Source: The Daily Economy
by Patrick Carroll
“Capping property taxes isn’t all upside, but California’s Proposition 13 shows how tax limits can protect property owners from sudden increases and provide greater predictability.” (10/06/26)
Source: Honolulu Star-Advertiser
“A proposed class-action lawsuit filed Friday in Seattle federal court accuses Starbucks of falsely advertising eight of its protein beverages as ‘sugar-free’ when they actually contain between 13 and 21 grams of naturally occurring sugar per serving. The lawsuit claims the Seattle-based coffee giant misled consumers who ordered 20-ounce or 24-ounce ‘venti’ sizes of its new protein-focused drinks. The complaint states that while the beverages may not contain added sugars, the milk used in them introduces lactose, a form of natural sugar, exceeding federal limits for ‘sugar-free’ labeling.” (10/05/26)
Source: Libertarian Institute
“Trump Prepares for MORE War With Iran.” (10/05/26)
https://libertarianinstitute.org/blog/the-kyle-anzalone-show-trump-prepares-for-a-more-war-with-iran
Source: Foundation for Economic Education
by Wojciech Wyszomierski
“Since the start of the 21st century, Poland has seemed like a textbook example of sustainable development. The break from a centrally planned economy in the late 1980s, the opening of the market, and relatively low labor costs attracted substantial foreign capital. GDP began to grow rapidly, and for the first time, money appeared in Poles’ pockets. While Western Europe focused on developing the welfare state, Poland consistently reinvested its earnings …. While in 1990, Poland’s GDP per capita did not exceed $2,000, 20 years later it had risen to over $12,000. However, not everyone was pleased with this. Poorer residents, bombarded with reports of an improving economic situation, began to voice their belief more and more boldly that they were entitled to a slice of the state’s pie.” (10/06/26)
https://fee.org/articles/private-companies-will-finance-the-welfare-state/
Source: New York Post
by Daniel McCarthy
“Latin America is turning right, and it’s a vindication for President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. In some ways, the Cold War never really ended in the Western Hemisphere: socialism has haunted the nations of Central and South America long after the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the same Cuban regime the Soviet Union propped up for decades remains in power to this day. The hard left thought it had cemented control over Venezuela, too, thanks to Hugo Chavez and Nicolàs Maduro — until American forces snatched Maduro right out of his bed back in January and took him to New York to stand trial.” (10/05/26)
Source: BBC News [UK state media]
“Canada’s Parti Québécois (PQ) is projected to have won enough seats in Quebec’s provincial election to form a minority government, though the separatists will need other parties’ support to achieve their aims – such as a new public vote on independence. It marks the first time the PQ has been in power since 2014, with Paul St-Pierre Plamondon set to become the province’s new leader. In his victory speech, St-Pierre Plamondon again raised his independence plans but vowed to be ‘the premier of everyone in Quebec’. The result could prove a fresh test for Prime Minister Mark Carney, also setting up confrontations with Québec over issues like immigration and the monarchy. In its effort to achieve independence, the PQ has pledged to hold a referendum on separating from the rest of Canada.” (10/06/26)
Source: The Dispatch
“Can the State Be Trusted With the Death Penalty?” (10/06/26)
https://thedispatch.com/podcast/dispatch-podcast/can-the-state-be-trusted-with-the-death-penalty/
Source: Paul Krugman
by Paul Krugman
“Until now, discussions of the potential economic problems created by the AI boom have mostly focused on the future. Will it destroy millions of jobs? Is there a bubble and will it cause a severe recession if it bursts? Will it destroy humanity? While these are doubtless very important questions, attempts to answer them are at best educated guesses. We don’t have to guess, however, about one major effect of the AI boom, because it’s happening right now: Massive spending on data centers is crowding out investment in everything else in the economy.” (10/06/26)
https://paulkrugman.substack.com/p/ai-versus-everything-else
Source: Cobden Centre
by Thorsten Polleit
“The world’s highest per-capita incomes are found in small political units—such as Monaco, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Singapore, and the Cayman Islands. Economically, the finding is easy to explain: small political units are not autarkic; they compete internationally for talent and capital. That is why they must treat their residents and firms well and offer attractive living conditions and a business-friendly framework. Above all, small political units must keep the tax burden low, remain peaceful toward their neighbors, and refrain from military adventures. Yet even small political units are not immune to the abuse of state power.” (10/06/26)
https://www.cobdencentre.org/2026/10/radical-decentralization-liechtensteins-quiet-revolution/
Source: Independent Institute
by Alexander William Salter
“High bond yields informally signal that the government absorbs too much of the nation’s scarce capital.” (10/05/26)
https://www.independent.org/article/2026/10/05/bond-market-revelations-congress-debt-middle-class/