Source: The American Prospect
by David Dayen
“When we last left Rep. Valerie Foushee (D-NC), she was getting massively outspent in her March 3 Democratic primary for re-election in the Fourth Congressional District, where she faces Durham County commissioner Nida Allam. But that million-dollar deficit has now been mostly made up by a super PAC linked to artificial intelligence model designer Anthropic, makers of Claude, which is now dumping nearly $700,000 into supporting Foushee. Another $250,000 has been put toward Foushee by a mysterious PAC with ties to Democratic leadership. Jobs and Democracy PAC is Anthropic’s super PAC and part of an umbrella organization called Public First, which has been trying to give off a vibe of being the kinder, gentler AI super PAC, dedicated to prudent regulation rather than rampant accelerationism. The headline on Jobs and Democracy PAC’s website reads: ‘Supporting Democrats who put people before Big Tech.'” (02/25/26)
https://prospect.org/2026/02/25/ai-anthropic-claude-super-pac-valerie-foushee-congress-north-carolina/
Source: Washington Monthly
by Robert J Shapiro
“Despite the Supreme Court rebuke, his compulsion to tax imports is unabated and poses large-scale risks for the economy.” (02/25/26)
https://washingtonmonthly.com/2026/02/25/trump-tariffs-supreme-court-economy/
Source: Orange County Register
“A Washington, D.C., federal court on Tuesday rejected a request from an immigrant rights group to temporarily block the IRS from sharing certain taxpayer data that could make it easier to [abduct] people who are in the U.S. illegally [sic]. A three-judge panel for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit declined to issue a preliminary injunction for the immigrants’ rights group, Centro de Trabajadores Unidos, and other nonprofits that are suing the federal government over the data-sharing agreement signed last April by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. The agreement allows U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to submit names and addresses of immigrants inside the U.S. illegally [sic] to the IRS for cross-verification against tax records.” (02/24/26)
https://www.ocregister.com/2026/02/24/irs-immigrant-taxpayer-data-ice/
Source: Libertarian Institute
“PROF. Mohammad Marandi : Brink of War! – Inside Iran’s Dealmaking, Deterrence, And Doubt.” (02/24/26)
https://libertarianinstitute.org/blog/the-kyle-anzalone-show-guest-prof-mohammad-marandi-brink-of-war-inside-irans-dealmaking-deterrence-and-doubt/
Source: Independent Institute
by Kristian Fors
“America’s fentanyl crisis and the deaths associated with cartel violence have a common cause: the war on drugs. The criminalization of drugs does not eliminate demand. Instead, it creates a void in the marketplace for illicit actors to fill — one that provides these actors with supernormal profits. Like compressing a strong spring, that pushes back the more you push on it — the drug war cannot be won through decapitation.” (02/24/26)
https://www.independent.org/article/2026/02/24/mexico-war-drugs/
Source: Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression
by Adam Goldstein
“Walkouts are a recurring form of student protest; students have used them to oppose gun violence, protest against racial injustice, call attention to climate change, protest wars, and more. Is there a right to walk out? Are states censoring students by pushing back? The short answer is that the First Amendment protects students’ rights to express views, but not the right to walk out of class to express them. But there’s a lot to unpack.” (02/24/26)
https://www.fire.org/news/do-k-12-students-have-right-walk-out-protest
Source: Bloomberg
“President Donald Trump offered a strident defense of his administration and economic record, declaring the nation is ‘bigger, better, richer and stronger than ever before’ in a State of the Union address that contained few new policy announcements. The president on Tuesday staged his version of a pep rally for a beleaguered nation, celebrating Olympic victories and military heroism while pledging better fortunes for the public — all while attacking his rival Democrats. … ‘We have achieved a transformation like no one has ever seen before, and a turnaround for the ages,’ he said in a speech that lasted a record one hour and 47 minutes. ‘You’ve seen nothing yet.'” (02/24/26)
https://archive.is/TaK1J
Source: Garrison Center
by Thomas L Knapp
“On February 20, the US Supreme Court ruled part of US president Donald Trump’s crazy-quilt tariff scheme illegal in its particulars. … Tariff victims had already begun preemptively suing for the restitution they’re owed even before the Supreme Court ruling, and since that ruling other companies, including FedEx, have also initiated court proceedings. The victims shouldn’t HAVE to sue. President Trump SHOULD just order the US Treasury to refund the money immediately. That would be the honest thing to do. … Refunding the money wouldn’t just be honest policy, it would be smart politics. … eight months of economic recovery would certainly help his party, and him, out.” (02/24/26)
https://thegarrisoncenter.org/archives/20390
Source: Bet On It
“My GMU colleague and best friend Robin Hanson has spent the last couple of years pondering the danger of ‘cultural drift.’ My latest book, available for purchase now on Amazon, is You Have No Right to Your Culture. Since we’ve both got the same topic on our minds, I thought this was a great time for Robin and I to interview each other on the topic of culture. Enjoy!” (02/24/26)
https://www.betonit.ai/p/hanson-caplan-the-culture-convo
Source: ABC News
“An unidentified assailant detonated an explosive device next to a patrol vehicle in Moscow early Tuesday, killing himself and a police officer, and leaving two other officers injured, officials said. The attack happened minutes after midnight near the Savyolovsky Train Station in the Russian capital’s downtown, according to Moscow’s branch of the Interior Ministry. It said the assailant approached a traffic police vehicle and detonated an explosive device, killing an officer on the spot and injuring two others, who were hospitalized. Russia’s Investigative Committee said it has launched a probe into the attack. It didn’t name the assailant or give any information about his possible motives or any further details. The attack came on the day marking the fourth anniversary of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to send troops into Ukraine.” (02/24/26)
https://abcnews.com/International/wireStory/attacker-detonates-explosive-device-moscow-killing-police-officer-130429919
