February 2, 2026

JAMES FREEMAN: American Exceptionalism: It’s about time a European official forcefully rebutted the ‘Newsroom’ fallacy.

Even Barack Obama eventually came around to embracing American exceptionalism. But if one hangs around social media, one is periodically treated to a clip from an old HBO program in which a character played by Jeff Daniels seems to puncture the idea that there is something special and unique about the United States of America. The clip is often shared by those who wish to demonstrate that they are too smart and knowledgable to succumb to enthusiastic patriotism.

In the scene from a show called “The Newsroom,” Mr. Daniels is wittingly or unwittingly portraying a self-important and semi-informed media personage. His character dismisses the idea that the U.S. is the greatest country in the world and argues that freedom doesn’t particularly distinguish the U.S. He quickly rattles off an extensive list of other countries where people also enjoy freedom.

What he does not mention is that in every single one of the countries on his list, free people enjoy the protection of the American defense umbrella. The smug character then goes on to make the preposterous suggestion that roughly 180 countries in the world are free, as if it’s the natural state of things and not a blessing paid for with the blood of Americans and other brave people over many generations.

Of course there have also been enormous financial bills to pay. In only one country did free people build an economy large enough to fund the worldwide defense of liberty for decades. This exceptional and indispensable quality of America underlines why the financial health of the U.S. is also indispensable. There is no backstop for us. It’s essential that U.S. government spending is reduced and put on a path toward budget balance not just for Americans but because a collapse of the United States would be uniquely catastrophic for the world. Search history and it’s hard to find happy endings for governments that took on so much debt that interest payments rose above defense spending, as has recently occurred in the U.S.

Trump understands this.

Posted at 8:00 am by Glenn Reynolds

SAY ANYTHING:

The Community Note is brutal.

Posted at 7:47 am by Stephen Green

SPACE: Musk’s SpaceX applies to launch a million satellites into orbit.

Elon Musk’s SpaceX has applied to launch one million satellites into Earth’s orbit to power artificial intelligence (AI).

The application claims “orbital data centres” are the most cost and energy-efficient way to meet the growing demand for AI computing power.

Traditionally, such centres are large warehouses full of powerful computers that process and store data. Musk’s aerospace firm claims processing needs due to the expanding use of AI are already outpacing “terrestrial capabilities”.

It would increase the number of SpaceX satellites in orbit drastically. Its existing Starlink network of nearly 10,000 satellites has already been accused of creating congestion in space, which Musk denies.

The new network could comprise up to one million solar-powered satellites, according to the application filed on Friday with the US Federal Communications Commission – which does not specify a timeline for the plan.

SpaceX claims the system would deliver the computer capacity required to serve “billions of users globally”.

I’m trying to imagine the earthbound infrastructure to make that happen.

Posted at 7:32 am by Stephen Green

THE WALL OF DENIAL IS CRUMBLING ALL OVER:

Posted at 7:24 am by Glenn Reynolds

PUT THIS IN THE ELLIPSIS HALL OF FAME:

Yes. He actually yada-yadaed freedom of religion.

Posted at 7:08 am by Glenn Reynolds

INSTEAD OF PROVIDING ROOM & BOARD FOR 4 YEARS WHY NOT DEPORT HIM WITH THE SENTENCE SUSPENDED SO LONG AS HE STAYS THE F— OUT OF THE US?  23-Year-Old Illegal Immigrant Gets 4 Years for Firebomb Attack Amid Anti-Immigration Enforcement Riot.

Posted at 5:15 am by Sarah Hoyt