The Science of Politics, 04/29/26
Source: Niskanen Center
“Can we improve trust in elections if the losers don’t concede?” (04/29/26)
https://www.niskanencenter.org/can-we-improve-trust-in-elections-if-the-losers-dont-concede
Foundation of the Revolution: Compliance Destroys Freedom
Source: Tenth Amendment Center
by Michael Boldin
“American Independence was built on the understanding that compliance with arbitrary power isn’t safety – or peace. It’s surrender. That’s an essential, but long-forgotten foundation of the American Revolution: Laws made outside the limits of the constitution aren’t law at all. And they should be treated that way too.” (04/29/26)
MN: Democrats push bill to cut state aid to cities that fly the original state flag
Source: Fox News
“The Minnesota House of Representatives introduced a bill that could penalize cities and counties for not flying the redesigned state flag. Members of Minnesota’s Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) party pushed legislation Monday to reduce state aid to a county or city that ‘flies or otherwise makes use of a state flag other than the design of the state flag as certified in the report of the State Emblems Redesign Commission.’ If passed, the bill would go into effect in 2027. Fox News Digital reached out to Minnesota state House members and the speaker of the House for comment. The bill followed several cities and communities in recent years voting in favor of returning to the original state flag, which was adopted in 1893. On the same day the bill was introduced, the Inver Grove Heights City Council voted to join Elk River, Champlin, Zumbrota and Plainview in flying the original flag on city buildings.” (04/30/26)
Radical Lessons in Solidarity and Resistance
Source: Quillette
by Ron Capshaw
“The son of Bernardine Dohrn and Bill Ayers has written a perceptive, fascinating, and rather sad book about his lonely life as the child of violent revolutionaries.” (04/29/26)
Elon Musk gets combative on the stand during Day 2 of jury trial against OpenAI
Source: NBC News
“Elon Musk repeatedly fired back at OpenAI’s lawyer in a tense cross-examination during the second day of a tech trial that could help define the future of artificial intelligence. Musk testified as part of his lawsuit against OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, in which he accuses Altman of betraying the public by enriching himself through the AI company they founded together in 2015 as a nonprofit venture. ‘They can’t have it both ways,’ Musk said of OpenAI on the stand Wednesday. ‘They can’t have a nonprofit and free funding and the positive halo effect of being a nonprofit charity and also enrich themselves greatly.'” (04/29/26)
AI Summer, 04/29/26
Source: AI Summer
“Alex Imas explains why AI (probably) won’t put everyone out of work.” (04/29/26)
https://www.aisummer.org/p/alex-imas-explains-why-ai-probably
The Tom Woods Show, episode 2756
Source: The Tom Woods Show
“Let’s Put Lindsey Graham in a Home.” (04/29/26)
https://tomwoods.com/ep-2756-lets-put-lindsey-graham-in-a-home/
Trump CDC Pick Not Just about Vaccines or Elections
Source: Independent Institute
by K Lloyd Billingsley
“Dr. Erica Schwartz, President Trump’s nominee to lead the Centers for Disease Control, comes billed as a ‘home run pick’ but may face pressure from the ‘vaccine-skeptical’ Robert F. Kennedy’s HHS. Kennedy ally Aaron Siri recalls that Schwartz, ‘with threat and force, mandated almost every major vaccine on civilians and military members’ and disciplined those who refused. Others see the Schwartz pick as a political move in the run-up to the midterms. While confirmation awaits, the people might look back to the way the CDC handled COVID in the election year of 2020.” (04/29/26)
https://www.independent.org/article/2026/04/29/trump-cdc-pick-not-just-about-vaccines-or-elections/
Oversight is good news for state capacity
Source: Niskanen Center
by Anna Heetderks
“President Trump’s dismissal of 17 federal inspectors general en masse; high-profile IG investigations of alleged mismanagement at two Cabinet departments; a high-stakes controversy over the Government Accountability Office’s finding of Impoundment Control Act violations — over the past year and a half, the behind-the-scenes work of the federal government’s oversight entities has never been so front and center. That makes it a good time to ask: What exactly is the purpose of this ordinarily low-key government function with the ability to shape public policy, public programs, and public opinion?” (04/29/26)
https://www.niskanencenter.org/oversight-is-good-news-for-state-capacity
Inflation hits 3% in Europe as Iran war spreads oil price shock
Source: SFGate
“Soaring oil prices from the Iran war pushed inflation higher in Europe in April, as growth continued to underperform in a worrying combination both for consumers and policymakers at the European Central Bank. Annual inflation in the eurozone — the 21 countries that use the shared euro currency — rose to 3% from 2.6% in March, fueled by a 10.9% increase in energy prices, the European Union statistical agency Eurostat reported Thursday. Crude oil is trading above $120 per barrel, up from around $73 before the outbreak of the war on Feb. 28. Meanwhile, eurozone growth for the first three months of the year disappointed with a marginal increase in economic output of 0.1% over the quarter before.” (04/30/26)