The ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ Will Add $2.4 Trillion to the Deficit

“In March, President Donald Trump stood before a joint session of Congress and vowed to “do what has not been done in 24 years: balance the federal budget.”

The first major legislative package of Trump’s second term, however, will throw the federal budget farther out of balance, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) concluded in an updated assessment of the bill.

The CBO estimates that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which cleared the House late last month and is awaiting a vote in the Senate, will increase deficits by $2.4 trillion over the next 10 years. The bill will reduce tax collections by an estimated $3.75 trillion over that period, while reducing government spending by an estimated $1.3 trillion.”

https://reason.com/2025/06/04/the-big-beautiful-bill-will-add-2-4-trillion-to-the-deficit/

The world in flux and Trump’s role in a new equilibrium – Stephen Kotkin Lecture – Apr 25

The insanity, cuelity, and incompetence of Trump on the global stage is pushing forward a global transition that needed to happen. Europe needs to pay its fair share to defend itself and the world can’t continue to let China take advantage of the system. The U.S. led world order is undemocratic and deeply flawed, but what is the alternative?

The Biden administration went to Europe and asked if war breaks out in the Pacific, are you with us? Europe said no. Yet, they expect the U.S. to protect them from Russia.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtgWytCmulg

ICE ordered to pause most raids on farms, hotels and restaurants

“U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has directed immigration officials to largely pause raids on farms, hotels, restaurants and meatpacking plants, according to an internal email reviewed by Reuters, a senior Trump official, and a person familiar with the matter.

The order to scale back U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids came from Trump himself, the person familiar with the matter said, and appears to rein in a late-May demand by top White House aide Stephen Miller for more aggressive sweeps.”

“The White House pointed to a Trump social media post on Thursday where he said farms and hospitality businesses were concerned the administration’s far-reaching immigration enforcement was taking away “very good, long time workers” and promising changes.”

https://www.yahoo.com/news/us-immigration-officials-told-largely-044100625.html

U.S. Abandons Afghan Allies as Trump Administration Shuts Down Resettlement Programs

“The State Department is eliminating the CARE office and ending the Enduring Welcome program, stranding U.S. allies who risked their lives and were told America would protect them.”

https://reason.com/2025/06/06/u-s-abandons-afghan-allies-as-trump-administration-shuts-down-resettlement-programs/

Trump signs measure blocking California’s ban on new sales of gas-powered cars

“Trump signed a resolution on Thursday that blocks California’s first-in-the-nation rule banning the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035.

The state quickly announced it was challenging the move in court”

https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-sign-measure-blocking-californias-160449512.html

Trump vows changes to immigration crackdown to protect migrant farmers, hotel workers

“The president did not specify what changes could be in store to address worker shortages caused by his immigration crackdown.”

“About 42% of farm workers in the United States between 2020 and 2022 lacked legal status, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
“Our farmers are being hurt badly,” Trump said during an event in the White House East Room when asked about his position. “You know, they have very good workers. They’ve worked for them for 20 years. They’re not citizens, but they’ve turned out to be, you know, great.”

Trump said he plans to sign an executive order to address the situation, adding that it will take a “common sense” approach. “We can’t take farmers, take all their people and send them back because they don’t have maybe what they’re supposed to have, maybe not,” Trump said.

The White House has defended deportations of non-violent migrants who are in the United States unlawfully, arguing their presence in the country is grounds for being deported.”

https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-vows-changes-immigration-crackdown-164033884.html

This Small Business Is in Limbo As Owner Sues To Stop Trump’s Tariffs

“Imports are essential to the kits that Levi and his one employee assemble in a warehouse near Charlottesville, Virginia. For example, a kit that teaches kids how to build a small theremin requires a circuit board, resistors, capacitors, bits of wire, and plastic molding to hold batteries and other pieces in place.

“I don’t have millions and millions of dollars to spin up my own circuit board assembly line, and plastic mold injection, and everything,” Levi says.

Though he is running a small, niche operation, Microkits is in many ways a microcosm of American manufacturing. Levi provides the ideas and designs, and he oversees the final assembly of his products in America, but those products combine parts sourced from around the globe.”

https://reason.com/2025/06/06/this-small-business-is-in-limbo-as-owner-sues-to-stop-trumps-tariffs/

As American as Due Process

“To argue that Riley’s murder, tragic though it was, justifies skirting due process fundamentally misunderstands the purpose of the doctrine. It is not to excuse criminal behavior, but to ensure that accusations—especially when they carry life-altering consequences—are publicly tested by evidence and judged fairly.

Homan’s logic would see due process abolished. It need not apply, he says, in the face of serious allegations or unsympathetic individuals, which is contrary to why the Founders demanded its inclusion in the Constitution. They knew the power of the state was dangerous. The government doesn’t always get it right. “Because we said so” isn’t sufficient reason to abrogate anyone’s liberty.

That the prisoners sent to CECOT were not citizens is irrelevant. The Supreme Court has repeatedly confirmed that even those suspected of being in the U.S. unlawfully are entitled to due process of law. And the people in question were not merely deported—they were sent without charge or conviction to a notorious megaprison, where Kristi Noem, the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, has said she hopes the men are kept for life.”

“A country that claims to value liberty cannot shed the process meant to protect it. If due process is no longer sacred, neither is justice; and if some of us do not have due process, then none of us do. Trump has defined himself as someone who fights for American values: “Make America Great Again.” You cannot do that by discarding one of the core values that made the U.S. exceptional.”

https://reason.com/2025/06/08/as-american-as-due-process/

World Bank Cuts U.S. & Global Growth Outlook | Prof G Markets

U.S. and global economic growth predicted to slow due to really dumb economic policy out of Washington. Tariffs and unpredictability are bad for the economy.

Big tech companies are getting around antitrust by “investing” in startups, making their founder their employee, and pretending that this is an investment rather than an acquisition. This stifles competition.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cSLIx2X_A0