Source: The Atlantic
by Conor Friedersdorf

“While out of power, the American right was unified in complaining about the left’s speech policing. Now that Republicans control the White House and Congress, free-speech rights and values are dividing the coalition. One camp thinks Republicans should refrain from policing speech; the other favors policing the left’s speech. The second camp seems ascendant, unfortunately, while the first has failed to turn its beliefs into policy. … the idea that ‘turnabout is fair play’ is the best policy to protect speech, let alone the only way to spare the right from future abuse, is nonsense. The best method to secure free speech, for all Americans, is to pass laws that safeguard expressive rights — both now, under Trump, and in the future, regardless of who inhabits the White House. If Republicans are serious about protecting speech, they could pass such laws. And all of the Democrats who have criticized Carr’s comments as an attack on speech could help.” (09/25/25)

https://archive.is/C54bm

Source: Persuasion
by Robert Tracinski

“In the popular imagination, Trump is a successful businessman who wants the ‘pro-business’ policies of lower taxes and less regulation, and he and his supporters continue to use the threat of ‘socialism’ as an all-purpose bogeyman. Even Trump’s authoritarianism seems like a selling point to some of these supporters, who are tempted by the idea that he can impose free-market policies that lack sufficient public support to get through Congress. This is one of the great illusions of authoritarianism. The supporters of a strongman see him as the battering ram to push through their long-stymied ideological agenda. They give him unchecked power so he can do the things they want him to do. But once he has that power, he does the things he wants to do. There is an inexorable logic in authoritarianism that always turns strongmen against economic freedom and free markets.” (09/24/25)

https://www.persuasion.community/p/when-strongmen-own-the-store

Source: The Atlantic
by David Karpf

“Trump and his powerful friends are creating a dangerous moment for free speech.” (09/24/25)

https://archive.is/8UKhs

Source: Bet On It
by Bryan Caplan

“When I delved into the empirical growth literature, I was surprised to learn that macroeconomists struggle to detect much effect of education on growth. In most data sets, the national education premium is a small fraction of the private education premium. I also discovered a handful of papers testing for reverse causation from GDP to education, suggesting that the economic benefits of education are even smaller than they look. I was glad the reverse causation papers existed, but they were only moderately convincing. I’d hardly call them a smoking gun. During my trip to Qatar this summer, however, I saw the smoking gun in all its glory. The gun’s name is Education City.” (09/24/25)

https://www.betonit.ai/p/qatar-and-reverse-causation

Source: Reason
by JD Tuccille

“At the Arizona memorial service for Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated two weeks ago, President Donald Trump acknowledged Kirk’s character, saying, ‘he did not hate his opponents; he wanted the best for them.’ And then he added, ‘That’s where I disagreed with Charlie. I hate my opponents. And I don’t want the best for them.’ It was an honest moment if an awkward comment to make at a memorial service for a man murdered (to all appearances) by a political opponent. Like too much of the political class across the ideological spectrum, Trump is prone to despising those he disagrees with. It raises questions about why people should ever submit to the governance of those who hate them — and whether politicians realize that they’re a big part of what brought us to this unfortunate moment.” (09/24/25)

https://reason.com/2025/09/24/politicians-go-out-of-their-way-to-make-political-tensions-worse/