- Piero Cipollone via Economist: ‘The early crypto movement may have imagined a world with no central banks, where finance could operate without governments, public institutions or trusted intermediaries. But the financial system now taking shape points to a different destination. The history of digital finance is often presented as an attempt to escape public money, but all along it may have been a search for a better way to use it.’
- Matt Continetti in WSJ: ‘The sight of the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights might make Mr. Xi uncomfortable. After all, he approved his government’s 2013 “Communiqué on the Current State of the Ideological Sphere,” which labeled “Western Constitutional Democracy,” “universal values” and “civil society” as threats to the Chinese Communist Party. The lengthy memo, known as “Document Nine,” is directly opposed to the principles of the Declaration of Independence—America’s Document One.’
‘Why then has America avoided debating values with China? Why haven’t our leaders spoken up more forcefully for dissidents? Why have we let this powerful tool go to rust? Economic entanglement is one reason. A loss of confidence is another. Patriotism is in decline. American exceptionalism is considered outmoded—a pleasant story that every country tells itself. Domestic concerns predominate. Why worry about democracy abroad when so many of us consider it threatened at home?
This is a trap. A nation without pride is unlikely to summon the resources necessary for its defense. A nation afraid to promote its distinctive ideals is defenseless against ideological assault.’ - Mark Schneider, AEI: ‘NCLB’s focus on proficiency was needed to pressure states and the nation to improve all students’ learning. But by focusing on proficiency, we’ve left too many children behind, as reflected in the growing percentages of those who score below NAEP Basic. We’re also leaving behind middle school teachers who will instruct a growing number of students who are lacking the fundamental reading skills teachers likely assume their students already have. And we’re leaving the nation behind by not preparing a growing number of students for a future when proficient reading comprehension will set them apart from AI.’
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