Politico Playbook Audio Briefing, 07/02/26
Source: Politico
“Steve Bannon sizes up the Democrats.” (07/02/26)
America’s Hard Left and Right Have Had It With Israel
Source: The American Conservative
by Jack Hunter
“Rather than debate their critics on the merits, many in the establishments of both parties have sought to dismiss any criticism of Israel as antisemitism, pure and simple. As Sen. Ted Cruz said last month during a diatribe against the popular commentator (and noted Israel skeptic) Tucker Carlson, ‘We are seeing a cancer on the right. It is rising antisemitism …. Here’s the scary thing: I’ve seen more antisemitism on the right over the last 18 months than any time in my life.’ … Leaving aside the histrionics, the Senator from Texas is right about one thing—both the hard right and the hard left have ended up in a similar place on Israel. And for similar reasons: opposition to American vassalage, disgust with the treatment of Palestinians, skepticism of the endless regional wars, and a conviction that our resources are better spent at home.” (07/02/26)
https://www.theamericanconservative.com/americas-hard-left-and-right-have-had-it-with-israel/
Can reliable international comparisons of human flourishing be made using subjective survey data?
Source: Freedom and Flourishing
by Winton Bates
“The idea that human flourishing is the proper measure of a good society goes back to Aristotle, but modern attempts to compare flourishing internationally using subjective survey data raise difficult questions. That is illustrated in the scatter chart shown above – which compares the degree of human flourishing in different countries as measured by the new Global Flourishing Study (GFS) with average life evaluation data for those countries using the methodology of the World Happiness Report (WHR).” (07/01/26)
https://www.freedomandflourishing.com/2026/07/can-reliable-international-comparisons.html
US DOJ Department Sues Virginia, California Reimges Over Victim Disarmament Laws
Source: US News & World Report
“The U.S. Department of Justice on Wednesday filed a lawsuit against Virginia and state police, accusing them of enacting a law that it said unconstitutionally bans the purchase and sale of ordinary semi-automatic rifles, according to a statement. The department also sued California on Wednesday to halt the state’s newly enacted ‘Glock Ban’, it said in a separate release.” (07/01/26)
Declare Your Independence with Ernest Hancock, 07/02/26
Source: Freedom’s Phoenix
“Aaron Day (ZANO; Daylight Freedom; Brownstone Institute) comes on the show to discuss his campaign (blocking ballots), and the economy (ditch the dollar).” (07/02/26)
The Kyle Anzalone Show, 07/01/26
Source: Libertarian Institute
“Larry Johnson: Trump’s Strait of Hormuz Nightmare.” (07/01/26)
More Noise than Signal from Latest Chiefs Release
Source: Show-Me Institute
by Patrick Tuohey
“The Kansas City Chiefs just released a two-page statement with numerous claims about the benefits of a new stadium, practice facility, and team headquarters in Kansas. There are reasons to be skeptical. First, the press release includes some findings from an economic impact analysis that was conducted by a consultant the team hired. We don’t have the full report itself—just these selected highlights the Chiefs chose to share.” (07/01/26)
Annoy a Democrat, Celebrate America’s Birthday
Source: Town Hall
by Derek Hunter
“We’ve had a pretty good run as a country. Sure, it’s not been a millennium or anything like that, but for a republic in the modern age, the United States turning 250 years old is a pretty major accomplishment, one worth celebrating. That’s what makes it so odd that half the country not only isn’t celebrating, but they’re actively mourning our nation’s continued existence. These people are broken and deserve all the bad that comes their way. Don’t just celebrate July 4 despite them; celebrate it to spite them. Go to any antique store or mall, and you will see countless items from the bicentennial. Everything from blankets to ashtrays can be found. While it’s weird to think that just 50 years ago smoking was very common, it’s weird to think that today love of country is not. But that’s the state of Democrats today.” (07/02/26)
Albania: Police attack protesters with chemical weapons
Source: Associated Press
“Albanian police clashed with protesters Thursday as an anti-government demonstration — part of protests triggered by plans for a luxury development linked to U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner — turned violent. Police fired tear gas and pepper spray at protesters who were pelting them with rocks, eggs and other objects. Authorities said 12 police officers were injured and 18 protesters were detained. The gathering was part of daily protests, dubbed the ‘flamingo revolution’, that began more than a month ago in opposition to plans for a luxury coastal development project linked to Kushner. While the protests stemmed from environmental issues related to the development project, they have morphed into more general political demonstrations voicing opposition against the government and Socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama.” (07/02/26)
EU top court rejects Google’s appeal against record €4.1 billion bribe demand
Source: France 24 [French state media]
“The EU’s top court upheld Thursday a record €4.1 billion ($4.7 billion) fine the bloc slapped on Google for anti-competitive practices related to its Android operating system. The European Court of Justice dismissed the US tech giant’s second attempt to overturn the penalty imposed by the European Commission in 2018 – which remains the EU’s highest ever antitrust fine. … The commission, the 27-nation bloc’s antitrust regulator, had accused Google of abusing the popularity of its Android operating system to restrict competition.” (07/02/26)