Except for timely election info, the extensive list of voting resources will now be at the end.

“There’s a reason why you separate military and police. One fights the enemy of the State. The other serves and protects the People. When the military becomes both, then the enemies of the State tend to become the People.” ~ Commander Adama, “Battlestar Galactica” (“WATER”, Season 1 episode 2, at the 28 minute mark.)

“And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you–ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.” ~ John F. Kennedy, excerpt from inaugural speech (Jan. 20, 1961) VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/L8l11q_MNRY (FULL SPEECH TEXT) John F Kennedy inaugural speech, January 20, 1961

Welcome to Thinkwing Radio with Mike Honig, now in its 14^th year on KPFT from Houston 90.1-HD2, Galveston 89.5-HD2, Livingston/Goodrich 89.9-HD2, and Huntsville 91.9-HD2. KPFT is Houston’s Community radio.

And welcome to our international listeners from Hong Kong, Singapore, Belgium, Eritrea, and elsewhere.

On this show, we discuss local, state, national, and international stories that may have slipped under your radar. At my website, THINKWINGRADIO-dot-COM, I link to all the articles I read and cite, as well as other relevant sources. Articles and commentaries often include lots of internet links for those of you who want to dig deeper. I do try to fact-check myself and include the links I use to do so.

It’s the 40th week of Trump’s military occupation of Washington DC; and 29 weeks since those states’ governors deployed National Guard troops to Memphis, Tennessee and New Orleans, Louisiana, at Trump’s request, which is where they remain for now.  

The next gubernatorial election in Tennessee is in about 5-1/2 months. I really want to see how that one turns out.

LAWFARE has a frequently updated chart of where US troops are currently stationed around the US. It begins tracking from 2017 to current. The list can show in ascending or descending order, and the link is in this show post at ThinkwingRadio-dot-com.

Due to time constraints, some stories may be longer in this show post than in the broadcast show itself.

1. There’s just one more election left in this current cycle. On May 26, we’ll have the Texas State Primary Runoff Elections. These will be from the results of the primaries for state offices.
   1. If you qualify for mail-in ballots and have applied for them, you should already have already gotten your ballot for this election.
   2. Early Voting for that election will Start May 18, and End May 22. Polls are open 7am to 7pm each day.
   3. If you are voting by mail, remember to mark and mail your ballot ASAP! Mail delivery times and postmarks are no longer as reliable as they used to be.
   4. REFERENCE: Blue Voter Guide
2. There is a comprehensive article covering these statewide runoffs from TEXASTRIBUNE-dot-ORG. It’s long and detailed, so I’m just going to read the intro — Here’s how to vote in Texas’ May 26 primary runoff elections; By María Méndez; Graphic by Apurva Mahajan | TEXASTRIBUNE.ORG | March 18, 2026, 5:00 a.m. Central/Updated April 6, 2026, 3:45 p.m. Central. TAGS: 2026 elections, Congress, John Cornyn, Ken Paxton, State Agencies,
   1. Candidates in more than 30 state and federal races are expected to face off again in the May 26 runoff after failing to secure more than half of the votes cast in the March Republican and Democratic primaries. This includes Attorney General Ken Paxton’s challenge to U.S. John Cornyn, as well as several candidates for statewide or district-based elected offices in Texas.
   2. In these undecided races, registered voters can choose their preferred candidate on May 26 or during the May 18-22 early voting period.
   3. But remember, Texas doesn’t allow double dipping. Voters who already voted in the Republican or Democratic primary this year can only vote in that same party’s runoff elections. Voters who didn’t vote in March can choose to vote in either party’s runoff. (Texans don’t have to formally register with a party.) …
   4. [The story has links to sections with information on what you need to know. Their titled:] What’s on the ballot?; What dates do I need to know?; … about voter registration requirements?; … about mail-in voting?; … about going to the polls?; [and] How can I make sure my ballot is counted?;
   5. MIKE: Among the high-profile state runoffs are Republicans: John Cornyn vs. Ken Paxton for U.S. Senate; and Mayes Middleton vs. Chip Roy for Texas attorney general
   6. MIKE: On the Democratic side, Democratic runoffs are Vikki Goodwin vs. Marcos Vélez for Lieutenant governor; and Nathan Johnson vs. Joe Jaworski for Attorney general
   7. MIKE: And thank goodness, there are no elections in June!
3. In the District C runoff election, as of 10PM Saturday, Joe Panzarella was beating Nick Hellyar 2-to-1 with about 66% of the vote.
4. I thought that this next story was interesting because it reinforces the idea that Houston is a popular lifestyle destination and a good place for people looking for a fresh start, even though it’s in Texas. Yes, I consider being in Texas is a minus for moving to Houston, but Houston seems to be desirable in spite of that. From KHOU[.]COM — Houston tops national moving list again as migration trends shift; Author: Jaime E. Galvan | KHOU.COM | Published: 11:08 AM CDT May 14, 2026/Updated: 11:08 AM CDT May 14, 2026. TAGS: Houston, Texas, Top Moving Destinations,
   1. Houston remains the top moving destination in the country for the fifth year in a row, according to a new report from Penske Truck Rental.
   2. The company’s 16th annual Top Moving Destinations list ranked Houston No. 1 again based on the highest volume of one-way consumer truck rentals recorded in 2025.
   3. The report suggests southern cities continue attracting movers looking for affordability, opportunity and lifestyle changes.
   4. Texas dominated the latest rankings, landing four cities in the top 10: Houston, San Antonio, Austin and Dallas.
   5. Atlanta ranked second on the list, followed by San Antonio at No. 3. …
   6. [Said Kevin Malloy, senior vice president of rental at Penske,] “The consistency of these rankings year after year suggests that movers have identified cities delivering what they actually want: affordability, community, cultural vibrancy, and opportunity for fresh starts. … We’re here to support moving needs with the rental vehicles, supplies and services they need to get off to a great start in their new destinations.”
   7. Alongside the rankings, Penske also released findings from its national “Settling In: Consumer Moving Trends Survey,” which examined why Americans are choosing to relocate and what they value most in a new city.
   8. According to the survey, the top reasons people move are wanting a fresh start at 41% and seeking a lower cost of living at 32%.
   9. However, the priorities shift when respondents were asked what would matter most if money were no object.
   10. In that scenario, weather ranked first at 33%, followed by proximity to loved ones at 24%.
   11. Penske said the findings suggest many Americans are prioritizing lifestyle and personal values over career-driven decisions when deciding where to live.
   12. The survey also found significant differences between generations. …
   13. When choosing a city, 65% of Gen Z respondents said it was extremely or very important that a city align with their personal values.
   14. Meanwhile, 40% of Boomers+ respondents said being closer to family was a top priority.
   15. The survey also found 80% of Gen Z respondents want to live in fun locations where they can pursue their interests, compared to 69% of Boomers+ respondents.
   16. At the same time, many Americans appear to want a balance between entertainment and slower-paced living.
   17. According to the survey, 61% of respondents said they want vibrant communities with easy access to restaurants and entertainment, while 59% also said they prioritize quiet communities with a slower pace of life.
   18. The survey also found that 56% of respondents said social media influences how they view cities, suggesting online culture and lifestyle branding are increasingly shaping where people want to move.
   19. MIKE: When I moved to Houston in 1977, all the reasons cited in the article were among the reasons I chose to move here rather than to Dallas or other cities around the country.
   20. MIKE: In my humble opinion, just think of how much more desirable Houston and other Texas cities would be if we could kick out our current rightwing extremist government. We might see an actual population
5. From COMMUNITYIMPACT[.]COM — Houston to increase funding for homeless initiatives by 107% in 2027; By Ariel Worthy | COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM | 4:26 PM May 14, 2026 CDT/Updated 4:26 PM May 14, 2026 CDT. TAGS: Houston, Houston Housing and Community Development Department, Homeless Initiatives,
   1. Houston will add more funding for its homeless initiatives in fiscal year 2026-27.
   2. On May 13, officials with the Houston Housing and Community Development Department [HCD] presented their proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which includes a 107% increase for homeless initiatives.
   3. … HCD presented a $37.3 million budget for the city’s special revenue fund, which includes the End Street Homeless plan. In FY 2025-26, the same fund had a budget of $17.9 million, but [it] is expecting to spend close to $22.5 million by the end of the fiscal year in June. The newly presented budget will result in a 107% increase.
   4. According to the department, the entire special revenue fund will go to personnel, maintenance and operation for the End Street Homeless plan. The plan includes 419 Emanicipation, the city’s hub for homeless individuals to receive resources for housing and other needs.
   5. The total budget for HCD is $38.6 million, with $1.2 million going to its general fund. Additional funding, such as for employee salaries, will come from grants.
   6. … HCD Director Mike Nichols said the department would like more federal funding for homeless initiatives. Annually, they are expecting to spend about $13.3 million to operate 419 Emanicipation, Nichols said.
   7. In addition to the city’s funding for the homeless plan, $10 million will come from 2024 disaster recovery funding, which also helps with recovery from the 2024 derecho and Hurricane Beryl.
   8. [Nichols said,] “We get a lot of love, but we haven’t seen the dollars yet. … That’s going to be key.”
   9. Nichols said he is confident that Harris County will also weigh in on funding for the homeless initiative, especially through Harris Health, which is [funding] the health department in 419 Emancipation.
   10. [Nichols said,] “Over time, we are going to spend a lot of time with county officials talking about their investment, particularly in exit housing, which is going to be a weakness going forward. … And so we look forward to them playing that role.”
   11. … As budget season continues, other city departments will present their budgets to council through May 19. The budget will be voted on June 3, and will go in effect July 1, the beginning of FY 2026-27.
   12. MIKE: Doubling the money dedicated to preventing and mitigating homelessness in Houston is great and extremely admirable. The key will be where and how the money is spent for maximum effectiveness.
   13. MIKE: I hope that the default spending is more for secular aid and assistance rather than religion-based aid to the homeless. Having and actively worshipping in a religious faith should not be a prerequisite for finding housing assistance.
6. Next, from CLICK2HOUSTON[.]COM — Council Member Edward Pollard pushes Houston campaign finance changes, citing Supreme Court; By Rilwan Balogun, Reporter | CLICK2HOUSTON.COM | Published: May 13, 2026 at 3:39 PM. Tags: Houston City Council, Houston Campaign Finance, Edward Pollard, Prop A Houston, Houston Political News,
   1. Houston City Council has moved a proposal to repeal the city’s campaign loan repayment caps to the council’s Ethics and Governance Committee for further review, as members debate whether the ordinance violates constitutional free speech protections or helps prevent wealthy candidates from dominating local elections.
   2. The proposal was backed by Council Member Edward Pollard, [and] would repeal Houston’s limits on how much candidates can repay themselves using campaign donations after loaning money to their own campaigns.
   3. The debate comes as campaign finance records show Pollard loaned his campaign $1 million at a 0% interest rate [as] city leaders consider eliminating the repayment caps.
   4. Pollard argued during council discussions that Houston’s ordinance conflicts with a 2022 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Federal Election Commission v. Ted Cruz for Senate, which struck down a federal restriction on post-election loan repayments.
   5. [Pollard said,] “In 2022, the Supreme Court ruled that putting caps on campaign finance loan repayments was unconstitutional. … It violated the First Amendment as it related to free speech. We currently have an outdated local ordinance that is in conflict with that ruling.”
   6. Houston City Attorney Arturo Michel acknowledged the city’s ordinance may face legal challenges under that Supreme Court decision.
   7. [Michel said,] “Well, the language of our ordinance is similar to the federal regulation that Senator Cruz challenged under federal law. … The memo I had written under the last administration and also the lawfulness memo addresses a concern that our ordinance may not be legally supported.”
   8. Houston’s current ordinance limits how much candidates can reimburse themselves using campaign contributions: Mayoral candidates are capped at $75,000; Citywide candidates at $15,000; [and] District council candidates at $5,000.
   9. Several council members said they support reviewing the ordinance but raised concerns about fully removing the restrictions.
   10. Council Member Amy Peck warned that eliminating the caps outright could make it harder for non-wealthy candidates to compete.
   11. [Peck said,] “My concern is that if we remove every single guard rail, we risk a system where only wealthy individuals can afford to run for office.”
   12. Peck also suggested the city could explore alternatives that address constitutional concerns while preserving ethics safeguards, including stricter disclosure requirements and time limits for post-election fundraising tied to loan repayments.
   13. [Council Member Twila Carter said,] “It is not that I am opposed. … I think we really need to take a hard look.”
   14. Carter also raised ethical concerns about unrestricted loan repayments, [saying,] “If I have a million dollars to throw in and my brother-in-law pays me back and I get to repay myself, that seems to be a little bit of an ethics violation.”
   15. Council Member Joaquin Martinez, who chairs the Ethics and Governance Committee, said council members are now taking a deeper look at Chapter 18 of the city ordinance governing campaign finance and ethics rules.
   16. Mayor John Whitmire also signaled support for broader campaign finance discussions, while warning against creating a system that favors wealthy candidates or special interests.
   17. [Whitmire said,] “If you don’t have a limit for millionaires to come in and essentially buy the election, it’s not in the public interest. … You don’t want just the wealthy able to run and win, and then also you don’t want special interest to repay that personal loan.”
   18. The Ethics and Governance Committee is expected to continue reviewing the proposal and potential alternatives before any final action is taken by city council.
   19. MIKE: Personally, I think that if you want to self-fund a campaign, you should consider that money as gone unless it just isn’t spent by the campaign. So to my mind, maybe a candidate shouldn’t expect to get that money back at all.
   20. MIKE: It’s also important to note that we’re discussing relatively low-level, local, elected offices. So some of my concerns about successful business people running for office for the first time don’t apply.
   21. MIKE: But that doesn’t mean that the playing field shouldn’t be in some ways level.
   22. MIKE: I actually agree with Council Member Amy Peck, who is generally quite conservative politically and — in the interests of full disclosure — is my ex-niece-in-law. But I think she’s right, eliminating the caps outright could make it harder for non-wealthy candidates to compete.
   23. MIKE: If a candidate uses their own money as seed money to start a campaign for office — which isn’t unreasonable — and then if their campaign becomes more successful and campaign contributions flow in, it might not be unreasonable for that “loaned” seed money to eventually be repaid out of campaign funds. And I think that’s what those low reimbursement caps envision.
   24. MIKE: In my humble opinion, if a candidate is wealthy enough to loan their campaign — as an example — a million dollars, they should consider that money basically gone unless some portion of it goes unspent.
   25. MIKE: But since money is “fungible” — meaning that it’s almost impossible to tell which dollars were spent and which ones weren’t — this is a tricky game to play.
   26. MIKE: What we really need are contribution caps, and that’s where this next story is interesting.
7. In Harris County news from COMMUNITYIMPACT[.]COM — Early Harris County budget projections show $257M shortfall possibility for FY 2026-27; By Sarah Brager | COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM | 4:50 PM May 14, 2026 CDT
   Updated 4:50 PM May 14, 2026 CDT. TAGS: Harris County, Harris County Office of Management and Budget, Fiscal Year 2026-27,
   1. Harris County officials are gearing up for another summer of tough budget decisions as the projected shortfall for fiscal year 2026-27 could reach up to $257 million, according to a May 14 presentation to Commissioners Court.
   2. The preliminary projections from the Office of Management and Budget aim to guide priorities over the next several months as commissioners workshop the budget ahead of final adoption in mid-September. Details are subject to change as county officials receive more information.
   3. … [OMB Director Daniel Ramos told Commissioners Court that] Based on current spending forecasts, Harris County’s general fund shortfall for FY 2026-27 is projected to range from $129 million to $257 million pending the adopted property tax rate …
   4. A Current Level Of Service and spending forecast, or CLS, shows Harris County is expected to spend approximately $3.06 billion in the next fiscal year. According to the presentation from OMB, expenditures include: $73 million for law enforcement, including $42 million for Year 2 of the county’s pay parity program — which increased officers’ salaries — and $31 million for position vacancies; $69 million to restore countywide obligations funded by one-time sources, including a $25 million hiring freeze and $44 million in special revenue funds; $38 million in projected health care increases; $35 million in department spending requests, such as American Rescue Plan Act priority programs; $32 million in tax-increment reinvestment zone [TIRZ] increases, state-mandated requirements, and general administrative cost increases; $30 million in annualization of pay equity increases; $20 million in inflation cost-drivers such as fuel, critical software, and vehicle maintenance; [and] $6 million in mid-year supplementals.
   5. [The presentation shows that] While Harris County’s spending has increased year over year — jumping 12% in FY 2025-26 compared to the prior year — revenue sources are not keeping pace. The county is on track to conclude the current fiscal year with a $27 million shortfall, Ramos said.
   6. About 80% of the county’s revenue comes from taxes, according to data from the county auditor’s office. As of March 31, Harris County has generated approximately 88% of its estimated tax revenue — budgeted at approximately $2.7 billion — for FY 2025-26.
   7. As for non-tax revenue, such as charges for services, fines and interest, actual revenues through the second quarter total approximately 45% of estimated revenue for the current fiscal year.
   8. … In addition to increased demand for county services due to population growth, federal and state grant funding is dwindling as relief for COVID-19 and Hurricane Harvey approaches its end, the presentation shows.
   9. … County Judge Lina Hidalgo said cuts are unavoidable, but she encouraged the county to evaluate efficiencies before jumping straight to cutting services.
   10. She said the projected FY 2026-27 shortfall “didn’t happen overnight,” citing large pay raises for law enforcement that the county “could not afford.” Hidalgo voted against the FY 2025-26 budget alongside Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis last September, Community Impact previously reported.
   11. [Hidalgo said,] “You’re going to be hearing about Harris County fees, cuts [and] others soon enough if we don’t figure out a way to be more efficient. … We put the county and the people of Harris County at a $200 million hole irresponsibly last year.”
   12. Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey said while he doesn’t want more statutory regulations to come out of the state Capitol, he’d like to see more support for Harris County at the state level.
   13. [Ramsey said,] “We are the economic engine for Texas. … When people gather in Austin, and they talk about the problem that is Harris County, talk to me [instead] about the Port, talk to me about the Medical Center, talk to me about all the other things.”
   14. … Harris County is in the middle of a months-long budget process, Ramos said. The new fiscal year begins Oct. 1.
   15. Mid-June: OMB gives another CLS update to Commissioners Court
   16. July 13-16: departmental budget hearings
   17. June-August: budget town halls hosted by commissioner precincts
   18. Aug 17: OMB shares proposed FY 2026-27 budget and tax rates
   19. Sept 8: budget amendment process
   20. Sept 17: budget adoption and tax rate approval
   21. MIKE: This is basically a budget progress report for the county, so I don’t have much to say about that.
   22. MIKE: I will comment, however, on Commissioner Ramsey’s remark about Austin seeing Harris County as a “problem”.
   23. MIKE: Harris County isn’t a problem. Any problems for Harris County are almost entirely in, and caused by, Austin.
   24. MIKE: The Republican-dominated state government sees Harris County as a problem because it’s a predominantly Democratic stronghold, and they just can’t stomach that reality.
   25. MIKE: This is another reminder that elections have consequences. You can’t complain unless you show up to vote.
8. From WFAA via KHOU[.]COM — Texas city cancels Muslim event at water park under pressure from governor; Author: Cole Sullivan (WFAA), Matthew Moreno (WFAA) | WFAA via KHOU.COM | Published: 10:41 PM CDT May 6, 2026/Updated: 10:41 PM CDT May 6, 2026. TAGS: Grand Prairie (Texas), Eid al-Adha, Gov. Greg Abbot, “Epic Eid”, Epic Waters Waterpark,
   1. The city of Grand Prairie, Texas, canceled a private rental marking a religious holiday under pressure from Greg Abbot, who called it unconstitutional religious discrimination after initial marketing for the event said it was “Muslim only.”
   2. The “Epic Eid” event scheduled for June 1 at the city-owned Epic Waters was designed for families to celebrate Eid al-Adha [English pron: eed ahl-AHD-hah] in a waterpark environment where everyone in attendance was dressed modestly, organizers said.
   3. A flyer for the annual event, which was first held in 2024, initially described it as “Muslim only,” said Aminah Knight, who organized the event. After the flyer started to generate controversy, she changed it to say “modest dress required.” 
   4. The flyer specifies men must wear swim trunks and shirts, and women must wear “burkinis.” [Mike’s Link]
   5. The city initially said it was working to ensure all policies and procedures were followed with the private rental, but pulled the plug on the event Wednesday evening after Governor Abbott threatened to pull $530,000 in state public safety grants unless it was canceled. 
   6. [Abbott said on X,] “That’s religious discrimination. It’s unconstitutional. … Let this be a lesson to local officials: Facilities funded by ALL taxpayers are not just for a subset of Texans.” 
   7. Knight said she was informed by water park management of the cancellation Wednesday night. The city declined to comment further. 
   8. [Knight said,] “I’m sad. I’m sad that something that was being done with such good intention, just for joy, has been turned into something that it’s not. … God knows I was just trying to plan something for my community within my community just like I did last year – why it turned it with this, I don’t know.”
   9. She said it has been a painful experience, but that “my faith is not something to fear.”
   10. Knight called it a “wake up call for how much work we have to do as Muslims to help the wider American people know who we are.”
   11. She said she plans a Fourth of July interfaith barbecue to advance that goal.
   12. MIKE: Originally making the event “Muslims Only” at a city-owned waterpark was maybe an issue, and I could see how that might be problematic. But once the flyers had been changed to “Modest Dress Required”, I’m not sure that Gov. Abbott had any right to demand that the event be canceled.
   13. MIKE: Also, as some commenters remarked, I wonder if Gov. Abbott would object as quickly and forcefully if this were a Christian event requesting “modest dress”.
   14. MIKE: Frankly, it should be entirely unnecessary to ask this question. The necessity is caused by the obvious Christian bias that the Texas state government and its elected MAGA Republican leadership have shown over many years.
   15. MIKE: That is what is actually unconstitutional.
9. From TEXASTRIBUNE[.]ORG — Texas public schools see first non-pandemic enrollment drop in decades; by Jaden Edison | TEXASTRIBUNE.ORG | May 11, 2026, 11:02 a.m. Central. TAGS: Population, School Finance, Texas Education Agency, Texas Legislature, Texas Public Schools, Immigration,
   1. Roughly 76,000 fewer students enrolled in Texas public schools this academic year — the first non-pandemic decline in nearly four decades — with Hispanic students accounting for the overwhelming majority of the loss, according to a report released Monday.
   2. The policy research group Texas 2036 analyzed the state’s enrollment data and projected that about 100,000 fewer students would attend public schools by the end of the current decade.
   3. Hispanic students accounted for 81% of this school year’s enrollment drop. Over the past year, federal and state leaders increased anti-immigration rhetoric, in some cases detaining Texas students and prompting fear across communities.
   4. Texas educates 5.5 million public school students, 53% of whom are Hispanic, 24% are white and 13% are Black.
   5. [Said Carlo Castillo, a senior research analyst at Texas 2036, in a statement,] “What stands out in the data is that public school enrollment is falling even as Texas continues to grow. … In many parts of the state, population gains are no longer translating into public school enrollment growth. That points to a broader structural shift policymakers and district leaders will need to plan for.”
   6. The nonprofit shared the findings just ahead of Monday’s education committee hearing for the Texas House. The focus includes updates on enrollment trends and the stability of Texas’ school funding system.
   7. Texas funds public schools based on attendance. Some districts have cut programs and shuttered campuses despite a nearly $8.5 billion increase to public education funding last year.
   8. As the hearing began, Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath laid out the enrollment drop to lawmakers, noting, “We cannot tell you the precise cause of this.”
   9. MIKE: We can thank and congratulate the Trump regime and the complicity of the state of Texas for creating so much fear in our Hispanic population — for basically terrorizing them, as well as other groups, I’m sure — that they are afraid to send their kids to public schools.
   10. MIKE: Thus, as a nation and as a state, we are being extremely successful in creating a less educated underclass of Texas residents caused by the fear that has successfully been created in our country.
   11. MIKE: Congrats to the Gestapo MAGA Republicans for running such a successful program.
   12. MIKE: Now, what are we, as voters, going to do about it?
10. From APNEWS[.]COM — New Hawaii law targets corporate influence in politics after Citizens United ruling; By  JENNIFER SINCO KELLEHER | APNEWS.COM | Updated 9:36 PM CDT, May 14, 2026. TAGS: Hawaii, Dark Money, U.S. Supreme Court, Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, Election Spending, Corporate Influence In Politics,
    1. Hawaii’s Democratic governor on Thursday signed into law a bill that uses a novel approach to reduce the influence of corporations and hard-to-track “dark money” groups that have been able to spend unlimited amounts on politics since a 2010 U.S. Supreme Court ruling.
    2. The law, which takes effect July 1, 2027, redefines corporations in a way that precludes spending on elections. A volunteer group in Montana is gathering signatures in hopes of putting a similar issue to voters in November.
    3. The high court ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission struck down a ban on corporate and union election spending as long as they don’t donate directly to any campaigns. The case stemmed from Citizens United, a conservative group, wanting to run TV commercials promoting its anti-Hillary Clinton movie when she was running for president in 2008.
    4. The ruling has benefitted [both] Democrats and Republicans [MIKE: Although Republicans benefit more.]. The campaign finance watchdog group OpenSecrets tracked more than $4 billion in outside political spending in the 2024 federal elections — almost 12 times as much as in 2008.
    5. Some of that came from dark money groups that aren’t required to disclose donors, and the Brennan Center for Justice tallied a record $1.9 billion in that type of spending in 2024. Dark money has also played a part in some state-level races.
    6. The office of Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez, a Democrat, opposed Hawaii’s measure, arguing in part that it will be difficult and costly to defend in court.
    7. [Said Tom Moore, senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, which crafted the legal strategy the law is based upon,] “Hawaii is taking a brave and bold step to get corporate and dark money out of America’s politics. … It will send a powerful message that will be heard loud and clear across the Pacific and across the mainland.”
11. I found a story that discusses the legal theory behind this new Hawai’ian statute. From CIVILBEAT[.]ORG out of Honolulu — Can Hawaiʻi Deliver All Of America From Citizens United?; By Chad Blair | CIVILBEAT.ORG (Honolulu) | April 5, 2026. TAGS: U.S. Supreme Court, Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, Unlimited Money In Elections, Hawaiʻi,
    1. Few decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court have had a greater impact on the nation’s political landscape than the 2010 ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. The 5-4 decision allowed corporations and other outside groups including labor unions to spend unlimited money on elections.
    2. The ruling is the law of land unless the high court reverses itself or the states and Congress agree to amend the constitution — both very high bars in the current political climate.
    3. But what if the states took the initiative to limit the impact of Citizens United by passing their own laws to change the way corporations are defined?
    4. That is the purpose of [Hawai’I state] Senate Bill 2471, which would emphasize that corporations are “artificial persons” created by state law and granted powers and privileges by it — something SB 2471 points out is already part of Hawaiʻi’s constitution.
    5. The bill would make clear that the powers of corporations do not include spending money or contributing “anything of value” to influence elections or ballot measures, as the bill’s language explains.
    6. That could directly challenge the ability of super PACs to raise unlimited money and keep their sources of funding secret.
    7. [Said Tom Moore, a senior fellow for democracy policy at the Center for American Progress who previously served for seven years at the Federal Election Commission,] “It makes Citizens United irrelevant in Hawaiʻi. … Hawaiʻi has the opportunity to lead.”
    8. Moore has testified a lot on SB 2471 this session, in writing and over Zoom, and so far he has been able to persuade lawmakers of his argument.
    9. The bill has cleared the Senate unanimously and one House committee. …
    10. [MIKE: As mentioned in the previous story, this bill has now passed, and the governor has signed it into law. Continuing …]
    11. [State] Sen. Karl Rhoads, the bill’s author, said the bill could lead to greater transparency when it comes to political donations in the state.
    12. [He said,] “I believe it will reduce the amount of money coming into campaigns, but more importantly, it will make the money that does come in more easier to figure out who it actually came from.”
    13. Colin Moore, a political analyst at the University of Hawai‘i-Mānoa, describes SB 2471 as a clever end run around the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling.
    14. [He said,] “I think this is a creative and ambitious bill, … It tries to get around Citizens United by arguing that corporations only have the powers the state chooses to grant them, and that Hawaiʻi can decline to grant the power to spend money on elections. That’s a genuinely innovative idea.”
    15. Whether it passes legal muster remains to be seen. The [Hawai’i] Attorney General’s Office opposes SB 2471.
    16. Deputy Attorney General [of Hawai’i] Christopher Han told lawmakers that, while the department “greatly sympathizes with the frustration with federal case law on this subject,” the bill raises “serious constitutional concerns and substantial adverse litigation risk” should it become law.
    17. [Han said in written testimony last month,] “While many Americans strongly disagree with the U.S. Supreme Court’s holding in Citizens United, under our federal system of government, it is our duty to state that this opinion remains the law of the land, irrespective of its merits (or lack thereof).”
    18. Han reaffirmed that argument when he spoke to the [state’s] House Consumer Protection and Commerce Committee on March 18. He said SB 2471 relied on “an untested legal theory, the viability of which we find questionable.”
    19. The freedom to engage in political discourse,” [Han] said, is “a fundamental bedrock of democracy” that is closely guarded by the courts. “This bill purports to take away that freedom.”
    20. Not so, counter supporters of the bill including [state Sen.] Rhoads. Individual citizens — that is, real people — can still exercise their constitutional rights to donate to campaigns, and the donations would be part of campaign spending reports for everyone to see. They just would not be able to do so as part of a corporation — that is, as artificial persons.
    21. The Citizens United ruling upended the role of money in politics nationwide by striking down a century-old prohibition on corporate “independent” spending — that is, money that does not go directly to a party or candidate.
    22. While political action committees support or oppose ballot initiatives and political candidates, they are subject to contribution limits.
    23. Super PACS, however, are not bound by spending limits and are not required to disclose their donors, something known as “dark money.”
    24. The 2010 ruling opened the floodgates to dark money. From 2010 to 2022, according to the nonprofit Brennan Center for Justice, super PACs spent $6.4 billion on federal elections. In the 2024 election alone they set a record of at least $2.7 billion in spending.
    25. [According to the Brennan Center,] “The ruling has ushered in massive increases in political spending from outside groups, dramatically expanding the already outsized political influence of ultra-wealthy donors, corporations, and special interest groups.”
    26. Dark money has also made its way to Hawaiʻi. Two super PACs aligned with the powerful Carpenters Union, for example, spent $8.6 million in the 2024 election, far more than the next 10 Hawaiʻi-based super PACs that followed them. The Carpenters Union is closely affiliated with Pacific Resource Partnership [PRP], one of the state’s biggest political players that also funnels money to two super PACs: Be Change Now, which was active in the 2024 election, and For A Better Tomorrow, which has taken the lead on 2026 elections and beyond, recently reporting $12 million in its PAC fund.
    27. Locally, the effect of Citizens United has been smaller in scale than on the mainland, but still similar, said Moore of [the University of Hawai’i].
    28. [Said Moore,] “[Pacific Resource Partnership (PRP)] is probably the clearest Hawaiʻi example. Whatever you think of PRP’s policy goals, it’s shown how an independent-expenditure group can become a major force in local elections, using spending outside the normal campaign contribution system to shape policy debates and help or hurt candidates.”
    29. The Citizens United ruling was based in part on the court’s controversial position that companies and unions are associations of people whose constitutional right to political speech cannot be denied.
    30. Tom Moore of the Center for American Progress said state legislatures have spent the last 16 years attempting to address money in politics through campaign-finance regulation. But these efforts have failed in federal court, he said, because the legal theory behind them was flawed and could not overcome “constitutional obstacles under existing First Amendment doctrine,” as he stated in testimony on SB 2471.
    31. What Hawaiʻi’s bill does is affirm a longstanding principle: the authority of the state to determine which powers it grants to the artificial entities it creates.
    32. Tom Moore said this week that legislation based on this framework has now been introduced in 13 states besides Hawaiʻi: Arizona, California, Georgia, Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.
    33. Moore said via email,] “Potential sponsors have draft bills in hand in North Carolina and Pennsylvania. … Sponsors in Connecticut have indicated that they plan to introduce similar legislation during the 2027 legislative session.”
    34. But [Tom Moore said Hawaiʻi’s bill, which is now law,] has made it further than bills in any other state, [saying,] “Hawaiʻi could well be the state that delivers all of America from Citizens United.” …
    35. Tom Moore and state Sen. Rhoads, who are attorneys, both say they expect legal challenges … . But they expressed confidence that existing state laws give Hawaiʻi the right to define corporations and limit their ability to spend freely in politics.
    36. Another supporter is Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole, who is a co-sponsor of Rhoads’s bill and who authored similar legislation. He believes it is obvious that corporations are not really persons with inalienable rights.
    37. [Said Sen. Keohokalole, who is an attorney and a candidate for Congress this year,] “The Constitution does not confer those rights on the people. … The people have those rights. They’re natural rights, and the Constitution just highlights the fact that they exist. And so if corporations are creations of the state — which they are — they only exist pursuant to the corporate charter laws in Hawaiʻi.”
    38. SB 2471 is still evolving. Scot Matayoshi, chair of the House Consumer Protection and Commerce Committee, amended it by deleting language that restricted the authorized purposes of nonprofit corporations to only charitable or public-benefit purposes.
    39. [He said during decision making on the bill last month,] “Adding this language would put many existing nonprofits that do not fall into that category in jeopardy of losing their nonprofit status, which would include unions and veterans organizations, among others.” He [added] that that was not the intention of the bill “and would be extremely harmful.” …
    40. Colin Moore from UH also agrees with the attorney general’s view that SB 2471 will attract “immediate litigation.” Still, he said, that does not diminish the novelty and innovation presented by the legislation.
    41. [He said via email,] “Even if supporters frame it as a corporate-powers issue rather than a speech restriction, courts will probably still see it as an indirect attempt to limit political speech that Citizens United protects. … But even if it doesn’t ultimately survive, it’s still a meaningful symbolic measure. If it passes, it’ll send a strong message that a majority of the Legislature wants to push back against the power of super PACs and dark money in local politics. And it would be very cool if Hawaiʻi became the first state to do this.”
    42. REFERENCE: A link Embedded in the story is from 3 days earlier What to know about states’ efforts to limit corporate donations in politics; AP[.]COM
    43. MIKE: According to INVESTOPEDIA[.]COM, “the first industrial corporation was the Boston Manufacturing Co. [was incorporated in Massachusetts] in 1813. Its business model was imported from Great Britain, where textile corporations helped spark the Industrial Revolution.2.”
    44. MIKE: According to Stanford University, “The first federal law regulating corporate business behavior in the United States was the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887. This law was enacted to oversee the railroad industry—the nation’s first big business—and established the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC), the country’s first independent federal regulator.”
    45. MIKE: I think one of the best summaries of corporations came from an episode of “REAPER”. The Devil, played by Ray Wise, said this [22sec]: “Did you know, beginning in the late 19th century, corporations were granted all the rights of the individual, but none of the annoying responsibilities. They lack, almost by design, any kind of moral compass, conscience, or compassion. Basically, corporations are a way to enact sociopathic behavior on a grand scale. In short, they’re what makes this country so damn great.” ~ The Devil (played by Ray Wise), TV Series “REAPER“, Season 2, Episode 30: “Business Casualty”, Aired May 19, 2009. FULL EPISODE (Quote audio at 2m 45s).
    46. MIKE: So as the story points out, corporations are by their nature legislative creations. They appear to be created and regulated at the state level, with further regulations at the federal level as passed by Congress. In my lay opinion, and apparently in the opinions of many lawyers, that should make them whatever the states say they are, and their powers should be what the states say they are.
    47. MIKE: Yes, there will doubtless be lots of litigation around this new Hawai’ian state law, and probably any state that passes a similar law can expect the same.
    48. MIKE: And as the story points out, it may require a Constitutional Amendment to actually solve the problems created by SCOTUS in the Citizens United ruling.
    49. MIKE: So that’s another prospective amendment we need to add to the list of many that the United States will require in the aftermath of the Trump/MAGA era.
    50. MIKE: And it’s another reason why every eligible voter needs to show up, because elections have consequences.
12. In international news, from FRANCE24[.]COM — Russia loses ground – but not the war – in Ukraine; By: Sébastian SEIBT | FRANCE24.COM | Issued on: 08/May/2026 @ 16:22. TAGS: Analysis, Europe, Ukraine, Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russia, Russia-Ukraine War, Ukraine war analysis, Russian military,
    2. Russia lost territory in Ukraine in April for the first time since 2024, according to a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) published May 2.
    3. Ukraine gained some 116 square kilometres (45 square miles) along several areas of the front, including in the Sumy region north of Kharkiv but also further south in Zaporizhzhia province, says Huseyn Aliyev, a specialist on the war in Ukraine at the University of Glasgow.
    4. The Russian advance has been slowing significantly since November 2025, according to the report, and is sluggish overall in 2026 compared to this time last year. But the changing nature of the war – and Russia’s increased use of infiltration tactics – make year-on-year comparisons difficult, it noted.
    5. [The ISW wrote,] “Russian forces have been using infiltration tactics in part to create the perception of continuous Russian advances across the front and to support Kremlin cognitive warfare efforts to exaggerate Russian successes. … Russian forces, however, do not control these infiltration areas, which are often co-located among Ukrainian positions in contested ‘gray zones.'”
    6. But this is not a large-scale military retreat that would involve a strategic repositioning along the entire front, says Erik Stijnman, a specialist in military security and the Russo-Ukrainian war at the Dutch Clingendael Institute for International Relations.
    7. These are more like tactical withdrawals, with both sides testing enemy defences at different points along the front line, adds Ivan U. Klyszcz [Pron: ee-VAHN KUSH-ch], a Russia specialist at the International Centre for Defence and Security in Tallinn, Estonia.
    8. Nevertheless, the situation is much bleaker for Moscow than at the same time in 2025.
    9. Russia had already begun its spring-summer offensive as the weather conditions improved around this time last year, Aliyev notes. Russia is still managing to advance, albeit modestly, on the fronts it considers priorities, such as the region around Pokrovsk and towards the city of Kramatorsk.
    10. … Ukraine’s territorial gains also demonstrate the effectiveness of its strategy of harassing Russian troops rather than simply holding onto positions, Klyszcz says.
    11. Simultaneously, Ukraine is intensifying its campaign of launching ever-deeper strikes on Russian infrastructure, forcing Moscow to allocate more resources to defending its territory, says Will Kingston-Cox, a specialist on Russia and the war in Ukraine at the International Team for the Study of Security (ITSS) Verona.
    12. The Russian army has been struggling for months to mobilise more troops, Aliyev says, including recruiting more aggressively from universities.
    13. These recruitment troubles can be seen on the battlefield, Klyszcz observes, with troops that are less well-trained and less effective than last year.
    14. The difficulty in finding new troops for the front is even greater for Ukraine than for Russia, which has a much larger population. But the realities of the front line – which is now largely manned by drones – makes any offensive far more dangerous and deadly for the attacker, says Kingston-Cox.
    15. … And Ukraine now has another technological advantage: Starlink ‘s decision to cut off Russian troops’ access to its satellites was a major blow to Russia, which is now struggling to communicate as effectively as before.
    16. In February, the Kremlin also began restricting access to Telegram, where a lot of tactical communication was previously shared.
    17. Ukraine’s territorial gains could have a long-term impact if they allow Ukraine to recapture ever-more-strategic areas, Aliyev says.
    18. Nevertheless, recent Ukrainian territorial successes should not be overestimated. The 116 square kilometres lost in April will mean nothing if Russia eventually succeeds in destroying Ukrainian defences.
    19. This is now a true war of attrition, Stijnman says, in which territorial gains are less important than one side’s ability to inflict more losses than the other can withstand.
    20. MIKE: This appears to be good news but, as the story points out, what it means in the long run will take weeks if not months to actually be determined.
13. Next, in “What took them so long” news, from CBSNEWS[.]COM — Ukraine and U.S. move toward landmark drone defense deal as Iran war highlights capabilities, and necessities; By Aidan Stretch | CBSNEWS.COM | Updated on: May 12, 2026 / 10:05 AM EDT. TAGS: War, Iran, Ukraine, Donald Trump, Russia, United States Military, Drone,
    1. The governments of the U.S. and Ukraine have drafted a memorandum outlining the terms of a potential new defense deal between the countries, according to three sources familiar with the matter.
    2. The draft hashed out by the U.S. State Department and Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Olha Stefanishyna [Pron.: OL-ha stef-a-NISH-i-na] is a first step toward a defense agreement that would allow Ukraine to export military technology to the U.S. and to manufacture drones in joint ventures with American companies. 
    3. During the war in Iran, Ukraine has capitalized on innovations forged by the country’s military and defense contractors over more than four years of grueling conflict with Russia. Kyiv has sent drone interceptors and pilots to the Middle East to help U.S. allies defend against the same types of Iranian-designed Shahed drones that Russia has used to attack Ukraine’s towns and cities.
    4. Already, over the last two months, Ukraine has signed defense agreements with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, and Ukrainian officials say more deals are in the works.
    5. [Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Telegram,] “Nearly 20 countries are currently involved at various stages: 4 agreements have already been signed, and the first contracts under these agreements are now being prepared.”
    6. Ukrainian officials first pitched the idea of cooperation on drones to the White House in August 2025, after President Trump privately lauded Operation Spiderweb, a daring Ukrainian drone attack deep behind Russian lines. The operation saw Ukrainian pilots remotely guide explosive drones — deployed from inconspicuous trucks that had been smuggled into Russia — to destroy dozens of Russian warplanes as they sat parked on tarmacs around the country. 
    7. … [Ukrainian officials told CBS News that] Drone collaboration with the U.S., would be mutually beneficial, as American financing would help both countries expand their defense production output. 
    8. Ukraine’s National Security Council projects a defense production capacity of $55 billion in 2026. To realize that capacity, Ukraine will need much more external financing as Kyiv currently only has funds to buy around $15 billion worth of weapons this year, according to Yuriy Sak, an adviser to Ukraine’s Ministry of Strategic Industries. 
    9. Ukraine also excels in manufacturing weapons systems the U.S. has not previously prioritized. One Ukrainian manufacturer plans to produce more than 3 million low-cost first-person-view military drones in 2026. The U.S. built only 300,000 in 2025, by comparison.
    10. Ukrainian companies are also developing innovative electronic warfare methods and hardware. Technology pioneered by Sine Engineering, a Ukrainian defense firm that recently received a multi-million dollar investment from the U.S.-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund, allows drones to fly without GPS guidance to evade signal-jamming.
    11. Several Ukrainian companies have already brought their technology to the U.S. In March, General Cherry, one of Ukraine’s largest drone manufacturers, signed a deal to make unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the U.S. alongside American military manufacturer Wilcox Industries. 
    12. The Pentagon has also invited Ukrainian companies to participate in its Drone Dominance initiative, a $1.1 billion program aimed at identifying drones for U.S. military contracts. 
    13. But a broader defense agreement, which would potentially bring more Ukrainian technology to the U.S., has faced political roadblocks.
    14. … Ukrainian officials told CBS News they felt a “lack of buy-in” on a drone deal from senior figures within the Department of Defense and the White House, particularly since the war in Iran began. President Trump has publicly rebuffed Ukraine’s efforts to supply counter-drone technology to the Middle East. 
    15. [Mr. Trump told Fox News in early March,] “We don’t need their help in drone defense. … We know more about drones than anybody. We have the best drones in the world, actually.”
    16. [MIKE: I feel compelled to remark how this comment is so typical of Trump’s moronic, monstrous ego, but I’ll say no more on this subject. Continuing …]
    17. CBS News asked the White House, the U.S. State Department and the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington to comment Tuesday on the potential deal taking shape, but there were no immediate responses.
    18. Ukraine’s wartime necessities have presented challenges of their own to making a deal.
    19. Zelenskyy has said the government will only relax broad military export restrictions after Kyiv can be certain that Ukrainian companies’ intellectual property is protected, and that they’re still able to deliver sufficient supplies for Ukraine’s defense amid the ongoing Russian invasion.
    20. But the memorandum drafted between Kyiv and Washington on an early-stage drone deal appears to suggest those obstacles may be falling away.
    21. [Zelenskyy said in his Telegram post this week,] “In addition to the Middle East and the Gulf, the South Caucasus, and Europe, we will soon launch this new security cooperation within the framework of Drone Deals with another part of the world as well. … We are preparing positive news for Ukraine.”
    22. MIKE: Longtime listeners to this show may recall that almost since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine War, when drones started taking out Russian military equipment and personnel, I was predicting that drones would create a new paradigm for fighting wars.
    23. MIKE: I’ve also been saying for over a year now that Ukraine will end up being one of NATO’s and America’s greatest assets in NextGen military supply, technology, and development.
    24. MIKE: I’m certainly no genius when it comes to military strategy and technology, so why has it taken so long for the US to see that the future of warfare is drones and robots?
    25. MIKE: This is the old story of generals always fighting the last war. Drones and robots were not incremental change, such as tank tactics or faster fighter jets. They’re revolutionary change, and generals in general, and US generals in particular have been slow to recognize that.
    26. MIKE: The US can’t simply stockpile combat drones because the tech changes too fast. We need a supply base that can make them quickly and cheaply, and adapt them rapidly as technology and tactics change.
    27. MIKE: I’m glad that the US military seems to at last be waking u to this reality in a concrete way.
14. From HAARETZ[.]COM in April —Analysis: Despite the Netanyahu Government’s Promises, the IDF Admits It Can’t Disarm Hezbollah; By Amos Harel | HAARETZ.COM | 05:53 AM • April 05 2026 TAGS: Lebanon, IDF, Iran, Hezbollah, Benjamin Netanyahu, Donald Trump, Strait of Hormuz, 2026 Israel-Iran War, Analysis,
    1. … [A senior officer of the Israeli Defense Force (IDF)] told military reporters on [the morning of April 3^rd] what should have been obvious … : The fighting in Lebanon, in its current format, will not result in Hezbollah’s full disarmament.
    2. It may, at best, advance the dismantling of the organization’s infrastructure south of the Litani River and inflict more losses. Israel could strive for a demilitarized southern Lebanon, but the airstrikes on Hezbollah command centers and bunkers in Beirut and the Bekaa will not result in the organization’s total collapse.
    3. Many senior IDF officers The problem is that the government is expressing different aspirations. In late March, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu boasted about the creation of three new security zones: in southern Lebanon, in the Syrian Golan Heights, and in the eastern half of the Gaza Strip. Defense Minister Israel Katz, who showers daily threats on all of Israel’s enemies, from the Euphrates to the Nile and beyond, promises Hezbollah’s total defeat.
    4. IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir agrees with his officers, but in a bid to reduce the friction with the political leadership, he too has made similar promises occasionally. When the remarks of an unnamed officer triggered a storm in the media, the chief of staff was called upon to support him while also making it clear that while Hezbollah’s total disarmament is indeed an objective, it will take time to achieve (in other words, not this time, in this format).
    5. In the meantime, a double expectation gap emerged between the government and the military, on the one hand, and the public, on the other. The main one has to do with remarks by Netanyahu, his ministers and also top IDF officers regarding the success of the previous war against Hezbollah, in the fall of 2024, which turned out to be temporary. Hezbollah lowered its profile but used the time to regroup. …
    6. The IDF has seized the second line of border villages, 8-10 kilometers (5-6.2 miles) into Lebanon, north of the border, buffering Israeli border communities from anti-tank missiles. …
    7. Meanwhile, the IDF began systematic demolitions in the newly conquered Shi’ite villages after their inhabitants fled under Israeli threats. …[T]he military already seems to have set a course that will result in the importation to Lebanon of the “Gaza model” – the near-total destruction of communities, citing strikes on infrastructure.
    8. Another crucial question has to do with the linkage between the two theaters, the Iranian and the Lebanese. Should the U.S. decide to end the war in Iran, what happens in Lebanon? Hezbollah will find it hard to fight by itself against the IDF, particularly if all of Israel’s offensive resources (particularly the air force) are trained on it alone. In such an eventuality, much will depend on the American position and on the question of whether they will once more try to push for a political settlement in Lebanon, or give Israel the green light to go on fighting for a while, in the hope of backing Hezbollah into a corner. …
    9. MIKE: This article then digresses into a lengthy discussion of Trump’s Iran war, which I’ve skipped because it goes beyond the title of the piece.
    10. MIKE: This opinion piece is interesting because of the strategic and political split it reveals within the Israeli governing establishment. It raises a question of whether Israel’s military and security goals are realistic and achievable. And if they’re achievable, how much death, destruction, and time, and what geopolitical costs, is Israel willing to pay?
    11. MIKE: It’s always important to remember that Hezbollah is not just a problem for Israel. It’s also a massive problem for Lebanon. Lebanon cannot really consider itself a fully functioning sovereign state while Hezbollah constitutes a government of its own with a substantial military of its own operating as an independent entity within the country.
    12. MIKE: It’s Hezbollah that keeps dragging Lebanon into this regional conflict.
    13. MIKE: It would be great — and in a perfect world, it would be logical — for Israel and Lebanon to join strategically in establishing Lebanon’s sovereign control over its entire territory, and in disarming Hezbollah. Sadly, that’s not likely to happen.
    14. MIKE: There are currently three consequential regional wars going on: The Russia-Ukraine War, the Israeli war against Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran, and the US and Israeli war against Iran which includes Iranian attacks against regional allies of the US.
    15. MIKE: Given the level of destruction being visited on this region and the calls for revenge that will be created and passed down to new generations, it’s really hard to see how any of the Western or Middle Eastern sides can “win”, but my guess is that the Iranians will have gained the most in the end. Not because they will have made new friends or achieved great victories, but because the US and Israel will have squandered much if not all of the goodwill that any of the people on any of the sides may have had for them.

 There’s always more to discuss, but that’s all we have time for today.

You’ve been listening to Thinkwing Radio with Mike Honig from KPFT Houston 90.1-HD2, Galveston 89.5-HD2,          Livingston/Goodrich 89.9-HD2, and Huntsville 91.9-HD2. We are Houston’s Community radio. I hope you’ve enjoyed the show and found it interesting, and I look forward to sharing this time with you again next week. Y’all take care!