03/16 -- US, Israeli forces strike Iranian cities; Iranian forces hit UAE, Israel; Blame Trump
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Thomas L. Knapp
Mar 16, 2026, 6:10:39 AM (5 days ago) Mar 16
to Freedom News Daily
Freedom News Daily, 03/16/26
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Today's Freedom News:
0) A Request from the Freedom Movement's Daily Newspaper: "Each One Reach One"
1) US, Israeli forces strike Iranian cities; Iranian forces hit UAE, Israel
2) Russia: Regime says Moscow attacked with about 250 drones this weekend
3) Brian Doherty, 1968-2026
4) Palestine: Israeli occupation police murder family of four
5) Bitcoin trades around $72,800 in “solid” relief bounce supported by ETF inflows
6) Formula 1 cancels races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia amid Middle East conflict
7) Trinidad and Tobago: Regime extends state of emergency for three months over crime
8) Wine Says He has Left Uganda
9) Libertarian Activist Abducted by Regime Thugs Following Return From Egypt
10) Pope Leo moves into papal residence eschewed by Pope Francis
11) Over 100,000 without power as major storm batters Hawaii
12) Trump uses US soldiers killed in his Iran misadventure as fundraising props
13) Fl: UF College Republicans Dispute Disbandment Over Antisemitism Allegations
14) North Korean regime fires about 10 missiles toward sea in show of force, Seoul regime says
15) Jürgen Habermas, 1929-2026
16) Would-be chief US regime censor issues license threat over Iran war coverage
17) Pahlavi says he’s “ready” to serve as US imperial satrap in Iran if US regime will overthrow his opponents for him
18) Cuba: Protests erupt amid food, energy shortages
19) A blow to Caribbean democracy as Stabroek News & Newsday papers fold
20) Lawyer: Ghislaine Maxwell still seeking Trump pardon
Today's Freedom Commentary:
21) Blame Trump
22) “But Kamala!” Yeah, So What?
23) In Space, Regulators Seek To Boldly Go Where No Bureaucrat Has Gone Before
24) Russia Wins the War on Iran
25) Most Americans oppose Trump’s war — with one glaring exception
26) Students and AI: Mastery, not misuse
27) Marco Rubio Gets Western Civilization’s Defining Feature All Wrong
28) How to Bring Starter Homes Back from Extinction
29) Israel And Its Supporters Are Causing Attacks On Jewish Institutions
30) How a first-grader taught her school district and a federal judge about free speech
31) The despicable disgrace of the “call off the war” crowd
32) Questions for Markwayne Mullin
33) Time to Grow Out of “Playing War”
34) Examination Systems
35) America needs immigrants as much as they need liberty’s blessings
36) Why Does the Division of Labor Matter?
37) How Shapiro became a squatter and got sued by his neighbors
38) Trump’s war is a gift to Iran’s hardliners
39) The Inevitability of Self-Driving Cars
40) Government Doesn’t Collect Too Little, It Spends Too Much
41) Brian Schatz’s Signals of Comfort With Big Money
42) The Nazi Philosopher Behind the Postliberal Right
43) The War on Iran Is Dumb. Here’s Why.
44) The End of Pax Americana
45) The Morality [sic] of Taxation
46) The State’s Favorite Fallacy: The Cudgel in a Suit
47) Trump Puts Midterms Above National Security
48) Theft by government — continues today
49) The Planes Across the Tarmac
50) Outsourcing Life
Today's Freedom Podcast and Video:
51) Unattended Baggage, episode 332
52) The Lou Perez Podcast, 03/14/26
53) The Bulwark Podcast, 03/13/26
54) The Good Fight, 03/14/26
55) The Kyle Anzalone Show, 03/14/26
56) The Remnant with Jonah Goldberg, 03/14/26
57) Environment and Climate News Podcast, episode 858
58) Today’s News, With Michael Tracey, episode 1
59) Rising, 03/13/26
60) The Daily Blast With Greg Sargent, 03/13/26
61) Shaiel Ben-Ephraim on The Scott Horton Show
62) Serious Trouble, 03/13/26
63) Declare Your Independence with Ernest Hancock, 03/13/26
64) The Tom Woods Show, episode 2743
65) Antiwar News with Dave DeCamp, 03/13/26
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0) A Request from the Freedom Movement's Daily Newspaper: "Each One Reach One"
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1) US, Israeli forces strike Iranian cities; Iranian forces hit UAE, Israel
Source: Al Jazeera [Qatari state media]
“Authorities in the UAE say [a] ‘drone-related incident’ sparked fire near Dubai airport while another drone attack has also been reported at Fujairah’s industrial area. US and Israeli forces have continued to bombard Iran, hitting cities including Tehran, Hamadan and Isfahan, as Iranian counterattacks continue, with damage reported in several Israeli cities. … Several Israeli media outlets are reporting that at least one Iranian missile has struck central Israel, although it remains unclear if the impact was from shrapnel or a direct strike. … Israel maintains very strict military censorship regarding information about the damage caused by missiles, particularly at strategic and military sites.” (03/16/26)
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2026/3/16/iran-war-live-tehran-rejects-trump-claim-on-talks-gulf-attacks-continue
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2) Russia: Regime says Moscow attacked with about 250 drones this weekend
Source: Reuters
“Russia said on Monday that Ukraine launched a major drone attack on Moscow with about 250 drones over the weekend, and that wave after wave of long-range drones had been shot down by air defences on their way to the city. ‘Over the past two days, air defense forces have destroyed about 250 enemy UAVs directly on the approach to Moscow and on the second line towards Moscow,’ Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Telegram. The war in Ukraine and now the Iran war have showcased the effectiveness of relatively cheap drones that can attack far-off targets ranging from oil infrastructure to major population centres at a fraction of the cost of a fighter jet.” (03/16/26)
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-says-ukraine-launched-major-drone-attack-moscow-2026-03-16/
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3) Brian Doherty, 1968-2026
Source: Reason
“Brian Doherty, a longtime Reason senior editor and the leading historian of the libertarian movement, was found dead Friday morning after a fall the night before in Battery Yates park along the San Francisco Bay. He was 57. Doherty, who began working at Reason in 1994, was the author of six books, most notably the definitive 2007 study, Radicals for Capitalism: A Freewheeling History of the Modern American Libertarian Movement.” (03/14/26)
https://reason.com/2026/03/14/brian-doherty-historian-of-the-libertarian-movement-dead-at-57/
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4) Palestine: Israeli occupation police murder family of four
Source: The Guardian [UK]
“Israeli police have killed two young Palestinian brothers and their parents in the occupied West Bank, shooting all four in the head and face as the family returned from a Ramadan shopping trip. Mohammed, five, Othman, seven, who was blind and had special needs, their mother, Waad Bani Odeh, 35, and father, Ali Bani Odeh, 37, were driving through their home town of Tamoun late on Saturday when Israeli forces opened fire. … The Bani Odeh family were killed just hours after Israeli [squatters] shot and killed Amir Moatasem Odeh, 28, in Qusra south of Nablus. The attackers also stabbed his father, Moatasem Awda, who was taken to hospital in serious condition.” (03/15/26)
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/15/israeli-police-kill-two-young-palestinian-boys-and-their-parents-in-west-bank
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5) Bitcoin trades around $72,800 in “solid” relief bounce supported by ETF inflows
Source: The Block
“Bitcoin, ether, and other major cryptocurrencies posted gains on Sunday as strong ETF inflows and bitcoin’s role as a macro hedge pushed the market into a ‘solid relief bounce’ amid persisting geopolitical tensions. According to The Block’s crypto price page, bitcoin rose 2.5% in the past day to trade at $72,806 as of 9:57 p.m. ET on Sunday. The world’s largest cryptocurrency saw a volatile session, climbing above $73,300 earlier in the day before falling to around $70,500. Altcoins mirrored bitcoin’s gains.” (03/15/26)
https://www.theblock.co/post/393642/bitcoin-solid-relief-bounce
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6) Formula 1 cancels races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia amid Middle East conflict
Source: Politico
“Formula 1 has canceled races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia scheduled for April, as the ongoing war between Iran and the U.S. and Israel disrupts international sports throughout the Middle East. … The grands prix, marquee events at the top of the F1 calendar, were scheduled to be the fourth and fifth races of the season, which kicked off during the first weekend of March in Melbourne. Last year, both were won by Australian driver Oscar Piastri, who rode a strong start in the campaign to a third-place finish in the F1 season standings. Iran targeted both Gulf countries in the early days of the conflict in a retaliatory campaign that saw Tehran take shots at Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Iraq, Jordan, Turkey, Cyprus and Israel.” (03/14/26)
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/14/formula-1-cancels-races-middle-east-00829213
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7) Trinidad and Tobago: Regime extends state of emergency for three months over crime
Source: Seattle Times
“Trinidad and Tobago’s government has received House of Representatives approval to extend a state of emergency for three months, as the twin-island Caribbean nation struggles with a high level of crime. The two motions to extend the measure, which grants the government additional powers, including to make arrests and conduct searches without warrants, were approved in a 26-12 vote late Friday. There were no abstentions. Trinidad and Tobago has spent roughly 10 of the last 14 months under an emergency.” (03/14/26)
https://archive.is/Uf5q1
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8) Wine Says He has Left Uganda
Source: US News & World Report
“Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine said he has temporarily left the country after two months in hiding in the wake of a presidential election in January that kept long‑time leader Yoweri Museveni in office. Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, disputed the outcome of that contest, alleging fraud, and had been in hiding since fleeing his home in Uganda’s capital Kampala. In a five-minute video message posted on X on Saturday, Wine said he had left the country for ‘critical engagements outside Uganda,’ without specifying where he was or what the engagements were. ‘At the right time I will come back and continue with the cause,’ he said. The pop star‑turned‑politician has said his campaign was constrained by security forces blocking his rallies and arresting his supporters.” (03/15/26)
https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2026-03-15/uganda-opposition-leader-bobi-wine-says-he-has-left-country-after-disputed-vote
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9) Libertarian Activist Abducted by Regime Thugs Following Return From Egypt
Source: Independent Political Report
“A libertarian activist from Orlando with a history of volunteering with the Libertarian Party of Florida is being held in federal immigration custody and facing possible deportation to Egypt, according to details shared with Independent Political Report. A friend of Aly who has remained in contact with him during his detention told IPR on Friday that Izzy Aly, also known as Islam Mahmoud Aly, was [abducted] by officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on December 22 after arriving at a U.S. airport following a trip to Egypt, where he had traveled to settle matters related to his late father’s estate. … Aly, an Egyptian national who resides in the Orlando area, has been active for several years in libertarian political circles, including by attending meetings of the Libertarian Party of Florida to support the party’s activities.” (03/14/26)
https://independentpoliticalreport.com/2026/03/libertarian-activist-detained-by-immigration-authorities-following-return-from-egypt/
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10) Pope Leo moves into papal residence eschewed by Pope Francis
Source: ABC News
“Ten months after taking office, Pope Leo XIV on Saturday finally moved into his apartments in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace, a historic papal residence that his predecessor had eschewed. … Leo, the first U..S pope, decided to move into the apartments in the wake of his May 8, 2025, election as head of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics. But after being abandoned under the late Pope Francis, who chose a more modest dwelling elsewhere in the Vatican, they required extensive renovation. During the interim, the 70-year-old Leo continued staying at the Palace of the Holy Office, near the Vatican, where he had lived as a cardinal.” (03/14/26)
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/pope-leo-moves-into-historic-papal-apartments/
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11) Over 100,000 without power as major storm batters Hawaii
Source: SFGate
“A slow-moving storm is battering Hawaii with heavy rain, flash flooding and damaging winds, knocking out power for more than 100,000 Hawaiian Electric customers, including parts of Waikiki. Some streets are also underwater.” (03/14/26)
https://www.sfgate.com/hawaii/article/hawaii-storm-flooding-dam-22076847.php
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12) Trump uses US soldiers killed in his Iran misadventure as fundraising props
Source: CNBC
“President Donald Trump’s political action committee this week sent a fundraising email promising donors ‘private national security briefings’ by the president himself and featuring a photo from the dignified transfer for U.S. service members killed in Kuwait. ‘For the first time ever, I’m opening up spots on the National Security Briefing Membership,’ reads the email, from Trump’s Never Surrender Inc. PAC. … The email includes a black-and-white version of an official photo taken by the White House showing the president in a white ‘USA’ baseball cap saluting a transfer case during the dignified transfer at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on March 7. … The White House and the Pentagon did not respond to MS NOW’s request for comment on the fundraising email pegged to the Iran war and what the offers of ‘national security briefings’ would entail.” (03/14/26)
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/14/trump-iran-war-fundraising-us-soldiers.html
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13) Fl: UF College Republicans Dispute Disbandment Over Antisemitism Allegations
Source: News-USA Today
“The University of Florida (UF) has moved to deactivate its chapter of the College Republicans following allegations of antisemitic conduct by some members. The action was prompted by a request from the Florida Federation of College Republicans (FFCR), though the UF chapter asserts it operates independently under the umbrella of the College Republicans of America. … However, the UF College Republicans chapter disputes the FFCR’s authority over its operations. They claim to be affiliated with the College Republicans of America and have retained legal counsel, alleging that the FFCR has previously attempted to silence Christian conservative groups on campus through similar tactics.” (03/15/26)
https://news-usa.today/uf-college-republicans-dispute-disbandment-over-antisemitism-allegations/
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14) North Korean regime fires about 10 missiles toward sea in show of force, Seoul regime says
Source: ABC News
“North Korea on Saturday fired about 10 ballistic missiles toward the eastern sea, South Korea’s military said, staging its own show of force as the rival South conducts a joint military exercise with the United States. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missiles were fired from an area near the North Korean capital of Pyongyang, but didn’t immediately say how far they flew. Japan’s Defense Ministry said the weapons landed in waters outside the country’s exclusive economic zone. The South’s Joint Chiefs said the military has stepped up surveillance and is maintaining readiness against possible additional launches while closely sharing information with the U.S. and Japan.” (03/14/26)
https://abcnews.com/International/wireStory/north-korea-fires-10-missiles-sea-show-force-131061822
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15) Jürgen Habermas, 1929-2026
Source: Le Monde [France]
“Jürgen Habermas, whose work on communication, rationality and sociology made him one of the world’s most influential philosophers and a key intellectual figure in his native Germany, has died. He was 96. Habermas’[s] publisher, Suhrkamp, said he died on Saturday, March 14, in Starnberg, near Munich. Habermas frequently weighed in on political matters over several decades. His extensive writing crossed the boundaries of academic and philosophical disciplines, providing a vision of modern society and social interaction. His best-known works included the two-volume ‘Theory of Communicative Action.'” (03/14/26)
https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2026/03/14/jurgen-habermas-influential-german-philosopher-dies-at-96_6751441_4.html
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16) Would-be chief US regime censor issues license threat over Iran war coverage
Source: United Press International
“Brendan Carr, chair of the Federal Communications Commission, on Saturday issued a threat to broadcasters’ licenses over ‘hoaxes and news distortions — also known as the fake news.’ Carr is the latest member of the Trump administration to weigh in on what it calls false reporting by major news organizations, including news networks, about the two-week old war in Iran. … ‘The law is clear. Broadcasters must operate in the public interest, and they will lose their licenses if they do not. And frankly, changing course is in their own business interests since trust in legacy media has now fallen to an all time low of just 9% and are ratings disasters,’ he said.” (03/14/26)
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2026/03/14/fcc-threat-broadcasters-war-reports/2431773527291/
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17) Pahlavi says he’s “ready” to serve as US imperial satrap in Iran if US regime will overthrow his opponents for him
Source: Fox News
“Exiled [former] Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi said Saturday he is ready to lead Iran’s transition ‘as soon as the Islamic Republic falls.’ As the war in Iran entered its third week, Pahlavi — the son of the late [deposed] Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi — said he has been working in recent months to develop a transition plan should the Iranian regime collapse to ensure the country does not experience a disruption in governance. Pahlavi said in a social media post that ‘capable individuals’ have been identified both inside and outside Iran to lead what he called a ‘transitional system.’ … Pahlavi has lived in exile since the 1979 Islamic Revolution toppled Iran’s monarchy and established the Islamic Republic.” (03/15/26)
https://www.foxnews.com/world/iranian-crown-prince-reza-pahlavi-announces-readiness-lead-irans-post-regime-transition
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18) Cuba: Protests erupt amid food, energy shortages
Source: Al Jazeera [Qatari state media]
“Protesters in central Cuba have torched a local communist party office, as conditions on the island continue to deteriorate under severe restrictions from the United States meant to squeeze the economy. Authorities said on Saturday that five people were arrested amid what the government called ‘vandalism acts’ in the city of Moron. … Protests are relatively rare in Cuba, given the threat of government repression. But in recent weeks, Cubans have expressed growing frustration with food and electricity shortages. Some have taken to banging pots and pans at night — a protest tradition called ‘cacerolazo’ — to express anger over the lack of food. Students, meanwhile, at the University of Havana held a sit-in on Monday after their classes were suspended due to energy restrictions.” (03/14/26)
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/3/14/protests-erupt-in-cuba-as-us-restrictions-spark-food-energy-shortages
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19) A blow to Caribbean democracy as Stabroek News & Newsday papers fold
Source: SFGate
“Growing up in Trinidad and Tobago, Carlon Augustus remembers reading the newspapers his grandparents bought daily. Now 32, he says he turns to social media for the latest news. For him, it’s about getting news in real time. ‘Everything is on social media now. Whatever happens today, you don’t have to wait to get the papers tomorrow,’ he said. Media owners point to shifting reading habits like Augustus’ as the primary reason two legacy newspapers have folded in the Caribbean so far this year: Guyana’s Stabroek News and Trinidad and Tobago’s Newsday. Stabroek News printed its final edition on Sunday and halted its online publication. It was established in November 1986, a year after its founder asked Guyana’s then-president if he would accept the creation of an independent newspaper. At the time, Guyana was six years away from its first free and fair elections in nearly 30 years.” (03/15/26)
https://www.sfgate.com/news/world/article/a-blow-to-caribbean-democracy-as-stabroek-news-22077589.php
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20) Lawyer: Ghislaine Maxwell still seeking Trump pardon
Source: Politico
“Ghislaine Maxwell’s lawyer on Friday acknowledged that she is continuing to seek a pardon from President Donald Trump in the wake of the release of the Epstein files. The remarks from Maxwell’s lawyer, David Oscar Markus, came during an on-stage conversation at an American Bar Association conference with Barry Pollack, the attorney for another high-profile defendant, deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. During a discussion about their media strategy in which Markus derided reporting about Maxwell’s prison transfer to what some outlets have described as a ‘country club’-like prison facility, Pollack suggested one goal in talking to reporters might be to alter the public perception of a defendant in hopes of leniency from the president.” (03/13/26)
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/13/ghislaine-maxwell-epstein-case-00829078
_____ Today's Freedom Commentary _____
21) Blame Trump
Source: Free Association
by Sheldon Richman
“What’s with all the people who are trying to blame someone — you probably know who — other than Trump for the U.S. air war against Iran? Has he no agency? He’s had it in for Iran for a long time and nearly went to war in his first term, setting the stage by tearing up the rigorous (and superfluous) nuclear-inspection deal the Iranian government had entered into with Trump’s immediate predecessor, Barack Obama. (Iran has not tried to make a nuclear weapon, according to U.S. and Israeli intelligence analysis, and the late Iranian leader, Ali Khamenei, had issued a fatwa against such weapons.) … This is Trump’s war. Claiming that Israel is solely responsible and that Trump is a helpless marionette is invidious and could incite horrendous domestic consequences. That prospect should not be taken lightly.” (03/13/26)
https://sheldonrichman.substack.com/p/tgif-blame-trump
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22) “But Kamala!” Yeah, So What?
Source: Garrison Center
by Thomas L Knapp
“‘They told me if I voted for Goldwater in 1964,’ William F. Buckley, Jr. allegedly (but not verifiably) once said, ‘that we’d have more war and higher prices. Well, I did, and we do.’ In the run-up to the 2024 presidential election, supporters of Donald Trump delivered similar dire predictions about voting for Kamala Harris. And in the aftermath? The last two words of the apocryphal Buckley quote ring true as well. For some reason, those who still support Trump seem to think that ‘but Kamala! If SHE’D won, we’d have had [insert list of bad things that have happened since anyway here]!’ is some kind of sick burn on those who preferred the empty pantsuit to the senile reality TV star.” (03/14/26)
https://thegarrisoncenter.org/archives/20448
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23) In Space, Regulators Seek To Boldly Go Where No Bureaucrat Has Gone Before
Source: Reason
by JD Tuccille
“The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) faces delays in meeting its schedule for returning to the Moon, according to a new report by the agency’s inspector general. Nevertheless, the project moves forward and remains largely within its budget — a testament to the abilities of SpaceX and Blue Origin, the two private companies participating. In fact, space exploration is largely a private effort these days, with profit-seeking firms developing not just launch capability but also technology for mining Earth’s natural satellite. Unfortunately, opening new commercial opportunities — even in the depths of outer space — is like ringing the dinner bell for bureaucrats and would-be regulators.” (03/13/26)
https://reason.com/2026/03/13/in-space-regulators-seek-to-boldly-go-where-no-bureaucrat-has-gone-before/
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24) Russia Wins the War on Iran
Source: The American Conservative
by Ted Snider
“Nobody wins at war. In the war on Iran, fought without legal justification and without good reason, bringing devastation to lives, the economy, international law, and the environment, there are certainly no winners. But, though there are no winners in the long run, if there is one country that benefits in the short run, it is Russia.” (03/14/16)
https://www.theamericanconservative.com/russia-wins-the-war-on-iran/
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25) Most Americans oppose Trump’s war — with one glaring exception
Sourc: USA Today
by Chris Brennan
“Trump campaigned in 2024 for a second term on promises of ending foreign wars and improving America’s economy. And now he’s done the complete opposite. In fact, Trump has done exactly what he claimed President Joe Biden or Vice President Kamala Harris would do if they held onto the White House. A March 12 CNN summary of recent public opinion polling about the war in Iran shows that a majority of Americans oppose it, though voters are divided along party lines, with Democrats and independents far more likely to not support the war and Republicans more likely to support it. But MAGA, a populist movement allegedly built on an urge for American isolationism and an aversion to regime change and nation building abroad, has effortlessly dumped those supposed principles and flip-flopped into a rabid band of war-hungry neocons.” (03/15/26)
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2026/03/15/polling-trump-iran-war-2026-republicans/89118484007/
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26) Students and AI: Mastery, not misuse
Source: Christian Science Monitor
by staff
“It took several decades for students’ individual computer access to become the norm in American schools. But it’s taken only about three years for the share of students using artificial intelligence in school assignments to go from zero to 84%. At the same time, according to a 2025 report by the College Board, only 13% of schools encouraged using such generative AI in all their classes, while 1 in 5 had no policies governing its use. Educators are racing to keep pace with and use AI in ways that safeguard students’ educational interests and support vibrant classroom relationships. There is concern about repeating what some see as the ‘mistakes’ of having allowed students unlimited access to phones and social media. But blanket restrictions on AI in schools could be counterproductive, given that it infuses almost every aspect of daily commerce and communication – and is also shaping emerging career paths.” (03/13/26)
https://www.csmonitor.com/Editorials/the-monitors-view/2026/0313/Students-and-AI-Mastery-not-misuse
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27) Marco Rubio Gets Western Civilization’s Defining Feature All Wrong
Source: The UnPopulist
by Francis Fukuyama
“Liberal Enlightenment principles, not Christian faith, became the West’s lasting identity.” (03/14/26)
https://www.theunpopulist.net/p/marco-rubio-gets-western-civilizations
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28) How to Bring Starter Homes Back from Extinction
Source: Cato Institute
by staff
“If you want to understand why the American starter home seems to have gone extinct, don’t look at greedy developers, rapacious investors or discriminating banks. Look at the government policies that make building these homes all but impossible. New research puts hard numbers on one part of the problem — and they’re staggering.” (03/13/26)
https://www.cato.org/commentary/how-bring-starter-homes-back-extinction
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29) Israel And Its Supporters Are Causing Attacks On Jewish Institutions
Source: Caitlin Johnstone, Rogue Journalist
by Caitlin Johnstone
“Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt gave a bizarre appearance on CNN in response to an attempted car bombing of a Michigan synagogue by a man whose Lebanese family members were killed by Israeli forces: ‘We are seeing Jewish people, the Jewish state, blamed for the war in the Middle East. That is wrong. It is wrong to scapegoat, it is wrong to hold Jewish people accountable for something you don’t like on the other side of the planet.’ … at first glance it this might read like Greenblatt is taking the entirely reasonable position that it is wrong to blame Jewish Americans for the actions of the Israeli government. But take a closer look at his use of the phrase ‘the Jewish state.'” [editor’s note: The cause of an attack is the attacker and the attacker’s intent, full stop. The Israeli regime is responsible for its actions and its actions only – TLK](03/14/26)
https://caitlinjohnstone.com.au/2026/03/14/israel-and-its-supporters-are-causing-attacks-on-jewish-institutions/
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30) How a first-grader taught her school district and a federal judge about free speech
Source: The Hill
by Jonathan Turley
“In March 2021, California principal Jesus Becerra was confronted by a clear and present threat to his school. Standing before him was the culprit — a student apparently so dangerous that Becerra had to act without delay to protect the entire Viejo Elementary School in the Capistrano Unified School District. The little girl is known only as B.B. in federal filings, but her actions were so heinous that a parent alerted Becerra to take all necessary action. Beccera showed B.B. the incriminating evidence: a picture of children holding hands with the words ‘any life’ written under ‘Black Lives Matter.'” (03/14/26)
https://thehill.com/opinion/judiciary/5783916-california-principal-threat-black-lives/
-----
31) The despicable disgrace of the “call off the war” crowd
Source: New York Post
by staff
“We’d like to believe that the negative coverage of the Iran war so rampant in the media is simply more Trump Derangement Syndrome, but it’s plainly also about how the president’s firm actions expose how pathetically the same elites applauded President Barack Obama’s misbegotten Middle East policies, and not just his sad nuclear deal with Tehran. To simplify things, consider The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg, the dean of elite liberal political analysis, who’s actively sneering at the joint US-Israeli effort to defang an entity that for five decades has called them ‘The Great Satan’ and ‘The Little Satan.’ … the two nations took out Tehran’s nuclear program last year, as it was weeks from producing usable weapons, and they’ve acted before it could rebuild its defenses and offensive conventional forces to shield it as it recovered that capability.” [editor’s note: Are unlimited hallucinogens a formally codified office benefit at the Post, or is their use during work hours merely tolerated? … – TLK] (03/13/26)
https://nypost.com/2026/03/13/opinion/the-despicable-disgrace-of-the-call-off-the-war-crowd/
-----
32) Questions for Markwayne Mullin
Source: The Watch
by Radley Balko
“Kristi Noem has been the worst head of Homeland Security in the department’s 20-year history, and it really isn’t even close. Her tenure was marked by reckless abuse of power, brazen lying and disinformation, white supremacist propaganda, and shameless corruption. Prior to Noem, we had never seen a cabinet official shoot a propaganda/weird fetish video from a foreign prison known for torture and abuse. Prior to Noem, we’d …. never seen a cabinet official celebrate the illegal killing of unarmed U.S. citizens. … Trump’s nominee to replace Noem is Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin, a mixed-martial-arts fighter turned plumber turned politician. Mullin is probably best known for challenging a witness at an oversight hearing to a fight, jamming his fingers into the nostrils of sleeping colleagues and their spouses, and projecting so much masculinity that he requires the names of two men.” (03/13/26)
https://radleybalko.substack.com/p/questions-for-markwayne-mullin
-----
33) Time to Grow Out of “Playing War”
Source: Common Dreams
by Robert C Koehler
“Boys will be boys. Just ask the president. At a gathering of Republicans a few days ago, Donald Trump talked nonchalantly about the recent sinking of an apparently unarmed Iranian frigate by the US Navy — in the Indian Ocean, more than 2,000 miles from the Persian Gulf. A total of 104 crew members were killed and 32 more were injured. The president proceeded to make this more than merely another brutal, pointless act of war. He turned it into a glaring (shocking) revelation of truth … about the American-Israeli war on Iran and, quite possibly about all wars: about war itself.” [editor’s note: “That enemy warship, headed toward the theater of operations, was ‘apparently unarmed,’ may be the dumbest claim I’ve seen from either side of the debate over this conflict – TLK] (03/14/26)
https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/no-more-playing-war
-----
34) Examination Systems
Source: David Friedman’s Substack
by David Friedman
“For well over a thousand years, the civil service of Imperial China, the officials who ran the empire, was principally selected from those who had successfully passed through a series of ferociously competitive exams. Passing the first level gave one the rank of licentiate, which carried with it status and the right to take the second level of exams. Passing the second (‘provincial’) provided a significant chance of eventual appointment to office as well as the opportunity to take the third level of exam (‘metropolitan’). Passing the third level was a near guarantee of official appointment. … It may have occurred to you that Imperial China is not the only society whose elite members are expected to qualify for high-status positions by studying for, and passing, exams on subjects having little or nothing to do with the positions they are qualifying for.” (03/14/26)
https://daviddfriedman.substack.com/p/examination-systems
-----
35) America needs immigrants as much as they need liberty’s blessings
Source: Washington Post
by George F Will
“Two dissimilar government agencies have inadvertently combined to clarify the immigration debate. Stomach-turning excesses by Immigration and Customs Enforcement have turned many Americans’ abstract political preference into something uncomfortably concrete. And the Census Bureau has demonstrated that the nation needs immigrants as much as they need the blessings of American liberty.” (03/13/26)
https://archive.is/HEOLJ
-----
36) Why Does the Division of Labor Matter?
Source: EconLog
by Brianne Wolf
“The division of labor increases production and makes it more efficient by dividing the separate tasks of making an object among different individuals and thereby simplifying the job each person must perform. On the economic side of things, this innovation that Smith recognized helped spark the Industrial Revolution, and was a precursor to comparative advantage …. As part of Gen Z, the generation of side hustles and multitasking, my students should appreciate the division of labor more than most, and yet when I think about most of them, the marvel that is the division of labor — that we don’t have to make each and every thing we use in our daily lives from start to finish ourselves or pay the price for someone else to do this — is lost on them.” (03/13/26)
https://www.econlib.org/econlog/why-does-the-division-of-labor-matter
-----
37) How Shapiro became a squatter and got sued by his neighbors
Source: Fox News
by Jonathan Turley
“The poet Robert Frost once said that ‘good fences make good neighbors.’ He apparently never met Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who is being sued by his neighbors for effectively squatting on their land and then seizing it to install a fence along his $830,500 private residence in suburban Philadelphia. The litigation is likely to put Shapiro in a much different light for many who think of him as a 2028 contender. The irony of the case is crushing. Shapiro opposed Trump’s plan to build a wall along the southern border, declaring that he would sue before a dime of Pennsylvania money would go to pay for it. He apparently adopted a similar approach to his neighbors in Pennsylvania. The difference is that he built the wall, but without giving his neighbors a dime.” (03/14/26)
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/jonathan-turley-how-gov-shapiro-became-squatter-got-sued-his-neighbors
-----
38) Trump’s war is a gift to Iran’s hardliners
Source: Responsible Statecraft
by Emad Khatami
“Given the Islamic Republic’s internal dynamics, war could produce the opposite of what many expect. Rather than weakening the regime, the war may strengthen its most committed supporters — the ideological networks often labeled ‘hardliners’ in Western media — while marginalizing the broader political middle, inside and outside the system, that favors non-violent and gradual change. The Islamic Republic has long relied on a relatively small but highly committed constituency that sees the survival of the system as a political and even moral duty.” (03/13/26)
https://responsiblestatecraft.org/iran-hardliners/
-----
39) The Inevitability of Self-Driving Cars
Source: Foundation for Economic Education
by Stephen Weese
“In the US, we love our cars. Nearly 92% of households have access to a motor vehicle. We have car shows, car racing, car dealerships everywhere, and even TV shows about cars. It’s an accepted part of our society. In a geographically expansive country like ours, cars are essential for many. Along with car culture, we also have a cultural acceptance of the dangers and even fatalities that come from car accidents. The US (human) accident rate is approximately 2,000 per million miles driven. Around 40,000 people are killed each year in auto accidents. … What if we could reduce the number of injuries and fatalities to 50% of what they are now? Or even further, what about 80%? Would it be worth it to switch to self-driving cars then? Interestingly enough, preliminary numbers from Waymo indicate that they already are 80% safer.” (03/13/26)
https://fee.org/articles/the-inevitability-of-self-driving-cars/
-----
40) Government Doesn’t Collect Too Little, It Spends Too Much
Source: Cato Institute
by Veronique de Rugy
“When tax rates rise, taxpayers work less, shelter their money and invest differently, compressing the tax base until the yield reverts to its historical equilibrium.” (03/13/26)
https://www.cato.org/commentary/govt-doesnt-collect-too-little-it-spends-too-much
-----
41) Brian Schatz’s Signals of Comfort With Big Money
Source: The American Prospect
by David Dayen
“As my colleague Bob Kuttner explains, Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Tim Scott (R-SC) have moved through a bipartisan housing bill supported by President Trump that if signed would represent the most (only?) progress of the second Trump term. The bill passed 89-10, reflecting awareness that housing affordability is a critical subject to loosen public anger over an economy that doesn’t work for most of them. The bill mostly adds funding to build housing, tackles land use rules, and lifts restrictions on manufactured housing that could lower costs of construction. But on Wednesday, there was apparently only one provision worth talking about on the shambling mound that used to be Twitter: a requirement that investment companies that build single-family homes in order to rent them out (a strategy that has advanced over the past decade known as ‘build-to-rent’) and have over 350 properties sell them after seven years of rent collection.” (03/13/26)
https://prospect.org/2026/03/13/brian-schatz-comfort-with-big-money/
-----
42) The Nazi Philosopher Behind the Postliberal Right
Source: Independent Institute
by Phillip W Magness
“[F]or all its posturing as a conservative sea change, postliberal theory has more in common with Bush-era foreign policy than it cares to admit (as we are now seeing in Iran). The main intellectual link comes in the person of Carl Schmitt, an eccentric German legal theorist from the early 20th century. Once a leading conservative academic figure in the Weimar Republic, Schmitt fell into disrepute after 1933 when he joined the Nazi Party and wrote the legal justifications for Hitler’s seizure of power. Schmitt’s involvement with Nazism rightfully wrecked his postwar academic career, yet he managed to retain a stream of academic interlocutors who saw flashes of brilliance, or at least provocative insight, in his writings on constitutional theory.” (03/13/26)
https://www.independent.org/article/2026/03/13/the-nazi-philosopher-behind-the-postliberal-right/
-----
43) The War on Iran Is Dumb. Here’s Why.
Source: Antiwar.com
by Alan Mosley
“War with Iran is being sold as ‘strategy,’ but it looks a lot like habit. A familiar pattern repeats: vague objectives, elastic legal theories, and a confident promise that the costs will be contained. Then the bill arrives anyway, in blood, money, and credibility. In this round, the costs are already visible in the most predictable place: energy. Fighting that threatens traffic through the Strait of Hormuz does not just ‘hurt the other side.’ It shakes a chokepoint that, in 2024, carried about 20 million barrels per day of oil, roughly 20% of global petroleum liquids consumption. Markets do not care about speeches. They price risk, and they pass it along to households and firms. Calling this ‘a small price’ is not analysis. It is marketing” (03/13/26)
https://original.antiwar.com/alan_mosley/2026/03/12/the-war-on-iran-is-dumb-heres-why/
-----
44) The End of Pax Americana
Source: The Daily Economy
by Michael N Peterson
“Accelerated by Trump’s tariffs, the EU has signed or updated trade deals with Mercosur, Indonesia, India, and Mexico. Other countries across the Anglosphere like Canada and New Zealand are inking new free trade agreements in an effort to diversify beyond the U.S. In other words, as America raises its trade barriers, the rest of the world is lowering theirs, further undermining its standing as the global economic powerhouse. Meanwhile, the US dollar — America’s enduring monetary advantage — is losing its luster as the world’s reserve currency. … While Pax Americana fades in the rearview mirror, that doesn’t mean the US can’t find its way back to the top of the world’s rules-based economic system. But it will require more than a Supreme Court ruling.” (03/13/26)
https://thedailyeconomy.org/article/the-end-of-pax-americana/
-----
45) The Morality [sic] of Taxation
Source: Town Hall
by John C Goodman
“There is a long tradition in political philosophy holding that public policy should reflect certain moral principles. Not everyone agrees, of course. Friedrich Nietzsche and Thomas Hobbes, for example, came close to saying that ‘might makes right.’ But the political thinkers who shaped the American form of government believed that legitimate government exists for moral purposes. How does that idea apply to taxation? The Biblical commandment is clear enough: ‘Thou shall not steal.’ Since taxation is clearly a ‘taking’ under threat of coercion, we can ask, where does it cross the line from ‘legitimacy’ to ‘theft?’ That there is such a line is implicit in almost all modern political discourse.” (03/14/26)
https://townhall.com/columnists/johncgoodman/2026/03/14/the-morality-of-taxation-n2672835
-----
46) The State’s Favorite Fallacy: The Cudgel in a Suit
Source: Ludwig von Mises Institute
by Thiago VS Coelho
“The argumentum ad baculum — appeal to force — is, in plain terms, an attempt to secure assent not by evidence but by threat. As one line of analysis puts it even more starkly, ad baculum often isn’t really an argument at all; it’s a tactic offered instead of argument to shut the exchange down. That is not an occasional vice of the state. It is the state’s operating system. … when the state ‘argues,’ its syllogism is always lurking in the background: Do X (pay, register, comply, cease, confess, submit), or else.” (03/13/26)
https://mises.org/mises-wire/states-favorite-fallacy-cudgel-suit
-----
47) Trump Puts Midterms Above National Security
Source: The Dispatch
by Kevin D Williamson
“As one might expect, waging war in a critical chokepoint in the world’s supply of petroleum — and many other goods — has been disruptive, with oil prices spiking and consumer gasoline and diesel prices following. President Donald Trump had at first resisted calls to tap oil reserves in the United States and the other 31 members of the International Energy Agency, but then came TACO Wednesday, which follows TACO Tuesday and precedes TACO Thursday — if it is a day of the week ending in the letter ‘y,’ then you can count on it: Trump Always Chickens Out. His resolve to hold the line on oil reserves lasted about as long as his relationship with Stormy Daniels. … The way the graph lines are moving right now, Trump’s approval ratings are poised to dip below his BMI more or less presently. So, the oil taps will be opened.” (03/13/26)
https://archive.is/q9TMB
-----
48) Theft by government — continues today
Source: The Price of Liberty
by Nathan Barton
“It is well known, and even taught in government-run, tax-funded schools, that European nobility and royalty made and maintained their wealth by stealing. Land, labor, the products of the land, and more. But those in government-ruined, theft-funded schools are told that today, governments no longer do that. After all, they are ‘of the people, for the people, and by the people.’ We worship democracy. But all governments, at least those which are mandatory and instituted by fallible men, are kleptocracies to some (generally large) degree. Taxes, licenses and fees, and regulatory demands are just a part of it. Stealing land is perhaps far bigger.” (03/13/26)
https://thepriceofliberty.org/2026/03/13/theft-by-government-continues-today/
-----
49) The Planes Across the Tarmac
Source: In These Times
by Alex Press
“Talia Rose can see the FedEx planes. ‘They’re directly across the tarmac from me,’ they told me. Rose works the overnight shift at the UPS air hub. Most days, they clock in before dawn, when much of Oakland is asleep. Metal containers — ULDs — are rolled off the aircraft and pulled into the building. Rose unloads them, sending boxes down conveyor belts to be sorted and routed. Sometimes they’re on the other side, throwing freight toward outbound trucks. It’s physical work, repetitive and precise. Around six months ago, during a weekly organizing meeting at the Oakland Liberation Center, they learned that military cargo bound for Israel had been moving through the airport. Activists had just released research documenting hundreds of such shipments passing through OAK.” (03/12/26)
https://inthesetimes.com/article/logistics-workers-public-airports-world-goods-weapons-oakland
-----
50) Outsourcing Life
Source: Law & Liberty
by Nadya Williams
“You can outsource to machines not only such tasks as lawnmowing and vacuuming and dishwashing and laundry, but (with the aid of AI) also thinking, idea-generation, writing, art, music, and (brace yourself) romance. Smart bassinets will rock your baby, while AI will respond to your emails — and your recipients, in turn, can use AI to read these emails and write back, cutting out the human middlemen and women from the conversation altogether. Meanwhile, robot pets and other AI tools offer companionship for lonely seniors who have no one else to care for them, and AI therapists are available to assist with the mental health crises of our age. Soon, if predictions hold true, we will also be able to outsource all driving to self-driving cars, pregnancy to artificial wombs, and all childcare and teaching to AI. … Serious ethical dilemmas follow from the outsourcing of many of these tasks.” (03/13/26)
https://lawliberty.org/outsourcing-life/
_____ Today's Freedom Podcast and Video _____
51) Unattended Baggage, episode 332
Sourc: Unattended Baggage
“What did you THINK was gonna happen?” (03/14/26)
https://unattendedbaggage.substack.com/p/episode-332-what-did-you-think-was
-----
52) The Lou Perez Podcast, 03/14/26
Source: Lions of Liberty
“Taking Down Ticketmaster w/ Tommy Dorfman.” (03/14/26)
https://www.lionsofliberty.com/episodes/tlpp-taking-down-ticketmaster-w-tommy-dorfman
-----
53) The Bulwark Podcast, 03/13/26
Source: The Bulwark
“JD Vance Knows the Iran War Is a Disaster — But Can’t Say It (w/ Tom Nichols) | The Bulwark Podcast.” (03/13/26)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sp19acJKdn0
-----
54) The Good Fight, 03/14/26
Source: Yascha Mounk
“Adrian Wooldridge on the Lost Genius of the Political Center.” (03/14/26)
https://writing.yaschamounk.com/p/adrian-wooldridge
-----
55) The Kyle Anzalone Show, 03/14/26
Source: Libertarian Institute
“Trump Demands Iran’s UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER.” (03/14/26)
https://libertarianinstitute.org/blog/the-kyle-anzalone-show-trump-demands-irans-unconditional-surrender
-----
56) The Remnant with Jonah Goldberg, 03/14/26
Source: The Dispatch
“Government Didn’t Build This | Ruminant.” (03/14/26)
https://thedispatch.com/podcast/remnant/government-didnt-build-this-ruminant/
-----
57) Environment and Climate News Podcast, episode 858
Source: Heartland Institute
“Space Mirrors to Save Solar Power?” (03/13/26)
https://heartland.org/podcasts/space-mirrors-to-save-solar-power-the-climate-realism-show-194/
-----
58) Today’s News, With Michael Tracey, episode 1
Source: Racket News
“Conspiretardation.” (03/13/26)
https://www.racket.news/p/new-podcast-todays-news-with-michael
-----
59) Rising, 03/13/26
Source: The Hill
“Ayatollah: Strait of Hormuz will remain closed as oil prices rise! Lindsey Granger.” (03/13/26)
https://thehill.com/hilltv/rising/5774566-rising-march-13-2026/
-----
60) The Daily Blast With Greg Sargent, 03/13/26
Source: The New Republic
“Trump Outbursts Over Oil Shock Go Off Rails as His Aides Quietly Panic.” (03/13/26)
https://newrepublic.com/article/207723/trump-outbursts-oil-shock-go-off-rails-aides-quietly-panic
-----
61) Shaiel Ben-Ephraim on The Scott Horton Show
Source: The Scott Horton Show
“A Look Inside Israel During the War with Iran.” (03/13/26)
https://scotthorton.org/interviews/3-12-26-shaiel-ben-ephraim-a-look-inside-israel-during-the-war-with-iran/
-----
62) Serious Trouble, 03/13/26
Source: Serious Trouble
“The Customs Service says its computers won’t let it refund IEEPA tariffs (yet); Smartmatic claims selective prosecution; Nippon Life sues OpenAI because ChatGPT is bad lawyer.” (03/13/26)
https://www.serioustrouble.show/p/you-cant-stop-the-computer
-----
63) Declare Your Independence with Ernest Hancock, 03/13/26
Source: Freedom’s Phoenix
“Scott Ritter (Former Marine Intelligence Officer, Weapons Inspector) on Iran, Israel, what is really going on, what is going on with Trump, are we being fed propaganda by the Pentagon and MSM?” (03/13/26)
https://www.freedomsphoenix.com/Media/392547-2026-03-12-2026-03-13-ernest-hancock-scott-ritter-former-marine-intelligence.htm
-----
64) The Tom Woods Show, episode 2743
Source: The Tom Woods Show
“Reagan Admin Official Talks Beirut Bombings, War with Iran.” (03/13/26)
https://tomwoods.com/ep-2743-reagan-admin-official-talks-beirut-bombings-war-with-iran/
-----
65) Antiwar News with Dave DeCamp, 03/13/26
Source: Antiwar.com
“US Strikes Kill 30 PMF Fighters in Iraq, Iran’s New Leader Issues First Statement, and More.” (03/13/26)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELsqUWPMSz4
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Today's Freedom News:
0) A Request from the Freedom Movement's Daily Newspaper: "Each One Reach One"
1) US, Israeli forces strike Iranian cities; Iranian forces hit UAE, Israel
2) Russia: Regime says Moscow attacked with about 250 drones this weekend
3) Brian Doherty, 1968-2026
4) Palestine: Israeli occupation police murder family of four
5) Bitcoin trades around $72,800 in “solid” relief bounce supported by ETF inflows
6) Formula 1 cancels races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia amid Middle East conflict
7) Trinidad and Tobago: Regime extends state of emergency for three months over crime
8) Wine Says He has Left Uganda
9) Libertarian Activist Abducted by Regime Thugs Following Return From Egypt
10) Pope Leo moves into papal residence eschewed by Pope Francis
11) Over 100,000 without power as major storm batters Hawaii
12) Trump uses US soldiers killed in his Iran misadventure as fundraising props
13) Fl: UF College Republicans Dispute Disbandment Over Antisemitism Allegations
14) North Korean regime fires about 10 missiles toward sea in show of force, Seoul regime says
15) Jürgen Habermas, 1929-2026
16) Would-be chief US regime censor issues license threat over Iran war coverage
17) Pahlavi says he’s “ready” to serve as US imperial satrap in Iran if US regime will overthrow his opponents for him
18) Cuba: Protests erupt amid food, energy shortages
19) A blow to Caribbean democracy as Stabroek News & Newsday papers fold
20) Lawyer: Ghislaine Maxwell still seeking Trump pardon
Today's Freedom Commentary:
21) Blame Trump
22) “But Kamala!” Yeah, So What?
23) In Space, Regulators Seek To Boldly Go Where No Bureaucrat Has Gone Before
24) Russia Wins the War on Iran
25) Most Americans oppose Trump’s war — with one glaring exception
26) Students and AI: Mastery, not misuse
27) Marco Rubio Gets Western Civilization’s Defining Feature All Wrong
28) How to Bring Starter Homes Back from Extinction
29) Israel And Its Supporters Are Causing Attacks On Jewish Institutions
30) How a first-grader taught her school district and a federal judge about free speech
31) The despicable disgrace of the “call off the war” crowd
32) Questions for Markwayne Mullin
33) Time to Grow Out of “Playing War”
34) Examination Systems
35) America needs immigrants as much as they need liberty’s blessings
36) Why Does the Division of Labor Matter?
37) How Shapiro became a squatter and got sued by his neighbors
38) Trump’s war is a gift to Iran’s hardliners
39) The Inevitability of Self-Driving Cars
40) Government Doesn’t Collect Too Little, It Spends Too Much
41) Brian Schatz’s Signals of Comfort With Big Money
42) The Nazi Philosopher Behind the Postliberal Right
43) The War on Iran Is Dumb. Here’s Why.
44) The End of Pax Americana
45) The Morality [sic] of Taxation
46) The State’s Favorite Fallacy: The Cudgel in a Suit
47) Trump Puts Midterms Above National Security
48) Theft by government — continues today
49) The Planes Across the Tarmac
50) Outsourcing Life
Today's Freedom Podcast and Video:
51) Unattended Baggage, episode 332
52) The Lou Perez Podcast, 03/14/26
53) The Bulwark Podcast, 03/13/26
54) The Good Fight, 03/14/26
55) The Kyle Anzalone Show, 03/14/26
56) The Remnant with Jonah Goldberg, 03/14/26
57) Environment and Climate News Podcast, episode 858
58) Today’s News, With Michael Tracey, episode 1
59) Rising, 03/13/26
60) The Daily Blast With Greg Sargent, 03/13/26
61) Shaiel Ben-Ephraim on The Scott Horton Show
62) Serious Trouble, 03/13/26
63) Declare Your Independence with Ernest Hancock, 03/13/26
64) The Tom Woods Show, episode 2743
65) Antiwar News with Dave DeCamp, 03/13/26
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1) US, Israeli forces strike Iranian cities; Iranian forces hit UAE, Israel
Source: Al Jazeera [Qatari state media]
“Authorities in the UAE say [a] ‘drone-related incident’ sparked fire near Dubai airport while another drone attack has also been reported at Fujairah’s industrial area. US and Israeli forces have continued to bombard Iran, hitting cities including Tehran, Hamadan and Isfahan, as Iranian counterattacks continue, with damage reported in several Israeli cities. … Several Israeli media outlets are reporting that at least one Iranian missile has struck central Israel, although it remains unclear if the impact was from shrapnel or a direct strike. … Israel maintains very strict military censorship regarding information about the damage caused by missiles, particularly at strategic and military sites.” (03/16/26)
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2026/3/16/iran-war-live-tehran-rejects-trump-claim-on-talks-gulf-attacks-continue
-----
2) Russia: Regime says Moscow attacked with about 250 drones this weekend
Source: Reuters
“Russia said on Monday that Ukraine launched a major drone attack on Moscow with about 250 drones over the weekend, and that wave after wave of long-range drones had been shot down by air defences on their way to the city. ‘Over the past two days, air defense forces have destroyed about 250 enemy UAVs directly on the approach to Moscow and on the second line towards Moscow,’ Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Telegram. The war in Ukraine and now the Iran war have showcased the effectiveness of relatively cheap drones that can attack far-off targets ranging from oil infrastructure to major population centres at a fraction of the cost of a fighter jet.” (03/16/26)
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-says-ukraine-launched-major-drone-attack-moscow-2026-03-16/
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3) Brian Doherty, 1968-2026
Source: Reason
“Brian Doherty, a longtime Reason senior editor and the leading historian of the libertarian movement, was found dead Friday morning after a fall the night before in Battery Yates park along the San Francisco Bay. He was 57. Doherty, who began working at Reason in 1994, was the author of six books, most notably the definitive 2007 study, Radicals for Capitalism: A Freewheeling History of the Modern American Libertarian Movement.” (03/14/26)
https://reason.com/2026/03/14/brian-doherty-historian-of-the-libertarian-movement-dead-at-57/
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4) Palestine: Israeli occupation police murder family of four
Source: The Guardian [UK]
“Israeli police have killed two young Palestinian brothers and their parents in the occupied West Bank, shooting all four in the head and face as the family returned from a Ramadan shopping trip. Mohammed, five, Othman, seven, who was blind and had special needs, their mother, Waad Bani Odeh, 35, and father, Ali Bani Odeh, 37, were driving through their home town of Tamoun late on Saturday when Israeli forces opened fire. … The Bani Odeh family were killed just hours after Israeli [squatters] shot and killed Amir Moatasem Odeh, 28, in Qusra south of Nablus. The attackers also stabbed his father, Moatasem Awda, who was taken to hospital in serious condition.” (03/15/26)
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/15/israeli-police-kill-two-young-palestinian-boys-and-their-parents-in-west-bank
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5) Bitcoin trades around $72,800 in “solid” relief bounce supported by ETF inflows
Source: The Block
“Bitcoin, ether, and other major cryptocurrencies posted gains on Sunday as strong ETF inflows and bitcoin’s role as a macro hedge pushed the market into a ‘solid relief bounce’ amid persisting geopolitical tensions. According to The Block’s crypto price page, bitcoin rose 2.5% in the past day to trade at $72,806 as of 9:57 p.m. ET on Sunday. The world’s largest cryptocurrency saw a volatile session, climbing above $73,300 earlier in the day before falling to around $70,500. Altcoins mirrored bitcoin’s gains.” (03/15/26)
https://www.theblock.co/post/393642/bitcoin-solid-relief-bounce
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6) Formula 1 cancels races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia amid Middle East conflict
Source: Politico
“Formula 1 has canceled races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia scheduled for April, as the ongoing war between Iran and the U.S. and Israel disrupts international sports throughout the Middle East. … The grands prix, marquee events at the top of the F1 calendar, were scheduled to be the fourth and fifth races of the season, which kicked off during the first weekend of March in Melbourne. Last year, both were won by Australian driver Oscar Piastri, who rode a strong start in the campaign to a third-place finish in the F1 season standings. Iran targeted both Gulf countries in the early days of the conflict in a retaliatory campaign that saw Tehran take shots at Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Iraq, Jordan, Turkey, Cyprus and Israel.” (03/14/26)
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/14/formula-1-cancels-races-middle-east-00829213
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7) Trinidad and Tobago: Regime extends state of emergency for three months over crime
Source: Seattle Times
“Trinidad and Tobago’s government has received House of Representatives approval to extend a state of emergency for three months, as the twin-island Caribbean nation struggles with a high level of crime. The two motions to extend the measure, which grants the government additional powers, including to make arrests and conduct searches without warrants, were approved in a 26-12 vote late Friday. There were no abstentions. Trinidad and Tobago has spent roughly 10 of the last 14 months under an emergency.” (03/14/26)
https://archive.is/Uf5q1
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8) Wine Says He has Left Uganda
Source: US News & World Report
“Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine said he has temporarily left the country after two months in hiding in the wake of a presidential election in January that kept long‑time leader Yoweri Museveni in office. Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, disputed the outcome of that contest, alleging fraud, and had been in hiding since fleeing his home in Uganda’s capital Kampala. In a five-minute video message posted on X on Saturday, Wine said he had left the country for ‘critical engagements outside Uganda,’ without specifying where he was or what the engagements were. ‘At the right time I will come back and continue with the cause,’ he said. The pop star‑turned‑politician has said his campaign was constrained by security forces blocking his rallies and arresting his supporters.” (03/15/26)
https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2026-03-15/uganda-opposition-leader-bobi-wine-says-he-has-left-country-after-disputed-vote
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9) Libertarian Activist Abducted by Regime Thugs Following Return From Egypt
Source: Independent Political Report
“A libertarian activist from Orlando with a history of volunteering with the Libertarian Party of Florida is being held in federal immigration custody and facing possible deportation to Egypt, according to details shared with Independent Political Report. A friend of Aly who has remained in contact with him during his detention told IPR on Friday that Izzy Aly, also known as Islam Mahmoud Aly, was [abducted] by officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on December 22 after arriving at a U.S. airport following a trip to Egypt, where he had traveled to settle matters related to his late father’s estate. … Aly, an Egyptian national who resides in the Orlando area, has been active for several years in libertarian political circles, including by attending meetings of the Libertarian Party of Florida to support the party’s activities.” (03/14/26)
https://independentpoliticalreport.com/2026/03/libertarian-activist-detained-by-immigration-authorities-following-return-from-egypt/
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10) Pope Leo moves into papal residence eschewed by Pope Francis
Source: ABC News
“Ten months after taking office, Pope Leo XIV on Saturday finally moved into his apartments in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace, a historic papal residence that his predecessor had eschewed. … Leo, the first U..S pope, decided to move into the apartments in the wake of his May 8, 2025, election as head of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics. But after being abandoned under the late Pope Francis, who chose a more modest dwelling elsewhere in the Vatican, they required extensive renovation. During the interim, the 70-year-old Leo continued staying at the Palace of the Holy Office, near the Vatican, where he had lived as a cardinal.” (03/14/26)
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/pope-leo-moves-into-historic-papal-apartments/
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11) Over 100,000 without power as major storm batters Hawaii
Source: SFGate
“A slow-moving storm is battering Hawaii with heavy rain, flash flooding and damaging winds, knocking out power for more than 100,000 Hawaiian Electric customers, including parts of Waikiki. Some streets are also underwater.” (03/14/26)
https://www.sfgate.com/hawaii/article/hawaii-storm-flooding-dam-22076847.php
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12) Trump uses US soldiers killed in his Iran misadventure as fundraising props
Source: CNBC
“President Donald Trump’s political action committee this week sent a fundraising email promising donors ‘private national security briefings’ by the president himself and featuring a photo from the dignified transfer for U.S. service members killed in Kuwait. ‘For the first time ever, I’m opening up spots on the National Security Briefing Membership,’ reads the email, from Trump’s Never Surrender Inc. PAC. … The email includes a black-and-white version of an official photo taken by the White House showing the president in a white ‘USA’ baseball cap saluting a transfer case during the dignified transfer at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on March 7. … The White House and the Pentagon did not respond to MS NOW’s request for comment on the fundraising email pegged to the Iran war and what the offers of ‘national security briefings’ would entail.” (03/14/26)
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/14/trump-iran-war-fundraising-us-soldiers.html
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13) Fl: UF College Republicans Dispute Disbandment Over Antisemitism Allegations
Source: News-USA Today
“The University of Florida (UF) has moved to deactivate its chapter of the College Republicans following allegations of antisemitic conduct by some members. The action was prompted by a request from the Florida Federation of College Republicans (FFCR), though the UF chapter asserts it operates independently under the umbrella of the College Republicans of America. … However, the UF College Republicans chapter disputes the FFCR’s authority over its operations. They claim to be affiliated with the College Republicans of America and have retained legal counsel, alleging that the FFCR has previously attempted to silence Christian conservative groups on campus through similar tactics.” (03/15/26)
https://news-usa.today/uf-college-republicans-dispute-disbandment-over-antisemitism-allegations/
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14) North Korean regime fires about 10 missiles toward sea in show of force, Seoul regime says
Source: ABC News
“North Korea on Saturday fired about 10 ballistic missiles toward the eastern sea, South Korea’s military said, staging its own show of force as the rival South conducts a joint military exercise with the United States. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missiles were fired from an area near the North Korean capital of Pyongyang, but didn’t immediately say how far they flew. Japan’s Defense Ministry said the weapons landed in waters outside the country’s exclusive economic zone. The South’s Joint Chiefs said the military has stepped up surveillance and is maintaining readiness against possible additional launches while closely sharing information with the U.S. and Japan.” (03/14/26)
https://abcnews.com/International/wireStory/north-korea-fires-10-missiles-sea-show-force-131061822
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15) Jürgen Habermas, 1929-2026
Source: Le Monde [France]
“Jürgen Habermas, whose work on communication, rationality and sociology made him one of the world’s most influential philosophers and a key intellectual figure in his native Germany, has died. He was 96. Habermas’[s] publisher, Suhrkamp, said he died on Saturday, March 14, in Starnberg, near Munich. Habermas frequently weighed in on political matters over several decades. His extensive writing crossed the boundaries of academic and philosophical disciplines, providing a vision of modern society and social interaction. His best-known works included the two-volume ‘Theory of Communicative Action.'” (03/14/26)
https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2026/03/14/jurgen-habermas-influential-german-philosopher-dies-at-96_6751441_4.html
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16) Would-be chief US regime censor issues license threat over Iran war coverage
Source: United Press International
“Brendan Carr, chair of the Federal Communications Commission, on Saturday issued a threat to broadcasters’ licenses over ‘hoaxes and news distortions — also known as the fake news.’ Carr is the latest member of the Trump administration to weigh in on what it calls false reporting by major news organizations, including news networks, about the two-week old war in Iran. … ‘The law is clear. Broadcasters must operate in the public interest, and they will lose their licenses if they do not. And frankly, changing course is in their own business interests since trust in legacy media has now fallen to an all time low of just 9% and are ratings disasters,’ he said.” (03/14/26)
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2026/03/14/fcc-threat-broadcasters-war-reports/2431773527291/
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17) Pahlavi says he’s “ready” to serve as US imperial satrap in Iran if US regime will overthrow his opponents for him
Source: Fox News
“Exiled [former] Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi said Saturday he is ready to lead Iran’s transition ‘as soon as the Islamic Republic falls.’ As the war in Iran entered its third week, Pahlavi — the son of the late [deposed] Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi — said he has been working in recent months to develop a transition plan should the Iranian regime collapse to ensure the country does not experience a disruption in governance. Pahlavi said in a social media post that ‘capable individuals’ have been identified both inside and outside Iran to lead what he called a ‘transitional system.’ … Pahlavi has lived in exile since the 1979 Islamic Revolution toppled Iran’s monarchy and established the Islamic Republic.” (03/15/26)
https://www.foxnews.com/world/iranian-crown-prince-reza-pahlavi-announces-readiness-lead-irans-post-regime-transition
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18) Cuba: Protests erupt amid food, energy shortages
Source: Al Jazeera [Qatari state media]
“Protesters in central Cuba have torched a local communist party office, as conditions on the island continue to deteriorate under severe restrictions from the United States meant to squeeze the economy. Authorities said on Saturday that five people were arrested amid what the government called ‘vandalism acts’ in the city of Moron. … Protests are relatively rare in Cuba, given the threat of government repression. But in recent weeks, Cubans have expressed growing frustration with food and electricity shortages. Some have taken to banging pots and pans at night — a protest tradition called ‘cacerolazo’ — to express anger over the lack of food. Students, meanwhile, at the University of Havana held a sit-in on Monday after their classes were suspended due to energy restrictions.” (03/14/26)
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/3/14/protests-erupt-in-cuba-as-us-restrictions-spark-food-energy-shortages
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19) A blow to Caribbean democracy as Stabroek News & Newsday papers fold
Source: SFGate
“Growing up in Trinidad and Tobago, Carlon Augustus remembers reading the newspapers his grandparents bought daily. Now 32, he says he turns to social media for the latest news. For him, it’s about getting news in real time. ‘Everything is on social media now. Whatever happens today, you don’t have to wait to get the papers tomorrow,’ he said. Media owners point to shifting reading habits like Augustus’ as the primary reason two legacy newspapers have folded in the Caribbean so far this year: Guyana’s Stabroek News and Trinidad and Tobago’s Newsday. Stabroek News printed its final edition on Sunday and halted its online publication. It was established in November 1986, a year after its founder asked Guyana’s then-president if he would accept the creation of an independent newspaper. At the time, Guyana was six years away from its first free and fair elections in nearly 30 years.” (03/15/26)
https://www.sfgate.com/news/world/article/a-blow-to-caribbean-democracy-as-stabroek-news-22077589.php
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20) Lawyer: Ghislaine Maxwell still seeking Trump pardon
Source: Politico
“Ghislaine Maxwell’s lawyer on Friday acknowledged that she is continuing to seek a pardon from President Donald Trump in the wake of the release of the Epstein files. The remarks from Maxwell’s lawyer, David Oscar Markus, came during an on-stage conversation at an American Bar Association conference with Barry Pollack, the attorney for another high-profile defendant, deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. During a discussion about their media strategy in which Markus derided reporting about Maxwell’s prison transfer to what some outlets have described as a ‘country club’-like prison facility, Pollack suggested one goal in talking to reporters might be to alter the public perception of a defendant in hopes of leniency from the president.” (03/13/26)
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/13/ghislaine-maxwell-epstein-case-00829078
_____ Today's Freedom Commentary _____
21) Blame Trump
Source: Free Association
by Sheldon Richman
“What’s with all the people who are trying to blame someone — you probably know who — other than Trump for the U.S. air war against Iran? Has he no agency? He’s had it in for Iran for a long time and nearly went to war in his first term, setting the stage by tearing up the rigorous (and superfluous) nuclear-inspection deal the Iranian government had entered into with Trump’s immediate predecessor, Barack Obama. (Iran has not tried to make a nuclear weapon, according to U.S. and Israeli intelligence analysis, and the late Iranian leader, Ali Khamenei, had issued a fatwa against such weapons.) … This is Trump’s war. Claiming that Israel is solely responsible and that Trump is a helpless marionette is invidious and could incite horrendous domestic consequences. That prospect should not be taken lightly.” (03/13/26)
https://sheldonrichman.substack.com/p/tgif-blame-trump
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22) “But Kamala!” Yeah, So What?
Source: Garrison Center
by Thomas L Knapp
“‘They told me if I voted for Goldwater in 1964,’ William F. Buckley, Jr. allegedly (but not verifiably) once said, ‘that we’d have more war and higher prices. Well, I did, and we do.’ In the run-up to the 2024 presidential election, supporters of Donald Trump delivered similar dire predictions about voting for Kamala Harris. And in the aftermath? The last two words of the apocryphal Buckley quote ring true as well. For some reason, those who still support Trump seem to think that ‘but Kamala! If SHE’D won, we’d have had [insert list of bad things that have happened since anyway here]!’ is some kind of sick burn on those who preferred the empty pantsuit to the senile reality TV star.” (03/14/26)
https://thegarrisoncenter.org/archives/20448
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23) In Space, Regulators Seek To Boldly Go Where No Bureaucrat Has Gone Before
Source: Reason
by JD Tuccille
“The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) faces delays in meeting its schedule for returning to the Moon, according to a new report by the agency’s inspector general. Nevertheless, the project moves forward and remains largely within its budget — a testament to the abilities of SpaceX and Blue Origin, the two private companies participating. In fact, space exploration is largely a private effort these days, with profit-seeking firms developing not just launch capability but also technology for mining Earth’s natural satellite. Unfortunately, opening new commercial opportunities — even in the depths of outer space — is like ringing the dinner bell for bureaucrats and would-be regulators.” (03/13/26)
https://reason.com/2026/03/13/in-space-regulators-seek-to-boldly-go-where-no-bureaucrat-has-gone-before/
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24) Russia Wins the War on Iran
Source: The American Conservative
by Ted Snider
“Nobody wins at war. In the war on Iran, fought without legal justification and without good reason, bringing devastation to lives, the economy, international law, and the environment, there are certainly no winners. But, though there are no winners in the long run, if there is one country that benefits in the short run, it is Russia.” (03/14/16)
https://www.theamericanconservative.com/russia-wins-the-war-on-iran/
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25) Most Americans oppose Trump’s war — with one glaring exception
Sourc: USA Today
by Chris Brennan
“Trump campaigned in 2024 for a second term on promises of ending foreign wars and improving America’s economy. And now he’s done the complete opposite. In fact, Trump has done exactly what he claimed President Joe Biden or Vice President Kamala Harris would do if they held onto the White House. A March 12 CNN summary of recent public opinion polling about the war in Iran shows that a majority of Americans oppose it, though voters are divided along party lines, with Democrats and independents far more likely to not support the war and Republicans more likely to support it. But MAGA, a populist movement allegedly built on an urge for American isolationism and an aversion to regime change and nation building abroad, has effortlessly dumped those supposed principles and flip-flopped into a rabid band of war-hungry neocons.” (03/15/26)
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2026/03/15/polling-trump-iran-war-2026-republicans/89118484007/
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26) Students and AI: Mastery, not misuse
Source: Christian Science Monitor
by staff
“It took several decades for students’ individual computer access to become the norm in American schools. But it’s taken only about three years for the share of students using artificial intelligence in school assignments to go from zero to 84%. At the same time, according to a 2025 report by the College Board, only 13% of schools encouraged using such generative AI in all their classes, while 1 in 5 had no policies governing its use. Educators are racing to keep pace with and use AI in ways that safeguard students’ educational interests and support vibrant classroom relationships. There is concern about repeating what some see as the ‘mistakes’ of having allowed students unlimited access to phones and social media. But blanket restrictions on AI in schools could be counterproductive, given that it infuses almost every aspect of daily commerce and communication – and is also shaping emerging career paths.” (03/13/26)
https://www.csmonitor.com/Editorials/the-monitors-view/2026/0313/Students-and-AI-Mastery-not-misuse
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27) Marco Rubio Gets Western Civilization’s Defining Feature All Wrong
Source: The UnPopulist
by Francis Fukuyama
“Liberal Enlightenment principles, not Christian faith, became the West’s lasting identity.” (03/14/26)
https://www.theunpopulist.net/p/marco-rubio-gets-western-civilizations
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28) How to Bring Starter Homes Back from Extinction
Source: Cato Institute
by staff
“If you want to understand why the American starter home seems to have gone extinct, don’t look at greedy developers, rapacious investors or discriminating banks. Look at the government policies that make building these homes all but impossible. New research puts hard numbers on one part of the problem — and they’re staggering.” (03/13/26)
https://www.cato.org/commentary/how-bring-starter-homes-back-extinction
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29) Israel And Its Supporters Are Causing Attacks On Jewish Institutions
Source: Caitlin Johnstone, Rogue Journalist
by Caitlin Johnstone
“Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt gave a bizarre appearance on CNN in response to an attempted car bombing of a Michigan synagogue by a man whose Lebanese family members were killed by Israeli forces: ‘We are seeing Jewish people, the Jewish state, blamed for the war in the Middle East. That is wrong. It is wrong to scapegoat, it is wrong to hold Jewish people accountable for something you don’t like on the other side of the planet.’ … at first glance it this might read like Greenblatt is taking the entirely reasonable position that it is wrong to blame Jewish Americans for the actions of the Israeli government. But take a closer look at his use of the phrase ‘the Jewish state.'” [editor’s note: The cause of an attack is the attacker and the attacker’s intent, full stop. The Israeli regime is responsible for its actions and its actions only – TLK](03/14/26)
https://caitlinjohnstone.com.au/2026/03/14/israel-and-its-supporters-are-causing-attacks-on-jewish-institutions/
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30) How a first-grader taught her school district and a federal judge about free speech
Source: The Hill
by Jonathan Turley
“In March 2021, California principal Jesus Becerra was confronted by a clear and present threat to his school. Standing before him was the culprit — a student apparently so dangerous that Becerra had to act without delay to protect the entire Viejo Elementary School in the Capistrano Unified School District. The little girl is known only as B.B. in federal filings, but her actions were so heinous that a parent alerted Becerra to take all necessary action. Beccera showed B.B. the incriminating evidence: a picture of children holding hands with the words ‘any life’ written under ‘Black Lives Matter.'” (03/14/26)
https://thehill.com/opinion/judiciary/5783916-california-principal-threat-black-lives/
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31) The despicable disgrace of the “call off the war” crowd
Source: New York Post
by staff
“We’d like to believe that the negative coverage of the Iran war so rampant in the media is simply more Trump Derangement Syndrome, but it’s plainly also about how the president’s firm actions expose how pathetically the same elites applauded President Barack Obama’s misbegotten Middle East policies, and not just his sad nuclear deal with Tehran. To simplify things, consider The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg, the dean of elite liberal political analysis, who’s actively sneering at the joint US-Israeli effort to defang an entity that for five decades has called them ‘The Great Satan’ and ‘The Little Satan.’ … the two nations took out Tehran’s nuclear program last year, as it was weeks from producing usable weapons, and they’ve acted before it could rebuild its defenses and offensive conventional forces to shield it as it recovered that capability.” [editor’s note: Are unlimited hallucinogens a formally codified office benefit at the Post, or is their use during work hours merely tolerated? … – TLK] (03/13/26)
https://nypost.com/2026/03/13/opinion/the-despicable-disgrace-of-the-call-off-the-war-crowd/
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32) Questions for Markwayne Mullin
Source: The Watch
by Radley Balko
“Kristi Noem has been the worst head of Homeland Security in the department’s 20-year history, and it really isn’t even close. Her tenure was marked by reckless abuse of power, brazen lying and disinformation, white supremacist propaganda, and shameless corruption. Prior to Noem, we had never seen a cabinet official shoot a propaganda/weird fetish video from a foreign prison known for torture and abuse. Prior to Noem, we’d …. never seen a cabinet official celebrate the illegal killing of unarmed U.S. citizens. … Trump’s nominee to replace Noem is Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin, a mixed-martial-arts fighter turned plumber turned politician. Mullin is probably best known for challenging a witness at an oversight hearing to a fight, jamming his fingers into the nostrils of sleeping colleagues and their spouses, and projecting so much masculinity that he requires the names of two men.” (03/13/26)
https://radleybalko.substack.com/p/questions-for-markwayne-mullin
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33) Time to Grow Out of “Playing War”
Source: Common Dreams
by Robert C Koehler
“Boys will be boys. Just ask the president. At a gathering of Republicans a few days ago, Donald Trump talked nonchalantly about the recent sinking of an apparently unarmed Iranian frigate by the US Navy — in the Indian Ocean, more than 2,000 miles from the Persian Gulf. A total of 104 crew members were killed and 32 more were injured. The president proceeded to make this more than merely another brutal, pointless act of war. He turned it into a glaring (shocking) revelation of truth … about the American-Israeli war on Iran and, quite possibly about all wars: about war itself.” [editor’s note: “That enemy warship, headed toward the theater of operations, was ‘apparently unarmed,’ may be the dumbest claim I’ve seen from either side of the debate over this conflict – TLK] (03/14/26)
https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/no-more-playing-war
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34) Examination Systems
Source: David Friedman’s Substack
by David Friedman
“For well over a thousand years, the civil service of Imperial China, the officials who ran the empire, was principally selected from those who had successfully passed through a series of ferociously competitive exams. Passing the first level gave one the rank of licentiate, which carried with it status and the right to take the second level of exams. Passing the second (‘provincial’) provided a significant chance of eventual appointment to office as well as the opportunity to take the third level of exam (‘metropolitan’). Passing the third level was a near guarantee of official appointment. … It may have occurred to you that Imperial China is not the only society whose elite members are expected to qualify for high-status positions by studying for, and passing, exams on subjects having little or nothing to do with the positions they are qualifying for.” (03/14/26)
https://daviddfriedman.substack.com/p/examination-systems
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35) America needs immigrants as much as they need liberty’s blessings
Source: Washington Post
by George F Will
“Two dissimilar government agencies have inadvertently combined to clarify the immigration debate. Stomach-turning excesses by Immigration and Customs Enforcement have turned many Americans’ abstract political preference into something uncomfortably concrete. And the Census Bureau has demonstrated that the nation needs immigrants as much as they need the blessings of American liberty.” (03/13/26)
https://archive.is/HEOLJ
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36) Why Does the Division of Labor Matter?
Source: EconLog
by Brianne Wolf
“The division of labor increases production and makes it more efficient by dividing the separate tasks of making an object among different individuals and thereby simplifying the job each person must perform. On the economic side of things, this innovation that Smith recognized helped spark the Industrial Revolution, and was a precursor to comparative advantage …. As part of Gen Z, the generation of side hustles and multitasking, my students should appreciate the division of labor more than most, and yet when I think about most of them, the marvel that is the division of labor — that we don’t have to make each and every thing we use in our daily lives from start to finish ourselves or pay the price for someone else to do this — is lost on them.” (03/13/26)
https://www.econlib.org/econlog/why-does-the-division-of-labor-matter
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37) How Shapiro became a squatter and got sued by his neighbors
Source: Fox News
by Jonathan Turley
“The poet Robert Frost once said that ‘good fences make good neighbors.’ He apparently never met Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who is being sued by his neighbors for effectively squatting on their land and then seizing it to install a fence along his $830,500 private residence in suburban Philadelphia. The litigation is likely to put Shapiro in a much different light for many who think of him as a 2028 contender. The irony of the case is crushing. Shapiro opposed Trump’s plan to build a wall along the southern border, declaring that he would sue before a dime of Pennsylvania money would go to pay for it. He apparently adopted a similar approach to his neighbors in Pennsylvania. The difference is that he built the wall, but without giving his neighbors a dime.” (03/14/26)
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/jonathan-turley-how-gov-shapiro-became-squatter-got-sued-his-neighbors
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38) Trump’s war is a gift to Iran’s hardliners
Source: Responsible Statecraft
by Emad Khatami
“Given the Islamic Republic’s internal dynamics, war could produce the opposite of what many expect. Rather than weakening the regime, the war may strengthen its most committed supporters — the ideological networks often labeled ‘hardliners’ in Western media — while marginalizing the broader political middle, inside and outside the system, that favors non-violent and gradual change. The Islamic Republic has long relied on a relatively small but highly committed constituency that sees the survival of the system as a political and even moral duty.” (03/13/26)
https://responsiblestatecraft.org/iran-hardliners/
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39) The Inevitability of Self-Driving Cars
Source: Foundation for Economic Education
by Stephen Weese
“In the US, we love our cars. Nearly 92% of households have access to a motor vehicle. We have car shows, car racing, car dealerships everywhere, and even TV shows about cars. It’s an accepted part of our society. In a geographically expansive country like ours, cars are essential for many. Along with car culture, we also have a cultural acceptance of the dangers and even fatalities that come from car accidents. The US (human) accident rate is approximately 2,000 per million miles driven. Around 40,000 people are killed each year in auto accidents. … What if we could reduce the number of injuries and fatalities to 50% of what they are now? Or even further, what about 80%? Would it be worth it to switch to self-driving cars then? Interestingly enough, preliminary numbers from Waymo indicate that they already are 80% safer.” (03/13/26)
https://fee.org/articles/the-inevitability-of-self-driving-cars/
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40) Government Doesn’t Collect Too Little, It Spends Too Much
Source: Cato Institute
by Veronique de Rugy
“When tax rates rise, taxpayers work less, shelter their money and invest differently, compressing the tax base until the yield reverts to its historical equilibrium.” (03/13/26)
https://www.cato.org/commentary/govt-doesnt-collect-too-little-it-spends-too-much
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41) Brian Schatz’s Signals of Comfort With Big Money
Source: The American Prospect
by David Dayen
“As my colleague Bob Kuttner explains, Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Tim Scott (R-SC) have moved through a bipartisan housing bill supported by President Trump that if signed would represent the most (only?) progress of the second Trump term. The bill passed 89-10, reflecting awareness that housing affordability is a critical subject to loosen public anger over an economy that doesn’t work for most of them. The bill mostly adds funding to build housing, tackles land use rules, and lifts restrictions on manufactured housing that could lower costs of construction. But on Wednesday, there was apparently only one provision worth talking about on the shambling mound that used to be Twitter: a requirement that investment companies that build single-family homes in order to rent them out (a strategy that has advanced over the past decade known as ‘build-to-rent’) and have over 350 properties sell them after seven years of rent collection.” (03/13/26)
https://prospect.org/2026/03/13/brian-schatz-comfort-with-big-money/
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42) The Nazi Philosopher Behind the Postliberal Right
Source: Independent Institute
by Phillip W Magness
“[F]or all its posturing as a conservative sea change, postliberal theory has more in common with Bush-era foreign policy than it cares to admit (as we are now seeing in Iran). The main intellectual link comes in the person of Carl Schmitt, an eccentric German legal theorist from the early 20th century. Once a leading conservative academic figure in the Weimar Republic, Schmitt fell into disrepute after 1933 when he joined the Nazi Party and wrote the legal justifications for Hitler’s seizure of power. Schmitt’s involvement with Nazism rightfully wrecked his postwar academic career, yet he managed to retain a stream of academic interlocutors who saw flashes of brilliance, or at least provocative insight, in his writings on constitutional theory.” (03/13/26)
https://www.independent.org/article/2026/03/13/the-nazi-philosopher-behind-the-postliberal-right/
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43) The War on Iran Is Dumb. Here’s Why.
Source: Antiwar.com
by Alan Mosley
“War with Iran is being sold as ‘strategy,’ but it looks a lot like habit. A familiar pattern repeats: vague objectives, elastic legal theories, and a confident promise that the costs will be contained. Then the bill arrives anyway, in blood, money, and credibility. In this round, the costs are already visible in the most predictable place: energy. Fighting that threatens traffic through the Strait of Hormuz does not just ‘hurt the other side.’ It shakes a chokepoint that, in 2024, carried about 20 million barrels per day of oil, roughly 20% of global petroleum liquids consumption. Markets do not care about speeches. They price risk, and they pass it along to households and firms. Calling this ‘a small price’ is not analysis. It is marketing” (03/13/26)
https://original.antiwar.com/alan_mosley/2026/03/12/the-war-on-iran-is-dumb-heres-why/
-----
44) The End of Pax Americana
Source: The Daily Economy
by Michael N Peterson
“Accelerated by Trump’s tariffs, the EU has signed or updated trade deals with Mercosur, Indonesia, India, and Mexico. Other countries across the Anglosphere like Canada and New Zealand are inking new free trade agreements in an effort to diversify beyond the U.S. In other words, as America raises its trade barriers, the rest of the world is lowering theirs, further undermining its standing as the global economic powerhouse. Meanwhile, the US dollar — America’s enduring monetary advantage — is losing its luster as the world’s reserve currency. … While Pax Americana fades in the rearview mirror, that doesn’t mean the US can’t find its way back to the top of the world’s rules-based economic system. But it will require more than a Supreme Court ruling.” (03/13/26)
https://thedailyeconomy.org/article/the-end-of-pax-americana/
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45) The Morality [sic] of Taxation
Source: Town Hall
by John C Goodman
“There is a long tradition in political philosophy holding that public policy should reflect certain moral principles. Not everyone agrees, of course. Friedrich Nietzsche and Thomas Hobbes, for example, came close to saying that ‘might makes right.’ But the political thinkers who shaped the American form of government believed that legitimate government exists for moral purposes. How does that idea apply to taxation? The Biblical commandment is clear enough: ‘Thou shall not steal.’ Since taxation is clearly a ‘taking’ under threat of coercion, we can ask, where does it cross the line from ‘legitimacy’ to ‘theft?’ That there is such a line is implicit in almost all modern political discourse.” (03/14/26)
https://townhall.com/columnists/johncgoodman/2026/03/14/the-morality-of-taxation-n2672835
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46) The State’s Favorite Fallacy: The Cudgel in a Suit
Source: Ludwig von Mises Institute
by Thiago VS Coelho
“The argumentum ad baculum — appeal to force — is, in plain terms, an attempt to secure assent not by evidence but by threat. As one line of analysis puts it even more starkly, ad baculum often isn’t really an argument at all; it’s a tactic offered instead of argument to shut the exchange down. That is not an occasional vice of the state. It is the state’s operating system. … when the state ‘argues,’ its syllogism is always lurking in the background: Do X (pay, register, comply, cease, confess, submit), or else.” (03/13/26)
https://mises.org/mises-wire/states-favorite-fallacy-cudgel-suit
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47) Trump Puts Midterms Above National Security
Source: The Dispatch
by Kevin D Williamson
“As one might expect, waging war in a critical chokepoint in the world’s supply of petroleum — and many other goods — has been disruptive, with oil prices spiking and consumer gasoline and diesel prices following. President Donald Trump had at first resisted calls to tap oil reserves in the United States and the other 31 members of the International Energy Agency, but then came TACO Wednesday, which follows TACO Tuesday and precedes TACO Thursday — if it is a day of the week ending in the letter ‘y,’ then you can count on it: Trump Always Chickens Out. His resolve to hold the line on oil reserves lasted about as long as his relationship with Stormy Daniels. … The way the graph lines are moving right now, Trump’s approval ratings are poised to dip below his BMI more or less presently. So, the oil taps will be opened.” (03/13/26)
https://archive.is/q9TMB
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48) Theft by government — continues today
Source: The Price of Liberty
by Nathan Barton
“It is well known, and even taught in government-run, tax-funded schools, that European nobility and royalty made and maintained their wealth by stealing. Land, labor, the products of the land, and more. But those in government-ruined, theft-funded schools are told that today, governments no longer do that. After all, they are ‘of the people, for the people, and by the people.’ We worship democracy. But all governments, at least those which are mandatory and instituted by fallible men, are kleptocracies to some (generally large) degree. Taxes, licenses and fees, and regulatory demands are just a part of it. Stealing land is perhaps far bigger.” (03/13/26)
https://thepriceofliberty.org/2026/03/13/theft-by-government-continues-today/
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49) The Planes Across the Tarmac
Source: In These Times
by Alex Press
“Talia Rose can see the FedEx planes. ‘They’re directly across the tarmac from me,’ they told me. Rose works the overnight shift at the UPS air hub. Most days, they clock in before dawn, when much of Oakland is asleep. Metal containers — ULDs — are rolled off the aircraft and pulled into the building. Rose unloads them, sending boxes down conveyor belts to be sorted and routed. Sometimes they’re on the other side, throwing freight toward outbound trucks. It’s physical work, repetitive and precise. Around six months ago, during a weekly organizing meeting at the Oakland Liberation Center, they learned that military cargo bound for Israel had been moving through the airport. Activists had just released research documenting hundreds of such shipments passing through OAK.” (03/12/26)
https://inthesetimes.com/article/logistics-workers-public-airports-world-goods-weapons-oakland
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50) Outsourcing Life
Source: Law & Liberty
by Nadya Williams
“You can outsource to machines not only such tasks as lawnmowing and vacuuming and dishwashing and laundry, but (with the aid of AI) also thinking, idea-generation, writing, art, music, and (brace yourself) romance. Smart bassinets will rock your baby, while AI will respond to your emails — and your recipients, in turn, can use AI to read these emails and write back, cutting out the human middlemen and women from the conversation altogether. Meanwhile, robot pets and other AI tools offer companionship for lonely seniors who have no one else to care for them, and AI therapists are available to assist with the mental health crises of our age. Soon, if predictions hold true, we will also be able to outsource all driving to self-driving cars, pregnancy to artificial wombs, and all childcare and teaching to AI. … Serious ethical dilemmas follow from the outsourcing of many of these tasks.” (03/13/26)
https://lawliberty.org/outsourcing-life/
_____ Today's Freedom Podcast and Video _____
51) Unattended Baggage, episode 332
Sourc: Unattended Baggage
“What did you THINK was gonna happen?” (03/14/26)
https://unattendedbaggage.substack.com/p/episode-332-what-did-you-think-was
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52) The Lou Perez Podcast, 03/14/26
Source: Lions of Liberty
“Taking Down Ticketmaster w/ Tommy Dorfman.” (03/14/26)
https://www.lionsofliberty.com/episodes/tlpp-taking-down-ticketmaster-w-tommy-dorfman
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53) The Bulwark Podcast, 03/13/26
Source: The Bulwark
“JD Vance Knows the Iran War Is a Disaster — But Can’t Say It (w/ Tom Nichols) | The Bulwark Podcast.” (03/13/26)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sp19acJKdn0
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54) The Good Fight, 03/14/26
Source: Yascha Mounk
“Adrian Wooldridge on the Lost Genius of the Political Center.” (03/14/26)
https://writing.yaschamounk.com/p/adrian-wooldridge
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55) The Kyle Anzalone Show, 03/14/26
Source: Libertarian Institute
“Trump Demands Iran’s UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER.” (03/14/26)
https://libertarianinstitute.org/blog/the-kyle-anzalone-show-trump-demands-irans-unconditional-surrender
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56) The Remnant with Jonah Goldberg, 03/14/26
Source: The Dispatch
“Government Didn’t Build This | Ruminant.” (03/14/26)
https://thedispatch.com/podcast/remnant/government-didnt-build-this-ruminant/
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57) Environment and Climate News Podcast, episode 858
Source: Heartland Institute
“Space Mirrors to Save Solar Power?” (03/13/26)
https://heartland.org/podcasts/space-mirrors-to-save-solar-power-the-climate-realism-show-194/
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58) Today’s News, With Michael Tracey, episode 1
Source: Racket News
“Conspiretardation.” (03/13/26)
https://www.racket.news/p/new-podcast-todays-news-with-michael
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59) Rising, 03/13/26
Source: The Hill
“Ayatollah: Strait of Hormuz will remain closed as oil prices rise! Lindsey Granger.” (03/13/26)
https://thehill.com/hilltv/rising/5774566-rising-march-13-2026/
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60) The Daily Blast With Greg Sargent, 03/13/26
Source: The New Republic
“Trump Outbursts Over Oil Shock Go Off Rails as His Aides Quietly Panic.” (03/13/26)
https://newrepublic.com/article/207723/trump-outbursts-oil-shock-go-off-rails-aides-quietly-panic
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61) Shaiel Ben-Ephraim on The Scott Horton Show
Source: The Scott Horton Show
“A Look Inside Israel During the War with Iran.” (03/13/26)
https://scotthorton.org/interviews/3-12-26-shaiel-ben-ephraim-a-look-inside-israel-during-the-war-with-iran/
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62) Serious Trouble, 03/13/26
Source: Serious Trouble
“The Customs Service says its computers won’t let it refund IEEPA tariffs (yet); Smartmatic claims selective prosecution; Nippon Life sues OpenAI because ChatGPT is bad lawyer.” (03/13/26)
https://www.serioustrouble.show/p/you-cant-stop-the-computer
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63) Declare Your Independence with Ernest Hancock, 03/13/26
Source: Freedom’s Phoenix
“Scott Ritter (Former Marine Intelligence Officer, Weapons Inspector) on Iran, Israel, what is really going on, what is going on with Trump, are we being fed propaganda by the Pentagon and MSM?” (03/13/26)
https://www.freedomsphoenix.com/Media/392547-2026-03-12-2026-03-13-ernest-hancock-scott-ritter-former-marine-intelligence.htm
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64) The Tom Woods Show, episode 2743
Source: The Tom Woods Show
“Reagan Admin Official Talks Beirut Bombings, War with Iran.” (03/13/26)
https://tomwoods.com/ep-2743-reagan-admin-official-talks-beirut-bombings-war-with-iran/
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65) Antiwar News with Dave DeCamp, 03/13/26
Source: Antiwar.com
“US Strikes Kill 30 PMF Fighters in Iraq, Iran’s New Leader Issues First Statement, and More.” (03/13/26)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELsqUWPMSz4
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