[link removed]
October 1, 2025
Welcome to The Lighthouse, the weekly email newsletter of the Independent Institute covering politics, economics, current events, and everything in between.
Dear Readers,
After failing to reach an agreement, the deferral budget expired on the evening of September 30th, officially beginning what is commonly referred to as a “government shutdown.” Leading off this week, Craig Eyermann foreshadows the political spectacle.
Francis Crescia continues, writing up how Mark Carney’s government recycles old Liberal policies under a fresh bureaucratic facade while achieving little tangible progress.
Caleb Fuller and Art Carden respond to a review of Mere Economics, defending economics as a vital tool for understanding human choice, arguing that incentives shape behavior even in areas such as love, faith, and family life.
James Rushmore reminds us that, despite tragic events and political pressure, decades of Supreme Court precedent affirm that the First Amendment protects even offensive or hateful speech from government censorship.
I discuss a scene in The Devil Wears Prada that illustrates how ideas often trickle down from elites to the masses through cultural osmosis, shaping decisions in ways people may not even be aware of.
Finally, Lawrence McQuillan writes how recent fires emphasize how private land ownership incentivizes better wildfire prevention.
Enjoy.
Jonathan Hofer
Managing Editor
Top picks this week
[link removed]
** The Unwanted Return of Government Shutdown Theater ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------
** by Craig Eyermann
------------------------------------------------------------
Does partisan brinkmanship promise meaningful reform? Or merely risk embarrassment?
Read More ([link removed])
[link removed]
** Carney Adds More Bureaucracy, with Same Old Policies ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------
** by Francis Crescia
------------------------------------------------------------
If the Liberal government fails to cut spending, reduce its size, and restore confidence in the free market, then Canada’s economic situation is sure to worsen.
Read More ([link removed])
[link removed]
** On Mere Economics: A Reply to Peter Leithart ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------
** Mere Economics, not Summa Economica ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------
** by Caleb S. Fuller & Art Carden
------------------------------------------------------------
Surely it’s not dismal that, through voluntary exchange, we bear one another’s burdens?
Read More ([link removed])
[link removed]
** Does the First Amendment Apply to “Hate Speech”? ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------
** by James Rushmore
------------------------------------------------------------
There’s a right way and a wrong way for Pam Bondi and her peers in the Department of Justice to honor Charlie Kirk’s legacy.
Read More ([link removed])
[link removed]
** The Devil Wears Cerulean: Marcuse, Meryl Streep, Hayek and Anne Hathaway ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------
** How ideas can transfer via osmosis from the top down ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------
** by Jonathan Hofer
------------------------------------------------------------
Meryl Streep’s iconic monologue begs the question: where do political beliefs originate?
Read More ([link removed])
[link removed]
** More on Government Ownership of Land, Wildfires, and the Advantages of Private Stewardship ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------
** by Lawrence J. McQuillan
------------------------------------------------------------
Private stewardship of land properly aligns incentives with effective, innovative, and cost-efficient fire prevention that saves lives, preserves property and restores forest health.
Read More ([link removed])
** FEATURED BOOK — OUT SOON!
------------------------------------------------------------
** A Balance of Titans ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------
** Peace and Liberty in the New Multipolar World ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------
** By Ivan Eland
------------------------------------------------------------
“Ivan Eland proposes a bold new foreign policy for the United States, one that would encourage other nations to share the burdens of policing the world, saving the United States billions in defense spending and making peace more likely and sustainable.” —Harvey Sapolsky, professor emeritus of public policy and organization, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
[link removed]
Donate ([link removed])
[link removed]
[link removed]
[link removed]
[link removed]
[link removed]
[link removed]
mailto:
[email protected]
You received this message because you are subscribed to The Lighthouse.
Independent Institute, 100 Swan Way, Oakland, CA 94621-1428
Manage preferences ([link removed]) | Unsubscribe ([link removed])
Copyright © 2025 Independent Institute, All rights reserved.
