Bidens weak hand-off, dont blame inflation on Don and other commentary

Global order watch: Biden’s Weak Hand-Off“Biden is handing over a world that is running perilously amok under a permissive environment that began with his disastrous withdrawal of U.S.forces from Afghanistan,” thunder Jonathan Sweet & Mark Toth at The Hill.

“Wars in Ukraine and Israel,” Beijing threatening “Taiwan and the Philippines,” and “acts of sabotage” by Russia and China are the results “of a permissive environment created by the Biden administration.” “America needs to get back into the business of leading and winning” since our “adversaries understand strength.” In his first term, “Iran and Syria felt the wrath of Trump” and “Hamas got the message.” He “needs to apply ‘maximum pressure’ everywhere” to put an “end to Biden’s permissive environment.”Eye on the Fed: Don’t Blame Inflation on TrumpAfter blaming inflation on COVID, Ukraine and supply-chain disruptions, the Federal Reserve’s now eyeing the promised Trump tariffs as well, marvels ex-Fed board member Kevin Warsh in The Wall Street Journal.No: Inflation “arose from a government that spent too much and a central bank that printed too much.” Trump inherits “a fiscal and monetary mess,” with inflation still “40% higher” than the Fed’s target.

“Any inflationary effect of tariff policies will likely be of smaller magnitude than the disinflationary influence of deregulation and spending cuts” on Trump’s agenda.The Fed’s leaders should finally “take ownership of inflation” — and admit that “a smaller, less political, more effective Fed” can lead to “a brighter American future.”Libertarian: Newsom’s Deregulation MomentReason’s Steven Greenhunt praises Gavin Newsom’s decision to spare Los Angeles wildfire victims from “onerous” government permitting and review requirements in rebuilding.

It’s “smart politics and good policy,” but “why not take this approach further?” “If building regulation...