02/06 -- Bitcoin rebounds after brushing $60,000 level; The Epstein Files and Elite Moral Collapse
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Thomas L. Knapp
Feb 6, 2026, 6:12:33 AM (5 days ago) Feb 6
to Freedom News Daily
Freedom News Daily, 02/06/26
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Today's Freedom News:
1) Bitcoin rebounds after brushing $60,000 level
2) Russia: General shot in Moscow in apparent assassination attempt
3) US applications for jobless benefits jump to 231,000 last week, the most in two months
4) Persian Gulf: Iranian pirates steal two tankers
5) OR: Federal judge rules against US heimatschutz on warrantless immigrant abductions
6) Japan: Cherry blossom festival cancelled over badly behaved tourists
7) Netherlands: Queen Maxima joins army as a reservist, as “safety can no longer be taken for granted”
8) Musk, DOGE staffers will be deposed over USAID dismantling
9) Democrats demand “dramatic changes” for ICE
10) Russian standup comic sentenced to almost six years for anti-war jokes
11) Slotkin rejects DOJ request for interview on Democrats’ video about illegal orders
12) Palestine: Israeli security service chief’s brother is accused of smuggling cigarettes into Gaza
13) MD: Baltimore’s progressive mayor calls reporter “racist”
14) Lights back on in eastern Cuba after widespread blackout
15) Europe’s central bank maintains interest rate with economic growth resilient
16) France: Police arrest two Chinese citizens over alleged attempt to access military data
17) GOP firebrand urges Trump agencies to claw back massive taxpayer benefits paid out to immigrants
18) 300+ ex-DOJ lawyers demand transparent Minnesota shooting probes
19) US and Russia agree to reestablish military-to-military dialogue after Ukraine talks
20) Sudan: Paramilitary advances near Ethiopia border
Today's Freedom Commentary:
21) The Epstein Files and Elite Moral Collapse
22) Was Trump Correct about Tariffs?
23) Should Soldiers Obey Orders to Commit Crimes?
24) What’s behind the wild new wealth tax proposals?
25) In Politics, the Celebrations Start Early and the Excuses Never End
26) The Lessons of Kent State
27) Trump’s 2020 Election Obsession Enters New Phase
28) ICE’s Private Prison Contractors Spent Millions Lobbying to Force Banks to Give Them Loans
29) Europe’s future pivots on a Hungarian election
30) The Hijacking of Bitcoin
31) The System Is Working Exactly As Intended
32) Historical Perspective on the Unitary Executive
33) To Stand Against US Aggression, the World Must Rise for Cuba
34) Theocrats, Socialists, and the Totalitarian Impulse to Plan
35) Iran is Trump’s Israeli Influence Test
36) Could Donald Trump Save the Federal Reserve?
37) Mass Deportation: Who Was More “Inhumane,” Obama or Trump?
38) Senators should ask Trump’s Fed nominee these tough questions
39) A deal that Cuba (and Trump) cannot refuse?
40) Trump’s Board of Peace Is a Dystopia in Motion
41) DOGE Lives On Through Russell Vought
42) The Vain Struggle to Curb Congressional Stock Trading
43) The Unstoppable Kill Switch
44) The Techno-Authoritarian Blueprint for America, part 2
45) Justice Jackson removed any shred of impartiality by applauding anti-ICE speeches at the Grammys
46) Is Sprawl a Market Outcome?
47) Protecting Our Right to Sue Federal Agents Who Violate the Constitution
48) The Cost of Living: The Problem Isn’t Too Little Credit, but Too Much
49) Iranian Artists Keep the Spirit of “Woman, Life, Freedom” Alive
50) The winter of our grid’s discontent: Hardening the grid once and for all after Winter Storm Fern
Today's Freedom Podcast and Video:
51) The Moral Cowardice at the Heart of Libertarianism
52) The Fifth Column, episode 543
53) The Libertarian Angle, 02/05/26
54) Zooming In, 02/05/26
55) The Vital Center, episode 92
56) Antiwar News with Dave DeCamp, 02/05/26
57) Fountainhead Forum, episode 418
58) Anarcho Agenda, episode 145
59) Kibbe on Liberty, 02/04/26
60) Declare Your Independence with Ernest Hancock, 02/04/26
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_____ Today's Freedom News _____
1) Bitcoin rebounds after brushing $60,000 level
Source: Reuters
“Bitcoin bounced from a 16-month low on Friday after testing the key $60,000 level, as a global rout in technology stocks that washed out risky bets across asset classes showed tentative signs of easing. The world’s largest cryptocurrency was last up 3.3% to $65,198.20, clawing back its losses after having slid 5% to hit a low of $60,008.52 earlier in the session. Still, bitcoin remains pinned near its weakest level since October 2024, a month before Donald Trump won the U.S. presidential election, having signalled his intention to support crypto on the campaign trail.” (02/06/26)
https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/bitcoin-cusp-60000-investors-flee-risky-bets-2026-02-06/
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2) Russia: General shot in Moscow in apparent assassination attempt
Source: Al Jazeera [Qatari state media]
“A senior Russian military official has been hospitalised after being shot several times in Moscow, according to state media quoting Russian officials. An unknown assailant carried out a gun attack on Lieutenant General Vladimir Alekseyev, deputy chief of Russian military intelligence, in a residential building, Svetlana Petrenko, spokesperson for the Russian Investigative Committee (ICR), said on Friday. Alekseyev is deputy chief of the Main Directorate of the General Staff at the Defence Ministry. Several senior Russian officers have been assassinated since the start of the war in Ukraine four years ago, with Moscow blaming the attacks on Kyiv.” (02/06/26)
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/2/6/senior-russian-officer-shot-in-moscow-in-apparent-assassination-attempt
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3) US applications for jobless benefits jump to 231,000 last week, the most in two months
Source: ABC News
“The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits jumped last week but remains in the same historically low range of the past few years. Applications for jobless aid for the week ending Jan. 31 rose by 22,000 to 231,000 from the previous week, the Labor Department reported Thursday. That’s significantly more than the 211,000 new applications that analysts surveyed by the data firm FactSet had forecast. Applications for unemployment benefits are seen as representative of U.S. layoffs and are close to a real-time indicator of the health of the job market. A number of high-profile companies have announced job cuts in the past year, including UPS, Amazon and Dow just last week.” (02/05/26)
https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/us-applications-jobless-benefits-jump-22000-231000-week-129880470
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4) Persian Gulf: Iranian pirates steal two tankers
Source: WION [India]
“Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) seized two oil tankers with their foreign crews in Gulf waters for allegedly smuggling fuel, reported by Iranian media. ‘”More than one million liters of smuggled fuel were found on board of the two vessels,’ Tasnim reported, and a total of ’15 foreign crew members were referred to the judiciary.’ … Iranian forces regularly target tankers that Tehran has accused of being part of the illicit trade in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. It is a key chokepoint for global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments. The seizure is the latest in a series of similar incidents in recent months.” (02/05/26)
https://www.wionews.com/world/irgc-seizes-2-oil-tankers-with-foreign-crew-for-smuggling-fuel-1770293234125
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5) OR: Federal judge rules against US heimatschutz on warrantless immigrant abductions
Source: Fox News
“A federal judge on Wednesday barred the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from carrying out warrantless immigration arrests in Oregon without individualized assessments of flight risk, finding that federal agents likely violated the law through a pattern of unlawful arrests. U.S. District Judge Mustafa Kasubhai granted a preliminary injunction in a proposed class-action lawsuit against DHS and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as the case moves forward. The court concluded that agents routinely arrested people for alleged immigration violations without warrants and without determining whether they were likely to flee before a warrant could be obtained.” (02/05/26)
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/federal-judge-rules-against-dhs-warrantless-immigration-arrests-oregon
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6) Japan: Cherry blossom festival cancelled over badly behaved tourists
Source: BBC News [UK state media]
“Japanese authorities in a town near Mount Fuji have cancelled this year’s cherry blossom festival, saying a surge in tourist numbers is unmanageable for locals. The influx of tourists to the town of Fujiyoshida has led to chronic traffic congestion and litter, while some residents say they’ve experienced tourists trespassing or defecating in private gardens. The area is a popular destination during spring because Japan’s world-renowned cherry trees are in full bloom, and can be admired with Mount Fuji in the background. But Fujiyoshida’s picturesque scenery threatens ‘the quiet lives of citizens,’ the city’s mayor explained, adding: ‘We have a strong sense of crisis.'” (02/05/26)
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1wzrlndzjro
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7) Netherlands: Queen Maxima joins army as a reservist, as “safety can no longer be taken for granted”
Source: CBS News
“The Netherlands’ Queen Maxima has joined her country’s army as a reservist, voicing concern about national security. Maxima, 54, ‘has chosen to register now because our safety can no longer be taken for granted,’ according to a statement released Wednesday by the Dutch royal family, ‘and she, like many others, wants to contribute to that safety.’ After training with the Royal Netherlands Army, the Argentinian-born Dutch queen will be promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, and ‘like other reservists, she will deploy where needed,’ the royal family’s statement said.” (02/05/26)
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/dutch-queen-maxima-joins-army-as-reservist/
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8) Musk, DOGE staffers will be deposed over USAID dismantling
Source: Independent [UK]
“Elon Musk, leader of the Trump administration’s now-disbanded Department of Government Efficiency, must sit for depositions along with senior State Department officials over their role in dismantling the U.S. Agency for International Development, a federal judge ruled Tuesday. Pointing to findings that Musk had made the decision to break up USAID – one of the world’s largest humanitarian programs – despite lacking formal authority or official approval – District Judge Theodore Chuang wrote that there was ‘no alternative’ than for Musk and other officials to provide testimony regarding their decision-making process. The ruling represents a win for a group of anonymous former USAID employees who are suing Musk, DOGE and State Department officials over the closure.” (02/05/26)
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/elon-musk-doge-usaid-testimony-b2914566.html
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9) Democrats demand “dramatic changes” for ICE
Source: SFGate
“Democrats are threatening to block funding for the Homeland Security Department when it expires in two weeks unless there are ‘dramatic changes’ and ‘real accountability’ for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other law enforcement agencies who are carrying out President Donald Trump’s campaign of federal immigration enforcement in Minnesota and across the country. It’s unclear if the president or enough congressional Republicans will agree to any of the Democrats’ larger demands that the officers unmask and identify themselves, obtain judicial warrants in certain cases and work with local authorities, among other asks. Republicans have already pushed back. House GOP lawmakers are demanding that some of their own priorities be added to the Homeland Security spending bill, including legislation that would require proof of citizenship before Americans register to vote and restrictions on sanctuary cities.” (02/05/25)
https://www.sfgate.com/news/politics/article/the-latest-democrats-demand-dramatic-21335240.php
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10) Russian standup comic sentenced to almost six years for anti-war jokes
Source: United Press International
“A Moscow court sentenced Russian stand-up comedian Artemy Ostanin to five years and nine months in prison and a $4,000 fine after finding him guilty of telling jokes that incited hatred of Ukraine war veterans with life-changing injuries and insulted Christians’ faith. Ostanin was sentenced on Wednesday for on-stage routines alleged to have included gags featuring a ‘legless skateboarder’ in connection with the war in Ukraine and an imagined conversation with Jesus Christ in which Jesus relates a story that effectively states he was crucified for exposing the truth. The prosecution alleged the slurs, which were allegedly made during two shows in early 2025, were part of a systematic effort and that Ostanin had formed an “organized criminal group” for the express purpose of writing and performing the material.” (02/05/26)
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2026/02/05/comedian-jailed-for-alleged-war-jokes/8061770297814/
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11) Slotkin rejects DOJ request for interview on Democrats’ video about illegal orders
Source: SFGate
“Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan is refusing to voluntarily comply with a Justice Department investigation into a video she organized urging U.S. military members to resist ‘illegal orders’ — escalating a dispute that President Donald Trump has publicly pushed. In letters first obtained by The Associated Press, Slotkin’s lawyer informed U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro that the senator would not agree to a voluntary interview about the video. Slotkin’s legal team also requested that Pirro preserve all documents related to the matter for ‘anticipated litigation.’ Slotkin’s lawyer separately wrote to Attorney General Pam Bondi, declining to sit for an FBI interview about the video and urging her to immediately terminate any inquiry.” (02/05/25)
https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/slotkin-rejects-justice-department-request-for-21335243.php
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12) Palestine: Israeli security service chief’s brother is accused of smuggling cigarettes into Gaza
Source: Seattle Times
“An Israeli court on Thursday indicted a brother of the chief of Israel’s security service for smuggling tens of thousands of dollars worth of cigarettes into war-ravaged Gaza Strip at a time when getting aid into the territory was difficult and many Palestinians were going hungry. The indictment of Bezalel Zini is the latest in a burgeoning scandal implicating more than a dozen people, many of them Israeli reserve soldiers, of personally profiting from the Israel-Hamas war and delivering goods into Gaza that could potentially benefit the militant group. His brother, Shin Bet chief David Zini, has not been implicated in the scandal.” (02/05/26)
https://archive.is/Ygk90
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13) MD: Baltimore’s progressive mayor calls reporter “racist”
Source: Fox News
“Brandon Scott, the Democratic mayor of Baltimore, is facing questions about the taxpayer funds he uses for his transportation as well as social media pushback over a press conference where he suggested racism was a factor. Scott, a progressive who has served as mayor since 2020, is facing pressure over a Fox Baltimore report showing his primary vehicle, a 2025 Jeep Grand Wagoneer, is the most expensive government-issued vehicle operated by any mayor, governor, county executive or county commissioner in the state, costing taxpayers $163,495. Scott has responded to the report, which claims his SUV costs nearly twice as much as the next most expensive taxpayer vehicle in the state, by pointing to the cost of President Donald Trump’s ‘Beast’ vehicle, arguing that inflation is not being factored in and suggesting politics are at play.” (02/05/25)
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/baltimores-progressive-mayor-calls-reporter-racist-in-heated-exchange-over-luxury-taxpayer-vehicle
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14) Lights back on in eastern Cuba after widespread blackout
Source: Yahoo! News
“Power was restored Thursday to eastern Cuba after an electricity grid failure plunged three provinces and part of a fourth into darkness the previous evening, authorities said. In the early hours of Thursday, the provinces of Holguin, Granma, Santiago de Cuba, and Guantanamo ‘were synchronized to the national power grid,’ said Felix Estrada of the ministry of energy and mines said on state television. He added that scheduled power cuts however remain in place in the four provinces despite the reconnection, due to the country’s ‘capacity deficit’ beyond the latest outage, which left hundreds of thousands of people without electricity.” (02/05/26)
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/lights-back-eastern-cuba-widespread-154111958.html?guccounter=1
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15) Europe’s central bank maintains interest rate with economic growth resilient
Source: SFGate
“The European Central Bank left interest rates unchanged Thursday as the economy in the 21 countries that use the euro chugs past the disruption from U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs with growth modest, yet resilient. The bank left its benchmark deposit rate at 2%, where it has been since June. after a series of cuts from the peak of 4% starting in mid-2024. The reduced rate has been low enough to re-start mortgage lending for home sales and new construction due to reduced credit costs, boosting growth. Low unemployment is also contributing to demand for goods by consumers and helping keep the economy resilient without the stimulus of further rate cuts. As a result, the chief monetary authority for the eurozone may leave its rates unchanged into 2027, analysts say. The eurozone grew a stronger than expected 0.3% in the last three months of 2025, and may reach growth of 1.3% for all of this year, according to forecasts by Berenberg bank.” (02/05/25)
https://www.sfgate.com/news/world/article/europe-s-central-bank-maintains-interest-rate-21335244.php
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16) France: Police arrest two Chinese citizens over alleged attempt to access military data
Source: Politico
“Prosecutors in Paris opened an investigation Wednesday into allegations that Chinese citizens had sought to capture sensitive French government and military data using Starlink. … The prosecutor’s office said police had been notified last week that the arrested pair were suspected of conducting satellite interception operations from an AirBnB they had rented in the Gironde region, near the city of Bordeaux, after neighbors noticed that ‘a satellite dish approximately two meters in diameter’ had been installed and local residents were experiencing internet outages. ‘The device installed was used to illegally intercept satellite downlinks, including exchanges between military entities of vital importance,’ the statement added.” (02/04/26)
https://www.politico.eu/article/france-police-arrest-2-china-citizen-access-military-data-starlink/
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17) GOP firebrand urges Trump agencies to claw back massive taxpayer benefits paid out to immigrants
Source: Fox News
“Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., is urging key agencies in the Trump administration to recoup what he believes could amount to billions in Medicaid, SNAP and education expenses paid out to immigrants on the American taxpayer’s dime. Banks, a first-term senator and conservative firebrand, argues that by law the sponsors of legal immigrants to the U.S. are required to reimburse the government for any welfare benefits used by their sponsee. Though written in law, the Immigration and Nationality Act, Banks said this has by and large not been carried out. Under the Trump administration, however, he believes that can finally change. In a letter sent on Wednesday to the secretaries of Homeland Security, Agriculture, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the commissioners of the Internal Revenue Service and Social Security Administration, Banks asked the agencies to hold immigrant sponsors accountable and refund American taxpayers.” (02/05/25)
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/gop-firebrand-urges-trump-agencies-claw-back-massive-taxpayer-benefits-paid-out-to-immigrants
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18) 300+ ex-DOJ lawyers demand transparent Minnesota shooting probes
Source: Axios
“More than 300 former federal prosecutors and civil rights attorneys are urging the Justice Department to allow state and local investigations into the killings of two Minnesota residents by federal officers, according to a new letter obtained exclusively by Axios. Minnesota officials have accused feds of obstructing their ability to investigate the deaths of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti amid President Trump’s federal immigration blitz in the Twin Cities. ‘Blocking a state law enforcement agency from investigating potential violations of state law in its own jurisdiction would mark a severe departure from established DOJ norms and pose a serious threat to the rule of law,’ states the letter led by the Prosecutors Alliance in coordination with The Vera Institute of Justice.” (02/04/26)
https://archive.is/uSxCh
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19) US and Russia agree to reestablish military-to-military dialogue after Ukraine talks
Source: SFGate
“The U.S. and Russia agreed on Thursday to reestablish high level military-to-military dialogue following a meeting between senior Russian and American military officials in Abu Dhabi, the United States European Command said in a statement. The agreement was reached following meetings between Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, the Commander of U.S. European Command — who is also NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe — and senior Russian and Ukrainian military officials, the statement said. The channel ‘will provide a consistent military-to-military contact as the parties continue to work towards a lasting peace,’ the statement said. High level military communication was suspended in 2021, just before Russia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine. Grynkewich was in the capital of the United Arab Emirates where talks between American, Russian and Ukrainian officials on ending the war in Ukraine entered a second day and as Moscow escalated its attacks on Ukraine’s power grid.” (02/05/25)
https://www.sfgate.com/news/world/article/russia-and-ukraine-hold-a-second-day-of-21335035.php
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20) Sudan: Paramilitary advances near Ethiopia border
Source: The New Arab [UK]
“Sudanese paramilitary forces have advanced on army positions near the southeastern border with Ethiopia, according to the group and an eyewitness who spoke to AFP on Wednesday. Control over Sudan’s southeastern Blue Nile State, bordering both Ethiopia and South Sudan, is split between the army and a faction of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North, allies of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. In a statement released Tuesday, the SPLM-N, led by Abdelaziz al-Hilu, said they had ‘liberated the strategic city of Deim Mansour and areas of Bashir Nuqu and Khor al-Budi.'” (02/04/26)
https://www.newarab.com/news/sudan-paramilitary-advances-near-ethiopia-border
_____ Today's Freedom Commentary _____
21) The Epstein Files and Elite Moral Collapse
Source: Persuasion
by Pratap B Mehta
“There are, of course, outstanding issues in the Epstein files that need to be addressed — people who committed crimes in legal terms, people who engaged in morally reprehensible behavior, and people who themselves are not individually guilty but who condoned what was happening. The Epstein files are not about individual guilt or innocence; they are about the nature of collective power. And when, within that collectivity, elites abused sexual, financial, legal, political, and even intellectual power without shame and with impunity, one has to wonder whether the Roman historians were onto something: They envisioned empires collapsing when elites could no longer restrain themselves in any aspect of their lives. An elite so needy, greedy, and now so vulnerable can hardly be trusted to exercise good judgment.” (02/05/26)
https://www.persuasion.community/p/the-epstein-files-indict-an-entire
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22) Was Trump Correct about Tariffs?
Source: Independent Institute
by Allen Gindler
“Trump’s recent Wall Street Journal piece is not just a defense of tariffs. It is a claim of intellectual discovery in economics. He argues, in effect, that the vast majority of experts have been looking at tariffs backward, and that his critics keep repeating a superstition: tariffs are a tax on Americans. In his telling, tariffs are a way to make foreigners pay, raise revenue, boost domestic production, and still keep inflation tame. If Trump remains fixated on the Nobel Peace Prize, he is aiming at the wrong category. His real ambition, at least on the page, is the science of economics. Even though he did not explicitly state his discoveries, we can infer the economic laws he implied and name them in his honor.” (02/05/26)
https://www.independent.org/article/2026/02/05/was-trump-correct-tariffs/
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23) Should Soldiers Obey Orders to Commit Crimes?
Source: Future of Freedom Foundation
by Jacob G Hornberger
“Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s attacks against U.S. Senator Mark Kelly constitute a fascinating and very revealing insight into the national-security-state way of life. Hegseth is upset with Kelly, along with five other members of Congress, for participating in a video that reminded U.S. soldiers of their duty to refuse to obey illegal orders. … Kelly and the others did not say to U.S. soldiers: ‘You have the right to disobey orders.’ If he had said that, I could easily understand why Hegseth would be upset. But that’s not what they said. They said that U.S. soldiers have the right — and the duty — to refuse to obey illegal orders. The difference between those two admonitions is day and night. What Kelly and the others stated is the absolute truth.” (02/05/26)
https://www.fff.org/2026/02/05/should-soldiers-obey-orders-to-commit-crimes/
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24) What’s behind the wild new wealth tax proposals?
Source: Orange County Register
by Veronique de Rugy
“When government grows to dominate ever-larger shares of the economy, and when politicians refuse to be responsible about what they spend, there’s a predictable next move: Insist that the problem is ‘the rich’ not paying enough. Never mind that high earners already shoulder a disproportionate share of the tax burden. Never mind that relying on a small and mobile group of people for the bulk of your revenue makes public finances more volatile, not more stable. No, once spending is treated as untouchable and restraint as politically impossible, it’s only a matter of time before politics demands more, more, more. More taxes and more distortion. This helps explain why wild new forms of wealth taxes are popping up.” (02/05/26)
https://archive.is/g1BKq
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25) In Politics, the Celebrations Start Early and the Excuses Never End
Source: Garrison Center
by Thomas L Knapp
“Yes, the party in power historically tends to lose congressional seats in midterm elections. Sometimes a few, sometimes more. Beyond that obvious likelihood, trying to predict the mood of the electorate nine months out is a fool’s errand. I can, however, confidently predict how much will change as a direct result of the elections’ outcomes, whatever those outcomes may be: Not much.” (02/05/26)
https://thegarrisoncenter.org/archives/20361
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26) The Lessons of Kent State
Source: Mother Jones
by Lawrence Roberts
“The basic facts of the tragedy at Kent State University are well-known. Shortly after noon on May 4, 1970, twenty-eight soldiers kneeled on a grassy knoll and fired more than sixty rounds in thirteen seconds into a crowd of students, most of whom were there to protest the expansion of the Vietnam war. They killed four and wounded nine, including [Thomas] Grace, a sophomore history major who was shot through his left heel. The circumstances back then, of course, differed substantially from the deadly recent events in Minneapolis. Yet for those of us who came of age in that era, for whom the Ohio tragedy is seared into our memories as a critical turning point during a time of national crisis, the striking parallels are impossible to ignore …” (02/05/26)
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/02/the-lessons-of-kent-state/
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27) Trump’s 2020 Election Obsession Enters New Phase
Source: Washington Monthly
by James D Zirin
“The president’s denial that he lost to Joe Biden now turns to a Tulsi Gabbard-led fishing expedition. What could go wrong?” (02/05/26)
https://washingtonmonthly.com/2026/02/05/trumps-2020-election-obsession-enters-new-phase/
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28) ICE’s Private Prison Contractors Spent Millions Lobbying to Force Banks to Give Them Loans
Source: The Intercept
by Biplob Kumar Das
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“Some of the largest banks in the nation for years have eschewed the business of private prison giants like GEO Group and CoreCivic, the two firms that operate more than half the private carceral facilities in the country, including many U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centers. … Now, the private prison firms are fighting back, spending millions on lobbying Congress to pass a law to require that the banks can’t deny their business.” (02/05/26)
https://theintercept.com/2026/02/05/private-prison-corecivic-geo-group-ice-bank-loan/
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29) Europe’s future pivots on a Hungarian election
Source: Christian Science Monitor
by staff
“A recent rise in anti-corruption movements in Europe has upended politics from Serbia to Bulgaria to Romania. Now, one of the continent’s most entrenched leaders, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán of Hungary, faces a serious challenge this April in a parliamentary election that could be determined by what one commentator calls a public ‘yearning for integrity’. For the European Union, too, the stakes in the election are high. Mr. Orbán and his ruling populist conservative party, Fidesz, have often obstructed the 27-member bloc in helping Ukraine and countering Russia. The EU has also held back funds for Budapest over its shrinking rule of law. After nearly 16 years in power, Mr. Orbán has left Hungary with the lowest household living standards in the EU. The country of 9.6 million people has experienced three years of economic stagnation.” (02/03/25)
https://www.csmonitor.com/Editorials/the-monitors-view/2026/0203/Europe-s-future-pivots-on-a-Hungarian-election
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30) The Hijacking of Bitcoin
Source: Brownstone Institute
by Aaron Day
“The original vision for Bitcoin was simple: peer-to-peer digital cash, free from banks and government. However, the document argues that this vision was deliberately ‘hijacked,’ as Bitcoin is now pushed as ‘digital gold,’ a scarce asset for Wall Street, with slow and expensive transactions for everyday use. This shift began with the 2015-2017 Block Size Fight, where a group won the argument to keep transaction blocks small, making the main network costly. The promoted ‘fix,’ the Lightning Network, is a faster system but relies on middlemen (hubs), fundamentally changing it from true P2P cash. The funding for this change is linked to Jeffrey Epstein.” (02/05/26)
https://brownstone.org/articles/the-hijacking-of-bitcoin/
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31) The System Is Working Exactly As Intended
Source: Caitlin Johnstone, Rogue Journalist
by Caitlin Johnstone
“There are, broadly speaking, two different types of people who are calling attention to the Epstein files right now: (A) those who hope the revelations lead to high-level prosecutions and major institutional changes in the US government, and (B) those who know this will never happen but hope the revelations will help radicalize people toward truly revolutionary politics. Those in category (A) believe the system is broken and needs to be fixed. Those in category (B) understand that the system is working exactly as intended and needs to be destroyed.” (02/05/25)
https://caitlinjohnstone.com.au/2026/02/05/new-issue-of-johnstone-the-system-is-working-exactly-as-intended/
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32) Historical Perspective on the Unitary Executive
Source: Law & Liberty
by George Liebmann
“Anyone reading the briefs and transcript of oral argument in the recent Slaughter case involving the president’s power to remove members of independent regulatory agencies can only be amazed at the lack of historical perspective of all the major actors, including counsel. All treat Article II of the Constitution as a perfect model of executive unity, the only issue being how far its powers extend. In truth, the drafting and history of Article II show that there have always been reservations with and limits to the unitary character of the executive branch.” (02/05/26)
https://lawliberty.org/historical-perspective-on-the-unitary-executive/
-----
33) To Stand Against US Aggression, the World Must Rise for Cuba
Source: Common Dreams
by Cabinet of the Progressive International
“We will not mince words. The ‘policy’ of the Trump administration is a total siege: a modern mechanism for collective punishment designed to strangle life itself by cutting off fuel for hospitals, schools, water, transport, and food distribution. Cuba already faces severe fuel shortages, with blackouts stretching daily and essential services collapsing under the weight of sanctions and depleted imports. Cuba’s remaining oil stocks could run out in mere weeks, threatening the lives of millions who have done nothing to justify this escalation. This is the culmination of a long-standing strategy articulated in US law — from the expansive embargo codified by the Helms–Burton Act in the 1990s to the Cuban Assets Control Regulations first enforced in the 1960s — that openly sought to apply ‘maximum pressure’ to force political transformation in Havana and defeat a vanguard in the struggle against the US’s hemispheric domination.” (02/05/25)
https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/us-embargo-cuba
-----
34) Theocrats, Socialists, and the Totalitarian Impulse to Plan
Source: The Daily Economy
by Barry Brownstein
“Attempts to impose a specific moral order on complex societies require coercion. Whether religious or secular, power undermines liberty.” (02/05/26)
https://thedailyeconomy.org/article/theocrats-socialists-and-the-totalitarian-impulse-to-plan/
-----
35) Iran is Trump’s Israeli Influence Test
Source: The American Conservative
by Andrew Day
“Here we go again. President Donald Trump says he wants to make a deal with Iran and avoid war. And he’s sending negotiators to Oman for talks with Iranian diplomats on Friday. Sound familiar? Ahead of scheduled U.S.–Iranian talks in Oman last June, Israel launched a surprise attack on Iran, instigating a war that Trump later briefly joined with a bombing raid on Tehran’s main nuclear facilities. Not quite eight months later, the world anxiously waits to see if recent history will repeat itself, this time with America leading the charge. Israel, of course, is worried that Trump won’t attack. ‘It’s really the Israelis who want a strike,’ a U.S. official told Axios. ‘The president is just not there.’ If Trump strikes Iran rather than negotiating a deal, that will mean Israel got its way.” (02/05/26)
https://www.theamericanconservative.com/iran-is-trumps-israeli-influence-test/
-----
36) Could Donald Trump Save the Federal Reserve?
Source: Foundation for Economic Education
by Mani Basharzad
“Few macroeconomists have been as influential over the past half century as Robert Lucas. He won the Nobel Prize in economics, and his famous Lucas critique reshaped macroeconomic thinking. In his Presidential Address to the American Economic Association, he declared that the ‘central problem of depression prevention has been solved.’ Five years later, the 2008 financial crisis struck. For a long time, many economists believed that double-digit inflation belonged to history. The Covid era proved them wrong. Recessions and high inflation remain real dangers, not relics of the past. That is precisely why Kevin Warsh, Trump’s nominee for the next Federal Reserve chair, is exactly what the Fed needs. He understands how the system works and, more importantly, what is fundamentally wrong with it.” (02/05/26)
https://fee.org/articles/could-donald-trump-save-the-federal-reserve/
-----
37) Mass Deportation: Who Was More “Inhumane,” Obama or Trump?
Source: Town Hall
by Larry Elder
“Those who claim President Barack Obama deported illegal aliens more ‘humanely’ make the following assertions: a) ICE didn’t go into the streets under Obama; b) there were no street activists/protesters/agitators; c) ICE only deported those with criminal records beyond illegal entry or illegally overstaying; d) Obama’s deportation numbers largely include ‘returns’ or those deported at the border; e) the Obama administration did not engage in ‘lawlessness;’ and f) ICE and/or Customs and Border Patrol arrested only illegal aliens after first securing a judicial warrant. As for a), under Obama, ICE did go into the streets, including into the interior and into ‘sanctuary’ cities like Chicago. Watch ‘Lost in Detention,’ a 2011 episode of the PBS ‘Frontline’ program, where, for example, an illegal alien mother stopped in Illinois for making an illegal lane change was ultimately deported back to Mexico.” [editor’s note: I’m not sure who Elder is arguing with here. I’ve never heard any immigration freedom advocated defend Obama on the subject – TLK] (02/05/25)
https://townhall.com/columnists/larryelder/2026/02/05/mass-deportation-who-was-more-inhumane-obama-or-trump-n2670704
-----
38) Senators should ask Trump’s Fed nominee these tough questions
Source: Washington Post
by Ramesh Ponnuru
“Before confirming him to one of the most critical jobs in government — chairman of the Federal Reserve — senators should ask Kevin Warsh, President Donald Trump’s nominee, these questions …” (02/05/26)
https://archive.is/5GFJj
-----
39) A deal that Cuba (and Trump) cannot refuse?
Source: Responsible Statecraft
by Lee Schlenker
“The US president wants to talk and so does Havana. They both have things the other needs and we all want to avoid a hostile overthrow.” (02/05/26)
https://responsiblestatecraft.org/deal-cuba-trump/
-----
40) Trump’s Board of Peace Is a Dystopia in Motion
Source: Antiwar.com
by Julia Norman
“While the sheer pomposity, Trumpian megalomania, and painfully paradoxical context surrounding the so-called ‘Board of Peace’ (BoP) might tempt some to dismiss it as mere spectacle or farce, its criminal, inhumane, and hegemonic nature makes it far too dangerous to ignore.” (02/05/26)
https://original.antiwar.com/julia_norman/2026/02/04/trumps-board-of-peace-is-a-dystopia-in-motion/
-----
41) DOGE Lives On Through Russell Vought
Source: The American Prospect
by Kenny Stancil, Julian Scoffield, & Chris Lewis
“The Revolving Door Project recently published a comprehensive accounting of Trump 2.0’s deadly rampage across the federal government. ‘DOGE: From Meme to Government Erosion Machine’ is a nearly 70-page audit of the Department of Government Efficiency’s origins, architects, and scorched-earth [sic] campaign against the federal government’s public-interest responsibilities. More than a timeline of DOGE’s infiltration of the Treasury Department, Environmental Protection Agency, and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, to name a few of the agencies covered, the report details how former shadow president Elon Musk and current Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought ‘eagerly shred political, professional, and legal precedent in their effort to dismantle the essential functions of the federal government (and most importantly, democracy [sic] at large).'” (02/05/25)
https://prospect.org/2026/02/05/doge-russell-vought-elon-musk-office-management-budget/
-----
42) The Vain Struggle to Curb Congressional Stock Trading
Source: Libertarian Institute
by Joseph Solis-Mullen
“With no external enforcement, functional forbearance, and vested interests at play, an outright ban seems unlikely, perpetuating a system where public polls scream for accountability, but Capitol Hill remains defiantly inert.” (02/05/26)
https://libertarianinstitute.org/articles/the-vain-struggle-to-curb-congressional-stock-trading
-----
43) The Unstoppable Kill Switch
Source: Common Sense
by Paul Jacob
“Fifty-seven Republicans in Congress worked with the bulk of Democrats, and the President of These United States, to continue funding development of a ‘kill switch’ on new cars. On Tuesday, the bill became law. You may have thought that most new cars driving down the road could already be switched ‘off’ remotely. After all, the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, signed by former President Joe Biden, required the National Traffic Safety Administration to develop just such a technology … But government isn’t fast, and the kill switch project ‘needed’ more funding, which was included in the new $1.2 trillion spending package.” (02/05/26)
https://thisiscommonsense.org/2026/02/05/the-unstoppable-kill-switch/
-----
44) The Techno-Authoritarian Blueprint for America, part 2
Source: The Jolly Libertarian
by Marco den Ouden
“In April 2007, a relatively unknown fellow going by the pen name of Mencius Moldbug started a new blog. ‘The other day I was tinkering around in my garage and I decided to build a new ideology,’ he writes. (A Formalist Manifesto, Unqualified Reservations, Apr. 24, 2007) But the new theory he created was ideological dynamite. It has become the favored ideology of the New Right. But it did not spring wholesale out of nothing. In his formalist manifesto he writes favorably of libertarianism, particularly the Rothbardian version. ‘I love libertarians to death,” he writes. “I would love to live in a libertarian society. The question is: is there a path from here to there?’ But as Yarvin told Ava Kofman for a recent essay at The New Yorker, he moved on from libertarianism after reading Hoppe’s Democracy: The God That Failed.” (02/04/26)
https://jollylibertarian.blogspot.com/2026/02/the-techno-authoritarian-blueprint-for_4.html
-----
45) Justice Jackson removed any shred of impartiality by applauding anti-ICE speeches at the Grammys
Source: New York Post
by Miranda Devine
“Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson continues to dismay. Her attendance at the rancidly partisan anti-ICE Grammy Awards on Sunday was a joke. The 55-year-old Biden DEI candidate was nominated for a Grammy for narrating the audiobook of her memoir ‘Lovely One,’ which she unashamedly believes herself to be. But she should have stayed home rather than laughing and clapping in the audience with a bunch of virtue-signaling luvvies ranting ‘Fuck ICE’ every time they got on stage. It should have been obvious to Jackson that the event would be politically charged. She has to sit in judgment on various Trump administration immigration enforcement cases. How can she be seen as impartial? Answer is: she can’t …” [editor’s note: When sitting in judgment on the actions of a violent and unconstitutional street gang, “impartiality” is irrelevant; SCOTUS’s portfolio precludes support for ICE – TLK] (02/05/25)
https://nypost.com/2026/02/04/opinion/miranda-devine-justice-ketanji-brown-jackson-removed-any-shred-of-impartiality-by-applauding-anti-ice-speeches-at-the-grammys/
-----
46) Is Sprawl a Market Outcome?
Source: Independent Institute
by Scott Beyer
“For critics — particularly on the left — sprawl represents environmental waste, excessive consumption, car dependence, and the aesthetic or cultural vulgarity of mass suburbia. For conservatives, sprawl is not a pathology but a feature: quiet neighborhoods, good schools, and safe places to raise families. Libertarians tend to avoid the culture war surrounding sprawl, but there has nonetheless been internal disagreement over its merits. It usually turns on a single question: is sprawl a market outcome, or the result of government social engineering? The honest answer is: both.” (02/04/26)
https://www.independent.org/article/2026/02/04/is-sprawl-a-market-outcome/
-----
47) Protecting Our Right to Sue Federal Agents Who Violate the Constitution
Source: Electronic Frontier Foundation
by Adam Schwartz
“Federal agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have descended into utter lawlessness, most recently in Minnesota. The violence is shocking. So are the intrusions on digital rights. For example, we have a First Amendment right to record on-duty police, including ICE and CBP, but federal agents are violating this right. Indeed, Alex Pretti was exercising this right shortly before federal agents shot and killed him. So were the many people who filmed agents shooting and killing Pretti and Renee Good – thereby creating valuable evidence that contradicts false claims by government leaders. To protect our digital rights, we need the rule of law.” (02/04/26)
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/02/protecting-our-right-sue-federal-agents-who-violate-constitution
-----
48) The Cost of Living: The Problem Isn’t Too Little Credit, but Too Much
Source: Ludwig von Mises Institute
by Carlos Boix
“With the idea of banning large investors from buying real estate, President Trump has brought to the forefront the issue of real estate. This has been recently at the top of popular discourse, and politicians and pundits of all colors have grabbed the opportunity to push their own agendas. And one of the ways to sway public opinion towards one’s goals is semantics. If we can rename something to our advantage, half the job of convincing people is done. It is a lot more important than most people think.” 902/04/26)
https://mises.org/mises-wire/cost-living-problem-isnt-too-little-credit-too-much
-----
49) Iranian Artists Keep the Spirit of “Woman, Life, Freedom” Alive
Source: In These Times
by Alessandra Bajec
“The 2022 ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’ protests erupted in Iran following the shocking death of 22-year-old Jina Mahsa Amini, in police custody. Like many Iranians in the diaspora, illustrator Roshi Rouzbehani was filled with grief, rage and a profound duty to speak out. She felt compelled to create art that echoed what so many were experiencing, and to share the images online to help bring global attention to her people’s struggle. ‘Art became both a personal coping mechanism and a form of activism for me,’ Rouzbehani tells In These Times. Now based in the UK, she left Iran in 2011 to seek safety from political pressures. In the year of the women-led uprising, the Iranian regime’s security forces killed hundreds of protesters and threatened the lives of numerous journalists, and detained, tortured and persecuted thousands more.” (02/03/25)
https://inthesetimes.com/article/iranian-artists-woman-life-freedom-us-hands-off-middle-east
-----
50) The winter of our grid’s discontent: Hardening the grid once and for all after Winter Storm Fern
Source: Niskanen Center
by Rachel Levine
“With much of the country still digging out from Winter Storm Fern, one thing is clear: Severe winter storms continue to stress-test the grid’s reliability, and the system is repeatedly falling short. Fern has made the case once again for expanded interregional transmission to provide the power system with much needed resilience while lowering consumers’ energy costs.” [editor’s note: No, Winter Storm Fern has made the case once again for abandoning the obsolete “grid” paradigm in favor of localized / decentralized power – TLK] (02/04/26)
https://www.niskanencenter.org/the-winter-of-our-grids-discontent-hardening-the-grid-once-and-for-all-after-winter-storm-fern/
_____ Today's Freedom Podcast and Video _____
51) The Moral Cowardice at the Heart of Libertarianism
Source: Jake Porter’s Analysis & Investigations
“A recording from Jake Porter’s live video.” (02/05/26)
https://jakeporter.substack.com/p/the-moral-cowardice-at-the-heart
-----
52) The Fifth Column, episode 543
Source: The Fifth Column
“Let’s Rally Together and Unfuck America (w/ John Avlon).” (02/05/26)
https://www.wethefifth.com/p/lets-rally-together-and-unfuck-america
-----
53) The Libertarian Angle, 02/05/26
Source: Future of Freedom Foundation
“Another Military Intervention — Against Iran?” (02/05/26)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGfN5cQaDeA
-----
54) Zooming In, 02/05/26
Source: The UnPopulist
“Will the Trump Administration’s MAGA-Driven Foreign Policy Be America’s Downfall? A Conversation with Anne Applebaum.” (02/05/26)
https://www.theunpopulist.net/p/will-the-trump-administrations-maga
-----
55) The Vital Center, episode 92
Source: Niskanen Center
“From material abundance to mass flourishing, with Brink Lindsey.” (02/05/26)
https://www.niskanencenter.org/from-material-abundance-to-mass-flourishing-with-brink-lindsey/
-----
56) Antiwar News with Dave DeCamp, 02/05/26
Source: Antiwar.com
“US and Russia ‘No Longer Bound’ by New START, Israel Kills 23 in Gaza, Including 7 Kids, and More.” (02/05/26)
https://rumble.com/v75benw-us-and-russia-no-longer-bound-by-new-start-israel-kills-23-in-gaza-includin.html
-----
57) Fountainhead Forum, episode 418
Source: Fountainhead Forum
“Francesca Mormanni on Ayn Rand, music, Taylor Swift, Eminem, and life at Julliard.” (02/04/26)
https://rumble.com/v75awls-ff-418-francesca-mormanni-on-ayn-rand-music-and-julliard.html
-----
58) Anarcho Agenda, episode 145
Source: Anarcho Agenda
“On episode 145 of Anarcho Agenda, I give a brief update regarding my life in New Hampshire, and discuss issues relating to blindness and the libertarian movement here.” (02/04/26)
https://anarchoagenda.libsyn.com/anarcho-agenda-ep-145-2026-02-04
-----
59) Kibbe on Liberty, 02/04/26
Source: Free the People
“Pursuing Empire Will Destroy America | Guest: Judge Andrew Napolitano.” (02/04/26)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naj5uRGvZ5I
-----
60) Declare Your Independence with Ernest Hancock, 02/04/26
Source: Freedom’s Phoenix
“Karen Kwiatkowski (Retired Lt Colonel U.S. Air Force) comes on the show to discuss our foreign policy, Iran, Russia/Ukraine, Greenland, Venezuela, China, economy, Trump, etc.” (02/04/26)
https://www.freedomsphoenix.com/Media/390864-2026-02-03-2026-02-04-ernest-hancock-interviews-karen-kwiatkowski-mp3-4.htm
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Today's Freedom News:
1) Bitcoin rebounds after brushing $60,000 level
2) Russia: General shot in Moscow in apparent assassination attempt
3) US applications for jobless benefits jump to 231,000 last week, the most in two months
4) Persian Gulf: Iranian pirates steal two tankers
5) OR: Federal judge rules against US heimatschutz on warrantless immigrant abductions
6) Japan: Cherry blossom festival cancelled over badly behaved tourists
7) Netherlands: Queen Maxima joins army as a reservist, as “safety can no longer be taken for granted”
8) Musk, DOGE staffers will be deposed over USAID dismantling
9) Democrats demand “dramatic changes” for ICE
10) Russian standup comic sentenced to almost six years for anti-war jokes
11) Slotkin rejects DOJ request for interview on Democrats’ video about illegal orders
12) Palestine: Israeli security service chief’s brother is accused of smuggling cigarettes into Gaza
13) MD: Baltimore’s progressive mayor calls reporter “racist”
14) Lights back on in eastern Cuba after widespread blackout
15) Europe’s central bank maintains interest rate with economic growth resilient
16) France: Police arrest two Chinese citizens over alleged attempt to access military data
17) GOP firebrand urges Trump agencies to claw back massive taxpayer benefits paid out to immigrants
18) 300+ ex-DOJ lawyers demand transparent Minnesota shooting probes
19) US and Russia agree to reestablish military-to-military dialogue after Ukraine talks
20) Sudan: Paramilitary advances near Ethiopia border
Today's Freedom Commentary:
21) The Epstein Files and Elite Moral Collapse
22) Was Trump Correct about Tariffs?
23) Should Soldiers Obey Orders to Commit Crimes?
24) What’s behind the wild new wealth tax proposals?
25) In Politics, the Celebrations Start Early and the Excuses Never End
26) The Lessons of Kent State
27) Trump’s 2020 Election Obsession Enters New Phase
28) ICE’s Private Prison Contractors Spent Millions Lobbying to Force Banks to Give Them Loans
29) Europe’s future pivots on a Hungarian election
30) The Hijacking of Bitcoin
31) The System Is Working Exactly As Intended
32) Historical Perspective on the Unitary Executive
33) To Stand Against US Aggression, the World Must Rise for Cuba
34) Theocrats, Socialists, and the Totalitarian Impulse to Plan
35) Iran is Trump’s Israeli Influence Test
36) Could Donald Trump Save the Federal Reserve?
37) Mass Deportation: Who Was More “Inhumane,” Obama or Trump?
38) Senators should ask Trump’s Fed nominee these tough questions
39) A deal that Cuba (and Trump) cannot refuse?
40) Trump’s Board of Peace Is a Dystopia in Motion
41) DOGE Lives On Through Russell Vought
42) The Vain Struggle to Curb Congressional Stock Trading
43) The Unstoppable Kill Switch
44) The Techno-Authoritarian Blueprint for America, part 2
45) Justice Jackson removed any shred of impartiality by applauding anti-ICE speeches at the Grammys
46) Is Sprawl a Market Outcome?
47) Protecting Our Right to Sue Federal Agents Who Violate the Constitution
48) The Cost of Living: The Problem Isn’t Too Little Credit, but Too Much
49) Iranian Artists Keep the Spirit of “Woman, Life, Freedom” Alive
50) The winter of our grid’s discontent: Hardening the grid once and for all after Winter Storm Fern
Today's Freedom Podcast and Video:
51) The Moral Cowardice at the Heart of Libertarianism
52) The Fifth Column, episode 543
53) The Libertarian Angle, 02/05/26
54) Zooming In, 02/05/26
55) The Vital Center, episode 92
56) Antiwar News with Dave DeCamp, 02/05/26
57) Fountainhead Forum, episode 418
58) Anarcho Agenda, episode 145
59) Kibbe on Liberty, 02/04/26
60) Declare Your Independence with Ernest Hancock, 02/04/26
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_____ Today's Freedom News _____
1) Bitcoin rebounds after brushing $60,000 level
Source: Reuters
“Bitcoin bounced from a 16-month low on Friday after testing the key $60,000 level, as a global rout in technology stocks that washed out risky bets across asset classes showed tentative signs of easing. The world’s largest cryptocurrency was last up 3.3% to $65,198.20, clawing back its losses after having slid 5% to hit a low of $60,008.52 earlier in the session. Still, bitcoin remains pinned near its weakest level since October 2024, a month before Donald Trump won the U.S. presidential election, having signalled his intention to support crypto on the campaign trail.” (02/06/26)
https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/bitcoin-cusp-60000-investors-flee-risky-bets-2026-02-06/
-----
2) Russia: General shot in Moscow in apparent assassination attempt
Source: Al Jazeera [Qatari state media]
“A senior Russian military official has been hospitalised after being shot several times in Moscow, according to state media quoting Russian officials. An unknown assailant carried out a gun attack on Lieutenant General Vladimir Alekseyev, deputy chief of Russian military intelligence, in a residential building, Svetlana Petrenko, spokesperson for the Russian Investigative Committee (ICR), said on Friday. Alekseyev is deputy chief of the Main Directorate of the General Staff at the Defence Ministry. Several senior Russian officers have been assassinated since the start of the war in Ukraine four years ago, with Moscow blaming the attacks on Kyiv.” (02/06/26)
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/2/6/senior-russian-officer-shot-in-moscow-in-apparent-assassination-attempt
-----
3) US applications for jobless benefits jump to 231,000 last week, the most in two months
Source: ABC News
“The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits jumped last week but remains in the same historically low range of the past few years. Applications for jobless aid for the week ending Jan. 31 rose by 22,000 to 231,000 from the previous week, the Labor Department reported Thursday. That’s significantly more than the 211,000 new applications that analysts surveyed by the data firm FactSet had forecast. Applications for unemployment benefits are seen as representative of U.S. layoffs and are close to a real-time indicator of the health of the job market. A number of high-profile companies have announced job cuts in the past year, including UPS, Amazon and Dow just last week.” (02/05/26)
https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/us-applications-jobless-benefits-jump-22000-231000-week-129880470
-----
4) Persian Gulf: Iranian pirates steal two tankers
Source: WION [India]
“Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) seized two oil tankers with their foreign crews in Gulf waters for allegedly smuggling fuel, reported by Iranian media. ‘”More than one million liters of smuggled fuel were found on board of the two vessels,’ Tasnim reported, and a total of ’15 foreign crew members were referred to the judiciary.’ … Iranian forces regularly target tankers that Tehran has accused of being part of the illicit trade in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. It is a key chokepoint for global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments. The seizure is the latest in a series of similar incidents in recent months.” (02/05/26)
https://www.wionews.com/world/irgc-seizes-2-oil-tankers-with-foreign-crew-for-smuggling-fuel-1770293234125
-----
5) OR: Federal judge rules against US heimatschutz on warrantless immigrant abductions
Source: Fox News
“A federal judge on Wednesday barred the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from carrying out warrantless immigration arrests in Oregon without individualized assessments of flight risk, finding that federal agents likely violated the law through a pattern of unlawful arrests. U.S. District Judge Mustafa Kasubhai granted a preliminary injunction in a proposed class-action lawsuit against DHS and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as the case moves forward. The court concluded that agents routinely arrested people for alleged immigration violations without warrants and without determining whether they were likely to flee before a warrant could be obtained.” (02/05/26)
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/federal-judge-rules-against-dhs-warrantless-immigration-arrests-oregon
-----
6) Japan: Cherry blossom festival cancelled over badly behaved tourists
Source: BBC News [UK state media]
“Japanese authorities in a town near Mount Fuji have cancelled this year’s cherry blossom festival, saying a surge in tourist numbers is unmanageable for locals. The influx of tourists to the town of Fujiyoshida has led to chronic traffic congestion and litter, while some residents say they’ve experienced tourists trespassing or defecating in private gardens. The area is a popular destination during spring because Japan’s world-renowned cherry trees are in full bloom, and can be admired with Mount Fuji in the background. But Fujiyoshida’s picturesque scenery threatens ‘the quiet lives of citizens,’ the city’s mayor explained, adding: ‘We have a strong sense of crisis.'” (02/05/26)
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1wzrlndzjro
-----
7) Netherlands: Queen Maxima joins army as a reservist, as “safety can no longer be taken for granted”
Source: CBS News
“The Netherlands’ Queen Maxima has joined her country’s army as a reservist, voicing concern about national security. Maxima, 54, ‘has chosen to register now because our safety can no longer be taken for granted,’ according to a statement released Wednesday by the Dutch royal family, ‘and she, like many others, wants to contribute to that safety.’ After training with the Royal Netherlands Army, the Argentinian-born Dutch queen will be promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, and ‘like other reservists, she will deploy where needed,’ the royal family’s statement said.” (02/05/26)
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/dutch-queen-maxima-joins-army-as-reservist/
-----
8) Musk, DOGE staffers will be deposed over USAID dismantling
Source: Independent [UK]
“Elon Musk, leader of the Trump administration’s now-disbanded Department of Government Efficiency, must sit for depositions along with senior State Department officials over their role in dismantling the U.S. Agency for International Development, a federal judge ruled Tuesday. Pointing to findings that Musk had made the decision to break up USAID – one of the world’s largest humanitarian programs – despite lacking formal authority or official approval – District Judge Theodore Chuang wrote that there was ‘no alternative’ than for Musk and other officials to provide testimony regarding their decision-making process. The ruling represents a win for a group of anonymous former USAID employees who are suing Musk, DOGE and State Department officials over the closure.” (02/05/26)
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/elon-musk-doge-usaid-testimony-b2914566.html
-----
9) Democrats demand “dramatic changes” for ICE
Source: SFGate
“Democrats are threatening to block funding for the Homeland Security Department when it expires in two weeks unless there are ‘dramatic changes’ and ‘real accountability’ for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other law enforcement agencies who are carrying out President Donald Trump’s campaign of federal immigration enforcement in Minnesota and across the country. It’s unclear if the president or enough congressional Republicans will agree to any of the Democrats’ larger demands that the officers unmask and identify themselves, obtain judicial warrants in certain cases and work with local authorities, among other asks. Republicans have already pushed back. House GOP lawmakers are demanding that some of their own priorities be added to the Homeland Security spending bill, including legislation that would require proof of citizenship before Americans register to vote and restrictions on sanctuary cities.” (02/05/25)
https://www.sfgate.com/news/politics/article/the-latest-democrats-demand-dramatic-21335240.php
-----
10) Russian standup comic sentenced to almost six years for anti-war jokes
Source: United Press International
“A Moscow court sentenced Russian stand-up comedian Artemy Ostanin to five years and nine months in prison and a $4,000 fine after finding him guilty of telling jokes that incited hatred of Ukraine war veterans with life-changing injuries and insulted Christians’ faith. Ostanin was sentenced on Wednesday for on-stage routines alleged to have included gags featuring a ‘legless skateboarder’ in connection with the war in Ukraine and an imagined conversation with Jesus Christ in which Jesus relates a story that effectively states he was crucified for exposing the truth. The prosecution alleged the slurs, which were allegedly made during two shows in early 2025, were part of a systematic effort and that Ostanin had formed an “organized criminal group” for the express purpose of writing and performing the material.” (02/05/26)
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2026/02/05/comedian-jailed-for-alleged-war-jokes/8061770297814/
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11) Slotkin rejects DOJ request for interview on Democrats’ video about illegal orders
Source: SFGate
“Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan is refusing to voluntarily comply with a Justice Department investigation into a video she organized urging U.S. military members to resist ‘illegal orders’ — escalating a dispute that President Donald Trump has publicly pushed. In letters first obtained by The Associated Press, Slotkin’s lawyer informed U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro that the senator would not agree to a voluntary interview about the video. Slotkin’s legal team also requested that Pirro preserve all documents related to the matter for ‘anticipated litigation.’ Slotkin’s lawyer separately wrote to Attorney General Pam Bondi, declining to sit for an FBI interview about the video and urging her to immediately terminate any inquiry.” (02/05/25)
https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/slotkin-rejects-justice-department-request-for-21335243.php
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12) Palestine: Israeli security service chief’s brother is accused of smuggling cigarettes into Gaza
Source: Seattle Times
“An Israeli court on Thursday indicted a brother of the chief of Israel’s security service for smuggling tens of thousands of dollars worth of cigarettes into war-ravaged Gaza Strip at a time when getting aid into the territory was difficult and many Palestinians were going hungry. The indictment of Bezalel Zini is the latest in a burgeoning scandal implicating more than a dozen people, many of them Israeli reserve soldiers, of personally profiting from the Israel-Hamas war and delivering goods into Gaza that could potentially benefit the militant group. His brother, Shin Bet chief David Zini, has not been implicated in the scandal.” (02/05/26)
https://archive.is/Ygk90
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13) MD: Baltimore’s progressive mayor calls reporter “racist”
Source: Fox News
“Brandon Scott, the Democratic mayor of Baltimore, is facing questions about the taxpayer funds he uses for his transportation as well as social media pushback over a press conference where he suggested racism was a factor. Scott, a progressive who has served as mayor since 2020, is facing pressure over a Fox Baltimore report showing his primary vehicle, a 2025 Jeep Grand Wagoneer, is the most expensive government-issued vehicle operated by any mayor, governor, county executive or county commissioner in the state, costing taxpayers $163,495. Scott has responded to the report, which claims his SUV costs nearly twice as much as the next most expensive taxpayer vehicle in the state, by pointing to the cost of President Donald Trump’s ‘Beast’ vehicle, arguing that inflation is not being factored in and suggesting politics are at play.” (02/05/25)
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/baltimores-progressive-mayor-calls-reporter-racist-in-heated-exchange-over-luxury-taxpayer-vehicle
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14) Lights back on in eastern Cuba after widespread blackout
Source: Yahoo! News
“Power was restored Thursday to eastern Cuba after an electricity grid failure plunged three provinces and part of a fourth into darkness the previous evening, authorities said. In the early hours of Thursday, the provinces of Holguin, Granma, Santiago de Cuba, and Guantanamo ‘were synchronized to the national power grid,’ said Felix Estrada of the ministry of energy and mines said on state television. He added that scheduled power cuts however remain in place in the four provinces despite the reconnection, due to the country’s ‘capacity deficit’ beyond the latest outage, which left hundreds of thousands of people without electricity.” (02/05/26)
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/lights-back-eastern-cuba-widespread-154111958.html?guccounter=1
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15) Europe’s central bank maintains interest rate with economic growth resilient
Source: SFGate
“The European Central Bank left interest rates unchanged Thursday as the economy in the 21 countries that use the euro chugs past the disruption from U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs with growth modest, yet resilient. The bank left its benchmark deposit rate at 2%, where it has been since June. after a series of cuts from the peak of 4% starting in mid-2024. The reduced rate has been low enough to re-start mortgage lending for home sales and new construction due to reduced credit costs, boosting growth. Low unemployment is also contributing to demand for goods by consumers and helping keep the economy resilient without the stimulus of further rate cuts. As a result, the chief monetary authority for the eurozone may leave its rates unchanged into 2027, analysts say. The eurozone grew a stronger than expected 0.3% in the last three months of 2025, and may reach growth of 1.3% for all of this year, according to forecasts by Berenberg bank.” (02/05/25)
https://www.sfgate.com/news/world/article/europe-s-central-bank-maintains-interest-rate-21335244.php
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16) France: Police arrest two Chinese citizens over alleged attempt to access military data
Source: Politico
“Prosecutors in Paris opened an investigation Wednesday into allegations that Chinese citizens had sought to capture sensitive French government and military data using Starlink. … The prosecutor’s office said police had been notified last week that the arrested pair were suspected of conducting satellite interception operations from an AirBnB they had rented in the Gironde region, near the city of Bordeaux, after neighbors noticed that ‘a satellite dish approximately two meters in diameter’ had been installed and local residents were experiencing internet outages. ‘The device installed was used to illegally intercept satellite downlinks, including exchanges between military entities of vital importance,’ the statement added.” (02/04/26)
https://www.politico.eu/article/france-police-arrest-2-china-citizen-access-military-data-starlink/
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17) GOP firebrand urges Trump agencies to claw back massive taxpayer benefits paid out to immigrants
Source: Fox News
“Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., is urging key agencies in the Trump administration to recoup what he believes could amount to billions in Medicaid, SNAP and education expenses paid out to immigrants on the American taxpayer’s dime. Banks, a first-term senator and conservative firebrand, argues that by law the sponsors of legal immigrants to the U.S. are required to reimburse the government for any welfare benefits used by their sponsee. Though written in law, the Immigration and Nationality Act, Banks said this has by and large not been carried out. Under the Trump administration, however, he believes that can finally change. In a letter sent on Wednesday to the secretaries of Homeland Security, Agriculture, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the commissioners of the Internal Revenue Service and Social Security Administration, Banks asked the agencies to hold immigrant sponsors accountable and refund American taxpayers.” (02/05/25)
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/gop-firebrand-urges-trump-agencies-claw-back-massive-taxpayer-benefits-paid-out-to-immigrants
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18) 300+ ex-DOJ lawyers demand transparent Minnesota shooting probes
Source: Axios
“More than 300 former federal prosecutors and civil rights attorneys are urging the Justice Department to allow state and local investigations into the killings of two Minnesota residents by federal officers, according to a new letter obtained exclusively by Axios. Minnesota officials have accused feds of obstructing their ability to investigate the deaths of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti amid President Trump’s federal immigration blitz in the Twin Cities. ‘Blocking a state law enforcement agency from investigating potential violations of state law in its own jurisdiction would mark a severe departure from established DOJ norms and pose a serious threat to the rule of law,’ states the letter led by the Prosecutors Alliance in coordination with The Vera Institute of Justice.” (02/04/26)
https://archive.is/uSxCh
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19) US and Russia agree to reestablish military-to-military dialogue after Ukraine talks
Source: SFGate
“The U.S. and Russia agreed on Thursday to reestablish high level military-to-military dialogue following a meeting between senior Russian and American military officials in Abu Dhabi, the United States European Command said in a statement. The agreement was reached following meetings between Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, the Commander of U.S. European Command — who is also NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe — and senior Russian and Ukrainian military officials, the statement said. The channel ‘will provide a consistent military-to-military contact as the parties continue to work towards a lasting peace,’ the statement said. High level military communication was suspended in 2021, just before Russia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine. Grynkewich was in the capital of the United Arab Emirates where talks between American, Russian and Ukrainian officials on ending the war in Ukraine entered a second day and as Moscow escalated its attacks on Ukraine’s power grid.” (02/05/25)
https://www.sfgate.com/news/world/article/russia-and-ukraine-hold-a-second-day-of-21335035.php
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20) Sudan: Paramilitary advances near Ethiopia border
Source: The New Arab [UK]
“Sudanese paramilitary forces have advanced on army positions near the southeastern border with Ethiopia, according to the group and an eyewitness who spoke to AFP on Wednesday. Control over Sudan’s southeastern Blue Nile State, bordering both Ethiopia and South Sudan, is split between the army and a faction of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North, allies of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. In a statement released Tuesday, the SPLM-N, led by Abdelaziz al-Hilu, said they had ‘liberated the strategic city of Deim Mansour and areas of Bashir Nuqu and Khor al-Budi.'” (02/04/26)
https://www.newarab.com/news/sudan-paramilitary-advances-near-ethiopia-border
_____ Today's Freedom Commentary _____
21) The Epstein Files and Elite Moral Collapse
Source: Persuasion
by Pratap B Mehta
“There are, of course, outstanding issues in the Epstein files that need to be addressed — people who committed crimes in legal terms, people who engaged in morally reprehensible behavior, and people who themselves are not individually guilty but who condoned what was happening. The Epstein files are not about individual guilt or innocence; they are about the nature of collective power. And when, within that collectivity, elites abused sexual, financial, legal, political, and even intellectual power without shame and with impunity, one has to wonder whether the Roman historians were onto something: They envisioned empires collapsing when elites could no longer restrain themselves in any aspect of their lives. An elite so needy, greedy, and now so vulnerable can hardly be trusted to exercise good judgment.” (02/05/26)
https://www.persuasion.community/p/the-epstein-files-indict-an-entire
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22) Was Trump Correct about Tariffs?
Source: Independent Institute
by Allen Gindler
“Trump’s recent Wall Street Journal piece is not just a defense of tariffs. It is a claim of intellectual discovery in economics. He argues, in effect, that the vast majority of experts have been looking at tariffs backward, and that his critics keep repeating a superstition: tariffs are a tax on Americans. In his telling, tariffs are a way to make foreigners pay, raise revenue, boost domestic production, and still keep inflation tame. If Trump remains fixated on the Nobel Peace Prize, he is aiming at the wrong category. His real ambition, at least on the page, is the science of economics. Even though he did not explicitly state his discoveries, we can infer the economic laws he implied and name them in his honor.” (02/05/26)
https://www.independent.org/article/2026/02/05/was-trump-correct-tariffs/
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23) Should Soldiers Obey Orders to Commit Crimes?
Source: Future of Freedom Foundation
by Jacob G Hornberger
“Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s attacks against U.S. Senator Mark Kelly constitute a fascinating and very revealing insight into the national-security-state way of life. Hegseth is upset with Kelly, along with five other members of Congress, for participating in a video that reminded U.S. soldiers of their duty to refuse to obey illegal orders. … Kelly and the others did not say to U.S. soldiers: ‘You have the right to disobey orders.’ If he had said that, I could easily understand why Hegseth would be upset. But that’s not what they said. They said that U.S. soldiers have the right — and the duty — to refuse to obey illegal orders. The difference between those two admonitions is day and night. What Kelly and the others stated is the absolute truth.” (02/05/26)
https://www.fff.org/2026/02/05/should-soldiers-obey-orders-to-commit-crimes/
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24) What’s behind the wild new wealth tax proposals?
Source: Orange County Register
by Veronique de Rugy
“When government grows to dominate ever-larger shares of the economy, and when politicians refuse to be responsible about what they spend, there’s a predictable next move: Insist that the problem is ‘the rich’ not paying enough. Never mind that high earners already shoulder a disproportionate share of the tax burden. Never mind that relying on a small and mobile group of people for the bulk of your revenue makes public finances more volatile, not more stable. No, once spending is treated as untouchable and restraint as politically impossible, it’s only a matter of time before politics demands more, more, more. More taxes and more distortion. This helps explain why wild new forms of wealth taxes are popping up.” (02/05/26)
https://archive.is/g1BKq
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25) In Politics, the Celebrations Start Early and the Excuses Never End
Source: Garrison Center
by Thomas L Knapp
“Yes, the party in power historically tends to lose congressional seats in midterm elections. Sometimes a few, sometimes more. Beyond that obvious likelihood, trying to predict the mood of the electorate nine months out is a fool’s errand. I can, however, confidently predict how much will change as a direct result of the elections’ outcomes, whatever those outcomes may be: Not much.” (02/05/26)
https://thegarrisoncenter.org/archives/20361
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26) The Lessons of Kent State
Source: Mother Jones
by Lawrence Roberts
“The basic facts of the tragedy at Kent State University are well-known. Shortly after noon on May 4, 1970, twenty-eight soldiers kneeled on a grassy knoll and fired more than sixty rounds in thirteen seconds into a crowd of students, most of whom were there to protest the expansion of the Vietnam war. They killed four and wounded nine, including [Thomas] Grace, a sophomore history major who was shot through his left heel. The circumstances back then, of course, differed substantially from the deadly recent events in Minneapolis. Yet for those of us who came of age in that era, for whom the Ohio tragedy is seared into our memories as a critical turning point during a time of national crisis, the striking parallels are impossible to ignore …” (02/05/26)
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/02/the-lessons-of-kent-state/
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27) Trump’s 2020 Election Obsession Enters New Phase
Source: Washington Monthly
by James D Zirin
“The president’s denial that he lost to Joe Biden now turns to a Tulsi Gabbard-led fishing expedition. What could go wrong?” (02/05/26)
https://washingtonmonthly.com/2026/02/05/trumps-2020-election-obsession-enters-new-phase/
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28) ICE’s Private Prison Contractors Spent Millions Lobbying to Force Banks to Give Them Loans
Source: The Intercept
by Biplob Kumar Das
Support Us
“Some of the largest banks in the nation for years have eschewed the business of private prison giants like GEO Group and CoreCivic, the two firms that operate more than half the private carceral facilities in the country, including many U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centers. … Now, the private prison firms are fighting back, spending millions on lobbying Congress to pass a law to require that the banks can’t deny their business.” (02/05/26)
https://theintercept.com/2026/02/05/private-prison-corecivic-geo-group-ice-bank-loan/
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29) Europe’s future pivots on a Hungarian election
Source: Christian Science Monitor
by staff
“A recent rise in anti-corruption movements in Europe has upended politics from Serbia to Bulgaria to Romania. Now, one of the continent’s most entrenched leaders, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán of Hungary, faces a serious challenge this April in a parliamentary election that could be determined by what one commentator calls a public ‘yearning for integrity’. For the European Union, too, the stakes in the election are high. Mr. Orbán and his ruling populist conservative party, Fidesz, have often obstructed the 27-member bloc in helping Ukraine and countering Russia. The EU has also held back funds for Budapest over its shrinking rule of law. After nearly 16 years in power, Mr. Orbán has left Hungary with the lowest household living standards in the EU. The country of 9.6 million people has experienced three years of economic stagnation.” (02/03/25)
https://www.csmonitor.com/Editorials/the-monitors-view/2026/0203/Europe-s-future-pivots-on-a-Hungarian-election
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30) The Hijacking of Bitcoin
Source: Brownstone Institute
by Aaron Day
“The original vision for Bitcoin was simple: peer-to-peer digital cash, free from banks and government. However, the document argues that this vision was deliberately ‘hijacked,’ as Bitcoin is now pushed as ‘digital gold,’ a scarce asset for Wall Street, with slow and expensive transactions for everyday use. This shift began with the 2015-2017 Block Size Fight, where a group won the argument to keep transaction blocks small, making the main network costly. The promoted ‘fix,’ the Lightning Network, is a faster system but relies on middlemen (hubs), fundamentally changing it from true P2P cash. The funding for this change is linked to Jeffrey Epstein.” (02/05/26)
https://brownstone.org/articles/the-hijacking-of-bitcoin/
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31) The System Is Working Exactly As Intended
Source: Caitlin Johnstone, Rogue Journalist
by Caitlin Johnstone
“There are, broadly speaking, two different types of people who are calling attention to the Epstein files right now: (A) those who hope the revelations lead to high-level prosecutions and major institutional changes in the US government, and (B) those who know this will never happen but hope the revelations will help radicalize people toward truly revolutionary politics. Those in category (A) believe the system is broken and needs to be fixed. Those in category (B) understand that the system is working exactly as intended and needs to be destroyed.” (02/05/25)
https://caitlinjohnstone.com.au/2026/02/05/new-issue-of-johnstone-the-system-is-working-exactly-as-intended/
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32) Historical Perspective on the Unitary Executive
Source: Law & Liberty
by George Liebmann
“Anyone reading the briefs and transcript of oral argument in the recent Slaughter case involving the president’s power to remove members of independent regulatory agencies can only be amazed at the lack of historical perspective of all the major actors, including counsel. All treat Article II of the Constitution as a perfect model of executive unity, the only issue being how far its powers extend. In truth, the drafting and history of Article II show that there have always been reservations with and limits to the unitary character of the executive branch.” (02/05/26)
https://lawliberty.org/historical-perspective-on-the-unitary-executive/
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33) To Stand Against US Aggression, the World Must Rise for Cuba
Source: Common Dreams
by Cabinet of the Progressive International
“We will not mince words. The ‘policy’ of the Trump administration is a total siege: a modern mechanism for collective punishment designed to strangle life itself by cutting off fuel for hospitals, schools, water, transport, and food distribution. Cuba already faces severe fuel shortages, with blackouts stretching daily and essential services collapsing under the weight of sanctions and depleted imports. Cuba’s remaining oil stocks could run out in mere weeks, threatening the lives of millions who have done nothing to justify this escalation. This is the culmination of a long-standing strategy articulated in US law — from the expansive embargo codified by the Helms–Burton Act in the 1990s to the Cuban Assets Control Regulations first enforced in the 1960s — that openly sought to apply ‘maximum pressure’ to force political transformation in Havana and defeat a vanguard in the struggle against the US’s hemispheric domination.” (02/05/25)
https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/us-embargo-cuba
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34) Theocrats, Socialists, and the Totalitarian Impulse to Plan
Source: The Daily Economy
by Barry Brownstein
“Attempts to impose a specific moral order on complex societies require coercion. Whether religious or secular, power undermines liberty.” (02/05/26)
https://thedailyeconomy.org/article/theocrats-socialists-and-the-totalitarian-impulse-to-plan/
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35) Iran is Trump’s Israeli Influence Test
Source: The American Conservative
by Andrew Day
“Here we go again. President Donald Trump says he wants to make a deal with Iran and avoid war. And he’s sending negotiators to Oman for talks with Iranian diplomats on Friday. Sound familiar? Ahead of scheduled U.S.–Iranian talks in Oman last June, Israel launched a surprise attack on Iran, instigating a war that Trump later briefly joined with a bombing raid on Tehran’s main nuclear facilities. Not quite eight months later, the world anxiously waits to see if recent history will repeat itself, this time with America leading the charge. Israel, of course, is worried that Trump won’t attack. ‘It’s really the Israelis who want a strike,’ a U.S. official told Axios. ‘The president is just not there.’ If Trump strikes Iran rather than negotiating a deal, that will mean Israel got its way.” (02/05/26)
https://www.theamericanconservative.com/iran-is-trumps-israeli-influence-test/
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36) Could Donald Trump Save the Federal Reserve?
Source: Foundation for Economic Education
by Mani Basharzad
“Few macroeconomists have been as influential over the past half century as Robert Lucas. He won the Nobel Prize in economics, and his famous Lucas critique reshaped macroeconomic thinking. In his Presidential Address to the American Economic Association, he declared that the ‘central problem of depression prevention has been solved.’ Five years later, the 2008 financial crisis struck. For a long time, many economists believed that double-digit inflation belonged to history. The Covid era proved them wrong. Recessions and high inflation remain real dangers, not relics of the past. That is precisely why Kevin Warsh, Trump’s nominee for the next Federal Reserve chair, is exactly what the Fed needs. He understands how the system works and, more importantly, what is fundamentally wrong with it.” (02/05/26)
https://fee.org/articles/could-donald-trump-save-the-federal-reserve/
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37) Mass Deportation: Who Was More “Inhumane,” Obama or Trump?
Source: Town Hall
by Larry Elder
“Those who claim President Barack Obama deported illegal aliens more ‘humanely’ make the following assertions: a) ICE didn’t go into the streets under Obama; b) there were no street activists/protesters/agitators; c) ICE only deported those with criminal records beyond illegal entry or illegally overstaying; d) Obama’s deportation numbers largely include ‘returns’ or those deported at the border; e) the Obama administration did not engage in ‘lawlessness;’ and f) ICE and/or Customs and Border Patrol arrested only illegal aliens after first securing a judicial warrant. As for a), under Obama, ICE did go into the streets, including into the interior and into ‘sanctuary’ cities like Chicago. Watch ‘Lost in Detention,’ a 2011 episode of the PBS ‘Frontline’ program, where, for example, an illegal alien mother stopped in Illinois for making an illegal lane change was ultimately deported back to Mexico.” [editor’s note: I’m not sure who Elder is arguing with here. I’ve never heard any immigration freedom advocated defend Obama on the subject – TLK] (02/05/25)
https://townhall.com/columnists/larryelder/2026/02/05/mass-deportation-who-was-more-inhumane-obama-or-trump-n2670704
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38) Senators should ask Trump’s Fed nominee these tough questions
Source: Washington Post
by Ramesh Ponnuru
“Before confirming him to one of the most critical jobs in government — chairman of the Federal Reserve — senators should ask Kevin Warsh, President Donald Trump’s nominee, these questions …” (02/05/26)
https://archive.is/5GFJj
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39) A deal that Cuba (and Trump) cannot refuse?
Source: Responsible Statecraft
by Lee Schlenker
“The US president wants to talk and so does Havana. They both have things the other needs and we all want to avoid a hostile overthrow.” (02/05/26)
https://responsiblestatecraft.org/deal-cuba-trump/
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40) Trump’s Board of Peace Is a Dystopia in Motion
Source: Antiwar.com
by Julia Norman
“While the sheer pomposity, Trumpian megalomania, and painfully paradoxical context surrounding the so-called ‘Board of Peace’ (BoP) might tempt some to dismiss it as mere spectacle or farce, its criminal, inhumane, and hegemonic nature makes it far too dangerous to ignore.” (02/05/26)
https://original.antiwar.com/julia_norman/2026/02/04/trumps-board-of-peace-is-a-dystopia-in-motion/
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41) DOGE Lives On Through Russell Vought
Source: The American Prospect
by Kenny Stancil, Julian Scoffield, & Chris Lewis
“The Revolving Door Project recently published a comprehensive accounting of Trump 2.0’s deadly rampage across the federal government. ‘DOGE: From Meme to Government Erosion Machine’ is a nearly 70-page audit of the Department of Government Efficiency’s origins, architects, and scorched-earth [sic] campaign against the federal government’s public-interest responsibilities. More than a timeline of DOGE’s infiltration of the Treasury Department, Environmental Protection Agency, and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, to name a few of the agencies covered, the report details how former shadow president Elon Musk and current Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought ‘eagerly shred political, professional, and legal precedent in their effort to dismantle the essential functions of the federal government (and most importantly, democracy [sic] at large).'” (02/05/25)
https://prospect.org/2026/02/05/doge-russell-vought-elon-musk-office-management-budget/
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42) The Vain Struggle to Curb Congressional Stock Trading
Source: Libertarian Institute
by Joseph Solis-Mullen
“With no external enforcement, functional forbearance, and vested interests at play, an outright ban seems unlikely, perpetuating a system where public polls scream for accountability, but Capitol Hill remains defiantly inert.” (02/05/26)
https://libertarianinstitute.org/articles/the-vain-struggle-to-curb-congressional-stock-trading
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43) The Unstoppable Kill Switch
Source: Common Sense
by Paul Jacob
“Fifty-seven Republicans in Congress worked with the bulk of Democrats, and the President of These United States, to continue funding development of a ‘kill switch’ on new cars. On Tuesday, the bill became law. You may have thought that most new cars driving down the road could already be switched ‘off’ remotely. After all, the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, signed by former President Joe Biden, required the National Traffic Safety Administration to develop just such a technology … But government isn’t fast, and the kill switch project ‘needed’ more funding, which was included in the new $1.2 trillion spending package.” (02/05/26)
https://thisiscommonsense.org/2026/02/05/the-unstoppable-kill-switch/
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44) The Techno-Authoritarian Blueprint for America, part 2
Source: The Jolly Libertarian
by Marco den Ouden
“In April 2007, a relatively unknown fellow going by the pen name of Mencius Moldbug started a new blog. ‘The other day I was tinkering around in my garage and I decided to build a new ideology,’ he writes. (A Formalist Manifesto, Unqualified Reservations, Apr. 24, 2007) But the new theory he created was ideological dynamite. It has become the favored ideology of the New Right. But it did not spring wholesale out of nothing. In his formalist manifesto he writes favorably of libertarianism, particularly the Rothbardian version. ‘I love libertarians to death,” he writes. “I would love to live in a libertarian society. The question is: is there a path from here to there?’ But as Yarvin told Ava Kofman for a recent essay at The New Yorker, he moved on from libertarianism after reading Hoppe’s Democracy: The God That Failed.” (02/04/26)
https://jollylibertarian.blogspot.com/2026/02/the-techno-authoritarian-blueprint-for_4.html
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45) Justice Jackson removed any shred of impartiality by applauding anti-ICE speeches at the Grammys
Source: New York Post
by Miranda Devine
“Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson continues to dismay. Her attendance at the rancidly partisan anti-ICE Grammy Awards on Sunday was a joke. The 55-year-old Biden DEI candidate was nominated for a Grammy for narrating the audiobook of her memoir ‘Lovely One,’ which she unashamedly believes herself to be. But she should have stayed home rather than laughing and clapping in the audience with a bunch of virtue-signaling luvvies ranting ‘Fuck ICE’ every time they got on stage. It should have been obvious to Jackson that the event would be politically charged. She has to sit in judgment on various Trump administration immigration enforcement cases. How can she be seen as impartial? Answer is: she can’t …” [editor’s note: When sitting in judgment on the actions of a violent and unconstitutional street gang, “impartiality” is irrelevant; SCOTUS’s portfolio precludes support for ICE – TLK] (02/05/25)
https://nypost.com/2026/02/04/opinion/miranda-devine-justice-ketanji-brown-jackson-removed-any-shred-of-impartiality-by-applauding-anti-ice-speeches-at-the-grammys/
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46) Is Sprawl a Market Outcome?
Source: Independent Institute
by Scott Beyer
“For critics — particularly on the left — sprawl represents environmental waste, excessive consumption, car dependence, and the aesthetic or cultural vulgarity of mass suburbia. For conservatives, sprawl is not a pathology but a feature: quiet neighborhoods, good schools, and safe places to raise families. Libertarians tend to avoid the culture war surrounding sprawl, but there has nonetheless been internal disagreement over its merits. It usually turns on a single question: is sprawl a market outcome, or the result of government social engineering? The honest answer is: both.” (02/04/26)
https://www.independent.org/article/2026/02/04/is-sprawl-a-market-outcome/
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47) Protecting Our Right to Sue Federal Agents Who Violate the Constitution
Source: Electronic Frontier Foundation
by Adam Schwartz
“Federal agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have descended into utter lawlessness, most recently in Minnesota. The violence is shocking. So are the intrusions on digital rights. For example, we have a First Amendment right to record on-duty police, including ICE and CBP, but federal agents are violating this right. Indeed, Alex Pretti was exercising this right shortly before federal agents shot and killed him. So were the many people who filmed agents shooting and killing Pretti and Renee Good – thereby creating valuable evidence that contradicts false claims by government leaders. To protect our digital rights, we need the rule of law.” (02/04/26)
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/02/protecting-our-right-sue-federal-agents-who-violate-constitution
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48) The Cost of Living: The Problem Isn’t Too Little Credit, but Too Much
Source: Ludwig von Mises Institute
by Carlos Boix
“With the idea of banning large investors from buying real estate, President Trump has brought to the forefront the issue of real estate. This has been recently at the top of popular discourse, and politicians and pundits of all colors have grabbed the opportunity to push their own agendas. And one of the ways to sway public opinion towards one’s goals is semantics. If we can rename something to our advantage, half the job of convincing people is done. It is a lot more important than most people think.” 902/04/26)
https://mises.org/mises-wire/cost-living-problem-isnt-too-little-credit-too-much
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49) Iranian Artists Keep the Spirit of “Woman, Life, Freedom” Alive
Source: In These Times
by Alessandra Bajec
“The 2022 ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’ protests erupted in Iran following the shocking death of 22-year-old Jina Mahsa Amini, in police custody. Like many Iranians in the diaspora, illustrator Roshi Rouzbehani was filled with grief, rage and a profound duty to speak out. She felt compelled to create art that echoed what so many were experiencing, and to share the images online to help bring global attention to her people’s struggle. ‘Art became both a personal coping mechanism and a form of activism for me,’ Rouzbehani tells In These Times. Now based in the UK, she left Iran in 2011 to seek safety from political pressures. In the year of the women-led uprising, the Iranian regime’s security forces killed hundreds of protesters and threatened the lives of numerous journalists, and detained, tortured and persecuted thousands more.” (02/03/25)
https://inthesetimes.com/article/iranian-artists-woman-life-freedom-us-hands-off-middle-east
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50) The winter of our grid’s discontent: Hardening the grid once and for all after Winter Storm Fern
Source: Niskanen Center
by Rachel Levine
“With much of the country still digging out from Winter Storm Fern, one thing is clear: Severe winter storms continue to stress-test the grid’s reliability, and the system is repeatedly falling short. Fern has made the case once again for expanded interregional transmission to provide the power system with much needed resilience while lowering consumers’ energy costs.” [editor’s note: No, Winter Storm Fern has made the case once again for abandoning the obsolete “grid” paradigm in favor of localized / decentralized power – TLK] (02/04/26)
https://www.niskanencenter.org/the-winter-of-our-grids-discontent-hardening-the-grid-once-and-for-all-after-winter-storm-fern/
_____ Today's Freedom Podcast and Video _____
51) The Moral Cowardice at the Heart of Libertarianism
Source: Jake Porter’s Analysis & Investigations
“A recording from Jake Porter’s live video.” (02/05/26)
https://jakeporter.substack.com/p/the-moral-cowardice-at-the-heart
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52) The Fifth Column, episode 543
Source: The Fifth Column
“Let’s Rally Together and Unfuck America (w/ John Avlon).” (02/05/26)
https://www.wethefifth.com/p/lets-rally-together-and-unfuck-america
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53) The Libertarian Angle, 02/05/26
Source: Future of Freedom Foundation
“Another Military Intervention — Against Iran?” (02/05/26)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGfN5cQaDeA
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54) Zooming In, 02/05/26
Source: The UnPopulist
“Will the Trump Administration’s MAGA-Driven Foreign Policy Be America’s Downfall? A Conversation with Anne Applebaum.” (02/05/26)
https://www.theunpopulist.net/p/will-the-trump-administrations-maga
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55) The Vital Center, episode 92
Source: Niskanen Center
“From material abundance to mass flourishing, with Brink Lindsey.” (02/05/26)
https://www.niskanencenter.org/from-material-abundance-to-mass-flourishing-with-brink-lindsey/
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56) Antiwar News with Dave DeCamp, 02/05/26
Source: Antiwar.com
“US and Russia ‘No Longer Bound’ by New START, Israel Kills 23 in Gaza, Including 7 Kids, and More.” (02/05/26)
https://rumble.com/v75benw-us-and-russia-no-longer-bound-by-new-start-israel-kills-23-in-gaza-includin.html
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57) Fountainhead Forum, episode 418
Source: Fountainhead Forum
“Francesca Mormanni on Ayn Rand, music, Taylor Swift, Eminem, and life at Julliard.” (02/04/26)
https://rumble.com/v75awls-ff-418-francesca-mormanni-on-ayn-rand-music-and-julliard.html
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58) Anarcho Agenda, episode 145
Source: Anarcho Agenda
“On episode 145 of Anarcho Agenda, I give a brief update regarding my life in New Hampshire, and discuss issues relating to blindness and the libertarian movement here.” (02/04/26)
https://anarchoagenda.libsyn.com/anarcho-agenda-ep-145-2026-02-04
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59) Kibbe on Liberty, 02/04/26
Source: Free the People
“Pursuing Empire Will Destroy America | Guest: Judge Andrew Napolitano.” (02/04/26)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naj5uRGvZ5I
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60) Declare Your Independence with Ernest Hancock, 02/04/26
Source: Freedom’s Phoenix
“Karen Kwiatkowski (Retired Lt Colonel U.S. Air Force) comes on the show to discuss our foreign policy, Iran, Russia/Ukraine, Greenland, Venezuela, China, economy, Trump, etc.” (02/04/26)
https://www.freedomsphoenix.com/Media/390864-2026-02-03-2026-02-04-ernest-hancock-interviews-karen-kwiatkowski-mp3-4.htm
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