04/21 -- Trump regime prosecutors consider vexatious/malicious prosecution of WikiLeaks heroes; The "Battle of Berkeley" is a bad sign for libe
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Thomas L. Knapp
Apr 21, 2017, 12:03:05 AM4/21/17
to Freedom News Daily
Freedom News Daily, 04/21/17
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Today's Freedom News:
1) Trump regime prosecutors consider vexatious/malicious prosecution of WikiLeaks heroes
2) Russia: Court bans Jehovah's Witnesses as extremist group
3) Iran: Ahmadinejad "disqualified" from presidential election
4) Venezuela: Regime claims mobile phone service Movistar sent mass messages calling for protests
5) CA: Berkeley grows some stones, stops appeasing anti-free-speech thugs, reverses Coulter ban
6) France: Would-be presidents make last-minute appeals before vote
7) US: Number of people collecting unemployment checks hits 17-year low, jobless claims show
8) Rubio "gravely worried" that we'll forget he exists if he doesn't occasionally break into hawkish screeching
9) NYC: De Blasio backs raising minimum price of cigarettes to $13 a pack
10) Experts excited by brain "wonder-drug"
11) AR: Courts block planned killings of prisoners by state employees
12) Saudi Arabia, Kuwait signal likely extension of oil output cut
13) France: Paris on high alert after two police officers killed on Champs-Elysees
14) Kazakhstan: US astronaut, Russian cosmonaut depart for space station
15) Sessions: "I really am amazed" that courts in Hawaii get to consider cases, issue rulings
16) Advertising giant Google is working on an ad blocker
17) Clinton camp scrambles to find out who leaked embarrassing info
18) CIA, FBI launch manhunt for heroic leaker who gave top-secret documents to WikiLeaks
19) Security theater, White House edition: Public banned from public areas
20) Pakistan: Court orders further graft probe against Sharif
Today's Freedom Commentary:
21) The "Battle of Berkeley" is a bad sign for liberty
22) "Buy American, Hire American" is Un-American
23) UC Berkeley declares itself unsafe for Ann Coulter
24) "Free speech" hypocrisy at Berkeley
25) What if we don't really govern ourselves?
26) Free will & physics
27) 23 ways big government is hurting the poor
28) Why Trump's words matter
29) Trump vs. Kim Jong Un: Two loose cannons, a monumental nightmare in the making
30) Should democratic socialists be Democrats?
31) The Syrian people have been betrayed by all sides
32) Returning education to the state and citizens
33) Why we should not have TV debates
34) The world's most hackable shower head
35) Prima facie unconstitutional: Texas's efforts to "bind" electors
36) Special interests: A crooked tale of two countries
37) Bold words and broken faith in Korea?
38) The problem with how Jeff Sessions talks about crime
39) Trump's empty bluster and bombing
40) Economic freedom is key to African development
41) A message from FIRE's president: UC Berkeley and the state of free speech on campus
42) A response to two responses and also whatever Nick is doing
43) The mystery behind economic growth
44) Presidential branding: Trump and the cult of celebrity
45) America's misadventures in the Middle East
46) One hundred days of corruption
47) A government made up of governments
48) The Bill of Rights at the border: Fifth Amendment protections for account passwords and device passcodes
49) What is the "correct" growth rate of the money supply?
50) Ida-heave-ho
51) Who should decide the fate of children?
52) It's time for "mad anarchism"
53) This Earth Day, defeating Trump is job one
54) The Fed's inflation fixation
55) Baltasar Gracian's aphorism #102: Be able to stomach big slices of luck.
Today's Freedom Podcast & Video
56) So to Speak: The Free Speech Podcast, 04/20/17
57) Freedom Feens Radio, 04/20/17
58) The Tom Woods Show, episode 892
59) The Jason Stapleton Program, episode 584
60) The Freedom Report, episode 280
61) Free Talk Live, 04/19/17
62) Cato Daily Podcast, 04/20/17
63) Foreign Policy Focus, episode 29
64) The AnCap Barber Shop, episode 14
65) James Bovard on The Scott Horton Show
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FREEDOM NEWS
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1) Trump regime prosecutors consider vexatious/malicious prosecution of WikiLeaks heroes
Source: Washington Post
"Federal prosecutors are weighing whether to bring criminal charges against members of the WikiLeaks organization, taking a second look at a 2010 leak of diplomatic cables and military documents and investigating whether the group bears criminal responsibility for the more recent revelation of sensitive CIA cyber-tools, according to people familiar with the case. The Justice Department under President Barack Obama had decided not to charge WikiLeaks for revealing some of the government's most sensitive secrets -- concluding that doing so would be akin to prosecuting a news organization for publishing classified information. Justice Department leadership under President Trump, though, has indicated to prosecutors that it is open to taking another look at the case, which the Obama administration did not formally close." (04/20/17)
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2) Russia: Court bans Jehovah's Witnesses as extremist group
Source: USA Today
"Russia's Supreme Court formally banned Jehovah's Witnesses as an extremist organization Thursday and ordered the state to seize its property in Russia, according to Russian news media. The court, after six days of hearings, ordered the closing of the group's Russia headquarters and its 395 local chapters. The Interfax news agency quoted Justice Ministry attorney Svetlana Borisova in court as saying the Jehovah's Witnesses pose a threat to Russians. 'They pose a threat to the rights of the citizens, public order and public security,' she told the court. Borisova also said the Jehovah's Witnesses' opposition to blood transfusions violates Russian health care laws." (04/20/17)
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3) Iran: Ahmadinejad "disqualified" from presidential election
Source: Al Jazeera [Qatar]
"Iran's former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been disqualified from running in next month's presidential election, according to state media. The decision on Thursday was taken by the Guardian Council, a clerical body charged with vetting candidates for the May 19 election. In a surprise move, Ahmadinejad registered as a candidate last week, despite previously saying he would not stand. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had previously urged him not to run." (04/20/17)
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4) Venezuela: Regime claims mobile phone service Movistar sent mass messages calling for protests
Source: US News & World Report
Source: US News & World Report
"Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on Thursday he had ordered an investigation of mobile phone operator Movistar, a unit of Spain's Telefonica SA, for allegedly sending mass messages calling for protests against his leftist government. The country is undergoing a wave of anti-government unrest, with the opposition holding what it called the 'mother of all marches' on Wednesday. The government said those taking to the streets were 'terrorists' who were plotting to oust the president in a coup. Maduro said in a televised address on Thursday evening that Movistar received money from the opposition to send out information about the march." (04/20/17)
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5) CA: Berkeley grows some stones, stops appeasing anti-free-speech thugs, reverses Coulter ban
Source: The Guardian [UK]
"The University of California, Berkeley, has announced it has found a new 'protectable venue' for the controversial rightwing speaker Ann Coulter, after initially canceling the event over security fears. At a press conference on Thursday afternoon, the university's chancellor, Nicholas Dirks, said that the school could host Coulter in May at the 'protectable venue.' ... The town of Berkeley, famous for its liberal history, has become the center of repeated clashes between far-right figures and leftwing protesters in the last few months." (04/20/17)
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6) France: Would-be presidents make last-minute appeals before vote
Source: Reuters
"Candidates in France's presidential election made last-ditch appeals to sway undecided voters on Thursday as the third and fourth placed contenders kept up the pressure on the two hopefuls leading opinion polls. Voters will cast ballots on Sunday in the first round of what has turned into the most unpredictable French election in memory, with four of the 11 candidates within reach of the two places for the run-off on May 7. ... A Harris Interactive poll showed [Emmanuel] Macron and [Marine] Le Pen still in front, with the gap a bit wider than before. The centrist inched ahead to 24.5 percent while Le Pen was a bit weaker on 21 percent. Conservative former prime minister Francois Fillon scored 20 percent, meaning he was now gaining on Le Pen. Jean-Luc Melenchon, a far left politician propelled from wildcard to genuine contender thanks to feisty television performances and smart social media campaign, was stable on 19 percent. An Ifop-Fiducial poll showed roughly the same breakdown." (04/20/17)
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7) US: Number of people collecting unemployment checks hits 17-year low, jobless claims show
Source: MarketWatch
"The number of out-of-work people collecting unemployment checks fell to a 17-year low in April, underscoring the strongest U.S. labor market in years. So-called continuing jobless claims fell by 49,000 to 1.98 million, marking just the second time they've fallen below 2 million during the current eight-year-old economic expansion. Continuing claims also dipped below the 2 million mark in March. The last time state unemployment offices sent out fewer checks to jobless Americans was in April 2000, the government reported Thursday." (04/20/17)
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8) Rubio "gravely worried" that we'll forget he exists if he doesn't occasionally break into hawkish screeching
Source: Fox News
"Florida Sen. Marco Rubio told Fox News he's 'gravely concerned' about the Iran's [sic] role in helping Syria develop its chemical welfare program that ended up killing dozens of people weeks ago. Rubio, a Republican, said he was troubled by reports that both Iran and Russia were complicit in Bashar Assad's chemical weapons program. While the Trump administration accused Moscow of covering up the Syrian regime's chemical weapons attack, the U.S government has not mentioned Iran's possible role. 'Congress and the White House should work together to hold the Assad regime accountable for its war crimes and impose harsh sanctions against its enablers,' Rubio told Fox News. [Mostly unsubstantiated claims and jingoistic propaganda follow]" (04/20/17)
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9) NYC: De Blasio backs raising minimum price of cigarettes to $13 a pack
Source: New York Daily News
"A pack of cigarettes in New York City is going to get more expensive -- $13 at a minimum -- and harder to find, if Mayor de Blasio has his way. The mayor on Wednesday announced his support for a package of City Council bills aimed at cutting the number of smokers by 160,000 by 2020 -- including hiking the minimum price for a pack from $10.50 to $13, capping the number of retailers in each neighborhood that can sell tobacco, banning pharmacies like Duane Reade from selling smokes, and regulating e-cigarettes in the same way as cigarettes." [editor's note: I've heard of organized cigarette smuggling ... but don't most people in NYC know people from elsewhere, people who could mail them a carton for what three packs cost there? – TLK] (04/20/17)
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10) Experts excited by brain "wonder-drug"
Source: BBC News [UK state media]
"Scientists hope they have found a drug to stop all neurodegenerative brain diseases, including dementia. In 2013, a UK Medical Research Council team stopped brain cells dying in an animal for the first time, creating headline news around the world. But the compound used was unsuitable for people, as it caused organ damage. Now two drugs have been found that should have the same protective effect on the brain and are already safely used in people. 'It's really exciting,' said Prof Giovanna Mallucci, from the MRC Toxicology Unit in Leicester. She wants to start human clinical trials on dementia patients soon and expects to know whether the drugs work within two to three years." (04/20/17)
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11) AR: Courts block planned killings of prisoners by state employees
Source: KTTN/KGOZ News
"Two Arkansas courts on Wednesday blocked the state's plans to resume a flurry of executions starting Thursday night. In a setback to Arkansas'[s] unprecedented bid to carry out eight executions this month, the Arkansas Supreme Court granted a stay to one inmate and a circuit court barred the use of a lethal injection drug in any execution. The rulings came two days after the state's high court stayed two executions set for Monday. The U.S. Supreme Court declined Arkansas'[s] request to lift one of the stays. Gov. Asa Hutchinson defended the accelerated schedule because the state's supply of one of the lethal drugs used in the process expires at the end of April." (04/20/17)
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12) Saudi Arabia, Kuwait signal likely extension of oil output cut
Source: Reuters
"Leading Gulf oil exporters Saudi Arabia and Kuwait gave a clear signal on Thursday that OPEC plans to extend into the second half of the year a deal with non-member producers to curb supplies of crude. Consensus is growing among oil producers that a supply restraint pact that started in January should be prolonged after its initial six-month term, Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said. 'There is consensus building but it's not done yet,' Falih told reporters at a conference in the United Arab Emirates. Kuwait's oil minister Essam al-Marzouq said he expected the agreement to be extended." (04/20/17)
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13) France: Paris on high alert after two police officers killed on Champs-Elysees
Source: WDAZ 8 News
"A second policeman has died from wounds received when he was shot by an attacker in central Paris on Thursday evening, a police source said. Police said a search was underway at the home east of Paris of an attacker who was shot dead after opening fire on police on the Champs-Elysees, killing one police officer immediately and wounding another. The shooting, in which the assailant was also killed, took place on the Champs-Elysees shopping boulevard just days ahead of France's presidential election. A witness told Reuters that a man got out of a car at the scene and began shooting with a machine gun." (04/20/17)
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14) Kazakhstan: US astronaut, Russian cosmonaut depart for space station
Source: Space.com
"An astronaut and a cosmonaut launched on the first two-person spaceflight in 14 years, bound for a 5-month stay on the International Space Station. Astronaut Jack Fischer with NASA and cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin of Roscosmos lifted off on Russia's Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft, atop a Soyuz-FG rocket, from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 3:13 a.m. EDT (0713 GMT; 1:13 p.m. local time) Thursday (April 20). ... Fischer and Yurchikhin were originally assigned in 2015 to fly with a third crew member, ESA's Paolo Nespoli, but a decision by Roscosmos to reduce its contingent from three to two cosmonauts until its multipurpose lab module (MLM) Nauka is ready to launch in 2018 resulted in schedule and seat changes." (04/20/17)
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15) Sessions: "I really am amazed" that courts in Hawaii get to consider cases, issue rulings
Source: CNN
"Attorney General Jeff Sessions said this week he was amazed that a judge in Hawaii could block President Donald Trump's executive order halting immigration from several majority Muslim countries. Sessions made the comments in an interview with 'The Mark Levin Show' Tuesday evening that was put online Wednesday. ... I really am amazed that a judge sitting on an island in the Pacific can issue an order that stops the President of the United States from what appears [to people who don't know how to read] to be clearly his statutory and Constitutional power.'" (04/20/17)
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16) Advertising giant Google is working on an ad blocker
Source: Wired
"Google's Chrome browser might be on the verge of launching an ad-blocking tool that could see the search giant take control of a market that threatens a large portion of its revenue. Insiders shared the news with the Wall Street Journal, suggesting the filter could be set to default, blocking all ads classed as 'objectionable' under the Better Ads Standards. These standards were drawn up by an industry body (of which Google is a member) in March, based on consumer preferences in Europe and North America. That list was based on the feedback of 25,000 consumers rating 104 different types of ad experiences. The ads which were rated the lowest on desktop included pop-up ads, auto-play video ads with sound, prestitial ads with countdown and large sticky ads." (04/20/17)
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17) Clinton camp scrambles to find out who leaked embarrassing info
Source: New York Post
"The knives are out in Hillary Clinton's camp about who leaked embarrassing information to the authors of a bombshell new book about her 'doomed presidential campaign.' There is a witch hunt underway among Clinton's presidential campaign staffers after the release of the autopsy book, 'Shattered: Inside Hillary Clinton's Doomed Campaign' by journalists Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes. We're told the details in the book, which depicts the campaign as inept, 'could only have come from someone in the inner circle.' ... Revelations in the 'Shattered' book include how Clinton apologized to President Obama on election night after losing to Donald Trump. The book also describes how Clinton had her own witch hunt in 2008 after losing the nomination to Obama. She had an aide access the campaign's server to check the emails from top staffers." (04/20/17)
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18) CIA, FBI launch manhunt for heroic leaker who gave top-secret documents to WikiLeaks
Source: CBS News
"CBS News has learned that a manhunt is underway for a traitor [sic] inside the Central Intelligence Agency. The CIA and FBI are conducting a joint investigation into one of the worst [sic] security breaches in CIA history, which exposed thousands of top-secret documents that described CIA tools used to penetrate smartphones, smart televisions and computer systems. Sources familiar with the investigation say it is looking for an insider -- either a CIA employee or contractor -- who had physical access to the material. The agency has not said publicly when the material was taken [sic] or how it was stolen [sic]." [editor's note: The leaker is a hero, not a traitor, and the material was not "taken" or "stolen" -- it was copied and revealed (by WikiLeaks) to the people who both pay for, and are affected by, it – TLK] (04/20/17)
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19) Security theater, White House edition: Public banned from public areas
Source: Evening Standard [UK]
"Members of the public have been banned from the pavement along the south side of the White House amid security concerns. The stretch of pavement along the south fence has been closed each night -- between 11pm and 6am -- since 2015. But US Secret Service officials said it will now be closed permanently to 'lessen the possibility of individuals illegally accessing the White House grounds.'" [editor's note: How can it be illegal for the alleged owners of property to access that property? – TLK] (04/20/17)
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20) Pakistan: Court orders further graft probe against Sharif
Source: Bloomberg
"Pakistan's top court ordered further investigation into corruption charges against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, for now taking off immediate pressure and the prospect of a potential disqualification as his government continues efforts to boost an economy hit for years by power outages and terrorism. ... The court took up the case in November following a report by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists showed his three children either owned or have signing rights to authorize transactions of four offshore companies in the British Virgin Islands. Those holdings were alleged to have been used to make property purchases in London. Sharif's political opponents doubted the premier's family made assets outside Pakistan through legal means." (04/20/17)
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FREEDOM COMMENTARY
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21) The "Battle of Berkeley" is a bad sign for liberty
Source: Libertarian Institute
by Dan Sanchez
"Just how close are we to repeating the political violence of interwar Germany? How bad is it, and how bad can it get? Populist-right demonstrators and radical-left protesters clashed in Berkeley, California yesterday. The belligerents used such weapons as fists, feet, rocks, pepper spray, smoke bombs, barricades, and a trash dumpster/battering ram. There was one reported non-lethal stabbing. Arrayed on the right were members of the Alt-Right, Oathkeepers, Proud Boys, and non-affiliated Trump supporters, and the left was led by Antifa (Anti-Fascist Action) and BAMN ('By Any Means Necessary'). ... We're a long way from Weimar. The Alt-Knight and his merry band are a far cry from the brutal Storm Troopers. And the black-clad waifs of Antifa are a pale shadow of the homicidal Spartacists. In fact, there is distinctly ridiculous and even comical vibe to the scuffles, which the late, great Will Grigg aptly described as 'political cosplay.' But these things have a way of escalating." (04/20/17)
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22) "Buy American, Hire American" is Un-American
Source: Garrison Center
by Thomas L Knapp
"Capital tends to flow to where it can be most profitably invested. There's no secret conspiracy to deprive Bob in Wisconsin of gainful employment so that Li can have a job in Shenzhen. If a manufacturer can make a widget in Shenzhen, get that widget to America, and sell it at less than the cost of making it in Kenosha, Shenzhen wins ... and so does the consumer who buys that widget for less than it would have cost if Bob had made it. In fact, that consumer may be Bob himself, who's now hopefully making or doing something more profitable than manufacturing widgets." (04/20/17)
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23) UC Berkeley declares itself unsafe for Ann Coulter
Source: The Atlantic
by Conor Friedersdorf
"[Ann Coulter's] critics would have done well to deny her attention by treating her scheduled appearance with the ambivalent yawn every provocateur most dreads. Instead, they began playing into her hands, situating her appearance in a paradigm where free speech is cast as being in conflict with anti-racism -- a wrongheaded frame anathema to civil-rights heroes and marginalized protesters the world over. It guarantees either that bigots like Coulter will be seen by many as occupying a moral high ground, or that free speech will suffer, hitting marginalized groups hardest in the end. Issuing violent threats was, for the left, the most counterproductive of all courses. It generated just the sort of attention Coulter thrives on. And it is remaking Berkeley into a place where the illiberal right can reliably bait the illiberal left into raising their profile." (04/20/17)
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24) "Free speech" hypocrisy at Berkeley
Source: Future of Freedom Foundation
by Jacob G Hornberger
"A free-speech controversy at Berkeley University provides us with an opportunity to explore differences between statism and libertarianism. The controversy revolves around right-wing commentator Ann Coulter, who has been invited to speak at Berkeley by a campus chapter of the old conservative student group Young Americans for Freedom. Berkeley, as most people know, has long been a bastion of liberalism/progressivism/leftism. The campus has always prided itself on its purported commitment to 'free speech,' claiming that in the spirit of intellectual exploration it protects the publication of unpopular perspectives. ... The university's purported commitment to 'free speech,' however, apparently doesn't extend to ideas that are unpopular within the Berkeley administration, specifically right-wing, conservative perspectives, such as those held by Coulter. The university is prohibiting her from sharing her views on campus." (04/20/17)
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25) What if we don't really govern ourselves?
Source: LewRockwell.com
by Andrew P Napolitano
"What if our belief in self-government is a belief in a myth? What if the election of one political party over the other to control Congress changes only appearances? What if taxes stay high and regulations stay pervasive and the government stays oppressive and presidents fight wars no matter what the politicians promise and no matter who wins elections? What if the true goal of those whom we elect to Congress is not to be our agents of self-government or even to preserve our personal liberties but to remain in power by getting re-elected? What if they use government to aid their own re-elections by bribing us with our own money -- the rich with bailouts, the middle class with tax breaks and the poor with transfer payments?" (04/20/17)
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26) Free will & physics
Source: The Anarchist Shemale
by Aria DiMezzo
"Strangely, I've seen Quantum Mechanics used as an argument against free will. The argument goes that physical laws dictate the behavior of strings, quarks are composed of strings, atoms are composed of quarks, molecules are composed of atoms, and we're composed of molecules. Why on Earth should 'free will' suddenly enter into the equation? It all suggests that our behavior is determined by physical laws we haven't discovered, because physical laws determine the behavior of the things that we're composed of. Except for the Uncertainty Principle, they'd have a point. Whether 'God plays dice with the universe' has not been ascertained and cannot be determined, even in theory." (04/20/17)
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27) 23 ways big government is hurting the poor
Source: Everything Voluntary
"Advocates for big government often equate expanding government with concern for the poor. But reality speaks to the contrary: Expanding government often has very harmful effects on the poor. This reality is precisely what is addressed in a forthcoming special report from The Heritage Foundation, 'Big Government Policies That Hurt the Poor and How to Address Them.' Rather than looking at welfare policy -- a usual focus of analysts when discussing policies that impact the poor -- the report focuses on economic policy, including regulation. The authors identify 23 policies and provide concrete solutions that would allow those struggling financially to have more opportunities and a higher standard of living." (04/20/17)
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28) Why Trump's words matter
Source: Cato Institute
by A Trevor Thrall & Erik Goepner
"President Trump owes the nation -- and the world -- more careful language. Trump's empty words may thrill his supporters, but they will not defeat the Islamic State or bring peace to a troubled region. If the American public is to trust him and intelligently support his foreign policies, especially with lives on the line, he must communicate coherently." (04/20/17)
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29) Trump vs. Kim Jong Un: Two loose cannons, a monumental nightmare in the making
Source: OpEdNews
by Michael Payne
"The entire world is watching with a sense of foreboding as North Korea and the U.S. head toward a potentially catastrophic military confrontation. This is a time bomb that could go off at any given time when Kim Jong Un, the slightly deranged leader of North Korea, squares off against Trump, the highly reactionary U.S. president. These are leaders who may look totally different but are quite similar otherwise; both have quick tempers with short fuses, not the characteristics that one would want to be present in leaders of countries that possess very powerful military forces." (04/20/17)
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30) Should democratic socialists be Democrats?
Source: In These Times
by Chris Maisano and Jessie Manisto
"Bernie Sanders'[s] historic campaign for the Democratic nomination, accompanied by his unabashed embrace of the S-word, has propelled the concept of democratic socialism into the mainstream. As a result, the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), the only thriving descendant of the Socialist Party of Eugene V. Debs, is being rejuvenated. Since 2015, DSA membership has increased by more than 200 percent and now stands at more than 19,500. ... DSA will hold its biennial convention in Chicago on August 3-6. At the top of the agenda: What is a democratic socialist strategy in the Trump era? And what does that look like in the electoral arena?" (04/20/17)
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31) The Syrian people have been betrayed by all sides
Source: The Intercept
by Mehdi Hasan
"Dead Syrians have became political props, cynically used to bolster this or that stance on the conflict. Myths and lies abound. Defenders of Assad on the far left and far right claim he is a secular bulwark against ISIS while omitting to mention that this supposedly secular dictator was helping funnel 'jihadists' into Iraq, to attack U.S. forces and Iraqi civilians, less than a decade ago. They also ignore the fact that the vast majority of civilian casualties in Syria have been caused by the Assad regime, not by ISIS or by the rebels. Both liberal and conservative opponents of Assad, meanwhile, tend to minimize the well-documented war crimes and other grotesque atrocities committed by U.S.-backed rebel groups, not to mention the dominance of Al Qaeda and its affiliates within the Syrian opposition." (04/20/17)
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32) Returning education to the state and citizens
Source: Independent Institute
by Vicki E Alger
"President Donald Trump has called for major changes to federal education policy. During his bid for the White House, he vowed to cut wasteful federal spending on education while preserving funding for services; he pledged to champion school choice; and he promised to return educational policymaking to the state and local level. 'We cannot have the bureaucrats in Washington telling you how to manage your child's education,' he said in a television campaign ad. All of these goals can be accomplished during the Trump administration, but not without a major overhaul of the US Department of Education (ED)." [editor's note: Instead of returning education to the states, and to citizens as a group, why not return it -- all of it, including financing -- to the people actually involved? Separate school and state! – TLK] (04/20/17)
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33) Why we should not have TV debates
Source: Adam Smith Institute
by Eamonn Butler
"Even among seasoned performers, TV debates do not serve every candidate equally. They favour underdogs. That is why UK opposition parties called for them for years before David Cameron agreed to one. But his short-sighted decision backfired because it gave the LibDem leader Nick Clegg -- another self-assured TV performer -- a huge boost, and led to Cameron having to share power, with dismal results. Having agreed to TV debates in 2010, Cameron had set a precedent -- he had no grounds to refuse them in 2015. That time he won, though by a wafer-thin majority. By then it was clear that TV debates were having a major effect on UK elections. But that was not an entirely positive constitutional change." (04/20/17)
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34) The world's most hackable shower head
Source: Foundation for Economic Education
by Jeffrey A Tucker
"Showerheads used to be easy to hack. And never doubt the need to do so. What do we want out of a shower? We want fantastic amounts of water pouring down on our heads, ideally like the waterfall we see in movies and art. At very least, this requires pulling out the government-mandated flow stopper after the purchase and before the installation. In recent years, these stoppers have become more difficult to remove. Some are downright impossible. A few years ago, I bought an expensive showerhead and spent Saturday afternoon with hammers, ice picks, drills, and the experience ended in total frustration. So yesterday, I decided the settle the issue once and for all. I sprung for 5 different showerheads -- purchased based on what I perceived to be their hackability -- and tried it out on each one. I'm astounded and thrilled at the results. It turns out to be ridiculously easy and cheap to bypass the bureaucrats and enjoy a decent shower." (04/20/17)
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35) Prima facie unconstitutional: Texas's efforts to "bind" electors
Source: LibertyBuzz
by Joe Eldred
"Most of you probably remember Dr. William Greene as the 'faithless' elector who voted for Ron Paul last November. Dr. Greene is back in the news again. On Monday, March 27, 2017, the Elections Committee in the Texas House of Representatives met to consider four bills related to 'binding' Texas'[s] presidential electors in the Electoral College (plus one other bill dealing with threats against Electors)." (04/19/17)
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36) Special interests: A crooked tale of two countries
Source: Students For Liberty
by Beatriz Gietner
"Being a Brazilian student in Ireland allowed me to extend my disheartening attitude towards the government across the Atlantic, and while in my mind a voice proclaimed 'Europe cannot get any worse than South America,' there are indeed embedded problems along the vast Irish green fields. Bureaucracy, the Catholic church, undernourished respect for private property and insensitive laws, all intertwine before their two almighty judiciary systems with the blessings of front bench politicians. The latest upsetting news to reach us and to affect my friends' lives directly are always, somehow, related to the newest 'scandal' or 'strike.' This time the scandal took place in Brazil whilst the strike happened in Ireland." (04/20/17)
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37) Bold words and broken faith in Korea?
Source: Niskanen Center
by Joshua Hampson
"The Trump Administration has spent much of its early days finding its footing on foreign policy. Despite a healthy dose of criticism, the young presidency has at least received some plaudits over its support of South Korea. After reports that North Korea would conduct another atomic test, the United States announced that it was sending the USS Carl Vinson, an aircraft carrier, and its escorts to help deter North Korean aggression. Vice President Mike Pence declared that the era of 'strategic patience' was over, and pundits lauded President Trump for being decisive in support of a key U.S. ally. Or perhaps not. It turns out that the Vinson was actually heading south towards Australia when its new mission was announced. While the port-call for the aircraft carrier in Australia was cancelled, and the ship and its escorts are now headed towards the Sea of Japan, the gaffe may have ramifications beyond just embarrassment for the administration." (04/20/17)
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38) The problem with how Jeff Sessions talks about crime
Source: The Nation
by Collier Meyerson
"Last week, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said that consent decrees -- formal agreements between municipalities and the Department of Justice (DoJ) to improve local policing, often put in place in response to discriminatory practices -- can 'reduce the morale of police departments.' He wasn't just paying lip service to police officers; earlier in the month, Sessions ordered a review of all consent decrees across the United States. ... 'Every place these decrees, and as you've mentioned some of these investigations have gone forward, we've seen too often big crime increases,' Sessions continued .... The Nation asked the Justice Department what evidence Sessions has connecting spikes in crime to cities under consent decree. A spokesperson for the agency declined to comment. This isn't the first time Sessions has connected scrutinizing law enforcement to an increase in crime. During his confirmation hearings in February, Sessions falsely connected criticisms of police forces to high rates of crime in urban centers." (04/20/17)
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39) Trump's empty bluster and bombing
Source: Reason
by Steve Chapman
"When terrorism raises its head, governments often take steps that are supposed to make us safer -- banning tiny knives from airplanes, putting metal detectors at stadium entrances, issuing 'orange' alerts. Skeptics dismiss these measures as 'security theater.' They're a show, not a genuine obstacle to terrorists. The Trump administration, obsessed with imagery, has adapted this approach to national security. The president tweets bellicose warnings to North Korea. The vice president goes to South Korea to don a bomber jacket and stare implacably across the Demilitarized Zone. An aircraft carrier steams toward the Sea of Japan -- or rather, Trump claims it's doing so even as it heads the opposite direction, thousands of miles away. ... With all the noise and spectacle, this presidency often seems less like an attempt at governance and more like a rehearsal for a Broadway musical. It's just not clear whether it will be a comedy or a tragedy."
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40) Economic freedom is key to African development
Source: Competitive Enterprise Institute
by Iain Murray & Daniel Press
"Many African nations have made great economic strides in recent years. As well as improving Africa's per capita GDP by over 50 percent since 2000, some have made leaps forward in technological development. Examples include the cell phone revolution and the widespread adoption of digital cash in Kenya. In countries with poor landline telecommunication systems and limited access to finance, poor people are leapfrogging past old problems through the adoption of new technologies. Yet that is only a start. While these advances have made life better for millions of Africans, most Western approaches to development, whether at government agencies or the leading non-government organizations, neglect the importance of three key building blocks of prosperity: secure property rights, limited government, and affordable energy." (04/20/17)
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41) A message from FIRE's president: UC Berkeley and the state of free speech on campus
Source: Foundation for Individual Rights in Education
by Greg Lukianoff
"When the riots on Feb. 1 ended a planned speech by former Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos at Berkeley, we condemned the violence. However, we tried to be cautious in our statements about the actions of the Berkeley administration, as it seemed plausible that the campus police were simply overwhelmed by the number of protesters and the intensity and scale of the violence. But in the weeks following the incident, Berkeley appears to have done nothing to prevent events like the Feb. 1 riots from happening again. Since that time, the Berkeley College Republicans' property has been destroyed, the group cancelled a speech by conservative activist and Berkeley alumnus David Horowitz after the administration threw up numerous roadblocks, and now it has been told that conservative commentator Ann Coulter may not speak as planned due to the danger posed by potentially violent protesters. This is a chilling and dangerous precedent. The Berkeley administration is incentivizing anyone who doesn't want a particular speaker to be heard to threaten (or even engage in) acts of violence. This all but guarantees that speakers who are controversial on a particular campus will be silenced, and teaches a generation of students that resorting to violence will be rewarded." (04/20/17)
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42) A response to two responses and also whatever Nick is doing
Source: Cato Unbound
by Jeremy McLellan
"I'm grateful for the opportunity to have written the lead essay this month on comedy as political resistance. Hundreds of pieces have been written about comedy and politics which all say the same thing, so I jumped at the chance to write something different. I attempted to provide a grand theory of comedy as the incongruity between reality and human conceit, and thus why political comedy was inherently subversive. In doing so, I rejected the idea that comedy must be put in service to activist or partisan causes, which themselves contain within themselves the same kind of incongruities. Three people replied to my essay, or at least they were instructed to. Two of them did, while one ignored my piece, hijacked the issue, and wrote something else. Rather libertarian of him." (04/19/17)
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43) The mystery behind economic growth
Source: Cobden Centre
by Alasdair MacLeod
"Say's law is very simple. It states that in a world where we divide our labour, we produce to consume. It therefore follows that if we are not able to produce so that we can consume, someone else must produce on our behalf. The disabled, the unemployed, the home-makers and children have their consumption paid for by someone else, a partner in marriage, family member, or parent. Welfare distributed by the state doesn't change this iron law, because the state must tax someone else's production or debase their earnings to cover welfare distribution. This cannot be denied. We are all at the same time producers, consumers and savers. These functions can no more be separated than the human body be divided into three parts and still function." (04/20/17)
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44) Presidential branding: Trump and the cult of celebrity
Source: CounterPunch
by Joseph Grosso
"A strict definition of the word brand, in a business context, simply reads 'a type of product manufactured by a particular company under a particular name.' It may sound obvious but the key word here is 'manufactured' one definition of which reads 'to invent or fabricate.' In other words a personal brand often could recall the words of Mark Twain: Give a man a reputation as an early riser and he could sleep ‘til noon. It would be difficult to find a greater example of this than Trump." (04/20/17)
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45) America's misadventures in the Middle East
Source: The American Conservative
by Chas Freeman
"'From now on,' President Donald Trump declared in his inaugural address, 'it's going to be only America first, America first!' If so, no region stands to be more affected than West Asia and North Africa -- what Americans call 'the Middle East.' America's interests there are now entirely derivative rather than direct. They are a function of the self-appointed roles of the United States as the warden of world order, the guarantor of other nations' security, the shepherd of the world economy, and the custodian of the global commons. If America is now to look out only for itself, it has little obvious reason to be much involved in the Middle East." (04/20/17)
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46) One hundred days of corruption
Source: The American Prospect
by Eliza Newlin Carney
"Trump bragged on the campaign trail that he was not beholden to wealthy donors, and pledged to 'drain the swamp' in Washington. But unlike previous presidents, Trump has failed to release his tax returns or put his business assets in a blind trust. Members of his family, including his daughter, Ivanka --
now an official White House adviser -- continue to promote their own private business interests around the world. Trump has signed legislation that would weaken international anti-corruption regulations, has promoted his personal business ventures while in the White House, and faces a record 39,105 public ethics inquiries and complaints before the Office of Congressional Ethics. Here are a few highlights of what might be called Trump's first 100 days of corruption ..." (04/20/17)
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47) A government made up of governments
Source: A Geek With Guns
by Christopher Burg
"What's worse than a government? A government that is made up exclusively of governments. A lot of criticisms have been made about the United Nations (UN) by both advocates of limited government (I realize the term is an oxymoron but bear with me) and anarchists. Statists have written off these criticisms as conspiracy theories but the crimes of the UN are becoming so grand in scale that they're now impossible to sweep under the rug ..." (04/19/17)
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48) The Bill of Rights at the border: Fifth Amendment protections for account passwords and device passcodes
Source: Electronic Frontier Foundation
by Stephanie Lacambra
"As anyone who's ever watched any cop show knows, the Fifth Amendment gives you the right to remain silent and to refuse to provide evidence against yourself -- even at the border. If a CBP agent asks you a question, you can tell them you choose to remain silent and want to speak to an attorney, even if you don't have one retained yet. That choice may not stop CBP agents from pressuring you to 'voluntarily' talk to them, but they are supposed to stop questioning you once you ask for a lawyer. Also, beware that government agents are permitted to lie to you in order to convince you to waive your right to remain silent, but you can be criminally prosecuted if you lie to them." (04/19/17)
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49) What is the "correct" growth rate of the money supply?
Source: Ludwig von Mises Institute
by Frank Shostak
"Most economists believe that a growing economy requires a growing money stock, on grounds that growth gives rise to a greater demand for money, which must be accommodated. Failing to do so, it is maintained, will lead to a decline in the prices of goods and services, which in turn will destabilize the economy and lead to an economic recession or, even worse, depression. Since growth in money supply is of such importance, it is not surprising that economists are continuously searching for the right, or the optimum, growth rate of the money supply." (04/20/17)
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50) Ida-heave-ho
Source: Common Sense
by Paul Jacob
"'Is there any chance the vetoes can be overridden?' asked a reader in response to yesterday's commentary on Idaho Gov. Butch Otter's veto of two pieces of common-sense legislation. It's a good question, because the bill reforming civil asset forfeiture and the bill easing regulations that block employment in cosmetology both passed by wide margins. Unfortunately, the answer is NO. According to the Gem State's constitution, the governor has ten days after legislation reaches his desk or, at the session's end, ten days after the legislature adjourns to decide whether to sign or veto a bill. If he vetoes after adjournment, it cannot be overridden -- unless the legislature comes back into session. Only the governor can call legislators back into session, which is exceedingly unlikely if a new session would entail a veto override." (04/20/17)
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51) Who should decide the fate of children?
Source: spiked
by Luke Gittos
"Last week, a UK High Court judge ruled that Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) could withdraw life support from an eight-month-old baby. The baby's name is Charlie Gard. His parents, Chris Gard and Connie Yates, challenged the application that had been made by GOSH specialists for the treatment to be withdrawn. They sought to move Charlie to America to undergo an experimental treatment that they thought might give him 'one chance of life.' ... we should remain critical and questioning about the role the courts play in proceedings like this. They seek to regulate the line between parental authority and medical judgement. There is already a strong assumption in the common law that the option 'in favour of life' should be applied in each case, but that assumption is rebuttable. There is no assumption, however, in favour of parental autonomy over children. Perhaps it is time that the law reflected the importance of parents' role. Ultimately, shouldn't parental autonomy triumph over disputes of expert opinion?" (04/20/17)
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52) It's time for "mad anarchism"
Source: Center for a Stateless Society
by Vikky Storm
"For many people, mental illness is a terrifying Other to be shamed and attacked. The mentally ill are to blame for mass shootings. Authoritarian leaders are only authoritarian because they are mentally ill. Mental healthcare means locking people up or medicating them until they act 'normal.' But this stigma is largely unearned. Mentally ill people are more likely to be victims of violence than to be perpetrators of violence. The fact that we describe people like this as 'ill' is a reflection of our attitudes towards them. For people with conditions like these (such as myself) and people who advocate for us, the more common term is 'neurodivergence.'" (04/19/17)
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53) This Earth Day, defeating Trump is job one
Source: Our Future
by Libero Della Piana
"This Earth Day, we face a climate threat greater than ever before. And he lives in the White House. On the campaign trail, President Donald Trump consistently mocked climate science and promised to gut policies protecting our communities, natural resources and the environment. He called climate change 'a hoax' invented by the Chinese government. In and out of office, Trump has been consistently at odds with scientific evidence and consensus on climate change. His is also at odds with public opinion, which increasingly acknowledges and understands the threat of global climate crisis." (04/20/17)
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54) The Fed's inflation fixation
Source: Independent Institute
by Randall Holcombe
"Despite arguments about the perils of deflation, the United States had a long-term decline in prices from 1865 until the Federal Reserve was established in 1913, at a time in which the industrializing economy was growing more rapidly than it ever had before. As to the argument that people will wait to purchase goods when they anticipate falling prices, computer prices have been falling for half a century, along with the prices of other high-tech goods, and those markets have seen rapid growth. Deflation is not bad for the economy, and deflation that represents increases in productivity produces prices that give a more accurate representation of real cost of goods and services. There is no good reason for the Fed to deliberately try to create inflation." (04/19/17)
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55) Baltasar Gracian's aphorism #102: Be able to stomach big slices of luck.
Source: WendyMcElroy.com
by Wendy McElroy
"My interpretation: it is my experience that massive good luck destroys as many people as massive bad luck. It goes to their heads or enables bad habits that rise to the forefront. I had a friend who was funny and endearing whenever he was down and out but close to insufferable when things were going well. He seemed to look down on the circle he ran with whenever his 'star' was on the rise. Eventually, he left every one of them (us) behind and adopted new friends whose status matched his own. But I doubt if the 'elevated' crowd really knew who he was or would have been there if he'd needed a couch to crash on as he used to crash on mine. The man turned to drugs and alcohol to keep himself going; he never finished the grand manuscript he described in detail to me in our last phone conversation. His life ended early, badly and alone." (04/20/17)
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FREEDOM PODCAST & VIDEO
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56) So to Speak: The Free Speech Podcast, 04/20/17
Source: Foundation for Individual Rights in Education
"Professor [Geoffrey R.] Stone is our guest on today's episode of So to Speak: The Free Speech Podcast. Fittingly, we met in New York City to discuss the portions of 'Sex and the Constitution' dealing with the regulation of sexual expression. It was, after all, in New York City where the YMCA and Anthony Comstock began their campaigns in the 1800s to root out what they deemed obscene, sexually explicit material. During our conversation, Stone explains how 'obscenity' came to be regulated in America and why its legal definition constantly shifts. We also explore other First Amendment issues surrounding sexual expression, including nude dancing and the public funding of art with sexual themes." [various formats] (04/20/17)
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57) Freedom Feens Radio, 04/20/17
Source: Freedom Feens Radio
"Lou, MWD, Nick and Phil explain why an executive order demanding companies hire American and buy American hurts America and does not help America. Also discussed: the Detroit Bus Company and how it was a private answer for a government problem." [various format] (04/20/17)
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58) The Tom Woods Show, episode 892
Source: The Tom Woods Show
"With confrontation brewing between the United States and North Korea, Michael Malice joins me to lend his insight into what's happening, and whether there's anything to the North Korean threats of nuclear war." [various formats] (04/20/17)
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59) The Jason Stapleton Program, episode 584
Source: The Jason Stapleton Program
"Yesterday I read a piece on an obscure website that I won't mention because I don't want to give them any SEO help. The article was a justification for why it's immoral to be wealthy. This is an idea that's been around since the dawn of time. What's frustrating is that we know have the economic knowledge that should make these kinds of arguments non-existent. But because of our poor education system and economic illiteracy, I find myself, yet again, explaining why wealth is important. I think you'll enjoy today's episode." [various formats] (04/19/17)
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60) The Freedom Report, episode 280
Source: The Libertarian Republic
"In a brilliant piece by Caitlin Flanagan at the Atlantic, a liberal writer self reflects on how the comedy shows of hosts such as Samantha Bee, John Oliver, and Jimmy Fallon may have been important influencers in the rise of Donald Trump. Flanagan dissects the various ways in which liberals derided not just the president, but his supporters, giving conservatives a good reason to do whatever they could to stop a Democrat from taking the White House. Austin Petersen, former 2016 candidate for president himself breaks down the news." [various formats] (04/19/17)
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61) Free Talk Live, 04/19/17
Source: Free Talk Live
"Two Dead in Mass Protests in Venezuela :: Gravity, Moon Landing Kook Theories :: Protest Movements :: Sabotaging the State :: How to make government more honest? :: Social Security :: :: Civil Rights :: Libertarians and Principle :: Solitary Confinement :: HOSTS -- Ian, Mark, Jay." [Flash audio or MP3] (04/19/17)
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62) Cato Daily Podcast, 04/20/17
Source: Cato Institute
"Policing in America has often become insular and adversarial toward the communities police are supposed to protect and serve. Norm Stamper discusses his new book, To Protect and Serve: How to Fix America's Police." [various formats] (04/20/17)
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63) Foreign Policy Focus, episode 29
Source: Foreign Policy Focus
"On FPF #29, I examine some of the costs of American's wars. Civilians in other countries clearly identified as victims of American wars. American civilians face grave consequences from the wars. Many vets will suffer from lifelong illnesses and disabilities from wars. All citizens lose rights and face crippling debts. I also update some important foreign policy news stories." [various formats] (04/19/17)
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64) The AnCap Barber Shop, episode 14
Source: Pax Libertas Productions
"We discuss Alabama church police and the Easter Facebook killer." [various formats] (04/19/17)
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65) James Bovard on The Scott Horton Show
Source: Libertarian Institute
"James Bovard, author of Public Policy Hooligan, discusses how Woodrow Wilson got America into WWI, directly and indirectly causing the rise of Hitler, Stalin, WWII, and the redrawing of the Middle East. At home, Wilson gave rise to a government crackdown on free speech, the draft, prohibition, espionage laws, and the Spanish Flu." [various formats] (04/17/17)
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