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

Alina Habba to Newsmax on New Role: Help Trump, End Lawfare

Alina Habba might have a slightly different title in President-elect Donald Trump's new administration compared to his presidential campaign, but she told Newsmax on Tuesday the role itself is pretty much the same.

The nasty things RFK Jr. and Gabbard said about Republicans — and vice versa

The two former Democrats that Trump picked for Cabinet posts could test the GOP’s willingness to trust them and let bygones be bygones.

Biden Says Trump’s Tax Cuts and Tariffs Would Be ‘a Major Mistake’

The president also said his successor would face blowback from the Republican Party if he tried to unwind the Biden agenda.

Bragg Should Face a Recall

Now that Daniel Penny has been acquitted of the absurd homicide charges against him, perhaps New York City and State officials can be put on trial. They are responsible not only for the death of Jordan Neely, the drug-addicted schizophrenic whom M…

Are Board Gender Quotas a Good Idea?

The more we try to limit freedom in the interests of desirable social change, the less effective we will be in the long run, and the greater the number of additional problems we create.

Israel's UN ambassador insists nation is 'not getting involved' in Syrian regime change

A top Israeli diplomat insisted his nation is "not getting involved" in Syria’s politics after the nation launched an aggressive campaign of airstrikes and seized control of a buffer zone in Syria.

U.S. Data Agency Blames Old Tech and Other Failures for Missteps

The Bureau of Labor Statistics, which tracks jobs and inflation, issued a report on what caused embarrassing episodes in which data was released improperly.

Jewish UM Regent's Home Vandalized: 'This is Terrorism'

Hatred and Indifference in Modern Australia

Examining Australia’s leadership vacuum in the wake of the Melbourne synagogue firebombing.

New Jersey leader calls for limited state of emergency as drone mystery deepens

A New Jersey state senator called on officials to impose a limited state of emergency Tuesday as the mystery surrounding drone sightings across the state continues to deepen.

Supreme Court seems likely to narrow environmental reviews for projects

An 88-mile rail line in Utah has become a proxy battle over federal authority.

Members of Congress Speak Out on 'Unknown Drones'

Members of Congress are talking about "unknown drones" that have been seen flying around the New York and New Jersey skies over the last few weeks.

America’s Lonely Future

What happens when the nation takes a zero-sum approach to the world?

Trump selects FTC Commissioner Andrew Ferguson to chair agency

President-elect Trump has tapped Andrew Ferguson to serve as chair of the Federal Trade Commission, an anti-trust and consumer protection agency.

The Eerie Beauty of ‘Flow’

Gints Zilbalodis’s beautiful dystopian story feels like the start of a new era in cinema, or at least the invitation to one.

Assad's Fall Has Humiliated Washington

Syrians are free from Assad in spite of the Biden administration, not because of it.

Biden’s Pardon Proves Trump Right

By pardoning his son, the president shows he’s a politician after all.

Trump Selects Jacob Helberg for State Department Post

President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday announced that Jacob Helberg will serve in the State Department as the next undersecretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment.

Why Bidenomics Was Such a Bust

A large majority of voters gave the Biden administration a failing grade on the economy. For the sake of future policy battles, it is worthwhile to try to understand their reasons.

Supreme Court Shuts Immigration Loophole on Sham Marriages

The Supreme Court closed a major immigration loophole Tuesday by ruling that the Department of Homeland Security Secretary has discretion to revoke visa restrictions without judicial review.

Trump’s Record on Syria: Airstrikes and Troop Moves in a Land of ‘Sand and Death’

The president-elect faces hard choices about the country’s post-Assad future. His vows not to get involved might be hard to keep.

The Axe Files with David Axelrod

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

Trumpists Don’t Seem to Mind Claims of Sexual Assault

Anything is forgivable as long as it comes from people they like.

Trump taps former McConnell, Lee aides to FTC roles that could reshape agency

An Interview with Michael Shellenberger

Misinformation BillClaire: Welcome, Michael, welcome to Sydney. It’s great to have you here. Now, I want to talk to you about the misinformation bill that the current government is tabling, which is going to a vote in the Senate next week. The gov…

Trump Nominates Ronald Johnson as Ambassador to Mexico

President-elect Donald Trump nominated former El Salvador ambassador Ronald Johnson to be his next ambassador to Mexico on Tuesday night.

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…

Eric Trump Promises the ‘Most Pro-Crypto President’ in History

Speaking at a Middle East conference, President-elect Donald J. Trump’s son said his family had embraced cryptocurrency because some banks stopped doing business with them after Jan. 6.

Bragg to Merchan: How About Freezies No Erasies?

The Conversation Democrats Need to Have

The party should stop talking to itself and start hearing what voters have to say.

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 names former El Salvador ambassador Ron Johnson as choice for Mexico envoy

Former CIA official Ronald Johnson was named by President-elect Trump on Tuesday as ambassador to Mexico during a social media post.

As Teenagers, They Protested Trump’s Climate Policy. Now What?

Some young climate activists who were galvanized under Donald Trump’s first presidency are taking a different approach to his second.

Democrats Should Listen to What Chuck Rocha's Saying

The strategist who helped Bernie Sanders win the Latino vote took himself out of the race for DNC chair-but he's still got lots of ideas.

The Year of Elections

An unprecedented number of elections took place in Africa, Asia, and Latin America this year. Their results suggest that prospects for democracy are mixed.

Guilfoyle Trump's Pick as Amb. to Greece

President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday announced he was picking Kimberly Guilfoyle, TV news personality and onetime prosecutor in California, as his ambassador to Greece.

Trump Dominates Agenda--Weeks Before Taking Oath

As Biden fades from the national stage, amid policy announcements and cabinet picks, it feels to many Americans like Trump is president again already

A New Bracero Program Is Not the Solution

An Eisenhower-era initiative holds key lessons for Trump’s immigration policy.

Podcast #262: Interintellect and the Modern-Day Salon

Iona Italia talks to globetrotter and intellectual magpie Anna Gat about her modern-day salon, Interintellect.

Tuesday's Final Word

White House Threatens Biden Veto of Bipartisan Bill to Add New Judges

The legislation would create more than 60 new federal court seats over the next decade, giving the Trump White House a first shot at filling dozens of new vacancies.

Hunter Biden Was Unfairly Prosecuted

His father did the right thing.

Corporate Cancellations

Josh Bornstein appears to view the world as a good Left/bad Right binary. This assumption limits both his diagnosis of the problem and the creativity of his solutions.

Schiff, Aguilar defend Jan. 6 panel after Trump suggests members should be jailed

Syria: I'm Confused

Debate Over Hegseth’s Fitness Highlights a Gender Divide in the Senate

As many of the Senate’s Republican men dismiss allegations against President-elect Donald J. Trump’s pick to lead the Pentagon, only a small group of G.O.P. women have voiced even a hint of skepticism.

Can the Nation Wait Until Jan. 20?

Joe Biden has 42 more days to serve as president. But anyone watching events in Paris over the weekend would think Donald Trump has already taken office.

A Hidden Gem in RFK Jr.'s Agenda

Trump's HHS nominee says he wants to take on how Medicare compensates physicians. On this issue, he's actually right.

No Good Deed

In which an unsuspecting Quillette editor strolls Dublin’s historic streets, only to become ensnared in an unwholesome nocturnal intrigue.

Biden — addressing critics, voters and history — defends his economy

One month after voters rejected his party amid deep economic anxiety, Biden defends his economic legacy.

Trump Announces Tom Barrack as Next Ambassador to Turkey

President-elect Donald Trump announced Tuesday that longtime ally Tom Barrack will serve as the next ambassador to Turkey.

The Coming Democratic Revolution

To fight Trump and the GOP, blue states are planning to appropriate a Republican strategy: federalism.

Primary a Squish GOP Senator To Encourage the Others

There is a wonderful and salutatory effect to publicly posting a head on a pike for all to see

Trump taps Kimberly Guilfoyle to be ambassador to Greece amid a flurry of administration picks

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

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…

The Recline of the West

Since the 18th century, the very process of innovation was uniquely institutionalised in the West. That is now precisely what is being globalised.

Rep. Hunt to Newsmax: Ending CBP One 'Big Time' Change

Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, told Newsmax on Tuesday that President-elect Donald Trump's plan to end the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) One app would mean a "big time" change to the United States' illegal immigration problem.

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.

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.

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…

Merrick Garland Is the Worst AG in U.S. History

Even Joe Biden, who nominated Garland, appears to have caught onto the fact that Garland's DOJ is infected with partisan corruption.

A Perfect Encapsulation of Government

Supreme Court Poised to Curb Scope of Environmental Reviews

Several justices indicated that a federal agency had complied with a federal law by issuing a 3,600-page report on the impact of a proposed railway in Utah.

The Money Game

The Democratic Party had more money than God this election. At what cost?

The Bizarre Normalcy of Trump 2.0

In postelection Washington, the mood is calm—and the developments are disturbing.

Trump's incoming border czar reveals he's already making plans for 1,400 acres of land offered by Texas

Incoming border czar Tom Homan says he is already making plans on what to do with a chunk of land offered to the incoming administration by Texas.

The Sound of Fear on Air

It is an ominous sign that Morning Joe felt it had to apologize for something I said.

Six human smugglers arrested in connection to 2021 crash that killed dozens

Authorities have arrested six Guatemalan human smugglers linked to a 2021 semi-truck crash that killed over 50 migrants and injured over 100, the Department of Justice announced this week.

Why Voters Rejected Election Reform

In state after state, they rejected proposals to fix two of the most hated problems in politics.

Trump’s Treasury pick says he supports Fed Chair Jerome Powell serving his full term

New Europe Center Poll: Almost Half in Ukraine Trust Trump

Ukrainians are warming to Donald Trump, with almost half saying they trust the President-elect with foreign policy and security decisions, a poll released Tuesday showed.

Fox News Politics: A New Trump in Town

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

U.S. Transfers $20 Billion Loan to Ukraine Backed by Russian Assets

The economic lifeline ensures that Ukraine will have economic support after President-elect Donald J. Trump takes office.

Bill O'Reilly to Newsmax: Sens Vote Conscience on Nominees

It's not the job of U.S. senators to vote based on their constituents; the job of senators is to vote their conscience, longtime TV host and best-selling author Bill O'Reilly told Newsmaxon Tuesday.

Hegseth and Gabbard aim to bolster GOP support for confirmation fights

The longer Trump’s picks hang on, the better their chances of getting confirmed, given the political difficulty of publicly voting down one of his nominations.

Israel Zeroes Out Syrian Military Before Hezbollah Can Seize It

Politics of the Day

Politics of the Day

Fund-Raiser Who Pocketed Money Meant for Sick Kids and Vets Gets 10 Years in Prison

Richard Zeitlin, a telemarketing kingpin who kept 80 percent of the donations raised for charities, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in September.

Europe Finally Puts the Brakes on Immigration

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.

A MAGA Left-Right Coalition?

Trump's second term could present an opportunity for principled conservatives and progressives to team up in challenging the establishment.

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.

Marc Andreessen: AI Plus Woke Equals Dystopia

Birthright Citizenship Is a Breach in the Border

Donald Trump is trying to restore us to the understanding of citizenship held by the framers of the 14th Amendment that guaranteed equal protection for all Americans.

California county votes to ramp up sanctuary policies ahead of Trump deportation push: ‘Radical policy’

San Diego County has voted to ramp up the existing "sanctuary" law on the books in California, closing what proponents say are loopholes that allow ICE cooperation.

FEMA: Depends What Your Definition of 'Tent' Is UPDATE

Clueless Joe Co.: Has Winken Blinken Actually Met the New Boss?

Trump megadonor Jacob Helberg will be the next undersecretary of state for economic growth, energy, and...

‘Our top priority’: GOP senator reveals 'transformational' bill Republicans want to pass in 2025

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said on Tuesday that Republicans want to pass a "transformational" border security bill in 2025, as the GOP is set to take the upper chamber.

CNN Political Briefing

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

Trump announces latest slate of diplomatic, OMB appointees

Trump Nominates Dan Bishop for OMB Deputy Director

President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday nominated outgoing North Carolina GOP Rep. Dan Bishop for the post of Deputy Director at the Office of Management and Budget.

Trump picks Kimberly Guilfoyle to serve as U.S. ambassador to Greece

Games and Thrones

The real history of the era portrayed in Gladiator II is much more interesting, tumultuous, and murderous than Scott’s simpleminded yarn.

After the Ceasefire

The new state of play in Israel’s ongoing war against Hamas, following the US-brokered ceasefire with Lebanon, the weakening of Hezbollah, and the fall of Bashar al-Assad.

FBI leader says it's 'concerning' how little his agency knows about mysterious drones seen over New Jersey

A top FBI leader revealed the agency knows concerningly little about the mysterious, SUV-sized drones that have been seen hovering over New Jersey.

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.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) returned to the Senate floor for the second round of...

Trump Tests Ethical Boundaries With Branded Merch. (And All Sales Are Final.)

Everything around President-elect Donald J. Trump has become something to monetize, including a moment of comity with Jill Biden at Notre-Dame over the weekend.

The January 6th Prosecutions Are Ridiculous--And Being Sped Up

The Left-Wing Pushback on DOGE Sounds Like the Return of Occupy Wall Street

Rep. Jordan to Newsmax: Feds Spying on Americans 'Has Got to Stop'

House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, told Newsmax on Tuesday that federal government officials need to stop abusing the Bank Secrecy Act and working with banks to spy on Americans' financial transactions.

Trump announces more picks, nominates Kimberly Guilfoyle to serve as ambassador to Greece

President-elect Trump on Tuesday made several announcements of appointments and nominations as he continues to fill out his incoming administration

Capitol Police arrest suspect after allegedly assaulting Rep Nancy Mace

Capitol Police arrested a man on Tuesday who allegedly assaulted Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., on Capitol grounds over her fight to protect women's spaces.

No, Trump Can’t Just ‘Dismiss’ the Senate

The threat from House Republicans should be seen and called out for what it is: an autocratic move that is not just unlawful but contemptuous of constitutionalism.

Sanitising a Paranoid Crank

Misleading and irresponsible journalism is being used to launder the reputation of RFK Jr.

The ‘Mainstream Media’ Has Already Lost

The newspapers and networks of the 20th century are ceding ground. And the people taking their place aren’t playing by the same rules.

McConnell Sprained Wrist During a Fall but Is ‘Fine’

Senator Mitch McConnell, the minority leader who sustained a concussion in a fall last year, was cleared to resume his work schedule, according to his office.