Source: Electronic Frontier Foundation
by Adam Schartz
“Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have descended into utter lawlessness, most recently in Minnesota. The violence is shocking. So are the intrusions on digital rights and civil liberties. For example, immigration agents are routinely scanning faces of people they suspect of unlawful presence in the country – 100,000 times, according to the Wall Street Journal. The technology has already misidentified at least one person, according to 404 Media. Face recognition technology is so dangerous that government should not use it at all — least of all these out-of-control immigration agencies. To combat these abuses, EFF is proud to support the ‘ICE Out of My Face Act.'” (02/05/26)
“Since the US-Israeli takeover of TikTok, there have been endless complaints about censorship, banned content and banned content creators. Some are saying the platform isn’t even allowing viewers to type in the letters ‘ICE.’ Others have said that the word ‘Israel’ pops up in any search, regardless of the topic. And any search for the word ‘Epstein’ apparently may get your profile flagged for violating ‘community guidelines.’ It has been hemorrhaging members who are going to the new UpScrolled as an alternative. This all began when billionaires and American politicians were wringing their hands over the influence it was having regarding Israel’s genocide in Gaza. Unsurprisingly, all of them claimed it was because of Chinese censorship, date collection and surveillance. But everyone, except the feckless, understood the real reason.” (02/05/26)
Source: Foundation for Economic Education
by Mani Basharzad
“Few macroeconomists have been as influential over the past half century as Robert Lucas. He won the Nobel Prize in economics, and his famous Lucas critique reshaped macroeconomic thinking. In his Presidential Address to the American Economic Association, he declared that the ‘central problem of depression prevention has been solved.’ Five years later, the 2008 financial crisis struck. For a long time, many economists believed that double-digit inflation belonged to history. The Covid era proved them wrong. Recessions and high inflation remain real dangers, not relics of the past. That is precisely why Kevin Warsh, Trump’s nominee for the next Federal Reserve chair, is exactly what the Fed needs. He understands how the system works and, more importantly, what is fundamentally wrong with it.” (02/05/26)
“Those who claim President Barack Obama deported illegal aliens more ‘humanely’ make the following assertions: a) ICE didn’t go into the streets under Obama; b) there were no street activists/protesters/agitators; c) ICE only deported those with criminal records beyond illegal entry or illegally overstaying; d) Obama’s deportation numbers largely include ‘returns’ or those deported at the border; e) the Obama administration did not engage in ‘lawlessness;’ and f) ICE and/or Customs and Border Patrol arrested only illegal aliens after first securing a judicial warrant. As for a), under Obama, ICE did go into the streets, including into the interior and into ‘sanctuary’ cities like Chicago. Watch ‘Lost in Detention,’ a 2011 episode of the PBS ‘Frontline’ program, where, for example, an illegal alien mother stopped in Illinois for making an illegal lane change was ultimately deported back to Mexico.” [editor’s note: I’m not sure who Elder is arguing with here. I’ve never heard any immigration freedom advocated defend Obama on the subject – TLK] (02/05/25)
“Making threats is risky. Threats strain relationships and often result in retaliation, which is why threats from operators of protection rackets often rely on ambiguity. Such threats are sometimes euphemistic, but when stripped of the veneer of plausible deniability, their message ultimately translates to, ‘Give me what I want, and I won’t hurt you.’ Protection rackets are especially dangerous when conjoined with government power, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish Donald Trump’s efforts to force the governor of Colorado to pardon Tina Peters from a protection racket.” (02/05/26)
“Before confirming him to one of the most critical jobs in government — chairman of the Federal Reserve — senators should ask Kevin Warsh, President Donald Trump’s nominee, these questions …” (02/05/26)
“A narrative that’s quickly forming for the 2026 midterm is that control of the Senate may be in play. This narrative is forming because Trump’s approval ratings have been on a downward trajectory for months, and little his administration has done to reverse course appears to be working. It’s entirely possible for Democrats to take the Senate, but a lot has to go right for them.” (02/05/26)
“‘Imagine if we had to go through the process of getting a judicial warrant.’ Those are the complaining words of Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R–La.), who was voicing his support for the actions of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which now claims that its agents have the right to forcibly enter private homes without first obtaining a warrant signed by a judge. … ‘Imagine if we had to go through the process of guaranteeing freedom of speech.’ ‘Imagine if we had to go through the process of respecting the right to keep and bear arms.’ ‘Imagine if we had to go through the process of paying just compensation when private property is taken for a public use.’ You get the idea.” (02/05/26)
