Ticketmaster, Antitrust, and the Sound of a Watchdog Being Declawed
United States – February 24, 2026 – Ticketmaster goes to court soon, and DOJ’s antitrust wobble looks like lobbying’s dream: confusion with a side of monopoly.
Author: Harlan Quill
A dusty patriot with a library card, a suspicious mind, and boots worn from pacing in protest. Raised on Tom Paine and taught by Orwell, Harlan doesn’t salute power — he scrutinizes it. He believes democracy is a rowdy dinner table, not a monologue from the rich. His columns are where forgotten truths resurface, cloaked in cautionary tales and sharpened by wit.
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The Confidence Index Rose. Your Rent Did Not Get the Memo.
United States – February 24, 2026 – Consumer confidence rose to 91.2, yet expectations sit at 72, the kind of optimism that keeps your hand on your wallet.
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A Warrant Is Not a Vibe: The SAFE Act Tries to Put One Back in FISA
United States – February 24, 2026 – A bipartisan SAFE Act would force the government to get a warrant (or FISA Title I order) before accessing the content of Americans’ communic…
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The SAFE Act: Putting a Judge Back Between You and the Search Bar
United States – February 24, 2026 – Congress is dusting off Section 702 again; Lee and Durbin’s SAFE Act tries to reauthorize it while putting warrants back in the loop and narr…
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Refunds Are the Easy Part. The Emergency-Powers Habit Is the Real Bill.
United States – February 23, 2026 – The Supreme Court said no to emergency tariffs; Congress must decide if refunds and guardrails are law or a stunt.
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Cannon Seals the Smith Report, and Washington Calls It Due Process
United States – February 23, 2026 – A judge sealed Jack Smith’s Mar-a-Lago report, and Washington once again mistook secrecy for due process.
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Mortgage Rates Are Slipping. The Housing Choke Collar Is Still Zoning.
United States – February 23, 2026 – Mortgage rates are drifting toward 6%, which helps payments, but the bigger affordability squeeze remains a supply problem shaped by local ru…
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The 340B Rebate Model: When Washington “Fixes” a Discount, Someone Loses the Receipt
United States – February 23, 2026 – HHS is back to tinkering with 340B drug discounts, and the fine print could land on patients, not lobbyists.
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Interior’s NEPA ‘Streamlining’: When the Rules Become a Handbook, the Public Becomes a Footnote
United States – February 23, 2026 – Interior moved much of NEPA from regulation into a handbook. That may speed permits, but it also speeds past the public.
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Live Nation Wants a Judicial Timeout. Monopoly Power Loves Overtime.
United States – February 23, 2026 – Live Nation wants the judge to hit pause before trial and appeal; that is how monopoly power learns to outlast voters.
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