Governing and the Rule of Law

Source: EconLog

“It is not because a law has been democratically and duly adopted that it necessarily exemplifies the rule of law. It is not because democratically elected politicians govern that governing is good. One current example is given by the US and EU governments siding against Apple and in favor of its developers (outside suppliers) and competitors, under some antitrust ‘laws’ that pretend to determine what consumers want. Another of the myriad of cases that could be cited is the US government siding with the United Steelworkers against US Steel which wants to strike a bargain with Nippon Steel.” (03/28/24)

https://www.econlib.org/governing-and-the-rule-of-law/

An honest hearing in Gibraltar

Source: Christian Science Monitor
by staff

“Many people may know Gibraltar only by its wedge-shaped outcropping at the opening of the Mediterranean Sea or by the Beatles song about the marriage of John Lennon and Yoko Ono. Yet it may now be poised to show how perceptions of government malfeasance can lead to renewed public integrity. An upcoming trial offers ‘a familiar scenario to those who study corruption: a scandal leading to reform,’ noted Robert Barrington, a University of Sussex professor, in a recent post on The Global Anticorruption Blog. The heightened concern about corruption in Gibraltar, a territory under British authority at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, dates back four years. In 2020, its top law enforcement officer, Ian McGrail, abruptly retired halfway through his term as police commissioner. Gibraltar has been on and off international watchlists in connection with illicit financial activity such as gambling, money laundering, and funding for terrorism.” (03/27/24)

https://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/the-monitors-view/2024/0327/An-honest-hearing-in-Gibraltar

TSA announces expansion of unconstitutional search reduction “PreCheck” scheme to eight new airlines

Source: United Press International

“The Transportation Security Administration announced the expansion of its TSA PreCheck program on Thursday, adding eight new airlines. … The TSA said 99% of PreCheck passengers wait less than 10 minutes on average because of the accelerated screening process as passengers can keep their shoes, belts and jackets on. Passengers with TSA are not required to remove laptops, 3-1-1 liquids and food items from their carry-on bags.” (03/28/24)

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2024/03/28/TSA-precheck/1711711640224/

Industrial Policy’s Short-Run Booms Risk Long-Term Failures

Source: American Institute for Economic Research
by Ryan M Yonk & Jacob Bruggeman

“New York state’s GlobalFoundries (GF) received news of $1.5 billion in direct funding and $1.6 billion in loans from the US Department of Commerce. The funds will be used to renovate fabrication facilities in Malta, NY (an hour’s drive from AIER’s campus in Great Barrington) and Essex Junction, VT, and to build a new Malta facility that will make chips for cars, planes, defense systems and artificial intelligence. Politicians and the chip industry claim government funding will spur an additional $12 billion investment from GF and create over 1,500 manufacturing jobs and roughly 9,000 construction jobs over the next decade. … But this latest example of government backing of American chipmaking offers an opportunity to weigh the benefits and costs of subsidies in our society at the local, national, and international level.” (03/28/24)

https://www.aier.org/article/industrial-policys-short-run-booms-risk-long-term-failures/

Does your dog understand when you say “fetch the ball”? New study in Hungary says yes

Source: SFGate

“Many dog owners believe their pets understand and respond not only to commands such as ‘sit’ and ‘stay’, but also to words referring to their favorite objects. ‘Bring me your ball’ will often result in exactly that. But science has had trouble determining whether dogs and other animals genuinely activate a mental image in their minds when they hear the name of an object, something that would suggest a deeper grasp of language, similar to the kind that humans have. A new study in Hungary has found that beyond being able to respond to commands like ‘roll over’, dogs can learn to associate words with specific objects — a relationship with language called referential understanding that had been unproven in dogs until now.” (03/28/24)

https://www.sfgate.com/news/world/article/does-your-dog-understand-when-you-say-fetch-the-19373550.php

Americans aren’t buying Biden’s spin on the economy

Source: Orange County Register
by Veronique de Rugy

“The economy is growing, unemployment is low, wages are up, and inflation is down. However, the American people remain grumpy about the state of the economy. This puzzle was just investigated by four economists. They found that people often know that something is wrong even if statistics don’t reflect the problem. In this case, people are perceiving that inflation is still, in fact, high. For months now, Americans have been told that inflation’s downward trend, from almost 9% annually to around 3%, should make them feel good about the economy. But it isn’t working. A recent Gallup poll found that 63% say the state of the economy is getting worse and 45% think it’s already ‘poor.'” (03/28/24)

https://www.ocregister.com/2024/03/28/americans-arent-buying-bidens-spin-on-the-economy/

How Biden Boxed Himself In on Gaza

Source: The American Prospect
by Jonathan Guyer

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has a knack for making world leaders do the jobs of their subordinates. President Joe Biden had to call Netanyahu himself in October—in the first weeks of Israel’s brutal assault on the occupied territory of Gaza in retaliation for the Hamas attacks of October 7—to urge that Israel allow more than 100 trucks of relief aid a day into Gaza. Normally, that’s a task a low-level economic officer at the embassy might handle. Five months later, the situation has only gotten more humiliating, with Palestinians suffering from an Israeli-sponsored famine. In mid-February, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan was expressing desperation that flour paid for by U.S. taxpayers reach Palestinians in Gaza. … the Biden administration floated the idea of air-dropping aid into Gaza, a tactic of colossal expense and little value when Israel could just speed inspections and open up more entry points.” (03/28/24)

https://prospect.org/world/2024-03-28-how-biden-boxed-himself-in-on-gaza/