TX: Gonzales ends reelection bid after affair/suicide scandal

Source: National Public Radio [US state media]

“Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas said late Thursday he was withdrawing from his reelection race, after having admitted an affair with a former staff member who later died by suicide, but he vowed to finish out his term in Congress. He had faced calls from GOP leadership to end his reelection bid, and from others in Congress to resign. … The move is the latest in a quickly changing situation that stunned Capitol Hill and resulted in a House Ethics Committee investigation into his conduct. Gonzales’ decision to bow out of the race appears to clear the field. On Tuesday, he had been forced into a May runoff against Brandon Herrera, a gun manufacturer and YouTube gun-rights influencer who narrowly lost to him in the 2024 primary.” (03/06/26)

https://www.npr.org/2026/03/06/nx-s1-5738955/gonzales-texas-ends-reelection-bid-affair-aide

Thomas L. Knapp

Trump’s war of choice in Iran isn’t putting “America First”

Source: Orange County Register
by the editorial board

“Setting aside any potential merits to war with Iran, part of the preparation should’ve included seeking explicit authorization from Congress. That would’ve allowed the American people, through their representatives, to decide whether it made sense to sacrifice American lives and American tax dollars on yet another regime change war. Instead, the president chose to initiate a conflict that has already claimed the lives of Americans and civilians, including hundreds of deaths at an Iranian girls’ school. These are not the outcomes Americans expected when electing the ‘anti-war’ president.” (03/05/26)

https://www.ocregister.com/2026/03/05/editorial-trumps-war-of-choice-in-iran-isnt-putting-america-first/

Thomas L. Knapp

Five Things to Know About Trump’s Illegal War on Iran

Source: OtherWords
by Khury Petersen-Smith

“The Trump administration has joined Israel in launching large-scale attacks across Iran. The strikes mark the beginning of ‘major combat operations’, according to President Donald Trump, and in response Tehran has reportedly launched retaliatory attacks in Middle Eastern countries that host US military bases. With hundreds of Iranians already killed and the war threatening to spiral out of control, here are five things Americans need to know: 1) Trump says he’s trying to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, but it’s the United States and its allies that are the greatest nuclear threat. … 2) Trump is contributing to the suffering of ordinary Iranians, not rescuing them. … 3) The United States is an unreliable negotiator. … 4) The United States has been threatening Iran, not the other way around. … 5) Trump’s war with Iran [is] unpopular with Americans.” [editor’s note: I leave it to the readers to sort the facts out of this screed – SAT] (03/05/26)

https://otherwords.org/five-things-americans-need-to-know-about-the-u-s-and-iran/

Steve Trinward

US Home Relistings Hit Record High In January

Source: National Mortgage Professional

“A pronounced increase in home relistings suggests U.S. sellers are gearing up for a potentially busier spring housing season, according to a new analysis from Redfin. Nearly 45,000 homes that were taken off the market in 2025 were relisted in January 2026 — the highest January relisting count in records going back to 2016, and equivalent to 3.6 % of all active listings for the month. Relistings occur when a home that was previously taken off the market is listed again after at least 31 days off the market, signaling renewed seller confidence. The surge follows a period in which many sellers withdrew homes rather than accept low offers amid declining demand, high housing costs, and economic uncertainty.” (03/05/26)

https://nationalmortgageprofessional.com/news/home-relistings-hit-record-high-january

Thomas L. Knapp

The Pretty/True 2×2

Source: Bet On It
by Bryan Caplan

“I’ve written dozens of posts about Social Desirability Bias. Social Desirability Bias is the key psychological building block of my new book. When asked to succinctly explain Social Desirability Bias, my standard slogan is: ‘When the truth is ugly, people lie.’ This would be unexciting, however, unless some truths were, in fact, ugly. Which they totally are. For example: * Some children are stupid. * Some workers are lazy. * Some decorated veterans are racist. * Most human beings are unwilling to die for their countries. * God is rarely the most important thing in anyone’s life. Examples of ugly truths are so easy to mass produce that it’s easy to conclude that truth and ugliness go hand in hand. But it’s equally easy to mass produce pretty truths.” (03/05/26)

https://www.betonit.ai/p/the-prettytrue-2×2

Thomas L. Knapp