Smash The Bubble

News and opinion from both the left and the right, mixed together so you can break out of your filter bubble.

more info

Today's Headlines

Biden Awards Medal of Freedom to Fmr Planned Parenthood Head

President Joe Biden presented abortion advocate and former Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Wednesday.

How Kyrsten Sinema's decision makes Democrats' 2024 Senate map tighter

Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema decided to shake up the political world on Friday by becoming an independent. The former Democrat is still caucusing with the party in the Senate, so the Democratic caucus still has 51 members. Now, instead of 49 Democr…

Federal Inquiry Traced Payments From Gaetz to Women

A document prepared by federal investigators bolsters claims by women who say they were hired for sex by Matt Gaetz, President-elect Donald J. Trump’s choice for attorney general, who denies wrongdoing.

Fareed explains why AI's massive energy demands are straining the power grid, but also why AI could enable big breakthroughs in sustainability and clean energy.

Ex-congressman Hoekstra Tapped as Amb to Canada

President-elect Donald Trump said on Wednesday he was picking former congressman Pete Hoekstra to be the U.S. ambassador to Canada....

The Axe Files with David Axelrod

Go beyond the soundbites and get to know some of the most interesting players in politics.

Senate rejects Bernie Sanders' effort to block weapons sales to Israel

Sen. Bernie Sanders' effort to prevent the White House from selling certain weapons to Israel was overwhelmingly rejected by the U.S. Senate Wednesday by a margin of roughly 60 votes.

A Rose-Tinted View of Immigration

Hein de Haas’s new book has been billed as a balanced, fact-based approach to the immigration debate. In fact, it is just another Pollyannaish pro-immigration polemic.  

American Kakistocracy

Italy knows a thing or two about what the United States faces—but there are key differences between the two countries’ experiences.

The Centre Must Rise

No centrist who understands the current moment has ever truly laid out their case to the Democratic Party base in the context of a serious political campaign. It’s time to change that.

Trump-district House Democrat loses Alaska seat to political scion

House Republicans scored a valuable pickup in Alaska's lone seat in the chamber, defeating Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola.

Homan to Newsmax: If Dems Resisting Deportations, 'Get the Hell Out of the Way'

Tom Homan, who has been put in charge of President-elect Donald Trump's proposed mass deportation plan, told Newsmax on Wednesday he has a message for Democrats promising not to help or even impede efforts to remove illegal immigrants: Don't get i…

CNN Political Briefing

The political news you need to know, in 10 minutes or less. Hosted by David Chalian.

Big Corporations Still Haven't Gotten the Memo...

Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy Call for Five-Day Workweeks for Federal Employees

In an opinion column in The Wall Street Journal, the heads of the new Department of Government Efficiency said taxpayers shouldn’t pay federal employees “for the Covid-era privilege of staying home.”

How Trump Could Make Congress Go Away for a While

An untested provision in the Constitution might allow him to install his Cabinet picks no matter what the Senate has to say.

Anti-Zionism’s German Roots

While Islam traditionally treated Jews with contempt, antisemitic conspiracy theories imported from Germany escalated this animosity by vilifying Jews as agents of diabolical evil.

Nearly 200 groups urge Biden to release migrants, close detention centers before Trump arrives

Nearly 200 migrant advocacy groups called for President Biden and Secretary Mayorkas to make sweeping moves ahead of Donald Trump's return to the White House.

Lori Chavez-DeRemer heading to Mar-a-Lago after being floated for Labor Secretary: sources

Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, R-Ore., who is reportedly in consideration to lead the Labor Department, is traveling to Mar-a-Lago at the end of this week, Fox News Digital has learned.

Biden Fast-Tracks Climate Loans Ahead of Trump Takeover

President Joe Biden's administration is working to finalize $25 billion in clean energy loans, cementing a key climate initiative before President-elect Donald Trump takes office with plans to slash such programs, Politico reported.

The Democrats’ 2022 Error Message

Swing-state successes in the last midterms gave the party false optimism about 2024.

Jennifer Rubin's Messaging Advice to Dems: 'Republicans Want to Kill Your Kids'

Brace for the Storm

The first year of Trump’s new administration may be as dangerous as the last year of his previous one.

RFK Jr's abortion 'issue': Senate GOP plans to scrutinize Trump HHS pick's position

Republican senators have some concerns about Trump's choice of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.

Things at Bluesky Going as Well as Could Be Expected

Senate Democrats force Israel weapons vote, citing Biden inaction

The Senate ultimately voted down the measure, brought by Sen. Bernie Sanders and Democratic allies, to block the sale of some U.S.-made weapons to Israel.

Begich Defeats Peltola in Alaska, Flipping House Seat for Republicans

The G.O.P. united behind Nick Begich III, the conservative son of a prominent liberal Alaska political family, to beat Representative Mary Peltola, a Democrat.

Time-Honored Tradition of Blaming the Left for Dem Defeats

This argument is particularly unconvincing this time around. And it doesn't offer a realistic prescription for future success.

Trans-Woman Incarcerated in Women's Prison Allegedly Raped and Impregnated a Fellow Inmate

Nuclear Power Is Already Great

When “nuclear-loving greens” demand innovation, they imply something is wrong with current reactors, and slow down climate policy. This needs to stop. 

Trump Tells Republicans to ‘Kill’ Bipartisan Press Freedom Bill

The bill, known as the PRESS Act, would codify protections against federal investigators seizing reporters’ records. It is now less likely the legislation would clear the Senate before the current session ends.

Man Convicted of Plotting to Kill Agents Who Investigated His Role in Jan. 6

Edward Kelley was found guilty of conspiring to murder the agents two weeks after he was convicted at a separate trial of assault and other charges related to the Capitol attack.

Speaker Mike Johnson Says He Will Ban Transgender Women From Capitol Bathrooms

The G.O.P. speaker sided with hard-right members of his conference who called for blocking Representative-elect Sarah McBride, the first transgender member of Congress, from using Capitol women’s rooms.

Democrat Moves to Force Full House Vote on Releasing Gaetz Ethics Report

A House Democrat is attempting an end-around strategy to make the findings of the House Ethics Committee's report on former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., public, as Republicans are blocking its release.

Is Trump More Flexible on China Than His Hawkish Cabinet Picks Suggest?

President-elect Donald J. Trump is assembling a team of aides bent on confrontation with China. But he also has advisers who do business there, including Elon Musk.

I Thought Being a Gay Man Would Save Me From Womanhood (It Didn’t)

Queer theory transformed me from a depressed, weird, intellectually curious child into a brainwashed teen who disfigured her body.

Republicans in North Carolina pass sweeping changes to consolidate power

The last-minute inclusions strip the incoming Democratic governor and attorney general of significant authority before the GOP loses its supermajority.

North Carolina Republicans Push to Seize Power From Top Democrats

The state’s Republican-controlled legislature passed a sweeping bill that would erode the power of the Democratic governor and attorney general and hand the G.O.P. more control over elections.

Opponents of failed California measure to raise minimum wage say voters 'made the right call'

California voters narrowly defeated a measure to raise the minimum wage, which would have exacerbated inflation, opponents of the ballot initiative said.

GOP lawmakers reveal a heightened legislative focus against 'irreversible' gender surgery on minors

Republican lawmakers revealed they will have a heightened focus on legislation related to preventing gender-related medical care for minors.

Meet the woman steering Biden's bipartisan winning streak on Capitol Hill

The Biden administration managed to rack up a long list of major legislative wins in its first two years despite facing one of the most closely-divided Congresses in history. From bipartisan action on infrastructure, gun safety and same-sex marria…

Trump Is Getting a Honeymoon, Believe It Or Not

DOGE Already on the Path to Shrinking Government

Trump eyes return of Russell Vought to key White House budget post

Column: No Trump administration pick is viewed positively by most Americans

House Oversight Advances Bill Banning DEI From Govt

Legislation by Rep. Michael Cloud, R-Texas to end diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs at the federal level advanced out of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability on Wednesday along party lines and will move to a full vote o…

Either Way, Matt Gaetz Wins

Trump’s pick for attorney general will get to burnish his MAGA-loyalist credentials whether or not the Senate confirms him.

Decline and Folly

‘Megalopolis’ and the rise and fall of Francis Ford Coppola.

NC Republicans' Shameless New Power Grab

North Carolina voters spoke loud and clear two weeks ago when they elected Democrats to some of the most prominent statewide offices.

Vice President Kamala Harris, a former US senator from California who previously served as the state's attorney general, could be the first Black woman and Asian American to lead a major party ticket after receiving President Joe Biden's support t…

WaPo Wonders: Why Won't Trump Let 'Deep State' Vet His Nominees?

Podcast #259: The Campaign Against ‘Settler Colonialism’

Quillette podcast host Jonathan Kay talks to author Adam Kirsch about the growing corps of academics and activists seeking to demonise ‘settler colonialists’ in North America, Australia—and especially Israel.

Pennsylvania Voters to Sen. Casey: 'It's Over, Bob'

Columnist David Marcus talks to voters in Bucks County and finds Democrats and Republicans agree that Sen. Bob Casey's refusal to concede is a bad look.

What Donald Trump's Revenge Agenda Is Hiding

Look past the flashy and controversial Cabinet nominees to find that Project 2025 is already being implemented

Margins of Error

Look closely at almost anything and you'll find data—lots of it. But what are those numbers really saying about who we are and what we believe? Harry Enten is on a mission to find out.

Trump’s New York Sentencing Must Proceed

An election is not a jury verdict, and winning an election doesn’t make you any less guilty.

Rep. Tiffany to Newsmax: 'It Is Time for Mass Deportations'

Following Wednesday's verdict in the Laken Riley case, Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Wis., told Newsmax that it's "time for mass deportations."

Everything you need to know about Biden's student loan forgiveness program

President Joe Biden's federal student loan forgiveness program, which promises to deliver up to $20,000 of debt relief for millions of borrowers, is on hold indefinitely as legal challenges work their way through the courts.

Fox News Politics: Fetterman says he's open to Oz

The Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump transition, exclusive interviews and more Fox News politics content.

What Going ‘Wild on Health’ Looks Like

The potential consequences of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s most troubling ideas

Nate Silver Wonders: Why Is This Man Still Around?

Ukraine Fires Long-Range Storm Shadow Missiles Into Russia

Britain allowed Ukrainians to use Storm Shadows a week after President Biden authorized the use of American-made missiles inside Russia, a shift from a more cautious military strategy.

House Republicans grill HHS Secretary Becerra over migrant children: 'Would not want to be you'

Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra was grilled about his department's Refugee Resettlement Office and unaccompanied migrant children.

Haley expresses distrust over two of Trump’s key administration picks: Tulsi Gabbard and RFK Jr.

Vance seeks to build support among senators for Matt Gaetz as attorney general

Get the latest news on the transition to the new administration of President-elect Donald Trump and a new Congress.

Behind the Scenes at a Secretive Gathering of Rising MAGA Donors

The Winklevoss twins, Rebekah Mercer, allies of Elon Musk, Donald Trump Jr. and top Trump campaign aides recently joined a conclave of right-wing donors who are suddenly flush with power.

In the wake of the Republican National Convention earlier this month, Fareed speaks with historian Niall Ferguson about how and why the modern-day GOP has changed since the Reagan era of the 1980s.

Brainwashing and Blood Feuds

The Communist Party bears responsibility for the outbursts of Chinese hatred against Japan and its citizens.

Speaker Johnson restricts use of Capitol bathrooms by transgender people

The rule change is announced about two weeks after Democrat Sarah McBride of Delaware became the first openly transgender individual elected to Congress.

Can a Fractured Democratic Party Learn the Lessons of 2024?

After a bruising campaign season and a humiliating defeat at the polls, this week saw Dems' internal conflicts spilling out into public view. Party insiders are now engaged in tit-for-tat Twitter battles that do nothing to offer the party a roadma…

The fine print of the Respect for Marriage Act

Let's start with the positive: Republicans and Democrats are coming together to protect same-sex marriage from the Supreme Court.

Senate Overwhelmingly Rejects Sanders Proposal on Israel Arms

The Senate rejected Sen. Bernie Sanders' resolution to block arms sales to Israel on Wednesday, affirming continued support for Israel's military capabilities amid its ongoing conflict with Hamas, The Hill reported.

House Democrats file resolutions that could force a vote on releasing Gaetz ethics report

Musk, Ramaswamy vow ‘mass head-count reductions’ in U.S. government

RFK Jr. Collects His Reward

The conspiratorial and chaotic independent is poised to join the government that he claims is lying to you.

Old British MacDonald Had a Farm, E-I-E-I-Gone

Florida Man Accused of Plotting Attack on New York Stock Exchange

Harun Abdul-Malik Yener was charged after an undercover investigation by the F.B.I. into his alleged desire to join extremist groups and carry out violent attacks, according to a criminal complaint.

The Perverse Logic of Trump’s Nomination Circus

The sheer quantity of individually unqualified selections might make blocking any of them harder.

The DOGE Plan To Reform Government

Following the Supreme Court's guidance, we'll reverse a decadeslong executive power grab.

Sen. Cruz to Newsmax: Border Will Be Secure in Two Months

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, told Newsmax on Wednesday that once President-elect Donald Trump takes office the border will be secure "in January and February of next year.

Trump picks people who worked on Project 2025 despite distancing himself

Donald Trump has announced the choices for his administration after saying he had “no idea” who was involved with the policy blueprint coordinated by the conservative Heritage Foundation.

Georgia Gov. Kemp, after life sentence for Laken Riley killer, says justice 'was swift and severe'

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp says that justice was served after a judge sentenced the 26-year-old migrant from Venezuela who was convicted of murdering Laken Riley to a life sentence in prison.

How Dems Are Losing Tomorrow's Elections Today

America is outgrowing the Democratic Party.

Podcast #260: Making Britain Great Again

Iona Italia talks to Sam Bowman about how to combat the economic stagnation and excess bureaucracy that are currently preventing the UK from reaching its full potential.

Trump picks former congressman Pete Hoekstra to be ambassador to Canada

President-elect Trump announced on Wednesday that he was picking former congressman Pete Hoekstra to be the U.S. ambassador to Canada.

Nobody Knows How House Trans Bathroom Ban Gets Enforced

The Capitol is in confusion as members of Congress weigh how House Speaker Mike Johnson's transgender bathroom ban will be enforced, according to Axios.

The ‘Democracy’ Gap

Almost all Americans say they support democracy—but they have very different ideas about what the word means.

The notable legal clouds that continue to hang over Donald Trump

All eyes are on former President Donald Trump, who has launched another White House bid.

Politics of the Day

Politics of the Day

What to know about Matt Gaetz’s investigation, sexual misconduct allegations

The allegations Matt Gaetz has faced, the House Ethics Committee’s report, and how members of Congress are reacting to him being picked to be attorney general.

Trump Can and Should Fire Jerome Powell

Legacy media have been obsessing over whether President-elect Donald Trump can remove Jerome Powell, chairman of the Federal Reserve (the Fed). Jerome Powell recently came out and stated he would serve out his term - which ends in 2026. Further, C…

Wednesday's Final Word

DOGE Is a Great Idea. Trump Should Make It Permanent

DOGE represents a harbinger of deregulation for an incoming Trump administration, especially with Dogecoin enthusiast Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy at the helm.

House panel was told Gaetz paid two women $10,000, in part for sex

The House Ethics Committee declined to release its report on sexual misconduct allegations against President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general.

Could Trump Actually Get Rid of the Department of Education?

Getting rid of the agency would cause a lot of harm and wouldn't really change school curriculum.

Washington Is Shocked

Just shocked, I tell you.

JK Rowling: John Oliver's Take on Trans Athletes is 'Absolute Bull***t'

Drone, Missile Defense Top Priorities for Next Defense Secretary

Pete Hegseth faces critical challenges in addressing U.S. vulnerabilities to advanced missile and drone threats as global tensions rise.

House Republicans Block Release of Ethics Report on Gaetz

Senators in both parties have demanded to see the committee’s investigative report into sexual misconduct and illicit drug use allegations against Donald J. Trump’s choice for attorney general.

Savage Entertainment

A new version of Tinto Brass and Bob Guccione’s notorious 1979 film ‘Caligula’ provides a valuable record of one of the most fascinating disasters in cinema history.

Megalopolis: Bloated, Outré—and Brilliant

Like a Hieronymus Bosch painting, it’s chaos alright—but it’s a dazzling chaos.  

Haley Criticizes Trump Cabinet Picks Gabbard, RFK Jr.

Any honeymoon period between Nikki Haley and President-elect Donald Trump appears to have ended as the former South Carolina governor, Republican presidential contender and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations tore into two of Trump's Cabinet pic…

The Church at a Crossroads

Whoever becomes the next Archbishop of Canterbury will face the arduous task of uniting the now-radicalised wings of the Church of England.

Judge: Youngkin Can't Pull Va. Out of Greenhouse Gas Pact

A Virginia circuit court judge ruled on Wednesday that Gov. Glen Youngkin, R-Va., does not have the authority to withdraw from a carbon-cap commitment without the approval of the state Legislature, The Hill reported.

California school official compared 'Save Girls Sports' shirt to swastika, rebuked girls wearing it: lawsuit

A high school athlete's family filed a Title IX complaint after she was moved to junior varsity to make room for a transgender athlete on the varsity squad.

Penny Trial: Who Woulda Thunk 'Self Medicating' Schizophrenia With Synthetic Pot Was a Bad Thing?

Get Ready for Higher Food Prices

Trump vowed to lower food prices. His policies will almost certainly do the opposite.

SecDef Austin: Women in Military Make U.S. Stronger

Austin in an exclusive interview with NBC News called women in the military a strong asset. Trump's choice for Secretary of Defense has cast doubt on women in combat roles.