Lipton Matthews: Slavery Was Not the Difference.....

....How Legal Innovations Made America a Superpower While Brazil Stagnated

On the American Left, a familiar idea has taken root: that slavery was not just one feature of the young republic’s economy but its actual engine, the true source of the wealth that later carried the United States into industrial preeminence. This argument, once confined to specialist debate, has since moved into the mainstream, most visibly through the New York Times’ 1619 Project, and it draws further support from a cluster of historians writing under the banner of the New History of Capitalism. These scholars argue that the productivity of enslaved labor and the credit markets built on slave-backed collateral were foundational to American growth rather than incidental to it.

David R. Henderson: The Deadly Focus on Income and Wealth Inequality

Myths that make for stirring political slogans hold back—and even harm—actual people.

Readers under age fifty-five might not realize this, but economic inequality was not a large issue in American political discussions until 1992. After that year, discussions of the issue ebbed and flowed. So much of what has been said by opponents of inequality is simple assertion. What has been missing in the statements of those who want government to reduce inequality is much information about why it exists and any sense of why some kinds of inequality are good.

DTNZ: Vance warns of ‘rising interest in socialism’ in US

Republicans risk losing younger voters unless living standards improve, the vice president has said.

The US Republican Party must address the economic pressures facing Americans or risk driving more young people toward socialism, Vice President J.D. Vance has said.

Vance made the remarks in an interview with Fox News on Thursday, pointing to the cost of housing a

Melanie Phillips: The dawn of a new world order

An increasingly hostile American public has little idea of the necessity and importance of the war against Iran

Most people in America are against the war with Iran, as they are in Britain, too.

Very few, however, actually understand why this war is as necessary as it is unavoidably complex.

Andrew Moran: The World Is Begging for America’s Oil

The Strait of Hormuz has been effectively closed for seven weeks. Tanker traffic has cratered, regional production has plummeted by the most on record, and global energy prices have rocketed. In the United States, businesses are paying higher input costs, and consumers feel like it’s 2022 again. But the broader US economy could be relatively unscathed by the war in Iran as the world rushes to buy America’s oil, providing a cushion for growth prospects.

Melanie Phillips: The West’s fifth column

Much of the media and political class is willing America and Israel to lose to Iran

At around 2 a.m. on the last day of Passover in Israel, weary Israelis once again hauled themselves from their beds into air-raid shelters and safe rooms as the sirens started to wail.

Iran had fired yet more barrages of missiles at Israel and the Gulf states. That was its reaction to the announcement that had just been made by US President Donald Trump that Tehran had agreed to a two-week ceasefire. The regime’s response was immediately to break it.

Mike's Minute: America might be able to help in the Pacific

Forget Greenland – in our own backyard we have growing action in the Pacific between America and China.

This is not breaking news, but the US is trying to renew its strategic compact ties with places like Palau and the Marshall Islands, and testimony in front of the House Committee on Natural Resources suggests China is waging a sustained influence campaign aimed at weakening democratic institutions and strategic alignment in the Pacific.

Laurie Wastell: US Launches Airstrikes on Islamic State in Nigeria to Protect “Innocent Christians”

The Trump administration has launched airstrikes on Islamic State in north-west Nigeria in coordination with Nigerian authorities, killing multiple militants. While Nigeria insists the strikes had “nothing to do with a particular religion”, President Trump railed against “Isis terrorist scum… who have been targeting… innocent Christians”. The Times has the story.

Perspective with Ryan Bridge: What will Trump's border crackdown do to tourism?

Donald Trump has every right to crack down on the American border. There are problems there that we, down here in little old New Zealand, just don't understand.

Illegal migration sounds to us like a far away and non-threatening concept because, well, it is. Thank you, ocean.

Dr Oliver Hartwich: EU mistaking paperwork for power, acronyms for armies

Last month, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen presented her plans for 2026 to the European Parliament. She promised the continent would become the “master of its own destiny”, build its own armies, control key technologies and lead the green transformation without depending on America or China.

Dave Patterson: China Is Testing the US Indo-Pacific Defense

First and second island chain defense against China is taking shape.

As the US attempts to formulate an Indo-Pacific strategy to counter China, heeding concerns of leaders of island nations in the second island chain would be a good start. Worrying Beijing’s bullying its neighbors is a sentiment also expressed by the leadership of first island chain countries, which include Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines.

Professor Ananish Chaudhuri: Trump may be wielding tariffs but he’s not winning the trade war

A recent New York Times article argues that Donald Trump is winning the trade war. “As major economies fall in line to sign agreements that include the highest tariffs in modern history, the president’s vision for global trade is rapidly being realized.”

Ostensibly this is because EU, Japan and other countries have made peace with 15 to 20 percent tariffs. While these tariffs are certainly lower than what was proposed earlier, they are still much higher than the approx. 3 per cent that prevailed prior to this. These tariffs are also at their highest level since the early part of the 20th century.

Dr Oliver Hartwich: Europe’s capitulation to Trump

When NATO was founded in 1949, Europe and America worked as genuine partners. Sure, the Europeans needed American security guarantees more than Washington needed another military commitment. But there was mutual respect and shared purpose. Both sides knew the transatlantic relationship meant give and take.

How times have changed.

Ele Ludemann: Hard now or harder in future

Richard Prebble writes:

. . .America is heading for an economic crisis.

This crisis hasn’t been caused by one party or President. It’s been building for decades, driven by demographic change, too many promises and not enough taxpayers. . . .

Caleb Anderson: Public Policy and the Most Unholy of Trinities

I did most of my postgraduate study through what you might call conservative institutions of learning in the United States. I still have connections with these institutions.

I received this survey from Hillsdale College this week, and felt it was highly relevant in light of recent evidence of persistent radicalization of our education system.

Our Education Minister's recent comments in defence of the wording of the Education Training and Amendment Bill give additional cause for concern.

Gina Rinehart AO: Regarding the election results.

Comment from Mrs. Gina Rinehart AO regarding the election results.

“The left media did a very successful effort, frightening many in the Liberal Party from anything Trump and away from any Trump like policies.

This has been especially obvious this year, with the Liberals instead becoming known as the “me too” party. Trump style “make Australia great” policies via cutting government tape, government bureaucracy and wastage, and hence being able to cut taxes, too scarce in Australia this year to rate a mention.

Larry Bell: China has us in a mineral choke hold, the U.S. must break it

One good early outcome of President Donald Trump’s trade war with China is a wake up call regarding the unacceptable consequences of Beijing’s weaponization of America’s dependence on rare earth minerals critical to advancing military technologies and domestic industries, including electric vehicles.

Craig Rucker: Can the arsenal of democracy defeat the arsenal of autocracy?

American industrial might won the First and Second World Wars and prevented a third.

Could we do it again?

After over a half century of Socialist stagnation, the Chinese Communist Party embraced free market reform. With the brakes off, an economic miracle ensued.

Dr Don Brash: Time for ANZAC 2.0?

A few days ago, I read an article by Oliver Hartwich, the executive director of the New Zealand Initiative, entitled “Time for ANZAC 2.0”. I generally agree with material produced by the New Zealand Initiative, and in particular with articles written by Dr Hartwich. But not this time.

Dr Oliver Hartwich: The US is in retreat as China rises - it’s time for ANZAC 2025

Donald Trump’s February call with Vladimir Putin over Ukraine’s future marked the end of the post-war order. His promised visit to Moscow and Putin’s planned trip to Washington herald a new era of raw power politics. His Vice President’s speech in Munich then delivered the divorce papers to America’s traditional allies. The clash with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the White House then made it official.

With America in global retreat, the world has lost its policeman. America’s long-standing security commitments can no longer be relied on – not under Trump and not for a long time after him, not in Europe and not in the Pacific.