News of the Week for November 2nd, 2025
- Abortion
- Gun Rights
- Hide the Decline
- Socialized Medicine
- War & Terror
- National News
- Economy & Taxes
- International News
- Opinion
Abortion
Court Cases & Legislation
New York judge tosses Texas lawsuit over abortion pills shield law
A judge on Friday tossed a Texas lawsuit seeking to hold a clerk accountable for not enforcing a ruling from the Lone Star State against an abortion provider from the Empire State.
Gun Rights
Pearse on Armed Citizens
John Adams was famously interested in the well-regulated militias of Switzerland for their ability to repel invasions and also for their ability to deter tyranny in their own government. But it’s been interesting to see how this has fallen away from modern small-r republican theory.
Hide the Decline
Environment &“Green Energy”
U.N.’s Global Carbon Tax Should Be a Wake-Up Call to Fight International Climate Extremism
The United States should take necessary action to kill off the IMO global carbon tax.
Michael Mann Finally Goes Away
More than a decade ago, the climate scientist Michael Mann wrote us a threatening letter demanding that we take down a blog post about his sketchy research by Mark Steyn
Another Unfortunate Net Zero Update
Climate Policy: Still Not Adding Up
Socialized Medicine
Government in Healthcare
Medical Journal Supports Conjoining Euthanasia and Organ Harvesting
Back in 1993, in my first anti-euthanasia piece, I warned that once assisted suicide became normalized, it would soon be conjoined with organ harvesting “as a plum to society.” What I didn’t expect was for the leaders of the organ-transplant medical sector to applaud.
Michigan Court Denies Chimpanzees Habeas Corpus, Must Stay in Zoo
Chimpanzees are not “persons” capable of being “imprisoned” for purposes of habeas corpus.
Scottish Proposal Would Ban Assisted Suicide Prevention
Assisted suicide is not yet legal in Scotland — I have traveled there three times to fight that agenda — but it is a looming threat again. And now, an amendment to the legalization bill has been proposed that would prohibit prevention efforts at or near places where suicidal people’s lives would be ended.
We are Becoming a Suicide Nation as Illinois Legislature Passes Assisted Suicide Bill
The Illinois Legislature just has passed an assisted suicide legalization bill, tying a black bow along with New York’s legalization bill passed a few months ago. Both measures still await signing by the states’ respective governors, which I fear is quite likely as the death agenda is firmly ensconced in blue state liberal/progressive policy on assisted suicide.
War & Terror
Navy loses two aircraft from USS Nimitz aircraft carrier within 30 minutes
Both crashes were under investigation, the Navy’s Pacific Fleet said.
Venezuela claims capture of CIA group, accuses U.S. of plotting ‘false flag’ attack
The Nicolás Maduro regime said Sunday Venezuela has captured a group of alleged mercenaries with ties to the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency and accused Washington and Trinidad and Tobago of coordinating military exercises intended to provoke an armed confrontation in the Caribbean.
Lithuania accuses Belarus, Russia of “deliberate escalation of hybrid warfare” as balloons shut down airport
The government of Lithuania, which is a member of the U.S.-led NATO alliance, said Monday that it will start shooting down unidentified balloons that enter the country’s airspace, after a number of them allegedly launched from neighboring Belarus forced the repeated closure of a major airport.
The Bogus ‘High Seas’ Rationale for the President’s Missile Attacks
On Tuesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the U.S. armed forces massed in the Caribbean had launched missile strikes against four more boats off the coasts of South and Central America, killing 14 people. That raises the death toll to 57 since the first strike, on September 2.
Trump tells Pentagon to immediately resume testing US nuclear weapons
U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the U.S. military on Thursday to immediately resume testing nuclear weapons after a gap of 33 years, minutes before beginning a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
National Guardsman accused of seeking to send photos of sensitive military technology to Russia
National Guardsman Canyon Amarys tried to share the images with someone he believed was a Russian intelligence officer, prosecutors say
Putin flaunts new nuke submarine capable of firing ‘doomsday’ Poseidon torpedoes after string of Armageddon weapon tests
The sub will undergo sea trials before joining Russia’s nuclear deterrent fleet
Trump threatens to send US military into Nigeria with ‘guns-a-blazing’
President claims government in Abuja is allowing Christians to be killed
Trump tells military to prepare for ‘action’ against Islamist militants in Nigeria
US President Donald Trump has ordered the military to prepare for action in Nigeria to tackle Islamist militant groups, accusing the government of failing to protect Christians.
National
Why Broome County and other NY residents are asked to vote on Adirondack proposal
Some New York voters may be puzzled by a seemingly obscure question on their ballots this year about authorizing Nordic ski trails on protected land in the Adirondacks.
Left-wing ideas have wrecked Democrats’ brand, new report warns
Democrats have badly weakened their party with left-leaning ideas and rhetoric, growing only with self-described “white liberals” while losing ground with other voters, according to a new center-left group’s report shared first with Semafor.
Centrist WelcomePAC charts path for Dems, with help from Axelrod, Plouffe and others
A new report from WelcomePAC, which supports center-left Democrats, offers a moderate view of how the party can rebound from 2024.
Trump DOJ Laying Groundwork to Seek Disqualification of Comey’s Lawyer
Last week, I did a series of three posts on the first round of defense pretrial motions in the Trump Justice Department’s prosecution of the FBI’s former director, James Comey, on a two-count indictment charging him with making a false statement in Senate testimony and (thereby) obstructing Congress.
The Mamdani Campaign’s Engines Have Stalled
Much is being made of indications that New York City’s typically predetermined off-year mayoral elections will be a hot contest this year. This is suggested by the unusually high early-voter turnout.
Emory student government association tells students to ‘Vote for DEI’
Only 17.6 percent of eligible undergraduates participated in the referendum, which was actively promoted by the Student Government Association. Emory University students voted 89.3 percent in favor of restoring DEI programs that the university discontinued in September following federal mandates.
AG Pam Bondi reviewing Biden pardons signed by autopen
Attorney General Pam Bondi said her office is reviewing former President Biden’s use of an autopen for pardons after a House Oversight report questioned their validity.
The Maddening Messaging About the Mississippi Monkeys
It’s a mildly apocalyptic midweek, with runaway monkeys, Chinese breakthroughs in artificial intelligence getting applied to genetic engineering, and a particularly controversial Senate candidate declaring he wants to put you on a train. Some days it feels like the whole world is demented, but medically, apparently, it’s just one member of Congress. Read on.
Pennsylvania Supreme Court Retention Election Is a Key Swing-State Test
In a major judicial election in the Keystone State, Democrats are more focused than Republicans.
Report: Letitia James’s Mortgage Agreement Permitted Her to Rent Property, Potentially Harpooning Bank Fraud Charges
A document at the heart of the Trump Justice Department’s bank fraud indictment of Letitia James, which prosecutors contend prohibited the New York attorney general and Trump political enemy from renting a modest home she owns in Virginia, actually permitted rentals, according to a report by Politico.
Supreme Court Orders More Briefing on Trump Bid to Deploy National Guard in Chicago
The Supreme Court has ordered the Trump administration and the State of Illinois to provide additional briefing on a statutory term that is key to the president’s effort to deploy the National Guard in Chicago. The order was issued Wednesday.
Witches to Right of Me. Pagans to the Left.
A number of years ago, I lit into the noted theologian Tim Keller over a tweet of his. Keller advocated something often called “the third way” in politics for Christians. I found his tweet ridiculous and not only blogged about it at RedState, but blasted him on Twitter.
Sobbing daughter captures ICE ‘detain her mom for not having social security number memorized’
A video captured by the daughter of a Virginia mother being violently detained by ICE is circulating social media
How a Former Trump Golf Club Worker Was Mistakenly Deported to Mexico
When Alejandro Juarez was returned to his homeland, federal agents told him that they were just following orders. Those orders were wrong.
Mystery as more than 300 piles of human remains discovered in the desert outside Las Vegas
More than 300 piles of cremated human remains have been found scattered across the Nevada desert. A man discovered them near the remote town of Searchlight, about an hour outside Las Vegas, on July 28.
Heritage Foundation Soils Itself, Embraces Tucker Carlson and Nick Fuentes
Heritage President Kevin Roberts is a disgrace. He has helped Tucker and Fuentes advance their goal of destroying the MAGA movement — which was a large multi-religious, multi-racial achievement rare for Republicans.
Senate Republicans Are Actually Defying Donald Trump
So far, GOP senators are refusing to nix blue slips, allowing Democrats to block judicial nominees.
FBI slams House proposal to grant Tulsi Gabbard leading role on counterintelligence
The CIA and other intelligence officials share many of the FBI’s misgivings about the House proposal, according to two people with knowledge of the matter.
Short Circuit: An Inexhaustive Weekly Compendium of Rulings from the Federal Courts of Appeal
Pill-pushing predictions, off-campus speech, and a crude insurrection.
Civil war erupts on the right after Heritage president’s Tucker Carlson, Nick Fuentes comments
A civil war over the direction of the conservative movement and who should be considered part of it erupted after Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts posted a video Thursday defending Tucker Carlson for interviewing white nationalist Nick Fuentes.
NY AG Letitia James Expands Battle to Disqualify Trump-Appointed, Unconfirmed U.S. Attorneys
As a defendant indicted by the Trump Justice Department, Letitia James, New York’s attorney general and President Trump’s political nemesis, is already involved in litigation contesting the qualifications of a Trump-appointed prosecutor. James has joined another Trump political foe, former FBI Director James Comey, in seeking the disqualification of Lindsey Halligan, the prosecutor that Attorney General Pamela Bondi — after prompting by the president — installed as interim United States attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia (EDVa). Halligan was brought in to replace Erik Siebert, who was fired after declining to indict James and Comey, and she quickly charged both of them.
The Clown Car Gaggles Its Way to Florida’s 19th District
Residents of Florida are doubtless already aware of this, but for the rest you I must be the bearer of bad news: Ron DeSantis will not remain governor of the Sunshine State forever. His term ends in 2026, and Floridians thank him for a job well done. Republican Congressman Byron Donalds, of Florida’s 19th district, has gotten an early start on the race to replace him by announcing his candidacy for the job in Tallahassee.
Trump escalates demands for 2020 election investigations and prosecutions
President Donald Trump is dialing up pressure on the Justice Department to freshly scrutinize ballots from the 2020 election, raising tensions with administration officials who think their time is better spent examining voter lists for future elections.
Trump labels Seth Meyers a ‘deranged lunatic’ and blasts his late-night rhetoric as ‘illegal’
Donald Trump tore into Late Night’s Seth Meyers on Saturday, calling him a ‘deranged lunatic’ and suggested his criticism of the administration was ‘illegal’. The president shared his ire on his Truth Social page, seemingly in response to a recent segment Meyers did on his show in which the comedian mocked Trump for his comments about steam catapults.
Tear gas is deployed on baseball fans as World Series aftermath descends into violent chaos
Dodgers fans celebrating their win in Los Angeles last night were dispersed with tear gas after police officers were hit with fireworks and bottles.
Economy & Taxes
Automation: Amazon Primed
From Amazon: a reminder that labor shortages may be less of a problem than some believe.
Kraft Heinz CEO Warns of Worst Consumer Sentiment in Decades
Kraft Heinz Co. lowered its sales outlook as its chief executive officer said that the feeling of US shoppers has fallen to historic a low.
Jerome Powell says the AI hiring apocalypse is real: ‘Job creation is pretty close to zero’
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell drew a stark picture of a labor market that looks fine on the surface—4.3% unemployment, solid consumer spending—but is quietly losing momentum underneath. Once you adjust for statistical overcounting in the payroll data, he said during a press conference Wednesday following the FOMC meeting, “job creation is pretty close to zero.”
More Home Purchases Are Falling Through in an Uncertain Economy
Buyers worried about job prospects are getting cold feet, or realizing that costs will be higher than expected
Only 8% of hiring managers say Gen Z is ready for the workforce
A survey from Criteria, which polled more than 350 hiring managers, found that only 8% believe Gen Z is ready for the workforce.
International
Argentina: Milei’s New Math
Much of what Milei has achieved up until now has been through his exercise of emergency powers. His ability to do that was coming to an end. Now he is much better placed to defend the reforms he has put in place, therefore giving them more time to take root.
Milei Party Victories Keep Free-Market Reforms on Track in Argentina
Free marketeers have good reason to cheer, or at least sigh with relief, with Milei’s party doing well in the Argentinian midterm elections. What’s more, the result is good news for the Argentinian peso; the Trump administration accumulated $20 billion in Argentinian pesos earlier this month. Elsewhere, the nation’s air traffic controllers are starting to stay home sick, which may push lawmakers to find a resolution to the ongoing government shutdown.
Welcome to Johannesburg. This Is What It Looks Like When a City Gives Up.
Tourists are dumbfounded by the many signs of apathy in the South African city; the ‘Jozi Jacuzzi’ pothole
Pixiv adds new censorship restrictions to comply with international laws
Pixiv announced changes to their content restriction policy, announcing that they will now apply to regions such as New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and the European Union (EU).
Thousands join protests in Rio favela after deadliest ever police raid
Demonstrators demand inquiry after operation on Tuesday in which at least 121 people were killed
Opinion
It Doesn’t Matter If Trump Would ‘Love to’ Run for a Third Term in 2028
It’s a free country, and President Trump is free to say he’d like to run for a third term, or joke about running for a third term, over and over again, even though a third term would violate the Constitution.
The Coming Election Mayhem
Donald Trump’s plans to throw the 2026 midterms into chaos are already under way.
Why Are Cato Trade Scholars Writing to the Supreme Court?
It’s rare that trade wonks feel compelled to weigh in on a case before the US Supreme Court, but October 24 was one of those times. That was the deadline for amicus briefs in Trump v. V.O.S. Selections, Inc./Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump, which features not only profound legal questions about the scope of executive power—in particular whether the president can single-handedly rewrite the entire US tariff code on a whim—but also a line of defense from the government that any trade expert would view as bizarrely inaccurate.
Trump Accelerates Our Decline Into Moral Relativism
As is often true, he wasn’t the first but is the worst to use others’ wrongs as an excuse for his own.
The Tucker tailwind
Vice President Vance was the featured speaker at Turning Point USA’s event at the University of Mississippi yesterday evening. Standing in for Charlie Kirk, Vance took questions from students in the packed house. There is room for dispute, but I take it from the tenor of his remarks that he has a cold, cold view of Israel. He doesn’t talk about Israel as a key friend and critical ally in an area of great strategic interest. I thought his comments on the subject were disappointing at best.
Should States Elect or Appoint University Boards?
As Michigan’s processes illustrate, the answer might be surprising.
The Curious Fallout from a Trump Appointee’s Partial Disqualification
Ironically, a ruling against the U.S. attorney for Los Angeles could help both Trump and Comey.
Donald Trump Isn’t Helping
Nearly a month into the government shutdown they sought and initiated but have refused to take ownership of, Senate Democrats are starting to buckle.
Did You Not See What I Saw?
I also know what Kevin Roberts, J.D. Vance, and others are doing as they dance around some of these guys. They want to attract young zoomers to their side, many of them male, and they think the way to do that is to punch back hard at critics, refuse to fold to criticism, and show a high tolerance for inflammatory positions that rile up the left. If they have to accommodate a few closeted gay guys with a Nazi fetish who blame the Jews for everything, they’ll do it and reason that, once they win, they can clean up. But they want to win first.
Tucker Carlson’s Sinking Ideological Ship
Tucker Carlson’s embrace of Nick Fuentes might perhaps be what finally divides the base between those who want to remain on Carlson’s sinking ship and those who would return to constitutional conservatism.
Heritage’s Shaky Foundation
On the menu today: Happy Halloween. Genuine scary stuff today, as the Heritage Foundation insists there’s nothing beyond the pale in Tucker Carlson’s interview with Nick Fuentes.
We Need a President to Make Congress Great Again
So long as the congressional parties are just pawns or enemies of the president, only a president can restore Congress.
The Next Step in Ending Racial Preferences in Higher Education
“Hispanic-Serving Institutions” policies are flagrantly unconstitutional.
Crisis on the Right as Heritage Foundation President Roberts Seems to Go Groyper
I’m not one who thinks that “globalist” is always, or even often, a code word for Jews. I once did an informal study of the use of globalist in a major Trumpy publication, and I found that the vast majority of people it deemed “globalist” were not Jews.
Has Tucker Carlson Lost His Mind? (And Is This Kind of Insanity Contagious?)
About three weeks ago, I found myself on the phone with my buddy Evan Sayet, who had become very concerned about the growing influence of a certain type of “Christian nationalist” rhetoric on the Right. We talked a long time about it, and my argument was that the size and influence of this specifically anti-Jewish crowd has been exaggerated.
Bad Ideas on the Filibuster Front
The government has been shut down for nearly a month, and Trump made headlines last night by floating the idea of eliminating the filibuster in order to end the shutdown. Jim Geraghty, on today’s edition of The Editors, points out that this isn’t the first time Trump has pushed to eliminate the filibuster, and that it would be ill-advised for Republicans to cave to his whim here.
The Wrong ‘One Voice’
By giving Tucker Carlson a pass, the Heritage Foundation’s leader is making more space on the right for antisemitism.
The ‘Autopen Presidency’ Is a Pardon Scandal
The power has become synonymous with corruption.
MAGA’s False Patriots
When Tucker Carlson praises Moscow and mocks Washington, it’s not just bad optics—it’s a sign that parts of the right have stopped loving this country.
Heritage Americans
A venomous coalition.
Mark Levin’s take
Mark Levin spoke to the Republican Jewish Coalition 40th anniversary summit in Las Vegas last night. Tucker Carlson and his friends were of course top of mind. Mark takes up the path Carlson has gone down over the past few years and other matters we have noted here. Except for his optimism, I identify with just about everything Mark has to say in his patented style here. I especially appreciate his discussion of Israel’s protection of the holy sites in its custody — in response to Vice President Vance’s remarks last week — at about 13:00. “Are you kidding me?” This is something of a therapeutic truth blast. “And one last thing for my third last thing…”
In re: Kevin Roberts
Robert George is the highly regarded McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence and Director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals & Institutions at Princeton. He is also a member of the Heritage Foundation board of trustees, whose president is making his stand with Tucker Carlson after Carlson’s friendly chat with neo-Nazi Nick Fuentes.
Heritage Trustee: “I will not—I cannot—accept the idea that we have ‘no enemies to the right'”
Prof. Robbie George: “The white supremacists, the antisemites, the eugenicists, the bigots, must not be welcomed into our movement or treated as normal or acceptable. Is this a call for “cancelation”? No. It’s a reminder that we conservatives stand for something—or should stand for something. We have core principles that are not negotiable.”
Biden alumni have Trump envy
Democratic former officials want a more adventurous executive next time.
The American New Right Looks Like the European Old Right
When conservatives reject constitutional limits on executive power and foment civil conflict, what exactly are they conserving?
