Brendan Carr Says Networks Must Serve the 'Public Interest.' What Does That Mean?
Congress placed the term in the law but chose not to define it, leaving that task for future regulators.
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The Ryder Cup Was a Cakewalk—Until America Let the Rest of Europe Play
Plus: Fewer people are betting, and did ABC pick Jimmy Kimmel over the NFL?
Cannabis Isn't the Cure for Chronic Pain
Flawed research methods are misleading patients and might embolden prohibitionists. Marijuana has promise in treating certain sorts of discomfort, but some conditions still require powerful narcotics.
Tough It Out
Plus: Charlie Kirk's funeral's aesthetics, Kamala Harris' election postmortem, and more...
Trump's Latest Tariff Defense Asserts Uncheckable Executive Power
The president’s attempt to evade the major questions doctrine deserves to be rejected.
Brickbats: October 2025
News of politicians, police, and bureaucrats behaving badly from around the world
60 Years Ago, Ayn Rand Denounced FCC Censorship. Brendan Carr Should Listen.
In her 1962 essay "Have Gun, Will Nudge," Rand explained exactly how the public interest standard would lead to censorship.
Free Speech Means You Can Criticize Anyone
Plus: Fallout from the Tom Homan bribery probe, U.S. forces strike Venezuelan drug boats, and Trump considers sending troops back to Afghanistan
These 2 Terrible Tech Bills Are on Gavin Newsom's Desk
One limits children’s access to mental health services, the other mandates a black box warning, and both undermine users’ digital privacy.
Louisiana Cops Beat a Naked Inmate During a Strip Search. Long Withheld Video Shows He Was Compliant.
Although the officers were eventually criminally convicted, Jarius Brown is still pursuing damages to cover the medical expenses for serious injuries to his face, nose, and chest.
Mountain Lions in Los Angeles Don't Need a $92 Million Government Project To Survive
There are cheaper solutions to help the not-endangered beasts get around.
Why Does Trump Want U.S. Troops Back in Afghanistan?
Mike Waltz is no longer national security adviser, but his plans for Bagram Air Base seem to have stuck in the president's head.
Michigan Anti-Porn Bill Would Criminalize ASMR, Written Erotica, and Even Nonsexual Depictions of Trans People
Under the law, transgender people writing about their gender identity online could face 20 years in prison and a $100,000 fine.
Make America Fertile Again: The Strange Bedfellows of the New Baby Boom Agenda
The pronatalist movement is selling bad policies and rigid ideas about gender. There is a better way.
The $100,000 Visa
Plus: Zohran Mamdani wanted to defund the police in 2022, fourth alleged narcotrafficking boat downed, and more...
America's Free Speech Culture Is Under Attack From Within
The First Amendment still stands, but the culture that supports it is eroding.
The Government Was Lying to You About Afghanistan. Dan Krauss Has the Receipts.
Reason is sharing an exclusive clip from Bodyguard of Lies, an upcoming documentary about the failed war in Afghanistan.
Photo: Artificial Intelligence Tattoos Are Here
The makers of this AI-powered robot promise greater precision and less pain.
The FCC's Involvement in Canceling Jimmy Kimmel Was 'Unbelievably Dangerous,' Ted Cruz Says
Rand Paul concurs that the threats preceding the comedian's suspension were "absolutely inappropriate" because the agency has "no business weighing in on this."
The History of Minox Cameras, James Bond's Real-Life Spy Tool Used by the CIA
You can still get a secondhand Minox subminiature camera. Finding someone to process the film might be more difficult.
Alcohol Escapes a Government Crackdown—for Now
A quiet push to declare “no safe level” of drinking has officially fizzled.
Faerie Smut Is About More Than Bathtubs and Archery
Don't judge A Court of Thorns and Roses by its covers.
Should Elected Officials Censor Americans? Trump's Administration Says Yes.
Vice President J.D. Vance and Sen. Cynthia Lummis are among the latest conservatives to turn their backs on free speech when it comes to their ideological opponents.
Judge to Mangione Prosecutors: Not All Political Murder Is Legally 'Terrorism'
The latest ruling reminds us that terrorism statutes are mostly redundant.
Americans Like Drugs. Killing Drug Traffickers Won't Change That.
Most U.S. drug traffickers are Americans, but the president is ordering extrajudicial maritime killings while ignoring the domestic demand that drives the market.
The U.N. Pullout
Plus: Eric Adams pursues trans bathroom policy change, SCOTUS to rule on Lisa Cook firing, and more...
Donald Trump Is Not a Peace President
Trump struggles to articulate any foreign policy view with much coherence, and has a fragile ego that makes world conflicts all about him.
Philadelphia Punished Small Businesses for Opposing Curfew, Say Food Truck Owners
Regulatory power is all too often abusively targeted.
Review: A Documentary Portrait of Inmates Who Quilt
Netflix's The Quilters goes inside a maximum security prison where men sew quilts for foster children.
Review: Girl on Girl Explores the Dark Side of '90s Nostalgia
Author Sophie Gilbert's book dissects turn-of-the-century media and the role of women in it.
The Trump Administration Misses Key Deadlines for Imposing Restrictions on Gain-of-Function Research
Biosafety advocates worry the administration is backtracking on its promise to implement meaningful restrictions on the type of research that likely caused the COVID-19 pandemic.
Florida's State-Run Immigration Detention Centers Omit Hundreds of Detainees from Federal Tracking
Individuals housed at state-run immigration detention centers frequently don’t show up in the online detainee locator system, making it hard for their family and their lawyer to find them.
Trump Is Embracing 'Daddy State' Economics
Markets thrive on predictable rules, but when the president takes equity stakes or pressures firms at will, investment and risk-taking give way to hesitation.
Milei Raises Government Spending While Pledging Zero Deficit
With midterms ahead, Milei promises more funding for pensions, health, and education.
Freddie deBoer: Charlie Kirk's Murder Reveals a Cultural Sickness
Writer Freddie deBoer discusses the assassination of Charlie Kirk and his theory of "spectacular acts of public violence" on the final episode of Just Asking Questions.
The FCC Should Let Jimmy Kimmel Be
What the Trump administration is doing to late-night comedy is clearly jawboning.
Brendan Carr Flagrantly Abused His Powers To Cancel Jimmy Kimmel
"We can do this the easy way or the hard way," the FCC chairman said, threatening to punish broadcasters for airing the comedian's show.
What Does It Mean for Trump To Designate Antifa a 'Terrorist Organization'?
America doesn’t have an official list of domestic terrorist organizations, but the declaration could mean heavier political surveillance and RICO prosecutions.
The Federal Reserve Cuts Rates With Inflation Still Hot. Is Political Pressure Winning?
When the Federal Reserve is concerned about inflation, it increases the federal funds rate. Despite expressing such concerns, the Fed lowered it.
Did You Ask the FCC If You Can Make That Joke?
Plus: America's cocaine habit, how Charlie Kirk handled South Park, and more...
Trump's 'Firing' of Lisa Cook Is Headed for SCOTUS
Plus: Pam Bondi flunks free speech 101.
Brazil's Democracy Is Not Safer After Bolsonaro's Conviction
The unprecedented conviction of the former president is reshaping Brazilian politics.
How Did Poland Get So Far Ahead of Hungary?
Fewer than 35 years after escaping the yoke of Soviet-style central planning, Poland has become a legitimate global powerhouse.
