So to Speak: The Free Speech Podcast, 07/15/26
Source: Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression
“Ada Palmer on the history of censorship from the Renaissance to AI.” (07/15/26)
The Permanent Problem, episode 17
Source: Niskanen Center
“Liberalism’s cycles of crisis and renewal, with Adrian Wooldridge.” (07/15/26)
https://www.niskanencenter.org/liberalisms-cycles-of-crisis-and-renewal-with-adrian-wooldridge
Laying Waste to Abusive Government Fraud
Source: Independent Institute
by Robert E Wright
“The Department of Justice recently charged 455 defendants with $6.5 billion in healthcare fraud, one of a spate of recent revelations of fraud, waste, and abuse (FWA) tied to government programs. The insight of Nobel Laureate economist Gary Becker, the experience of America’s Framers, and the wisdom of an ancient guru from India reveal that the route forward entails a combination of tighter auditing and greater punishment. People, even the most virtuous ones, drawn to public service, respond to incentives. Good governance recognizes that universal truth and deliberately constructs incentive systems designed to catch and punish wrongdoers. The mere establishment of well-designed incentive systems stops most FWA in its tracks by creating an expectation that crime will not pay.” (07/15/26)
https://www.independent.org/article/2026/07/15/abusive-government-fraud/
Argentina: Court strikes down Javier Milei citizenship decree
Source: United Press International
“An Argentine court struck down a decree by President Javier Milei that transferred the authority to grant citizenship by naturalization from the federal judiciary to the executive branch, reversing a change to a system that had existed for more than 150 years. This week’s ruling marks another setback for the Milei’s strategy of implementing institutional reforms through emergency decrees rather than legislation approved by Congress. The decision was issued by Argentina’s National Electoral Chamber, which declared Emergency Decree 366/2025 null and void. Milei signed the decree in October as part of a broader immigration reform package. The measure tightened immigration controls and shifted responsibility for granting Argentine citizenship by naturalization to the National Directorate of Migration.” (07/16/26)
Shoring up US data integrity and credibility
Source: Christian Science Monitor
by the Monitor’s Editorial Board
“Individual and institutional confidence in the credibility of official data from the United States, the world’s largest economy, is the grease that helps keep the engines of global productivity and commerce humming. And, as with most engines, a timely tuneup helps ensure smooth and predictable functioning, avoiding hiccups or holdups.” (07/15/26)
Two North Dakota families sue hospital over allegations babies were switched at birth
Source: New York Post
“Two families are suing a North Dakota hospital, alleging hospital staff mistakenly switched two baby boys at birth more than 36 years ago. Kyle Bylin and Jeremy Morrison were the only two babies born at Unity Medical Center in Grafton, North Dakota, on Jan. 26, 1988, the men and their families said in the lawsuit, according to KVLY. Christian Unity Hospital Corporation, doing business as Unity Medical Center, was named as the defendant. The plaintiffs allege hospital staff switched the infants and sent them home with the other child’s biological parents, the outlet reported. The two men were then raised by each other’s biological families, allegedly without anyone’s knowledge. The lawsuit says the switch was not discovered for more than 36 years.” (07/16/26)
NPR Politics Podcast, 07/15/26
Source: National Public Radio [US state media]
“Trump warns that communism is coming for America.” (07/15/26)
https://www.npr.org/2026/07/15/nx-s1-5894745/trump-warns-that-communism-is-coming-for-america
The Tom Woods Show, episode 2778
Source: The Tom Woods Show
“Trump Warming to Zelensky? The State of Russia and Ukraine
Read the original article at TomWoods.com. https://tomwoods.com/ep-2778-trump-warming-to-zelensky-the-state-of-russia-and-ukraine/.” (07/15/26)
https://tomwoods.com/ep-2778-trump-warming-to-zelensky-the-state-of-russia-and-ukraine/
How Obama fits into Democratic centrists’ comeback plot
Source: Semafor
by David Weigel
“Last month, after Abdul El-Sayed and I wrapped up our interview in the Detroit suburbs, I mentioned the ongoing effort by centrist Democrats to link him to Graham Platner. The candidate laughed. El-Sayed rose on his strength during short TV hits, where he would talk about his issues — ‘Medicare for All,’ no more wars — and the interviewer would ask about newsy topics like Platner, who used some of the same consultants as him. El-Sayed liked to joke that he was already running for Senate as a Muslim with the middle name Muhammad, ‘and now I have to carry that guy?’ If centrists have their way: Yes, he does.” (07/15/26)
https://www.semafor.com/article/07/15/2026/how-obama-fits-into-democratic-centrists-comeback-plot
Bet on Rigging the Games
Source: Common Sense
by Paul Jacob
“Casinos compete with online prediction markets. One way to compete is just to compete. If some of your casino customers are drifting to online betting, find ways to make the in-person experience more appealing. Improve advertising. Jigger the odds ever-so-slightly more in favor of players. Increase the dollar value of wins. Etc. We might call this the economic means of competition. The other way to compete? Deploy the political means: cajole government to bludgeon competitors. Thus the American Gaming Association, which represents casinos, would like the federal government to do something to impede online prediction markets — the trading of contracts about what’s going to happen in sports and otherwise on platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket.” (07/15/26)
https://thisiscommonsense.org/2026/07/15/bet-on-rigging-the-games/