“It is so hard to live ethically in an unethical society.” That lament heard this week from New York Times opinion culture editor Nadja Spiegelman could well be the Democratic Party’s epitaph.
Spiegelman was interviewing two left-wing influencers about how everything from shoplifting to murder may be excusable today in light of the unfairness they see in society.
The podcast, a product of the nation’s newspaper of record, reveled in the moral relativism that has taken over the American left. It featured the ravings of the antisemitic Marxist streamer Hasan Piker, who calmly explained how the murder of United Healthcare executive Brian Thompson was perfectly understandable. His rationalization came from Marxist revolutionary Friedrich Engels, who had called capitalism “social murder.” If capitalists are “social murderers,” then why not kill them? The logic is liberating and lethal for some on the left looking for a license for violence.
But glorifying murder? The suggestion of open hunting season on corporate executives did not appear to shock or repel Spiegelman. After all, we are living in “an unethical society.” She explained that many felt that the murder of Thompson, the father of two, meant that “finally, someone can actually do something about health care.”
Even liberal comedians are practicing a literal version of slapstick. Margaret Cho this week declared that “we need a feral, bloodthirsty, violent Democrat.”
To be fair, Spiegelman did concede that it might seem a bit “scary” for some to start murdering our way to social justice.
She also explained that shoplifting can be justifiable because people are “stealing from Whole Foods — not just for the thrill of it, but out of a feeling of anger and moral justification.”
New Yorker writer Jia Tolentino also contributed to the podcast, titled “The Rich Don’t Play by the Rules. So Why Should I?” She immediately threw in her own experience with “microlooting” and explained why it is arguably moral: “I have, under very specific circumstances. I will say, I think that stealing from a big-box store [isn’t] significant as a moral wrong, nor is it significant in any way as protest.”
She detailed her own past thefts and added, “I didn’t feel bad about it at all, in part because the store was a corporation. And it certainly felt, in a utilitarian sense, I was like, this is not a big deal. Right, guys?”
Not in the confines of the New York Times, where apparently you are entitled to all goods that are fit to pilfer.
The bizarre exchange highlighted the moral chasm that is opening its maw on today’s political left. In my book “Rage and the Republic,” I write about how rage helps people excuse any offense or attack. It dismisses the humanity of others and provides a license to hate completely and without reservation.
It is not really murder or theft if there are no real humans on the other side, is it?
Other columnists have defended such property crimes. Washington Post writer Maura Judkis ran a column mocking shoplifting stories as the “moral panic” of a nation built on “stolen land.” It is reminiscent of those who excused rioting in past summers “as an expression of power” and demanded that the media refer to looters as “protesters.”
At its core, it is a denial of transcendent values and rights. It is a decoupling of our society from a grounding in moral or universal truths. It is a trend that extends not only to attacks on individuals but also to attacks on our constitutional system. There is a growing denial of our founding based on Enlightenment principles of natural rights, which come not from government but from God.
Some people seem to have forgotten this. In 2024, a celebrated political journalist memorably asserted that belief in God-given rights is a form of “Christian nationalism” — an odd claim about a concept the nation’s founders literally wrote into our Declaration of Independence.
Last year, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) — a man who represents Thomas Jefferson’s own state — attacked a witness in committee for espousing Jefferson’s immortal assertion that human beings’ natural rights are endowed by their Creator. Kaine disparaged this idea as something worthy of Iran’s mullahs.
The result is the type of moral free-fall and rejection of personal responsibility expressed on the New York Times podcast. Simply because they condemn our entire age as unethical, they feel justified in asserting a moral right to commit any offense, from microlooting to murder. This underpins the increasingly frequent justifications made for attacks against conservatives or law enforcement as a form of “defending democracy.”
Yet the feeling of “anger and moral justification” does not make an act moral. It is the morality of mayhem; a spreading decay within our society. History has shown us how democracies can become mobocracies.
During the French Revolution, journalist Jacques Mallet du Pan observed that “like Saturn, the Revolution devours its children.” The sad fact is, it is not just the danger of fellow revolutionaries deciding that you are the next reactionary to be guillotined. It is the self-consumption of radicals who untether themselves from any higher order or purpose. It is the knowledge that all mortals carry the Saturn gene; all mortals share the capacity to become monsters.
A US official said on Monday that President Donald Trump is unhappy with an Iranian proposal because it did not address Iran's nuclear programme.
"He doesn't love the proposal," the US official said, referring to Trump.
Earlier in the day, Trump discussed the proposal with his top national security aides. The US-Iran conflict remains in a stalemate with energy supplies from the region reduced.
Iranian sources earlier on Monday said the proposal would set aside discussion of Iran's nuclear programme until the war has ended and disputes over shipping from the Gulf are resolved. Washington has said nuclear issues must be dealt with from the outset.
Work to bridge gaps between the US and Iran has not halted, sources from mediator Pakistan have said.
But hopes of reviving peace efforts have receded since Trump announced this weekend he had scrapped a visit by his special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner to Islamabad, the Pakistani capital.
Bessent describes IRGC leaders as now "trapped like drowning rats" amid the enduring US naval blockade of Iranian ports, which will soon result in gasoline shortages, anger & uprising
Putin tells FM Araghchi that he's been in contact with the new Supreme Leader, and says Iran fighting for 'sovereignty'
After a weekend of stalemate malaise, Iran reportedly offers new proposal for opening ship traffic, while postponing the thorny nuclear issue; Rubio says 'will not tolerate' Iran control of strait
Trump says peace could come via telephone rather than face-to-face meetings, also warning Iranian oil infrastructure could explode from within unless flow resumes; Tehran later says Trump has requested new talks
Iranian FM has been sending written messages to US via Pakistani intermediaries
Israel strikes deep into Lebanon in Beqaa Valley for first time of 3-week ceasefire.
In the early evening of Monday, well after markets closed, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent issued the following on X (below), describing IRGC leaders as now "trapped like drowning rats" amid the enduring US naval blockade of Iranian ports, which will soon result in gasoline shortages and anger - and potential protests leading to uprising (according to US desires and aims). Also here is where things stand on the stalled negotiations, and an early hint of the potential White House reaction, per WSJ:
Iran has presented regional mediators with a new offer to stop its attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for a full end to the war, including the U.S.’s lifting of its naval blockade of Iranian ports and the postponement of nuclear negotiations, according to officials familiar with the matter.
The proposal, presented by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi during his tour of the region and Pakistan over the weekend, is designed to break the deadlock in the conflict and set talks back in motion, the people said. President Trump and his national-security team are skeptical of Iran’s offer, U.S. officials said. Trump previously said negotiations could happen over the phone instead of in person.
And: "Trump held discussions with aides Monday morning about the offer. While he didn’t reject it outright, officials said Trump sounded notes about Iran not dealing in good faith or being willing to meet his key demand: ending nuclear enrichment and vowing never to make a nuclear weapon."
Rubio: 'Will Not Tolerate' Iran Control of Strait
The latest via WSJ on what Iran is proposing, centered on immediately lifting the US naval blockade on Iranian ports:
Iran has presented regional mediators with a new offer to stop its attacks in the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for a full end to the war and a lifting of the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports, according to officials familiar with the matter. The proposal, presented by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi during his tour of the region and Pakistan over the weekend, is designed to break the deadlock in the conflict and set talks back in motion, the people said. It would see discussions about Iran’s nuclear program shelved. Washington hasn't responded to the proposal, one of the people said. Iran’s mission to the United Nations didn’t respond to a request for comment.
But US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has told Fox News on Monday that the US will not tolerate Iran controlling or establishing a toll system in the Strait of Hormuz. Rubio further asserted that the strait would remain open either through international pressure or a coalition-led effort.
Iranian Foreign Minister told Russia’s President Putin that US ‘destructive habits’, ‘unreasonable demands’ and frequent changes in positions are slowing diplomatic progress
Just days ago Iran began declaring that the first toll passage funds had been successfully transferred to the Central Bank of Iran, after Trump stated the US won't allow a toll system. Rubio further said the US will not normalize the Iranians being essentially a gatekeeper, with countries seeking permission from Iran.
Putin Says He's in Contact with Ayatollah in Araghchi Moscow Meeting
President Putin, FM Lavrov, and Iranian FM Araghchi have been meeting in Moscow, after warm greetings and amid competing narratives over the future of the Strait of Hormuz. The Russian leader said something surprising right out of the gate, at a moment Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has not been seen since the US-Israeli war began: "Last week I received a message from the Supreme Leader of Iran," he told Iran's Araghchi
Additionally Putin pledged, "The people of Iran are courageously and heroically fighting for their sovereignty." This certainly stands in sharp contrast from the US and Western consensus. Putin also stressed, "Russia will do everything that serves the interests of Iran and the region to achieve peace as soon as possible." This after Tehran on Monday made clear that it sees the future of the Strait of Hormuz as being under Iranian military control - an earlier headline which pushed crude prices up, and within hours later on this as well:
Hours prior, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described of Araghchi's arrival, "the importance of this conversation is difficult to overestimate in terms of how the situation around Iran and in the Middle East is developing." Araghchi to Putin: "It’s been proven to everybody that Tehran has friends and allies such as Russia... Allies that, in times of need, are standing next to Iran - and we are grateful to you for your support."
The moment Putin greeted the Iranian top diplomat and his team (below), and where things stand on Iran's proposal...
Iran has reportedly sent a new proposal to the U.S. that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but only after an end to the war and guarantees it will not resume, according to sources and regional reports. Under the plan, broader talks on the nuclear program and maritime navigation would come later.
Meanwhile President Trump is expected to hold a situation room meeting soon on Monday, related to Iran and the Hormuz crisis with his top national security and foreign policy team.
IDF Hits Beqaa Valley for First Time of Lebanon Truce
A three-week Lebanon ceasefire is officially in place, but in reality it exists on paper or in name only, as Israel has intensified and expanded its attacks, now striking the distant Beqaa Valley for the first time since the truce began. "The IDF says it has launched a wave of airstrikes against Hezbollah infrastructure in the Beqaa Valley and several areas of southern Lebanon," Israeli media reported Monday. "The strikes come following repeated Hezbollah attacks on IDF troops and Israel during the ceasefire, including a deadly drone attack yesterday," according to The Times of Israel.
The latest coverage notes that "Israel has not struck in Lebanon’s eastern Beqaa Valley in some three weeks." The IDF frames the escalation as a response to Hezbollah violations of the ceasefire, while Hezbollah argues Israeli ground forces are on Lebanese territory and therefore legitimate targets.
Meanwhile, Joseph Aoun told representatives from southern villages that negotiating with Israel "is not betrayal," but necessary for stability. The Maronite Catholic leader added that "Betrayal is carried out by those who take their country to war to serve foreign interests."
Iran Offers New Path To Opening Strait
Running a little ahead of schedule, Sunday evening brought this week's infusion of pre-Monday-open optimism about prospects of ending the US-Israel war on Iran. Axios' Barak Ravid, a veteran of Israeli intelligence who routinely posts anonymously-sourced scoops, reported that Iran has presented a new proposal for opening the Strait of Hormuz and ending the shooting -- though Iran's concept includes a potential non-starter via a proposed postponement of nuclear negotiations. No details were reported, beyond the notion of either an extended ceasefire or permanent end of the war that would accompany a full reopening of the strait.
Earlier on Sunday, President Trump said face-to-face discussions with the Iranians weren't essential to ending the war. "If they want to talk, they can come to us, or they can call us. You know, there is a telephone. We have nice, secure lines," he told Fox News. "They know what has to be in the agreement. It's very simple: They cannot have a nuclear weapon; otherwise, there's no reason to meet."
Sunday's micro-dose of hope capped a weekend in which negotiations were perceived as grinding to a clear stalemate marked by a lack of warfare but also a continued choking of traffic through the vital Strait of Hormuz. On Saturday, Trump's lead negotiators, Steve Witkoff and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner, were poised to travel to Islamabad for another round of negotiations with the Iranians when Trump nixed their trip at the last minute.
Iran's Fars news agency reported that Araghchi has "conveyed written messages regarding Iran’s red lines to the American side through Pakistani intermediaries."
Iranian Foreign Minister Shuttles Between Pakistan, Oman, Russia
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has been on the go.On Saturday, he left Pakistan after meeting with Pakistan's military chief, Asim Munir, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. On parting, Araghchi said he'd had a "very fruitful visit," while cautioning it's unclear "if the US is truly serious about diplomacy."
Then he was off to Oman for talks centered on re-opening the strait -- which lies between the two countries -- then back to Pakistan. By Monday, Araghchi was in St Petersburg, Russia for discussions with President Putin. Commenting on the relationship via X, Iran's envoy in Russia said:
"Iran and Russia are present in a united front in the campaign of the world's totalitarian forces against independent and justice-seeking countries, as well as countries that seek a world free from unilateralism and Western domination."
Trump: Iranian Oil Infrastructure In Peril From Limited Capacity
Trump toldFox News on Sunday that the US blockade on traffic to and from Iranian ports is putting major pressure on the country's export infrastructure:
“When you have, you know, lines of vast amounts of oil pouring through your system, if for any reason that line is closed because you can’t continue to put it into containers or ships, which has happened to them — they have no ships because of the blockade — what happens is that line explodes from within, both mechanically and in the earth."
“It’s something that happens where it just explodes. And they say they only have about three days left before that happens. And when it explodes, you can never, regardless, you can never rebuild it the way it was.”
That approximate scenario has also been outlined by the Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute. “Once the tanks are filled, Iran would have to shut down its oil fields, which risks long-term damage to the fields,” AEI's Annika Ganzeveld told the New York Post. A worst-case scenario doesn't only imperil Iran's economy, but also threatens to put more upward pressure on global energy prices. Analysts differ on how much time Iran has before a forced shutdown of production -- with estimates ranging from mere days to seven weeks.
TankerTrackers.com on Sunday reportedthat Iran has loaded roughly 4.6 million barrels of oil at its terminals, without specifying the time-frame in which the feat had occurred. The outlet said another 4 million barrels have somehow evaded the US blockade. That volume of oil buys a few more precious days of storage capacity, the Wall Street Journal says.
Meanwhile, citing claims made by the secretary-general of the Iran Shipping Association, FARS reported that "Iran's maritime trade flow has not stopped, and ships are reaching ports by crossing the blockade." The report also said the bolstering of alternative routes -- including northern ports on the Caspian Sea and rail links to China and central Asia -- had also buffered the country's "economic resilience."
Iranian Leadership Divided On Deal Terms
Iran's leadership is reportedly split on how flexible they should be on nuclear terms of a deal. Last year, at the encouragement of Israel and pro-Israel forces inside the United States, the Trump administration had adopted a maximalist position demanding that Israel agree to never again enrich nuclear material, even to levels far below weapon-grade.
For many observers, this was seen as a demand that Israel knew Iran would never consent to, ensuring the all-out US-Israel war on Iran that Prime Minister Netanyahu himself admitted he had "yearned to do for 40 years." It's been the long-running conclusion of the US intelligence community that Iran has not been developing a nuclear weapon. Netanyahu has been warning of an imminent Iranian nuclear weapon for 34 years -- since 1992.
Minocqua Brewing Company, a craft-beer maker in Minocqua, Wisconsin, run by a Democrat activist, is facing fierce blowbackafter its social-media account appeared to mock a recent assassination attempt on President Donald Trumpand reiterated an earlier pledge to offer free beer on the day of his death.
The company, owned by Kirk Bangstad - who ran as the Democrat nominee for Wisconsin’s 34th Assembly District in 2020 and founded an anti-Republican super PAC - posted on social media shortly after news of the latest attempt on the president. “Well, we almost got #freebeerday,” the post read, according to screenshots circulated online. “Either a brother or sister in the Resistance needs to work on their marksmanship or he faked another assassination to get a positive news cycle. We’ll never know.”
“Regardless, we stand at the ready to pour free beer the day it happens,” the post added.
The brewery had previously promised free beer “all day long, the day he dies,” in reference to Trump. The company also sells merchandise tied to the pledge, including T-shirts that read “I wish it was free beer day,” and markets itself as blending craft beer with radical progressive activism.
A spokesman for the Wisconsin Democrat Party condemned the post. “This rhetoric is completely unacceptable and should be retracted immediately,” Phil Shulman told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “We’re not afraid to call out this sort of inappropriate behavior no matter where it comes from—our GOP colleagues should learn to do the same.”
Republican officials and Trump allies denounced the comments as inflammatory, urging broader Democratic condemnation.
"Wisconsin Democrats are so sick in the head that an attempted murder is funny to them," Republican National Committee spokesperson Delanie Bomar told Fox News in a statement. "All Wisconsin Democrats, including Rebecca Cooke, must immediately condemn this disgusting behavior.”
The latest assassination attempt against Trump unfolded Saturday evening at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner held at the Washington Hilton. U.S. law enforcement has identified the suspect as Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old tutor, game developer, and Caltech graduate from Torrance, California. Allen allegedly attempted to breach a security checkpoint near the event’s screening area, opening fire and prompting return shots from the Secret Service. In a manifesto sent to family members minutes before the attack, Allen described himself as a “friendly federal assassin,” listed Trump administration officials as prioritized targets, and expressed deep hostility toward the president and his policies, the Los Angeles Times reported.
GSK PLC on Monday announced two positive regulatory rulings for efimosfermin, a once-monthly investigational liver therapy.
The London-based pharmaceuticals company said efimosfermin has been granted breakthrough therapy designation by the US Food & Drug Administration. In addition, the drug has been given Priority Medicines Designation by the European Medicines Agency for the treatment of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis.
MASH is a leading cause of liver transplant in the US and Europe.
The FDA designation is designed to expedite the development and review of medicines for serious conditions, where preliminary clinical evidence indicates the potential for substantial improvement over available therapy.
The EMA designation provides scientific and regulatory support for medicines that have the potential to address significant unmet medical need.
The two rulings were supported by data from MASH patients with moderate to advanced and cirrhotic fibrosis.
This includes phase II data at 48 weeks for patients who showed fibrosis improvement and MASH resolution with once-monthly efimosfermin versus placebo. Data also confirmed a well-tolerated safety profile with mild, transient adverse events.
Efimosfermin is currently in phase III with the ZENITH-1 and ZENITH-2 trials investigating efficacy and safety in MASH patients with moderate to advanced fibrosis. Phase III trials in MASH patients with cirrhotic fibrosis are expected to start this year.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on Monday that Congress would need to play a role in a request by U.S. budget airlines for $2.5 billion in government aid to address the spike in jet fuel costs during the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.
"I don't have that money - can't just pull it out of the couch cushions. There would have to be a lot of government engagement and a bipartisan effort to find the funds for them. You can't snap your fingers," Duffy told reporters on the sidelines of an event.
"Congress would have to get involved as well with that kind of number," Duffy said.
The Association of Value Airlines confirmed it had asked President Donald Trump's administration to create a $2.5 billion liquidity pool, used exclusively to offset incremental fuel costs "as a necessary and targeted measure to stabilize operations and keep airfares affordable during this period of volatility."
Duffy said he took part in 10 minutes of an hour-long meeting with the low-cost carriers last week but had to leave early to attend a White House meeting. The request came up after he left.
"We got to see what the requests are, get their information, have them make the pitch, have them make the sell," Duffy said. "We'll see."
Last week, Duffy expressed hesitation about a plan to invest $500 million to help Spirit Airlines exit bankruptcy.
High fuel prices are affecting all airlines, Southwest Airlines CEO Bob Jordan told reporters at an event to unveil a Boeing 737 MAX with a special U.S. livery in honor of the country's 250th anniversary.
"Every airline is suffering from high fuel prices," Jordan said. He declined to way on other requests but said: "It's your job to build your business in a way that you're resilient and you can survive these things because they happen."
