News of the Week for February 16th, 2025
- Abortion
- Gun Rights
- Hide the Decline
- Obamacare
- War & Terror
- National News
- Economy & Taxes
- International News
- Opinion
Abortion
Dobbs Decision
Missouri court ruling paves the way for abortion access return
Women in Missouri are expected to again have access to abortion services within days, after a circuit court judge ruled business licenses imposed by the state on Planned Parenthood clinics were too onerous.
Doctor who prescribed abortion pill won’t be extradited to Louisiana as NY Gov Hochul refuses request
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday rejected Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill’s motion to extradite the New York doctor who allegedly prescribed and mailed an abortion pill to a Louisiana mother.
Gun Rights
“Kafkaesque” Gun Background Check Delays May Violate Second Amendment
Sedita sued, claiming this violated his Second Amendment rights, and the court allowed the claim to go forward. The court began by holding that buying a gun “is covered by the clear prescription of the Second Amendment” (since keeping and bearing requires a pathway to buying)
Hide the Decline
Environment &“Green Energy”
Maryland: Montgomery County bans plastic retail shopping bags
Law to go into effect Jan. 1, 2026
Obamacare
Government in Healthcare
A Policymaker’s Guide to America’s Hospital Financing System
Hospitals are the single largest category of health care spending. And yet, the gap between rich and poor hospitals is growing wider. That’s why it is critical to understand the federal government’s role in paying hospitals for care. In this report, we break down the multitude of funding streams for hospitals across four key areas: Medicare, Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), the tax code, and the private sector.
Vermont Bill Would Allow Nondoctors to Prescribe Assisted Suicide
Vermont has repeatedly expanded its assisted suicide law since it first passed. Nonresidents are allowed to receive lethal prescriptions, and assisted suicide can be prescribed via Zoom or Skype.
Senate confirms RFK Jr. as Health secretary; McConnell lone GOP dissenter
Longtime vaccine critic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is now the nation’s top health official, after the Senate on Thursday voted almost entirely on party lines to confirm him atop a department of nearly 100,000 employees that runs 13 agencies.
Red America Would Suffer Under RFK Jr.
A growing measles outbreak in Gaines County, Texas—24 cases so far in a county that voted 91 percent for Donald Trump—illustrates a grim irony.
Washington Bill to Allow Non-MD-Prescribed Assisted Suicide and to Shorten Waiting Period
I previously wrote about pending Oregon and Vermont legislation to do away with the requirement that only doctors be allowed to legally assist suicides. Now, it’s Washington’s turn, with a proposal to allow “qualified medical providers” to prescribe poison, defined as a licensed physician, physician’s assistant, or advanced practice registered nurse.
War & Terror
Trump to Hamas: Release the Hostages, or We’ll ‘Let Hell Break Out’
On the menu today: Hamas tests American and Israeli patience; President Trump pardons Rod Blagojevich; and the U.S. Department of Justice tells the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan to drop charges against New York City’s mayor; convicted former Senator Robert Menendez prepares to ask Trump for a pardon; and Fort Bragg is back, without bringing Braxton Bragg back.
VP Vance to Meet with Zelensky at Munich Security Conference
Vice President JD Vance will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday at the Munich Security Conference, a source familiar with the matter confirms to National Review.
Peace through Surrender?
Donald Trump has long promised that he would put an end to Russia’s war of conquest in Ukraine “in one day,” but he’s never been fully forthcoming about the details of his magical solution to this exceedingly complex geopolitical crisis. On Tuesday, however, Reuters published the specifics of a proposal circulating among Trump’s advisers that is designed to secure a cease-fire in Ukraine. The report lends credibility to the former president’s fantastical claim. He very well could put an end to Russia’s war in short order, but only by giving Moscow everything it wants.
What’s the Harm?
As the Trump administration prepares for a full-court diplomatic press ahead of the annual Munich Security Conference, where it will present its framework for a cease-fire in Ukraine, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth spoke plainly about the White House’s outlook toward Kyiv.
Hegseth’s Ukraine bombshell and Trump’s Putin call leave NATO reeling
NATO allies are in a state of anger, denial and despair after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth effectively declared an end to America’s role as the primary guarantor of European security, particularly over Ukraine.
Moldovans to Russia: Say, Are These Drone Parts Yours, Comrade?
Back in September, I noted that the war in Ukraine that supposedly doesn’t directly involve neighboring countries keeps spilling over into those member countries, including some members of NATO. When you have that many drones, missiles, aircraft, and other stuff flying around, some of it is going to get blown up with debris landing on the wrong side of the border.
Pete Hegseth Walks Back Yesterday’s Policy Announcement on Ukraine and NATO
I’ve been cautiously optimistic about Pete Hegseth’s appointment as secretary of defense. It’s undoubtedly true that a culture of waste, inefficiency, and rot has built up in the Pentagon. In these parlous times, the U.S. military needs to have a laser focus on rebuilding its strength and streamlining itself as a war-winning organization. The growing threat from Communist China demands exactly such a focus.
Is DOGE Going to Kill the F-35?
Lockheed-Martin’s F-35 Lightning II stealth multirole fighter is one of those development boondoggles that we’ve become all too familiar with, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Elon Musk’s DOGE boys are looking at perhaps canceling it.
The Limits of Punditry in Statecraft
Mark’s piece on the “amateur-hour bungling of yesterday’s speech and policy declaration” by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and his staff, by which he unilaterally upturned over a decade of U.S. policy toward Russia and undermined negotiations with the Kremlin, is excellent.
Does Moscow Think Vance’s Threat Is Credible?
Certainly, the prospect of U.S. deployments to Ukraine amid a shooting war with Russia ups the ante.
DOGE Website Posts Classified Information, Worrying Intelligence Officials
Elon Musk’s much-touted new website for the Department of Government Efficiency posted classified government information, setting off alarm bells in the intelligence community.
China’s stunning new campaign to turn the world against Taiwan
Seventy countries have recently backed “all Chinese efforts” to take the island
Trump officials fired nuclear staff not realizing they oversee the country’s weapons stockpile, sources say
Trump administration officials fired more than 300 staffers Thursday night at the National Nuclear Security Administration — the agency tasked with managing the nation’s nuclear stockpile — as part of broader Energy Department layoffs, according to four people with knowledge of the matter.
Canadian Citizen Charged for Taking Drone Pictures of US Space Force Base
A Canadian citizen has been charged by U.S. authorities for allegedly using a drone to take photos of a military base in Florida.
US drops website wording on not supporting Taiwan independence
The U.S. State Department has removed a statement on its website that it does not support Taiwan independence, among changes that the island’s government praised on Sunday as supporting Taiwan.
National
‘Existential threat’’: Georgia Tech received millions in unreported funds from China, watchdog reports
Georgia Tech terminated the partnership, but concerns about foreign influence remain
Trump DOJ Orders Prosecutors to Drop Federal Charges Against Eric Adams
The Department of Justice instructed the acting Manhattan-based U.S. attorney on Monday to drop federal charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who was accused of accepting bribes and illegal campaign contributions from foreign sources.
Inside the NRSC’s winter meeting: ‘Cash is king’
Senate GOP campaign chief Tim Scott previewed his 2026 game plan over the weekend to some of the party’s top donors at a retreat in Palm Beach, Florida. His main takeaway: It’s going to be mighty costly.
Trump: “I always abide by the courts, but then I’ll have to appeal it.”
Everyone take a deep breath.
Fox News Host: Trump Voters Frustrated by ‘Level of Chaos’
Fox News host Jessica Tarlov said that even some of President Donald Trump’s most ardent supporters are growing weary of the “chaos” of his first weeks in office.
Did Trump voters skip the Senate race in Nevada?
And more findings from reviewing 1 million individual ballots in Vegas
Senate committee holds hearing on Linda McMahon’s nomination for Secretary of Education
Linda McMahon was nominated by President Trump to be the Secretary of Education.
Matt Schlapp, CPAC Chairman, allegedly sexually assaulted a man at a bar, witnesses say.
The allegation marks the latest in a series of sexual misconduct claims against Schlapp over the past three years.
Why Elon Musk’s DOGE Has Been Sued over Its Access to Federal Employee Records
The good news: This newsletter gets results! As of 11:40 p.m. Eastern last night, the Department of Government Efficiency has a website, and doge.gov actually has some specific numbers on it! The bad news: The site doesn’t yet have a complete listing of each proposed “cost reduction,” but DOGE says it’s aiming to have that part up and running by tomorrow.
A grant to study Hebrew is ‘woke DEI,’ Ted Cruz says
A study of Hebrew grammar’s noun genders was flagged as “woke” in Senator Cruz’s new database of federal grants, one of seven Israel-linked projects targeted despite his strong support for Israel.
The Real Grass Roots
While the national scene dominates the news, much of the real action takes place at the state level. The states also can be a harbinger: what starts as a popular movement in the states likely will be reflected in Washington before long. So, if we accept that state legislatures are a closer representation of grass roots strength than Congressional delegations, what does that tell us?
Nazi flags can fly in Utah schools, but not pride flags, GOP lawmaker says
A new bill would allow for Nazi and Confederate flags to be displayed in some instances in Utah schools and government buildings, but pride flags would be banned.
Hagan Scotten, Lead Prosecutor of Eric Adams, Resigns in Awesome Letter
Hagan Scotten, the lead prosecutor in New York City mayor Eric Adams’s criminal case, already had an amazing set of achievements: Recipient of two Bronze Stars, law clerk for both Chief Justice John Roberts and then-D.C. Circuit judge Brett Kavanaugh, highest grades in his graduating class at Harvard law school, and more. He now should get a prize for Awesome Resignation Letter.
Short Circuit: A Roundup of Recent Federal Court Decisions
Pole cameras, real estate RICO, and the Eighth Circuit island.
Economy & Taxes
China imposes retaliatory tariffs on $14bn worth of US goods
Beijing may be better prepared this time for renewed trade conflict with Trump, analysts say
EU breaks silence on Donald Trump tariffs and threatens full-blown trade war
The bloc has responded with bullish statement after it was rocked by the announcement from Washington.
What the end of the penny means for the economy, your piggy bank, and the way America prices items
President Donald Trump ordered the U.S. Treasury to stop minting pennies.
Understanding the Unseen
Journalists only see what is on the surface—that’s why they tend to make bad economists.
Tariff Troubles
Trump is proceeding with steel tariffs, but Rich and Co., on today’s Editors, are skeptical it will be beneficial for the country.
Consumer prices rise 0.5% in January, higher than expected as annual rate rises to 3%
The CPI accelerated a seasonally adjusted 0.5% for the month, putting the annual inflation rate at 3%, both higher than expected. The core CPI ran at 0.4% and 3.3% respectively, also above forecast. Shelter costs continued to be a problem for inflation, rising 0.4% on the month. Food prices jumped 0.4% and energy prices climbed 1.1% as gasoline prices increased 1.8%. Markets largely expect the Fed to stay on hold for an extended time and pushed the next rate cut probability out to September following the CPI report.
Tariffs atop tariffs? White House says levies on Canada would be cumulative
Trump administration insists this could mean 50 per cent in tariffs next month
Australia Is ‘Killing’ US Aluminum Market, Trump Adviser Says
US tariffs on steel, aluminum to come into effect in March. Trump said he would consider a tariff exemption for Australia.
The world is underestimating the risk of a US recession
Protectionism threatens to fuel inflation, push up interest rates and end the bull run in equity markets
Oren Cass Has Learned Just Enough Economics To Be a Nuisance
In The Spectator, Oren Cass once again tries to point out that when it comes to Trump’s tariffs, economists just don’t get it. This is not the first time that he’s done so nor is he the only lawyer to suggest that when it comes to economics, economists just don’t understand something. His American Compass colleague, Michael Lind, has done so and Zephyr Teachout did so with respect to price controls. While these three have learned some economics in the course of their legal training and political careers, it is painfully obvious that they’ve learned just enough to be a nuisance but not enough to be insightful.
VATs Aren’t Discriminating Against American Companies. Tariffs Are.
I have heard a growing number of commentators in President Trump’s circle arguing that we should impose tariffs on countries with a Value-Added Tax (VAT) because these countries unfairly penalize U.S. exports.
Why Europe’s VATs Are Not Tariffs
One of the justifications the Trump administration has given for its trade war efforts is the alleged unfairness of Europe’s value-added taxes. Trade adviser Peter Navarro said VATs are a “poster child” for unfair trade barriers and that “the Trump fair and reciprocal plan will put a swift end to such exploitation of American workers.” This echoes similar comments made by Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, who said on Sunday, “Other nations all around the world use the VAT to get an unfair trade advantage against the United States.”
US retail sales post biggest drop in nearly two years amid winter freeze
U.S. retail sales dropped by the most in nearly two years in January, likely weighed down by frigid temperatures, wildfires and motor vehicle shortages, suggesting a sharp slowdown in economic growth early in the first quarter.
Beware of The Tax Harmonizers
For years, those of us working on tax policy have pushed back against international efforts to “harmonize” taxes. Despite its pleasant name, tax harmonization really means other countries using international bureaucracies to force higher tax rates on lower-tax nations.
International
Scrapped Ventilators and Sovereign Wealth: Why Central Planners Shouldn’t Invest
Cutting waste at USAID while launching an utterly doomed Sovereign Wealth Fund is incongruous at best.
How Mexico’s president became the Trump whisperer
Claudia Sheinbaum’s years of learning how to keep a ‘cool head’ in the face of big personalities is paying off
Norwegian royal Marius Borg Høiby is accused of raping TV presenter while she was unconscious at party in the basement of family castle – and ‘police now have video of the attack’
Alleged victim Linni Meister later took to Snapchat to say the reports are ‘true’
Chagos islanders reject Starmer’s £9bn ‘trust fund’ as they plead to remain British
Many descendants of those exiled tell The Telegraph they oppose Sir Keir Starmer ceding control to Mauritius
J.D. Vance Brings the Culture War to Europe: ‘There Is a New Sheriff in Town’
The Munich Security Conference was supposed to be a foreign policy forum. Instead, the vice president lectured Europeans about democracy.
Opinion
Free Speech, Tar Heel Style
States that lack campus speech legislation should look to North Carolina as a model.
The Horseshoe Politics of Higher Education
Illiberal ideologues, both left and right, need to do better.
Scrapped Ventilators and Sovereign Wealth: Why Central Planners Shouldn’t Invest
Cutting waste at USAID while launching an utterly doomed Sovereign Wealth Fund is incongruous at best.
The Deeper Question Raised by the NIH Grant Overhaul
Is the Trump administration’s goal to run the government or oppose it?
Trump Only Threw Vance Partly Under the Bus
There’s a lot of buzz about Donald Trump’s answer when Bret Baier asked him, “Do you view Vice President JD Vance as your successor, the Republican nominee in 2028?”
Republicans Don’t Actually Want the GOP to Roll Over for Trump
If you spend any time surfing Twitter/X’s “For You” tab (I don’t recommend it), you will find nestled amongst the pornography, casual antisemitism, and hagiographical Elon Musk encomia a lot of performative displays of fealty to Donald Trump’s cultural movement. That wouldn’t matter much save for the fact that so many influential figures at the top of America’s political hierarchy seem to spend inordinate amounts of time on the platform.
The Left Will Get the Politics It Wants
Democrats in the rank and file seem to have had their fill of wallowing in their political failures.
Trump DOJ Is Explicitly Political in Dropping Case Against Mayor Adams
How Mexico’s Leader Is Writing the Playbook for Handling Trump
President Claudia Sheinbaum impressed Trump by sticking to her guns without antagonizing him
Moving like Musk, &c.
On conservatism, Eric Adams, the price of eggs, American identity, LeBron James, and more
What’s an American?
In Impromptus today, I raise many questions (and answer some of them). One of them is, What’s an American? As I say in my column, this question has been around for a long time — since the 18th century. There are many books about it. And essays and poems and songs and so on.
Let’s Have More of This JD Vance, Please
Our editorial lauds JD Vance’s speech in Paris on artificial intelligence. It was, indeed, a fine speech. But it was also jarringly different from what we’ve become accustomed to hearing from Vance. He sounded more like the kind of traditional conservative Republican that Vance and his boosters usually deride as old-thinking zombie Reaganites.
The 9 Trump World Breakups Waiting to Happen
MAGA 2.0 has brought together unlikely teammates. But the honeymoon might not last.
Why Donald Trump Loves Compromised People
One of the patterns we have seen over the course of Donald Trump’s political career — and really, one that dates back even to his business career — is that he seems to attract to his inner circle, and select for important positions, people who are morally compromised. He liked having Michael Cohen as his lawyer, knowing he was a shady and untrustworthy character. He’s handed out pardons to crooks on both sides of the aisle. He defended Bill Clinton back in the day. His current cabinet includes men such as Pete Hegseth and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. who have treated the women in their lives in appalling fashion. Elon Musk, whatever one says of his business genius, has his own checkered personal life. One of Trump’s heroes is Roy Cohn.
Don’t Let Other Countries Set U.S. Tax Rates
“Reciprocal tariffs” are framed to sound like a simple matter of fairness. But there’s nothing fair about letting other countries make U.S. tax policy, and that’s what the Trump administration’s proposal amounts to.
On the Duty to Resign in Protest — and Its Limits
Multiple federal prosecutors have loudly resigned rather than carry out the Trump administration’s demand to conditionally dismiss the federal corruption indictment against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Three things seem apparent on the public record. One, Trump is leveraging the criminal case to get Adams administration to cooperate with federal immigration law and policy. Two, by seeking to dismiss with the possibility of reinstating the indictment, the criminal process is effectively being used as a sword of Damocles to ensure that Adams remains pliable. (If this is in fact what is happening, the members of the First Congress would have been unanimous in regarding it as an impeachable offense.) Three, it appears that at least the two most prominent resignations in the Southern District of New York (Danielle Sassoon, the acting U.S. attorney, and Hagan Scotten, the assistant U.S. attorney responsible for the prosecution) came from lawyers with conservative backgrounds — Federalist Society members who have clerked for conservative judges.
Birthright Citizenship – A Response to Barnett and Wurman
Their argument for denying birthright citizenship to children of undocumented immigrants born in the US has multiple weaknesses, including that it would also have denied it to former slaves.
Pam Bondi’s ‘Weaponization Working Group’ Will Come Back to Haunt the Trump DOJ
The Adams case is not the only one that will bring the foolishness of this directive into sharp relief.
This Is Not Restoring the Way the Justice Department Is Supposed to Work
Under the guise of “Restoring the Integrity and Credibility of the Department of Justice,” the AG is implementing the Biden DOJ model of conviction first and trial later — if ever. Standing convicted are Trump’s principal prosecutorial nemeses — Biden DOJ special counsel Jack Smith, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, and New York Attorney General Letitia James — and therefore guilty by association are any DOJ and FBI personnel who aided and abetted them. In what crimes, we’re not told — only that Bondi will be “provid[ing] quarterly reports to the White House regarding the progress of the review.”
Trump’s Indefensible Proclamation
There’s no need to overreact to the fact that the president of these United States casually tweeted out on a Saturday morning the statement, “He who saves his Country does not violate any Law.”
The Deal with Eric Adams is NOT a “Plea Bargain”
Why the Eric Adams Affair is a Big Deal
