Smash The Bubble

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

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Today's Headlines

America at 250: Lincoln's Reminder That God Judges Us All

Supreme Court expands Trump’s power over the federal bureaucracy

The justices allowed the president to fire a Democratic member of the Federal Trade Commission, striking down a nearly century-old precedent intended to insulate independent agencies from political influence by the executive.

With Final Decisions Ahead, the Supreme Court Is Sharply Divided

The justices will decide this week whether President Trump can end the guarantee of birthright citizenship and fire a leader of the independent Federal Reserve.

Stunner: SCOTUS Whiffs on Election Day Showdown, 5-4

Poll: GOP More Supportive of U.S. Role Abroad Than Dems

Trump built part of his 2024 campaign around the promise that he would put America first, arguing that his first term stood apart from those of his predecessors because "No New Wars" began on his watch. But as his administration engages in conflic…

Shockingly, Very Few People Want to Buy Jill Biden’s Book

It is very rare for a book that debuts at No. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list to fall off the list completely the following week.

Housing bill that Trump refuses to sign heads to his desk

House Speaker Mike Johnson is set to send a bipartisan housing bill to President Donald Trump’s desk Monday, but it is unclear whether he will sign it into law.

How Europe Became the World Champion of Heat Deaths

The continent with the lowest number of hot days leads the world in heat mortality. Europe’s self-inflicted aversion to air conditioning betrays a deeper hostility to energy and to progress itself.

Bill Maher's dire midterm election warning to Dems after 'really crazy' socialists win primaries

Bill Maher warns Democrats are 'well on their way' to blowing the midterms after three socialists won New York primaries last week.

Colorado Dems Brace for Their Own Insurgent Earthquake

The insurgent left just shook New York. Colorado Democrats increasingly think they could be next.

'Hellbrew of Hate': The New Relevance of Cold War Anti-Communist Movies

What to know about the Newsom-linked charities reportedly caught in DOJ’s sights

Federal investigators are reportedly probing nonprofits linked to California first lady Jennifer Siebel Newsom over alleged influence peddling.

Trump’s Second-Year Slump

A year ago, President Trump was bulldozing his opposition. Now he’s facing setback after setback.

The Crisis in the Humanities Is Not About Money

Critical theory did not merely politicise scholarship. It made scholarship easier to produce.

The Axe Files with David Axelrod

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

The Strait of Hormuz Is Iran's Nuclear Weapon

The Strait of Hormuz is Iran's nuclear weapon: Two Iran experts on how the U.S.plays checkers and Iran plays chess.

Why Being 'Progressive' Is No Longer Enough on the Left

Young progressives take for granted their constitutional right to criticize and protest their government-acts that in socialist regimes get citizens thrown in jail.

Scott Wiener's Struggle Sessions

Politics of the Day

Politics of the Day

Agency and Adaptation

Humans have not merely been shaped by evolution—we have shaped it too, through the environments we chose to inhabit and the lives we chose to lead.

Letters to the Editor

Replies to Jonathan Kay and Maarten Boudry.

Newsom under fire as California gas tax hike sends pump prices even higher

California's gas tax will rise 2.2 cents per gallon Wednesday as GOP lawmakers led by Rep. David Valadao urge Gov. Gavin Newsom to suspend the hike.

Wife of Louis Farrakhan dead at 90

Khadijah Farrakhan, the wife of 93-year-old Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, died at the age of 90 years old. The couple had been married for 72 years.

Jeffries' socialism dilemma: New York victories expose Democratic Party divide

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries faces his toughest challenge yet as Democratic Socialists of America candidates win congressional primaries in his own backyard.

Will China Ever Be Held Accountable for COVID-19?

CNN Political Briefing

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

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…

Dem running for Pelosi’s seat mocked after anti-Israel hecklers chase him from SF Trans March

Videos show state Sen. Scott Wiener being shouted down by anti-Israel activists in San Francisco, sparking widespread mockery from conservatives.

Vance In 2028? It Starts w/MAGA Voters (& Trump)

JD Vance as the Republican nominee? Or Marco Rubio? As voters look to Donald Trump for guidance on 2028, the president isn't committing.

Russian Lawmaker: We Still Have Enough Equipment to ‘Blow Up Half of Finland’

Irked by Finland voting to allow nuclear weapons on its soil, a Russian lawmaker declared his country could still ‘blow up half of Finland.’

Biden's illegal immigration surge caused higher rent and home prices, Fed study finds

A Federal Reserve working paper finds unauthorized immigration during the Biden administration drove up home prices by 2.2% and rents by 1.4%.

From Cancel Culture to Communism

It's been ten years since the purges began, and I still have a hard time believing it actually happened. Did so many of my friends really go along with it? Did institutions, corporations, and all of Hollywood allow themselves to be shamefully cowe…

Supreme Court Rules Against Roy Moore in Fight Over $8.2 Million Jury Award

The former Alabama Supreme Court justice and Senate candidate had asked the court to clear a path for him to potentially collect a jury award in a defamation case.

Europe’s AC Aversion: A ‘Secular Penance’

Part of the reason for the unwillingness of Europeans (or their governments) to embrace AC is eco-asceticism made more intense by AC’s Americanness.

See How the Makeup of Independent Agencies Has Changed Under Trump

Even before the Supreme Court granted him more power to fire officials, President Trump had effectively ended Democratic majorities at several agencies.

Venezuela earthquake death toll rises to 1,430; U.S. to send additional aid

An expected nine-figure monetary aid package comes on top of $150 million that Washington already committed to disaster relief in Venezuela after two massive earthquakes.

Supreme Court, for now, blocks Trump from firing Fed board member Lisa Cook

The decision is a setback for Trump, who alleged that Cook committed mortgage fraud. She is the first Black woman to serve on the Fed board.

Why resisting Trump has galvanized Black Democrats as the midterms approach

High primary turnout among Black voters in the South has given some in the party hope for upset wins in the region.

Four Black women. Nine degrees. Not one steady paycheck.

The president promised to save “Black jobs,” but his policies have resulted in fresh pain for the Black middle class as the employment gap widens.

State of Failure

Trump ignored Clausewitz, and disaster ensued.

China’s Last Moonshot

China’s ghost cities are like a mocking glimpse of the Chinese century we were told to expect, and for which we are still waiting.

The Great Canadian Unmarked-Graves Social Panic (2021–2026)

Mia Hughes and Stella O’Malley of the ‘Beyond Gender’ podcast interview Quillette’s Jonathan Kay about the progressive ideological manias spawned during the Justin Trudeau years.

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.

The More Moore Background Comes Out, the Less Wes Looks Like a Contender

Explained: How Lisa Cook’s three home loans became central to Trump’s fight over her Federal Reserve seat

Fed Governor Lisa Cook's legal battle against Trump centers on mortgage fraud allegations tied to properties in Michigan, Georgia and Massachusetts.

READ: The rare filing that underscored the stakes in the Supreme Court's Lisa Cook ruling

Every living former Fed chair and former Treasury secretaries filed a rare amicus brief arguing Trump's removal power threatens economic stability.

Dems Desperately Need a Leader, But All They Have Is Obama

Just as his party is overrun by communist revolutionaries, Barack Obama has decided to take center stage in a frenetic public relations campaign, ostensibly to promote his so-called library.

What the Iran MOU Says Matters

Support for the Memorandum of Understanding entered into by the United States and Iran to end Operation Epic Fury relies on intentionally imprecise drafting and pronouncements made by the president and vice president that conflict with the MOU and…

GOP candidate with same name as senator can stay on Alaska ballot, judge rules

Supporters of incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan say a challenger with the same name is not running in “good faith,” but a judge says that is not an issue.

Hoodoos and Arches

Utah’s desert terrain becomes more alien the deeper you go.

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.

The Art of Looking

A tribute to David Hockney (1937–2026).

Supreme Court Rejects Trump’s Request to Appeal $5 Million Verdict in E. Jean Carroll Case

President Trump had asked the justices to intervene after a jury found that he had sexually abused and defamed the writer E. Jean Carroll.

Israel and Iran Have Divided Democrats and Republicans. Will They Ever Be the Same?

Raging internal debates over foreign policy threaten both parties’ fortunes in November — and in 2028. Is a major ideological shift underway?

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…

Another Russian Oil Refinery in Flames

The Reds Return

‘If the aim expressed by [Darializa Avila] Chevalier to end Western civilization were to be fulfilled, the United States would no longer exist.’

Here’s the latest on the rulings.

Who is Lisa Cook? The central bank governor at the heart of the Supreme Court’s Trump-Fed showdown

Lisa Cook, the first Black woman on the Fed board, sued Trump after he alleged she misrepresented mortgage information and moved to fire her.

Europe’s Heat Wave: Upstairs Gets AC — Downstairs, Not So Much

Europe’s struggles with air conditioning appear to have taken a hierarchical turn at European Commission HQ in Brussels.

Supreme Court lets stand $5 million civil verdict against Trump in Carroll case

A 2023 trial found President Donald Trump liable for allegedly sexually assaulting journalist E. Jean Carroll. The decision Monday leaves in place a ruling affirming the judgment.

Colorado’s Not-So-Rocky Mountains

After days of nothing but rocks, we ascended into a lush green forest in the sky.

Supreme Court Expands Trump’s Power to Fire Officials, but Blocks Fed Governor Dismissal

In twin rulings, the justices said President Trump could fire independent regulators for any reason. But they affirmed the Fed’s independence, and said its leaders could not be fired at will.

Socialist Primary Wins Pose Test for Hakeem Jeffries

If Democrats win back the House, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York could face a restive caucus.

Spanberger's latest 'gun-grabbing nonsense' prompts action from Trump DOJ: 'Stay tuned!'

Harmeet Dhillon says DOJ is 'all over' gun-grabbing nonsense after Andrew Ferguson accuses Virginia State Police of delaying background checks.

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.

‘Chaos Will Follow’ Ruling Allowing Trump Firings, Dissent Predicts

In a rare dissent from the bench, Justice Sonia Sotomayor said that the Supreme Court undid “centuries of political practice,” and that the court concluded that the federal government had been acting in “open defiance of the Constitution.”

Why the nation’s founding document is marred by stains, a mysterious handprint

The physical journey of the Declaration of Independence tells its own story. Its imperfections and endurance reflect those of the America it helped create.

Voters Think A.I. Is Terrible. In Campaigns, It’s Everywhere.

A.I.-generated images are the public face of this election overhaul. Behind the scenes, campaigns are using the technology to analyze voter data, craft campaign materials and write custom messages.

Supreme Court rules on mail-in ballots received after Election Day

Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined the court’s liberal justices and Chief Justice John Roberts in rejecting a GOP challenge to post-Election Day ballot receipt deadlines.

Trump Renews Threat to Fire Fed Governor in Wake of Court Loss

The president promised to “take appropriate action immediately” against Lisa D. Cook, a Fed governor.

Sunday Smiles

Trump and the End of the Rules-Based Illusion

As the United States approaches its 250th birthday, it is confronting a reality that Alexander Hamilton would have recognized immediately: the so-called "rules-based international order" was never a neutral system. It was a political construction,…

Claire's Weekly Letter: Managed Decline, Unmanaged Heat

How Brexit Made Britain European

Keir Starmer is just the latest victim of a political reality created by Brexit—one that has, counterintuitively, turned Britain into a European country.

Europe’s AC Wars: Call in the Ents

Officials in Ghent, Belgium, discouraged residents from using air-conditioning and instead suggested planting trees to cool their homes.

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.

World Cup Tourists See What Too Many Americans Have Forgotten

After A Little Weekend Warrior Work, Iran Is Back In the M.O.U. Box

NYT Pollster: Maine Voters Give Edge to Violent Nazi-Tatted Kik Creeper

Supreme Court Upholds Grace Period to Count Mail-In Ballots That Arrive After Election Day

The justices had been asked to examine the legality of the state’s grace period for late-arriving mail-in ballots.

Supreme Court to Weigh if Arizona Can Demand Proof of Citizenship to Vote

The case could open the door to stricter registration requirements at a time when President Trump has been pushing for them.

In Bad Faith

The US vice president’s new memoir leaves an unflattering impression of its author.

SCOTUS Put Lives of 1.3 Million Immigrants In Danger

The court's TPS decision is devastating for those whose countries of origin are deemed unsafe. Congress must act

Establishment Democrats Embrace Loserdom

Some centrists would rather have Trump triumph than forge an alliance with the left.

Citizen Vigilante Would Kill You for Obeying the Law

The self-styled steward of order is its busiest source of disorder.

The Anglican Church of Canada Publishes Pastoral Liturgies Blessing Euthanasia

For Christians throughout history, blessing euthanasia would be a most profound scandal.

Trust In the Lord: Sunday Reflection

Dangerous Liaisons and the #MeToo Wars

Nearly 250 years on, Laclos’s novel of seduction and treachery continues to scandalise.

What’s in an Exonym?

That which we call Turkey . . .