Source: Racket News
by Eric Salzman
“At least in a real casino you get some free drinks and maybe a free suite if you lose enough.” (12/21/25)
https://www.racket.news/p/life-in-the-fast-lane-with-robinhood
Source: CBS News
“Denmark said Monday it would summon the U.S. ambassador after President Trump appointed a special envoy to Greenland, the Danish autonomous territory he has often expressed interest in obtaining. Since returning to the White House in January 2025, Mr. Trump has said the U.S. needs the resource-rich island for security reasons and has refused to rule out the use of force to secure it. On Sunday, Mr. Trump appointed Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry as special envoy to Greenland. … The vast majority of Greenland’s 57,000 people want to become independent from Denmark but don’t wish to become part of the U.S, according to a January opinion poll. Leaders of both Denmark and Greenland have repeatedly insisted that the huge Arctic island isn’t for sale and that it will decide its future itself.” (12/22/25)
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/greenland-trump-special-envoy-jeff-landry-denmark-us-ambassador/
Source: EconTalk
“David Deutsch on the Pattern.” (12/22/25)
Source: Orange County Register
by Matt Fleming
“Many commenting on American politics use the term conservative to describe anyone on the right side of the political spectrum, but that is inaccurate. Conservatives, libertarians, nationalists and populists are all distinct from each other but are all too often lumped together as one. It’s just as false to say liberal, progressive and socialist are all the same. Sure, all three might want to raise my taxes, but that doesn’t mean they’re identical philosophies. … Trump doesn’t govern like someone interested in limited government. In fact, he’s expanded government power at times and attempted to consolidate power for himself at other times. Trump’s use of executive orders and his novel interpretations of the Constitution have sought to seize more power for the Executive Branch than many of his predecessors. In this he is much closer to Franklin D. Roosevelt than he is to George Washington.” (12/21/25)
Source: Town Hall
by Scott Morefield
“A family friend, a single mom of two small children, just got denied help from Tennessee’s Families First, a program that is supposed to, among other things, help offset skyrocketing daycare costs for working families. This program is obviously huge because for lower-income people, the cost of daycare can be equal to or even more than what they make working a job. … She relies on her around $16/hour entry-level full-time job to pay rent, utilities, gas, car, vehicle maintenance, clothing, and other expenses (she does get some help for food and healthcare). You would think this person would be a prime candidate for childcare help, especially since she is working full-time and genuinely trying to move up the income ladder and make good decisions after somewhat of a troubled past that includes some minor drug charges.” (12/22/25)
Source: Fox News
“The highest-ranking Minnesotan in Congress is demanding accountability for anyone who was involved in or aware of the growing social services fraud scandal in the Gopher State. ‘I think as they start to peel this onion back, which just seems to be getting deeper and deeper and broader and broader, whoever was responsible needs to be held accountable,’ House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, the No. 3 House Republican, told Fox News Digital. It comes after U.S. attorneys suggested that Minnesota social services programs could have seen potentially billions of dollars’ worth of fraud and abuse since 2018.” (12/22/25)
Source: Liberal Currents
“Why Did the Soviets Fail?” (12/21/25)
https://www.liberalcurrents.com/neon-liberalism-57-why-did-the-soviets-fail/
Source: The Volokh Conspiracy
by Josh Blackman
“It is with deep regret that I must resign my position as Senior Editor of the Heritage Guide to the Constitution. Indeed, I could not have even conceived of such an action only a few months ago when we launched the third edition of the guide. On Constitution Day, I proudly stood at the Heritage Foundation as we released this book to the world. But your actions have made my continued affiliation with Heritage untenable. … My resignation is effective immediately.” (12/21/25)
https://reason.com/volokh/2025/12/21/my-resignation-from-the-heritage-foundation/
Source: Politico
by Brian Faler
“President Donald Trump’s decision to allow Nvidia to sell chips to China has produced a flood of national security concerns, but that’s not all. His demand that the government also get a cut of the proceeds is raising a whole other set of questions, including: Did he just raise taxes? His demand that Nvidia and other semiconductor companies pay 25 percent on their China sales looks to some a lot like a tax increase, and it comes in the face of Republicans’ long-standing opposition to tax hikes and the fact that tax policy is supposed to be set by Congress, not the White House.” (12/21/25)
Source: Al Jazeera [Qatari state media]
“Israeli forces have stormed towns in the occupied West Bank and demolished a residential building. Soldiers fired stun grenades and tear gas on Monday as they carried out the demolition in East Jerusalem. Palestinian officials accused Israel of a campaign of displacement in the city, saying the operation was part of a systematic attempt to ethnically cleanse Palestinians from their land. Scores of Palestinians were displaced as Israeli bulldozers tore through a four-storey residential building. Activists called it the largest such demolition in the area this year.” (12/22/25)