The Political Orphanage, 02/27/25
Source: The Political Orphanage
“Jeff Maurer: Revenge of the Low-Flow Toilets.” (02/27/25)
https://politicalorphanage.libsyn.com/jeff-maurer-revenge-of-the-low-flow-toilets
The Fifth Column, episode 492
Source: The Fifth Column
“How Deep Is Your State.” (02/27/25)
Bitcoin Down 25% From All-Time High as Crypto Rout Worsens
Source: Bloomberg
“The rout in Bitcoin worsened during Asian trading hours on Friday, sending the cryptocurrency down more than a quarter from the all-time high it set less than six weeks ago as traders dramatically reversed bets that followed the election of US President Donald Trump. The coin was down 5.5% at $79,627 at 12:05 p.m. in Singapore, after hitting its lowest level since November 10. That was part of a broad rout: Ether, the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency, fell 7.3% while smaller tokens Solana and XRP were down 7.1% and 7.8%, respectively. … The decline was part of a broad risk-off shift among investors in Asia, who dumped shares following Trump’s latest comments on tariffs.” (02/28/25)
Jeff Bezos: Going Post “L?”
Source: Garrison Center
by Thomas L Knapp
“If I had a nickel for every time the word ‘libertarian’ — or even phrases like “personal liberties and free markets” — got used incorrectly or dishonestly, I could spend my time racing my Ferrari between a Manhattan apartment and a gated-community LA McMansion instead of submitting libertarian op-eds to newspapers. Does [Jeff] Bezos really support ‘free markets?’ If so, how does that square with the billions of tax dollars the federal government spends with his companies — for example, the $10 billion contract Amazon has with the Pentagon for its ‘Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure’ project, or Blue Origin’s billions of dollars in launch contracts with DoD and NASA? Does Bezos really support ‘personal liberties?’ If so, why does Amazon provide its Rekognition surveillance software to, among other government entities, US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement?” (02/27/25)
Accused rapists claim they are “misunderstood” as DeSantis says brothers “not welcome” in Florida
Source: Independent [UK]
“Florida governor Ron DeSantis has said Andrew and Tristan Tate are not welcome in the state as the brothers’ plane landed from Romania. … After landing in Florida, Tate claimed he and his brother are ‘largely misunderstood.’ ‘We’ve yet to be convicted of any crime in our lives ever. We have no criminal record anywhere on the planet, ever,’ he told reporters. … The controversial influencer, 38, and his sibling, 36, are facing a series of criminal charges in the country including rape, human trafficking and exploiting women. Tate, a self-described misogynist, had been recently released from house arrest but was not allowed to leave Romania. They have been vocal supporters of President Donald Trump, with Romania’s foreign minister recently denying that the US administration had pressured Bucharest to lift travel restrictions.” (02/28/25)
Big Government on the Cheap: A Possible Lesson from the DCA Tragedy
Source: EconLog
by Thomas Firey
“Democrats typically want bigger government that provides more services, while Republicans — ostensibly — want smaller government at lower taxpayer cost. What we often get is government that tries to do a lot of stuff at low current tax rates — or, put another way, Big Government on the cheap (and with big deficits). Problem is, cheap often means poor quality. From [air traffic contro], to our soon-to-be-insolvent public pension system, to the tinderbox of public lands, and many more examples, plenty of America’s policy issues are at least partly the product of Big Government on the cheap.” (02/27/25)
https://www.econlib.org/big-government-on-the-cheap-a-possible-lesson-from-the-dca-tragedy/
Economic blackout targets retailers from Amazon to Walmart
Source: Axios
“A grassroots movement’s ‘economic blackout’ calls on consumers nationwide to avoid shopping at major retailers Friday in protest of corporate greed. The 24-hour boycott, organized by The People’s Union USA, asks consumers to not spend in stores or shop online to ‘disrupt the economy for one day.’ The initiative is a response to big name retailers rolling back their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts. … ‘No Amazon, No Walmart, No Best Buy,’ The People’s Union USA website reads. ‘Nowhere!’ The initiative also urges participants not to spend money on fast food, on gas or at major retailers and to not use credit or debit cards for ‘non essential spending.'” [editor’s note: I predict that the actual economic impact of this will be nearly impossible to detect. It’s pretty badly thought out with respect to conveying any real message, let alone one with much support – TLK] (02/28/25)
https://www.axios.com/2025/02/28/economic-blackout-feb-28-no-shopping-day-boycott
When the Blue Compete for You
Source: Underthrow
by Max Borders
“Imagine a society where a government no longer monopolizes law enforcement. In this social arrangement, the responsibility for community safety shifts. Because nature abhors vacuums — and criminals love ‘em — private firms, clubs, and mutual aid societies will step in. Such is life in New America, where a decentralized network of private protection firms has replaced traditional monopoly police forces in some territory. At first, this might seem chaotic or unworkable: How on earth could a society function without a centralized authority to enforce the law? New Americans have built a system that works, driven by market competition, accountability, and self-sovereign choices.” (02/27/25)
https://underthrow.substack.com/p/when-the-blue-compete-for-you
Appeals court upholds ruling blocking Arizona’s proof of citizenship provisions
Source: The Hill
“A federal appeals court upheld a previous ruling that blocked Arizona’s proof of citizenship provision for voter registration. The ruling came from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals and upholds a lower court’s ruling that blocked 2022 laws signed by then-Gov. Doug Ducey (R). The court said in its ruling that the laws violated the National Voter Registration Act, the Civil Rights Act and an Equal Protection Clause in the Constitution, among other provisions. The three-judge panel ruled 2-1 over the matter, with Judge Patrick Bumatay, a Trump nominee, dissenting. It was first reported by NBC News. … State Sen. Warren Petersen (R) said online after the ruling that he would be appealing ‘yet again’ to the Supreme Court and would not stop until the proof of citizenship is upheld.” (02/27/25)
https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5168172-appeals-court-arizona-proof-of-citizenship/
Deregulating Legal Education
Source: Law & Liberty
by John O McGinnis
“Nearly every law school in the country is effectively under the thumb of the American Bar Association (ABA). The ABA’s power rests on its role as the recognized accreditor for law schools through the federal Department of Education. This official endorsement effectively determines whether students can obtain federal loans and whether state courts or bar associations will grant those schools the stamp of approval. The ABA’s influence contributes to the high cost of legal education, stifles innovation, and often encourages left-liberal indoctrination in the profession. Revoking the ABA’s authority to accredit law schools would break the ABA’s monopoly and encourage more diverse, less expensive pathways to legal practice.” (02/27/25)