Source: The Hill
by Marc L Busch & Joel P Trachtman

“The Trump administration’s new National Security Strategy, released last Thursday, makes one thing unmistakably clear: The United States no longer sees trade policy as a tool of economic betterment that depends on cooperation with other countries. It now treats trade as hard power to be deployed against friend and foe alike, rather than to be negotiated to maximize benefits to the U.S. For decades, Republican and Democratic administrations alike viewed trade as a means of promoting growth, lowering costs, opening markets and deepening integration. This new strategy flips that logic on its head. Trade is no longer something the U.S. does to improve economic outcomes. It is something Washington wields unilaterally to restructure the world — to coerce other governments and to project power.” (12/11/25)

https://thehill.com/opinion/5642843-national-security-strategy-trade/

Source: Real Clear Investigations
by Ana Kasparian

“Gov. Gavin Newsom has made reducing the homelessness crisis in California a top priority, saying the scale of the state’s efforts is ‘unprecedented’ and calling for the continued expansion of his signature effort (Project Homekey) that has already cost $3.75 billion. But in a state with more than 181,000 homeless individuals, or about one-third of the U.S. total, Homekey has been marred by failures and scandals, including a lack of government oversight and accountability as well as a federal investigation into allegations of fraud in Los Angeles. Newsom, who appears to be preparing for a presidential bid in 2028, could make Homekey, which he calls a ‘national model’, a talking point in his campaign.” (12/11/25)

https://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2025/12/11/newsomes_national_model_for_homeless_wracked_by_fraud_1152688.html

Source: Niskanen Center
by Jonathan Wolfson, Lawson Mansell, & Katherine Hall

“Over one-third of U.S. states have created alternative licensing pathways for internationally trained physicians (ITPs) to address the worsening physician shortage. Medical boards play a crucial role in the success of these new laws and should honor the legislative intent of a true alternative pathway by removing unnecessary barriers and providing consistent guidance to employers and doctors. States should ensure these licensing pathways enable ITPs to find sponsors, get hired, and practice fully to maximize workforce impact and patients’ access to quality medical care.” (12/11/25)

https://www.niskanencenter.org/implementing-new-licening-pathways-that-work-for-international-doctors-and-american-patients/

Source: Gideon’s Substack
by Noah Millman

“[W]hile the conservative majority on the Court could in fact allow limitations on birthright citizenship without patently shredding the plain meaning of the 14th Amendment, it could still do so without actually affirming Trump’s executive order. It could say that the order doesn’t violate the plain meaning of the constitutional text, but does violate the understanding of that text embedded in numerous pieces of legislation, acts of Congress that implicitly or explicitly endorse the established interpretation of the clause. Therefore, it would require an act of Congress to affirmatively change that interpretation by enacting restrictions on birthright citizenship through legislation.” [editor’s note: But why would SCOTUS lie and pretend that the order doesn’t violate the plain meaning of the constitutional text? – TLK] (12/11/25)

https://gideons.substack.com/p/populism-democracy-and-choosing-the