10/25 -- UK: Sunak to take office as prime minister after meeting with king; The Mirage of Washington Intelligence
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Thomas L. Knapp
Oct 25, 2022, 7:05:34 AM10/25/22
to Freedom News Daily
Freedom News Daily, 10/25/22
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Presented by the Liberty International
https://liberty-intl.org/
Produced by the staff of Rational Review News Digest
https://news.rationalreview.com/
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Today's Freedom News:
0) Year-End Fundraiser: Hangovers and Silver Linings
1) UK: Sunak to take office as prime minister after meeting with king
2) NY: Trump family business fraud trial begins
3) Palestine: Israeli invasion/occupation forces murder five
4) Dog bites Alzheimer's patient: Biden says Congress passed his student loan forgiveness plan
5) Romania: Defence minister resigns after suggesting negotiations in Ukraine war
6) Beyond Meat rolls out steak substitute in grocery stores
7) Myanmar: Junta thugs murder more than 60 in airstrike on festival
8) Thomas agrees to halt Graham testimony in Georgia election probe
9) Kenya: Police kill exiled Pakistani journalist
10) Dog bites man: Biden, cabinet chiefs using "official" trips to visit battleground states
11) Israel: Possible Netanyahu comeback dominates election
12) Brazil: Politician attacks cops with rifle, grenades, wounding two
13) US stocks close higher as traders prepare for Big Tech earnings
14) MN: Accessory in police murder of George Floyd gets sweetheart plea deal
15) CA: Newsom threatens to finish term if re-elected
16) Uganda: Regime reports worrisome increase in Ebola cases in capital
17) US regime charges alleged Chinese spies with trying to recruit assets, obstruct regime's war on Huawei
18) Test scores show historic lockdown setbacks for kids across US
19) McDonald's threatens to stop selling McRib for good
20) France: Credit Suisse settle extortion avoidance probe with €238 million bribe
Today's Freedom Commentary:
21) The Mirage of Washington Intelligence
22) Criminalizing Work and Harming (Almost) Everyone in the Process
23) 2023 Federal Tax Brackets Are Out. See Which Bracket You Fall in -- and Why Tax Rates Are so High
24) Are You Voting for a Candidate or a Political Party?
25) Is Crime Getting Better or Worse? We Don't Really Know.
26) Randi Weingarten is bad for kids
27) The Function of Privilege
28) How Many Shocks Can the World Take?
29) Consumer Privacy Laws Aren't About the Public
30) Here Comes the Democrat Rout
31) Why they couldn't let Boris win
32) Being Pro-Life Means Being Anti-Death Penalty
33) Toward a deliberative China
34) The Heavy Price of Longtermism
35) The Problem Is Us, Not Our Technologies
36) Quantum Vibe, 10/24/22
37) Cheney's Plan To Divide Republican Party Has Failed
38) Putin's Nuclear Paradigm
39) Russia and Iran: time to dust off the old "Axis of Evil"
40) The Ironic Revenge of Karl Marx
41) Do Not Stop Worrying. Do Not Love the Bomb
42) Out of the Graveyard: the Return of the Pluto-Populists
43) The Back Door to NATO
44) What Happens When Economics Becomes Religion?
45) Covid Vaccines Shouldn't Be "Routine" for Kids
46) Reevaluating the use of no-knock raids can protect police and the public
47) More Scary Movies For Anarchists to Watch in the Dark
48) Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word
49) Why Meta's Virtual Worlds Are Failing
50) Moving Back To The Internet
Today's Freedom Podcast and Video:
51) Reason Roundtable, 10/24/22
52) Cato Daily Podcast, 10/24/22
53) EconTalk, 10/24/22
54) Conflicts of Interest, episode 340
55) Rising, 10/24/22
56) Declare Your Independence with Ernest Hancock, 10/24/22
57) The Bryan Hyde Show, 10/24/22
58) The Corbett Report, episode 430
59) Finding Freedom, episode 356
60) Daniel Davis on The Scott Horton Show
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_____ Today's Freedom News _____
1) Year-End Fundraiser: Hangovers and Silver Linings
After a fantastic weekend, yesterday was a "zero-dollar day" in our year-end fundraiser. Hangover after binge, so to speak.
Since I try to look on the bright side of things, here goes: At least I don't have to do any math or update the "thermometer" tracking our progress on the site. Whee! But those are the only silver linings.
Our goal is a modest $5,150 -- and thanks to supporter GL's generous "matching funds" offer, we only have to raise $2,575 of that from the rest of you.
We're at $1,037.50 (as of 6am Eastern this morning).
If you value the freedom movement's daily newspaper, please return some of that value as financial support at:
https://news.rationalreview.com/support-rrnd
Have a great day!
Yours in liberty,
Tom Knapp
Publisher
Rational Review News Digest / Freedom News Daily
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1) UK: Sunak to take office as prime minister after meeting with king
Source: NBC News
"Former finance minister Rishi Sunak will take office as British prime minister Tuesday, the latest leader of the ruling Conservative Party hoping to break a cycle of political chaos and start to address the country's grim economic mess. Sunak, the first British Asian to assume the role and a multimillionaire former banker, will meet with King Charles III at Buckingham Palace as part of a ceremonial transfer of power. After receiving Liz Truss'[s] official resignation, the new monarch will formally appoint Sunak prime minister and invite him to form a government. Sunak will be the U.K.'s third leader in seven weeks." (10/25/22)
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/rishi-sunak-british-prime-minister-meeting-king-charles-iii-liz-truss-rcna53839
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2) NY: Trump family business fraud trial begins
Source: Deutsche Welle [German state media]
"The trial of Donald Trump's company on charges of fraud and tax evasion began in New York on Monday and the first big task was picking a jury who didn't have a strong opinion about the former United States president. The Trump Organization -- currently run by Trump's older sons, Donald Jr and Eric Trump -- has been charged with hiding compensation it paid to top executives between 2005 and 2021 by prosecutors in Manhattan. Trump's family business and its then-chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, were charged last year by the Manhattan district attorney's office. The trial is among several of Trump's piled up legal concerns as he mulls another shot at the presidency in 2024. The former president -- who is not named in the case -- dismissed the trial as a political stunt and denounced the charges as a 'witch hunt' by rivals." (10/25/22)
https://www.dw.com/en/us-trump-family-business-fraud-trial-begins/a-63545907
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3) Palestine: Israeli invasion/occupation forces murder five
Source: CNN
"At least four Palestinians were killed during an Israeli military raid in the old city of Nablus in the West Bank in the early hours of Tuesday, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. Palestinian protesters took to the streets in response, with a fifth person shot dead by Israeli soldiers in Nabi Saleh, north of the city of Ramallah, the ministry said. Another 21 Palestinians were injured, four of whom are in serious condition. A joint statement from Israeli security forces said the raid was conducted on a hideout that was being used as a headquarters and explosives manufacturing site by 'operatives of the 'Lion's Den' terrorist group ('Arin Alousud').'" (10/25/22)
https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/25/middleeast/israel-forces-raid-nablus-palestine-intl-hnk/index.html
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4) Dog bites Alzheimer's patient: Biden says Congress passed his student loan forgiveness plan
Source: RealClearPolitics
"President Biden falsely told a group of young people during an event with NowThis News that his student loan relief plan was 'passed by a vote or two' in Congress. Actually, it is an executive order and not a law passed by Congress." (10/24/22)
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2022/10/24/it_got_passed_by_a_vote_or_two_biden_falsely_says_his_executive_order_on_student_debt_was_passed_by_congress.html
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5) Romania: Defence minister resigns after suggesting negotiations in Ukraine war
Source: Reuters
"Romanian Defence Minister Vasile Dincu resigned on Monday, saying he could not collaborate with the country's president, amid pressure weeks after he said Ukraine's only chance to end the war was to negotiate with Russia. European Union and NATO state Romania shares a 650-kilometre (400 mile) border with Ukraine, is host to a U.S. ballistic missile defense system and, as of this year, has had a permanent alliance battlegroup stationed on its territory. ... In early October, Dincu said Ukraine needed international allies to negotiate security guarantees and peace with Russia, sparking criticism from President Klaus Iohannis and leaders of the ruling governing coalition. He later said his comments were taken out of context." (10/24/22)
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/romanian-defence-minister-resigns-pressured-after-ukraine-comment-2022-10-24/
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6) Beyond Meat rolls out steak substitute in grocery stores
Source: CNBC
"Beyond Meat is launching a steak substitute in grocery stores on Monday. The new product will roll out nationwide at more than 5,000 Kroger and Walmart stores, as well as Albertsons, Ahold Delhaize, Jewel-Osco, Sprouts and other local grocers. The announcement concludes a rocky month for the maker of meat alternatives. Beyond ousted Chief Operating Officer Doug Ramsey after he was arrested for allegedly biting another man's nose. The company also announced plans to cut 19% of its workforce, or roughly 200 employees, as well as the departure of its chief financial officer and the elimination of the chief growth officer role. Amid the chaos, Beyond and Yum Brands' Taco Bell started testing meatless carne asada using its Beyond Steak product at restaurants in Dayton, Ohio." (10/24/22)
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/10/24/beyond-meats-steak-substitute-coming-to-grocery-stores.html
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7) Myanmar: Junta thugs murder more than 60 in airstrike on festival
Source: CBS News
"Air strikes by Myanmar's military killed more than 60 people, including singers and musicians, attending an anniversary celebration of the Kachin ethnic minority's main political organization, members of the group and a rescue worker said Monday. The reported attack comes three days before Southeast Asian foreign ministers are to hold a special meeting in Indonesia to discuss widening violence in Myanmar. ... A spokesperson for the Kachin Artists Association told The Associated Press by phone that military aircraft dropped four bombs on the celebration at about 8 p.m., according to members of the group who were there. Between 300 and 500 people were in attendance and a Kachin singer and keyboard player were among the dead, said the spokesperson, who asked not to be identified because he feared punishment by the authorities." (10/24/22)
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/myanmar-military-air-attack-deaths-kachin-ethnic-group/
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8) Thomas agrees to halt Graham testimony in Georgia election probe
Source: The Hill
"Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas on Monday granted Sen. Lindsey Graham's (R-S.C.) request to temporarily shield the South Carolina Republican from testifying in probe of alleged pro-Trump election interference in Georgia. The move comes after Graham on Friday filed a request to Thomas, who handles emergency matters arising from Georgia, and follows a ruling by a lower appeals court declining to halt Graham's testimony before a Fulton County, Ga., special grand jury. The court this weekend requested a response from Fulton County, which is due on Thursday, so it is likely the Supreme Court will act again in the case soon. Thomas has the option to handle the application himself or refer the matter to the full court." (10/24/22)
https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/3701807-justice-thomas-agrees-to-halt-graham-testimony-in-georgia-election-probe/
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9) Kenya: Police kill exiled Pakistani journalist
Source: National Public Radio [US state media]
"A senior Pakistani journalist living in hiding in Kenya was shot and killed by police after the car he was in sped up instead of halting at a roadblock near Nairobi, the police said on Monday. Kenyan police expressed regret over the incident, saying it was a case of 'mistaken identity' during a search for a similar car involved in a case of child abduction. Arshad Sharif, 50, left Pakistan in July to avoid arrest over criticizing the South Asian country's powerful military. He was also a critic of the government of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, who has repeatedly said he believes in freedom of the media." (10/24/22)
https://www.npr.org/2022/10/24/1131007311/arshad-sharif-pakistani-journalist-killed-by-police-kenya
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10) Dog bites man: Biden, cabinet chiefs using "official" trips to visit battleground states
Source: Fox News
"President Biden and his top agency heads have traveled to battleground states in recent weeks on what are billed as official government visits. Many of Biden's recent official events have featured presidential speeches touting his achievements, like infrastructure, which benefits voters across the country. And he often fundraised with Democrats afterward. Meanwhile, the heads of his agencies have traveled on their own to states with crucial swing elections. Much of this travel is paid for by taxpayers. Biden's trip to Pennsylvania Thursday is the latest example of this political crossover. The president traveled to Pittsburgh to deliver a speech on infrastructure, then left for Philadelphia for a reception with Democratic U.S. Senate candidate John Fetterman, who faces a tight race against Republican Mehmet Oz. The White House told Fox News Digital that each aspect of the trip is funded separately. " [editor's note: In other words, what every president and other politician does – TLK] (10/24/22)
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-trips-places-with-tight-campaign-races
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11) Israel: Possible Netanyahu comeback dominates election
Source: Reuters
"Israel's longest-serving prime minister and the most dominant and polarizing political figure of his generation is back on the campaign trail as Israelis prepare to vote on Nov. 1 in their fifth national election in less than four years. His Likud party is expected to win the largest bloc of seats in the Knesset. But with corruption charges hanging over him and criticism mounting over his links to a rapidly growing far-right party he may depend on to form a government, surveys predict there will be no knock-out victory. ... Polls show Netanyahu's bloc fluctuating between a narrow victory to just short of a ruling parliamentary majority with the far-right Jewish Power party of Itamar Ben-Gvir, an ultranationalist once convicted of racist incitement, set to play the role of coalition kingmaker." (10/24/22)
https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/netanyahu-comeback-dominates-israel-election-all-about-bibi-2022-10-24/
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12) Brazil: Politician attacks cops with rifle, grenades, wounding two
Source: The Guardian [UK]
"Brazil's toxic presidential election has taken a surreal and violent turn after a radical ally of the far-right president, Jair Bolsonaro, used hand grenades and a rifle to attack federal police officers as they attempted to arrest him. ... Two officers reportedly sustained non-fatal shrapnel wounds, while photographs showed a federal police vehicle riddled with bullet holes. 'I shot at the car and close to them,' the rightwing radical admitted in an online video, claiming he was resisting arrest 'in the name of freedom, democracy and family values.' Jefferson was jailed in August 2021 as part of an investigation into anti-democratic social media mobs but was granted house arrest in January. On Sunday, a supreme court judge ordered the 69-year-old be returned to prison after he published a vulgar and threatening broadside against a female member of the court in which he likened her to a sex worker and Lucifer." (20/24/22)
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/24/brazil-politician-attacks-police-rifle-grenades-roberto-jefferson
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13) US stocks close higher as traders prepare for Big Tech earnings
Source: Financial Times [UK]
"US stocks rose on Monday as investors prepare for a busy earnings week for blue-chip technology groups, whose results will be used as a barometer for the health of the consumer economy. On Wall Street, the benchmark S&P 500 closed 1.2 per cent higher, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite added 0.9 cent, continuing a rally from last week, driven by news that the Federal Reserve may soon slow the pace of interest rate rises." (10/24/22)
https://www.ft.com/content/b4efc70a-c5b7-48f4-86a2-188f8f380ea7
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14) MN: Accessory in police murder of George Floyd gets sweetheart plea deal
Source: Yahoo! News
"A former Minneapolis police officer pleaded guilty Monday to aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter in the killing of George Floyd just as jury selection was about to begin. Another former officer waived his right to a jury trial, setting up an unusual proceeding in which the judge will issue a verdict after lawyers submit written arguments. The plea deal for J. Alexander Kueng calls for 3 1/2 years in prison, with prosecutors agreeing to drop a count of aiding and abetting second-degree murder. Kueng is the second officer to plead guilty to the state charge, following Thomas Lane, who pleaded guilty earlier this year. Their former colleague, Tou Thao, rejected a plea deal earlier this year, telling a judge it 'would be lying' to accept any such deal." (10/24/22)
https://www.yahoo.com/video/ex-minneapolis-cop-pleads-guilty-140833010.html
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15) CA: Newsom threatens to finish term if re-elected
Source: SFGate
"California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sunday vowed he would serve a full four-year term if reelected in November, trying again to knock down speculation that he wants to replace Democrat Joe Biden on the ballot should he not seek a second term. Newsom made the promise during an hourlong debate with his Republican challenger, state Sen. Brian Dahle -- the only time the two candidates will meet face to face before voting ends on Nov. 8. ... Asked directly by co-moderator Marisa Lagos if he would commit to serving all four years if he's reelected, Newsom said 'yes.' Newsom defended his national campaigning, saying he 'barely' left the state to take on national Republican leaders, who he says are banning books and 'demeaning' the LGBT community." (10/24/22)
https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Newsom-Dahle-to-meet-in-only-debate-before-17528496.php
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16) Uganda: Regime reports worrisome increase in Ebola cases in capital
Source: Seattle Times
"Ugandan officials have reported 11 more cases of Ebola in the capital since Friday, a worrisome increase in infections just over a month after an outbreak was declared in a remote part of the East African country. Nine more people in the Kampala metropolitan area tested positive for Ebola on Sunday, in addition to two others on Friday, Health Minister Jane Ruth Aceng said Monday. ... Ugandan health authorities have confirmed 75 cases of Ebola since Sept. 20, including 28 deaths. There are 19 active cases. The official numbers don't include those who probably died of Ebola before the outbreak was confirmed in a farming community about 150 kilometers (93 miles) west of Kampala." (10/24/22)
https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/world/uganda-reports-worrisome-increase-in-ebola-cases-in-capital/
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17) US regime charges alleged Chinese spies with trying to recruit assets, obstruct regime's war on Huawei
Source: CNN
"The Justice Department announced charges Monday against six Chinese citizens, including five alleged spies, accused of working on behalf of the Chinese government to recruit US citizens as sources and undermine the federal prosecution against a major Chinese company. According to charging documents, the Chinese telecommunications company was facing federal prosecution in Brooklyn, New York. Though the indictment does not name the company, a person familiar with the investigation confirmed to CNN that the company is Huawei. ... T[w]o of the alleged spies, Gouchun He and Zheng Wan, were accused of interfering with a federal prosecution against global telecommunications company Huawei. The two have not been arrested." (10/24/22)
https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/24/politics/chinese-spies-huawei/index.html
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18) Test scores show historic lockdown setbacks for kids across US
Source: Associated Press
"The [politically motivated school closures imposed on the excuse of the] COVID-19 pandemic spared no state or region as [they] caused historic learning setbacks for America's children, erasing decades of academic progress and widening racial disparities, according to results of a national test that provide the sharpest look yet at the scale of the crisis. Across the country, math scores saw their largest decreases ever. Reading scores dropped to 1992 levels." (10/24/22)
https://apnews.com/article/science-health-government-and-politics-covid-education-39e01a570b560c685b5340078c8dcdee
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19) McDonald's threatens to stop selling McRib for good
Source: Cleveland.com
"McRib returns to McDonald's on October 31, and, if we're to believe the Golden Arches at their word, it could be your last chance to, ahem, enjoy one of them. 'Get one while you can because this is the McRib Farewell Tour,' the fast-food chain said on its website. 'Enjoy our famous pork sandwich as if it's your last!' McDonald's says the messy barbecue sandwich, with its distinctive pork patty shaped like a slab of ribs, will be available through Nov. 20." [editor's note: When the revolution comes, whichever McDonald's exec made the boneheaded decision to tease such an atrocity will be among the first people up against the wall – TLK] (10/24/22)
https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2022/10/mcdonalds-threatens-to-stop-selling-mcrib-for-good.html
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20) France: Credit Suisse settle extortion avoidance probe with €238 million bribe
Source: France 24 [French state media]
"Credit Suisse settled a tax fraud and money laundering case in France on Monday with a 238 million euro ($234 million) payment to the state, putting another legal headache behind it as it readies to unveil a strategic overhaul. The agreement, announced in a French court and confirmed by the bank in a statement, resolves the investigation in France over whether the Swiss bank helped clients avoid paying tax on their wealth. The alleged scheme, which prosecutors say took place in several countries between 2005 and 2012, caused a fiscal damage of over 100 million euros to the French state, the prosecution office said." (10/24/22)
https://www.france24.com/en/business/20221024-credit-suisse-settles-french-tax-fraud-probe-for-%E2%82%AC238-million
_____ Today's Freedom Commentary _____
21) The Mirage of Washington Intelligence
Source: Libertarian Institute
by James Bovard
"'You can send a man to Congress but you can't make him think,' quipped comedian Milton Berle in the 1950s. To update Berle for our times: You can spend $60 billion a year on intelligence agencies but you can't make politicians read their reports. Instead, most politicians remain incorrigibly ignorant and hopelessly craven when presidents drag America into new foreign fiascos." (10/24/22)
https://libertarianinstitute.org/articles/the-mirage-of-washington-intelligence
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22) Criminalizing Work and Harming (Almost) Everyone in the Process
Source: Cato Institute
by Scott Lincicome
"I planned to wait for the official rollout of my forthcoming book, Empowering the New American Worker, before getting into its many weeds, but recent events (and my impatience) pushed me to reconsider. In particular, we learned last week that Florida officials had arrested a Texas‐licensed roofer for repairing a home damaged by Hurricane Ian and that several states weren't extending their pandemic‐related rules relaxing telehealth restrictions. At first blush, these events and the parties involved would seem to have little in common. Dig a little deeper, however, and we find that both depend on a policy -- occupational licensing -- that's grown in prominence in recent years, with significant harms for workers, consumers, and the U.S. economy more broadly." (10/24/22)
https://www.cato.org/commentary/criminalizing-work-harming-almost-everyone-process
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23) 2023 Federal Tax Brackets Are Out. See Which Bracket You Fall in -- and Why Tax Rates Are so High
Source: Foundation for Economic Education
by Jon Miltimore
"'The new brackets for 2023 mean paychecks for many Americans could see a boost, which will help consumers who are being hit hard by inflation and aren't seeing raises that keep pace with price increases,' Herb Scribner reported in Axios. While it's nice to see Axios recognize that a lower tax bill is actually a good thing, the elephant in the room went unnoticed. The tax rates are eye-popping. Why are working families shelling out so much of their money -- a fifth of their income, a quarter of their income, a third of their income or more -- to the government? The sad truth is, the average American works four months a year just to cover their tax bills." (10/24/22)
https://fee.org/articles/2023-federal-tax-brackets-are-out-see-which-bracket-you-fall-in-and-why-tax-rates-are-so-high/
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24) Are You Voting for a Candidate or a Political Party?
Source: Independent Institute
by Randall G Holcombe
"With mid-term elections on the horizon, my email box has been inundated with messages from candidates, parties, and interest groups. Mostly, they are asking me to donate money. Still, when they ask for my vote, many of their messages tell me that I should vote for the political party rather than the candidate. Democrats are telling me I should vote for them so they can maintain control of Congress. Republicans are asking me for my vote to flip the House and Senate. The message I am getting from candidates isn't 'I am the best person for the job,' but 'Elect me so my party will have more control.' As you are looking ahead to the mid-term elections, will you be casting your vote for a candidate or the candidate's party?" (10/24/22)
https://blog.independent.org/2022/10/24/voting-candidate-party/
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25) Is Crime Getting Better or Worse? We Don't Really Know.
Source: Reason
by JD Tuccille
"Philadelphia residents are bemoaning the closure of two iconic WaWa convenience stores, largely as a result of 'continued safety and security challenges,' according to the Pennsylvania company. Illustrating those concerns is dramatic security video footage of roughly 100 teens ransacking a store last month, and that was just one recent incident. Philadelphians are far from alone in their concerns; after decades of improvement, crime has reemerged as an issue amidst a widespread sense of increasing danger. But there's a catch: because of changes in methodology, crime statistics are less reliable than in the past. That leaves us working from limited information." (10/24/22)
https://reason.com/2022/10/24/is-crime-getting-better-or-worse-we-dont-really-know/
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26) Randi Weingarten is bad for kids
Source: Fox News Forum
by Nicole Saphier, MD
"Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), has been in the news recently for her trip to Ukraine to evaluate damage to education from the Russian war and for the AFT nationwide get-out-the-vote election bus tour. Meanwhile, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), commonly referred to as 'the nation's report card' was just released and the kids are not all right. NAEP released its first full report since 2019 this week, demonstrating a drop in math and reading scores for fourth through eighth graders. In 2022, the average fourth-grade math score decreased to its lowest level since 2005 while the average eighth-grade math score hit its lowest level since 2003. Reading scores also dropped on average. It is no secret the decline in learning metrics is a direct result of school closures and remote learning during the pandemic." (10/24/22)
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/randi-weingarten-bad-kids
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27) The Function of Privilege
Source: Bet On It
by Bryan Caplan
"In normal English, 'privilege' requires 'especially good treatment.' You can enjoy United Plus privileges, or the privileges of membership in a swim club. It's also long been standard to describe young people from rich families as 'privileged.' Privilege often has the connotations of 'unearned good treatment,' but not always. The question, 'How can I earn these privileges?' is perfectly good English. What's bizarre about the revisionist notion of 'privilege' is that almost anything counts." (10/24/22)
https://betonit.substack.com/p/the-function-of-privilege
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28) How Many Shocks Can the World Take?
Source: Foreign Policy
by Stephen M Walt
"Regular readers of this column know that I'm not inclined to be alarmist. Although there are times when I worry about the costs and risks of certain foreign-policy decisions, I tend to push back on the tendency for foreign-policy experts to inflate threats and assume the worst -- but not always. Sometimes, the wolf really is at the door, and it's time to start worrying. What's troubling me today is the gnawing fear that we are living through a series of disruptions that are overwhelming our collective ability to respond. World politics is never completely static, of course, but we haven't seen as serious a sequence of shocks in a long time." (10/24/22)
https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/10/24/how-many-shocks-can-the-world-take/
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29) Consumer Privacy Laws Aren't About the Public
Source: American Institute for Economic Research
by April Liu & Leslie Corbly
"With the commodification of data over the past decade, centralization of big data in the hands of companies that hold information about consumer behavior, movement, and basic personal facts already presents privacy risks. When citizens consent to data collection, they make their personal information vulnerable to misuse and third party sales. What they typically miss, though, is the fact that private companies are not the only entity collecting their data: the government does as well. Examining the ramifications of data privacy laws as well as government access to citizens' personal information is crucial to understanding how data is being and will be used in the future." (10/24/22)
https://www.aier.org/article/consumer-privacy-laws-arent-about-the-public/
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30) Here Comes the Democrat Rout
Source: Town Hall
by Kurt Schlichter
"Students of military history understand that the real bloodletting starts when the losing side breaks ranks after its formations disintegrate and the cavalry sweeps in to mow down the fleeing survivors. It's every man for himself, and the best the defeated individuals who were once part of cohesive units can hope for is not to end up one of the bodies left strewn across the battlefield. This is when the victor runs up the score. This is when the vast majority of casualties happen. This is a rout. And that's pretty much where the Democrats are headed on November 8th, figuratively of course. For the stupid people, we Republicans are the cavalry. For the really stupid people, cavalry is a highly-mobile fighting force, in ancient times mounted on horseback wielding lances, sabers, and sometimes bows or carbines." (10/24/22)
https://townhall.com/columnists/kurtschlichter/2022/10/24/here-comes-the-democrat-rout-n2614881
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31) Why they couldn't let Boris win
Source: spiked
by Brendan O'Neill
"Yesterday was an extraordinary day in British politics. 'Stop Boris Day,' we might call it. From the political class to the influencer set to the BBC, the cry went up: it cannot be Boris. He's too disruptive. Too oafish. Too much of a liability. We need a grown-up in charge now. Someone who is sensible and slick and capable of placating the markets. The uniformity of the message was remarkable, and more than a little chilling. I'm struggling to recall the last time that elite opinion, the determination of the professional managerial classes to get what they want, was expressed as nakedly as it was this weekend. ... Boris had to be stopped because the managerial elites want to restore the politics of managerialism. That's the long and short of it." (10/24/22)
https://www.spiked-online.com/2022/10/24/why-they-couldnt-let-boris-win/
-----
32) Being Pro-Life Means Being Anti-Death Penalty
Source: The Daily Beast
by Demetrius Minor
"The political voices of the anti-abortion community have long been formidable. And the reversal of Roe v. Wade can be attributed in great part to the ingenuity of organized leadership and grassroots activism of pro-life activists. While anti-abortion voices have been adamant about life beginning at conception, too many have been silent on another pro-life cause: abolishing the death penalty. ... anti-abortion advocates -- who tend to vote Republican and support the toughest criminal punishments -- need to ask themselves: How can we label ourselves as protectors of life and yet tolerate or be indifferent about state-sanctioned killing?" (10/24/22)
https://www.thedailybeast.com/being-pro-life-means-being-anti-death-penalty
-----
33) Toward a deliberative China
Source: Christian Science Monitor
by staff
"The biggest bombshell coming out of a week-long gathering of China's ruling Communist Party was not that long-time leader Xi Jinping further consolidated power for another five-year term. Rather it was the surprising ejection of a potential successor to Xi -- Hu Chunhua -- from the powerful 24-member Politburo. The ejection was not only of a presumed rival but also of a style of leadership that many Chinese people now prefer as their personal grievances toward the party keep expanding. As he climbed the party's hierarchy over decades, Mr. Hu -- the son of farmers -- was often depicted by the official press as a humble listener, open-minded to criticism and reform. While still loyal to Mr. Xi and the party in imposing firm control over places such as Tibet, he also displayed a willingness to mediate disputes, such as in Guangdong province between local journalists and party censors." (10/24/22)
https://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/the-monitors-view/2022/1024/Toward-a-deliberative-China
-----
34) The Heavy Price of Longtermism
Source: The New Republic
by Alexander Zaitchik
"With its blend of wild-eyed techno-optimism and utopianism, longtermism has emerged as the parlor philosophy of choice among the Silicon Valley jet-pack set. [William] MacAskill's colleague, the Swedish-born philosopher Nick Bostrom, drew attention in the early 2000s with his work developing the concept of 'existential risk' .... By the last chapter of What We Owe the Future, the reader has learned that the future is an endless expanse of expected value and must be protected at all costs; that nuclear war and climate change are bad (but probably not 'existential-risk' bad); and that economic growth must be fueled until it gains enough speed to take us beyond distant stars, where it will ultimately merge, along with fleshy humanity itself, into the Singularity that is our cosmic destiny. The title's promise, however, remains unfulfilled." (10/24/22)
https://newrepublic.com/article/168047/longtermism-future-humanity-william-macaskill
-----
35) The Problem Is Us, Not Our Technologies
Source: The Dispatch
by Chris Stirewalt
"I was very good at wasting time before iPhones, even before there was an internet. I wasted enough time playing actual cards with human beings in college that I probably could have added another major. I built model ships, tried to beat my own record for bouncing a tennis ball on a racquet, memorized National League batting statistics, went to see the same movie in the theater as many as 10 times, and always, always, always there was my best friend, television. ... we had already been conquered by electronic media before we started carrying little computers in our pockets. But the devices did not create the desire for entertainment as anesthesia." (10/24/22)
https://thedispatch.com/article/the-problem-is-us-not-our-technologies/
-----
36) Quantum Vibe, 10/24/22
Source: Big Head Press
by Scott Bieser
Cartoon. (10/24/22)
https://www.quantumvibe.com/strip?page=2386
-----
37) Cheney's Plan To Divide Republican Party Has Failed
Source: The Federalist
by Mollie Hemingway
"The widespread and coordinated plan to divide the Republican Party has failed, and it's a major reason why Democrat prospects for the 2022 midterms are so bad. Separating Republican officials from their growing coalition of voters and the issues they care about has been the Washington establishment's goal for several years now. The 'divide and conquer' plan is being run by the Democrat Party, its propaganda press, and former leaders of the Republican Party such as Liz Cheney, who see how the GOP's new composition and approach has threatened or destroyed their hold on power. The D.C. partnership has worked overtime to try to marginalize, demonize, and make toxic those Republicans who don't follow the establishment's rules for how supposedly good Republicans, like Mitt Romney, act." (10/24/22)
https://thefederalist.com/2022/10/24/liz-cheneys-plan-to-divide-the-republican-party-has-failed/
-----
38) Putin's Nuclear Paradigm
Source: The American Conservative
by Peter Van Buren
"Conventional strategic nuclear thinking suggests Putin would never use nuclear weapons in Ukraine. But what if he is following a new paradigm? ... The Cold War paradigm was based on the MAD doctrine, mutually assured destruction, the idea that if one side released a nuclear weapon the other would match it, followed by an escalation that would need to be matched, until both Moscow and New York glowed in the dark. ... But MAD is not Putin's Paradigm. The loose way Putin and his advisors talk about using nukes suggests they may be playing a new, different game than the one that played out during the Cold War. Putin is using the threat of nukes not to back the U.S. off completely but to hold the U.S. back from escalating conventionally." (10/24/22)
https://www.theamericanconservative.com/putins-nuclear-paradigm/
-----
39) Russia and Iran: time to dust off the old "Axis of Evil"
Source: Responsible Statecraft
by Robert Wright
"This week media coverage of Russia's use of Iranian-made drones -- and possibly, down the road, other Iranian weapons -- reached such intensity as to raise a question in the mind of Washington Post reporter Glenn Kessler. 'How soon before we start using 'axis of evil' again?' he tweeted on Tuesday. It's hard to get ahead of the curve these days, and by the time Kessler suggested this label for the Russia-Iran partnership, the label had already been applied by, among others, a British tabloid, Ukrainian protestors, and not one but two senior fellows at the Atlantic Council. And the New York Times, without using the phrase, devoted a whole piece to the 'emergence of a Moscow-Tehran alliance' -- thus making the 'axis' part of the label more or less official and paving the way for God-knows-how-many others to affix the 'evil' part in the coming weeks." (10/24/22)
https://responsiblestatecraft.org/2022/10/24/russia-and-iran-time-to-dust-off-the-old-axis-of-evil/
-----
40) The Ironic Revenge of Karl Marx
Source: Law & Liberty
by Mark T Mitchell
"The ideas of Karl Marx suffer a double indignity: they have failed universally, and they have never been implemented. The first fact, rooted in the disasters of the bloody twentieth century, provides ample reasons to discredit Marx as a charlatan. The second fact provides neo-Marxist hopefuls with the gauzy promise of a truly Marxist revolution somewhere in the future." (10/24/22)
https://lawliberty.org/the-ironic-revenge-of-karl-marx/
-----
41) Do Not Stop Worrying. Do Not Love the Bomb
Source: Common Dreams
by Chris Hedges
"I have covered enough wars to know that once you open that Pandora's box, the many evils that pour out are beyond anyone's control. War accelerates the whirlwind of industrial killing. The longer any war continues, the closer and closer each side comes to self-annihilation. Unless it is stopped, the proxy war between Russia and the U.S. in Ukraine all but guarantees direct confrontation with Russia and, with it, the very real possibility of nuclear war. Joe Biden, who doesn't always seem to be quite sure where he is or what he is supposed to be saying, is being propped up in the I-am-a-bigger-man-than-you contest with Vladimir Putin by a coterie of rabid warmongers who have orchestrated over 20 years of military fiascos." (10/24/22)
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2022/10/24/do-not-stop-worrying-do-not-love-bomb
-----
42) Out of the Graveyard: the Return of the Pluto-Populists
Source: CounterPunch
by Patrick Cockburn
"It is chillingly appropriate that this Halloween takes place as populist nationalist demagogues, once deemed politically dead and buried, are rising from their graves everywhere. ... In the US, Donald Trump was never actually in his political grave, despite losing the presidential election and his role in the 6 January Capitol riot. But four out of 10 Americans still approve of him .... In Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro has pulled level with his opponent Lula da Silva as he seeks re-election as Brazilian president. In Italy, Silvio Berlusconi is wrangling over his future position in a government led by a quasi-fascist. ... Until Thursday, it seemed that Britain was one of the few countries in the world which could pride itself on having democratically ended the career of Boris Johnson, its own representative in the populist nationalist pantheon." (10/24/22)
https://www.counterpunch.org/2022/10/24/out-of-the-graveyard-the-return-of-the-pluto-populists/
-----
43) The Back Door to NATO
Source: Antiwar.com
by Ted Snider
"On March 20, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told a CNN interviewer that he personally requested the leaders of NATO members 'to say directly that we are going to accept you into NATO in a year or two or five, just say it directly and clearly, or just say no. And the response was very clear, you're not going to be a NATO member, but publicly, the doors will remain open.' When Zelensky recently renewed his request for NATO membership, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan responded with the brush off that Ukraine's application 'should be taken up at a different time.' The door to NATO membership remained closed to Ukraine. But the back door is open." (10/24/22)
https://original.antiwar.com/ted_snider/2022/10/23/the-back-door-to-nato/
-----
44) What Happens When Economics Becomes Religion?
Source: EconLog
by Vance Ginn
"Economics is the new American religion. Disagree with the mainstream narrative surrounding it, and you're a heathen needing quick conversion. No longer is it seen as a social science requiring unbiased scrutiny: it's about giving people what they think they want, no matter the cost. And the cost they take in doing so is a big one: people's prosperity." (10/23/22)
https://www.econlib.org/what-happens-when-economics-becomes-religion/
-----
45) Covid Vaccines Shouldn't Be "Routine" for Kids
Source: Common Sense News
by Vinay Prasad
"On Thursday, the CDC's advisory committee on vaccines voted unanimously -- 15 to 0 -- to add the Covid-19 vaccine to the country's childhood immunization schedule. This schedule of vaccines -- which includes the vaccines for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR); tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (Tdap); and inactivated polio -- serves as the roadmap of routinely recommended vaccines for children across the nation. That's among the many reasons the committee's vote is consequential: State and local governments turn to the CDC's guidance when deciding public health policy. The CDC has yet to adopt this guidance, but likely will in the coming weeks. I believe it was both bad medicine and bad policy to add the Covid-19 vaccine to this list. I come to that conclusion for four reasons." (10/24/22)
https://www.commonsense.news/p/covid-vaccines-shouldnt-be-routine
-----
46) Reevaluating the use of no-knock raids can protect police and the public
Source: Orange County Register
by Nino Marchese
"Proponents of no-knock raids argue they minimize the opportunity a suspect may have to harm a police officer, evade arrest, or destroy evidence, all while promoting public safety. However, when officers are not required to knock and announce their presence, botched raids often occur, resulting in serious bodily injury and death for both civilians and law enforcement. ... These raids have become far more dangerous for police officers than ever anticipated. Utilizing no-knock raids for relatively small drug-bust investigations or to serve a standard arrest warrant may not be the smartest use of such a practice, given the associated risks and dangers." (10/23/22)
https://www.ocregister.com/2022/10/23/reevaluating-the-use-of-no-knock-raids-can-protect-police-and-the-public/
-----
47) More Scary Movies For Anarchists to Watch in the Dark
Source: exile in happy valley
by Nicky Reid
"I've been compiling this twisted little list of frighteningly anti-authoritarian films for about four years now and a lot has changed during that short time for both cinema and authoritarianism. With the epoch shattering cataclysm of the pandemic and the colossal failures of both the Trump and the Biden administrations, American power has never been more naked and even the card punching normies can't help but to be revolted by the shocking fragility of a supposedly mighty creature no longer shielded by the Kevlar cloak of American exceptionalism. The world's most fearsome beast is wounded, perhaps mortally, and it has never been more unpredictable." (10/23/22)
https://exileinhappyvalley.blogspot.com/2022/10/more-scary-movies-for-anarchists-to.html
-----
48) Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word
Source: Brownstone Institute
by Jeffrey A Tucker
"It's been more than obvious since April 2020 that lockdowns were far too costly for individuals and society and could never earn a rational public-health defense. And the evidence was rolling in from one year later that the vaccine mandates were similarly indefensible. Both tactics had in common the enormous use of state coercion that flew in the face of every principle of civilized government. ... Where are the apologies? Sorry seems to be the hardest word. Faced with enormous failure, the machinery that did this to us has generally refused to say the simple word. It's the hardest thing for people with power to admit their fallibility." (10/23/22)
https://brownstone.org/articles/sorry-seems-to-be-the-hardest-word/
-----
49) Why Meta's Virtual Worlds Are Failing
Source: The American Prospect
by Ramenda Cyrus
"When Facebook's CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that the company would be rebranding under the moniker 'Meta,' the public and the media were quick to point out the barely concealed attempt to detach the company from a slew of bad press. From Cambridge Analytica to the 'Facebook Papers,' Zuckerberg's brand needed a new name and a new public perception. Couple this with the fact that Facebook was actually losing daily active users for the first time and the name change made sense. What perhaps made less sense was Zuckerberg's simultaneous announcement of a foray into the world of virtual reality. ... Ever since the rebrand, the public has been bombarded with 'Metaverse' advertisements, as Zuckerberg and his board do everything they can to draw internet users back into the profit matrix." (10/24/22)
https://prospect.org/culture/why-metas-virtual-worlds-are-failing/
-----
50) Moving Back To The Internet
Source: Freeman's Perspective
by Paul Rosenberg
"Yes, I know that it seems the Internet has swallowed the world, but that isn't quite true. What actually happened was more or less the opposite: The world has captured the Internet. If that still sounds backwards to you, please stay with me. I'll begin making sense of it by explaining how this post came together for me: Last week I published an article that I knew would not be appreciated in certain circles. But for me, their approval or disapproval didn't really matter, because I posted it directly to the Internet, not to some intermediate service. Right away, I got a comment from someone who reported that, 'I got banned on Reddit for saying this.' ... Reddit is not the Internet; it's a holding pen attached to the Internet. ... The Internet is still here. On it, you can say whatever you want, or nearly so." (10/23/22)
https://freemansperspective.com/moving-back-to-the-internet/
_____ Today's Freedom Podcast and Video _____
51) Reason Roundtable, 10/24/22
Source: Reason
"What Will the GOP Do if It Wins?" (10/24/22)
https://reason.com/podcast/2022/10/24/what-will-the-gop-do-if-it-wins/
-----
52) Cato Daily Podcast, 10/24/22
Source: Cato Institute
"Resist the Urge to Suggest Jared Polis Is a Libertarian." (10/24/22)
https://www.cato.org/multimedia/cato-daily-podcast/resist-urge-suggest-jared-polis-libertarian
-----
53) EconTalk, 10/24/22
Source: EconTalk
"Ryan Holiday on Discipline Is Destiny." (10/24/22)
https://www.econtalk.org/ryan-holiday-on-discipline-is-destiny/
-----
54) Conflicts of Interest, episode 340
Source: Libertarian Institute
"American Troops Prep for War on Ukraine's Border." (10/24/22)
https://libertarianinstitute.org/kyle/coi-340-american-troops-prep-for-war-on-ukraines-border/
-----
55) Rising, 10/24/22
Source: The Hill
"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted on Friday to add the Covid-19 vaccine to the agency's recommended immunization schedules for both adults and children, including toddlers as young as 6 months. Robby Soave and Batya Ungar-Sargon discuss." (10/24/22)
https://thehill.com/hilltv/rising/3701501-rising-october-24-2022/
-----
56) Declare Your Independence with Ernest Hancock, 10/24/22
Source: Freedom's Phoenix
"Ernest Hancock interviews Karen Kwiatkowski." (10/24/22)
https://www.freedomsphoenix.com/Media/334438-2022-10-23-2022-10-24-ernest-hancock-interviews-karen-kwiatkowski.htm
-----
57) The Bryan Hyde Show, 10/24/22
Source: The Bryan Hyde Show
"Have you noticed how the ruling class tends to treat us like we are a threat? James Howard Kunstler notes that there is no nice way to say it, but it is the truth: The authorities are our enemies." (10/24/22)
https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-4bpsq-12f68b3
-----
58) The Corbett Report, episode 430
Source: The Corbett Report
"The Media Are the Terrorists." (10/24/22)
https://www.corbettreport.com/mediaterror/
-----
59) Finding Freedom, episode 356
Source: Lions of Liberty
"Robb Kelley -- Addiction, Redemption and Unlocking Your Full Potential." (10/24/22)
https://www.lionsofliberty.com/episodes/robb-kelley-addiction-redemption-and-unlocking-your-full-potential
-----
60) Daniel Davis on The Scott Horton Show
Source: The Scott Horton Show
"Scott talks with Daniel Davis about the evolving situation on the ground in Ukraine." (10/23/22)
https://scotthorton.org/interviews/10-21-22-daniel-davis-on-the-looming-battle-for-kherson/
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Today's Freedom News:
0) Year-End Fundraiser: Hangovers and Silver Linings
1) UK: Sunak to take office as prime minister after meeting with king
2) NY: Trump family business fraud trial begins
3) Palestine: Israeli invasion/occupation forces murder five
4) Dog bites Alzheimer's patient: Biden says Congress passed his student loan forgiveness plan
5) Romania: Defence minister resigns after suggesting negotiations in Ukraine war
6) Beyond Meat rolls out steak substitute in grocery stores
7) Myanmar: Junta thugs murder more than 60 in airstrike on festival
8) Thomas agrees to halt Graham testimony in Georgia election probe
9) Kenya: Police kill exiled Pakistani journalist
10) Dog bites man: Biden, cabinet chiefs using "official" trips to visit battleground states
11) Israel: Possible Netanyahu comeback dominates election
12) Brazil: Politician attacks cops with rifle, grenades, wounding two
13) US stocks close higher as traders prepare for Big Tech earnings
14) MN: Accessory in police murder of George Floyd gets sweetheart plea deal
15) CA: Newsom threatens to finish term if re-elected
16) Uganda: Regime reports worrisome increase in Ebola cases in capital
17) US regime charges alleged Chinese spies with trying to recruit assets, obstruct regime's war on Huawei
18) Test scores show historic lockdown setbacks for kids across US
19) McDonald's threatens to stop selling McRib for good
20) France: Credit Suisse settle extortion avoidance probe with €238 million bribe
Today's Freedom Commentary:
21) The Mirage of Washington Intelligence
22) Criminalizing Work and Harming (Almost) Everyone in the Process
23) 2023 Federal Tax Brackets Are Out. See Which Bracket You Fall in -- and Why Tax Rates Are so High
24) Are You Voting for a Candidate or a Political Party?
25) Is Crime Getting Better or Worse? We Don't Really Know.
26) Randi Weingarten is bad for kids
27) The Function of Privilege
28) How Many Shocks Can the World Take?
29) Consumer Privacy Laws Aren't About the Public
30) Here Comes the Democrat Rout
31) Why they couldn't let Boris win
32) Being Pro-Life Means Being Anti-Death Penalty
33) Toward a deliberative China
34) The Heavy Price of Longtermism
35) The Problem Is Us, Not Our Technologies
36) Quantum Vibe, 10/24/22
37) Cheney's Plan To Divide Republican Party Has Failed
38) Putin's Nuclear Paradigm
39) Russia and Iran: time to dust off the old "Axis of Evil"
40) The Ironic Revenge of Karl Marx
41) Do Not Stop Worrying. Do Not Love the Bomb
42) Out of the Graveyard: the Return of the Pluto-Populists
43) The Back Door to NATO
44) What Happens When Economics Becomes Religion?
45) Covid Vaccines Shouldn't Be "Routine" for Kids
46) Reevaluating the use of no-knock raids can protect police and the public
47) More Scary Movies For Anarchists to Watch in the Dark
48) Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word
49) Why Meta's Virtual Worlds Are Failing
50) Moving Back To The Internet
Today's Freedom Podcast and Video:
51) Reason Roundtable, 10/24/22
52) Cato Daily Podcast, 10/24/22
53) EconTalk, 10/24/22
54) Conflicts of Interest, episode 340
55) Rising, 10/24/22
56) Declare Your Independence with Ernest Hancock, 10/24/22
57) The Bryan Hyde Show, 10/24/22
58) The Corbett Report, episode 430
59) Finding Freedom, episode 356
60) Daniel Davis on The Scott Horton Show
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_____ Today's Freedom News _____
1) Year-End Fundraiser: Hangovers and Silver Linings
After a fantastic weekend, yesterday was a "zero-dollar day" in our year-end fundraiser. Hangover after binge, so to speak.
Since I try to look on the bright side of things, here goes: At least I don't have to do any math or update the "thermometer" tracking our progress on the site. Whee! But those are the only silver linings.
Our goal is a modest $5,150 -- and thanks to supporter GL's generous "matching funds" offer, we only have to raise $2,575 of that from the rest of you.
We're at $1,037.50 (as of 6am Eastern this morning).
If you value the freedom movement's daily newspaper, please return some of that value as financial support at:
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Have a great day!
Yours in liberty,
Tom Knapp
Publisher
Rational Review News Digest / Freedom News Daily
-----
1) UK: Sunak to take office as prime minister after meeting with king
Source: NBC News
"Former finance minister Rishi Sunak will take office as British prime minister Tuesday, the latest leader of the ruling Conservative Party hoping to break a cycle of political chaos and start to address the country's grim economic mess. Sunak, the first British Asian to assume the role and a multimillionaire former banker, will meet with King Charles III at Buckingham Palace as part of a ceremonial transfer of power. After receiving Liz Truss'[s] official resignation, the new monarch will formally appoint Sunak prime minister and invite him to form a government. Sunak will be the U.K.'s third leader in seven weeks." (10/25/22)
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/rishi-sunak-british-prime-minister-meeting-king-charles-iii-liz-truss-rcna53839
-----
2) NY: Trump family business fraud trial begins
Source: Deutsche Welle [German state media]
"The trial of Donald Trump's company on charges of fraud and tax evasion began in New York on Monday and the first big task was picking a jury who didn't have a strong opinion about the former United States president. The Trump Organization -- currently run by Trump's older sons, Donald Jr and Eric Trump -- has been charged with hiding compensation it paid to top executives between 2005 and 2021 by prosecutors in Manhattan. Trump's family business and its then-chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, were charged last year by the Manhattan district attorney's office. The trial is among several of Trump's piled up legal concerns as he mulls another shot at the presidency in 2024. The former president -- who is not named in the case -- dismissed the trial as a political stunt and denounced the charges as a 'witch hunt' by rivals." (10/25/22)
https://www.dw.com/en/us-trump-family-business-fraud-trial-begins/a-63545907
-----
3) Palestine: Israeli invasion/occupation forces murder five
Source: CNN
"At least four Palestinians were killed during an Israeli military raid in the old city of Nablus in the West Bank in the early hours of Tuesday, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. Palestinian protesters took to the streets in response, with a fifth person shot dead by Israeli soldiers in Nabi Saleh, north of the city of Ramallah, the ministry said. Another 21 Palestinians were injured, four of whom are in serious condition. A joint statement from Israeli security forces said the raid was conducted on a hideout that was being used as a headquarters and explosives manufacturing site by 'operatives of the 'Lion's Den' terrorist group ('Arin Alousud').'" (10/25/22)
https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/25/middleeast/israel-forces-raid-nablus-palestine-intl-hnk/index.html
-----
4) Dog bites Alzheimer's patient: Biden says Congress passed his student loan forgiveness plan
Source: RealClearPolitics
"President Biden falsely told a group of young people during an event with NowThis News that his student loan relief plan was 'passed by a vote or two' in Congress. Actually, it is an executive order and not a law passed by Congress." (10/24/22)
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2022/10/24/it_got_passed_by_a_vote_or_two_biden_falsely_says_his_executive_order_on_student_debt_was_passed_by_congress.html
-----
5) Romania: Defence minister resigns after suggesting negotiations in Ukraine war
Source: Reuters
"Romanian Defence Minister Vasile Dincu resigned on Monday, saying he could not collaborate with the country's president, amid pressure weeks after he said Ukraine's only chance to end the war was to negotiate with Russia. European Union and NATO state Romania shares a 650-kilometre (400 mile) border with Ukraine, is host to a U.S. ballistic missile defense system and, as of this year, has had a permanent alliance battlegroup stationed on its territory. ... In early October, Dincu said Ukraine needed international allies to negotiate security guarantees and peace with Russia, sparking criticism from President Klaus Iohannis and leaders of the ruling governing coalition. He later said his comments were taken out of context." (10/24/22)
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/romanian-defence-minister-resigns-pressured-after-ukraine-comment-2022-10-24/
-----
6) Beyond Meat rolls out steak substitute in grocery stores
Source: CNBC
"Beyond Meat is launching a steak substitute in grocery stores on Monday. The new product will roll out nationwide at more than 5,000 Kroger and Walmart stores, as well as Albertsons, Ahold Delhaize, Jewel-Osco, Sprouts and other local grocers. The announcement concludes a rocky month for the maker of meat alternatives. Beyond ousted Chief Operating Officer Doug Ramsey after he was arrested for allegedly biting another man's nose. The company also announced plans to cut 19% of its workforce, or roughly 200 employees, as well as the departure of its chief financial officer and the elimination of the chief growth officer role. Amid the chaos, Beyond and Yum Brands' Taco Bell started testing meatless carne asada using its Beyond Steak product at restaurants in Dayton, Ohio." (10/24/22)
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/10/24/beyond-meats-steak-substitute-coming-to-grocery-stores.html
-----
7) Myanmar: Junta thugs murder more than 60 in airstrike on festival
Source: CBS News
"Air strikes by Myanmar's military killed more than 60 people, including singers and musicians, attending an anniversary celebration of the Kachin ethnic minority's main political organization, members of the group and a rescue worker said Monday. The reported attack comes three days before Southeast Asian foreign ministers are to hold a special meeting in Indonesia to discuss widening violence in Myanmar. ... A spokesperson for the Kachin Artists Association told The Associated Press by phone that military aircraft dropped four bombs on the celebration at about 8 p.m., according to members of the group who were there. Between 300 and 500 people were in attendance and a Kachin singer and keyboard player were among the dead, said the spokesperson, who asked not to be identified because he feared punishment by the authorities." (10/24/22)
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/myanmar-military-air-attack-deaths-kachin-ethnic-group/
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8) Thomas agrees to halt Graham testimony in Georgia election probe
Source: The Hill
"Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas on Monday granted Sen. Lindsey Graham's (R-S.C.) request to temporarily shield the South Carolina Republican from testifying in probe of alleged pro-Trump election interference in Georgia. The move comes after Graham on Friday filed a request to Thomas, who handles emergency matters arising from Georgia, and follows a ruling by a lower appeals court declining to halt Graham's testimony before a Fulton County, Ga., special grand jury. The court this weekend requested a response from Fulton County, which is due on Thursday, so it is likely the Supreme Court will act again in the case soon. Thomas has the option to handle the application himself or refer the matter to the full court." (10/24/22)
https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/3701807-justice-thomas-agrees-to-halt-graham-testimony-in-georgia-election-probe/
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9) Kenya: Police kill exiled Pakistani journalist
Source: National Public Radio [US state media]
"A senior Pakistani journalist living in hiding in Kenya was shot and killed by police after the car he was in sped up instead of halting at a roadblock near Nairobi, the police said on Monday. Kenyan police expressed regret over the incident, saying it was a case of 'mistaken identity' during a search for a similar car involved in a case of child abduction. Arshad Sharif, 50, left Pakistan in July to avoid arrest over criticizing the South Asian country's powerful military. He was also a critic of the government of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, who has repeatedly said he believes in freedom of the media." (10/24/22)
https://www.npr.org/2022/10/24/1131007311/arshad-sharif-pakistani-journalist-killed-by-police-kenya
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10) Dog bites man: Biden, cabinet chiefs using "official" trips to visit battleground states
Source: Fox News
"President Biden and his top agency heads have traveled to battleground states in recent weeks on what are billed as official government visits. Many of Biden's recent official events have featured presidential speeches touting his achievements, like infrastructure, which benefits voters across the country. And he often fundraised with Democrats afterward. Meanwhile, the heads of his agencies have traveled on their own to states with crucial swing elections. Much of this travel is paid for by taxpayers. Biden's trip to Pennsylvania Thursday is the latest example of this political crossover. The president traveled to Pittsburgh to deliver a speech on infrastructure, then left for Philadelphia for a reception with Democratic U.S. Senate candidate John Fetterman, who faces a tight race against Republican Mehmet Oz. The White House told Fox News Digital that each aspect of the trip is funded separately. " [editor's note: In other words, what every president and other politician does – TLK] (10/24/22)
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-trips-places-with-tight-campaign-races
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11) Israel: Possible Netanyahu comeback dominates election
Source: Reuters
"Israel's longest-serving prime minister and the most dominant and polarizing political figure of his generation is back on the campaign trail as Israelis prepare to vote on Nov. 1 in their fifth national election in less than four years. His Likud party is expected to win the largest bloc of seats in the Knesset. But with corruption charges hanging over him and criticism mounting over his links to a rapidly growing far-right party he may depend on to form a government, surveys predict there will be no knock-out victory. ... Polls show Netanyahu's bloc fluctuating between a narrow victory to just short of a ruling parliamentary majority with the far-right Jewish Power party of Itamar Ben-Gvir, an ultranationalist once convicted of racist incitement, set to play the role of coalition kingmaker." (10/24/22)
https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/netanyahu-comeback-dominates-israel-election-all-about-bibi-2022-10-24/
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12) Brazil: Politician attacks cops with rifle, grenades, wounding two
Source: The Guardian [UK]
"Brazil's toxic presidential election has taken a surreal and violent turn after a radical ally of the far-right president, Jair Bolsonaro, used hand grenades and a rifle to attack federal police officers as they attempted to arrest him. ... Two officers reportedly sustained non-fatal shrapnel wounds, while photographs showed a federal police vehicle riddled with bullet holes. 'I shot at the car and close to them,' the rightwing radical admitted in an online video, claiming he was resisting arrest 'in the name of freedom, democracy and family values.' Jefferson was jailed in August 2021 as part of an investigation into anti-democratic social media mobs but was granted house arrest in January. On Sunday, a supreme court judge ordered the 69-year-old be returned to prison after he published a vulgar and threatening broadside against a female member of the court in which he likened her to a sex worker and Lucifer." (20/24/22)
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/24/brazil-politician-attacks-police-rifle-grenades-roberto-jefferson
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13) US stocks close higher as traders prepare for Big Tech earnings
Source: Financial Times [UK]
"US stocks rose on Monday as investors prepare for a busy earnings week for blue-chip technology groups, whose results will be used as a barometer for the health of the consumer economy. On Wall Street, the benchmark S&P 500 closed 1.2 per cent higher, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite added 0.9 cent, continuing a rally from last week, driven by news that the Federal Reserve may soon slow the pace of interest rate rises." (10/24/22)
https://www.ft.com/content/b4efc70a-c5b7-48f4-86a2-188f8f380ea7
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14) MN: Accessory in police murder of George Floyd gets sweetheart plea deal
Source: Yahoo! News
"A former Minneapolis police officer pleaded guilty Monday to aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter in the killing of George Floyd just as jury selection was about to begin. Another former officer waived his right to a jury trial, setting up an unusual proceeding in which the judge will issue a verdict after lawyers submit written arguments. The plea deal for J. Alexander Kueng calls for 3 1/2 years in prison, with prosecutors agreeing to drop a count of aiding and abetting second-degree murder. Kueng is the second officer to plead guilty to the state charge, following Thomas Lane, who pleaded guilty earlier this year. Their former colleague, Tou Thao, rejected a plea deal earlier this year, telling a judge it 'would be lying' to accept any such deal." (10/24/22)
https://www.yahoo.com/video/ex-minneapolis-cop-pleads-guilty-140833010.html
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15) CA: Newsom threatens to finish term if re-elected
Source: SFGate
"California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sunday vowed he would serve a full four-year term if reelected in November, trying again to knock down speculation that he wants to replace Democrat Joe Biden on the ballot should he not seek a second term. Newsom made the promise during an hourlong debate with his Republican challenger, state Sen. Brian Dahle -- the only time the two candidates will meet face to face before voting ends on Nov. 8. ... Asked directly by co-moderator Marisa Lagos if he would commit to serving all four years if he's reelected, Newsom said 'yes.' Newsom defended his national campaigning, saying he 'barely' left the state to take on national Republican leaders, who he says are banning books and 'demeaning' the LGBT community." (10/24/22)
https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Newsom-Dahle-to-meet-in-only-debate-before-17528496.php
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16) Uganda: Regime reports worrisome increase in Ebola cases in capital
Source: Seattle Times
"Ugandan officials have reported 11 more cases of Ebola in the capital since Friday, a worrisome increase in infections just over a month after an outbreak was declared in a remote part of the East African country. Nine more people in the Kampala metropolitan area tested positive for Ebola on Sunday, in addition to two others on Friday, Health Minister Jane Ruth Aceng said Monday. ... Ugandan health authorities have confirmed 75 cases of Ebola since Sept. 20, including 28 deaths. There are 19 active cases. The official numbers don't include those who probably died of Ebola before the outbreak was confirmed in a farming community about 150 kilometers (93 miles) west of Kampala." (10/24/22)
https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/world/uganda-reports-worrisome-increase-in-ebola-cases-in-capital/
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17) US regime charges alleged Chinese spies with trying to recruit assets, obstruct regime's war on Huawei
Source: CNN
"The Justice Department announced charges Monday against six Chinese citizens, including five alleged spies, accused of working on behalf of the Chinese government to recruit US citizens as sources and undermine the federal prosecution against a major Chinese company. According to charging documents, the Chinese telecommunications company was facing federal prosecution in Brooklyn, New York. Though the indictment does not name the company, a person familiar with the investigation confirmed to CNN that the company is Huawei. ... T[w]o of the alleged spies, Gouchun He and Zheng Wan, were accused of interfering with a federal prosecution against global telecommunications company Huawei. The two have not been arrested." (10/24/22)
https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/24/politics/chinese-spies-huawei/index.html
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18) Test scores show historic lockdown setbacks for kids across US
Source: Associated Press
"The [politically motivated school closures imposed on the excuse of the] COVID-19 pandemic spared no state or region as [they] caused historic learning setbacks for America's children, erasing decades of academic progress and widening racial disparities, according to results of a national test that provide the sharpest look yet at the scale of the crisis. Across the country, math scores saw their largest decreases ever. Reading scores dropped to 1992 levels." (10/24/22)
https://apnews.com/article/science-health-government-and-politics-covid-education-39e01a570b560c685b5340078c8dcdee
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19) McDonald's threatens to stop selling McRib for good
Source: Cleveland.com
"McRib returns to McDonald's on October 31, and, if we're to believe the Golden Arches at their word, it could be your last chance to, ahem, enjoy one of them. 'Get one while you can because this is the McRib Farewell Tour,' the fast-food chain said on its website. 'Enjoy our famous pork sandwich as if it's your last!' McDonald's says the messy barbecue sandwich, with its distinctive pork patty shaped like a slab of ribs, will be available through Nov. 20." [editor's note: When the revolution comes, whichever McDonald's exec made the boneheaded decision to tease such an atrocity will be among the first people up against the wall – TLK] (10/24/22)
https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2022/10/mcdonalds-threatens-to-stop-selling-mcrib-for-good.html
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20) France: Credit Suisse settle extortion avoidance probe with €238 million bribe
Source: France 24 [French state media]
"Credit Suisse settled a tax fraud and money laundering case in France on Monday with a 238 million euro ($234 million) payment to the state, putting another legal headache behind it as it readies to unveil a strategic overhaul. The agreement, announced in a French court and confirmed by the bank in a statement, resolves the investigation in France over whether the Swiss bank helped clients avoid paying tax on their wealth. The alleged scheme, which prosecutors say took place in several countries between 2005 and 2012, caused a fiscal damage of over 100 million euros to the French state, the prosecution office said." (10/24/22)
https://www.france24.com/en/business/20221024-credit-suisse-settles-french-tax-fraud-probe-for-%E2%82%AC238-million
_____ Today's Freedom Commentary _____
21) The Mirage of Washington Intelligence
Source: Libertarian Institute
by James Bovard
"'You can send a man to Congress but you can't make him think,' quipped comedian Milton Berle in the 1950s. To update Berle for our times: You can spend $60 billion a year on intelligence agencies but you can't make politicians read their reports. Instead, most politicians remain incorrigibly ignorant and hopelessly craven when presidents drag America into new foreign fiascos." (10/24/22)
https://libertarianinstitute.org/articles/the-mirage-of-washington-intelligence
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22) Criminalizing Work and Harming (Almost) Everyone in the Process
Source: Cato Institute
by Scott Lincicome
"I planned to wait for the official rollout of my forthcoming book, Empowering the New American Worker, before getting into its many weeds, but recent events (and my impatience) pushed me to reconsider. In particular, we learned last week that Florida officials had arrested a Texas‐licensed roofer for repairing a home damaged by Hurricane Ian and that several states weren't extending their pandemic‐related rules relaxing telehealth restrictions. At first blush, these events and the parties involved would seem to have little in common. Dig a little deeper, however, and we find that both depend on a policy -- occupational licensing -- that's grown in prominence in recent years, with significant harms for workers, consumers, and the U.S. economy more broadly." (10/24/22)
https://www.cato.org/commentary/criminalizing-work-harming-almost-everyone-process
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23) 2023 Federal Tax Brackets Are Out. See Which Bracket You Fall in -- and Why Tax Rates Are so High
Source: Foundation for Economic Education
by Jon Miltimore
"'The new brackets for 2023 mean paychecks for many Americans could see a boost, which will help consumers who are being hit hard by inflation and aren't seeing raises that keep pace with price increases,' Herb Scribner reported in Axios. While it's nice to see Axios recognize that a lower tax bill is actually a good thing, the elephant in the room went unnoticed. The tax rates are eye-popping. Why are working families shelling out so much of their money -- a fifth of their income, a quarter of their income, a third of their income or more -- to the government? The sad truth is, the average American works four months a year just to cover their tax bills." (10/24/22)
https://fee.org/articles/2023-federal-tax-brackets-are-out-see-which-bracket-you-fall-in-and-why-tax-rates-are-so-high/
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24) Are You Voting for a Candidate or a Political Party?
Source: Independent Institute
by Randall G Holcombe
"With mid-term elections on the horizon, my email box has been inundated with messages from candidates, parties, and interest groups. Mostly, they are asking me to donate money. Still, when they ask for my vote, many of their messages tell me that I should vote for the political party rather than the candidate. Democrats are telling me I should vote for them so they can maintain control of Congress. Republicans are asking me for my vote to flip the House and Senate. The message I am getting from candidates isn't 'I am the best person for the job,' but 'Elect me so my party will have more control.' As you are looking ahead to the mid-term elections, will you be casting your vote for a candidate or the candidate's party?" (10/24/22)
https://blog.independent.org/2022/10/24/voting-candidate-party/
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25) Is Crime Getting Better or Worse? We Don't Really Know.
Source: Reason
by JD Tuccille
"Philadelphia residents are bemoaning the closure of two iconic WaWa convenience stores, largely as a result of 'continued safety and security challenges,' according to the Pennsylvania company. Illustrating those concerns is dramatic security video footage of roughly 100 teens ransacking a store last month, and that was just one recent incident. Philadelphians are far from alone in their concerns; after decades of improvement, crime has reemerged as an issue amidst a widespread sense of increasing danger. But there's a catch: because of changes in methodology, crime statistics are less reliable than in the past. That leaves us working from limited information." (10/24/22)
https://reason.com/2022/10/24/is-crime-getting-better-or-worse-we-dont-really-know/
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26) Randi Weingarten is bad for kids
Source: Fox News Forum
by Nicole Saphier, MD
"Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), has been in the news recently for her trip to Ukraine to evaluate damage to education from the Russian war and for the AFT nationwide get-out-the-vote election bus tour. Meanwhile, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), commonly referred to as 'the nation's report card' was just released and the kids are not all right. NAEP released its first full report since 2019 this week, demonstrating a drop in math and reading scores for fourth through eighth graders. In 2022, the average fourth-grade math score decreased to its lowest level since 2005 while the average eighth-grade math score hit its lowest level since 2003. Reading scores also dropped on average. It is no secret the decline in learning metrics is a direct result of school closures and remote learning during the pandemic." (10/24/22)
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/randi-weingarten-bad-kids
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27) The Function of Privilege
Source: Bet On It
by Bryan Caplan
"In normal English, 'privilege' requires 'especially good treatment.' You can enjoy United Plus privileges, or the privileges of membership in a swim club. It's also long been standard to describe young people from rich families as 'privileged.' Privilege often has the connotations of 'unearned good treatment,' but not always. The question, 'How can I earn these privileges?' is perfectly good English. What's bizarre about the revisionist notion of 'privilege' is that almost anything counts." (10/24/22)
https://betonit.substack.com/p/the-function-of-privilege
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28) How Many Shocks Can the World Take?
Source: Foreign Policy
by Stephen M Walt
"Regular readers of this column know that I'm not inclined to be alarmist. Although there are times when I worry about the costs and risks of certain foreign-policy decisions, I tend to push back on the tendency for foreign-policy experts to inflate threats and assume the worst -- but not always. Sometimes, the wolf really is at the door, and it's time to start worrying. What's troubling me today is the gnawing fear that we are living through a series of disruptions that are overwhelming our collective ability to respond. World politics is never completely static, of course, but we haven't seen as serious a sequence of shocks in a long time." (10/24/22)
https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/10/24/how-many-shocks-can-the-world-take/
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29) Consumer Privacy Laws Aren't About the Public
Source: American Institute for Economic Research
by April Liu & Leslie Corbly
"With the commodification of data over the past decade, centralization of big data in the hands of companies that hold information about consumer behavior, movement, and basic personal facts already presents privacy risks. When citizens consent to data collection, they make their personal information vulnerable to misuse and third party sales. What they typically miss, though, is the fact that private companies are not the only entity collecting their data: the government does as well. Examining the ramifications of data privacy laws as well as government access to citizens' personal information is crucial to understanding how data is being and will be used in the future." (10/24/22)
https://www.aier.org/article/consumer-privacy-laws-arent-about-the-public/
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30) Here Comes the Democrat Rout
Source: Town Hall
by Kurt Schlichter
"Students of military history understand that the real bloodletting starts when the losing side breaks ranks after its formations disintegrate and the cavalry sweeps in to mow down the fleeing survivors. It's every man for himself, and the best the defeated individuals who were once part of cohesive units can hope for is not to end up one of the bodies left strewn across the battlefield. This is when the victor runs up the score. This is when the vast majority of casualties happen. This is a rout. And that's pretty much where the Democrats are headed on November 8th, figuratively of course. For the stupid people, we Republicans are the cavalry. For the really stupid people, cavalry is a highly-mobile fighting force, in ancient times mounted on horseback wielding lances, sabers, and sometimes bows or carbines." (10/24/22)
https://townhall.com/columnists/kurtschlichter/2022/10/24/here-comes-the-democrat-rout-n2614881
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31) Why they couldn't let Boris win
Source: spiked
by Brendan O'Neill
"Yesterday was an extraordinary day in British politics. 'Stop Boris Day,' we might call it. From the political class to the influencer set to the BBC, the cry went up: it cannot be Boris. He's too disruptive. Too oafish. Too much of a liability. We need a grown-up in charge now. Someone who is sensible and slick and capable of placating the markets. The uniformity of the message was remarkable, and more than a little chilling. I'm struggling to recall the last time that elite opinion, the determination of the professional managerial classes to get what they want, was expressed as nakedly as it was this weekend. ... Boris had to be stopped because the managerial elites want to restore the politics of managerialism. That's the long and short of it." (10/24/22)
https://www.spiked-online.com/2022/10/24/why-they-couldnt-let-boris-win/
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32) Being Pro-Life Means Being Anti-Death Penalty
Source: The Daily Beast
by Demetrius Minor
"The political voices of the anti-abortion community have long been formidable. And the reversal of Roe v. Wade can be attributed in great part to the ingenuity of organized leadership and grassroots activism of pro-life activists. While anti-abortion voices have been adamant about life beginning at conception, too many have been silent on another pro-life cause: abolishing the death penalty. ... anti-abortion advocates -- who tend to vote Republican and support the toughest criminal punishments -- need to ask themselves: How can we label ourselves as protectors of life and yet tolerate or be indifferent about state-sanctioned killing?" (10/24/22)
https://www.thedailybeast.com/being-pro-life-means-being-anti-death-penalty
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33) Toward a deliberative China
Source: Christian Science Monitor
by staff
"The biggest bombshell coming out of a week-long gathering of China's ruling Communist Party was not that long-time leader Xi Jinping further consolidated power for another five-year term. Rather it was the surprising ejection of a potential successor to Xi -- Hu Chunhua -- from the powerful 24-member Politburo. The ejection was not only of a presumed rival but also of a style of leadership that many Chinese people now prefer as their personal grievances toward the party keep expanding. As he climbed the party's hierarchy over decades, Mr. Hu -- the son of farmers -- was often depicted by the official press as a humble listener, open-minded to criticism and reform. While still loyal to Mr. Xi and the party in imposing firm control over places such as Tibet, he also displayed a willingness to mediate disputes, such as in Guangdong province between local journalists and party censors." (10/24/22)
https://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/the-monitors-view/2022/1024/Toward-a-deliberative-China
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34) The Heavy Price of Longtermism
Source: The New Republic
by Alexander Zaitchik
"With its blend of wild-eyed techno-optimism and utopianism, longtermism has emerged as the parlor philosophy of choice among the Silicon Valley jet-pack set. [William] MacAskill's colleague, the Swedish-born philosopher Nick Bostrom, drew attention in the early 2000s with his work developing the concept of 'existential risk' .... By the last chapter of What We Owe the Future, the reader has learned that the future is an endless expanse of expected value and must be protected at all costs; that nuclear war and climate change are bad (but probably not 'existential-risk' bad); and that economic growth must be fueled until it gains enough speed to take us beyond distant stars, where it will ultimately merge, along with fleshy humanity itself, into the Singularity that is our cosmic destiny. The title's promise, however, remains unfulfilled." (10/24/22)
https://newrepublic.com/article/168047/longtermism-future-humanity-william-macaskill
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35) The Problem Is Us, Not Our Technologies
Source: The Dispatch
by Chris Stirewalt
"I was very good at wasting time before iPhones, even before there was an internet. I wasted enough time playing actual cards with human beings in college that I probably could have added another major. I built model ships, tried to beat my own record for bouncing a tennis ball on a racquet, memorized National League batting statistics, went to see the same movie in the theater as many as 10 times, and always, always, always there was my best friend, television. ... we had already been conquered by electronic media before we started carrying little computers in our pockets. But the devices did not create the desire for entertainment as anesthesia." (10/24/22)
https://thedispatch.com/article/the-problem-is-us-not-our-technologies/
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36) Quantum Vibe, 10/24/22
Source: Big Head Press
by Scott Bieser
Cartoon. (10/24/22)
https://www.quantumvibe.com/strip?page=2386
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37) Cheney's Plan To Divide Republican Party Has Failed
Source: The Federalist
by Mollie Hemingway
"The widespread and coordinated plan to divide the Republican Party has failed, and it's a major reason why Democrat prospects for the 2022 midterms are so bad. Separating Republican officials from their growing coalition of voters and the issues they care about has been the Washington establishment's goal for several years now. The 'divide and conquer' plan is being run by the Democrat Party, its propaganda press, and former leaders of the Republican Party such as Liz Cheney, who see how the GOP's new composition and approach has threatened or destroyed their hold on power. The D.C. partnership has worked overtime to try to marginalize, demonize, and make toxic those Republicans who don't follow the establishment's rules for how supposedly good Republicans, like Mitt Romney, act." (10/24/22)
https://thefederalist.com/2022/10/24/liz-cheneys-plan-to-divide-the-republican-party-has-failed/
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38) Putin's Nuclear Paradigm
Source: The American Conservative
by Peter Van Buren
"Conventional strategic nuclear thinking suggests Putin would never use nuclear weapons in Ukraine. But what if he is following a new paradigm? ... The Cold War paradigm was based on the MAD doctrine, mutually assured destruction, the idea that if one side released a nuclear weapon the other would match it, followed by an escalation that would need to be matched, until both Moscow and New York glowed in the dark. ... But MAD is not Putin's Paradigm. The loose way Putin and his advisors talk about using nukes suggests they may be playing a new, different game than the one that played out during the Cold War. Putin is using the threat of nukes not to back the U.S. off completely but to hold the U.S. back from escalating conventionally." (10/24/22)
https://www.theamericanconservative.com/putins-nuclear-paradigm/
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39) Russia and Iran: time to dust off the old "Axis of Evil"
Source: Responsible Statecraft
by Robert Wright
"This week media coverage of Russia's use of Iranian-made drones -- and possibly, down the road, other Iranian weapons -- reached such intensity as to raise a question in the mind of Washington Post reporter Glenn Kessler. 'How soon before we start using 'axis of evil' again?' he tweeted on Tuesday. It's hard to get ahead of the curve these days, and by the time Kessler suggested this label for the Russia-Iran partnership, the label had already been applied by, among others, a British tabloid, Ukrainian protestors, and not one but two senior fellows at the Atlantic Council. And the New York Times, without using the phrase, devoted a whole piece to the 'emergence of a Moscow-Tehran alliance' -- thus making the 'axis' part of the label more or less official and paving the way for God-knows-how-many others to affix the 'evil' part in the coming weeks." (10/24/22)
https://responsiblestatecraft.org/2022/10/24/russia-and-iran-time-to-dust-off-the-old-axis-of-evil/
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40) The Ironic Revenge of Karl Marx
Source: Law & Liberty
by Mark T Mitchell
"The ideas of Karl Marx suffer a double indignity: they have failed universally, and they have never been implemented. The first fact, rooted in the disasters of the bloody twentieth century, provides ample reasons to discredit Marx as a charlatan. The second fact provides neo-Marxist hopefuls with the gauzy promise of a truly Marxist revolution somewhere in the future." (10/24/22)
https://lawliberty.org/the-ironic-revenge-of-karl-marx/
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41) Do Not Stop Worrying. Do Not Love the Bomb
Source: Common Dreams
by Chris Hedges
"I have covered enough wars to know that once you open that Pandora's box, the many evils that pour out are beyond anyone's control. War accelerates the whirlwind of industrial killing. The longer any war continues, the closer and closer each side comes to self-annihilation. Unless it is stopped, the proxy war between Russia and the U.S. in Ukraine all but guarantees direct confrontation with Russia and, with it, the very real possibility of nuclear war. Joe Biden, who doesn't always seem to be quite sure where he is or what he is supposed to be saying, is being propped up in the I-am-a-bigger-man-than-you contest with Vladimir Putin by a coterie of rabid warmongers who have orchestrated over 20 years of military fiascos." (10/24/22)
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2022/10/24/do-not-stop-worrying-do-not-love-bomb
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42) Out of the Graveyard: the Return of the Pluto-Populists
Source: CounterPunch
by Patrick Cockburn
"It is chillingly appropriate that this Halloween takes place as populist nationalist demagogues, once deemed politically dead and buried, are rising from their graves everywhere. ... In the US, Donald Trump was never actually in his political grave, despite losing the presidential election and his role in the 6 January Capitol riot. But four out of 10 Americans still approve of him .... In Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro has pulled level with his opponent Lula da Silva as he seeks re-election as Brazilian president. In Italy, Silvio Berlusconi is wrangling over his future position in a government led by a quasi-fascist. ... Until Thursday, it seemed that Britain was one of the few countries in the world which could pride itself on having democratically ended the career of Boris Johnson, its own representative in the populist nationalist pantheon." (10/24/22)
https://www.counterpunch.org/2022/10/24/out-of-the-graveyard-the-return-of-the-pluto-populists/
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43) The Back Door to NATO
Source: Antiwar.com
by Ted Snider
"On March 20, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told a CNN interviewer that he personally requested the leaders of NATO members 'to say directly that we are going to accept you into NATO in a year or two or five, just say it directly and clearly, or just say no. And the response was very clear, you're not going to be a NATO member, but publicly, the doors will remain open.' When Zelensky recently renewed his request for NATO membership, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan responded with the brush off that Ukraine's application 'should be taken up at a different time.' The door to NATO membership remained closed to Ukraine. But the back door is open." (10/24/22)
https://original.antiwar.com/ted_snider/2022/10/23/the-back-door-to-nato/
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44) What Happens When Economics Becomes Religion?
Source: EconLog
by Vance Ginn
"Economics is the new American religion. Disagree with the mainstream narrative surrounding it, and you're a heathen needing quick conversion. No longer is it seen as a social science requiring unbiased scrutiny: it's about giving people what they think they want, no matter the cost. And the cost they take in doing so is a big one: people's prosperity." (10/23/22)
https://www.econlib.org/what-happens-when-economics-becomes-religion/
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45) Covid Vaccines Shouldn't Be "Routine" for Kids
Source: Common Sense News
by Vinay Prasad
"On Thursday, the CDC's advisory committee on vaccines voted unanimously -- 15 to 0 -- to add the Covid-19 vaccine to the country's childhood immunization schedule. This schedule of vaccines -- which includes the vaccines for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR); tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (Tdap); and inactivated polio -- serves as the roadmap of routinely recommended vaccines for children across the nation. That's among the many reasons the committee's vote is consequential: State and local governments turn to the CDC's guidance when deciding public health policy. The CDC has yet to adopt this guidance, but likely will in the coming weeks. I believe it was both bad medicine and bad policy to add the Covid-19 vaccine to this list. I come to that conclusion for four reasons." (10/24/22)
https://www.commonsense.news/p/covid-vaccines-shouldnt-be-routine
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46) Reevaluating the use of no-knock raids can protect police and the public
Source: Orange County Register
by Nino Marchese
"Proponents of no-knock raids argue they minimize the opportunity a suspect may have to harm a police officer, evade arrest, or destroy evidence, all while promoting public safety. However, when officers are not required to knock and announce their presence, botched raids often occur, resulting in serious bodily injury and death for both civilians and law enforcement. ... These raids have become far more dangerous for police officers than ever anticipated. Utilizing no-knock raids for relatively small drug-bust investigations or to serve a standard arrest warrant may not be the smartest use of such a practice, given the associated risks and dangers." (10/23/22)
https://www.ocregister.com/2022/10/23/reevaluating-the-use-of-no-knock-raids-can-protect-police-and-the-public/
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47) More Scary Movies For Anarchists to Watch in the Dark
Source: exile in happy valley
by Nicky Reid
"I've been compiling this twisted little list of frighteningly anti-authoritarian films for about four years now and a lot has changed during that short time for both cinema and authoritarianism. With the epoch shattering cataclysm of the pandemic and the colossal failures of both the Trump and the Biden administrations, American power has never been more naked and even the card punching normies can't help but to be revolted by the shocking fragility of a supposedly mighty creature no longer shielded by the Kevlar cloak of American exceptionalism. The world's most fearsome beast is wounded, perhaps mortally, and it has never been more unpredictable." (10/23/22)
https://exileinhappyvalley.blogspot.com/2022/10/more-scary-movies-for-anarchists-to.html
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48) Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word
Source: Brownstone Institute
by Jeffrey A Tucker
"It's been more than obvious since April 2020 that lockdowns were far too costly for individuals and society and could never earn a rational public-health defense. And the evidence was rolling in from one year later that the vaccine mandates were similarly indefensible. Both tactics had in common the enormous use of state coercion that flew in the face of every principle of civilized government. ... Where are the apologies? Sorry seems to be the hardest word. Faced with enormous failure, the machinery that did this to us has generally refused to say the simple word. It's the hardest thing for people with power to admit their fallibility." (10/23/22)
https://brownstone.org/articles/sorry-seems-to-be-the-hardest-word/
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49) Why Meta's Virtual Worlds Are Failing
Source: The American Prospect
by Ramenda Cyrus
"When Facebook's CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that the company would be rebranding under the moniker 'Meta,' the public and the media were quick to point out the barely concealed attempt to detach the company from a slew of bad press. From Cambridge Analytica to the 'Facebook Papers,' Zuckerberg's brand needed a new name and a new public perception. Couple this with the fact that Facebook was actually losing daily active users for the first time and the name change made sense. What perhaps made less sense was Zuckerberg's simultaneous announcement of a foray into the world of virtual reality. ... Ever since the rebrand, the public has been bombarded with 'Metaverse' advertisements, as Zuckerberg and his board do everything they can to draw internet users back into the profit matrix." (10/24/22)
https://prospect.org/culture/why-metas-virtual-worlds-are-failing/
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50) Moving Back To The Internet
Source: Freeman's Perspective
by Paul Rosenberg
"Yes, I know that it seems the Internet has swallowed the world, but that isn't quite true. What actually happened was more or less the opposite: The world has captured the Internet. If that still sounds backwards to you, please stay with me. I'll begin making sense of it by explaining how this post came together for me: Last week I published an article that I knew would not be appreciated in certain circles. But for me, their approval or disapproval didn't really matter, because I posted it directly to the Internet, not to some intermediate service. Right away, I got a comment from someone who reported that, 'I got banned on Reddit for saying this.' ... Reddit is not the Internet; it's a holding pen attached to the Internet. ... The Internet is still here. On it, you can say whatever you want, or nearly so." (10/23/22)
https://freemansperspective.com/moving-back-to-the-internet/
_____ Today's Freedom Podcast and Video _____
51) Reason Roundtable, 10/24/22
Source: Reason
"What Will the GOP Do if It Wins?" (10/24/22)
https://reason.com/podcast/2022/10/24/what-will-the-gop-do-if-it-wins/
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52) Cato Daily Podcast, 10/24/22
Source: Cato Institute
"Resist the Urge to Suggest Jared Polis Is a Libertarian." (10/24/22)
https://www.cato.org/multimedia/cato-daily-podcast/resist-urge-suggest-jared-polis-libertarian
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53) EconTalk, 10/24/22
Source: EconTalk
"Ryan Holiday on Discipline Is Destiny." (10/24/22)
https://www.econtalk.org/ryan-holiday-on-discipline-is-destiny/
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54) Conflicts of Interest, episode 340
Source: Libertarian Institute
"American Troops Prep for War on Ukraine's Border." (10/24/22)
https://libertarianinstitute.org/kyle/coi-340-american-troops-prep-for-war-on-ukraines-border/
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55) Rising, 10/24/22
Source: The Hill
"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted on Friday to add the Covid-19 vaccine to the agency's recommended immunization schedules for both adults and children, including toddlers as young as 6 months. Robby Soave and Batya Ungar-Sargon discuss." (10/24/22)
https://thehill.com/hilltv/rising/3701501-rising-october-24-2022/
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56) Declare Your Independence with Ernest Hancock, 10/24/22
Source: Freedom's Phoenix
"Ernest Hancock interviews Karen Kwiatkowski." (10/24/22)
https://www.freedomsphoenix.com/Media/334438-2022-10-23-2022-10-24-ernest-hancock-interviews-karen-kwiatkowski.htm
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57) The Bryan Hyde Show, 10/24/22
Source: The Bryan Hyde Show
"Have you noticed how the ruling class tends to treat us like we are a threat? James Howard Kunstler notes that there is no nice way to say it, but it is the truth: The authorities are our enemies." (10/24/22)
https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-4bpsq-12f68b3
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58) The Corbett Report, episode 430
Source: The Corbett Report
"The Media Are the Terrorists." (10/24/22)
https://www.corbettreport.com/mediaterror/
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59) Finding Freedom, episode 356
Source: Lions of Liberty
"Robb Kelley -- Addiction, Redemption and Unlocking Your Full Potential." (10/24/22)
https://www.lionsofliberty.com/episodes/robb-kelley-addiction-redemption-and-unlocking-your-full-potential
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60) Daniel Davis on The Scott Horton Show
Source: The Scott Horton Show
"Scott talks with Daniel Davis about the evolving situation on the ground in Ukraine." (10/23/22)
https://scotthorton.org/interviews/10-21-22-daniel-davis-on-the-looming-battle-for-kherson/
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