Source: Independent Institute
by Scott Beyer

“Interest rate direction is central to modern U.S. monetary policy, and the last two decades, that direction’s been mostly downward. The Federal Reserve drove the federal funds rate to near zero in late 2008, kept it there for seven years, and rates have stayed unusually low through this decade. As the Fed now approaches its December meeting, it’s once again weighing the health of the dollar (which demands raising rates) against the loose money policies benefitting the stock and housing markets by lowering them once again. It raises the question of which demographics the Fed really wants to serve.” (11/28/25)

https://www.independent.org/article/2025/11/28/should-interest-rates-go-up-or-down/

Source: The Daily Economy
by Daniel J Smith

“In an era where ‘democratic socialism’ has gained renewed traction among politicians, activists, and intellectuals, one might assume the term carries a clear, operational meaning. Yet, a closer examination reveals a concept shrouded in ambiguity, often serving as a rhetorical shield rather than a blueprint for policy. Proponents often invoke it to promise equality and democracy without the baggage of historical socialist failures, but this vagueness undermines serious discourse. Precise definitions are essential for theoretical, empirical, and philosophical scrutiny. Without them, democratic socialism risks becoming little more than a feel-good label, evading accountability while potentially eroding the very freedoms it claims to uphold.” (11/28/25)

https://thedailyeconomy.org/article/why-modern-socialists-dodge-definition/

Source: Common Dreams
by John P Murphy

“Painted figures haunt an empty building. A boy leaning on a pair of crutches. A father and son wandering a barren railroad track. A nuclear family at a picnic table. These poignant scenes were painted by two of the foremost American artists of the twentieth century, Ben Shahn and Philip Guston. No one is around to see them. They are on the walls of the Wilbur J. Cohen Building in Washington, DC, one of forty-five federal properties currently earmarked for sale. The staff who worked in the building have been mostly fired, furloughed, or relocated. Only the murals remain—and perhaps not for long. The Cohen Building has been called ‘the Sistine Chapel of the New Deal’ for its ambitious mural cycles.” (11/30/25)

https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/sistine-chapel-of-the-new-deal

Source: Foundation for Economic Education
by Rachel Chiu

“Until the Supreme Court decides whether Trump’s tariffs are constitutional, American businesses are stuck in limbo — and the best way out invites antitrust scrutiny. … Home Depot and its subsidiary entered into an agreement to acquire building materials distributor Gypsum Management & Supply. This move consolidates their supply chain for building materials, including drywall, ceilings, and steel framing. Likewise, this summer, Walmart opened its first beef facility to create ‘more resiliency in [its] supply chain.’ … If SCOTUS finds that Trump’s tariffs are legal, these mergers could be the first of many among American businesses. In that case, antitrust regulators pose a real risk to the economy.” (11/28/25)

https://fee.org/articles/antitrust-and-tariffs-are-on-a-collision-course/

Source: Common Sense
by Paul Jacob

“Sorry, cows. The planet comes first. I don’t want to give the wrong impression. No order has been issued requiring Danish farmers to kill their cows. The state is merely requiring that they feed the cows poison. The purpose of the wonder-additive, Bovaer, produced by a company called Elanco Animal Health, is to limit the methane that cows produce as they digest their food. Then, says Elanco, the amount of methane that the cows emit — by a method too indelicate to mention — will be reduced 30 percent. Elanco must have done some kind of testing to figure this out, I suppose. What is the point, though? Why does anybody want to accomplish this?” (11/28/25)

https://thisiscommonsense.org/2025/11/28/denmarks-cows-must-die/