Source: The Hill
by Dan Perry

“The warning signs have accumulated for years: Trump’s ‘fake news’ obsession, the Associated Press access dispute over ‘Gulf of America,’ new Pentagon restrictions on reporters and battles with media companies facing federal decisions. Seen separately, these episodes can look idiosyncratic, even absurd. Seen together, they raise a serious concern about using government power to shape who can cover the government and on what terms. That is why the response should extend beyond journalism. The proposed statement should be narrow enough to attract people who disagree about almost everything else. Its purpose would be to establish a rule for presidential power, not adjudicate the merits of CNN, Fox, Trump or or any particular story.” (09/27/26)

https://thehill.com/opinion/white-house/6112000-trump-white-house-press-ban/

Source: Town Hall
by Jeff Davidson

“With our semiquincentennial on July 4 now history, we are at the start of our 240th year since the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, the vital document that has long guided our nation and which Leftists fervently seek to dishonor and destroy. Those who are highly knowledgeable about American history are likely familiar with this story: In September 1787, Elizabeth Willing Powel, a premier social figure within the Colonies, approached Benjamin Franklin after the signing of the Constitution. She asked, ‘Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?’ Franklin answered with a reply for the ages, ‘A republic, if you can keep it’. Franklin understood that creating a government of and by the people was a tenuous undertaking.” (09/26/26)

https://townhall.com/columnists/jeffdavidson/2026/09/26/self-governing-is-a-modern-miracle-n2683565

Source: Quillette
by Steven Pinker

“The dangers of AI are real, but doomerism may be counterproductive.” (09/26/26)

https://quillette.com/2026/09/26/an-open-letter-to-scott-alexander-steven-pinker-ai-alignment-safety/

Source: David Friedman’s Substack
by David Friedman

“There are two quite different models of why democracy works held by people who think it does. One is a model of incentives, one of selection. The incentive version relies on the fact that politicians want to get elected and reelected. To get elected they have to support the policies that a majority of the voters want; to get elected again, they have to actually work for those policies. … The selection model relies on the facts that people differ and that we have some ability to tell what other people are like.” (09/26/26)

https://daviddfriedman.substack.com/p/incentive-or-selection

Source: Christian Science Monitor
by staff

“Organizing and running elections in the United States is left to individual states to determine and oversee. But this month alone, the U.S. Supreme Court has weighed in on these processes multiple times. On Sept. 14, it issued a one-paragraph concurrence limiting proposed federal changes to mail-in voting. Earlier this week, Missouri’s redistricted voting map was back on the emergency docket for the third time this month. And on Friday, the court ruled to allow use of a vast federal database to check voter eligibility. Amid the legalese and partisan arguments surrounding such cases, American voters are both confused and concerned about the trustworthiness of the country’s election processes. … close to half have doubts about election integrity – not a good sign for democracy. But this is precisely what is spurring greater efforts among local election official and volunteers to boost both trust and transparency. And that is a good sign for democracy.” (09/25/26)

https://www.csmonitor.com/Editorials/the-monitors-view/2026/0925/The-renewed-roots-of-election-integrity

Source: Reason
by Jacob Sullum

“A year after launching his explosive antidrug campaign, President Donald Trump routinely rains death on alleged cocaine couriers.” (for publication 11/26)

https://reason.com/2026/09/26/how-murdering-suspected-drug-smugglers-became-the-new-normal/