But it was immediately ignored.” (06/03/26)
“[Graham Platner] presents himself as a working-class guy, though he comes from a wealthy family that placed him in a $75,000 a year prep school. He is an oyster farmer, but most of his income derives from disability payments. He told reporters that he bought his home with a VA loan, but his father loaned him the money. … Senator Bernie Sanders, the Vermont socialist, [says] ‘We desperately need somebody like him here in the U.S. Senate.’ Graham Platner should fit right in.” (06/03/26)
Source: Freedom and Flourishing
by Dr. Edward W Younkins
“The philosophical systems of Baruch (Benedict de) Spinoza and contemporary neo-Aristotelian thinkers such as Ayn Rand, Douglas B. Rasmussen, and Douglas J. Den Uyl represent distinct yet somewhat convergent approaches to understanding reality, human nature, and the conditions for human flourishing. Spinoza’s rationalist monism and determinism appear, at first glance, to be at odds with the teleological realism, moral objectivism, and emphasis on individual agency characteristic of Objectivism and Individualistic Perfectionism. However, upon closer examination, these traditions exhibit areas of comparability, partial compatibility, and parallel insights across metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, and political philosophy.” (06/03/26)
“In December 2025, just days before Christmas, 13-year-old Jaleeyah Tune was murdered in Goldsboro, North Carolina. According to prosecutors, Jaleeyah was ambushed by three teens with alleged gang ties. In the aftermath of this tragedy, new legislation, House Bill 1173, has advanced in North Carolina. This new bill, known as ‘Jaleeyah’s Law,’ would enhance criminal penalties for gang-related activity. Lawmakers are attempting to prevent tragedies of this kind in the future, but such laws can prove slippery slopes. It cannot be overstated how tragic the loss of Jaleeyah Tune is, but emotionally charged lawmaking has already led to overcriminalization, wrongful gang designations, and erosion of due process before.” (06/03/26)
