There is a renewed effort to impose a wealth tax on Americans. Several bills in Congress would tax and redistribute wealth supposedly to benefit the poor and “ensure the wealthy pay their fair share,” in the words of President Joe Biden. Biden and U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D–Mass.) have offered the most widely discussed proposals for taxing wealth.

California-based company Diamond Shruumz was once one of the premier providers of microdosing products in the US. Providing “artisanal chocolates… designed for creative souls,” Diamond Shruumz offered chocolate bars, ice cream cones, gummies, and other sweets with trace amounts of psilocybin- the psychedelic found in magic mushrooms. 

The Associated Press explained what had happened in France’s parliamentary elections in the eighteenth paragraph of its July 8 story: “Rather than rallying behind [President Emmanuel] Macron,” AP reported, “millions took the vote as an opportunity to vent anger about inflation, crime, immigration and other grievances.” 

A romantic view of democracy depicts democratic governments as accountable to their citizens and acting in their citizens’ interests. An alternative view of democratic governments—and all governments—is that they are run by an elite few and act to further the interests of the elite.

The scale of fraud against U.S. taxpayers during the coronavirus pandemic amounts to billions, possibly even trillions of dollars. Count the Internal Revenue Service among the government agencies that enabled the frauds that were perpetrated. The numbers aren’t small, as Reason’s J.D. Tucille reports:

The benches cleared in the ninth inning at Baltimore’s Camden Yards on July 12 after Yankees closer Clay Holmes hit Orioles batter Hester Kjerstad in the head with a 97-mph sinker. The pitch struck Kjerstad’s batting helmet. Not seriously hurt, fortunately, he jumped up immediately from home plate after dropping to the deck in an unsuccessful effort to avoid Holmes’s pitch.

During last year’s Liberal National Convention, Justin Trudeau delivered the keynote speech. He was animated and worked the podium to dispel rumors that he was no longer up for the job. Trudeau stared into the camera and spoke directly to his political opponent Pierre Poilievre: “They either say investing in Canadians is a waste of money, or that our policies are too woke. Too woke, he said. Hey Pierre Poilievre, it’s time for you to wake up.”

Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell once again warned earlier this month that the U.S. government’s fiscal policy is on an unsustainable path.

Since the start of 2024, numerous well-known restaurant chains have announced sizable closures and incrementally more drastic restructuring efforts. TGI Fridays has closed numerous locations across the US and sold eight corporate-owned locations to strengthen its franchise model and close underperforming stores. Denny’s shut down 57 restaurants in 2023 and announced additional closures for 2024 due to inflationary pressures. Boston Market drastically reduced its number of restaurants from around 300 to just 27 by March 2024, driven by landlord evictions, unpaid bills, and state shutdowns due to unpaid sales taxes. Mod Pizza abruptly closed 27 locations across the US, including five in California, just before the new minimum wage law took effect.

In ten years, Americans counting on Social Security benefits for income will be in for a shock.