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

Trump admin launches Gen Z hiring push as officials warn of federal youth gap

The Trump administration is launching a new effort to “make government cool again" by hiring Gen Z employees to rebuild the pipeline of talent entering the federal workforce.

States demand power to stop drones delivering drugs, weapons into prisons

State AGs say federal legal uncertainty leaves corrections officials able to detect drones but powerless to stop contraband deliveries in real time.

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…

How Americans Can End This War

A once robust American anti-war movement is significantly weaker than it was in its heyday. The immensely unpopular war on Iran offers a real opportunity to rebuild it

The Edifice Complex

Monuments don’t create legacy; they merely memorialise it.

Politics of the Day

Politics of the Day

Trump Is Breaking the Middle East's Old Power Structure

U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran signal more than war - they represent a deliberate attempt to force a Middle East realignment, this analysis argues.

WE Need a 'No Commies' Rally

High Stakes, and a Low Bar, For Markwayne Mullin at DHS

Trump’s nominee has one big thing going for him: He’s not Kristi Noem.

Mike Rowe unleashes on Jimmy Kimmel's latest 'tone-deaf' takedown targeting everyday Americans

Mike Rowe called out Jimmy Kimmel for his “tone deaf" comments mocking new DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin for being a former plumber, admitting he is a “tad butt hurt" by the dig.

Donald Trump Is Nothing Like Robert Mueller

The absurdity of a man who avoided Vietnam due to “bone spurs” dancing on the grave of a decorated combat veteran

Supreme Court won’t reconsider ‘Tiger King’ murder-for-hire conviction

The Supreme Court declined to review the murder-for-hire conviction of Joseph Maldonado-Passage, the “Tiger King,” who gained notoriety from a 2020 documentary.

That's Why We Don't Trust Authority, New York Times

Kristi Noem Is Gone. Now Mass Deportations Can Really Begin.

DHS has a new leader and a big pot of money to deliver on Trump’s campaign promise.

How a Civics School With a Conservative Bent Divided Its Supporters

A University of North Carolina program was intended to promote civil discourse and ideological diversity. Some of its early conservative supporters say it is doing the opposite.

Sunday Smiles

ICE agents may remain at airports even after TSA agents get paid

As the partial shutdown drags on, border czar Tom Homan says the decision will depend in part on whether TSA agents “come back to work.”

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.

WaPo: On Second Thought, Our Reporter in Iran Is a Regime Hack

Canadian Liberals Might Be Even Funnier Than American Ones

Mexican Migrant Dies in U.S. Custody, Marking 14 Deaths in 2026

A Mexican immigrant died in immigration custody in Los Angeles on Wednesday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said Monday, marking at least 14 deaths in ICE custody in 2026.

Trump Says U.S. Could 'Take the Oil in Iran'

Donald Trump has said he wants to "take the oil in Iran" and could seize the export hub of Kharg Island, as the US sends thousands of troops to the Middle East.

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.

Sweep The Leg, Mr. President.

GOP Eyes Healthcare Savings to Fund Iran War, ICE

Republican lawmakers are reportedly considering health care changes to help fund the war in Iran and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Top House Republicans are exploring reductions in federal health spending...

Iran’s Hidden War Against the West: Emily Schrader

Emily Schrader joins Pamela Paresky to explain how Iran’s regime works, why reform has failed, and what may come next.

‘I’m Far Angrier’

Can Cory Booker, once the candidate of love, run for president and stay true to who he is?

Kristi Noem Bought 11 Warehouses to Use as ICE Jails. Now What?

DHS’s next leader will inherit a fast-moving $38 billion plan for industrial-scale immigrant detention.

The Many Roots of Our Suffering: Reflections on Robert Trivers (1943–2026)

The contributions of Robert Trivers belong in the special category of ideas that are obvious once they are explained, yet eluded great minds for ages; simple enough to be stated in a few words, yet with implications that have busied scientists for…

Special Operations Forces Sent to Mideast as Trump Weighs Next Move

The commandos have not been assigned specific roles. But President Trump has expressed concern about the now-closed Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s store of enriched uranium.

Justice Dept. Watchdog Has Gone Silent, Lawyers for Whistle-Blower Say

Lawyers for a fired Justice Department lawyer say the agency’s inspector general appears to have ignored at least 20 different requests to scrutinize misconduct.

The First Post-Ideological Bedouin State

Why the misunderstood sovereign UAE thrives, and why ideologues—from the Islamic Republic to the Muslim Brotherhood—are invested in its demise.

Supreme Court declines to hear 'Tiger King' Joe Exotic's challenge after murder-for-hire conviction

The Supreme Court declined to hear a petition from Tiger King's Joe Exotic on Monday, leaving in place a lower court's rejection of his retrial request.

A Serious Senate Debate About an Unserious Bill

The most pressing question about the SAVE America Act is not whether it’s going to pass, but why President Trump and his allies are so determined to see the Senate put up a bill that’s doomed to fail.

Getting Away With It

The case of Bao Phuc Cao—released without a conviction after secretly filming over 100 women in public toilets—reveals that Melbourne’s judiciary is drastically out of step with the public understanding of the purpose of criminal justice.

Artemis II: Return to the Moon Scheduled for Wednesday

Criminal Research

European jurists should not seek to arbitrate controversial matters best settled by science.

The Republican Party Continues Eating Its Own

What one lawmaker’s defection from the GOP says about the state of politics

Success in Iran Will Come Down to Managing Fear of Energy Prices

Obviously the Iran war and the disruption of Iran's global terror network seems to have come down to fear of energy prices. Perhaps FDR's famous line would now be "we have nothing to fear but fear of oil prices."

Three Reasons the Stock Market Can Endure the War

Stocks haven't fallen as much as you might expect given the Iran war. There are good reasons for that.

'Retribution': Trump Issues New Ultimatum, Mulls Op to Seize Uranium

Trump Might Drop Surgeon General Nominee

President Donald Trump on Sunday suggested he could withdraw his nomination of Casey Means for U.S. surgeon general, as doubts remain about whether she can secure enough Republican support for confirmation.

Legal powerhouse accused of bailing on panel exposing their 'monopoly' over law school accreditation

An expected panelist from the American Bar Association did not appear at a conservative event on the group’s law school accreditation role as Trump allies intensify pressure on the legal giant.

Scorned ex-lover accuses Sinema of 'malicious' marriage interference

Former Sen. Kyrsten Sinema is being sued under 19th century law that allows jilted plaintiffs to seek tens of thousands dollars in damages for a common affliction: A broken heart.

The Innovation Trap

The central risk of AI is not that machines will become malevolent. It is that human incentive structures, amplified by scalable technology, outrun our ability to govern them.

Nick Cannon Slams Democrats: Party of KKK

Nick Cannon criticized the Democratic Party as tied to the KKK during a recent interview in which he also shared his support for President Donald Trump. The comments came during an episode of his web show "Big Drive"...

The U.S. Now Has Over 50,000 Troops in the Middle East

The arrival of 2,500 Marines and another 2,500 sailors is keeping the number of American troops in the region at roughly 10,000 more than usual.

How Dems Could Get a Wake-up Call in 2026 Election

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz's administration and a $9-$16 billion state fraud scandal are some of the major Democratic Party liabilities ahead of the 2026 election.

The Napkin Controlling Colorado Nanny-Staters Have to Be Rocky Mountain High as Kites

Asylum Processing Resumes, Restrictions Still in Place

The Trump administration has partially resumed asylum processing after a freeze that began in November after a deadly D.C. shooting, but restrictions remain for nationals of 39 countries under existing travel bans, according to Department of Homel…

New Political Group to Push Trump’s A.I. Agenda in Midterms

The group, Innovation Council Action, says it plans to spend at least $100 million. It will be led by a former administration official.

From Foe to Ally: The S.E.C. Is Now Writing Crypto-Friendly Policies

The embrace of crypto by financial regulators under President Trump has entered a new, cozier phase.

When ICE Blows Through Rural America -

As the surge in Minneapolis winds down, small communities in Minnesota (like Willmar) fend off more arrests and lasting impacts.

Treating Myths as Science

Indigenous “Ways of Knowing” have no place in British Columbia’s school science curriculum.

Trump’s Birthright Citizenship Order at Supreme Court Splits Conservative Scholars

Before President Trump’s order to limit birthright citizenship, there was widespread agreement that the 14th Amendment guaranteed citizenship for U.S.-born babies.

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.

Love and Theft

Luc Besson’s romantic adaptation of the Dracula story owes an unacknowledged debt to Eiko Ishioka, the visionary designer of Francis Cord Coppola’s 1992 classic.

ICE May Remain at Airports Even After T.S.A. Pay Resumes, Border Czar Says

Transportation safety officers are set to be paid on Monday, but Tom Homan, the White House’s border czar, said ICE agents may stay where there are shortages.

Why Do US Presidents Keep Risking Foreign Quagmires?

Domestic pressures result in foreign adventures.

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.

The Axe Files with David Axelrod

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

Trump officials cite white supremacists in bid to end birthright citizenship

An argument heading to the Supreme Court is built in part on a post-Civil War campaign that scholars say was steeped in anti-Black and anti-Chinese racism.

Rep. McCormick to Newsmax: 'Don't Understand' Why Congress Can't Fund Govt

Rep. Rich McCormick, R-Ga., told Newsmax on Monday that Congress should be able to fund the government without defaulting to another continuing resolution, blasting the legislative gridlock as unnecessary and dangerous.

Trump shows off new ballroom designs as he defends $400 million project

The planned White House addition, a top priority of the president, is facing a key vote this week. A federal judge may also rule to halt the project.

Senators defend two-week recess as record-breaking government shutdown drags on

DHS employees remained unpaid as Congress took a recess during the record-breaking shutdown. Sen. Chris Coons defended the break, saying lawmakers are working in home states.

Lawmaker Presses SEC's Top Official After Enforcement Director Quits

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., on Monday pressed SEC Chairman Paul Atkins for answers about the sudden departure of the agency's top enforcement official after reported clashes over cases with connections to President Donald Trump and his famil…

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.

He took Pelosi’s lectern on Jan. 6. Now he’s running for office.

Adam Johnson has rarely voted and embraces his role as clown prince of Jan. 6. Floridians will decide whether a man who tried to upend democracy can help lead one.

Jews and Christians: United We Stand, Divided We Fall

NJ school district’s secretive transgender policy faces legal threat for bucking Supreme Court ruling

Thomas More Society threatens to sue a New Jersey school district over a policy allegedly hiding students' gender identity from parents, marking the first test of a recent Supreme Court ruling.

Internet erupts over 'disqualifying' leaked audio from Democrat in key Senate race discussing Khamenei's death

Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed faces backlash after leaked audio reportedly shows him avoiding comment on Khamenei's death over Dearborn voters.

SCHUMER SHUTDOWN SALE: 60% Off VIP Memberships!

CNN Political Briefing

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

AI Is Not About To Become Sentient

Most of today’s “artificial intelligence” is better described as artificial autocomplete than artificial mind.

Rep. Meuser to Newsmax: Democrats 'Doubling Down on Misery' in DHS Shutdown

Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Pa., on Monday accused Democrats of prolonging the partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, saying they are "doubling down on misery" as the standoff enters its 45th day and disrupts airport operations.

Trump Admin Sues Minnesota Over Transgender Athletes in Girls Sports

The Trump administration sued Minnesota and its school athletics governing body on Monday, carrying out a threat to punish the state for allowing transgender athletes to compete in girls sports.

Cowardly GOP Senators Run Home

In one fell swoop, Thune ceded the moral high ground to Democrats who now can blame Republican intransigence for their shutdowns.

Peter King to Newsmax: Trump Has Made Early Gains Against Iran

Former Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., said Monday that recent U.S. and Israeli actions against Iran mark an unprecedented military achievement while cautioning that Tehran retains the capacity to retaliate and will only negotiate under extreme pressure.

They Wouldn't Even Say My Daughter's Name

A mother's heartfelt plea for justice after her daughter Katie's tragic death highlights political indifference and demands accountability.

Who’s ‘Safer’ or ‘Riskier’? Maine Democrats Clash Over How to Beat Collins.

Gov. Janet Mills argues that her rival for Senate, Graham Platner, could be doomed by his history of offensive online remarks. But at a time of anti-establishment anger, Mr. Platner says he is the safer choice.

Unexpected Winner in Iran War: Ukraine

NASA Is Launching Astronauts to the Moon, but Americans Aren’t That Excited

Polling has consistently found that most people would prefer NASA spend money on things like monitoring climate change and averting asteroid collisions rather than human spaceflight.

Iran War Running Ahead of Years of Simulations

Retired Gen. Frank McKenzie, the former commander of U.S. Central Command, told CBS's "Face The Nation" that after years of preparation, after one month, the campaign against Iran is "further along than we would have expected to be at this point, …

New AI coalition targets Washington, Big Tech as group warns child safety risks outpacing safeguards

The Alliance for a Better Future launches with an eight-figure budget to push AI regulation, saying policymakers must prioritize kids and workers over Big Tech.

Everyone Has Trump’s Phone Number Now

The president’s personal iPhone has been lighting up.

The Manosphere Turns on Trump

How many times can a coalition crack before it shatters?

Letters to the Editor

Friday 20 March – Friday 27 March

Bessent: Oil Market Well Supplied, Control of Hormuz to Shift Over Time

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Monday that the global oil market is well supplied, with more boats traveling through the Strait of Hormuz.

Federal election complaint alleges AOC misused campaign funds for psychiatrist services

A watchdog group alleges Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez misused nearly $19,000 in campaign funds to pay a psychiatrist, filing a federal FEC complaint.

A 79-Year-Old Freshman Senator?

Janet Mills does not have a dicey Reddit history or a recently covered-over Nazi tattoo. But her candidacy is haunted by Joe Biden’s 2024 debacle.

Trump, Tehran, and the China Calculus

The CCP will certainly take advantage should Iran turn into a major distraction for the US.

A Democratic Electrician Nabs a State Senate Seat in Republican Florida

With Brian Nathan’s victory certified, Democrats won two of three state legislative races in this month’s special elections, all in Republican-leaning districts.

Not So Fast, Bill Maher

The comedian was set to receive the Twain Prize before a sudden reversal of course.

Pentagon prepares for weeks of ground operations in Iran

If President Trump approves the plans, such an effort would mark a new phase of the war that could be significantly more dangerous to U.S. troops than the first four weeks.

GOP Eyes Challenge to School Funding Rule for Illegals

Republicans are intensifying efforts to challenge a Supreme Court ruling that requires public schools to provide free education to children in the country illegally.

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…

Markwayne Mullin Takes Over DHS With Less Flash but Same Mission

Markwayne Mullin, the incoming D.H.S. secretary, faces a difficult balance: a public reset of the agency while delivering on President Trump’s deportation agenda.

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 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.

Dems Have Midterm Momentum. Don't Mess It Up

People are deeply unhappy with President Donald Trump. Democrats need to seize that opportunity.

The ‘Big Black Scar’

Trump is blowing up national-park land in Arizona to wall off one of the border’s last wild places.

GOP lawmaker draws line on Iran ground war as Pentagon weighs options

Rep. Tim Burchett says there's no will among Republicans or Democrats for a ground conflict with Iran, urging Middle East partners to lead any land war.