The Kash Patel Loyalty Test
What is the FBI doing? Since the start of the Trump administration, the FBI has ramped up their use of polygraphs, or lie-detector tests. Used in the past to suss out whether employees can be trusted with secret information, the FBI under Director Kash Patel has a new application for polygraphs: Sniffing out whether employees have ever said anything mean about their boss, the controversial right-wing figure himself.
“The use of the polygraph, and the nature of the questioning, is part of the F.B.I.’s broader crackdown on news leaks, reflecting, to a degree, Mr. Patel’s acute awareness of how he is publicly portrayed,” reports The New York Times. “The moves, former bureau officials say, are politically charged and highly inappropriate, underscoring what they describe as an alarming quest for fealty at the F.B.I., where there is little tolerance for dissent. Disparaging Mr. Patel or his deputy, Dan Bongino, former officials say, could cost people their job.”
Lie detectors, of course, are regarded as junk science, so it’s a little insane that the FBI deploys them to the degree it does in the first place. But it’s especially wild that they’re trying to use them to sniff out who is loyal to top officials vs. who feels allegiance to the Constitution and to defending the laws of this country, which is really what these agents ought to be concerned with. (Regardless, lie detectors won’t be able to get them very far on either front.)
Tariff whiplash: Yesterday’s Roundup tackled President Donald Trump’s trade war with Brazil. Today, I bring you fresh insanity: Trump has threatened Canada with a 35 percent tariff to be imposed on August 1—an escalation from the current 25 percent he’s already imposed for anything that doesn’t fall under the terms of the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement. “Fentanyl is hardly the only challenge we have with Canada, which has many Tariff, Non-Tariff, Policies and Trade Barriers, which cause unsustainable Trade Deficits against the United States,” said Trump on Truth Social, changing his argument from “Canada needs to stop bringing fentanyl into our borders” to “Canada in some way exploits us with (unspecified) unfair trade practices.”
“If for any reason, you decide to raise your Tariffs, then, whatever the number you choose to raise them by, will be added onto the 35% that we charge,” war
Article from Reason.com
The Reason Magazine website is a go-to destination for libertarians seeking cogent analysis, investigative reporting, and thought-provoking commentary. Championing the principles of individual freedom, limited government, and free markets, the site offers a diverse range of articles, videos, and podcasts that challenge conventional wisdom and advocate for libertarian solutions. Whether you’re interested in politics, culture, or technology, Reason provides a unique lens that prioritizes liberty and rational discourse. It’s an essential resource for those who value critical thinking and nuanced debate in the pursuit of a freer society.
