03/13 -- House Intel GOP draft: No collusion between Trump and Russia; Trump's most terrifying temper tantrum
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Thomas L. Knapp
Mar 13, 2018, 6:37:45 AM3/13/18
to Freedom News Daily
Freedom News Daily, 03/13/18
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Presented by the Liberty International
Produced by the staff of Rational Review News Digest
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Today's Freedom News:
1) House Intel GOP draft: No collusion between Trump and Russia
2) Newly-released DoD video purportedly shows Navy pilot's encounter with UFO
3) ACLU: Nebraska regime misled suppliers when buying execution drugs
4) Trump blocks Broadcom's $117 billion bid for Qualcomm
5) TX: Police say three "powerful" package bombs that killed two are connected
6) Porn actress offers to repay $130K so she can discuss Trump
7) Can an atheist win public office in Tennessee? We'll find out Tuesday.
8) Nineteen secretaries of state slam provision allowing armed Secret Service agents into polling places
9) Michigan universities seek delay on Nassar-inspired bills
10) Tesla's electric motor shift to spur demand for rare earth neodymium
11) Trump to visit largest border city opposed to wall
12) Possible Kennedy retirement would give Trump opportunity to tilt SCOTUS
13) Canada: Doctor trying to "cure" men of homosexuality had sex with them in his office, committee says
14) Report: Qatar officials decline to give Kushner info to Mueller probe
15) Japan: Abe's government under fire as scandal grips inner circle
16) Saudi Arabia: Regime said to have used coercion and abuse to elicit massive bribes
17) Newly discovered Slingshot malware was hidden in routers for 6 years
18) Enormous magnetic storm to strike Earth this weekend
19) Hong Kong: Pro-democracy campaign endures election setback
20) Trump backs off on call for unconstitutional age restrictions on gun purchases
Today's Freedom Commentary:
21) Trump's most terrifying temper tantrum
22) Immigrants and guns: Different issues, the same bad arguments
23) Tariffs are not the answer
24) The gender gap: Discrimination or choice?
25) Putin is everywhere
26) I think we've been warned already, but ...
27) Mass media propaganda the only thing keeping us from rising like lions
28) Trump's tariffs infringe on our freedom
29) Schwarzenegger wants to sue oil companies for murder?
30) Should local governments have greater autonomy from states?
31) Tariffs: A history of repeated failure
32) Stormy takes on Donald, but lawyer Michael Cohen is the clear loser
33) Quantum Vibe, 03/12/18
34) Here's why progressives hate Betsy DeVos
35) What is wrong with the popular definition of inflation?
36) Can Europe save the Iran nuclear deal?
37) Blockchain technology talk is largely nonsense
38) US-North Korea summit? Shared language, expectations are key
39) Five times US tariffs have made matters worse
40) Is coal waste leaching into America's drinking water?
41) Trump is making diplomacy great again
42) Why Democrats would lose the second civil war, too
43) Democrats and the crisis of legitimacy
44) To support refugees, end the wars that create them
45) YouTube extremism and the long tail
46) When Congress tests authority, military brings out big guns
47) A solution to the student debt and Social Security crises
48) Trump is more like recent presidents than anyone wants to admit
49) Too ignorant to lead
50) Bad medicine: How politicians jack up Medicaid and Medicare prices
51) Deep learning and abstract orders
52) The best way to compete with China is to free the economy
53) The antiquarian assault on press freedom
54) Why not private provision of many government services?
55) The letter and the spirit of the law
Today's Freedom Podcast and Video:
56) Cato Daily Podcast, 03/12/18
57) Scott Adams Says, 03/12/18
58) Fresh Air, 03/12/18
59) Ron Paul Liberty Report, 03/12/18
60) The Bob Zadek Show, 03/11/18
61) One Free Family, episode 8
62) Foreign Policy Focus, episode 166
63) Lions of Liberty Podcast, episode 338
64) Free Talk Live, 03/11/18
65) The Anarchist Experience, episode 155
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_____ Today's Freedom News _____
1) House Intel GOP draft: No collusion between Trump and Russia
Source: Boston Globe
"Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee have completed a draft report concluding there was no collusion or coordination between Donald Trump's presidential campaign and Russia, a finding that is sure to please the White House and enrage panel Democrats. After a yearlong investigation, Texas Rep. Mike Conaway announced Monday that the committee has finished interviewing witnesses and will share the report with Democrats on Tuesday. Conaway is the Republican leading the House probe, one of several investigations on Russian meddling in the 2016 elections. ... The public will not see the report until Democrats have reviewed it and the intelligence community has decided what information can become public, a process that could take weeks. Democrats are expected to issue a separate report with much different conclusions." (03/12/18)
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2) Newly-released DoD video purportedly shows Navy pilot's encounter with UFO
Source: Yahoo! News
"A newly-released video which shows U.S. Navy pilots encountering an unidentified flying object (UFO) in 2015 has garnered calls for more research into what these mysterious objects could be. 'What the f-- is that thing?' one pilot can be heard saying in the video. ... The new video comes on the heels of two other declassified videos that capture alleged encounters between U.S. Navy pilots and unidentified flying objects that were published by the New York Times last December." (03/12/18)
https://www.yahoo.com/gma/newly-released-dod-video-purportedly-shows-navy-pilots-120904504–abc-news-topstories.html
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3) ACLU: Nebraska regime misled suppliers when buying execution drugs
Source: Raw Story
"The American Civil Liberties Union on Monday asked the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to investigate whether the state of Nebraska broke the law when buying four drugs to use in executions. Nebraska ACLU Legal director Amy Miller wrote in a letter to the DEA that the state Department of Correctional Services appeared to have imported the opioid fentanyl, a drug for which it lacked a license, and misled suppliers about the intended use of all four drugs. In November, Nebraska officials said they had purchased a new supply of lethal injection drugs and would move to have execution dates set for two death-row inmates. The state had been without a method to execute people for several years due to a shortage of the required drugs in its old execution protocol and political wrangling over the death penalty. The state penitentiary has two permits from the DEA -- one allowing it to import specific controlled substances and another allowing it to dispense prescription medications to inmates as part of medical treatment." (03/12/18)
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4) Trump blocks Broadcom's $117 billion bid for Qualcomm
Source: Fox News
"President Donald Trump on Monday blocked Singapore-based Broadcom's $117 billion bid to acquire Qualcomm on national security grounds, scuttling one of the tech industry's largest hostile takeover attempts in history. 'There is credible evidence that leads me to believe that Broadcom Limited .. through exercising control of Qualcomm Incorporated, a Delaware Corporation, might take action that threatens to impair the national security in the United States,' Trump wrote in an executive order on Monday. 'The proposed takeover of Qualcomm by the purchaser is prohibited, and any substantially equivalent merger, acquisition, or takeover, whether effected directly or indirectly, is also prohibited,' the order added. Trump's order came shortly after the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) said in a letter to both companies that the deal posed national security concerns." (03/12/18)
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5) TX: Police say three "powerful" package bombs that killed two are connected
Source: Washington Post
"Police said Monday that they believe three packages that exploded at homes and killed two people here are connected, raising fears that a bomber is on the loose in a city that is hosting tens of thousands of people for a world-renowned music and technology festival. Authorities said it was too early to say what motivated the attacks, and they would not rule out the possibility of a hate crime. Two people killed in the explosions -- a teenage boy and a 39-year-old man -- were black, while an elderly Hispanic woman was seriously injured. The first explosion occurred on March 2, and two more detonated on Monday." (03/12/18)
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6) Porn actress offers to repay $130K so she can discuss Trump
Source: San Francisco Chronicle
"An adult film actress who said she had sex with President Donald Trump offered Monday to return the $130,000 she was paid for agreeing not to discuss the alleged relationship. Stormy Daniels (whose real name is Stephanie Clifford) is willing to repay the money she received as part of a 2016 agreement, as long as she can speak openly about the situation, according to a copy of a letter from Clifford's attorney obtained by The Associated Press. The letter sent to Trump's attorney, Michael Cohen and his attorney, Lawrence Rosen, said the non-disclosure agreement would be considered 'null and void' after she returned the money, and that would allow Clifford to speak about the relationship and the attempt to silence her while she publishes any text messages, photos and videos she may have." (03/12/18)
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7) Can an atheist win public office in Tennessee? We'll find out Tuesday.
Source: USA Today
"Gayle Jordan, a Democrat running for state senate in Trump country, will soon find out if an openly atheist candidate can win public office in Tennessee. Jordan does not believe in God. It is a fact she shares, but not a focus of her campaign for the vacant District 14 seat that will be decided Tuesday in a special election. 'It's incidental to who I am,' Jordan said. But Shane Reeves, her Republican opponent, and state GOP leaders have made her lack of religious belief an issue in the Middle Tennessee race, which could have greater implications for how the November midterm elections unfold. 'I just feel like her views are radical,' said Reeves, a Murfreesboro businessman and Christian. 'They're out of touch with the district.' The senate seat opened in November after the President Trump tapped former Republican Sen. Jim Tracy for a federal position. Tracy resigned his seat, triggering the special election for the district, which covers Bedford, Lincoln, Marshall, Moore and eastern Rutherford counties." (03/12/18)
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8) Nineteen secretaries of state slam provision allowing armed Secret Service agents into polling places
Source: Raw Story
"Attached to a bill reauthorizing the Department of Homeland Security was a rider that would allow the Secret Service to be 'dispatched' to any polling place during a federal election at the president's discretion. Now, nearly one-third of the nation's secretaries of state are slamming the 'unprecedented' legislation. 'This is an alarming proposal which raises the possibility that armed federal agents will be patrolling neighborhood precincts and vote centers,' the letter sent from 19 secretaries of state to Senate leaders, reads. CNN, who obtained the letter sent on Friday to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), reported that the secretaries of state called the move 'unprecedented and shocking.'" (03/12/18)
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9) Michigan universities seek delay on Nassar-inspired bills
Source: San Francisco Chronicle
"Michigan's 15 public universities on Monday asked the Legislature to delay voting on bills inspired by the Larry Nassar sexual abuse case, expressing concern about measures that would retroactively extend the time victims would have to file lawsuits and remove an immunity defense for governmental agencies. The Senate is posed to vote this week on the legislation backed by victims of the imprisoned former doctor at Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics. In a letter to lawmakers and Gov. Rick Snyder, the Michigan Association of State Universities said several bills would have a 'profound impact.' The group commissioned an analysis from the Dykema law firm warning that the proposals would encourage the filing of a 'significant number' of lawsuits against universities, churches, schools, governments, and community and civic organizations -- exposing them financially, increasing the cost of insurance and having a negative impact on government credit ratings." (03/12/18)
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10) Tesla's electric motor shift to spur demand for rare earth neodymium
Source: Reuters
"Tesla's shift to a magnetic motor using neodymium in its Model 3 Long Range car adds to pressure on already strained supplies of a rare earth metal that had for years been shunned because of an export ban by top producer China. Efforts by governments around the world to cut noxious emissions produced by fossil fuel-powered cars is driving demand for electric vehicles and the metals used to make them, such as lithium and cobalt which are key ingredients for batteries. Now the spotlight is on neodymium. Several auto makers already use permanent magnet motors that rely on the metal because they are generally lighter, stronger and more efficient than induction motors that are based on copper coils. But it is the switch to neodymium by Tesla, an auto maker that has staked its future solely on the electric vehicle, that is showing the way the industry is moving and the direction of demand for the rare earth metal." (03/12/18)
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11) Trump to visit largest border city opposed to wall
Source: San Francisco Chronicle
"When Donald Trump visits San Diego to examine prototypes of the border wall, the president will be landing in the largest city on the U.S.-Mexico border to formally oppose his plans. Numerous rallies are planned by groups both for-and-against Trump and his push to build a 'big, beautiful wall' separating the two countries. Trump will make his first visit to the city Tuesday since being elected. Protests are also being planned across the border in Tijuana, Mexico. Organizers on both sides were urging people to remain peaceful after recent scuffles at rallies in Southern California, including brawls at a Dec. 9 rally near where the prototypes stand." (03/12/18)
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12) Possible Kennedy retirement would give Trump opportunity to tilt SCOTUS
Source: Fox News
"Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy might retire from the bench as early as this summer, a GOP senator said, and if true, President Trump would be able to nominate a justice who could tilt the nation's highest court well to the right [sic] for the foreseeable future. Kennedy, the 81-year-old swing vote appointed to the court by former President Ronald Reagan, has served on the bench for 29 years. Politico reported last week that Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., said 'Kennedy is going to retire around sometime early summer,' suggesting the potential vacancy on the court could energize the Republican base. But Heller's office provided an official transcript of his comments, making it appear they were seemingly taken out of context by Politico." [editor's note: Wanna consider something funny? Even if this were to happen, there is no guarantee that Trump would choose based on right-wing ideology – SAT] (03/12/18)
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13) Canada: Doctor trying to "cure" men of homosexuality had sex with them in his office, committee says
Source: Columbus Ledger-Enquirer
"A Canadian psychiatrist who believed homosexuality was a mental illness with a chance of cure was found guilty by Ontario's medical regulator of having sex with two of his male patients, the Toronto Star reported. The doctor denied the allegations and is considering an appeal, his lawyer told the paper. Dr. Melvyn Iscove, a 72-year-old graduate of the University of Toronto, has a 'special interest' in treating psychiatric problems related to homosexuality, the discipline commitee wrote in its report. To do so, he relied on the theories of Dr. Edmund Bergler, a prominent psychoanalyst of the 1950s who believed homosexuality was a mental disorder and called gay men 'psychic masochists' and 'essentially disagreeable people,' reported The New York Times. Mainstream psychiatry no longer considers homosexuality a mental disorder, and hasn't since 1973." (03/12/18)
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14) Report: Qatar officials decline to give Kushner info to Mueller probe
Source: The Hill
"Qatari officials have reportedly chosen not to share information they have gathered regarding White House adviser Jared Kushner to special counsel Robert Mueller. Officials reportedly have information regarding alleged influence by the United Arab Emirates on Trump associates, including Kushner, NBC News reported. The evidence includes information about secret meetings. Three sources familiar with the discussions said the Qatari officials don't want to hand over the evidence to Mueller because they don't want to negatively affect the relationship with the Trump administration." (03/12/18)
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15) Japan: Abe's government under fire as scandal grips inner circle
Source: Bloomberg
"Japan's government said Monday that the names of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, his wife and his finance minister were deleted from documents at the heart of a land scandal that erupted last year, a revelation that threatens to derail his administration and its economic strategy. Finance Minister Taro Aso apologized and said an internal investigation was ongoing as opposition lawmakers called for him to resign. He admitted that staff in his department tampered with the documents, but said all the blame rests with one of his subordinates who resigned last week. Abe also sought to limit the damage. ... While Abe's ruling Liberal Democratic Party is unlikely to lose its grip on power, the scandal could hamper his bid to become Japan's longest-serving prime minister." (03/12/18)
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16) Saudi Arabia: Regime said to have used coercion and abuse to elicit massive bribes
Source: CNBC
"Businessmen once considered giants of the Saudi economy now wear ankle bracelets that track their movements. Princes who led military forces and appeared in glossy magazines are monitored by guards they do not command. Families who flew on private jets cannot gain access to their bank accounts. Even wives and children have been forbidden to travel. In November, the Saudi government locked up hundreds of influential businessmen -- many of them members of the royal family -- in the Riyadh Ritz-Carlton in what it called an anti-corruption campaign. ... To leave the Ritz, many of the detainees not only surrendered huge sums of money, but also signed over to the government control of precious real estate and shares of their companies -- all outside any clear legal process." (03/12/18)
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17) Newly discovered Slingshot malware was hidden in routers for 6 years
Source: TechRepublic
"Securelist, a division of Kaspersky Lab, has identified a highly-advanced malware family called 'Slingshot,' which appears to have been first deployed in 2012, and was active in February when the researchers finished their investigation. Researchers at Kaspersky Lab have identified nearly 100 targets of the Slingshot APT (advanced persistent threat) including individuals, government agencies, and organizations located primarily in Kenya, Yemen, Libya, and Afghanistan. ... The researchers indicated that the creators of Slingshot are likely English-speaking, based on the perfect English found in debug messages, and the references to the works [of] J.R.R. Tolkien found in component names. Securelist refrained from naming a specific group as the creators of Slingshot, though noted that the group is 'likely to be highly organized and professional and probably state-sponsored.'" (03/12/18)
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18) Enormous magnetic storm to strike Earth this weekend
Source: International Business Times
"Boffins at the Russian Academy of Sciences have said that an enormous magnetic storm will hit Earth on March 18 and will affect the planet's geomagnetic atmosphere. This magnetic storm will be the third one to hit the Earth [in] 2018. The first was registered on January 15 and the second on February 19. Usually, magnetic storms affect telecommunication systems and upset radio communications, cause radar blackouts, and disrupt radio navigation system. The Russian scientists claim that the coming storm may cause headaches and dizziness in people across the globe as these storms also affect humans and other living organisms by changing blood flow, blood pressure, and boosting adrenalin." (03/12/18)
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19) Hong Kong: Pro-democracy campaign endures election setback
Source: CNN
"Hong Kong's pro-democracy camp has endured a setback in crucial by-elections as fears grow that Beijing is tightening its grip on the semi-autonomous region. Democrats won only two of four seats contested in the 70-seat Legislative Council and failed to regain their veto power in Sunday's vote, which was triggered when Beijing forced the disqualification of six lawmakers. The election means that the pro-democracy camp now only holds 26 seats in the partially elected legislature, one short of being able to block bills." (03/12/18)
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20) Trump backs off on call for unconstitutional age restrictions on gun purchases
Source: Greeley Tribune
"The White House on Sunday pledged to help states pay for firearms training for teachers and reiterated its call to improve the background check system as part of a new plan to prevent school shootings. But in a move sure to please the gun lobby, the plan does not include a push to increase the minimum age for purchasing assault weapons [sic] to 21, which President Donald Trump had repeatedly championed." (03/11/18)
_____ Today's Freedom Commentary _____
21) Trump's most terrifying temper tantrum
Source: Cato Institute
by Jeffrey A Singer
s President Trump made abundantly clear in recent news conferences and interviews, he sees the zero-tolerance policy on drug use and drug dealing of Singapore, China and the Philippines as a model for U.S. drug policy. He is said to believe that all drug dealers should get the death penalty. ... Sensible drug policy makes it easier for drug abusers to kick the habit and transition back to a normal life, rather than ruining their lives through long-term incarceration -- or ending them altogether through capital punishment. The evidence has never supported the contention that the death penalty is a greater deterrent to crime than incarceration. And a 2009 report from the Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition points to a large body of evidence that the incarceration and incapacitation of drug dealers has not deterred drug use or distribution and may, in fact, contribute to an increase in violent crime." (03/12/18)
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22) Immigrants and guns: Different issues, the same bad arguments
Source: Libertarianism.org
by Trevor Burrus
"With the tragic school shooting in Florida and the ongoing questions about the status of 'dreamers,' building the wall, and being flooded with purported 'murderers and rapists' from Mexico, it seems that guns and immigration have taken over our political debates. And while there are many disagreements between Democrats and Republicans, guns and immigration are more divisive and vitriolic. Opponents are demonized, arguments are shouted, friendships are lost, no compromises are made. But the similarities go beyond the heated emotions they raise. Paradoxically, the arguments commonly made by the anti-gun and anti-immigrant sides are remarkably similar in style and substance, and both sides fall prey to the same problematic arguments that they easily recognize in other contexts." (03/12/18)
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23) Tariffs are not the answer
Source: Campaign For Liberty
by Ron Paul
"President Trump's planned 25 percent tariff on steel imports and 10 percent tariff on aluminum imports may provide a temporary boost for those industries, but the tariffs will do tremendous long-term damage to the American and global economies. Tariffs raise the price of, and reduce demand for, imported goods. Tariffs ensure the preferences of politicians, instead of the preferences of consumers, to determine how resources are allocated. This reduces economic efficiency and living standards. Some justify these economic inefficiencies as being worth it to save American jobs. This ignores how tariffs increase costs of production for industries reliant on imported materials to produce their products." (03/12/18)
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24) The gender gap: Discrimination or choice?
Source: Independent Institute
by Mary Theroux
"If you were to learn that the way to achieve gender wage parity is to build a less gender-equal society, would you be in favor of it? Two recent studies provide strong evidence that the wage gap between men and women has little to do with gender discrimination and everything to do with women being free to discriminate in how they spend their time." (03/12/18)
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25) Putin is everywhere
Source: exile in happy valley
by comrade hermit
"Ever since the untimely disintegration of the Soviet paper tiger, America has been an empire in search of a scapegoat to justify its own violent existence. These scapegoats have usually taken the form of a third world tin-pot despot who the Mandarins of the mainstream media have dutifully spun into a cartoonish monster-of-the-week worthy of a stale Outer Limits rerun. ... But America finally hit the fucking jackpot with Vladimir Putin. Finally, a boogeyman we can all believe in. For conservatives, he's the reincarnation of Josef Stalin, come to reclaim the lost glory of the storied Evil Empire. For progressives, he's a fag-bashing Orthodox nationalist with his sight set on that equally mythic Fabian miracle of globalism." (03/12/18)
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26) I think we've been warned already, but ...
Source: The Price of Liberty
by Nathan Barton
"According to the Daily Mail, not only is Big Bro Facebook watching you, they are maintaining a data file on you. In addition, and bizarrely ('creepy' is what the Mail calls it), if you DO have a Facebook account, you can see what they have recorded about you. If you dare. I know that Mama Liberty and I (and many other people, including the Liberty Round Table) have been warning us all about this for years and years. So this comes as no surprise to most of us. Knowing the opinion many people have of Zuckerberg himself, no doubt many of us feel a sense of vindication that the guy is such a creep. The excuse is that they can better market to us, send more pointed ('focused') advertising, and keep their service free. Us enslaved, but the service is free!" (03/12/18)
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27) Mass media propaganda the only thing keeping us from rising like lions
Source: Medium
by Caitlin Johnstone
"'Rise, like lions after slumber / In unvanquishable number! / Shake your chains to earth like dew / Which in sleep had fallen on you: / Ye are many -- they are few!' This excerpt from Percy Bysshe Shelley's 'The Masque of Anarchy' was read by Jeremy Corbyn at the 2017 Glastonbury festival before an audience of thousands in what was in my opinion one of the most thrilling political events of last year. Corbyn's message was about as subtle as a kick in the teeth: The people are many. Their oppressors are few. The masses can rise like lions and force their government to begin acting in the service of the people instead of the wealthy and the powerful. Easy, right?" (03/12/18)
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28) Trump's tariffs infringe on our freedom
Source: Future of Freedom Foundation
by Jacob G Hornberger
"Many economists and commentators have pointed out that while President Trump's imposition of tariffs on foreign producers of steel and aluminum constitutes an attack on foreigners, it will inevitably cause economic harm to Americans, not only because it will make products more expensive but also because foreign nations are likely to retaliate with tariffs of their own. ... Lost in the utilitarian arguments in favor of free trade, however, is something much more important: Trump's tariff attacks infringes on our freedom -- the freedom of the American people." (03/12/18)
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29) Schwarzenegger wants to sue oil companies for murder?
Source: Investors Business Daily
by staff
"Climate change expert Arnold Schwarzenegger recently declared that he will be suing oil companies for murder because use of their product is warming the planet. Here's a better idea: Thank the oil industry for contributing to unprecedented prosperity around the world. Speaking to Politico during the SXSW festival in Texas, Schwarzenegger said that he will be mounting a lawsuit against oil companies 'for knowingly killing people all over the world.' ... 'This is no different from the smoking issue,' Schwarzenegger said. ... You don't have to look very hard to see that Schwarzenegger's tobacco analogy completely breaks down." (03/12/18)
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30) Should local governments have greater autonomy from states?
Source: The Volokh Conspiracy
by Ilya Somin
"In recent years, there has been extensive focus on legal and political conflicts between states and the federal government. Dissenting states seek greater autonomy from federal dictates. Ongoing legal battles over Obamacare and sanctuary cities are just the latest examples of this phenomenon. But we have also seen a less-well known trend of conflict between states and local government. New articles by prominent legal scholars on opposite sides of the political spectrum contend that local governments should have greater autonomy from states. They make a solid case. But actually achieving increased autonomy will not be easy." (03/12/18)
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31) Tariffs: A history of repeated failure
Source: American Institute for Economic Research
by Jose Nino
"Even though tariffs have a proven track record of failure, why do policymakers insist on bringing these failed polices back from the grave? The harsh reality is that tariffs yield clear benefits for the narrow interest groups that promote them. Public-choice theory sheds some interesting light on how interest groups can mobilize rapidly in pushing for policies that hurt the rest of the populace." (03/12/18)
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32) Stormy takes on Donald, but lawyer Michael Cohen is the clear loser
Source: USA Today
by Jonathan Turley
"The scandal involving porn star Stormy Daniels and President Trump is now a matter for a court of law. Daniels is seeking a declaration that the agreement drafted by long-standing Trump attorney Michael Cohen is null and void. Cohen, in the meantime, is seeking to bar her lawsuit and stop her from discussing her relationship with Trump -- and might even try to block a 60 Minutes interview she did with Anderson Cooper. The validity of this bizarre agreement has only become murkier with time. However, the one clear loser is likely to be Cohen, whose conduct raises serious ethical concerns. Cohen, who recently proclaimed that 'I will always protect Mr. Trump,' may have to put his own bar license at risk to do precisely that. Let's start with this curious document entitled 'Confidential Settlement Agreement and Mutual Release; Assignment of Copyright and Non-Disparagment (sic) Agreement.'" (03/12/18)
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33) Quantum Vibe, 03/12/18
Source: Big Head Press
by Scott Bieser & Gus Mendes
Cartoon. (03/12/18)
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34) Here's why progressives hate Betsy DeVos
Source: Fox News Forum
by Bruce Riley Ashford
"After Education Secretary Betsy DeVos's appearance on CBS's '60 Minutes' on Sunday night, progressive media outlets and personalities mocked her performance as a 'trainwreck' saying that she 'stumbled,' 'struggled,' and 'stunk up' the interview. Although Secretary DeVos did struggle to answer some questions on the spot, the substance and tone of the criticisms are inaccurate and unfair. None of this should be surprising. Secretary DeVos, a Christian grandmother and philanthropist who has spent her career trying to improve the quality of education for poor children, has been criticized and mocked relentlessly. And she is the only Cabinet secretary who travels with a cadre of U. S. Marshals because of death threats she's received. So why, as 60 Minutes' Lesley Stahl put it, has Secretary DeVos become the 'most hated Cabinet secretary?' One reason (as opinion pieces in the New York Times and Wall Street Journal have argued) is that some of the Democratic party's most deep-pocketed and powerful interest groups are teachers' unions who realize that they will no longer have a near-monopoly on education." (03/12/18)
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35) What is wrong with the popular definition of inflation?
Source: Cobden Centre
by Dr. Frank Shostak
"What is today called inflation is the general rise in prices, which is in fact only the outcome of inflation. Consequently, anything that contributes to price rises is now called inflationary and therefore must be guarded against. Thus, a fall in unemployment or a rise in economic activity are all seen as potential inflationary triggers and therefore must be restrained by central bank policies. Some other triggers such as rises in commodity prices or workers' wages also regarded as potential threats and therefore must be always under the watchful eye of the central bank policy makers. If inflation is indeed just a general rise in prices, then why is it regarded as bad news? What kind of damage does it do?" (03/12/18)
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36) Can Europe save the Iran nuclear deal?
Source: Reuters
by Dalia Dassa Kaye & James Dobbins
"In his recent meeting with Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu again urged the United States to fix the Iran nuclear deal -- or else abandon it. The U.S. president has always seemed eager to scrap the Iran deal, calling it 'the worst deal ever.' Soon we will know if he'll get his wish. Since October, Trump has signaled that the United States was prepared to leave the nuclear agreement, which the United States, Russia, China, Europe and Iran agreed to in 2015. All the other parties believe the accord is working, but the president gave Congress 60 days to improve the deal or kill it. They chose neither. In mid-January he waived the nuclear-related sanctions, a necessary step for the deal's survival, but he threatened to withdraw if Europe does not 'fix' the agreement within four months. The critical question between now and mid-May is whether Europe can save the Iran deal." (03/12/18)
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37) Blockchain technology talk is largely nonsense
Source: Bitcoin.com
by C Edward Kelso
"Every so often, corporate business blushes its latest fad speak. Disruptive. Paradigm shift. 2.0, 3.0. Game changer. For about half a decade now, blockchain technology has been the phrasing du jure among ecosystem corporatists and assorted scammers. It's weak jingoism employed to disguise against real innovation, cryptocurrency. Blockchain is just a damn database, a giant spreadsheet. I've officially had an ass-full of it. Knock it off already." (03/12/18)
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38) US-North Korea summit? Shared language, expectations are key
Source: Christian Science Monitor
by Peter Grier
"President Trump's acceptance of a summit with North Korea's Kim Jong-un last week was a huge surprise for much of official Washington. It was almost as if Mr. Trump had decided to become a Democrat, or give up golf. After all, Trump has derided Kim as 'Little Rocket Man.' He's threatened North Korea with 'fire and fury.' The way in which the agreement came about seemed impetuous. Critics were quick to point out the many ways in which it might flop. Flop it might. ... But shock shouldn't make the US blind to opportunity, according to some experts. There are ways in which a US-North Korean summit could go right. If nothing else, a face-to-face meeting is better than trading insults via Tweet and North Korean state media. Negotiations are better than war." (03/12/18)
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39) Five times US tariffs have made matters worse
Source: Foundation for Economic Education
by Lexi Perry
"On Thursday, President Donald Trump announced his plans to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum coming into the United States at 25 percent and 10 percent respectively. The tariff is set to go into effect in 15 days without much support from global trading partners or his own party. The political wisdom of intervening to help an industry that produces half of what it did in the 1970s -- Trump has lost one of his top aides, and there's little to no national support for these proposed tariffs -- is more than slightly questionable, while history makes clear the economic foolishness of Trump's decision. When Trump's predecessors have imposed tariffs, it hasn't ended well for the US economy or the President in question." (03/12/18)
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40) Is coal waste leaching into America's drinking water?
Source: The New Republic
by Emily Atkin
"At more than 70 sites across the country, toxins like arsenic, mercury, and radium are leaching into groundwater from pond-like storage pits filled with the sludgy leftovers of coal burning. That's the most alarming takeaway from reports that the coal industry was required to submit to the Environmental Protection Agency this month, part of the first-ever federal regulations of the waste product known as coal ash. And yet, one day after the data was made public, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt announced his plan to overhaul President Barack Obama's 2015 coal ash rule, which requires companies to continuously inspect coal ash storage pits for leaks and monitor the surrounding areas for contamination. Coal companies and electric utilities had told him in May that these requirements were too expensive, and in September he said it would be 'appropriate and in the public interest' to rethink them. Now, Pruitt is proposing more than a dozen changes, including giving states and power utilities more control over how they dispose of coal ash and how often they test for groundwater contamination." (03/12/18)
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41) Trump is making diplomacy great again
Source: Antiwar.com
by Justin Raimondo
"No sooner had I published a column entitled 'And Now For The Good News,' predicting that the war on the Korean peninsula the Never Trumpers had been envisioning (and secretly hoping for) would not happen, and hailing the North-South negotiations as the first step toward a final settlement of the Korean question, then President Trump advanced the process a thousand-fold by accepting Kim Jong-un's invitation for a one-on-one meeting. The Washington policy wonks, the Never Trumpers, the right and the left -- all erupted in a chorus of 'He can't do that!' Ah, but he can, he has, and he will." (03/12/18)
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42) Why Democrats would lose the second civil war, too
Source: Town Hall
by Kurt Schlichter
"It's obvious that the central tenet of the Democrat Party platform is now hatred and contempt for Normal Americans. Taking their cue from the elites in Europe and Canada who are stripping dissenters of their free speech rights and religious freedoms, the leftist elite is moving to solidify its hold on power here with the eager assistance of tech companies and the moral support of the Fredocons who yearn to return to pseudo-relevance as the ruling class's slobberingly loyal opposition. In California, the leftist government is practically firing on Fort Sumter. And nationally, these aspiring fascists are especially eager to disarm Normal Americans -- doing so would be an object lesson in who's the boss, as well as solving that frustrating problem of the Normals having the ability to resist. Probably because I've spent time where they actually had a civil war, many people ask me whether I think this turmoil will all end in a Second Civil War. They are seriously concerned, and not without cause." (03/12/18)
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43) Democrats and the crisis of legitimacy
Source: CounterPunch
by Rob Urie
"The American electoral system, and with it what passes for representative democracy, is facing a crisis of legitimacy reflected in continued fallout from the 2016 election. The duopoly political Parties -- Democrats and Republicans, have both experienced mass exoduses for reasons specific to each. Because they have effective control over which candidates and programs get put forward in elections, they must be gotten out of the way for constructive political resolution to be possible. ... 71% of eligible voters didn't vote for the Democratic Party candidate. 73% didn't vote for Donald Trump (Clinton won the popular vote). Ninety million eligible voters (40%) didn't cast a ballot at all. Why it makes sense to present outcomes in terms of what voters didn't do is (1) the duopoly Parties control which candidates and programs are put forward and (2) voters have fled the duopoly Party system rather than simply switching Parties." (03/12/18)
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44) To support refugees, end the wars that create them
Source: In These Times
by Azadeh Shahshahani & Maha Hilal
"The concept of sanctuary, providing refuge and protection to people who are marginalized and oppressed, has a long history in the United States -- even when the United States itself is responsible for that repression. An early example of sanctuary in the United States is the Underground Railroad of the 19th century, which helped people escape slavery through routes and houses identified as safe by abolitionists and freedom seekers. In the 1950s and 60s, African-American organizers of the civil rights movement often held meetings in churches. Immigrant justice advocates have pioneered 'sanctuary churches' since the 1980s. These days, the concept is most often associated with so-called 'sanctuary cities' -- state and local jurisdictions that say they refuse to cooperate with federal efforts to deport undocumented residents. These cities have been relentlessly targeted by the Trump administration. Meanwhile, through three iterations of the Muslim Ban and other policies, Trump has drastically cut the number of refugees accepted into the United States from other countries." (03/12/18)
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45) YouTube extremism and the long tail
Source: The Atlantic
by Conor Friedersdorf
"Maybe YouTube's algorithm does steer heavy users toward metrics like 'hard core' or 'inflammatory' to raise engagement. But rereading 'The Long Tail,' it strikes me that a YouTube radicalization effect would manifest even without that being true. YouTube clearly monetizes 'the long tail' in much the same way as did Amazon and iTunes. Doesn't it make sense that, like those sites, most paths one might go down on a platform that wants to exploit its long-tail advantages would start with what is relatively mainstream before leading inevitably to what is less so? That's no problem in many realms. But in politics, 'less mainstream' will be highly correlated with more radical." (03/12/18)
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46) When Congress tests authority, military brings out big guns
Source: The American Conservative
by Bruce Fein
"Now that key senators have introduced measures that would end U.S.-aided hostilities in Yemen, we can expect that a coordinated backlash from the military establishment is imminent. The multi-trillion-dollar military-industrial-counterterrorism complex (MICC) has a business model for scuttling legislation that would end or curtail the involvement of the United States in military operations overseas. This typically involves leaking classified falsehoods, i.e., a false statement that the executive branch has classified to prohibit disclosure to the general public on the theory that disclosure might damage the national security of the United States (Executive Order 13526). Typically they will purport to demonstrate catastrophic danger or damage to the United States if Congress ends a use of the United States Armed Forces (USAF) in a designated conflict. Leaks like these will tend to fall into the hands of favored columnists like David Ignatius of The Washington Post or Tom Friedman of The New York Times." (03/12/18)
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47) A solution to the student debt and Social Security crises
Source: National Review
by Elliot Harding
"Student loans and the solvency of Social Security are two problems looming over this country's young adults. Nearly 50 million debtors ranging from their early twenties to their late thirties see their monthly pay strained by both their education's costly past and their bleak retirement future. William F. Buckley once said that 'the most serious argument against social security has to do with its compulsory character, but very few people, if given the opportunity, would opt for exclusion.' But perhaps some would, if given something in return -- such as student-debt forgiveness. ... The Student Security Act of 2017, introduced as H.R. 4584 by Republican congressman Tom Garrett (Va.), is a proposal to do just that. It looks beyond traditional debates and pragmatically embraces the mood, concerns, and individualism of a rising generation. The Student Security Program would offer student debtors the option of eliminating portions of their debt in exchange for delaying the age at which they will qualify for Social Security benefits." (03/12/18)
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48) Trump is more like recent presidents than anyone wants to admit
Source: Reason
by Nick Gillespie
"The flipside of Trump Derangement Syndrome, whose strongest form argues that the president is an 'extinction-level threat' to democracy itself, is Trump Exceptionalism Syndrome, which holds that Trump is the greatest leader since Winston Churchill, the biblical kings David and Cyrus, or whomever. Recent events reveal something more mundane: Trump is all too much like the other recent inhabitants of the White House. We are neither living through the End Times nor at the start of New Dawn. Instead of entering some sort of political Singularity, we're still stuck in the Regularity." (03/12/18)
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49) Too ignorant to lead
Source: Common Sense
by Paul Jacob
"I'm convinced. Oklahoma State Senator Mike Schulz, leader of his chamber, has persuaded me that he just can't do his job. He should have resigned years ago. Too late now, alas; he's about to be termed out of office. Well, better late than never, I always say. Schulz burbles that he's being ejected by Oklahoma's lax 12-year legislative term limits just as he is on the verge of being almost about to begin to make a solid start toward concluding the commencement of embarking upon truly hitting his stride ... and I believe him." (03/12/18)
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50) Bad medicine: How politicians jack up Medicaid and Medicare prices
Source: Heartland Institute
by Devon Herrick
"The other day a reporter asked me to explain why the government cannot negotiate the price of Medicare drugs lower than private drug plans run by pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). A related question is why state Medicaid agencies pay higher fees and prices for drugs than PBMs. The Medicare Modernization Act of 2003, the law that created Medicare Part D drug plans for seniors, contains a non-interference clause. Federal law prevents the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) from interfering in negotiations between drug makers and Medicare drug plans. Democrats routinely blast the non-interference clause as a Republican give-away to drug makers. That's not the case; CMS could never negotiate lower prices than private drug plans in a competitive market. Having buying power (as in a large purchaser like the government) is not the same as bargaining power." (03/12/18)
http://blog.heartland.org/2018/03/bad-medicine-how-politicians-jack-up-medicaid-and-medicare-prices/
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51) Deep learning and abstract orders
Source: Notes on Liberty
by Federico Sosa Valle
"It is well known that Friedrich Hayek once rejoiced at Noam Chomsky's evolutionary theory of language, which stated that the faculty of speaking depends upon a biological device which human beings are enabled with. There is no blank slate and our experience of the world relies on structures that come from the experience in itself. Hayek would be now delighted if he were told about the recent discoveries on the importance of background knowledge in the arms race between human beings and Artificial Intelligence. When decisions are to be taken by trial and error at the inside of a feedback system, humans are still ahead because they apply a framework of abstract patterns to interpret the connections among the different elements of the system." (03/11/18)
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52) The best way to compete with China is to free the economy
Source: Ludwig von Mises Institute
by Thorsten Polleit
"Protectionist measures and 'economic nationalism' will not solve the problems their supporters hope them to do. State interventions will not achieve their goals, but bring about a state of affairs that is less desirable than the situation that they were meant to alter. For instance, higher tariffs on import goods may make foreign goods less price competitive, which, in turn, also means higher prices for domestic producers and consumers. Production and economic prosperity will be restricted, and in the end, people are worse off than before. ... If a state does not play by the rules of the free market (and, unfortunately, none of them does), the truly wise reaction for all other states is to unleash free market forces -- that is improving the conditions of doing business within its own borders -- rather than to retaliate with interventionist measures." (03/12/18)
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53) The antiquarian assault on press freedom
Source: spiked
by Andrew Tettenborn
"When Henry VII felt a pressing need for money -- which he did most of the time -- he had no qualms about resurrecting all sorts of legal practices which everyone had assumed were dead and buried, with a view to catching out and extracting money from those who seemed to have some to spare. Today, the great and the good are going down much the same road when faced with speech they would prefer to suppress. Old-fashioned hair-trigger libel actions are one technique: witness Jeremy Corbyn seriously threatening to sue fellow politician Ben Bradley for libel last month over unguarded comments. But the last few years have also seen another insidious piece of legal antiquarianism being put into operation -- and one concerned directly with the publication of the truth." (03/12/18)
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54) Why not private provision of many government services?
Source: Future of Freedom Foundation
by Richard M Ebeling
"One of the great controversies in modern society concerns the necessary and required functions of government. There are few who disagree that if government is to exist then it certainly has the duty and responsibility to secure and protect essential rights of every individual, including the right to life, liberty and honestly acquired property. But there are a wide variety of tasks that the private sector could better provide that many think must be supplied by the government." (03/12/18)
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55) The letter and the spirit of the law
Source: EconLog
by Scott Sumner
"During 2006 and 2008, Congress gave the Fed the right to pay interest on reserves, at a rate not to exceed the prevailing level of short-term interest rates. The actual interest rate paid by the Fed does exceed most measures of short-term interest rates; for instance, it has often exceeded the fed funds rate, or the rate on 3-month T-bills. But George points out that the Fed cleverly crafted the language so that in practice they have almost unlimited ability to pay as much interest on reserves as they like. Thus while the actual program is a subsidy to banks that clearly violates Congressional intent, it's not technically illegal." (03/11/18)
_____ Today's Freedom Podcast and Video _____
56) Cato Daily Podcast, 03/12/18
Source: Cato Institute
"The White House seems substantially unprepared for a planned meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Doug Bandow and John Glaser comment." [various formats] (03/12/18)
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57) Scott Adams Says, 03/12/18
Source: Scott Adams Says
"Scott Adams solves the sanctuary city standoff while folding laundry." [Flash video] (03/12/18)
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58) Fresh Air, 03/12/18
Source: National Public Radio [US state media]
"Rania Abouzeid has been covering Syria since 2011 -- despite the fact that she's been called a spy, placed on wanted lists by Syrian intelligence and banned from entering the country. In her new book, 'No Turning Back,' she writes about rebel fighters, and families caught in the middle. Critic John Powers reviews 'The Sparsholt Affair,' by novelist Alan Hollinghurst." [Flash audio] (03/12/18)
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59) Ron Paul Liberty Report, 03/12/18
Source: Ron Paul Liberty Report
"The Defense Department has sent Senate Majority Leader McConnell a letter informing him that even if Congress passes legislation limiting US military action in Yemen, the Pentagon will ignore it. Will Congress finally wake up on Afghanistan and Yemen and return to its Constitutional obligations? Time to smack down an out-of-control Executive Branch?" [Flash video] (03/12/18)
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60) The Bob Zadek Show, 03/11/18
Source: The Bob Zadek Show
"Of course, it goes without saying that sexual harassment deserves to be treated seriously. Richard Epstein returns to the show to bring his full intellect to bear on this hairy subject. He and Bob will discuss the threat to free speech posed by the Federal Government's broad guidelines on harassment issued to universities under Title IX legislation. They seek to define appropriate remedies for sexual harassment, and the market's role in punishing bad behavior." [various formats] (03/11/18)
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61) One Free Family, episode 8
Source: Pax Libertas Productions
"How do we balance letting children guide their own habits and activities versus intervening in their diet, activities, and habits in an effort to mitigate developing unhealthy habits? This is a question we received from Bobby H. in the Pax Libertas Productions Fan Group and we loved this question, so here we go!" [Flash audio] (03/12/18)
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62) Foreign Policy Focus, episode 166
Source: Foreign Policy Focus
"On FPF #166, I discuss Max Boot's Washington Post article North Korea and South Korea Snooker Trump. Boot argues that Trump talking with Kim Jong Un is very dangerous. Boot even claims that a deal with North Korea could lead to North Korea conquering the Korean Peninsula. I debunk all of Boot's fearmongering in the article." [various formats] (03/12/18)
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63) Lions of Liberty Podcast, episode 338
Source: Lions of Liberty
"In today's episode, Marc convenes another liquored-up meeting of the liberty minds for another rendition of 'Libertarians in Living Rooms Drinking Liquor!'" [various formats] (03/12/18)
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64) Free Talk Live, 03/11/18
Source: Free Talk Live
"Daylight Savings Time :: Zulu Time :: Time Zones :: Cars as homes :: Banned from city meeting :: self driving cars :: jay walking :: HOSTS -- Darryl, Jonny Ray and Mark." [Flash audio or MP3] (03/11/18)
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65) The Anarchist Experience, episode 155
Source: The Anarchist Experience
"We discuss what's left to do when everything is perfect, What to do when your employer steals from you, and these Headlines: -- Seattle Police Begin Gun Confiscations: No Laws Broken, No Warrant, No Charges -- 'That's Cold-Blooded' -- Oakland Coffee Shop Refuses To Serve Police In Uniform -- You Can Make Your Kids Invisible to the US Government. But Should You?" [various formats] (03/11/18)
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