Pink Flame of Liberty, 08/11/26
Source: Pink Flame of Liberty
“Let’s watch the LPNH Disaffiliation Judicial Committee Hearing (and looking at new amici).” (08/11/26)
Colorado sinking fast
Source: The Price of Liberty
by Nathan Barton
“Colorado has been labeled as ‘increasingly blue’ for several decades. Not just the most recent governors (Hickenlooper and Polis) have been extremely liberal and left (‘Regressives’ as TPOL labels them), but the General Assembly (both houses) has had super-majority Democratic control for a long time as well. (Yes, the Colorado GOP is as much to blame for this, due to their own stupidity and lack of skills and internal cohesion, as the Colorado Democrats are. And don’t get us started on the worthlessness of the Colorado Libertarian Party.)” (08/11/26)
https://thepriceofliberty.org/2026/08/11/colorado-sinking-fast/
WI: “Moderate” Democrat pulls off upset over socialist in gubernatorial primary
Source: NBC News
“Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley has won the Democratic primary in Wisconsin’s race for governor, NBC News projects, dealing a major upset to democratic socialist Francesca Hong. The result marks a dramatic turnaround for Crowley, who had dropped out of the race roughly a month ago after initially struggling to gain traction only to re-enter days later with outgoing Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’[s] endorsement. Hong, a state lawmaker from Madison, had led in the polls in the final stretch of the race, but faced growing scrutiny over her past controversial positions and general election viability.” (08/11/26)
The Jones Act Trap: Why Temporary Shipping Waivers Prove Protectionism Fails
Source: Karl Dickey’s Freedom Vanguard
by Karl Dickey
“Most Americans have never heard of the Jones Act, which is a protectionist law that has been on the books for over 100 years with the intent to protect U.S. based shipping and shipbuilding, put in place after World War I. As with many U.S. laws, it has backfired on the American people and business, with higher costs to consumers for their goods and energy. I argue that government should just get out of the way and let the free market run, which benefits both consumers and business. Now, the Trump administration has extended its 90-day waiver of the Jones Act, allowing foreign-flagged shipping vessels to transport fuel and energy commodities between U.S. ports (The Hindu). This 90-day waiver exposes the reality that the Jones Act helps to lower energy costs for Americans and helps to prevent economic bottlenecks, confirming my assertion to let the free market run.” (08/11/26)
https://palmbeachexaminer.substack.com/p/the-jones-act-trap-why-temporary
Cato Podcast, 08/11/26
Source: Cato Institute
“The Eternal Quest for More Tariffs.” (08/11/26)
https://www.cato.org/multimedia/cato-podcast/eternal-quest-more-tariffs
US-based pirates fire on ship in Gulf of Oman
Source: Associated Press
“The U.S. military said Tuesday that its forces fired on a Panamanian-flagged ship in the Gulf of Oman that tried to evade the American blockade on Iranian ports, a move that comes as President Donald Trump tries to keep economic pressure on the Islamic Republic. U.S. Central Command said the vessel had ignored warnings to stop, prompting an American helicopter to fire missiles into the engine room of the M/V Vela Nova, disabling the ship. U.S. Central Command’s statement does not say whether the ship’s crew suffered any casualties.” (08/11/25)
https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-iran-updates-08-11-2026
“Town Hall” Pageants Lose Their Luster for Politicians
Source: Garrison Center
by Thomas L Knapp
“The purpose of political events these days isn’t so much retail public engagement as it is the production of sound bites for campaign use that’s more controlled and enjoys more reach than a huddle with a few citizens at a high school auditorium. But the main reason for real, physical, local ‘town hall aversion’ is the possibility of embarrassing confrontations with the angry sector of the public in question. And there’s ALWAYS an angry sector of the public, no matter which party the politician in question affiliates with or what policy positions that politician takes. We’ve all seen it on TV. In fact, it’s generally the only part of a ‘town hall’ event we ever DO see on TV outside of actual campaign ads.” (08/11/26)
US appeals court voids Biden-era efficiency rule for stoves, ovens
Source: Reuters
“A federal appeals court on Tuesday struck down a Biden administration-era rule setting efficiency standards for gas and electric stoves and ovens, saying the agency improperly bypassed public comment procedures. In a 3-0 decision, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans ruled in favor of seven Republican-led states — Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Tennessee, Texas and Utah — that challenged the Department of Energy’s ‘direct final rule’ for consumer-grade stoves and ovens. The August 2024 rule was intended to limit how much energy consumers use in kitchen appliances, and to ban an older technology known as linear power supplies. Circuit Judge Andrew Oldham said the Energy Department should not have fast-tracked the rule, knowing that numerous states opposed a 2023 attempt to enact similar efficiency standards.” (08/11/26)
Trump’s Iran War Raises a Midterm Question: Who Decides When America Goes to War?
Source: Antiwar.com
by Peter Rodgers
“Washington has long debated individual interventions while paying less attention to the expanding presidential authority that made them possible. Trump did not create this system; he inherited it. His presidency, however, exposed how much war-making power has accumulated in the executive branch and how far the country has moved from the constitutional balance the founders envisioned. The Constitution’s principle is clear: decisions about war should not rest with one person. The president is commander in chief, but Congress received the authority to declare war because the framers feared concentrated power.” (08/11/26)
Kyiv sends new proposals to Trump’s negotiators for plan to end conflict, says Zelenskyy
Source: Independent [UK]
“Volodymyr Zelensky revealed on Tuesday that Kyiv has delivered fresh proposals to American negotiators aimed at ending the four-year war with Russia. US-mediated talks have been on ice since the war in Iran broke out in February. Efforts to bring Ukraine and Russia back to the table have not produced any material results since. But even with the war in the Middle East no closer to being resolved, the Ukrainian president said in his nightly address: ‘We have conveyed our proposals to the American side.'” (08/11/26)