Source: EconLog
by Scott Sumner
“In the US, national security has been cited by proponents of protectionism for a wide variety of products, ranging from computer chips to automobiles to ship building. But when it comes to foreign countries, our protectionists often have a blind spot. They cannot even imagine that any other country might also have valid national security concerns. ‘Everyone has their reasons’ is a famous line from the classic French film Rules of the Game. I was reminded of this line when I read a Bloomberg article about Swiss trade policy. Switzerland eliminated all tariffs on manufactured goods, but continues to protect its agricultural industry …” (06/01/25)
https://www.econlib.org/everyone-has-their-reasons-2/
Source: The American Prospect
by David Dayen
“Welcome to the inaugural edition of ‘Trump’s Beautiful Disaster’, our pop-up newsletter covering what has improbably been labeled the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (really, ‘Bill Act’?), agenda-spanning legislation that would radically overhaul the tax code, the social safety net, and the relationship of Americans to their government. Between now and the final outcome of the bill (either its passage or its demise) the Prospect will bring you up-to-the-minute coverage on what’s included in the legislation, why it matters for you, and whether it can navigate the House and Senate successfully. We come to our story in the middle. The House has passed OBBBA (let’s just go with that as a shorthand) and the action has shifted to the Senate. After the Memorial Day break, this is the first week that the Senate has had an opportunity to look at the legislation.” (06/02/25)
https://prospect.org/politics/2025-06-02-senate-irresistible-forces-meet-immovable-objects/
Source: The Guardian [UK]
“The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) removed a list of ‘sanctuary’ states, cities and counties from its website following sharp criticism from a sheriffs’ association that said a list of ‘noncompliant’ sheriffs could severely damage the relationship between the Trump administration and law enforcement. … Sheriff Kieran Donahue, president of the association, said in a statement on Saturday that DHS published ‘a list of alleged noncompliant sheriffs in a manner that lacks transparency and accountability.’ Donahue said the list was created without input from sheriffs and ‘violated the core principles of trust, cooperation, and partnership with fellow law enforcement.'” (06/01/25)
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/01/homeland-security-list-sanctuary-cities
Source: The Bulwark
“How to Stop a Civil War.” (06/01/25)
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-stop-a-civil-war/id1772157676?i=1000710732841
Source: Orange County Register
by Steven Greenhut
“We all know the old Peanuts comic where Lucy offers to hold the football for Charlie Brown so that he can kick it, then she yanks it away at the last moment and Charlie falls down on his back. She does this constantly and yet, sure enough, Charlie Brown always takes the bait. It has become symbolic of people who are slow to learn obvious lessons — even painful ones. It’s also a metaphor for California Democrats who every year step in a trap set by Republicans regarding the crime issue.” (06/01/25)
https://www.ocregister.com/2025/06/01/california-democrats-are-slow-learners-on-crime-and-justice/
Source: Bloomberg
“Russia and Ukraine will resume direct peace talks in Istanbul a day after Ukraine staged one of its boldest aerial attacks inside Russia, which destroyed long-range bombers and other aircraft. Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov will lead the talks Monday opposite a delegation headed by Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky. The meeting marks only the second time the two warring sides have held public negotiations since the early days of the conflict and follows a first round of talks in May. Prospects for peace remain distant despite months of high-profile efforts by US President Donald Trump, who has grown increasingly frustrated with the lack of progress. Moscow didn’t accept a US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire and has laid out maximalist demands to end its invasion, now in its fourth year.” (06/02/25)
https://archive.is/MT80t
Source: Garrison Center
by Joel Schlosberg
“Wall Street Journal editor Matthew Hennessey correctly observes that vice-president JD Vance could stand to brush up on his economic education (‘Vance is Wrong: The Market Isn’t a ‘Tool,” May 27). He may have learned the essentials of exchange at Ohio State and Yale, but ‘speaks as if he didn’t.’ Yet Vance’s remark that ‘the market is a tool, but it is not the purpose of American politics’ is not so much incorrect as an inadvertent self-indictment. To Hennessey, ‘laws of economics,’ akin to ‘laws of gravity,’ mean that economies ‘can’t be bullied into compliance with a political agenda.’ To the contrary, manipulative politicking all too often pushes the populace to take the fall.” (06/01/25)
https://thegarrisoncenter.org/archives/19602
Source: The UnPopulist
“Will Appeals Courts Affirm that Trump Is Abusing His Emergency Power by Imposing Sweeping Tariffs? A Conversation with Ilya Somin.” (05/31/25)
https://www.theunpopulist.net/p/will-appeals-courts-affirm-that-trump
Source: Sky News [UK]
“Eight people have been injured at a US rally for Israeli hostages after they were attacked by a man with a makeshift flamethrower and petrol bombs. A group of people in Boulder, Colorado, were holding a regular demonstration to raise awareness of Hamas-held hostages in Gaza when they were allegedly targeted by a man who shouted ‘Free Palestine’ on Sunday. The suspect was arrested at the scene. Four women and four men aged between 52 and 88 were injured and transported to hospitals, Boulder police said.” (06/02/25)
https://news.sky.com/story/targeted-terror-attack-in-colorado-reports-of-several-victims-13377994
Source: Center for the Study of Innovative Freedom
by Stephan Kinsella
“Before IP, the two principles we refer to to determine the owner of a resources is: who had it first (original appropriation); and who transferred it by contract. There is a third case which can be viewed as special case of the second: if you commit trespass (use someone’s resource without the owner’s consent; invasion) you owe rectification to the victim. But now you add another principle: or if someone else thought of a way to use their own property then he can now exercise a veto rights over your own uses of your property, even though you did not consent to be burdened by this negative servitude: this is a nonconsensual negative servitude. It redistributes wealth from the owner to the IP holder; it is a form of theft.” (05/31/25)
https://c4sif.org/2025/05/a-succinct-case-against-ip-libertarians-have-no-excuse-anymore-shame-on-you/
