Source: Persuasion
by Francis Fukuyama
“The news from Brazil, Serbia, and Venezuela should be celebrated. But it’s too soon to say if these victories are sustainable.” (10/26/26)
https://www.persuasion.community/p/the-spirit-of-democracy-remains-strong
Source: Quillette
“Gemma Tognini on Australia’s Political Revolt.” (10/26/26)
https://quillette.com/2026/10/26/gemma-tognini-on-australias-political-revolt/
Source: South China Morning Post [Hong Kong]
“The Communist Party has started a key four-day conclave focused on party discipline and fighting corruption, as official media outlets say adherence to the party’s leadership under President Xi Jinping is key to the country’s success. The meeting – the fifth plenum of the Communist Party’s 20th Central Committee – began in Beijing on Monday, according to state news agency Xinhua. It said the main agenda for the plenum included a work report by the Politburo to the Central Committee and the adoption of a document aimed at ‘deepening party self-governance’.” (10/26/26)
Source: EconTalk
“How Your Situation Shapes You (with Angela Duckworth).” (10/26/26)
https://www.econtalk.org/how-your-situation-shapes-you-with-angela-duckworth/
Source: hypertext
by Matt Dreher
“Frustrated by our politics, some intellectuals want to roll the dice on a vaguely defined Article V convention. What could go wrong?” (10/26/26)
https://hypertext.niskanencenter.org/p/at-harvard-a-pitch-for-constitutional
Source: BBC News [UK state media]
“Mary Peltola, Alaska’s Democratic Senate candidate, has paused campaigning ahead of the US midterm elections after sustaining ‘minor injuries’ in a car crash. Peltola, 53, and her family were travelling to an event on Saturday when the vehicle they were in was hit by another driver, her campaign said in a statement. She is running in one of the most closely watched races in the elections, which take place on 3 November – one that could help decide the balance of power in government. Peltola has rescheduled campaign events ‘as she takes time to recover’ on the advice of medical professionals, her campaign manager, Cheryl Bruce, said in a statement. ‘Mary and her family sustained minor injuries but are in good spirits,’ Bruce said.” (10/26/26)
Source: The American Conservative
by Bill Kauffman
“Must all change always be for the worst? In classic ‘arsenic or cyanide, sir?’ fashion, New Yorkers are given the Hobson’s choice between a Democratic Party that has lost any connection to rural and working-class Americans and a Republican Party that is running this year on the Iran War and building more data centers. Whoopee! Ever Pollyanna, I tease out the silver lining in this assault on democracy by scribbling write-in votes, so on November 3, 2026, I’ll be doing just that. And y’know, it’s kinda fun.” (10/26/26)
Source: Common Dreams
by James Zogby
“The Michigan Senate race between the Democratic nominee, Abdul El-Sayed, and his Republican opponent, Mike Rogers, is this year’s most important election. It’s significant, on a number of levels, not the least of which is that El-Sayed is an Arab American Muslim of Egyptian descent. Prior to this, we’ve had four Arab Americans elected to the US Senate (former Majority Leader George Mitchell [D-ME], James Abourezk [D-SD], James Abdnor [R-SD], and John Sununu [R-NH]), none of them Muslim. If elected, El-Sayed would be the first Muslim in the Senate. This is a breakthrough that hasn’t been lost on Republicans and President Trump, who have made a determined effort to exploit it at every turn. They’ve done TV ads alleging that El-Sayed’s mother was affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood in the 1970s.” [editor’s note: The headline is likely correct, but maybe not for the reasons given here – SAT] (10/26/26)
Source: Law & Liberty
by Luke C Sheahan
“The principles of the Declaration are rooted in a heritage much older than 250 years.” (10/26/26)
Source: Liberal Currents
“The Lies of Hearts of Iron.” (10/26/26)
https://www.liberalcurrents.com/the-lies-of-hearts-of-iron-neon-liberalism-96-with-bret-devereaux/