Discourse Magazine Closes
The Neo-Classical Liberal
This reflects a dilemma faced by Mercatus more broadly. In recent years, they have put a lot of effort (from which I benefitted) into a “pluralism” agenda, which was supposed to encourage people to find common ground and have productive conversations across the usual partisan divides. It’s not a bad idea, but at a Mercatus pluralism event about this time last year, the looming unreality of it began to sink in. Much of the discussion seemed useful and appropriate—in a world where Donald Trump had no chance of being elected again. And if Kamala Harris were president right now, it would still seem that way. But in a world where the political divide is between democracy and authoritarianism, between freedom and dictatorship, finding “common ground” with authoritarians just becomes a form of surrender.
Independent Agencies Not Independent
In her dissent, Kagan decried what she characterized as the court’s repeated use of the emergency docket “to destroy the independence of an independent agency, as established by Congress.” She suggested that the court had “all but overturned Humphrey’s Executor,” and she stated that these actions have occurred “with the scantiest of explanations.” “By means of such actions,” she concluded, “this Court may facilitate the permanent transfer of authority, piece by piece by piece, from one branch of Government to another.”
Jeff Bezos Kills Endorsement
The Bulwark
And that’s what this story is about: It’s about the most consequential American entrepreneur of his generation signaling his submission to Trump—and the message that sends to every other corporation and business leader in the country. In the world. Killing this editorial says, If Jeff Bezos has to be nice to Trump, then so do you. Keep your nose clean, bub.
SCOTUS Grants Sweeping Immunity
Sotomayor contended that the majority’s decision might sweep more broadly than her colleagues acknowledged. First, she argued that the line that Roberts drew between official and unofficial conduct “narrows the conduct considered ‘unofficial’ almost to a nullity. It says that whenever the President acts in a way that is not manifestly or palpably beyond his authority, he is taking official action.” And the majority takes an “expansive view” of the core powers of the presidency, she continued, that “will effectively insulate all sorts of noncore conduct from criminal prosecution.” “In every use of official power,” she concluded, “the President is now a king above the law.”
Mitch McConnell Capitulates
The Bulwark
McConnell hates Trump. McConnell was never MAGA. McConnell is not in favor of authoritarianism. But none of that mattered because Trump was able to align McConnell’s primary goals with his own. And so in the end, McConnell became Trump’s tool just as surely as if he’d been a toadying true-believer.