Source: Eunomia
by Daniel Larison
“Quitting a failed war is wiser and cheaper than prolonging it. It is the war in Iran that has so destabilized and endangered other countries in the region. Ending that war won’t solve other problems in the region, but it will at least mean that the U.S. is not exacerbating them as much as it was.” (10/26/26)
https://daniellarison.substack.com/p/ending-the-war-is-the-only-sane-option
Source: Bet On It
by Bryan Caplan
“In my immigration debate last May with Garett Jones, he presented a memorable and compelling slogan, which he attributed to Papa John’s: ‘My theory of why institutions differ is called the Papa John’s theory of institutions. Better ingredients make better pizza. Choose your ingredients wisely.’ By implication, to get the best pizza, you should only choose the best ingredients. Indeed, the original draft of the Papa John’s slogan was ‘The Better the Ingredients, the Better the Pizza,’ and its founder John Schnatter once actually said, ‘We would make the best pizza with the best ingredients even though it cost us more.’ While humanitarians might demur, how could anyone disagree with this as the most prudent way to advance a nation’s welfare? My answer: Anyone who grasps Econ 1 should abjure these slogans as utter nonsense.” (10/26/26)
Source: The Daily Economy
by Jason Sorens
“The more power presidents claim, the more responsibility they bear when things go wrong. Tariffs and the Iran War show why constitutional limits can be a political advantage.” (10/26/26)
https://thedailyeconomy.org/article/presidents-should-want-limits-on-their-power/
Source: Future of Freedom Foundation
by Jacob G Hornberger
“I recently received an email asking me to sign a petition that would put ‘biblical lessons’ back in public schools. The petition was sent out by an organization named Brave for Good, whose mission is to ‘equip families with stories, experiences, and community gatherings that nurture imagination, strengthen biblical values, and help raise a generation grounded in truth, courage, and character.’ … notice what that petition purports to do: It is based on forcing parents to send their children to a state institution to receive what amounts to religious indoctrination from government officials. How in the world can such a law be reconciled with the principles of a free society? It can’t be.” (10/26/26)
https://www.fff.org/2026/10/26/christian-support-for-biblical-educational-coercion/
Source: Wall Street Journal
by Mary Anastasia O’Grady
“Brazil’s leftist President Luiz Inácio ‘Lula’ da Silva of the Workers’ Party defeated Senator Flávio Bolsonaro of the conservative Liberal Party in a runoff election Sunday. Going into the vote, pollsters gave Mr. Bolsonaro the edge but Lula had narrowed the gap. With 99% of the vote counted Lula had 52% to Mr. Bolsonaro’s 48%. This is a bitter disappointment for conservatives. But they’ll do well to note that Lula will take the oath of office Jan. 5 with the Brazilian right having gained ground. Mr. Bolsonaro surprised pollsters when he finished first in the first round on Oct. 4 with 47% of the vote against Lula’s 45.2%. Down ballot the right did even better. In the Senate, the Liberals won 19 seats out of 54 contested.” (10/25/26)
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/brazil-votes-for-more-lula-78df8f68?st=AVnjSV
Source: Asia Times
by Nouroz Khan Bijarani
“Eight months into the Iran war, Washington has neither broken Tehran’s resolve nor found a clear path out. The president’s own remarks point to a narrowing set of options. Trump told Time magazine he does not believe peace with Iran is ever possible, a striking admission from the leader still expected to negotiate one. … The Gulf states have reached the same conclusion. They are hedging accordingly against an American policy they no longer trust to last. The UAE joined the campaign against Iran in February, yet they opened a back channel with Iranians lately after the realization that it is better to deal directly instead of relying on the US.” (10/26/26)
https://asiatimes.com/2026/10/why-the-middle-east-is-already-waiting-out-trumps-presidency/
Source: Responsible Statecraft
by Andrew Earvolino
“‘The story of our civilization is the greatest story ever known to man.’ Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivered these triumphalist words earlier this month as he stood before the Acropolis in Athens, Greece. Rubio’s speech, which centered the need for Western civilizational rejuvenation, received laudatory marks among conservative circles. On a certain level, this is unsurprising. Civilizationism is indeed the cause du jour on the new right. But on closer examination, one suspects that Rubio is not truly offering some radical new vision, but a lot of the same.” (10/26/26)
Source: American Greatness
by Stephen Soukup
“Over the weekend, Barack Obama appeared at a campaign rally for Democrats in Ohio and managed to make some headlines by ridiculing President Trump’s design skills. ‘He’s got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory’, the former president quipped. The crowd, of course, loved it. The media did too. Republicans responded with some mockery of their own, pointing out that Obama has little room to talk about design preferences, given the architectural monstrosity that is his presidential library in Chicago. All things considered, Obama accomplished what he set out to do: he made himself the center of attention, which is the only place, apparently, that he feels comfortable. Now, I know what you’re thinking: Obama? The guy who left office ten years ago? Why is this multi-deci-millionaire running around the country trying to get socialists and socialist-adjacent candidates (including Abdul El-Sayed) elected to high office?” (10/26/26)
Source: Future of Freedom Foundation
by Laurence M Vance
“Education is a service just like the many other services that Americans purchase every day. … But, it has been argued, education is different. It is one of the most important services there is. It can’t possibly be left up to the free market. If the government doesn’t provide, fund, or regulate education, then many children will receive a substandard education or no education at all.” (10/26/26)
https://www.fff.org/explore-freedom/article/education-vouchers-and-school-choice-2/
Source: Big Head Press
by Scott Bieser
Cartoon. (10/26/26)