Source: The American Prospect
by Zachary Groz
“The Trump administration’s campaign to compel hundreds of billions of dollars of new military appropriations out of Congress, citing new materiel needs downstream of its unsanctioned Iran War, has been stalled in the Senate for months. But one unexpected winner has emerged from the congressional stalemate over defense spending: an obscure investment office in the Pentagon known as the Economic Defense Unit (EDU). Earlier this year, Deputy Secretary of Defense Stephen Feinberg stood up the EDU and appointed George Kollitides, a one-time executive at Feinberg’s former private equity firm, Cerberus Capital Management, who recently was the subject of a ProPublica investigation for his role in steering a $350 million Department of Defense contract to a consulting firm where he was a partner until just weeks ago.” (10/22/26)
https://prospect.org/2026/10/22/as-lawmakers-scrutinize-pentagon-equity-deals-pentagon-keeps-making-them/
Source: Business Insider
“Meta’s board wants Mark Zuckerberg to stick around. The company announced a new category of non-voting Class C stock in its third-quarter earnings report. It listed several reasons for creating the new class — one of which is to keep the CEO in control. … The stock class will also provide Meta the ability to finance its growth, the earnings report said. Meta is spending big on AI and the data centers needed to power it. The company reported $34.91 billion in third-quarter capital expenditures. Meta’s press release said the distribution would effectively amount to a two-for-one stock split for existing shareholders.” (10/21/26)
https://www.businessinsider.com/meta-stock-split-keep-mark-zuckerberg-2026-10
Source: Antiwar.com
“US Evacuates Troops and Diplomats From Mideast Posts, US, UAE Airstrikes in North Somalia, and More.” (10/21/26)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThK8JlqOGFM
Source: Exiled Policy
by Jason Pye
“The budget deficit for FY 2026 was just shy of $2 trillion, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). That’s a 12 percent increase over FY 2025. Some will undoubtedly attribute the budget deficit’s size to the refunds the Trump administration had to issue after the Supreme Court struck down its illegal tariff regime. That’s partly true, but it doesn’t tell the whole story about the deficit and the growing budgetary woes the federal government is experiencing.” (10/21/26)
https://exiledpolicy.substack.com/p/the-budget-deficit-in-fy-2026-was
Source: Quillette
by Kristian Niemietz
“France’s protesters are rioting against austerity that doesn’t exist. Macron might as well give them the real thing.” (10/21/26)
https://quillette.com/2026/10/21/frances-imaginary-austerity-riots-economy/
Hey, everyone …
Yesterday was our annuual fundraiser’s second “zero-dollar day” in a row. Our total remains stuck at $1,003.
We need to reach $2,751.50, after which supporter GL will “match funds” to get us to the $5,503 goal … and things WERE moving pretty fast in that direction until the last couple of days.
Here’s where I point out that we’ve been bringing you Rational Review News Digest every non-holiday weekday for 24 years (as of this coming December 24), and for more than 35 years by incorporation of our predecessor publications (Libernet and Freedom News Daily).
Here’s where I point out that somewhere in the neighborhood of 5,000 of you find RRND/FND valuable enough to stick with and read via email, web edition, and social media feeds.
And here’s where I point out that “reader-supported” means we count on YOU to return some of that value received as financial support, in whatever amount you find justified.
I’m going to keep asking every weekday morning until we hit that $2,751.50 mark … after which I won’t mention it at all for the rest of 2026, or very much for the first nine months of 2027.
OK, I’m out of here for a medical appointment. It seems I have a hole in my retina, which kinda freaks me out. Not badly enough to keep me from bringing you your daily dose of news, commentary, and podcast action, though. And not badly enough to keep me from using my ailment as a fundraising prop. Feel free to help with my copay at:
And have a great day!
Yours in liberty,
Tom Knapp
Publisher
Rational Review News Digest / Freedom News Daily
Source: Daily Mirror [UK]
“US troops have been evacuated from bases in the Middle East as reports suggest Trump is planning major strikes on Iran. The State Department is also reducing its staff at diplomatic posts across the region, including in Saudi Arabia where Iran-backed Houthi rebels [sic] continue to launch attacks. A US official and two people familiar with the orders told NBC News that troops stationed at bases in Jordan, Qatar and Kuwait have been ordered to move in recent days. Sources claimed the move is part of the military’s planning as Trump considers restarting major combat operations in Iran – potentially before next month’s midterm elections.” (10/22/26)
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/us-news/trump-saudi-usa-diplomats-iran-37797858
Source: The Daily Economy
by Kimberlee Josephson
“Toward the end of the summer, I bought a new dishwasher after agonizing over a big-ticket purchase. … The same day my dishwasher was installed, my family went out to eat, and when the bill arrived, I found the comparison almost laughable: our meal plus the tip was approaching half the price of the dishwasher. How silly I had been to put off buying an appliance that would undoubtedly make my life easier and last for thousands of wash cycles — unlike the dinner that we enjoyed and consumed in under an hour. In retrospect, there was no need to agonize over the appliance purchase. I could manage the expense by forgoing a few nights of eating out. But that realization also highlighted a familiar consumer behavior: we often scrutinize large, infrequent purchases while accepting smaller, convenient expenses with little deliberation.” (10/21/26)
https://thedailyeconomy.org/article/dishwashers-dining-out-and-why-we-spend-the-way-we-do/
Source: Reason
“Are Prediction Markets Just Gambling? Kalshi CEO Responds.” (10/21/26)
https://reason.com/podcast/2026/10/21/are-prediction-markets-just-gambling-kalshi-ceo-responds/
Source: CBS News
“A federal judge ruled late Wednesday that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s practice of knocking on doors and asking people about their immigration status — and whether they have voted in recent elections — likely violates the Voting Rights Act. … In her ruling, U.S. District Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguin ordered federal immigration authorities to stop carrying out ‘elections-related field operations and field interviews’ in nine states, including California and New York, if the operations are likely to involve people who government officials ‘know, suspect, or should reasonably know or suspect are U.S. citizens.’ Her order will remain in effect until polls close on Election Day. She stayed the ruling until 5 p.m. on Friday, which will give the government a chance to seek appeal.” (10/21/26)
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/judge-dhs-noncitizen-voters-ruling/
