Gardner Goldsmith

LIBERTY CONSPIRACY NEWS NOTES:

Well, we didn't get to engage in those oil short-sells tonight on the show, but we DID get to convene the Conspiracy and cover great news info, from excellent reporters. I hope plenty of folks get to see the links and follow their work! And join us, m-f 6 pm on Rumble or X! The Audio Pod appears about 1 hour after we end each program, and is free, from Spotify or here at Substack! Here are some of the big stories we got to discuss tonight on the program!

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Surprise! This actually is a long sought deescalation! Headline: “North Korea abandons reunification with South Korea in historic shift” LINK

Trump’s transparently unworkable “Project Freedom” struck many as being nonsense, and within 36 hours of announcing it, seeing it fail as Iran pushed away a US attempt to “escort” a ship towards the Strait of Hormuz, Trump has made up another tall tale to act as cover for fom reversing his policy/aggressive-tactic, and “pause” the “project”. Here is Antiwar on it: “Trump Says US Military Operation To ‘Guide’ Ships Out of the Strait of Hormuz Is Paused - News From Antiwar.com” LINK

This reiterates what we got to discuss last night on Liberty Conspiracy Live. In addition to Trump and his lying bizarre display about “Iranian NUKES” in front of little kids, Rubio is an inexhaustible source of lies. “Rubio Claims the US Is Now Engaged in a ‘Defensive Operation’ Against Iran - News From Antiwar.com” LINK

And, yes, the US Bases are blasted, almost every one, in the Middle East. Something the heads of the UAE might want to consider.

RUBIO IS ALWAYS READY TO APPEAR DECEPTIVE AND FOOLISH

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But, perhaps more telling, is the SHORT-SELLING off Trump’s empty claim that the US and Iran had a pending agreement!

Re the short-selling pattern. MTG nails it

Now, the Strait, and Control. We recall that Trump failed with his “Project Freedom”. I recorded this yesterday on RT, waited to show it until I got more information on the bombing of the UAE 36 hours ago. Connected to the UAE pulling out of OPEC and OAPEC while keeping its ties to Israel, it makes sense that Iran would justly claim its territorial control of waters that cover the region of a major fuel pipeline from the UAE to the Persian Gulf. That carries Arabian oil, and is key to UAE profits. Yesterday, Rick Sanchez covered the Iranian move well. But what of the explosion at the UAE? We read the Antiwar Report on that yesterday that explained that the answer as to who caused the explosion was unanswered, with UAE accusing Iran. That UAE accusation is shown now to be false. FIRST, RICK S Mapping Hormuz: RT’s Rick Sanchez on strategic edge (VIDEO) — RT World News “Mapping Hormuz: RT’s Rick Sanchez on strategic edge (VIDEO) — RT World News” LINK

Here is my recording of it, from yesterday

Here is Pepe Escobar with Nima earlier today, discussing how the explosion at the UAE fuel facility looked like a false flag to blame Iran. He begins by discussing the return of a triad international common interest grouping called the RIC (Russia, Iran, China) from two decades ago. The US aggression has inspired this to return and grow. Then, he touches on the info he had re the UAE explosion.

LATER, we got more details, from Scott Ritter. Here Scott points out that none of the fuel and fertilizer, food and flight, problems would exist if Trump had not begun slaughtering people in Iran (even as Trump lied about why he was doing so.)

Rubio called the Iranians “insane in the brain” and offered this

THE US HITTING THE B1 BRIDGE - LEST TIME MAKE IT FADE IN THE MIND

Jacob Hornberger nails it: “The Evil of U.S. Blockade and Sanctions on Iran – The Future of Freedom Foundation” LINK

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LEBANON

This, according to Trump, is a “ceasefire”

And, of course…

500 bombings by Israel, in less than a month. Headline: “Israel Confirms 500 Strikes Against Lebanon Since ‘Ceasefire’ Went Into Effect - News From Antiwar.com” LINK

And…

And, finally

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GAZA

Israel always worked to keep the population in Gaza on the brink of starvation and in poverty.

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LEBANON

OH! Look! Trump in 2008 was VERY opposed to Presidents going off to “war” in the Middle East.

And this claim also was bogus, even without his aggression in the Caribbean and against Iran. The only immediate move he could make last year was to end the Biden blocks against Russian energy. Trump increased those. And his moves to “open America” for more energy exploration and recovery would not be able to change energy prices for three years.

WORLD AND US ECONOMY

Worldwide, starvation is coming.

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Kevin Hassett either is utterly ignorant of fundamental economics, or he knows the truth and is trying to deceive people. Higher spending during a period of higher prices does not equate to higher DESIRE by consumers to buy. It reflects HIGHER PRICES, which, contrary to what Hassett spews in this segment, translates to less discretionary income for consumers, leading to even steeper declines in economic well being.

From yesterday. Jet Fuel

AIRFARE, YEAR OVER YEAR

HOME FORCLOSURES

FAUCI

Sasha L had it covered: Anthony Fauci will not be prosecuted for covid crimes. Mark this post. LINK

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That’s it for now, all! Many thanks for supporting freedom, and for sharing the links! And remember, you can back us here by becoming a paid subscriber if you would like, and feel free to watch Liberty Conspiracy LIVE on Gardner’s X @gardgoldsmith and on Rumble! Spread the word! Thanks, again! Please feel free to SHARE the links, and join us every M-F at 6 PM on Rumble, and my X @gardgoldsmith — and you also can donate to help the Liberty Conspiracy, itself! Just visit PayPal to help out! You also can mail GG at:

Gardner Goldsmith
PO Box 581
Amherst, NH, 03031 :)

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In starting Liberty Conspiracy Live, I hadn't anticipated having the freedom to tie contemporary breaking news with scholarship and research that would allow me to pick up a book like James Bovard's "Last Rights" and read quotes about government policies he so thoroughly has researched, or picking up a short story collection by F. Paul Wilson and being able to read that to close out a show, but the format and our fellow Conspirators have facilitated everything, including great music, fake co-reporters from 1940 coming to us through a time portal, and more. It was great to be able to hit on so much important info, and draw in lessons re economics, philosophy, and laugh a lot, as well. Thanks, everyone, and please grab the chance to follow some of the fine journalists whose unflagging work is so important. - Feel free to stream with us at 6 PM m-f on Rumble or on X, and you can get the Audio Pod at about 10:30 each night via Spotify and here at Substack. Here are some of the big items we hit tonight…

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Lindsey Graham is not hiding his desire to carry out an armed coup in Iran

Hegseth continues to LIE

If you want an indication of the mindset driving the Trump war machine in “negotiations” with Iran, think about the new negotiator Nick Stewart, part of Witkoff’s team. Stewart has slid over from the Foundation for the Defense of Democracy, which is a hardcore Zionist/Israeli group, founded as a de facto lobbying group, originally called Emmet (Hebrew for Truth) and the goal was to “enhance Israel’s image in America.” Here is The Gray Zone’s Aaron Mate on it as he spoke with Judge Napolitano, today. Aaron reminds us that the initial “talking points” the White House issued to “justify” its attack against Iran this year, was literally copied from an FfDoD document.

In front of school-age kids and the Dept of Ed head whom Trump claimed would HELP END THE DEPT, Trump just repeated the canard that Iran was two weeks away from a Nuclear Weapon (TM).

Israel is gearing up for more attacks on Iran (and word from DC connections tells me the US also is doing so).

The UAE dispute from yesterday Headline: “Iranian Media: Attack on UAE Oil Facility Result of US ‘Adventurism’ in the Strait of Hormuz - News From Antiwar.com” LINK

Lindsey Graham seems to think that those of us who aren’t wise enough to bow to their immoral, unconstitutional, aggression against Iran and immoral, unconstitutional support for Israel the Genocide Machine… he thinks we deserve higher fuel prices

Richard Medhurst continues to uncover telltale signals about the inner workings of the fuel plan that hinged on the overthrow of Syria.

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CHINA pushes back against Trump’s attempt to throttle it - Headline: “China’s Commerce Ministry blocks US sanctions against five refineries” LINK

Prices - During Trump’s THIRD LOCKDOWN (after the COVID, the 2025 tariff terrorism [continuing] and now, the Iran debacle)

PLANES (worldwide and US)

Farmers - those that have not become part of the record-breaking number that have filed for bankruptcy in the last year - are fearing ever worsening straits. Headline: “American farmers appear to be screwed” LINK

Again, food shortages are coming, here, and worldwide

HEADLINE, from ANTIWAR “Israel Prepares for Resumption of Full-Scale Bombing Campaign in Gaza - News From Antiwar.com” LINK

This is just one of the attacks during the “ceasefire” - Israel bombing a police station, killing a child.

AND… the two members of the Samud Flotilla we have been mentioning the past few episodes STILL are being held by Israel, after Israel engaged in piracy in GREEK waters, and kidnapped them.

AND A LITTLE MESSAGE FOR CHRISTIAN ZIONISTS, LIKE MIKE HUCKABEE

Thanks, to Prof Hanke, for being one of the people who cares, and is trying to spread the truth.

Evidently, Ted Cruz thinks that people sharing true information and reacting to Israel and the US engaging in genocide is something to label “antisemitism”

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Soooo, we sure better not share this, right (wink)?

HEADLINE: “Russia and Ukraine Declare Ceasefires That Will Begin on Different Days - News From Antiwar.com” LINK

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Remember, if a bunch of guys with guns (some of them masked) approach you in your vehicle and you try to drive away, then they shoot at you — it’s you who are the aggressive one, Mr. Orwell. Headline: “Grand jury indicts man shot by ICE agents in California” LINK

And let’s recall these:

This is from Saturday. “Family of six held by ICE arrives back in Colorado as lawyer attacks ‘kidnapping’“ LINK

Another ICE kidnapping victim dies in an ICE cage “Another detainee dies in ICE custody” LINK

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TARIFF TERRORISM

HEADLINE “Car industry hit: Trump announces 25% tariffs on EU imports” LINK

PRIVACY - RECALLING FROM YESTERDAY

As if he were a crackhead giving advice about sobriety, Josh Hawley never ceases to be a source of bad, dangerous ideas Headline from Reclaim The Net “Senate Panel Backs GUARD Act, AI Age Verification Bill” LINK

FINALLY - What do you think of this man’s observations and theory?

That’s it for now, all! Many thanks for supporting freedom, and for sharing the links! And remember, you can back us here by becoming a paid subscriber if you would like, and feel free to watch Liberty Conspiracy LIVE on Gardner’s X @gardgoldsmith and on Rumble! Spread the word! Thanks, again! Please feel free to SHARE the links, and join us every M-F at 6 PM on Rumble, and my X @gardgoldsmith — and you also can donate to help the Liberty Conspiracy, itself! Just visit PayPal to help out! You also can mail GG at:

Gardner Goldsmith
PO Box 581
Amherst, NH, 03031 :)

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LIBERTY CONSPIRACY NEWS NOTES:

We posted this question on X:
Is the US trying to tie numerous nations into a World War?

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Thank you, to all the great Conspirators who joined us to discuss the Pirate-in-Thief, the bogus nature of Antitrust law, the Hawley move to ID everyone who wants to use the intergnat, and more! We got to discuss the journalism of great reporters so, please follow them if you haven't had the opportunity! And join us, m-f 6 PM on Rumble or my X! The audio Pod is ready shortly after the show, via Spotify or Substack! Here is what we got to discuss tonight!

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Today, a few news sources and commentators are noticing that Trump has a new military operation in the Persian Gulf, something he has done to semantically skirt the already Constitution-diluting War Powers Act. It’s the sadly, darkly ironic “Project Freedom”. Here is some info on it, and here is more, from AntiWar, and, already, it is seeing Iran respond appropriately, noting that the nation of Iran has territorial water claims that extend 12 miles past the islands in the gulf that are part of Iran, meaning that the Strait of Hormuz not only is Iranian and Omani mutual territory, but that areas that are not even as tight as that region also fall into Iranian territorial claims.

THIS AFTER TRUMP ADMITS TO USING THE US MILITARY “LIKE PIRATES” (He could change that to “WE ARE PIRATES” in the US govt., in all respects, as all statism is - piracy.)

THUS, we see this: “US Central Command Says It Destroyed Six Iranian Boats; Iran Denies Naval Losses - News From Antiwar.com” LINK

YET, IRAN claims it hit two US ships — this is disputed, as the US claims are disputed re the above

Not good

Headline: “UAE reports missile and drone strikes incoming from Iran | News | Al Jazeera” LINK UAE authorities reported an Iranian drone strike sparking a fire at a petroleum/oil facility (Fujairah Oil Industry Zone / petroleum complex / export terminal) in Fujairah. UAE air defenses intercepted several incoming Iranian missiles/drones (some destroyed over territorial waters, one in the sea). Three Indian workers were moderately injured. Fujairah is a key oil export hub bypassing the Strait of Hormuz. Iran denied direct responsibility for striking UAE facilities, calling it the result of “American adventurism” or denying involvement altogether.

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It might be worth mentioning that this Congressman is right. Despite some Boston talk radio hosts calling him “Moron Moulton” it appears that Mr. Moulton has a better grasp on War Crimes history than many commentators and Mr. Hegseth. Headline: “Rep. Seth Moulton says Hegseth is ‘guilty’ of war crimes, links him to Nazis | Fox News” LINK Of course, Mr. Hegseth has been committing War Crimes since he carried out Trump’s commands to attack Yemen early in 2025. Here is more, from last fall LINK AND HERE IS SEN MARK KELLEY handing Hegseth his proverbial head. LINK

Here’s an idea that disregards American Indian land rights — again. Headline: “Trump gives go-ahead to major new Canada-US oil pipeline” LINK

The culturally significant sites and areas of concern along (or near) the proposed Bridger Pipeline Expansion route were, in many cases, originally part of Native American tribal territories or hunting grounds explicitly protected under the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868. These were not ceded to the U.S. in that treaty but were later lost or opened to non-Indian settlement through U.S. actions that courts and historians have widely recognized as violations of the treaty. Today, they are no longer reservation or tribal trust land (which is why the pipeline route avoids current reservations), but tribes continue to assert treaty-based rights, cultural connections, and consultation requirements over them.

Quick Background on the Relevant Treaty Lands

The 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty (signed by the U.S. and bands of the Lakota/Sioux, Northern Cheyenne, Arapaho, and others) had two key parts relevant here:

• It created the Great Sioux Reservation (including the Black Hills, a sacred area).

• It also designated vast “unceded Indian territory” (Article 16) north of the North Platte River and east of the Big Horn Mountains. This included large parts of what is now eastern Wyoming, southeastern Montana, and adjacent areas. No white persons could settle or occupy these lands without tribal consent. Tribes also retained hunting rights in these and additional areas (Article 11) “so long as the buffalo may range thereon in such numbers as to justify the chase.”

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These unceded territories overlapped significantly with the traditional homelands and hunting grounds of the Lakota, Northern Cheyenne, Arapaho, and allied tribes (including Gros Ventre, Assiniboine, Mandan, Arikara in broader regional contexts). The pipeline’s route—from the Montana-Canada border south through eastern Montana counties (e.g., Phillips, Valley, Roosevelt, etc.) into northeastern Wyoming (e.g., Crook, Weston, etc., toward Guernsey)—passes through or near these historical unceded areas.

How These Lands Were Lost - The U.S. broke key promises in the treaty:

• After gold was discovered in the Black Hills (1874), the U.S. attempted to buy the land. When tribes refused, Congress passed the 1877 “Manypenny Agreement”/Act, which unilaterally seized the Black Hills and extinguished hunting rights in the unceded territories. This was done with signatures from only a small fraction of adult male tribal members (far short of the treaty’s required 75% approval for any land cession).

• The U.S. also allowed settler encroachment, military posts, and roads in violation of Article 16.

• In 1980, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in United States v. Sioux Nation that the taking of the Black Hills was an illegal 5th Amendment taking and awarded compensation (now worth over $1 billion with interest). The tribes have refused the money, demanding the land back instead. Similar patterns occurred with other tribes’ claims in the region.

The result: The unceded territories were gradually opened to homesteading, railroads, and private ownership. What had been treaty-protected Indian hunting/cultural lands became the mix of private ranches, farms, BLM land, and state land that the pipeline now crosses.

Here are Specific Cultural Sites/Ties Mentioned in Opposition to the Pipeline LINK

-Tribal and environmental groups (e.g., Honor the Earth, Earthjustice) highlight that the pipeline route cuts through:

• Unceded 1868 Treaty hunting territories themselves (recognized as areas of ongoing cultural/religious significance).

• The “Warrior Trail” (alongside Highway 212 in southeastern Montana), which includes historic sites from the Great Sioux War (1876–77 era battles and trails tied to Lakota/Cheyenne resistance).

• Areas linked to sacred sites, burial grounds, and traditional cultural properties in the broader Powder River/Belle Fourche/Cheyenne River drainages (near the Black Hills sacred landscape).

• River crossings (Missouri River, Poplar River, etc.) with downstream cultural/water impacts to tribes like Fort Peck, Standing Rock, etc.

  earthjustice.org

These are not random “cultural” concerns—they stem directly from the treaty-protected status and centuries of tribal use. Even though the land is now privately owned or federal, federal law (e.g., National Historic Preservation Act Section 106, National Environmental Policy Act, Executive Order 13175) requires agencies to consult tribes about impacts to such resources during permitting. Critics argue the recent Trump cross-border permit rushed ahead before full tribal consultation and cultural surveys were complete.

The cultural sites are tied to lands that were originally tribal under the 1868 treaty (unceded and protected). The U.S. did break those treaty obligations through later legislation and actions, leading to the loss of tribal control. That history is exactly why tribes are raising alarms now—even though the pipeline itself does not cross modern reservation boundaries. The ongoing EIS process will

Israel’s approach to a “ceasefire” not only is to kill, seize land, and destroy everything from farms to schools to religious sites, the Israeli government is RAMPING UP the violent aggression. Headline: “Scores Killed in Israeli Strikes on Southern Lebanon Despite Ceasefire ‘Holding’ - News From Antiwar.com” LINK

And, yes, of course, the Israeli government (and many of the civilians, if not most, according to polls) want to steal the rest of Lebanon.

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The Samud Flotilla:

MORE - VERY Important, given that one of these men is Palestinian, and the Israeli’s might continue to cage and torture him

It looks like the Occupation Goons will continue to cage them

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Trump is increasing the terrible blockade against Cuban people. Here is Antiwar on the matter. Headline: “Citing Bogus ‘Threats’ to US, Trump Expands Already Devastating Sanctions on Cuba - Antiwar.com Blog” LINK

Headline: “US Launches 61st Airstrike of the Year in Somalia - News From Antiwar.com” LINK

Hep-hep! How thrilling! Headline: “Americans spent $125 million more on gas Friday than they did a week ago” LINK

HEADLINE: “China’s Commerce Ministry blocks US sanctions against five refineries” LINK

Here is Antiwar on it! LINK

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Many “commentators” are discussing the demise of Spirit Airlines. But, from the samplings of “MAGA” streamers and radio hosts I took this morning, through mid-morning, all of them are focusing on the personalities behind the federal government forbidding Jet Blue from buying Spirit in 2024, not the price of jet fuel that Trump’s aggression against Iran has caused, and not the federal block of the Jet Blue buyout, which the Bidenistas and folks like Senator Liz Warren (D-MA) made sure to impose/inflict on the willing buyer and seller. For reference to the historical background of what first looked like a Frontier Airlines purchase of Spirit, but later saw a better proposal from Jet Blue that was BLOCKED by the so-called “Justice Department”, as well as an overview of the upward price curve of fuel (gas, diesel, jet fuel) please see yesterday’s Sunday News Assembly… Today, I would like to offer you a sample of justified criticism of Warren, but I also want to offer you key points about the anti-constitutional, immoral, and anti-economic nature of all federal Antitrust “law”.

Here is Warren, from 2024

Jim Geraghty, of National Review, offered

But that kind of analysis actually ASSUMES THE ACCEPTABILITY of federal Antitrust, on moral and constitutional levels, both of which are unwarranted…

AND SMALL CARRIERS ARE RUMBLING RE A $2.5 BILLION Federal BAILOUT

A trade group called the Association of Value Airlines (representing Spirit, Frontier, Avelo, Allegiant, Sun Country, etc.) formally pitched the Trump administration for $2.5 billion in targeted government assistance/liquidity pool in late April 2026. The proposal would offset extra fuel costs (jet fuel prices have roughly doubled and are averaging over $4/gallon due to Middle East tensions and Strait of Hormuz issues) in exchange for warrants that could convert to equity stakes in the carriers. They argue smaller carriers are hit harder because their price-sensitive customers can’t absorb big fare hikes as easily as legacy carriers like Delta or United.

Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and the DOJ announced today a new focus on “antitrust enforcement” against the “Big Four” packers (JBS, Cargill, Tyson Foods, National Beef) over alleged collusion, price-fixing, and market concentration— and, get this, she explicitly tied the move to “food security as a national security concern” due to foreign ownership (e.g., Brazilian-controlled JBS and National Beef) and “reduced competition for ranchers.” This comes as a response to a November “Presidential Directive” (perfect to fit a PR-link to Thanksgiving and the fact that prices were RISING not dropping — Trump and his pals had their bogeymen ready)… LINK.

The Chump Administration moves are mixed, here. Some, positive, some, highly fascistic. Proposals to make higher line speeds permanent in poultry and pork processing plants (building on first-term efforts and modernized inspection systems), which the Meat Institute (industry group) had lobbied for as a way to reduce outdated restrictions. These have been long-standing requests from ranchers and sellers. LINK

• Reductions in overtime and holiday inspection fees for small and very small processors (e.g., 75% reduction for very small establishments). (Based on recommendations from years ago).

• Withdrawal or rescission of certain Biden-era USDA rules under the Packers and Stockyards Act (e.g., on inclusive competition/market integrity and poultry grower payments) that the industry viewed as adding compliance costs and limiting flexibility. LINK

• Expansion of remote/instrument-enhanced beef grading pilots, which cuts staffing and logistical costs for smaller processors.

These align with broader deregulatory goals but are paired with intensified antitrust scrutiny on the dominant players.

BUUUUT, the US is creating government-run or subsidized programs to FUND domestic (especially small and mid-sized) meatpacking firms. The USDA’s Beef Industry Plan (released around October 2025 under Secretary Rollins) explicitly includes targeted assistance to expand processing capacity, promote local/regional supply chains, and counter Big Four dominance. Here are some of their wondrous, key elements:

• Fourth round of the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program (MPPEP) grants: Up to $2 million per award, potentially supporting ~50 small processors for facility expansions, equipment, and modernization focused on local beef markets.

• Prioritized access to up to $25 million in guaranteed loans via USDA’s Business and Industry Loan Program for beef processors.

• SBA low-interest loans prioritized for new small meat/poultry processors to offset startup costs.

• These are framed as diversifying the supply chain and bolstering resilience (with “food security is national security” rhetoric).

Additional steps include encouraging federal food procurement programs to buy more domestically produced beef and opening more grazing land, which, of course, expands the size of the government involvement in the market, in the former, and doesn’t address the unconstitutional nature of trying to control “grazing land” in the first place.

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Here they come. “Farm bill may ease cost burden for farmers; ag groups urge US Senate action” LINK

Yep. More. Headline: “Car industry hit: Trump announces 25% tariffs on EU imports” LINK

Federal antitrust law, epitomized by the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890, stands as one of the most misguided interventions in American economic history. Far from promoting competition and consumer welfare, it is immoral, anti-economic, and unconstitutional. As scholars at the Mises Institute and the Foundation for Economic Education (FEE) have documented for decades, antitrust enforcement punishes success, distorts markets, and violates core constitutional limits on federal power. Dominick T. Armentano, author of the seminal works Antitrust and Monopoly: Anatomy of a Policy Failure and Antitrust: The Case for Repeal (published by the Mises Institute), has exposed these flaws with unmatched clarity. LINK (Here is an excellent expose of Warren’s antitrust adoration, by Prof Armentano. And, here is another excellent piece by Armentano, on the early days of the evil Antitrust push.)

The Sherman Act’s constitutional foundation is a blatant stretch of the Interstate Commerce Clause in Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution. The clause was never intended to grant Congress preemptive regulatory control over private interstate trade. In a February 1829 letter to Joseph C. Cabell, James Madison—the principal architect of the Constitution—explained its true purpose: the power “grew out of the abuse of the power of the importing states in taxing the non-importing, and was intended as a negative and preventative provision against injustice amongst the states themselves, rather than as a power to be used for the positive purposes of the General Government.” Madison foresaw that a literal reading could lead to overreach, but he insisted the clause served only to resolve state-versus-state conflicts, not to police voluntary business arrangements between individuals or firms across state lines. The Sherman Act’s federal assault on “restraints of trade” and “monopolization” ignores this original understanding, transforming a limited dispute-resolution tool into a sweeping regulatory weapon.

Economically, antitrust law is a disaster. In a genuine free market, businesses grow large precisely because they are more competitive: they innovate, cut costs, expand output, and win the voluntary patronage of consumers. As Armentano notes in his Mises Institute analyses, market dominance reflects efficiency, not coercion. Consumers freely choose superior products and services, rewarding the best performers. Yet antitrust enforcement inverts this process. “Antitrust’s dirty little secret,” Armentano writes, “is that the laws have been employed consistently to hamper successful business organizations and protect their less efficient rivals. One would be hard-pressed to discover a more immoral or irrational public policy toward business, or one more worthy of repeal.”

History confirms this. Classic cases, from Standard Oil to Microsoft, targeted firms that delivered lower prices and better quality. Private antitrust suits—comprising over 90 percent of litigation—routinely involve less-efficient competitors dragging more-efficient rivals into court. The Mises Institute and FEE emphasize that such rent-seeking distorts resource allocation, raises costs for consumers, and stifles innovation. Armentano’s exhaustive case studies in Antitrust and Monopoly reveal that the laws do not protect competition; they shield politically favored incumbents from market discipline.

Morally, antitrust is indefensible. It criminalizes voluntary agreements over legitimately owned property—licensing deals, mergers, pricing strategies—without evidence of force or fraud. Armentano, in his FEE essay “The Immorality of Antitrust Law,” argues that these statutes are “inherently discriminatory” and “abusive of liberty and justice,” echoing Adam Smith’s warning against laws that interfere with consensual trade. They empower government bureaucrats and envious rivals to second-guess entrepreneurial decisions that consumers have already endorsed in the marketplace.

The Mises Institute and FEE have long advocated total repeal. Armentano’s work proves that antitrust is not reformable; it must be abolished. Only then can free-market competition—driven by consumer sovereignty—flourish unmolested. In a world without antitrust, businesses would rise or fall on merit alone, delivering greater prosperity and respecting the constitutional order Madison envisioned.

One of the keystones of “Antitrust” is the idea that a company can be engage in “horizontal” or “vertical” integration.

By “HORIZONTAL,” Antitrust advocates mean the practice of a company buying or making deals with competitors or smaller companies in regions where the company does not operate. This allows businesses to seek efficient companies and offer them profit to merge, and provides the buying company the chance to discover efficient businesses and incorporate them into their models. Trial and error reveals the success or failure of such activity, based on consumer response. As long as there is no government-supported company or government-backed merger, the company (companies, combined) might, indeed, grow in market share, but they will be prohibited from raising prices beyond what consumers accept without introducing the market-visible opportunity for new parties to enter and compete, catering to the dissatisfied consumers. If big companies try to buy out every new competitor, that harms their bottom line if the merger is done merely to eliminate competition. It harms efficiency and is a new drag on the business. Thus, companies rarely, if ever, try to do that except in dramatic movies.

VERTICAL INTEGRATION is the practice of a company investing in portions of its needs along a supply chain, allowing it to be self-sufficient when trading shocks (like TARIFFS) arise. This rarely is cited by rabid Antitrust goons as a “rationale” for the US government to attack a company.

Typically, the Antitrust division, as Armentano notes, is geared to welcome politically favored business people who want the DoJ to burden their competition (competition which, in the history of Antitrust, usually has been more efficient). It’s a Rent-Seeking weapon to help the politically connected and to demonize REAL competitive businesses.

The only group of people who are not open to competition are governments and the crony businesses they favor.

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As if he were a crackhead giving advice about sobriety, Josh Hawley never ceases to be a source of bad, dangerous ideas Headline from Reclaim The Net “Senate Panel Backs GUARD Act, AI Age Verification Bill” LINK

This is from Saturday. “Family of six held by ICE arrives back in Colorado as lawyer attacks ‘kidnapping’“ LINK

Another ICE kidnapping victim dies in an ICE cage “Another detainee dies in ICE custody” LINK

We mentioned this in the Sunday News Assembly. The creation and sale of the drug are not attacks on people, but the ingesting of it by pregnant women, if they do so knowingly, is an attack on another person. Headline “Appeals court blocks FDA rule that allows women to obtain abortion drugs by mail” LINK

That’s it for now, all!

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Many thanks for supporting freedom, and for sharing the links! And remember, you can back us here by becoming a paid subscriber if you would like, and feel free to watch Liberty Conspiracy LIVE on Gardner’s X @gardgoldsmith and on Rumble! Spread the word! Thanks, again! Please feel free to SHARE the links, and join us every M-F at 6 PM on Rumble, and my X @gardgoldsmith — and you also can donate to help the Liberty Conspiracy, itself! Just visit PayPal to help out! You also can mail GG at:

Gardner Goldsmith
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Amherst, NH, 03031 :)

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The US continues to diminish our buying power, increase our costs, limit our market choices, target our speech, restrict our movements, and destroy trade arrangements, worldwide.

Today, we begin with an excellent investigation by Richard Medhurst, on his theory that the US is leveraging its kinetic attack on Iran and the longer US/EU/NATO/Ukraine proxy war against Russia as two prongs in a tool to redirect European energy consumption to be fulfilled by US interests and to increase the cost of Middle Eastern fuel, again making US fuel more attractive. The problem with this theory is that the US has engaged in these kinetic and proxy conflicts without substantially increasing US fuel exploration, recovery, transport, and refining. Those are still about three years away and so US capacity is not sufficiently elastic to handle a large redirection of world demand. Instead, as prices for fuel rise, formerly illogical and un-economic systems such as solar will appear more reasonable, not because their prices drop, but because the normally inexpensive petrochemical fuels are skyrocketing in price.

Then, it’s onward, to the “Rest of the stories,” to color a phrase from the late, great Paul Harvey…! As always, please feel free to read all, or just portions, of the Assembly, to leave and return, and to SHARE the internal links and the whole release! Be sure to head to Rumble or Gardner’s X at 6 PM eastern each M-F for the news, from Liberty Conspiracy LIVE! We hope to provide as much big info for freedom fighters as we can!! ALSO, check out the new Former Star Trek Writing Fellow Channels - On YT, and on Rumble!

AND feel free to leave a comment at the bottom of the Assembly, and you also can donate to help the Liberty Conspiracy, itself! Just visit PayPal to help out!

And now, as Mario and Luigi might say, “Let’s-a-GO!!

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Here is his Substack release that digs into the multi-decades, multi-national US plan

Here is his documentary:

No, Congress didn’t even bother to abide by their own “beyond-the-Constitution” “War Powers Act” deadline of 60 Days. LINK
And… Yes. Trump literally admitted to acting like a pirate.

The Chinese rep to the UN just explicitly said that the US actions against Iran run contrary to “legal” world agreements, under the UN charter — which the US co-wrote.

The price of jet fuel has risen more than 54% year-to-year as of this date (we will see the punch that landed on Spirit Airlines in a separate section, soon…) and fertilizer virtually is at near ZERO passing through the Strait of Hormuz. In A SINGLE MONTH, the stoppage became so complete, that, year-to-year, it equals approximately 95–100% (near-total collapse to a trickle), with an aggregate decrease of roughly 3 million metric tons for April 2026 vs. April 2025. Note the X post coming up… The Kpler chart quoted in the post (and widely referenced) tracks weekly fertilizer exports (primarily urea) through the Strait of Hormuz from November 2025 to April 2026. Pre-conflict weekly volumes (November 2025–early March 2026) typically ranged from ~0.5–0.8 million tons per week. In April 2026, exports fell to a trickle, with tiny weekly bars visually around 0.05 million tons or less (near zero).

Let’s expand on this important ECONOMIC supply shock info.
As we go to “print” on the evening of May 2 we can look at the latest EIA data through late April…
-U.S. retail gasoline and diesel prices have risen sharply year-over-year—roughly 30% for gasoline and over 50% for diesel—driven primarily by the U.S.-Israel attacks on Iran that began in late February 2026 and disrupted oil supplies through the Strait of Hormuz. Jet fuel wholesale/spot prices have roughly doubled or risen 80–100%+ YoY in the same period. Prices spiked dramatically in March–April 2026 and have remained elevated (with some weekly fluctuations). Here are details from “official” U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) data (retail pump prices for gasoline and on-highway diesel; wholesale/spot for jet fuel, as jet fuel is not typically sold at retail pumps like the others). All figures are U.S. national averages in dollars per gallon.
-Gasoline (EIA all grades/all formulations retail; regular-grade weekly is very similar)

• April 2026 monthly average: $4.236

• April 2025 monthly average: ~$3.30 (regular ~$3.17–$3.30 range)

• Year-over-year rise (April-to-April): +~$0.94 / ~+28–34%

• Rise in the month of April 2026: From March 2026 average of $3.771 → +$0.465 / ~+12.3% MoM

• Latest weekly (week ending April 27, 2026): ~$4.123 (EIA); some private trackers like AAA reported national averages near $4.30–$4.43 in early May amid ongoing volatility.

• YoY on latest weekly: +~$0.99 / ~+31% (from ~$3.13 one year prior)

-Diesel (EIA on-highway/No. 2 ultra-low sulfur retail) LINK

• April 2026 monthly average: $5.501

• April 2025 monthly average: $3.567

• Year-over-year rise (April-to-April): +~$1.93 / ~+54%

• Rise in the month of April 2026: From March 2026 average of $4.921 → +$0.58 / ~+11.8% MoM

• Latest weekly (week ending April 27, 2026): $5.351

• YoY on latest weekly: +~$1.82 / ~+51% (from ~$3.53 one year prior)

-Jet Fuel (Argus U.S. Jet Fuel Index / U.S. Gulf Coast spot/wholesale kerosene-type; commercial aviation benchmark)

• Recent (as of May 1, 2026): ~$4.13 (Argus simple average across major hubs)

  airlines.org

• Year-over-year (to early May 2026): Roughly doubled (or +80–100%+); early 2025 levels were in the ~$2.0–$2.5 range before the 2026 supply shock. Some analyses note ~+60% since late February alone, with full YoY even higher due to the conflict.

  americanprogress.org +1

• April 2026 changes: Sharp spike early in the month (Gulf Coast spot hit highs near ~$4.07–$4.88 before moderating slightly to ~$3.71–$3.91 by late April). Monthly averages were significantly elevated vs. 2025; general aviation Jet-A retail (FBO survey) averaged $8.63 in April 2026, up ~$2.03 YoY. LINK

We also should note:

• These are national U.S. averages (including taxes where applicable for retail fuels). Regional prices vary widely (e.g., much higher on the West Coast).

• The April 2026 monthly surges (and ongoing elevation) reflect the geopolitical oil supply disruption; pre-conflict 2026 prices were actually lower than 2025 in Jan/Feb before the sharp reversal. LINK

• Data is from EIA’s Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update (released April 28, 2026, covering through April 27) and monthly averages; jet fuel from Argus and EIA spot series. The next EXCITING weekly EIA update is Tuesday, May 5.

And, though I don’t put much stock in polls and rarely find them of interest, this might be something to note.

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A 45-year-old man named Guido Reichstadter is camping atop the Federick Douglas Memorial Bridge, over the Potomac River in DC, to protest the US attacks against Iran. By the time this is before your eyes, the cops might have grabbed him…

This post, from Daniel Davis, is an easy “click and read”, but I am going to copy and paste his content here, so that those who might not be inclined to click might have a greater chance to see his thoughts.

Here is what he says:
‘Iran today reportedly issued the United States a 14 plan to end the war in a response to Trump‘s latest demands for a negotiated end. But President Trump is reported to have rejected those terms and it’s already DOA.
Meanwhile, Trump is in a real time crunch, with no obvious exit ramps.
According to the Washington Post today, the Admin has all but run out of options to mitigate the rising cost of gasoline and its impact on American consumers. According to the Post:
“As the conflict stretches into its 10th week, the White House has exhausted many of the policy levers the federal government can use to mitigate surging gas prices, and the options that remain carry other economic and political risks for the president…
“‘We are entering into what could become a much larger energy crisis in the weeks ahead,” said Patrick De Haan, the head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, “and instead of realizing a potential mistake, both the White House and Iran seem to be dug in.’”
But according to Drop Site News @DropSiteNews, the main points in the Iranian plan reflect essentially a maximalist demand, which is nearly impossible for Trump to accept.
Drop Site News reported the plan: “includes demands for guarantees against future military aggression, the withdrawal of U.S. forces from areas surrounding Iran, lifting the U.S. naval blockade, unfreezing Iranian assets, compensation payments, sanctions relief, and ending the war across all fronts, including Lebanon. It also outlines a new mechanism for the Strait of Hormuz.”
Time is not on Trump‘s side. Iran can definitely suffer the effects of the blockade longer than Trump can survive the economic pressures building up inside the United States and externally among our allies in Asia and in Europe.
That puts Trump in a dangerous position: either he 1) engages in genuine diplomacy, with Iran in which he is forced to concede some points that Iran wants (in order to *get* points Trump wants), which Israel will view with great fear, and his hawkish wing in Washington will strongly push back against — but which is the most effective way to quickly restore the flow of oil out of the SOH — or he will have to 2) listen to the hawkish elements in his administration and restart the war in a vain hope that one more big military bombing campaign will do what the first 40 days did not.
But there is virtually no rational chance that succeeds, and a very high probability it would fail. Worse, it will certainly spawn a retaliatory attrack from Tehran against our GCC allies, and Israel, targeting their energy infrastructure, which would be catastrophic for the price of oil. That would therefore skyrocket, on a long-term basis, gasoline prices in the United States, and along with it the price of nearly everything else.
That is the horrible situation President Trump has gotten himself into by choosing this war back in February. It truly is as simple as take the ugly deal now, or worsen our situation by trying more military force.’

And things literally are changing as we write and publish the Assembly. These next two reflect what appears to be Trump’s decision to extend his attempt to blockade the Strait of Hormuz and/or Trump’s desire to add kinetic strikes in Iran to the blockade.

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To round-off these points, let’s turn to Ben Norton’s analysis of the US strategy to position US production as being the leading one on Earth. The plot Richard Medhurst theorizes is in action seems to fit the observations of Ben’s presentation, as well.

Some of the Samud Flotilla members whom Israel kidnapped the other day, in international waters remain their kidnap victims

Here is the official Flotilla tracker LINK

Oh, and let’s take a look at this bizarre, evil occupier, war criminal, again…

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We have noted that Azerbaijan’s Islamic government is allied to Israel. Not only is it tied to Israel, it also is tied to the persecution of Christians and Armenians - which Mike Huckabee and the US seem to overlook, intentionally, in their zeal to block Iran exports and isolate that nation and its people from the rest of the commercial world. Headline: “Israel's New Ambassador to the 'Christian World' Served as Envoy to Azerbaijan During the Ethnic Cleansing of Christians from Nagorno-Karabakh - News From Antiwar.com” LINK

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Headline: “State Department clears $8B arms sales to Gulf nations” LINK From the article (News Nation) “Purchases approved included an Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) to the United Arab Emirates for $147.6 million, to Israel for $992.4 million and to Qatar for $992.4 million. The State Department also approved the replenishment of Qatar’s Patriot missile capacity for $4.01 billion and an Integrated Battle Command System to Kuwait for $2.5 billion.”

Note the headline: “Trump says US will reduce number of troops in Germany ‘a lot further’ than withdrawal of 5,000” LINK Buuut, of course, this is not exactly what Trump is depicting it to be. These soldiers will remain deployed in foreign lands. Trump’s comments and the Pentagon’s announcement refer to a phased drawdown of U.S. troops from Germany that is not an immediate full return of forces to the United States. Instead, it involves redeployment: very few troops heading home, others repositioned to other overseas locations. LINK

Here’s a clear breakdown based on official statements and reporting:
The Initial Announcement (The 5,000-Troop Withdrawal)

• On Friday (May 1, 2026), the Pentagon announced it will withdraw approximately 5,000 U.S. troops from Germany. This is roughly 14% of the current ~35,000–36,000 active-duty U.S. service members stationed there (the largest U.S. military presence in Europe).

• The drawdown is not immediate. It is expected to take place gradually over the next 6–12 months as part of a broader force-posture review.

• This fulfills a threat Trump made earlier in the week after a public spat with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Merz had criticized the U.S. handling of the ongoing war with Iran (including comments that the U.S. had been “humiliated” by Iran and lacked strategy). It wasn’t that Merz opposed the Trump crimes, he thought Trump wasn’t forceful enough. Trump, of course wants Germany and other European nations to join the US in the illegal blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

This is a sad report, a terrible reality. Many who oppose the death penalty do so because they do not want to see the government (state) kill an innocent person. Yet, many of the same people support armed police, who can, and do, kill many more people each year than are killed under the death penalty. Some might argue that this pits apples against oranges, that they are different in a meaningful way. Not true. Despite the “death penalty” being more deliberative, in court, while police decisions often are spur-of-the-moment, the result can be the same - the death of an innocent person. If one opposes his money paying for agents of the state killing an innocent person, then one must oppose armed police, and, in fact, oppose the state/polis, itself. The polis always claims for itself the power to kill anyone who consistently resists its demands of money, its piracy, and threats. And, of course, none of us has a right to force our neighbor to pay for something, including “police” forces. Here is the sad end of life, taken by government. Headline: “British wife's three-word scream as she watched her US husband be executed” LINK

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This is pretty cool to see. Headline: “'Arrest us, I dare you': Veteran selling '8647' merch says” LINK

Headline: “Federal court blocks abortion pills by mail nationwide, drug maker appeals to Supreme Court - LifeSite” LINK

Regardless of the outcome of this, the key for “constitutionalists” is that there is nothing in the US Constitution that allows for the US to ban the sale or mailing of this substance. The fact that it CAN kill a newly conceived fetus does not mean that the creation of it is a crime, just as the creation of a knife is not a crime. In this case, the drug really has one “use”, so those who create it know that potential, but the act of taking the life does not come with the creation of the drug. Is this, morally speaking, abetting murder? I think one could make a strong moral argument for that position. But, again, the chemical does not kill upon being created, and the woman to takes it is the one committing the murder. That is up to state statute to handle, based on the US Constitution. It is not up to the US government to ban the sale or transport of the drug.

This piece, from Judge Napolitano, is very worthwhile… LINK

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Yep. Spirit Airlines is ending operations. Liz Warren blames this on the increase in jet fuel prices. But she praised the other spear that was thrust into Spirit two years ago, a blow from the Antitrust goons at the DOJ. The airline was all set to merge with Jet Blue. Buuuut, the US government wouldn’t allow it, claiming that such a merger, which the two would have done to be more competitive and attractive to consumers, would have been “anti-competitive.” Thus, the organization of the government, which claims a monopoly on the “legal” use of aggressive violence against people and their plans, threatened the companies, and stopped the merger. NOW? With one less airline, the market is… less competitive, by the definition of the term.
How the jet fuel spike and blocked merger contributed to Spirit’s closure:

• The jet fuel price shock (2026 Iran conflict): The U.S.-Iran conflict (beginning late February 2026) disrupted oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, causing U.S. jet fuel prices to roughly double—from around $2.20–$2.50 per gallon in Spirit’s pre-conflict forecasts to $4.00–$4.88+ per gallon by March–April 2026. Jet fuel is ~25% of an airline’s costs. Spirit’s ongoing Chapter 11 restructuring plan (its second bankruptcy filing in under a year) had assumed much lower fuel prices ($2.24/gal for 2026). The surge added hundreds of millions in unexpected costs that Spirit could not absorb or pass on fully to its highly price-sensitive customers. This turned projected margins negative and exhausted cash reserves.

• The blocked merger (JetBlue-Spirit, 2024): In 2022, Spirit first agreed to merge with Frontier. JetBlue then made a higher offer, which Spirit accepted. The Biden DOJ sued to block the JetBlue-Spirit deal on antitrust grounds (arguing it would reduce competition and raise fares). A federal judge sided with the government in early 2024, killing the merger. Critics (including current Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy) argue this left Spirit financially weakened and unable to consolidate with a stronger partner. Without that lifeline, Spirit entered Chapter 11 in late 2024/early 2025, restructured once, then faced a second bankruptcy filing in August 2025. High fuel prices in 2026 made successful exit from that second Chapter 11 impossible. LINK

• Final trigger: A proposed ~$500 million federal bailout/liquidity package under the Trump administration fell through in late April/early May 2026. Bondholders rejected terms, and no deal was reached. Spirit announced it could not continue and began an orderly wind-down.

Frontier itself sought $2.5 billion in industry-wide federal relief (along with Avelo and others) for the same fuel costs but remains operational. Its shares actually rose sharply on news of Spirit’s shutdown, as analysts see capacity reduction in the ULCC segment as a potential tailwind.

What happens to the Spirit Airlines corporation now? Spirit is not continuing to operate under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection (the reorganization chapter that lets companies keep flying while restructuring debt). Instead:

• It has fully ceased operations (all flights canceled as of early May 2, 2026). This is effectively a wind-down/liquidation process, more akin to Chapter 7 or an out-of-court shutdown after failed Chapter 11 efforts.

YET, Senator Liz Warren claimed the Spirit announcement is due to juuuust the price spike for fuel, overlooking her own opposition to the merger with Jet Blue. Here are her own words LINK

That’s it for textual links! Now, here are great video offerings (in addition to the two you see above)…

ONE! Interesting Books, Reviewed, the great YT channel, offers another great video on a pertinent political-banking subject tracing back to the revolution in Russia, and more.

TWO!

Glenn Diesen is unflagging. He and Prof Mirandi spell out what things look like on the ground in Iran.

THREE!

More, key information. From Mario Nawfal and Larry Johnson

That’s it for now, all! Thank you for caring about freedom and being energized to push the principles! And come back Monday for our new DAILY NEWS NOTES! It’s for paid subscribers, and will give you a midday look at some of the breaking news you might want to follow, to compare notes with others, and utilize to keep an eye on the statists in politics and the statists in the “commentary/reporting” realm! Remember, you can watch Liberty Conspiracy Live, each weeknight, at 6 eastern! Help others learn about all the facets of freedom, from markets, to privacy, to speech, to parental control and education, and much MORE! You can watch, listen, and join the chat for freedom as we broadcast on my X and Rumble. Hit me up at X as @gardgoldsmith there and on GAB as “GardnerGoldsmith”! And, of course, I want to mention that if you’d like to get some of my fiction, grab my current novellas at Amazon and Barnes and Noble!! As a rocking opener, I recommend “Fishing” as a dark, well-composed crime tale with some very unusual turns (this contains some scenes of dark violence, so please, be warned)…

…Or feel free to get “Bite” for a different take on vampirism, and “Wall” for a cryptoarcheological adventure set in 1960s China. And I have three novels and two more novellas in their final editing phases, soon to be on the way!

You also can donate to help the Liberty Conspiracy, itself! Just visit PayPal to help out! You also can mail GG at:

Gardner Goldsmith
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Thank you for supporting the ideas and the scholarship of freedom. God bless, everyone!

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Big thanks to Karen Carpenter, of Knights of the Storm, for her great addition to our program tonight, getting us on-the-ground images of gas prices in CA, and to all our fellow Conspirators for joining us as we gutted the monster of govt, looking at key news stories of the day and getting lessons for freedom from them! Big …