NATO Article 4 Consultation Weighed Amid Rising Drone Threats in Europe
Release Date: 09/25/2025
Understanding Free Market Economics Through Milton Friedman’s Lens
Beneath the Cypress and Star
Monetarism and the doctrine of shareholder-value maximization pushed U.S. companies toward an extract-at-all-costs model, which offshored jobs, hollowed out the domestic workforce, expanded the labor pool at home, and steadily eroded people’s ability to earn a livable wage. This model treats the economy like an infinite reservoir rather than a closed system with limits, so each demand for “more value” becomes another round of resource extraction, social, economic, and environmental, much like a malignancy growing without regard for its host. Before the rise of shareholder primacy in the...
info_outline
The Cost of Living Crisis and the 2026 Midterm Elections: America on the Brink
Beneath the Cypress and Star
The United States is entering a volatile period as the deepens and the 2026 midterm elections approach. The dismantling of the social safety net under the One Big Beautiful Bill has left millions of Americans without essential support, sparking unrest and uncertainty across all fifty states. Food insecurity, inflation, and rising unemployment are converging into what economists warn could be a sustained national emergency. As the Trump administration's policies prioritize symbolic displays of power over practical governance, citizens are finding themselves trapped between economic...
info_outline
Building Fair Governance Through Participatory Budgeting
Beneath the Cypress and Star
In this episode, we examine how participatory budgeting offers a pathway to rebuilding governance systems that benefit everyone, not just the wealthy or those with political connections. , participatory budgeting enables ordinary citizens to decide how public funds are spent, nurturing stronger accountability and inclusive governance. By embedding citizen participation into financial decision-making, democracy becomes tangible rather than theoretical. We also examine how and enhance the same democratic impulse. Both aim to dilute elite influence and amplify diverse voices in government....
info_outline
Capitalism and Exploitation: The Engine Beneath the System
Beneath the Cypress and Star
In this episode, we unpack the complex relationship between capitalism and exploitation, tracing how thinkers from Marx to modern critics have argued that the system’s survival depends on surplus extraction. Drawing on , we explore how profit emerges when workers create more value than they receive in wages. We also confront the uneasy question: can capitalism exist without exploitation? — a question that continues to haunt economic and moral debate. Exploitation isn’t just an unfortunate side effect of capitalism; it’s the very mechanism that keeps it running. The conversation turns...
info_outline
Trump Boat Bombings: How U.S. Strikes Are Shaping the War on Drugs in Latin America
Beneath the Cypress and Star
In today's episode, we dive into the controversial Trump boat bombings, exploring the recent escalation in U.S. military strikes on suspected drug traffickers. The Trump boat bombings are shaking the foundations of how the U.S. combats illegal narcotics operations. We break down the objectives of these attacks and the strategic reasons behind them, particularly in Latin American waters. The most recent drug boat strike in Venezuela is a critical focal point. This targeted bombing not only destroys suspected drug-laden vessels but also sends a strong message to drug cartels operating in the...
info_outline
National Guard Deployment: How Far Can Presidential Power Go?
Beneath the Cypress and Star
In this in-depth episode, we confront one of the most pressing and misunderstood questions in American governance: national guard deployment and its evolving role in maintaining internal security. With headlines dominated by discussions of possible troop movements, the use of force in U.S. cities, and questions about the limits of executive power, our conversation dives into the complex interplay between law, politics, and national defense. We begin by examining the mechanics of how the National Guard deployment process works in U.S. cities, shedding light on how governors and the federal...
info_outline
Elite Theory and the Drift of Democracy
Beneath the Cypress and Star
According to Elite Theory, even in democratic systems, a small group of inevitably dominates decision-making. As politicians climb in status, they often absorb the worldview of the ruling class, leading to policies that favor the wealthy. This process aligns with Robert Michels’ , which argues that every large organization eventually becomes governed by a self-interested elite. Modern research on political inequality supports this: representatives’ increasing wealth correlates with more conservative economic voting patterns and reduced empathy for ordinary citizens. Through elite theory...
info_outline
No Kings: America’s 3.5% Moment
Beneath the Cypress and Star
The No Kings protests 2025 have erupted into the largest wave of civil demonstrations in modern U.S. history. In cities across the country, millions joined , demanding limits on presidential authority and accountability from the administration. Organizers say these No Kings protests against Trump administration policies are a direct response to the , a doctrine advanced by Russell Vought, the architect of Project 2025. The influence has shaped much of the current administration’s agenda, centralizing executive control over agencies once insulated from politics. The movement’s...
info_outline
Wage Stagnation and the Purpose of the Corporation
Beneath the Cypress and Star
Wage Stagnation and the Purpose of the Corporation sit at the center of today’s economic and business debates, shaping how value is created and who benefits. Wage stagnation refers to a situation in which pay remains flat after adjusting for inflation, often associated with income inequality and weak real wage growth. Researchers point to multiple causes of wage stagnation in America, from automation to declining bargaining power, while policy analysts track its impact of wage stagnation on middle-class mobility and household resilience. For a clear research digest on wage patterns...
info_outline
Supreme Court Voting Rights Act: Section 2 on the Line
Beneath the Cypress and Star
This episode dives into the Supreme Court Voting Rights Act clash now centered on , where justices weighed a “color-blind” Constitution against remedies for Section 2 voting discrimination. Reportage from the argument suggests the Court may narrow how plaintiffs prove vote dilution and when courts can order additional majority-Black districts, a shift with national consequences for redistricting. We trace the road to this moment—Congress’s to cover discriminatory “results,” the Gingles framework, and the Court’s choice to re-argue Callais on Section 2’s...
info_outline
Danish officials are urging a NATO Article 4 consultation after repeated drone incursions at major airports, which they describe as a hybrid attack. The call highlights mounting concerns over Russian military activity near allied airspace and potential destabilization efforts. A NATO Article 4 consultation would allow members to discuss threats and determine a collective response before tensions escalate further.
Sources
https://metro.co.uk/2025/09/24/drones-spotted-yet-another-danish-airport-sparking-delays-cancellations-24255213/
https://thehill.com/policy/defense/5518804-russian-incursion-nato-airspace/
https://thepostmillennial.com/new-pete-hegseth-orders-urgent-meeting-of-top-military-leaders
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-09-23/trump-says-nato-allies-should-down-russian-aircraft-in-breaches
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/russia-planes-alaska-us-fighter-jets-intercept-bomber-fighter-jets-adiz/
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15133823/Hegseth-summons-mystery-emergency-meeting-generals-stoking-confusion.html
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/09/25/russian-pilots-dared-nato-start-war/
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/36826957/drones-denmark-airport-nato-zelensky-putin/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/09/25/hegseth-generals-quantico-meeting/
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/natos-rutte-members-target-russian-125323911.html
https://old.reddit.com/r/politics/comments/1nq7w8g/hegseth_orders_rare_urgent_meeting_of_hundreds_of/