Free Media, 05/08/26
Source: Reason
“Robby Soave and Christian Britschgi tear apart AOC’s belief that billionaires don’t earn their wealth.” (05/08/26)
Trump’s presidency has desiccated the conservative movement
Source: The Hill
by Matt Lewis
“It is worth taking a moment to recall that there was a time — not all that long ago — when conservative institutions had real weight to throw around. Names like Paul Weyrich, Ed Feulner, James Dobson and Phyllis Schlafly weren’t just footnotes. They were powerhouses. Directly or indirectly, organizations like the Heritage Foundation, Concerned Women for America, the National Rifle Association, the Family Research Council — and numerous other groups I don’t have room to list — helped elect conservatives, hold politicians accountable, and generally set the terms of debate. Many of these groups are still around (in some cases, enjoying lavish offices), but are any of these organizations — or the conservative causes for which they advocate — better off today than they were before Trump came down the escalator? I don’t think so.” (05/08/26)
https://thehill.com/opinion/white-house/5867912-trump-destroys-conservative-movement/
What an Appeals Court Got Wrong in Its Decision on Homelessness Funding
Source: Independent Institute
by Christopher J Calton
“The Trump administration is facing roadblocks in its efforts to alter the criteria by which the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awards homelessness grants. U.S. District Judge Mary McElroy—a Trump nominee—ruled that the administration’s ‘slapdash imposition of political whims’ is illegal. An appeals court upheld the decision the following day. The controversy was not about policy, but about bureaucratic procedure, which the Administrative Procedure Act regulates. Yet the appellate decision took a detour from procedural considerations to defend the prevailing homelessness policy, known as ‘Housing First.’ This ideological digression by U.S. Circuit Court Judge Julie Rikelman reflects widely held fallacies about Housing First.” (05/08/26)
Massive experimental aircraft crashes off US coastline
Source: SFGate
“The Solar Impulse 2, a long-range experimental aircraft, crashed in the Gulf of Mexico when it lost power during an unmanned test flight on May 4, a report from the National Transportation Safety Board said. There were no fatalities or injuries. Developed by entrepreneur André Borschberg and Bertrand Piccard, a descendant of famous European explorers who pioneered scientific advancements both in the air and under the sea, the sun-powered plane has undertaken several successful test flights since it was developed in 2015. The solar-powered aircraft circumnavigated the world in 2015 and 2016.” (05/08/26)
https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/experimental-aircraft-crash-us-22249431.php
The Daily Blast With Greg Sargent, 05/08/26
Source: The New Republic
“Trumpworld Unnerved as Damning Leaks Expose His Worst War Blunders Yet.” (05/08/26)
Kill the Kill Switch!
Source: Libertarian Institute
by Alan Mosley
“Back in November 2021, Congress quietly added a clause to the sprawling ‘Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act’ that would make Orwell blush. Section 24220 authorizes the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to require that every new passenger car include ‘advanced drunk-and-impaired-driving prevention technology.’ The provision is sold as a way to save lives, but alleges to do so by commanding vehicles to monitor drivers and refuse to operate when the software suspects impairment. In other words, AI will determine whether or not you can drive should you buy a new year model vehicle starting in 2027. This is neither a technical innovation nor a societal demand for greater security. It is a political choice that converts a privately owned car into a behavioral policeman.” (05/08/26)
https://libertarianinstitute.org/articles/kill-the-kill-switch/
Want to Help Mothers This Mother’s Day? Back a Guaranteed Income
Source: Common Dreams
by Zaaear Pack
“Happy Mother’s Day—because that’s what you’re supposed to say, right? Motherhood is always dressed up in soft language like community, support, and…“it takes a village.” But I have learned in real time that not all of us actually have one. I am raising my sons without consistent help, without a built-in break, without the kind of support people assume is just there. Everything falls on me emotionally, financially, and physically, and I still have to show up every single day like I am not carrying all of it alone. And when I do pull back, when I protect my energy or go quiet, it is not because I am distant. It is because I am overwhelmed.” (05/10/26)
https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/guaranteed-income-mother-s-day
Pentagon releases first batch of “top secret” UFO files
Source: France 24 [French state media]
“The Pentagon on Friday released a first batch of secret files documenting reported sightings of unidentified flying objects – some dating back to the 1940s – fanning speculation over whether extraterrestrial life exists. Reports of flying saucers and discs, and a sighting of an orb that resembled the ‘Eye of Sauron’ are among the incidents in the files, which are from the FBI, State Department and NASA in addition to the Pentagon. Interest in UFOs has been renewed in recent years as the US government investigated numerous reports of seemingly supernatural aircraft, amid worries that adversaries could be testing highly advanced technologies.” (05/08/26)
https://www.france24.com/en/americas/20260508-pentagon-releases-decades-of-top-secret-ufo-files
Ron Paul Liberty Report, 05/08/26
Source: Ron Paul Liberty Report
“Affordability Update: President Says Iran War Still ‘Worth It’ If Oil Hits $200.” (05/08/26)
The Ozempic Paradox
Source: Brownstone Institute
by Alan Cassels
“Here’s a good current example of medical irony: the same week that our drug regulator, Health Canada, approved the first generic version of semaglutide — the active ingredient in weight-loss drug Ozempic — a major medical journal published findings highlighting the medication’s troubling connection to eating disorders. The timing couldn’t be more paradoxical: just as this powerful appetite suppressant becomes more accessible and affordable to millions of Canadians, we’re learning more about its potential to trigger dangerous psychological relationships with food.” (05/08/26)