US Political News Round Up: Lawyers, Investors, and the New Age of Power and Policy
Remember the Biden-era stock market jubilations? It was all about the Magnificent Seven —overhyped and overvalued. The tariff talk came at just the right time to disguise an overdue market correction. The administration framed it as “uncertainty over tariffs.” But no worries, like COVID, it will be “cured” by the same people who created it. Political noise on both sides continues to serve as distraction— like whistling at a referee during a soccer match.
Are lawyers and investors the most destructive forces in America? On one side, there are legal maneuvers that deter people from investing. On the other, roll-up acquisitions concentrate wealth that was once shared broadly. Bernie Sanders is on his “Oligarchy Tour,” pointing fingers at Elon Musk—but what about private equity groups (PEGs) ? Are they not a form of oligarchy? And PEGs owning law firms is legal—and mostly supported by Democrats. Try buying a house and living in peace ; your appreciation goes to investors. Under Bernie, it might become a kleptocracy ; under Kamala, a kakistocracy.
There are a variety of flavors of corruption. Currently, the most concerning kind is grand corruption. Grand corruption is when public institutions are co-opted by networks of ruling elites to steal public resources for their own private gain. It involves a wide variety of activities including bribery, extortion, nepotism, favoritism, cronyism, judicial fraud, accounting fraud, electoral fraud, public service fraud, embezzlement, influence peddling, and conflicts of interest.
The “party of youth” —as someone once said, “If you’re still a socialist at 40, you have no brain.” Harsh? Maybe. But look at the Democratic Party: do they seem to get wiser with age?
“If a man is not a socialist by the time he is 20, he has no heart. If he is not a conservative by 40, he has no brain.” — Winston Churchill
Why is fake news so persistent? It follows the same rule as bad customer service—the reputation sticks.
On fake news, consider Isaiah Berlin and Friedrich Hayek , knights of classical liberalism. Maybe that’s why Trump won—elites don’t put food on the table.
Liberalism and the Pursuit of Happiness
The root of fascism, communism, and all totalitarian ideologies lies in the naïve belief that there is only one correct way to live and that intellectuals can determine it with the certainty of natural sciences. Liberalism, by contrast, does not prescribe a singular way of life and this is its strength. It enables individuals with diverse beliefs, goals, and ambitions to coexist. This principle is embodied in the Declaration of Independence, which proclaims the “pursuit of happiness”—a pursuit meant for individuals to discover, not for the state to dictate. This is the core belief of liberalism.
With the Pope absent from climate advocacy, perhaps churches can fill the role. Whether lawyers act out of conviction or cash is debatable, but climate lawfare is on the rise. Are we heading back to gladiator justice—only with no one to fight?
The public trust doctrine had little to do with environmental law until the 1970s, when Joseph Sax argued it could support lawsuits to defend public resources.
Are law firms above the law ? Consider the government’s action against Perkins Coie , blocked by Judge Beryl Howell , an Obama appointee. Will we ever find answers to the big questions—like assassination attempts?
President Trump’s executive order against Perkins Coie was ruled unconstitutional and retaliatory. It cannot be enforced.
This ruling marks the biggest legal setback in Trump’s campaign against firms representing his political adversaries— many of which challenged the order in court.
It’s all in the family. Once lawyers secure a case , the food chain never ends. Knowing the system matters—justice is second. And sometimes the lawyers themselves become the story.
Abbe Lowell’s communications were ruled outside attorney-client privilege in a 2020 opinion by Judge Howell. The reason: potential evidence of crimes and involvement of non-lawyer third parties.
And finally, on tariffs: if your population can’t afford the goods they produce, your export model collapses. Without a home market , tariffs eventually hit hard. Two years from now, Democrats may still hate DJT—but maybe they'll admit he saw it coming.
