President Trump is testing who controls America's money, borders, elections, and federal bureaucracy. Lisa Cook remains at the Fed. Trump wants the Supreme Court to restore his asylum ban. Courts also handed him a mail voting win while rejecting DOJ's attempt to erase Steve Bannon's conviction.

On August 27, 1776, British forces defeated George Washington's Continental Army at the Battle of Long Island. Washington escaped with his surviving troops, preserving the army and the fight for independence.

Question: How many amendments make up the Bill of Rights?

Answer at the very end of today's briefing.

President Trump renewed his public push to remove Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. Her lawyer says the president lacks legal cause and cannot simply force her off the board. The Supreme Court blocked Trump's first removal attempt in late June but left him a narrow opening to try again under the Fed's "for cause" standard.

Cook remained in office as of August 26. The legal fight now turns on whether Trump can produce a valid reason for removal that survives judicial review. It also tests how far courts will extend protections previously given to officials inside so-called independent agencies.

The media will frame this as Trump attacking Federal Reserve independence. That misses half the argument. The Fed sets interest-rate policy, regulates major banks, influences the dollar, and holds enormous power over your mortgage, savings, and retirement account. Yet its governors can remain in office across presidential terms without facing voters.

Congress designed that distance to protect monetary policy from short-term political demands. But independence cannot become immunity from accountability. Trump's challenge forces the courts to define where protection ends and executive authority begins. A broad Trump victory could give future presidents more control over monetary policy.

A Cook victory could further shield powerful federal officials from an elected president. Watch whether Trump presents new evidence of cause or asks the Supreme Court to redefine removal protections across independent agencies.

Yesterday: 12 votes came in, and all readers said alliances require mutual obligations — a small but unanimous read.

India's Asiatic lion population has climbed from 523 in 2015 to 891 today, a 70% increase. Their habitat across the Greater Gir area also expanded by 15%. Years of patient conservation work are giving this rare population more room to thrive.

For more stories like this, follow @feelgoodnewsusa — real good news, no partisan spin.

President Trump asked the Supreme Court to restore his asylum restriction for migrants crossing outside lawful ports of entry. Lower courts have blocked the policy, which ties asylum eligibility to legal entry procedures. A Trump victory would remove a major incentive for illegal crossings and reduce claims that can take years to resolve. The Court will now decide whether the executive branch can enforce a basic rule: use the lawful entrance if you want legal protection.

U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani lifted her remaining block after a divided Supreme Court paused her earlier ruling. The decision lets more of Trump's order take effect while litigation continues in Boston. The order seeks tighter mail ballot standards before the 2026 midterms. Opponents claim federal overreach, but the administration argues federal elections need enforceable baseline protections before ballots are requested, verified, and counted.

A federal appeals court stopped Minnesota from punishing an election integrity group over claims about felon voting eligibility. The judges found the restriction targeted specific speech, triggering strict First Amendment scrutiny. Minnesota can tell individual felons when their voting rights are restored. It cannot solve official confusion by censoring private speakers. That distinction protects everyone, regardless of which party controls the state.

U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols rejected DOJ's request to dismiss Steve Bannon's contempt of Congress conviction. Nichols said prosecutors failed to provide enough legal support to wipe away the conviction. Bannon was convicted after refusing a subpoena from the House Jan. 6 select committee. Nichols, a Trump appointee, demanded legal reasoning instead of political preference. DOJ can try again, but it must build a defensible record.

Daily Caller contributor Rooke argues Big Tech broke its deal with American workers after years of record profits. The column says companies used H-1B visa hiring to weaken wage pressure and worker bargaining power. Corporate executives call it a talent shortage. Americans watching jobs move to lower-cost visa workers see a different calculation. Immigration policy should serve the national interest, not function as an executive payroll strategy.

A glacier-driven ice and rock avalanche sent a wall of water through a mountain valley near the China-Nepal border. Authorities report at least 72 deaths, with several Americans still missing. Damaged roads and difficult terrain are slowing rescue teams searching riverbanks and debris fields. In remote mountain corridors, communications and access collapse quickly. Families waiting for information may face hours or days of uncertainty.

A new petition asks the Supreme Court to define when government may compel medical treatment. Petitioners argue lower courts apply conflicting standards to bodily autonomy and often give mandates excessive deference. The filing addresses Jacobson v. Massachusetts, the 1905 case frequently cited to defend vaccine requirements. A clear constitutional test would stop basic medical rights from changing whenever a citizen crosses a circuit boundary.

The FBI seized internet domains connected to a China-backed botnet used against NASA, DOJ, and the U.S. Senate. Court-authorized seizures aim to disrupt command traffic and cut hackers off from compromised devices. The operation may stop active intrusions, but it does not repair the weaknesses that enabled them. Chinese access to federal networks threatens sensitive data today and creates hidden attack routes for tomorrow.

Federal prosecutors arrested Massachusetts state Rep. Francisco Paulino on eight wire fraud counts and three unlawful monetary transaction counts. They say Paulino used information from his Lawrence tax business to obtain more than $700,000 in unemployment benefits and small-business loans. COVID relief programs moved huge sums with weak controls and delayed oversight. Taxpayers funded the emergency programs, and taxpayers will fund the investigations needed to recover what was stolen.

I see one common thread today: government power means little without public accountability. The Fed wants insulation, courts want process, agencies want discretion, and corporations want cheaper labor. You should demand the same standard from all of them. Show your authority, follow the law, and answer to the American people.

Today's trivia: How many amendments make up the Bill of Rights?
Answer: The Bill of Rights contains the first 10 amendments to the Constitution.

Stay alert. Forward this to one person who needs to read it.

Stay free,

Brett Lee
Editor, Project Liberty
projectlibertyus.com

Follow: @projectlibertyus | @real_brett_lee