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

The Legal Academy and Race Discrimination

Brian Fitzpatrick has a very telling anecdote in his defense of Louisiana v. Callais (2026) at SCOTUSBlog.

The Academic World Is Like Medieval Feudalism

We have created a very expensive and largely counterproductive academic feudalism.

Congress Must Fix College Sports Before It's Too Late

The bipartisan Protect College Sports Act will stabilize athletics for generations to come. The House and Senate must pass it before it's too late.

Colleges and Universities Adrift in Administrative Bloat

One might conclude that student learning has become an afterthought.

Michigan Could End the Democrat Party As We Know It

Fresh off a series of victories across the US, the Democrats' hard Left are on the cusp of their biggest victory yet.

Capitol Hill sex scandals trigger new push to redraw the line for lawmakers

Speaker Mike Johnson endorsed new proposals banning lawmakers from dating congressional staff as multiple sexual misconduct cases shake Capitol Hill.

Some Little Towns Are Trapped in Their Own Doom Loop

The Tobacco Wars

How Australia's war on tobacco backfired.

Speaking of Revolutionaries

Zayd Ayers Dohrn, son of prominent members of the Weather Underground, is not a chip off the old block.

Dem Rhode Island lawmaker threatens ICE: 'Your day of reckoning will come m----- f------'

Rhode Island Democrat Enrique Sanchez threatened ICE with a profane "day of reckoning'"post, escalating his history of calling agents "Nazi Gestapo thugs."

CNN Political Briefing

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

Wednesday's Final Word

Too Fun to Check: WI Dems' Desperation Candidate Is ... 'Dirt McGirk'

Trump adds condition to Saudi nuclear deal: Normalizing relations with Israel

The president laid out the new requirement a day after the agreement was signed, casting the future of the pact into doubt.

Amish Shah Wins Democratic Primary in Swing Arizona House District

Dr. Amish Shah, who beat the choice of the party’s House campaign arm, will face Jay Feely, a Republican, in a battleground district that covers parts of Phoenix.

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…

They See Dead People

Following on false claims that 215 child corpses were discovered in western Canada, a First Nations chief claims that Indigenous people can communicate with departed spirits.

Republicans fall in line with Trump on Iran war despite rising costs and US death toll

Sen. Bill Cassidy proved the decisive vote again as Senate Republicans blocked Democrats' war powers resolution to restrict Trump's Iran strikes.

I Chaired Canada's Human Rights Tribunal. Here's What I Saw.

During my time chairing the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal, I sometimes felt like the agent of a state-funded extortion ring.

Is This Really Bellevue, WA, or Just Dems' Intersectional Blues?

MAGA Wants Its History Simple

Your chances of running into a marketer at a neighborhood bar are slim but never zero. Given the remote-capable nature of the work and the continued growth of their economic sector, marketers have spread across the U.S., making the most of their r…

Candidate who wants to abolish the Senate, arrest Netanyahu offers DSA shot at swing-seat breakthrough

Oliver Larkin says he supports arresting Benjamin Netanyahu, abolishing the U.S. Senate, and ending military aid to Israel ahead of the Florida primary.

Trump is Undermining Elections in U.S.

It's right there in his name: Sen. Mark Warner for months has been on a tear to warn Americans of President Trump's designs to disrupt the midterm elections.

Dem supported 'Green New Deal' after receiving nearly $60K from energy groups, now wants congressional seat

Democrat Sean McCann's energy contributions from DTE Energy resurface as he campaigns to unseat Rep. Bill Huizenga in Michigan's 4th district.

House Again Rebukes Trump on Iran War Powers Vote

For the second time, a few House Republicans joined Democrats to back a measure calling on the president to seek authorization for the war.

The Patriarchal Mind Virus

By dismissing the importance of biological sex, Robin Dembroff earned predictable acclaim from fellow scholars. But as a work of philosophy, ‘Real Men on Top’ is unconvincing and deeply flawed.

When Elites Fail

When elite institutions fail, public trust erodes — and populist skepticism grows.

Johnson delivers big for Trump, but frustration grows across razor-thin GOP majority

Frustrations mount over how Speaker Mike Johnson manages the razor-thin House majority even as the GOP nets a series of big wins.

Omer Bartov: What Went Wrong?

A distinguished historian of the Holocaust views Israel through the wrong prism.

Trump meets with Lebanese leader, pledges support for peace efforts with Israel

The event marked the White House’s latest attempt to broker an Israeli pullout from southern Lebanon, where Israel has been fighting Hezbollah.

New poll complicates Vance’s status as Trump’s likely 2028 heir apparent

Marco Rubio surged from 7% to 26% in New Hampshire's latest GOP primary poll, dramatically closing the gap with JD Vance in the hypothetical 2028 presidential nomination race.

Democrats Fight Over Whether Blacks or Latinos Should Have More Power in Presidential Nomination

Prosecutors struggle to turn voter fraud claims into criminal charges

Many leads turn out to be innocuous or accidental, lacking evidence of malicious intent.

For the Left, the ‘Genocide’ Lie Does All the Heavy Lifting

‘It’s powerful to use the word and to democratize its power,’ wrote a leftist podcaster. Zohran Mamdani and many other progressives share this outlook.

Latest combat deaths show risk has shifted to troops far from Iran’s borders

Trump flew to Delaware to honor soldiers killed in the Iran war, which has proved deadly for those far from the front lines.

Supreme Court Turbocharges Presidential Power

A pair of decisions reshaped the structure of the federal government.

Mamdani says New York doesn’t have authority to arrest Netanyahu, urges feds to act

The mayor had said the city might enforce a warrant against the Israeli leader, drawing Democratic criticism. On Tuesday, he urged the U.S. government to do so.

Republican Lawmaker Urges Charges Against Jack Smith

The criminal referral could provide a catalyst for a prosecution of Mr. Smith, who as special counsel became a top target of the president’s retribution campaign.

Amish Shah beats Democratic establishment pick in House primary in Arizona

Rep. Andy Biggs, who voted to overturn the 2020 election results, won the GOP nomination for governor. Among Democrats, a left-wing challenger failed to unseat Rep. Greg Stanton.

Hasan Piker Leaning Into 9/11 and N. Korea Support

Analysis of Hasan Piker's influence on Democrats and the DSA's radical shift ahead of 2028.

Nuns Sue New York over Forced Complicity in Assisted Suicide

Medical conscience is one of the most important liberty-related controversies in the country today. The Supreme Court is going to be very busy.

Don't Sleep on AOC's Chances in 2028

Socialism no longer carries the baggage it once did in the Democratic Party. An AOC run in 2028 offers something Bernie Sanders couldn't in 2016.

On the Brink Again

A collapsed ceasefire has pushed America and Iran back towards full-scale war over the Strait of Hormuz. Now Trump must decide whether to finish the job or give Tehran one more chance.

Rubio’s Chesterton Moment

Chesterton wrote a novel over 100 years ago that helps place the significance of Rubio’s most recent speech on the century’s left-wing terrorism problem.

Trump: Iran Directly Responsible for Any Houthi Attacks

A Peptide Showdown: F.D.A. Scientists May Clash With R.F.K.’s Agenda

Agency scientists are advising against allowing widespread use of several peptide injections. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health secretary, has said people should be free to experiment.

Key Republican Senator Says He Will Support Erica Schwartz for C.D.C. Director

Senator Bill Cassidy, who is believed to hold the deciding vote in the Senate health committee for Dr. Erica Schwartz’s confirmation, had declined for days to say whether he would back her.

Presidential Transition in Colombia Not Going All That Smoothly

GOP firebrand moves to dissolve Congressional Black Caucus: ‘Federally sanctioned segregation’

Nancy Mace's resolution would bar race-based House caucuses, effectively forcing dissolution of the Congressional Black Caucus and similar groups.

Ethiopian migrant allegedly killed 3 over $65 parking dispute, claimed he was victim of anti-immigrant bias

Tsegaab Ademassu Binessu allegedly killed three St. Paul apartment employees over a $65 parking contract before fleeing hundreds of miles north.

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.

The World Cup That Restored My Faith in America

Not even Trumpian meddling could dampen a nationwide celebration.

Politics of the Day

Politics of the Day

House votes to restrain Trump on Iran as Senate fails to advance similar measure

The votes marked the first test of Republican support for the conflict since President Donald Trump resumed military strikes against Tehran this month.

The Pacific's True Rogue State

Beijing just launched a nuclear-capable missile into the South Pacific Nuclear-Free Zone and called it routine. It was not.

I Worked for the Start-Up Hacked by Rogue AI

An unspoken truth about ChatGPT's new flagship model that launched an 'unprecedented' cyber attack against a rival is that it has done the world a favour by exposing safety flaws, says Florent Daudens

WATCH: ‘Shocking’ Ben Franklin smear leaves Smithsonian chief with ‘no regrets’

A Heritage Foundation expert called a Smithsonian exhibit "shocking" for suggesting Benjamin Franklin may have used electroshock on enslaved people.

Atlantic: 'The DSA Is a Parasite' and Someone Should Say So

Claire's Weekly Letter: Wars of Choice

As Part of Nuclear Deal, Trump Demands Saudi Arabia Join the Abraham Accords

The president’s new condition could create a roadblock to the agreement his administration announced this week.

The Axe Files with David Axelrod

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

Zelensky’s Consolidated Rule

The Ukrainian president is increasingly dependent on ultranationalist support from within the military and the defense-tech industry.

The ‘Bernie Bros' Could Spoil Democrats' Midterms

Republicans will make even moderate opponents answer for the radical views of DSA candidates.

Caitlin Clark Needs to Get Fouled Because Emmett Till Was Killed; UPDATE: Author Backs Down

An Early New Hampshire Poll Finds Democratic 2028 Frontrunner . . . AOC

It’s just one very early poll, but the result doesn’t seem that outlandish.

Is Graham Platner's Replacement the Real Deal?

In the days immediately after Democrat Graham Platner dropped out of Maine's senate race amid an allegation of sexual assault, it looked as though selecting his replacement might be something of a free-for-all.

The Modern Mythology of AI

LLMs are incredibly useful, even astonishing. But they aren’t “thinking” about anything.

American Bar Association's Dance With the DEI Devil

The ABA ‘has continuously pursued discriminatory DEI practices,' said Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas.

Israel Welcomes Trump’s Demand for Diplomatic Ties With Saudi Arabia

Israeli officials embraced the possibility of normalized ties, but analysts said the U.S.-Saudi nuclear deal nonetheless remained bad for Israel.

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.

AOC Leads NH Presidential Preference Poll

Secret Service Agent in JD Vance’s Detail Under Investigation

The Secret Service said that a member of Vice President JD Vance’s team was accused of “compromising operational and information security.”

Ireland's Antisemitism Crisis with Rachel Moiselle | Quillette Cetera Episode 68

Activist Rachel Moiselle on why a country with 3,000 Jews obsesses over Israel, how antizionism became a faith, and the cost of speaking out.

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.

Trump to unveil massive coalition protecting Americans from rising costs as admin pursues a top priority

Trump expands the Ratepayer Protection Pledge with 23 governors and 200 stakeholders vowing data centers won't raise electricity costs for families.

Democrats chip away at GOP cash lead centered on Trump

Republicans stockpiled money from big donors in national groups heading into the fall campaign season, while individual Democrats have drawn on stronger voter enthusiasm.

A Crisis in the Humanities

The norms governing scholarship now often serve to protect a rigid orthodoxy on certain politically charged issues—with ideological tests substituted for proper academic standards.

New York Nuns vs. the Empire State’s Culture of Death

As New York’s assisted-suicide law goes into effect, four communities of Catholic religious sisters fight back.

The Democrats Have a Communist Problem

It's bad enough that Zohran Mamdani has become the leader of the new Democratic Party, having been anointed by none other than its King, Barack Obama. But now, their shining new star, Hasan Piker, is not even bothering to hide behind the words "De…

Police Shooting in Madison, Wisconsin Generates Protests

Daniel Ortega Casts Off All Disguise

The few leftists who remember their support of the Sandinistas now try to argue that Ortega has betrayed his revolution.

With Saudi Deal, Trump Loosens Nuclear Standards for One Close Ally

Nuclear experts say it throws fuel on the smoldering fire of atomic proliferation, creating a destabilizing situation that could raise the risk of nuclear war.

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.

Rand Paul Releases Treasure Trove of Messages Proving that 'Proximal Origins' Paper Lied

Nuclear Energy Revival Puts Westinghouse in Prime Position

The company, which filed for bankruptcy protection in 2017, stands to benefit from growing support for nuclear power and President Trump’s deal with Saudi Arabia.

The Oldest Tradition in Art

Christopher Nolan's Odyssey, shot entirely on IMAX cameras, is the newest chapter in an old story: technological innovation creating new forms of art.

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…

Leavitt rips blue state’s explosive noncitizen voter-roll admission: ‘Not a coincidence’

Karoline Leavitt says New Jersey's admission of 6,600 noncitizens on voter rolls is no coincidence as Trump renews his SAVE America Act push.

Clarity Act Mired In Debate Over Whether to Bar President From Selling Crypto

Democrats and Republicans are haggling about the Clarity Act, a major bill pushed by the crypto industry, as it moves closer to a Senate vote.