Free Republic

The Libertarian Party of North Carolina has denounced what it calls a dangerous expansion of federal power under the Trump administration, warning that recent policing actions by the government undermine constitutional rights and “erode the foundations” of a free society. In a statement published August 19, LPNC Chair Ryan Brown said that recent domestic-policing measures by the administration reflect a “blatant disregard for the rights of American citizens.” He pointed specifically to the deployment of military personnel in California and Washington, D.C., calling them violations of the Posse Comitatus Act, a federal law limiting the use of armed forces in...

Top officials at the Pentagon are “thinking about” whether the U.S. should acquire equity stakes in leading defense contractors such as Lockheed Martin, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Tuesday. The Cabinet secretary, in an interview on CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” revealed the Defense Department’s interest in taking those stakes days after the U.S. government acquired 10% of Intel stock in a roughly $9 billion deal. Lutnick was asked if the Trump administration would repeat that move with other companies that do business with the government. “Oh there’s a monstrous discussion about defense,” Lutnick replied. Lockheed, which makes most of its revenue...