Source: Washington Post
“A judge recently said she would begin reinstating fines, which have ballooned to the millions, against a local ride-hailing company and its CEO for failing to comply with an order to stop operating in the District. The decision comes after an appellate panel earlier this month rejected an effort to pause the judge’s contempt proceedings against Empower and chief executive Joshua Sear. … The city’s Department of For-Hire Vehicles issued a cease-and-desist order that year against the company for failing to register as a private sedan business and digital dispatch service, according to court filings. Empower applied to register with the department in December 2020 but was denied after the city deemed the applications incomplete, the filings said. Matini ordered Empower to cease operations in 2024 until the company successfully registers with the city.” (02/25/26)
https://archive.is/SL7FQ
Source: Paul Krugman
by Paul Krugman
“So little truth, so much time.” (02/25/26)
https://paulkrugman.substack.com/p/a-sotu-like-no-other
Source: New York Times
“Key Moments From Trump’s State of the Union, and a $1 Million Reward in the Guthrie Case.” (02/25/26)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4al_DH0-wqU
Source: The Atlantic
by Tom Nichols
“The longest State of the Union in modern history is now over. Donald Trump held court in the House of Representatives and said little of substance, but substance wasn’t the point. This year, he intended to put on a show, with an array of guest stars and special appearances. He was happy, because he was playing the roles he clearly loves: game-show host, ringmaster, MC, beneficent granter of wishes—and, where the Democrats were concerned, a self-righteous inquisitor.” (02/25/26)
https://archive.is/MwLtV
Source: Washington Post
by Ramesh Ponnuru
“Another report, another dire prediction about Social Security. The Congressional Budget Office now estimates that the program’s trust fund will run out of money in 2032, during the next presidential term. The predominant response of official Washington was to ignore this warning like the ones before it. The serious-minded, public-spirited exceptions continued to ask: How are we going to save Social Security? Virtuous though they are, they’re asking the wrong question. It’s even backward, in that it focuses on the program rather than on the goals the program is supposed to serve. Better to ask instead: What kind of retirement system makes sense? And despite Social Security’s popularity, few Americans would design it as it currently is if they were answering that question from scratch.” (02/25/26)
https://archive.is/QVgW5
Source: The Contrarian
by Jennifer Rubin
“It is bad enough that Trump keeps concocting ways to pick out pockets; worse, he won’t return the money already snatched, despite the Supreme Court’s ruling striking down the IEEPA tariffs.” (02/25/26)
https://contrarian.substack.com/p/trump-stole-our-money
Source: The Hill
“Pennsylvania Democrats are projected to win two special elections for state House, keeping their majority intact, according to Decision Desk HQ. Democrats Ana Tiburcio and Jennifer Mazzocco won their Tuesday elections to represent Pennsylvania House Districts 22 in Lehigh County and 42 in Allegheny County, respectively. The seats were vacated after former state Rep. Josh Siegel (D) was elected as Lehigh County executive and ex-state Rep. Dan Miller (D) won a spot on the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas. Democrats were expected to keep both blue-leaning seats. But the party risked a tied 100-100 state House if they were to have come up short, which would have complicated Gov. Josh Shapiro’s (D) ability to pass his legislative priorities in the Keystone State.” (02/25/26)
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5752448-pennsylvania-democrats-win-special-elections/
Source: Future of Freedom Foundation
“Tariffs and Iran.” (02/25/26)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLAyrI7e4Sc
Source: Liberal Currents
by John Hugar
“Multiple prominent celebrities have denounced ICE and Trump, with Billie Eilish and Hannah Einbinder both condemning them in recent acceptance speeches at the Golden Globes and Grammys, respectively. The first artist to respond with art directly inspired by the murders of Alex Pretti and Renée Good was music legend Bruce Springsteen. The last week of January, Springsteen released ‘Streets of Minneapolis,’ his first original song in over five years, and a fiery screed condemning both the ICE agents that murdered Pretti and Good as well as the authoritarian President that put them on those streets to begin with. The song is notable for both its bluntness and its directness, mentioning Trump by name in its opening verse.” (02/25/26)
https://www.liberalcurrents.com/what-streets-of-minneapolis-tells-us-about-what-has-changed-since-trumps-first-term/
Source: Mindset Shifts
by Barry Brownstein
“While it is tempting to try to save the world by shouting into the void of the ‘masses,’ Albert Jay Nock offered a different, harder piece of advice. He suggests that our actual task is not to convert the ‘masses’ but to ‘brace and reassure the Remnant.’ … Nock argued that the masses are beyond the reach of reason, and it is not our job to convert them. Nock is not saying don’t talk to or write for them, but drop the evangelical attitude that somehow you will get the ‘ear of the people’ and lead them out of the wilderness.” (02/25/26)
https://mindsetshifts.substack.com/p/attending-to-our-inner-state-a-guide
