06/05 -- US regime vetoes Gaza ceasefire resolution at UN security council; Trump's Palantir-Powered Surveillance Is Turning America Into a Digital Prison
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Thomas L. Knapp
Jun 5, 2025, 6:23:32 AM6/5/25
to Freedom News Daily
Freedom News Daily, 06/05/25
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Today's Freedom News:
1) US regime vetoes Gaza ceasefire resolution at UN security council
2) CBO: Trump’s “big beautiful bill” will swell US regime's deficit by $2.4 trillion
3) Trump and Putin discuss Ukraine drone strikes, Iran during 75-minute call
4) Burning cargo ship carrying 3,000 vehicles abandoned off Alaska
5) Vietnam: Regime scraps two-child policy as aging threatens economic growth
6) Germany: Cologne starts its biggest evacuation since 1945 to defuse WWII bombs
7) Trump whines at Powell some more over interest rates
8) Hungary: Ruling Party Postpones Vote on Law That Could Curb Foreign-Funded Groups
9) IL: Self-proclaimed Dem “super mayor” ordered to court as scandal-plagued tenure unravels
10) Vanuatu: Regime seeks to cancel Andrew Tate’s “golden passport” citizenship
11) Syria: Regime to give inspectors immediate access to suspected former nuclear sites
12) Santa Ono rejected to lead University of Florida after GOP backlash
13) Canada: Regime proposes sweeping immigration and security bill
14) Ivory Coast: Four opposition figures barred from October presidential election
15) Over 1.5 million foreign pilgrims in Saudi Arabia for the Hajj
16) Judge tosses Democratic Party challenge to Trump order’s impact on FEC
17) 200-year-old condom with explicit print displayed in Amsterdam
18) Chinese couple charged with smuggling toxic fungus into US
19) PA: State sues USDA over cutting funding to $1 billion food aid program
20) AL: Homeowner shoots axe-wielding intruder
Today's Freedom Commentary:
21) Trump’s Palantir-Powered Surveillance Is Turning America Into a Digital Prison
22) “Buy Now, Pay Later” Isn’t Great, But Regulation’s Worse
23) Trump’s Haste Begets Lawlessness
24) Where do we go from here?
25) The Rent IS Too High: Blame Zoning and Supply Caps, Not Rental Apps
26) WelcomeFest’s Billionaire Backers Reveal Its True Mission
27) The History of Successful Liberal Reform
28) Congress Will Be The Last To Reform
29) Gaza Genocide Is Biden’s True “Original Sin”
30) Egypt’s energy gamble has left it beholden to Israel
31) Mongolia’s young people right the ship
32) The Classical Liberal Idea of Equality
33) This Is Israel
34) Why increase fertility when you can just allow more immigration?
35) Iran Rejects Trump’s Bad Proposal
36) The Law of Consent
37) Founding Fathers understood parental rights are natural rights
38) Iran Isn’t as Weak as It Seems
39) The Myth of Trumpian Deterrence
40) Government destined to self-destruct
41) First Casualty of the Big Beautiful Bill?
42) Reining in the Spies
43) Israel Is Fully Integrating Its Gaza “Food Aid Hubs” Into the Genocide
44) You can’t fire your way to a high-performing government
45) The Activist Community Speaks
46) Tyranny Has Invaded America Through the Immigration Enforcement Regime
47) Hell No: The ODNI Wants to Make it Easier for the Government to Buy Your Data Without Warrant
48) The meaning behind Trump’s foreign policy trolling
49) “I Am Not Afraid”
50) Does poverty cause homelessness?
Today's Freedom Podcast and Video:
51) The Political Orphanage, 06/04/25
52) FFF Podcast: The Soho Immigration Debate
53) Reason Interview: Helen Lewis
54) The David Frum Show, 06/04/25
55) The Good Fight, 06/04/25
56) The Daily Blast with Greg Sargent, 06/04/25
57) The Corbett Report, episode 479
58) How To Fix The Internet, 06/04/25
59) Antiwar News with Dave DeCamp, 06/04/25
60) JFK Facts Podcast, episode 113
61) Lawless: Ilya Shapiro on Free Speech in Higher Education
62) Politics Politics Politics, 06/03/25
63) Anarcho Agenda, episode 135
64) Nonzero, 06/03/25
65) LPA Live, episode 18
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_____ Today's Freedom News _____
1) US regime vetoes Gaza ceasefire resolution at UN security council
Source: The Guardian [UK]
“The United States has vetoed a United Nations security council resolution calling for an ‘immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire’ in Gaza while the 14 remaining countries on the council voted in favour. The vetoed resolution also called the situation in Gaza ‘catastrophic,’ and demanded the ‘immediate and unconditional lifting of all restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza and its safe and unhindered distribution at scale, including by the UN and humanitarian partners.’ It was the fifth time that the US has vetoed a security council draft ceasefire resolution in order to protect Israel.” (06/04/24)
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/04/us-vetoes-gaza-ceasefire-un-security-council
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2) CBO: Trump’s “big beautiful bill” will swell US regime's deficit by $2.4 trillion
Source: Financial Times [UK]
“Donald Trump’s landmark tax bill will add $2.4tn to the US deficit by 2034, the congressional fiscal watchdog has warned, in the latest blow to the president as he seeks to push the legislation through the Senate. The Congressional Budget Office said on Wednesday that the legislation — dubbed the ‘big beautiful bill’ by Trump — would swell the country’s ballooning debt pile despite the administration’s insistence that it would lead to a budget surplus. … The bill narrowly passed the US House of Representatives last month. It faces an uphill battle in the Senate, where Republican fiscal conservatives have expressed concerns over its spending levels.” (06/04/25)
https://archive.is/tOQLB
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3) Trump and Putin discuss Ukraine drone strikes, Iran during 75-minute call
Source: National Public Radio [US state media]
“President Trump said on social media on Wednesday that he had spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin for an hour and 15 minutes about Ukraine’s recent strikes on Russian aircraft and about nuclear talks with Iran. ‘It was a good conversation, but not a conversation that will lead to immediate Peace,’ Trump said in his post. In fact, Trump said Putin had vowed during the call to respond to Ukraine’s Sunday drone strikes on air bases in Russia. … Trump said he also updated Putin on his efforts to reach a nuclear deal with Iran.” (06/04/25)
https://www.npr.org/2025/06/04/nx-s1-5423569/trump-putin-ukraine-drones-iran
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4) Burning cargo ship carrying 3,000 vehicles abandoned off Alaska
Source: Reuters
“The crew of a cargo ship carrying around 3,000 vehicles, including 800 electric vehicles, abandoned it off the coast of Alaska after a fire broke out onboard, its operator Zodiac Maritime said on Wednesday. The 22 crew members were safely evacuated the ship after they failed to put out the fire, Zodiac said as it focuses on salvaging the vessel. … The vessel, Morning Midas, was located 300 miles (482.8 km) southwest of Adak in Alaska, the Coast Guard said on its X account. Smoke was initially seen rising from a deck loaded with EVs, the company said. It is not clear what brand of vehicles the ship was carrying. The Liberia-flagged ship left China’s Yantai port on May 26 and was on the way to Lazaro Cardenas, Mexico, according to LSEG data.” (06/04/25)
https://archive.is/qPFlb
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5) Vietnam: Regime scraps two-child policy as aging threatens economic growth
Source: NBC News
“Vietnam has abolished its long-standing two-child limit to try and reverse declining birth rates and ease the pressures of an aging population. The National Assembly passed amendments scrapping rules that limit families to having one or two children, the state-run Vietnam News Agency reported Wednesday. The rules were usually stricter for members of the ruling Communist Party, who could miss out on promotions or bonuses if they had a third child. Vietnamese families are having fewer children than ever before. The birth rate in 2021 was 2.11 children per woman, just over the replacement rate required for a population to avoid shrinking over the long term. Since then, the birth rate has steadily declined: to 2.01 in 2022, 1.96 in 2023 and 1.91 in 2024.” (06/04/25)
https://www.nbcnews.com/world/asia/vietnam-scraps-two-child-policy-aging-threatens-economic-growth-rcna211099
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6) Germany: Cologne starts its biggest evacuation since 1945 to defuse WWII bombs
Source: ABC News
“More than 20,000 residents were being evacuated from part of Cologne’s city center on Wednesday as specialists prepared to defuse three unexploded U.S. bombs from World War II that were unearthed earlier this week. Even 80 years after the end of the war, unexploded bombs dropped during wartime air raids are frequently found in Germany. Disposing of them sometimes entails large-scale precautionary evacuations such as the one on Wednesday, though the location this time was unusually prominent and this is Cologne’s biggest evacuation since 1945. There have been bigger evacuations in other cities. Authorities on Wednesday morning started evacuating about 20,500 residents from an area within a 1,000-meter (3,280-foot) radius of the bombs, which were discovered on Monday during preparatory work for road construction. They were found in the Deutz district, just across the Rhine River from Cologne’s historic center.” (06/04/25)
https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/cologne-starts-biggest-evacuation-1945-defuse-wwii-bombs-122478383
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7) Trump whines at Powell some more over interest rates
Source: CNBC
“President Donald Trump on Wednesday angrily urged Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell to cut interest rates, minutes after the payroll firm ADP reported its lowest monthly private-sector jobs number in years. ‘ADP NUMBER OUT!!! ‘Too Late’ Powell must now LOWER THE RATE,’ Trump wrote on Truth Social. ‘He is unbelievable!!!’ the president said of the central bank chairman, whom he has frequently pressured to shave borrowing rates in hopes of spurring economic growth. ‘Europe has lowered NINE TIMES!’ Trump added.” [editor’s note: The total debt-to-GDP ratio of EU regimes is less than 1/8th that of the US regime. Less money tied up in regime boondoggles means more money available, which means lower interest rates – TLK] (06/04/25)
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/04/trump-powell-adp-jobs.html
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8) Hungary: Ruling Party Postpones Vote on Law That Could Curb Foreign-Funded Groups
Source: US News & World Report
“Hungary’s ruling party has postponed a parliamentary debate and vote set for mid-June on transparency legislation governing foreign-funded groups, a senior party official said, following protests that it seemed aimed at stifling political dissent. Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s Fidesz party submitted a bill to parliament on May 14 that would draft a list of organisations that get foreign funding and restrict or even shut them down if deemed to threaten Hungary’s sovereignty and its culture. … ‘The (Fidesz) parliamentary group is united in the view that legal instruments must be used to protect sovereignty. However, there is debate over what those instruments should be,’ Fidesz parliamentary party leader Máté Kocsis told index.hu. He said that so many proposals had been submitted regarding the bill in recent weeks that the debate needed to be postponed until the autumn session of parliament.” (06/04/25)
https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2025-06-04/hungary-postpones-vote-on-law-that-could-curb-foreign-funded-groups
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9) IL: Self-proclaimed Dem “super mayor” ordered to court as scandal-plagued tenure unravels
Source: Fox News
“The self-described Chicago suburb ‘super mayor’ is facing mounting legal woes after being ousted in a landslide election following a scandal-plagued time in office. Former Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard, a Democrat, has been ordered to appear for a contempt hearing after she did not turn over public records from her time in office, according to WGN 9. The Edgar County Watchdogs Inc. sued the Village of Dolton and the former mayor for failing to produce financial records after the administration allegedly disregarded Freedom of Information Act requests earlier this year. ‘The former mayor is about to find out if losing an election is enough to escape contempt of court,’ Edward ‘Coach’ Weinhaus, attorney for Edgar County Watchdogs, said in a statement to Fox News Digital. Henyard was previously held in contempt of court after she failed to turn over records from her time in office, directly dismissing state transparency laws for elected officials, WGN 9 reported.” (06/04/25)
https://www.foxnews.com/us/self-proclaimed-super-mayor-ordered-court-scandal-plagued-tenure-unravels
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10) Vanuatu: Regime seeks to cancel Andrew Tate’s “golden passport” citizenship
Source: South China Morning Post [Hong Kong]
“Vanuatu has vowed to close loopholes in its ‘golden passport’ scheme and take steps to nullify citizenship granted to influencer Andrew Tate, who reportedly bought the island nation’s travel document before he was arrested in Romania on charges of rape and human trafficking. Tate obtained the passport in December 2022 through a programme that allows foreigners to buy citizenship for US$130,000, the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) said in a statement on Monday. That month, he and his brother, Tristan, were held in Romania where they were charged with rape and human trafficking. Vanuatu’s passport trade, which also offers applicants visa-free travel to dozens of countries and the right to acquire property, has come under scrutiny over its ties to sanctioned individuals and suspected money launderers.” (06/04/25)
https://archive.is/6J3jh
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11) Syria: Regime to give inspectors immediate access to suspected former nuclear sites
Source: SFGate
“Syria’s new government has agreed to give inspectors from the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog access to suspected former nuclear sites immediately, the agency’s head told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The International Atomic Energy Agency’s director-general, Rafael Mariano Grossi, spoke in an exclusive interview in Damascus, where he met with President Ahmad al-Sharaa and other officials. He also said al-Sharaa expressed an interest in pursuing nuclear energy for Syria in the future, adding, ‘Why not?’ The agency’s aim is ‘to bring total clarity over certain activities that took place in the past that were, in the judgment of the agency, probably related to nuclear weapons,’ Grossi said. He described the new government as ‘committed to opening up to the world, to international cooperation’ and said he is hopeful of finishing the inspection process within months.” (06/04/25)
https://www.sfgate.com/news/world/article/syria-agrees-to-give-inspectors-immediate-access-20361334.php
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12) Santa Ono rejected to lead University of Florida after GOP backlash
Source: United Press International
“Dr. Santa Ono, the former president at the University of Michigan, was rejected Tuesday as the next president at the University of Florida amid backlash from Republicans over his earlier support of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Tuesday’s decision by the 17-member Board of Governors comes one week after UF’s Board of Trustees unanimously approved Ono as the finalist. Ono was on track to become one of the highest paid public university presidents in the country. He was due to sign a five-year contract with a base salary of $1.5 million and incentives to earn as much as $15 million over the life of the deal. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who signed the 2023 bill banning DEI initiatives in public colleges, delivered a lukewarm response when Ono became the presidential pick, saying Ono’s statements made him ‘cringe.'” (06/04/25)
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2025/06/03/Santa-Ono-rejected-university-florida-president/6701748995199/
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13) Canada: Regime proposes sweeping immigration and security bill
Source: BBC News [UK State Media]
“The Canadian government has proposed a bill to restrict some asylum claims and give authorities more power to halt the processing of immigration applications. Canada’s immigration minister Lena Diab said the Strong Borders Act is meant to curb organised crime and the flow of illegal drugs and weapons, while boosting the ‘integrity’ of the country’s immigration system. It includes provisions that would give police more power to monitor Canada’s shared border with the US. It could also bar those who have been in Canada for more than year from filing a claim for asylum. But critics said the bill, which seeks to expand authorities’ ability to open and inspect mail, would breach civil liberties. The proposed legislation comes amid increasing pressure on Canada, which has historically been open to newcomers, to restrict immigration as the country deals with strained public services and a housing crisis.” (06/04/25)
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c780rj9nve0o
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14) Ivory Coast: Four opposition figures barred from October presidential election
Source: France 24 [French state media]
“Four prominent opposition figures in Ivory Coast have been excluded from the final voter list and are ineligible to contest the October presidential election, the electoral commission announced Wednesday. Tidjane Thiam, the leader of Ivory Coast’s main opposition party, the Democratic Party of Ivory Coast (PDCI), was struck from the voter roll in April after a court ruling cast doubt on his Ivorian nationality at the time of registration. … Former president Laurent Gbagbo, his former right-hand man Charles Blé Goudé and and exiled former prime minister Guillaume Soro have been barred for years over past convictions and were not reinstated.” (06/04/25)
https://www.france24.com/en/africa/20250604-four-ivory-coast-opposition-figures-barred-from-october-presidential-election
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15) Over 1.5 million foreign pilgrims in Saudi Arabia for the Hajj
Source: SFGate
“More than 1.5 million foreign pilgrims are in Saudi Arabia for this year’s Hajj, a government spokesperson said Wednesday. Hajj is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, a religious obligation involving rituals and acts of worship that every Muslim must fulfil if they have the money and are physically able to do it. Hajj Ministry spokesperson Ghassan Al-Nuwaimi provided an approximate number for foreigners at this year’s pilgrimage. He did not say how many domestic pilgrims were taking part. Last year, there were 1,611,310 pilgrims from outside the country. On Wednesday, pilgrims streamed into Arafat, some making the journey on foot, carrying their luggage through temperatures nudging 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). Others carried the elderly. People paused to sit on the ground to rest or eat before heading to their camps. Mount Arafat, a rocky hill southeast of Mecca, holds immense significance in Islam.” (06/04/25)
https://www.sfgate.com/news/world/article/more-than-1-5-million-foreign-pilgrims-are-in-20361363.php
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16) Judge tosses Democratic Party challenge to Trump order’s impact on FEC
Source: Politico
“A federal judge has dismissed a Democratic Party lawsuit claiming an executive order issued by President Donald Trump was intruding on the independence of the Federal Election Commission. In a ruling Tuesday night, U.S. District Judge Amir Ali said the Democratic Party groups’ case was simply too speculative to justify emergency intervention from the court. The FEC had pledged to remain independent, had received no directive from the White House to change its practices and vowed to abide by the law. Without evidence undermining those promises, Ali said he was compelled to dismiss the suit.” (06/03/25)
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/06/03/judge-tosses-democratic-party-challenge-to-trump-orders-impact-on-fec-00384577
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17) 200-year-old condom with explicit print displayed in Amsterdam
Source: BBC News [UK State Media]
“An almost 200-year-old condom has just gone on display at an exhibition at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. It is thought to be made of a sheep’s appendix and features an explicit print representing a nun and three clergymen. The rare artefact dates back to 1830 and was purchased by the museum at an auction last year. The condom is part of an exhibition on 19th Century prostitution and sexuality. Prints, drawings and photographs also form part of the display. It is ‘a subject that is underrepresented in our collection,’ the museum said in a press release. ‘It embodies both the lighter and darker sides of sexual health, in an era when the quest for sensual pleasure was fraught with fears of unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases – especially syphilis,’ it added.” (06/04/25)
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1de271qg4yo
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18) Chinese couple charged with smuggling toxic fungus into US
Source: Al Jazeera [Qatari state media]
“US federal prosecutors have charged two Chinese nationals with smuggling a toxic fungus into the United States, which authorities claim could be turned into a ‘potential agroterrorism weapon.’ The charges against Jian Yunqing, 33, and Liu Zunyong, 34, two researchers from China, were unsealed by the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan on Tuesday. The pair face additional charges of conspiracy, visa fraud and providing false statements to investigators. Prosecutors allege that Liu smuggled the fungus, called Fusarium graminearum, into the US so he could carry out research at a University of Michigan laboratory where his girlfriend, Jian, worked. Fusarium graminearum causes ‘head blight,’ a disease in crops like wheat, barley, maize and rice, and is ‘responsible for billions of dollars in economic losses worldwide each year,’ according to the charges.” (06/04/25)
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/4/chinese-couple-charged-with-smuggling-toxic-fungus-into-us
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19) PA: State sues USDA over cutting funding to $1 billion food aid program
Source: SFGate
“Pennsylvania sued the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Wednesday, saying the agency, under President Donald Trump, had illegally cut off funding to it through a program designed to distribute more than $1 billion in aid to states to purchase food from farms for schools, child care centers, and food banks. The lawsuit in federal court, announced by Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, comes three months after the USDA advised states that it was ending the pandemic-era assistance program because it no longer reflected agency priorities. ‘I don’t get what the hell their priorities are if not feeding people and taking care of our farmers,’ Shapiro said at a news conference at a food bank warehouse in Philadelphia. The USDA declined comment Wednesday. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Harrisburg, asks the court to reverse the USDA’s decision to end the reimbursement program.” (06/04/25)
https://www.sfgate.com/news/politics/article/pennsylvania-is-suing-the-usda-over-cutting-20361012.php
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20) AL: Homeowner shoots axe-wielding intruder
Source: WKRG 5 News
“A suspect in a home break-in is in the hospital, News 5 has learned. He was shot by a homeowner after entering their home with an axe, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. MCSO officials said they were called to a home in the Eureka Landing community around 2:40 a.m. on June 3 for a report of a break-in. When deputies arrived, they said they found the homeowner, who said that he shot the suspect in the torso in self-defense. Deputies said they were able to find the suspect behind the home with a gunshot wound, and he was taken to a local hospital.” (06/03/25)
https://www.wkrg.com/alabama-news/monroe-county-homeowner-shoots-axe-wielding-intruder-sheriffs-office-says/
_____ Today's Freedom Commentary _____
21) Trump’s Palantir-Powered Surveillance Is Turning America Into a Digital Prison
Source: CounterPunch
by John W Whitehead & Nisha Whitehead
“Call it what it is: a panopticon presidency. President Trump’s plan to fuse government power with private surveillance tech to build a centralized, national citizen database is the final step in transforming America from a constitutional republic into a digital dictatorship armed with algorithms and powered by unaccountable, all-seeing artificial intelligence. This isn’t about national security. It’s about control.” (06/04/25)
https://www.counterpunch.org/2025/06/04/trumps-palantir-powered-surveillance-is-turning-america-into-a-digital-prison/
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22) “Buy Now, Pay Later” Isn’t Great, But Regulation’s Worse
Source: Foundation for Economic Education
by Mike Viola
“BNPL services like Klarna, Affirm, and Afterpay market themselves as credit-check and interest-free alternatives to credit cards — but they come with downsides of their own for both consumers and merchants. As the consequences become more visible in the news, these companies have come under scrutiny from politicians and regulators. In reality, BNPL is not uniquely harmful — it just isn’t particularly beneficial to customers or cost-effective for businesses compared to other payment options. Still, the best way to improve these services is through market competition, not the heavy-handed regulations some are beginning to propose.” (06/04/25)
https://fee.org/articles/buy-now-pay-later-isnt-great-but-regulations-worse/
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23) Trump’s Haste Begets Lawlessness
Source: Reason
by Jacob Sullum
“Last week, a federal court ruled that President Donald Trump had exceeded his statutory authority by imposing a raft of tariffs based on the ‘national emergency’ supposedly caused by the longstanding U.S. trade deficit. Those tariffs are part of an alarming pattern: In his rush to enact his agenda, Trump frequently treats legal constraints as inconveniences that can be overridden by executive fiat. … Trump’s disregard for the law is coupled with angry dismay at judicial review. As he sees it, any judge who dares to impede his will is a ‘Radical Left Lunatic,’ a ‘troublemaker’ and ‘agitator’ who ‘should be IMPEACHED!!!'” (06/04/25)
https://reason.com/2025/06/04/trumps-haste-begets-lawlessness/
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24) Where do we go from here?
Source: The Watch
by Radley Balko
“It’s easy to get bogged down in the mire of so many crazy and dangerous things happening at such a rapid pace — the ‘flood the zone with shit’ tactic, as Steve Bannon memorably put it. It is important to resist the big picture being crowded out by the nearly impossible task of responding to each outrage individually and in isolation. And the big picture is we now have a federal executive, the most powerful official on the planet, acting on the firm belief that he is not constrained by the rule of law and determined to run roughshod over the other two branches of government. … The reality we face is grim, but not hopeless — yet.” (06/04/25)
https://radleybalko.substack.com/p/where-do-we-go-from-here
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25) The Rent IS Too High: Blame Zoning and Supply Caps, Not Rental Apps
Source: The Daily Economy
by Shubha Ghosh
“Central planners regulate, central bankers inflate, and both try to scapegoat AI software for the sky-high rents that result.” (06/04/25)
https://thedailyeconomy.org/article/zoning-and-supply-caps-not-rental-apps-broke-the-housing-market/
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26) WelcomeFest’s Billionaire Backers Reveal Its True Mission
Source: Revolving Door Project
by Common Dreams
“If the Abundance universe is to be believed, the hottest ticket this summer is WelcomeFest. Wednesday’s confab is the second such annual gathering organized by the centrist group Welcome Party and its political action committee WelcomePAC, with this year’s event touting a distinct abundance flair. The conference boasts a rogues’ gallery of corporate-friendly cosponsors, including Third Way, the New Democratic Coalition, Inclusive Abundance, and the Blue Dog Caucus. A sizzle reel from last year’s event paints WelcomeFest as an Internet Hippo tweet come to life, complete with cameos from A-listers like ex-CNN anchor John Avlon and Democratic influencer Olivia Julianna. This year’s ‘Responsibility to Win/ session (misspelled on the event’s official poster) has drawn viral attention online—both for its bizarre AI Ghibli promos and stacked lineup of neoliberal pundits, conservative Democratic lawmakers, and wunderkind pollsters serving up Dick Morris’ reheated leftovers.” (06/04/25)
https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/welcomefest-billionaire-donors
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27) The History of Successful Liberal Reform
Source: Liberal Currents
by Isaiah Glick
“To understand how America might escape from the clutches of oligarchy, it is worth reaching back through history, to see how the people have pushed back against the elites to achieve reform. They happened in Britain in the 1830s and America in the 1930s, struggles against the forces of reaction that ultimately resulted in the redistribution of power away from the oligarchy and towards the people. They were successful because they capitalized on fears within the ruling class that the system might fall apart and take them down with it. As a result, they chose to accept reform to maintain their position. The anger is there. The question is when it will reach the point that the political class is scared enough to do something about it.” (06/04/25)
https://www.liberalcurrents.com/the-history-of-successful-liberal-reform/
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28) Congress Will Be The Last To Reform
Source: Freeman’s Perspective
by Paul Rosenberg
“Things have changed in the US since the Covid disaster, chief among them the attitude of the populace. Productive people are now speaking openly about the corruption of American institutions and their desire to return to a more traditional American culture. The big event at the moment is the US Congress doing their usual: telling people what they want to hear while changing as little as possible. And so I think it’s useful to point out that Congress will be the last institution to reform. Regardless of their smooth words, you should see them no differently than you saw the boss of your least favorite Fed agency during the Biden time.” (06/04/25)
https://freemansperspective.com/congress-will-be-the-last-to-reform/
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29) Gaza Genocide Is Biden’s True “Original Sin”
Source: Common Dreams
by Richard Eskow
“‘Original Sin’ was an odd title choice for the recent book, co-authored by CNN anchor Jake Tapper and subtitled ‘President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-up, and his Disastrous Decision to Run Again.’ The book confirms long-standing suspicions about former President Joe Biden’s cognitive decline, its handling by Biden’s inner circle, and the Democratic Party leadership’s attempts to conceal it. These may be sins, but they’re hardly ‘original.’ The earliest confirmed cover-up of presidential incapacity goes back over a century, to President Woodrow Wilson’s 1919 stroke. Ronald Reagan’s aides were so concerned about his inattentiveness, competence, and mood that they proposed invoking the 25th Amendment. … In the long arc of history, political cover-ups and lies are relatively venal sins. But genocide is a mortal sin, the worst imaginable.”
https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/gaza-genocide-democrats
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30) Egypt’s energy gamble has left it beholden to Israel
Source: Responsible Statecraft
by Elfadil Ibrahim
“As the scorching summer season approaches, Egypt finds itself once again in the throes of an uncomfortable ritual: the annual scramble for natural gas. Recent reports paint a concerning picture of what’s to come, industrial gas supplies to vital sectors like petrochemicals and fertilizers have been drastically cut, some by as much as 50 percent. The proximate cause? Routine maintenance at Israel’s Leviathan mega-field, leading to a significant drop in imports. But this is merely the latest symptom of a deeper, more chronic ailment. Egypt, once lauded as a rising energy hub, has fallen into a perilous trap of dependence, its national security and foreign policy options increasingly constrained by an awkward reliance on Israeli gas.” (06/04/25)
https://responsiblestatecraft.org/egypt-israel/
-----
31) Mongolia’s young people right the ship
Source: Christian Science Monitor
by staff
“In an East Asia worried about aging societies, the landlocked nation of Mongolia has the youngest population: About half its people are under 30 years old. Its Generation Z individuals (born between 1997 and 2012) are digital natives with a democratic bent. If they still live a traditional nomadic life, they might use a Prius or perhaps a drone to herd their livestock. On Tuesday, they showed the power of their numbers – and the power of their ideas – to shape honest governance. After weeks of youth-led protests in the capital, Ulaanbaatar, Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai was forced to resign. Allegations that his son had given luxury gifts to his girlfriend – which triggered the street protests – led to a vote of no confidence in Parliament.” (06/03/25)
https://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/the-monitors-view/2025/0603/Mongolia-s-young-people-right-the-ship
-----
32) The Classical Liberal Idea of Equality
Source: Isonomia Quarterly
by Lee Ward
“The origins and history of liberalism have been subjects of considerable interest of late. But I am not proposing here to offer a genealogy of liberalism tout court. Rather my intention is more modest. I would like to examine the classical liberal idea of equality. However, I embark on this task cognizant of a significant obstacle to our understanding of this important concept. I am mindful of Karl Polanyi’s shrewd observation that much of the memory of the deep complexity of classical liberal political economy was lost in the transition to the later modern liberal economic orthodoxy especially insofar as the ‘elementary truths of political science and statecraft were first discredited, then forgotten.’ That is to say, politics and economics, as well as markets and the civil state have been in contact, conflict and cooperation since the dawn of the modern period.” (06/04/25)
https://isonomiaquarterly.com/archive/volume-3-issue-2/the-classical-liberal-idea-of-equality/
-----
33) This Is Israel
Source: Caitlin Johnstone, Rogue Journalist
by Caitlin Johnstone
“This is what the Zionist project looks like. The dead kids. The blown-out hospitals. The desperate, starving civilians. This is it. There is no alternate version of Israel where these things are not happening. The liberal Zionist vision of a two-state solution and a just and peaceful Israel exists solely in the imaginations of the people who envision it. Nothing like it has ever existed. Everything about the modern state of Israel is unyieldingly hostile to that vision. You either support the existence of the Israel you see before you, or you support the end of the apartheid Zionist entity. There is no hidden third option. There are no other positions on the menu. To pretend otherwise is to live in a fantasy land. You either want to burn children alive, or you don’t.” (06/04/25)
https://caitlinjohnstone.com.au/2025/06/04/this-is-israel/
-----
34) Why increase fertility when you can just allow more immigration?
Source: Sex and the State
by Cathy Reisenwitz
“Look, I love immigration and hate nationalism. Fuck that blood-and-soil bullshit. Only losers make where they happened to be born a foundational part of their personal pride and self-conception above and beyond their personal talents, accomplishments, and contributions. Immigration has always been and continues to be a huge net-positive for the US. It is not, however, an unalloyed good. And the reason isn’t the immigrants, but the natives. Especially the loseryest ones.” (06/04/25)
https://cathyreisenwitz.substack.com/p/why-increase-fertility-when-you-can
-----
35) Iran Rejects Trump’s Bad Proposal
Source: Eunomia
by Daniel Larison
“The administration’s proposal was sure to be rejected, and the U.S. side must have known that this would be the Iranian response. While the proposal apparently allows for a brief period of low-level enrichment, the U.S. was insisting that Iran could not have enrichment on its soil at the end of the process. Iran considers domestic enrichment a national right and something that it cannot give up under any circumstances. It should be obvious why a belated humiliation is no better than an immediate one.” (06/04/25)
https://daniellarison.substack.com/p/iran-rejects-trumps-bad-proposal
-----
36) The Law of Consent
Source: Underthrow
by Max Borders
“Whether rooted in common law or statutory traditions, legal systems are fundamentally designed to prevent one person from making another worse off. Most people want peaceful, peer interactions, and governments strive to maintain that peace by enforcing laws. Exceptions to this principle originate with and on behalf of the state itself, which means certain groups — ‘authorities’ — create a gross asymmetry compared to certain other groups, ‘citizens.’ Why is it that authorities can make someone worse off—for example, via wealth confiscation, regulatory interference, civil asset forfeiture, or the prosecution of victimless crimes — while citizens are held to a far stricter set of standards?” (06/04/25)
https://underthrow.substack.com/p/the-law-of-consent
-----
37) Founding Fathers understood parental rights are natural rights
Source: Fox News
by Tiffany Justice
“One hundred years ago, in 1925, the U.S. Supreme Court delivered a powerful message in Pierce v. Society of Sisters: ‘The child is not the mere creature of the state,’ and parents have the fundamental right ‘to direct the upbringing and education of’ their children. This wasn’t just a legal victory — it was a triumph for families, a declaration that parents, not bureaucrats, know what’s best for their kids. As we mark this milestone, we celebrate President Donald Trump, a leader whose fight for parental rights echoes the wisdom of our Founding Fathers, who saw the family as sacred and rooted in natural law. With a Supreme Court ruling on Mahmoud v. Taylor on the horizon, let’s reflect on why this matters and why the legacy of Pierce resonates at kitchen tables across America.” (06/04/25)
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/founding-fathers-understood-parental-rights-natural-rights-trump-knows-it-too
-----
38) Iran Isn’t as Weak as It Seems
Source: Foreign Policy
by Mohsen Milani
“If nuclear talks fail, a war with Iran could follow — but it wouldn’t be a cakewalk.” (06/04/25)
https://archive.is/qblCa
-----
39) The Myth of Trumpian Deterrence
Source: The Bulwark
by Will Saletan
“Ever since Donald Trump returned to the White House, the darnedest thing has been happening in Ukraine. Every day or so, Trump says Russia wouldn’t have attacked Ukraine if he were president. And every time he says it, Russia attacks Ukraine. You might have thought that by now, Trump would stop saying it, since Russia’s continuing onslaught makes a mockery of his boasts. But he’s no more fazed by this falsification than he is by the evidence that he lost the 2020 election. He just keeps repeating his story. … The saddest thing about Trump’s Ukraine delusion is that he really could have deterred Putin from extending or escalating the war. But that would have required action, not braggadocio. At every turn, Trump refused to antagonize the dictator he thought was his friend.” (06/04/25)
https://www.thebulwark.com/p/myth-of-trumpian-deterrence-putin-ukraine-russia
-----
40) Government destined to self-destruct
Source: Eastern New Mexico News
by Kent McManigal
“Trying to save government from itself is a fool’s errand. DOGE — the Department of Government Efficiency — failed. Elon Musk and his team found lots of waste and fraud, but seem to have misunderstood how determined government is to not be saved from financial ruin. Look how hard different parts of government are working to make sure every cent currently being spent continues to be spent in exactly the same way. Then they lie about everything to fool the public into complaining about the possibility of money being saved.” (06/04/25)
https://www.easternnewmexiconews.com/story/2025/06/04/voices/opinion-government-destined-to-self-destruct/230996.html
-----
41) First Casualty of the Big Beautiful Bill?
Source: The American Prospect
by David Dayen
“Yesterday, the Yale School of Public Health sent a letter to Senate Democratic leaders with a new analysis showing that the One Big Beautiful Bill’s changes to federal health care programs would kill more than 51,000 Americans annually. Nearly 15 million are liable to lose health coverage as a result of the bill …. Those cuts would cost about 29,500 people their lives, the Yale researchers estimate. Another 13,000 largely poor nursing home residents would die from the repeal of the Biden administration’s safe staffing rule, which would remove the minimum number of nurses on call in those facilities. And close to 9,000 would die from the government’s failing to extend enhanced premium support for the ACA that expires at the end of the year, making health coverage unaffordable for another five million Americans.” (06/04/25)
https://prospect.org/politics/2025-06-04-first-casualty-of-the-big-beautiful-bill/
-----
42) Reining in the Spies
Source: Law & Liberty
by Ralph L DeFalco III
“The debate about the proper function of intelligence in the US is as old as the nation. Several founding fathers, indeed, even patriarch George Washington, recognized the need for espionage to be kept secret from the Continental Congress — with all the attendant risks of abuse — to help win the war for independence. The debate then centered on whether the new country could free itself from sullying Old World intrigues and who would, or even should, oversee a secret apparatus for the new republic. Today, intelligence is a permanent fixture in the US government. Now the debate is about the appropriate scope and reach of national security intelligence on balance with the protection of American civil liberties. This is the ‘constant crisis’ in Jeffrey P. Rogg’s sweeping new book, The Spy and the State: The History of American Intelligence.” (06/04/25)
https://lawliberty.org/book-review/reining-in-the-spies/
-----
43) Israel Is Fully Integrating Its Gaza “Food Aid Hubs” Into the Genocide
Source: Antiwar.com
by Jonathan Cook
“Israel has been caught once again in a lie. For a genocidal state, there are no red lines. No one should be surprised that Israel is using its bogus ‘aid system’ to lure Palestinians into a death trap.” (06/04/25)
https://original.antiwar.com/cook/2025/06/03/israel-is-fully-integrating-its-gaza-food-aid-hubs-into-the-genocide/
-----
44) You can’t fire your way to a high-performing government
Source: Niskanen Center
by Gabe Menchaca
“On April 23, 2025, the Trump Administration unveiled a proposed rule, titled ‘Improving Performance, Accountability and Responsiveness of the Civil Service.’ The goal is hard to contest: every American wants a government that is efficient, effective, and responsive. We, too, have long argued that agencies should be able to hire quickly and remove chronic underperformers so new programs can succeed. True accountability is essential for rebuilding public trust. Unfortunately, the draft rule does not deliver on that promise.” (06/03/25)
https://www.niskanencenter.org/you-cant-fire-your-way-to-a-high-performing-government
-----
45) The Activist Community Speaks
Source: The Pamphleteer
by Davis Hunt
“Today, we review last night’s council meeting, take a look at the ongoing effort to shrink the size of Nashville’s Metro Council, wonder whether or not Penny Schwinn will finally get confirmed for a federal position, and tour the Downtown Presbyterian Church. Protesters were scattered in front of the courthouse, the gallery was packed like sardines, and a line of those wishing to speak during the public hearing on Nashville’s budget stretched the length of the building at last night’s council meeting. For nearly four hours, members heard from over one hundred constituents who made their pitch for more funding or fewer taxes. Union members, Metro workers, homeowners, nonprofit representatives, and activists stepped up for their two minutes at the mic. … A group of protesters standing on the courthouse steps with ‘No New Taxes’ shirts on told The Pamphleteer that they feel Nashvillians have been left behind.” (06/04/25)
https://pamphleteer.co/newsletter/the-activist-community-speaks/
-----
46) Tyranny Has Invaded America Through the Immigration Enforcement Regime
Source: The UnPopulist
by Alex Nowrasteh
“Immigration restrictionism has spawned some of the most economically devastating, complex, and Soviet-style laws in America. Support for government immigration restrictions and mass deportations requires support for the methods of actually enforcing those laws, which represent some of the most dangerous abuses of power at the present moment.” (06/03/25)
https://www.theunpopulist.net/p/tyranny-has-invaded-america-through
-----
47) Hell No: The ODNI Wants to Make it Easier for the Government to Buy Your Data Without Warrant
Source: Electronic Frontier Foundation
by Matthew Guariglia
“New reporting has revealed that the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) is attempting to create the Intelligence Community’s Data Consortium — a centralized online marketplace where law enforcement and spy agencies can peruse and buy very personal digital data about you collected by data brokers. Not only is this a massive escalation of the deeply unjust data broker loophole: it’s also another repulsive signal that your privacy means nothing to the intelligence community.” (06/03/25)
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/06/hell-no-odni-wants-make-it-easier-government-buy-your-data-without-warrant
-----
48) The meaning behind Trump’s foreign policy trolling
Source: Washington Post
by Jason Willick
“The divide between ‘realists’ and ‘idealists’ in foreign policy is simplistic but useful. Realists think the purpose of American foreign policy is to protect the country’s physical security and wealth. Idealists think the United States should promote democracy and human rights abroad. There’s huge overlap, of course, but the categories help separate those who see the world through the lens of national interest and those who see it through the lens of morals and values. The Trump administration, Washington tends to assume, falls on the realist side of the ledger. Donald Trump is ‘America First.’ He’s transactional. He reserves his most cutting opprobrium for neoconservatives — loosely defined as Republican idealists and democracy-promoters. But Trump hasn’t purged idealism from GOP foreign policy; he has aimed it at different targets.” (06/03/25)
https://archive.is/ayODb
-----
49) “I Am Not Afraid”
Source: In These Times
by Adam Federman
“On a Wednesday morning in mid-February, Boston University ecology professor Nathan Phillips staged one of the nation’s first protests against Elon Musk’s central role in gutting government agencies and firing tens of thousands of federal workers. It was a lonely one: Phillips and a close friend holding signs reading ‘Defund Musk’ on the sidewalk outside a Tesla showroom in Boston’s upscale Back Bay neighborhood. But Phillips returned the next day, and after getting the word out to friends and colleagues, about 20 people joined him. That weekend, the crowd was a little bigger. By mid-March, as Tesla Takedown protests took off nationwide …. on a global day of action in March targeting the company, at least 650 protesters showed up — part of a worldwide groundswell that, by late April, contributed to a remarkable 71% drop in Tesla’s profits, which Musk himself credits to protest organizers.” (06/04/25)
https://inthesetimes.com/article/trump-campus-protest-crackdown-ice
-----
50) Does poverty cause homelessness?
Source: EconLog
by Scott Sumner
“New York and Hawaii have the highest rates [of homelessness], although elsewhere I read that California has the most homeless people actually living on the streets. Many homeless New Yorkers are in shelters. Mississippi is lowest in per capita terms. So here’s my question: If poverty actually did cause homelessness, then what are the odds that the lowest rate of homelessness would occur in America’s poorest state? Even if there were no correlation, the odds would be only 1 in 50. If there actually was a positive correlation between poverty rates in a state and homelessness, then it would be even more surprising to find Mississippi having the lowest homeless rate.” (06/03/25)
https://www.econlib.org/does-poverty-cause-homelessness/
_____ Today's Freedom Podcast and Video _____
51) The Political Orphanage, 06/04/25
Source: The Political Orphanage
“Assassins Part I: Shooting Andrew Jackson.” (06/04/25)
https://politicalorphanage.libsyn.com/assassins-part-i-shooting-andrew-jackson
-----
52) FFF Podcast: The Soho Immigration Debate
Source: Future of Freedom Foundation
“FFF president Jacob Hornberger and Sheldon Richman, executive editor of the Libertarian Institute, provide a critical analysis of the recent Soho immigration debate in New York CIty between libertarians Dave Smith and Alex Nowasteh.” (06/04/25)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lwly4CsDLiM
-----
53) Reason Interview: Helen Lewis
Source: Reason
“The Dark Side of Genius.” (06/04/25)
https://reason.com/podcast/2025/06/04/helen-lewis-the-dark-side-of-genius/
-----
54) The David Frum Show, 06/04/25
Source: The Atlantic
“Why Are the Media So Afraid of Trump?” (06/04/25)
https://www.theatlantic.com/podcasts/archive/2025/06/david-frum-showwhy-are-the-media-so-afraid-of-trump/683029/
-----
55) The Good Fight, 06/04/25
Source: Yascha Mounk
“David Leonhardt on Why the Left isn’t Reaching the Working Class.” (06/04/25)
https://yaschamounk.substack.com/p/david-leonhardt-on-why-the-left-isnt
-----
56) The Daily Blast with Greg Sargent, 06/04/25
Source: The New Republic
“Trump Rages at Worsening Budget Bill Fiasco as Musk Admits It’s a Scam.” (06/04/25)
https://newrepublic.com/article/196099/trump-rages-worsening-budget-bill-fiasco-musk-admits-it-scam
-----
57) The Corbett Report, episode 479
Source: The Corbett Report
“Mission Un-Accomplished? The Corbett Report Back on YouTube.” (06/04/25)
https://corbettreport.com/mission-un-accomplished-the-corbett-report-back-on-youtube/
-----
58) How To Fix The Internet, 06/04/25
Source: Electronic Frontier Foundation
“Why Three is Tor’s Magic Number.” (06/04/25)
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/05/podcast-episode-why-three-tors-magic-number
-----
59) Antiwar News with Dave DeCamp, 06/04/25
Source: Antiwar.com
“Israel Kills 27 in New Gaza Aid Attack, South Korea’s New President Wants Talks With North, and More.” (06/04/25)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIXhR8veqZg
-----
60) JFK Facts Podcast, episode 113
Source: JFK Facts
“Dan Hardway Talks About His JFK Investigation.” (06/03/25)
https://jfkfacts.substack.com/p/jfk-facts-podcast-113-dan-hardway
-----
61) Lawless: Ilya Shapiro on Free Speech in Higher Education
Source: Show-Me Institute
“In this lecture, Shapiro argues that elite universities have abandoned their core mission of truth-seeking in favor of activism, driven by bloated administrations and timid leadership. Drawing on personal experience and national trends, he explains how law schools, in particular, are failing to uphold classical liberal values such as free speech, academic freedom, and equal justice.” (06/03/25)
https://showmeinstitute.org/blog/education/lawless-ilya-shapiro-on-free-speech-in-higher-education/
-----
62) Politics Politics Politics, 06/03/25
Source: Politics Politics Politics
“Elon Trashes Trump’s Bill! Breaking Down the Best 2024 Election Insights Yet (with Michael Cohen).” (06/03/25)
https://www.politicspoliticspolitics.com/p/elon-trashes-trumps-bill-breaking
-----
63) Anarcho Agenda, episode 135
Source: Anarcho Agenda
“On episode 135 of Anarcho Agenda, did Epstine [sic] really kill himself? Plus a New Hampshire update.” (06/03/25)
https://anarchoagenda.libsyn.com/anarcho-agenda-ep-135-2025-06-03
-----
64) Nonzero, 06/03/25
Source: bloggingheads.tv
“Trump’s Attack on Independent Thought | Robert Wright & Stephen Walt.” (06/03/25)
https://bloggingheads.tv/videos/68727
-----
65) LPA Live, episode 18
Source: LP Alliance
“Bridging the Divide with Daryl Davis.” (06/03/25)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JH0SfOGetV8
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Today's Freedom News:
1) US regime vetoes Gaza ceasefire resolution at UN security council
2) CBO: Trump’s “big beautiful bill” will swell US regime's deficit by $2.4 trillion
3) Trump and Putin discuss Ukraine drone strikes, Iran during 75-minute call
4) Burning cargo ship carrying 3,000 vehicles abandoned off Alaska
5) Vietnam: Regime scraps two-child policy as aging threatens economic growth
6) Germany: Cologne starts its biggest evacuation since 1945 to defuse WWII bombs
7) Trump whines at Powell some more over interest rates
8) Hungary: Ruling Party Postpones Vote on Law That Could Curb Foreign-Funded Groups
9) IL: Self-proclaimed Dem “super mayor” ordered to court as scandal-plagued tenure unravels
10) Vanuatu: Regime seeks to cancel Andrew Tate’s “golden passport” citizenship
11) Syria: Regime to give inspectors immediate access to suspected former nuclear sites
12) Santa Ono rejected to lead University of Florida after GOP backlash
13) Canada: Regime proposes sweeping immigration and security bill
14) Ivory Coast: Four opposition figures barred from October presidential election
15) Over 1.5 million foreign pilgrims in Saudi Arabia for the Hajj
16) Judge tosses Democratic Party challenge to Trump order’s impact on FEC
17) 200-year-old condom with explicit print displayed in Amsterdam
18) Chinese couple charged with smuggling toxic fungus into US
19) PA: State sues USDA over cutting funding to $1 billion food aid program
20) AL: Homeowner shoots axe-wielding intruder
Today's Freedom Commentary:
21) Trump’s Palantir-Powered Surveillance Is Turning America Into a Digital Prison
22) “Buy Now, Pay Later” Isn’t Great, But Regulation’s Worse
23) Trump’s Haste Begets Lawlessness
24) Where do we go from here?
25) The Rent IS Too High: Blame Zoning and Supply Caps, Not Rental Apps
26) WelcomeFest’s Billionaire Backers Reveal Its True Mission
27) The History of Successful Liberal Reform
28) Congress Will Be The Last To Reform
29) Gaza Genocide Is Biden’s True “Original Sin”
30) Egypt’s energy gamble has left it beholden to Israel
31) Mongolia’s young people right the ship
32) The Classical Liberal Idea of Equality
33) This Is Israel
34) Why increase fertility when you can just allow more immigration?
35) Iran Rejects Trump’s Bad Proposal
36) The Law of Consent
37) Founding Fathers understood parental rights are natural rights
38) Iran Isn’t as Weak as It Seems
39) The Myth of Trumpian Deterrence
40) Government destined to self-destruct
41) First Casualty of the Big Beautiful Bill?
42) Reining in the Spies
43) Israel Is Fully Integrating Its Gaza “Food Aid Hubs” Into the Genocide
44) You can’t fire your way to a high-performing government
45) The Activist Community Speaks
46) Tyranny Has Invaded America Through the Immigration Enforcement Regime
47) Hell No: The ODNI Wants to Make it Easier for the Government to Buy Your Data Without Warrant
48) The meaning behind Trump’s foreign policy trolling
49) “I Am Not Afraid”
50) Does poverty cause homelessness?
Today's Freedom Podcast and Video:
51) The Political Orphanage, 06/04/25
52) FFF Podcast: The Soho Immigration Debate
53) Reason Interview: Helen Lewis
54) The David Frum Show, 06/04/25
55) The Good Fight, 06/04/25
56) The Daily Blast with Greg Sargent, 06/04/25
57) The Corbett Report, episode 479
58) How To Fix The Internet, 06/04/25
59) Antiwar News with Dave DeCamp, 06/04/25
60) JFK Facts Podcast, episode 113
61) Lawless: Ilya Shapiro on Free Speech in Higher Education
62) Politics Politics Politics, 06/03/25
63) Anarcho Agenda, episode 135
64) Nonzero, 06/03/25
65) LPA Live, episode 18
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_____ Today's Freedom News _____
1) US regime vetoes Gaza ceasefire resolution at UN security council
Source: The Guardian [UK]
“The United States has vetoed a United Nations security council resolution calling for an ‘immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire’ in Gaza while the 14 remaining countries on the council voted in favour. The vetoed resolution also called the situation in Gaza ‘catastrophic,’ and demanded the ‘immediate and unconditional lifting of all restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza and its safe and unhindered distribution at scale, including by the UN and humanitarian partners.’ It was the fifth time that the US has vetoed a security council draft ceasefire resolution in order to protect Israel.” (06/04/24)
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/04/us-vetoes-gaza-ceasefire-un-security-council
-----
2) CBO: Trump’s “big beautiful bill” will swell US regime's deficit by $2.4 trillion
Source: Financial Times [UK]
“Donald Trump’s landmark tax bill will add $2.4tn to the US deficit by 2034, the congressional fiscal watchdog has warned, in the latest blow to the president as he seeks to push the legislation through the Senate. The Congressional Budget Office said on Wednesday that the legislation — dubbed the ‘big beautiful bill’ by Trump — would swell the country’s ballooning debt pile despite the administration’s insistence that it would lead to a budget surplus. … The bill narrowly passed the US House of Representatives last month. It faces an uphill battle in the Senate, where Republican fiscal conservatives have expressed concerns over its spending levels.” (06/04/25)
https://archive.is/tOQLB
-----
3) Trump and Putin discuss Ukraine drone strikes, Iran during 75-minute call
Source: National Public Radio [US state media]
“President Trump said on social media on Wednesday that he had spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin for an hour and 15 minutes about Ukraine’s recent strikes on Russian aircraft and about nuclear talks with Iran. ‘It was a good conversation, but not a conversation that will lead to immediate Peace,’ Trump said in his post. In fact, Trump said Putin had vowed during the call to respond to Ukraine’s Sunday drone strikes on air bases in Russia. … Trump said he also updated Putin on his efforts to reach a nuclear deal with Iran.” (06/04/25)
https://www.npr.org/2025/06/04/nx-s1-5423569/trump-putin-ukraine-drones-iran
-----
4) Burning cargo ship carrying 3,000 vehicles abandoned off Alaska
Source: Reuters
“The crew of a cargo ship carrying around 3,000 vehicles, including 800 electric vehicles, abandoned it off the coast of Alaska after a fire broke out onboard, its operator Zodiac Maritime said on Wednesday. The 22 crew members were safely evacuated the ship after they failed to put out the fire, Zodiac said as it focuses on salvaging the vessel. … The vessel, Morning Midas, was located 300 miles (482.8 km) southwest of Adak in Alaska, the Coast Guard said on its X account. Smoke was initially seen rising from a deck loaded with EVs, the company said. It is not clear what brand of vehicles the ship was carrying. The Liberia-flagged ship left China’s Yantai port on May 26 and was on the way to Lazaro Cardenas, Mexico, according to LSEG data.” (06/04/25)
https://archive.is/qPFlb
-----
5) Vietnam: Regime scraps two-child policy as aging threatens economic growth
Source: NBC News
“Vietnam has abolished its long-standing two-child limit to try and reverse declining birth rates and ease the pressures of an aging population. The National Assembly passed amendments scrapping rules that limit families to having one or two children, the state-run Vietnam News Agency reported Wednesday. The rules were usually stricter for members of the ruling Communist Party, who could miss out on promotions or bonuses if they had a third child. Vietnamese families are having fewer children than ever before. The birth rate in 2021 was 2.11 children per woman, just over the replacement rate required for a population to avoid shrinking over the long term. Since then, the birth rate has steadily declined: to 2.01 in 2022, 1.96 in 2023 and 1.91 in 2024.” (06/04/25)
https://www.nbcnews.com/world/asia/vietnam-scraps-two-child-policy-aging-threatens-economic-growth-rcna211099
-----
6) Germany: Cologne starts its biggest evacuation since 1945 to defuse WWII bombs
Source: ABC News
“More than 20,000 residents were being evacuated from part of Cologne’s city center on Wednesday as specialists prepared to defuse three unexploded U.S. bombs from World War II that were unearthed earlier this week. Even 80 years after the end of the war, unexploded bombs dropped during wartime air raids are frequently found in Germany. Disposing of them sometimes entails large-scale precautionary evacuations such as the one on Wednesday, though the location this time was unusually prominent and this is Cologne’s biggest evacuation since 1945. There have been bigger evacuations in other cities. Authorities on Wednesday morning started evacuating about 20,500 residents from an area within a 1,000-meter (3,280-foot) radius of the bombs, which were discovered on Monday during preparatory work for road construction. They were found in the Deutz district, just across the Rhine River from Cologne’s historic center.” (06/04/25)
https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/cologne-starts-biggest-evacuation-1945-defuse-wwii-bombs-122478383
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7) Trump whines at Powell some more over interest rates
Source: CNBC
“President Donald Trump on Wednesday angrily urged Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell to cut interest rates, minutes after the payroll firm ADP reported its lowest monthly private-sector jobs number in years. ‘ADP NUMBER OUT!!! ‘Too Late’ Powell must now LOWER THE RATE,’ Trump wrote on Truth Social. ‘He is unbelievable!!!’ the president said of the central bank chairman, whom he has frequently pressured to shave borrowing rates in hopes of spurring economic growth. ‘Europe has lowered NINE TIMES!’ Trump added.” [editor’s note: The total debt-to-GDP ratio of EU regimes is less than 1/8th that of the US regime. Less money tied up in regime boondoggles means more money available, which means lower interest rates – TLK] (06/04/25)
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/04/trump-powell-adp-jobs.html
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8) Hungary: Ruling Party Postpones Vote on Law That Could Curb Foreign-Funded Groups
Source: US News & World Report
“Hungary’s ruling party has postponed a parliamentary debate and vote set for mid-June on transparency legislation governing foreign-funded groups, a senior party official said, following protests that it seemed aimed at stifling political dissent. Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s Fidesz party submitted a bill to parliament on May 14 that would draft a list of organisations that get foreign funding and restrict or even shut them down if deemed to threaten Hungary’s sovereignty and its culture. … ‘The (Fidesz) parliamentary group is united in the view that legal instruments must be used to protect sovereignty. However, there is debate over what those instruments should be,’ Fidesz parliamentary party leader Máté Kocsis told index.hu. He said that so many proposals had been submitted regarding the bill in recent weeks that the debate needed to be postponed until the autumn session of parliament.” (06/04/25)
https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2025-06-04/hungary-postpones-vote-on-law-that-could-curb-foreign-funded-groups
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9) IL: Self-proclaimed Dem “super mayor” ordered to court as scandal-plagued tenure unravels
Source: Fox News
“The self-described Chicago suburb ‘super mayor’ is facing mounting legal woes after being ousted in a landslide election following a scandal-plagued time in office. Former Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard, a Democrat, has been ordered to appear for a contempt hearing after she did not turn over public records from her time in office, according to WGN 9. The Edgar County Watchdogs Inc. sued the Village of Dolton and the former mayor for failing to produce financial records after the administration allegedly disregarded Freedom of Information Act requests earlier this year. ‘The former mayor is about to find out if losing an election is enough to escape contempt of court,’ Edward ‘Coach’ Weinhaus, attorney for Edgar County Watchdogs, said in a statement to Fox News Digital. Henyard was previously held in contempt of court after she failed to turn over records from her time in office, directly dismissing state transparency laws for elected officials, WGN 9 reported.” (06/04/25)
https://www.foxnews.com/us/self-proclaimed-super-mayor-ordered-court-scandal-plagued-tenure-unravels
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10) Vanuatu: Regime seeks to cancel Andrew Tate’s “golden passport” citizenship
Source: South China Morning Post [Hong Kong]
“Vanuatu has vowed to close loopholes in its ‘golden passport’ scheme and take steps to nullify citizenship granted to influencer Andrew Tate, who reportedly bought the island nation’s travel document before he was arrested in Romania on charges of rape and human trafficking. Tate obtained the passport in December 2022 through a programme that allows foreigners to buy citizenship for US$130,000, the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) said in a statement on Monday. That month, he and his brother, Tristan, were held in Romania where they were charged with rape and human trafficking. Vanuatu’s passport trade, which also offers applicants visa-free travel to dozens of countries and the right to acquire property, has come under scrutiny over its ties to sanctioned individuals and suspected money launderers.” (06/04/25)
https://archive.is/6J3jh
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11) Syria: Regime to give inspectors immediate access to suspected former nuclear sites
Source: SFGate
“Syria’s new government has agreed to give inspectors from the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog access to suspected former nuclear sites immediately, the agency’s head told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The International Atomic Energy Agency’s director-general, Rafael Mariano Grossi, spoke in an exclusive interview in Damascus, where he met with President Ahmad al-Sharaa and other officials. He also said al-Sharaa expressed an interest in pursuing nuclear energy for Syria in the future, adding, ‘Why not?’ The agency’s aim is ‘to bring total clarity over certain activities that took place in the past that were, in the judgment of the agency, probably related to nuclear weapons,’ Grossi said. He described the new government as ‘committed to opening up to the world, to international cooperation’ and said he is hopeful of finishing the inspection process within months.” (06/04/25)
https://www.sfgate.com/news/world/article/syria-agrees-to-give-inspectors-immediate-access-20361334.php
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12) Santa Ono rejected to lead University of Florida after GOP backlash
Source: United Press International
“Dr. Santa Ono, the former president at the University of Michigan, was rejected Tuesday as the next president at the University of Florida amid backlash from Republicans over his earlier support of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Tuesday’s decision by the 17-member Board of Governors comes one week after UF’s Board of Trustees unanimously approved Ono as the finalist. Ono was on track to become one of the highest paid public university presidents in the country. He was due to sign a five-year contract with a base salary of $1.5 million and incentives to earn as much as $15 million over the life of the deal. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who signed the 2023 bill banning DEI initiatives in public colleges, delivered a lukewarm response when Ono became the presidential pick, saying Ono’s statements made him ‘cringe.'” (06/04/25)
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2025/06/03/Santa-Ono-rejected-university-florida-president/6701748995199/
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13) Canada: Regime proposes sweeping immigration and security bill
Source: BBC News [UK State Media]
“The Canadian government has proposed a bill to restrict some asylum claims and give authorities more power to halt the processing of immigration applications. Canada’s immigration minister Lena Diab said the Strong Borders Act is meant to curb organised crime and the flow of illegal drugs and weapons, while boosting the ‘integrity’ of the country’s immigration system. It includes provisions that would give police more power to monitor Canada’s shared border with the US. It could also bar those who have been in Canada for more than year from filing a claim for asylum. But critics said the bill, which seeks to expand authorities’ ability to open and inspect mail, would breach civil liberties. The proposed legislation comes amid increasing pressure on Canada, which has historically been open to newcomers, to restrict immigration as the country deals with strained public services and a housing crisis.” (06/04/25)
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c780rj9nve0o
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14) Ivory Coast: Four opposition figures barred from October presidential election
Source: France 24 [French state media]
“Four prominent opposition figures in Ivory Coast have been excluded from the final voter list and are ineligible to contest the October presidential election, the electoral commission announced Wednesday. Tidjane Thiam, the leader of Ivory Coast’s main opposition party, the Democratic Party of Ivory Coast (PDCI), was struck from the voter roll in April after a court ruling cast doubt on his Ivorian nationality at the time of registration. … Former president Laurent Gbagbo, his former right-hand man Charles Blé Goudé and and exiled former prime minister Guillaume Soro have been barred for years over past convictions and were not reinstated.” (06/04/25)
https://www.france24.com/en/africa/20250604-four-ivory-coast-opposition-figures-barred-from-october-presidential-election
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15) Over 1.5 million foreign pilgrims in Saudi Arabia for the Hajj
Source: SFGate
“More than 1.5 million foreign pilgrims are in Saudi Arabia for this year’s Hajj, a government spokesperson said Wednesday. Hajj is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, a religious obligation involving rituals and acts of worship that every Muslim must fulfil if they have the money and are physically able to do it. Hajj Ministry spokesperson Ghassan Al-Nuwaimi provided an approximate number for foreigners at this year’s pilgrimage. He did not say how many domestic pilgrims were taking part. Last year, there were 1,611,310 pilgrims from outside the country. On Wednesday, pilgrims streamed into Arafat, some making the journey on foot, carrying their luggage through temperatures nudging 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). Others carried the elderly. People paused to sit on the ground to rest or eat before heading to their camps. Mount Arafat, a rocky hill southeast of Mecca, holds immense significance in Islam.” (06/04/25)
https://www.sfgate.com/news/world/article/more-than-1-5-million-foreign-pilgrims-are-in-20361363.php
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16) Judge tosses Democratic Party challenge to Trump order’s impact on FEC
Source: Politico
“A federal judge has dismissed a Democratic Party lawsuit claiming an executive order issued by President Donald Trump was intruding on the independence of the Federal Election Commission. In a ruling Tuesday night, U.S. District Judge Amir Ali said the Democratic Party groups’ case was simply too speculative to justify emergency intervention from the court. The FEC had pledged to remain independent, had received no directive from the White House to change its practices and vowed to abide by the law. Without evidence undermining those promises, Ali said he was compelled to dismiss the suit.” (06/03/25)
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/06/03/judge-tosses-democratic-party-challenge-to-trump-orders-impact-on-fec-00384577
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17) 200-year-old condom with explicit print displayed in Amsterdam
Source: BBC News [UK State Media]
“An almost 200-year-old condom has just gone on display at an exhibition at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. It is thought to be made of a sheep’s appendix and features an explicit print representing a nun and three clergymen. The rare artefact dates back to 1830 and was purchased by the museum at an auction last year. The condom is part of an exhibition on 19th Century prostitution and sexuality. Prints, drawings and photographs also form part of the display. It is ‘a subject that is underrepresented in our collection,’ the museum said in a press release. ‘It embodies both the lighter and darker sides of sexual health, in an era when the quest for sensual pleasure was fraught with fears of unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases – especially syphilis,’ it added.” (06/04/25)
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1de271qg4yo
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18) Chinese couple charged with smuggling toxic fungus into US
Source: Al Jazeera [Qatari state media]
“US federal prosecutors have charged two Chinese nationals with smuggling a toxic fungus into the United States, which authorities claim could be turned into a ‘potential agroterrorism weapon.’ The charges against Jian Yunqing, 33, and Liu Zunyong, 34, two researchers from China, were unsealed by the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan on Tuesday. The pair face additional charges of conspiracy, visa fraud and providing false statements to investigators. Prosecutors allege that Liu smuggled the fungus, called Fusarium graminearum, into the US so he could carry out research at a University of Michigan laboratory where his girlfriend, Jian, worked. Fusarium graminearum causes ‘head blight,’ a disease in crops like wheat, barley, maize and rice, and is ‘responsible for billions of dollars in economic losses worldwide each year,’ according to the charges.” (06/04/25)
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/4/chinese-couple-charged-with-smuggling-toxic-fungus-into-us
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19) PA: State sues USDA over cutting funding to $1 billion food aid program
Source: SFGate
“Pennsylvania sued the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Wednesday, saying the agency, under President Donald Trump, had illegally cut off funding to it through a program designed to distribute more than $1 billion in aid to states to purchase food from farms for schools, child care centers, and food banks. The lawsuit in federal court, announced by Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, comes three months after the USDA advised states that it was ending the pandemic-era assistance program because it no longer reflected agency priorities. ‘I don’t get what the hell their priorities are if not feeding people and taking care of our farmers,’ Shapiro said at a news conference at a food bank warehouse in Philadelphia. The USDA declined comment Wednesday. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Harrisburg, asks the court to reverse the USDA’s decision to end the reimbursement program.” (06/04/25)
https://www.sfgate.com/news/politics/article/pennsylvania-is-suing-the-usda-over-cutting-20361012.php
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20) AL: Homeowner shoots axe-wielding intruder
Source: WKRG 5 News
“A suspect in a home break-in is in the hospital, News 5 has learned. He was shot by a homeowner after entering their home with an axe, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. MCSO officials said they were called to a home in the Eureka Landing community around 2:40 a.m. on June 3 for a report of a break-in. When deputies arrived, they said they found the homeowner, who said that he shot the suspect in the torso in self-defense. Deputies said they were able to find the suspect behind the home with a gunshot wound, and he was taken to a local hospital.” (06/03/25)
https://www.wkrg.com/alabama-news/monroe-county-homeowner-shoots-axe-wielding-intruder-sheriffs-office-says/
_____ Today's Freedom Commentary _____
21) Trump’s Palantir-Powered Surveillance Is Turning America Into a Digital Prison
Source: CounterPunch
by John W Whitehead & Nisha Whitehead
“Call it what it is: a panopticon presidency. President Trump’s plan to fuse government power with private surveillance tech to build a centralized, national citizen database is the final step in transforming America from a constitutional republic into a digital dictatorship armed with algorithms and powered by unaccountable, all-seeing artificial intelligence. This isn’t about national security. It’s about control.” (06/04/25)
https://www.counterpunch.org/2025/06/04/trumps-palantir-powered-surveillance-is-turning-america-into-a-digital-prison/
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22) “Buy Now, Pay Later” Isn’t Great, But Regulation’s Worse
Source: Foundation for Economic Education
by Mike Viola
“BNPL services like Klarna, Affirm, and Afterpay market themselves as credit-check and interest-free alternatives to credit cards — but they come with downsides of their own for both consumers and merchants. As the consequences become more visible in the news, these companies have come under scrutiny from politicians and regulators. In reality, BNPL is not uniquely harmful — it just isn’t particularly beneficial to customers or cost-effective for businesses compared to other payment options. Still, the best way to improve these services is through market competition, not the heavy-handed regulations some are beginning to propose.” (06/04/25)
https://fee.org/articles/buy-now-pay-later-isnt-great-but-regulations-worse/
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23) Trump’s Haste Begets Lawlessness
Source: Reason
by Jacob Sullum
“Last week, a federal court ruled that President Donald Trump had exceeded his statutory authority by imposing a raft of tariffs based on the ‘national emergency’ supposedly caused by the longstanding U.S. trade deficit. Those tariffs are part of an alarming pattern: In his rush to enact his agenda, Trump frequently treats legal constraints as inconveniences that can be overridden by executive fiat. … Trump’s disregard for the law is coupled with angry dismay at judicial review. As he sees it, any judge who dares to impede his will is a ‘Radical Left Lunatic,’ a ‘troublemaker’ and ‘agitator’ who ‘should be IMPEACHED!!!'” (06/04/25)
https://reason.com/2025/06/04/trumps-haste-begets-lawlessness/
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24) Where do we go from here?
Source: The Watch
by Radley Balko
“It’s easy to get bogged down in the mire of so many crazy and dangerous things happening at such a rapid pace — the ‘flood the zone with shit’ tactic, as Steve Bannon memorably put it. It is important to resist the big picture being crowded out by the nearly impossible task of responding to each outrage individually and in isolation. And the big picture is we now have a federal executive, the most powerful official on the planet, acting on the firm belief that he is not constrained by the rule of law and determined to run roughshod over the other two branches of government. … The reality we face is grim, but not hopeless — yet.” (06/04/25)
https://radleybalko.substack.com/p/where-do-we-go-from-here
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25) The Rent IS Too High: Blame Zoning and Supply Caps, Not Rental Apps
Source: The Daily Economy
by Shubha Ghosh
“Central planners regulate, central bankers inflate, and both try to scapegoat AI software for the sky-high rents that result.” (06/04/25)
https://thedailyeconomy.org/article/zoning-and-supply-caps-not-rental-apps-broke-the-housing-market/
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26) WelcomeFest’s Billionaire Backers Reveal Its True Mission
Source: Revolving Door Project
by Common Dreams
“If the Abundance universe is to be believed, the hottest ticket this summer is WelcomeFest. Wednesday’s confab is the second such annual gathering organized by the centrist group Welcome Party and its political action committee WelcomePAC, with this year’s event touting a distinct abundance flair. The conference boasts a rogues’ gallery of corporate-friendly cosponsors, including Third Way, the New Democratic Coalition, Inclusive Abundance, and the Blue Dog Caucus. A sizzle reel from last year’s event paints WelcomeFest as an Internet Hippo tweet come to life, complete with cameos from A-listers like ex-CNN anchor John Avlon and Democratic influencer Olivia Julianna. This year’s ‘Responsibility to Win/ session (misspelled on the event’s official poster) has drawn viral attention online—both for its bizarre AI Ghibli promos and stacked lineup of neoliberal pundits, conservative Democratic lawmakers, and wunderkind pollsters serving up Dick Morris’ reheated leftovers.” (06/04/25)
https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/welcomefest-billionaire-donors
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27) The History of Successful Liberal Reform
Source: Liberal Currents
by Isaiah Glick
“To understand how America might escape from the clutches of oligarchy, it is worth reaching back through history, to see how the people have pushed back against the elites to achieve reform. They happened in Britain in the 1830s and America in the 1930s, struggles against the forces of reaction that ultimately resulted in the redistribution of power away from the oligarchy and towards the people. They were successful because they capitalized on fears within the ruling class that the system might fall apart and take them down with it. As a result, they chose to accept reform to maintain their position. The anger is there. The question is when it will reach the point that the political class is scared enough to do something about it.” (06/04/25)
https://www.liberalcurrents.com/the-history-of-successful-liberal-reform/
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28) Congress Will Be The Last To Reform
Source: Freeman’s Perspective
by Paul Rosenberg
“Things have changed in the US since the Covid disaster, chief among them the attitude of the populace. Productive people are now speaking openly about the corruption of American institutions and their desire to return to a more traditional American culture. The big event at the moment is the US Congress doing their usual: telling people what they want to hear while changing as little as possible. And so I think it’s useful to point out that Congress will be the last institution to reform. Regardless of their smooth words, you should see them no differently than you saw the boss of your least favorite Fed agency during the Biden time.” (06/04/25)
https://freemansperspective.com/congress-will-be-the-last-to-reform/
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29) Gaza Genocide Is Biden’s True “Original Sin”
Source: Common Dreams
by Richard Eskow
“‘Original Sin’ was an odd title choice for the recent book, co-authored by CNN anchor Jake Tapper and subtitled ‘President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-up, and his Disastrous Decision to Run Again.’ The book confirms long-standing suspicions about former President Joe Biden’s cognitive decline, its handling by Biden’s inner circle, and the Democratic Party leadership’s attempts to conceal it. These may be sins, but they’re hardly ‘original.’ The earliest confirmed cover-up of presidential incapacity goes back over a century, to President Woodrow Wilson’s 1919 stroke. Ronald Reagan’s aides were so concerned about his inattentiveness, competence, and mood that they proposed invoking the 25th Amendment. … In the long arc of history, political cover-ups and lies are relatively venal sins. But genocide is a mortal sin, the worst imaginable.”
https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/gaza-genocide-democrats
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30) Egypt’s energy gamble has left it beholden to Israel
Source: Responsible Statecraft
by Elfadil Ibrahim
“As the scorching summer season approaches, Egypt finds itself once again in the throes of an uncomfortable ritual: the annual scramble for natural gas. Recent reports paint a concerning picture of what’s to come, industrial gas supplies to vital sectors like petrochemicals and fertilizers have been drastically cut, some by as much as 50 percent. The proximate cause? Routine maintenance at Israel’s Leviathan mega-field, leading to a significant drop in imports. But this is merely the latest symptom of a deeper, more chronic ailment. Egypt, once lauded as a rising energy hub, has fallen into a perilous trap of dependence, its national security and foreign policy options increasingly constrained by an awkward reliance on Israeli gas.” (06/04/25)
https://responsiblestatecraft.org/egypt-israel/
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31) Mongolia’s young people right the ship
Source: Christian Science Monitor
by staff
“In an East Asia worried about aging societies, the landlocked nation of Mongolia has the youngest population: About half its people are under 30 years old. Its Generation Z individuals (born between 1997 and 2012) are digital natives with a democratic bent. If they still live a traditional nomadic life, they might use a Prius or perhaps a drone to herd their livestock. On Tuesday, they showed the power of their numbers – and the power of their ideas – to shape honest governance. After weeks of youth-led protests in the capital, Ulaanbaatar, Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai was forced to resign. Allegations that his son had given luxury gifts to his girlfriend – which triggered the street protests – led to a vote of no confidence in Parliament.” (06/03/25)
https://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/the-monitors-view/2025/0603/Mongolia-s-young-people-right-the-ship
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32) The Classical Liberal Idea of Equality
Source: Isonomia Quarterly
by Lee Ward
“The origins and history of liberalism have been subjects of considerable interest of late. But I am not proposing here to offer a genealogy of liberalism tout court. Rather my intention is more modest. I would like to examine the classical liberal idea of equality. However, I embark on this task cognizant of a significant obstacle to our understanding of this important concept. I am mindful of Karl Polanyi’s shrewd observation that much of the memory of the deep complexity of classical liberal political economy was lost in the transition to the later modern liberal economic orthodoxy especially insofar as the ‘elementary truths of political science and statecraft were first discredited, then forgotten.’ That is to say, politics and economics, as well as markets and the civil state have been in contact, conflict and cooperation since the dawn of the modern period.” (06/04/25)
https://isonomiaquarterly.com/archive/volume-3-issue-2/the-classical-liberal-idea-of-equality/
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33) This Is Israel
Source: Caitlin Johnstone, Rogue Journalist
by Caitlin Johnstone
“This is what the Zionist project looks like. The dead kids. The blown-out hospitals. The desperate, starving civilians. This is it. There is no alternate version of Israel where these things are not happening. The liberal Zionist vision of a two-state solution and a just and peaceful Israel exists solely in the imaginations of the people who envision it. Nothing like it has ever existed. Everything about the modern state of Israel is unyieldingly hostile to that vision. You either support the existence of the Israel you see before you, or you support the end of the apartheid Zionist entity. There is no hidden third option. There are no other positions on the menu. To pretend otherwise is to live in a fantasy land. You either want to burn children alive, or you don’t.” (06/04/25)
https://caitlinjohnstone.com.au/2025/06/04/this-is-israel/
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34) Why increase fertility when you can just allow more immigration?
Source: Sex and the State
by Cathy Reisenwitz
“Look, I love immigration and hate nationalism. Fuck that blood-and-soil bullshit. Only losers make where they happened to be born a foundational part of their personal pride and self-conception above and beyond their personal talents, accomplishments, and contributions. Immigration has always been and continues to be a huge net-positive for the US. It is not, however, an unalloyed good. And the reason isn’t the immigrants, but the natives. Especially the loseryest ones.” (06/04/25)
https://cathyreisenwitz.substack.com/p/why-increase-fertility-when-you-can
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35) Iran Rejects Trump’s Bad Proposal
Source: Eunomia
by Daniel Larison
“The administration’s proposal was sure to be rejected, and the U.S. side must have known that this would be the Iranian response. While the proposal apparently allows for a brief period of low-level enrichment, the U.S. was insisting that Iran could not have enrichment on its soil at the end of the process. Iran considers domestic enrichment a national right and something that it cannot give up under any circumstances. It should be obvious why a belated humiliation is no better than an immediate one.” (06/04/25)
https://daniellarison.substack.com/p/iran-rejects-trumps-bad-proposal
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36) The Law of Consent
Source: Underthrow
by Max Borders
“Whether rooted in common law or statutory traditions, legal systems are fundamentally designed to prevent one person from making another worse off. Most people want peaceful, peer interactions, and governments strive to maintain that peace by enforcing laws. Exceptions to this principle originate with and on behalf of the state itself, which means certain groups — ‘authorities’ — create a gross asymmetry compared to certain other groups, ‘citizens.’ Why is it that authorities can make someone worse off—for example, via wealth confiscation, regulatory interference, civil asset forfeiture, or the prosecution of victimless crimes — while citizens are held to a far stricter set of standards?” (06/04/25)
https://underthrow.substack.com/p/the-law-of-consent
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37) Founding Fathers understood parental rights are natural rights
Source: Fox News
by Tiffany Justice
“One hundred years ago, in 1925, the U.S. Supreme Court delivered a powerful message in Pierce v. Society of Sisters: ‘The child is not the mere creature of the state,’ and parents have the fundamental right ‘to direct the upbringing and education of’ their children. This wasn’t just a legal victory — it was a triumph for families, a declaration that parents, not bureaucrats, know what’s best for their kids. As we mark this milestone, we celebrate President Donald Trump, a leader whose fight for parental rights echoes the wisdom of our Founding Fathers, who saw the family as sacred and rooted in natural law. With a Supreme Court ruling on Mahmoud v. Taylor on the horizon, let’s reflect on why this matters and why the legacy of Pierce resonates at kitchen tables across America.” (06/04/25)
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/founding-fathers-understood-parental-rights-natural-rights-trump-knows-it-too
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38) Iran Isn’t as Weak as It Seems
Source: Foreign Policy
by Mohsen Milani
“If nuclear talks fail, a war with Iran could follow — but it wouldn’t be a cakewalk.” (06/04/25)
https://archive.is/qblCa
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39) The Myth of Trumpian Deterrence
Source: The Bulwark
by Will Saletan
“Ever since Donald Trump returned to the White House, the darnedest thing has been happening in Ukraine. Every day or so, Trump says Russia wouldn’t have attacked Ukraine if he were president. And every time he says it, Russia attacks Ukraine. You might have thought that by now, Trump would stop saying it, since Russia’s continuing onslaught makes a mockery of his boasts. But he’s no more fazed by this falsification than he is by the evidence that he lost the 2020 election. He just keeps repeating his story. … The saddest thing about Trump’s Ukraine delusion is that he really could have deterred Putin from extending or escalating the war. But that would have required action, not braggadocio. At every turn, Trump refused to antagonize the dictator he thought was his friend.” (06/04/25)
https://www.thebulwark.com/p/myth-of-trumpian-deterrence-putin-ukraine-russia
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40) Government destined to self-destruct
Source: Eastern New Mexico News
by Kent McManigal
“Trying to save government from itself is a fool’s errand. DOGE — the Department of Government Efficiency — failed. Elon Musk and his team found lots of waste and fraud, but seem to have misunderstood how determined government is to not be saved from financial ruin. Look how hard different parts of government are working to make sure every cent currently being spent continues to be spent in exactly the same way. Then they lie about everything to fool the public into complaining about the possibility of money being saved.” (06/04/25)
https://www.easternnewmexiconews.com/story/2025/06/04/voices/opinion-government-destined-to-self-destruct/230996.html
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41) First Casualty of the Big Beautiful Bill?
Source: The American Prospect
by David Dayen
“Yesterday, the Yale School of Public Health sent a letter to Senate Democratic leaders with a new analysis showing that the One Big Beautiful Bill’s changes to federal health care programs would kill more than 51,000 Americans annually. Nearly 15 million are liable to lose health coverage as a result of the bill …. Those cuts would cost about 29,500 people their lives, the Yale researchers estimate. Another 13,000 largely poor nursing home residents would die from the repeal of the Biden administration’s safe staffing rule, which would remove the minimum number of nurses on call in those facilities. And close to 9,000 would die from the government’s failing to extend enhanced premium support for the ACA that expires at the end of the year, making health coverage unaffordable for another five million Americans.” (06/04/25)
https://prospect.org/politics/2025-06-04-first-casualty-of-the-big-beautiful-bill/
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42) Reining in the Spies
Source: Law & Liberty
by Ralph L DeFalco III
“The debate about the proper function of intelligence in the US is as old as the nation. Several founding fathers, indeed, even patriarch George Washington, recognized the need for espionage to be kept secret from the Continental Congress — with all the attendant risks of abuse — to help win the war for independence. The debate then centered on whether the new country could free itself from sullying Old World intrigues and who would, or even should, oversee a secret apparatus for the new republic. Today, intelligence is a permanent fixture in the US government. Now the debate is about the appropriate scope and reach of national security intelligence on balance with the protection of American civil liberties. This is the ‘constant crisis’ in Jeffrey P. Rogg’s sweeping new book, The Spy and the State: The History of American Intelligence.” (06/04/25)
https://lawliberty.org/book-review/reining-in-the-spies/
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43) Israel Is Fully Integrating Its Gaza “Food Aid Hubs” Into the Genocide
Source: Antiwar.com
by Jonathan Cook
“Israel has been caught once again in a lie. For a genocidal state, there are no red lines. No one should be surprised that Israel is using its bogus ‘aid system’ to lure Palestinians into a death trap.” (06/04/25)
https://original.antiwar.com/cook/2025/06/03/israel-is-fully-integrating-its-gaza-food-aid-hubs-into-the-genocide/
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44) You can’t fire your way to a high-performing government
Source: Niskanen Center
by Gabe Menchaca
“On April 23, 2025, the Trump Administration unveiled a proposed rule, titled ‘Improving Performance, Accountability and Responsiveness of the Civil Service.’ The goal is hard to contest: every American wants a government that is efficient, effective, and responsive. We, too, have long argued that agencies should be able to hire quickly and remove chronic underperformers so new programs can succeed. True accountability is essential for rebuilding public trust. Unfortunately, the draft rule does not deliver on that promise.” (06/03/25)
https://www.niskanencenter.org/you-cant-fire-your-way-to-a-high-performing-government
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45) The Activist Community Speaks
Source: The Pamphleteer
by Davis Hunt
“Today, we review last night’s council meeting, take a look at the ongoing effort to shrink the size of Nashville’s Metro Council, wonder whether or not Penny Schwinn will finally get confirmed for a federal position, and tour the Downtown Presbyterian Church. Protesters were scattered in front of the courthouse, the gallery was packed like sardines, and a line of those wishing to speak during the public hearing on Nashville’s budget stretched the length of the building at last night’s council meeting. For nearly four hours, members heard from over one hundred constituents who made their pitch for more funding or fewer taxes. Union members, Metro workers, homeowners, nonprofit representatives, and activists stepped up for their two minutes at the mic. … A group of protesters standing on the courthouse steps with ‘No New Taxes’ shirts on told The Pamphleteer that they feel Nashvillians have been left behind.” (06/04/25)
https://pamphleteer.co/newsletter/the-activist-community-speaks/
-----
46) Tyranny Has Invaded America Through the Immigration Enforcement Regime
Source: The UnPopulist
by Alex Nowrasteh
“Immigration restrictionism has spawned some of the most economically devastating, complex, and Soviet-style laws in America. Support for government immigration restrictions and mass deportations requires support for the methods of actually enforcing those laws, which represent some of the most dangerous abuses of power at the present moment.” (06/03/25)
https://www.theunpopulist.net/p/tyranny-has-invaded-america-through
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47) Hell No: The ODNI Wants to Make it Easier for the Government to Buy Your Data Without Warrant
Source: Electronic Frontier Foundation
by Matthew Guariglia
“New reporting has revealed that the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) is attempting to create the Intelligence Community’s Data Consortium — a centralized online marketplace where law enforcement and spy agencies can peruse and buy very personal digital data about you collected by data brokers. Not only is this a massive escalation of the deeply unjust data broker loophole: it’s also another repulsive signal that your privacy means nothing to the intelligence community.” (06/03/25)
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/06/hell-no-odni-wants-make-it-easier-government-buy-your-data-without-warrant
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48) The meaning behind Trump’s foreign policy trolling
Source: Washington Post
by Jason Willick
“The divide between ‘realists’ and ‘idealists’ in foreign policy is simplistic but useful. Realists think the purpose of American foreign policy is to protect the country’s physical security and wealth. Idealists think the United States should promote democracy and human rights abroad. There’s huge overlap, of course, but the categories help separate those who see the world through the lens of national interest and those who see it through the lens of morals and values. The Trump administration, Washington tends to assume, falls on the realist side of the ledger. Donald Trump is ‘America First.’ He’s transactional. He reserves his most cutting opprobrium for neoconservatives — loosely defined as Republican idealists and democracy-promoters. But Trump hasn’t purged idealism from GOP foreign policy; he has aimed it at different targets.” (06/03/25)
https://archive.is/ayODb
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49) “I Am Not Afraid”
Source: In These Times
by Adam Federman
“On a Wednesday morning in mid-February, Boston University ecology professor Nathan Phillips staged one of the nation’s first protests against Elon Musk’s central role in gutting government agencies and firing tens of thousands of federal workers. It was a lonely one: Phillips and a close friend holding signs reading ‘Defund Musk’ on the sidewalk outside a Tesla showroom in Boston’s upscale Back Bay neighborhood. But Phillips returned the next day, and after getting the word out to friends and colleagues, about 20 people joined him. That weekend, the crowd was a little bigger. By mid-March, as Tesla Takedown protests took off nationwide …. on a global day of action in March targeting the company, at least 650 protesters showed up — part of a worldwide groundswell that, by late April, contributed to a remarkable 71% drop in Tesla’s profits, which Musk himself credits to protest organizers.” (06/04/25)
https://inthesetimes.com/article/trump-campus-protest-crackdown-ice
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50) Does poverty cause homelessness?
Source: EconLog
by Scott Sumner
“New York and Hawaii have the highest rates [of homelessness], although elsewhere I read that California has the most homeless people actually living on the streets. Many homeless New Yorkers are in shelters. Mississippi is lowest in per capita terms. So here’s my question: If poverty actually did cause homelessness, then what are the odds that the lowest rate of homelessness would occur in America’s poorest state? Even if there were no correlation, the odds would be only 1 in 50. If there actually was a positive correlation between poverty rates in a state and homelessness, then it would be even more surprising to find Mississippi having the lowest homeless rate.” (06/03/25)
https://www.econlib.org/does-poverty-cause-homelessness/
_____ Today's Freedom Podcast and Video _____
51) The Political Orphanage, 06/04/25
Source: The Political Orphanage
“Assassins Part I: Shooting Andrew Jackson.” (06/04/25)
https://politicalorphanage.libsyn.com/assassins-part-i-shooting-andrew-jackson
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52) FFF Podcast: The Soho Immigration Debate
Source: Future of Freedom Foundation
“FFF president Jacob Hornberger and Sheldon Richman, executive editor of the Libertarian Institute, provide a critical analysis of the recent Soho immigration debate in New York CIty between libertarians Dave Smith and Alex Nowasteh.” (06/04/25)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lwly4CsDLiM
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53) Reason Interview: Helen Lewis
Source: Reason
“The Dark Side of Genius.” (06/04/25)
https://reason.com/podcast/2025/06/04/helen-lewis-the-dark-side-of-genius/
-----
54) The David Frum Show, 06/04/25
Source: The Atlantic
“Why Are the Media So Afraid of Trump?” (06/04/25)
https://www.theatlantic.com/podcasts/archive/2025/06/david-frum-showwhy-are-the-media-so-afraid-of-trump/683029/
-----
55) The Good Fight, 06/04/25
Source: Yascha Mounk
“David Leonhardt on Why the Left isn’t Reaching the Working Class.” (06/04/25)
https://yaschamounk.substack.com/p/david-leonhardt-on-why-the-left-isnt
-----
56) The Daily Blast with Greg Sargent, 06/04/25
Source: The New Republic
“Trump Rages at Worsening Budget Bill Fiasco as Musk Admits It’s a Scam.” (06/04/25)
https://newrepublic.com/article/196099/trump-rages-worsening-budget-bill-fiasco-musk-admits-it-scam
-----
57) The Corbett Report, episode 479
Source: The Corbett Report
“Mission Un-Accomplished? The Corbett Report Back on YouTube.” (06/04/25)
https://corbettreport.com/mission-un-accomplished-the-corbett-report-back-on-youtube/
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58) How To Fix The Internet, 06/04/25
Source: Electronic Frontier Foundation
“Why Three is Tor’s Magic Number.” (06/04/25)
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/05/podcast-episode-why-three-tors-magic-number
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59) Antiwar News with Dave DeCamp, 06/04/25
Source: Antiwar.com
“Israel Kills 27 in New Gaza Aid Attack, South Korea’s New President Wants Talks With North, and More.” (06/04/25)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIXhR8veqZg
-----
60) JFK Facts Podcast, episode 113
Source: JFK Facts
“Dan Hardway Talks About His JFK Investigation.” (06/03/25)
https://jfkfacts.substack.com/p/jfk-facts-podcast-113-dan-hardway
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61) Lawless: Ilya Shapiro on Free Speech in Higher Education
Source: Show-Me Institute
“In this lecture, Shapiro argues that elite universities have abandoned their core mission of truth-seeking in favor of activism, driven by bloated administrations and timid leadership. Drawing on personal experience and national trends, he explains how law schools, in particular, are failing to uphold classical liberal values such as free speech, academic freedom, and equal justice.” (06/03/25)
https://showmeinstitute.org/blog/education/lawless-ilya-shapiro-on-free-speech-in-higher-education/
-----
62) Politics Politics Politics, 06/03/25
Source: Politics Politics Politics
“Elon Trashes Trump’s Bill! Breaking Down the Best 2024 Election Insights Yet (with Michael Cohen).” (06/03/25)
https://www.politicspoliticspolitics.com/p/elon-trashes-trumps-bill-breaking
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63) Anarcho Agenda, episode 135
Source: Anarcho Agenda
“On episode 135 of Anarcho Agenda, did Epstine [sic] really kill himself? Plus a New Hampshire update.” (06/03/25)
https://anarchoagenda.libsyn.com/anarcho-agenda-ep-135-2025-06-03
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64) Nonzero, 06/03/25
Source: bloggingheads.tv
“Trump’s Attack on Independent Thought | Robert Wright & Stephen Walt.” (06/03/25)
https://bloggingheads.tv/videos/68727
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65) LPA Live, episode 18
Source: LP Alliance
“Bridging the Divide with Daryl Davis.” (06/03/25)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JH0SfOGetV8
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