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 Axe Files with David Axelrod

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

Burrito debate rips open GOP civil war on affordability: ‘We will lose, and deserve it’

A college student's complaint about a $20 burrito sparked a fierce GOP debate on affordability, even drawing in JD Vance and Rep. Dan Crenshaw.

Loophole forcing release of detained illegal immigrants targeted by Senate GOP

Sen. Katie Britt's bill targets a 2001 Supreme Court loophole allowing detained illegal immigrants to be released after six months if no country accepts them.

Now Comes the Hard Part for El-Sayed

Abdul El-Sayed, a public-health official who lost in a primary landslide when he ran for governor of Michigan eight years ago, eked out a victory over Representative Haley Stevens on Tuesday night in one of the most closely watched, bitterly conte…

Dodgeball! Kickball! Trump’s Patriot Games will look a lot like gym class.

The Patriot Games now have an official schedule, with events Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

A Growing Number of Election Deniers Hold Key Local Roles in Midterms

These officials oversee or help administer elections in counties across the nation where competitive House and Senate races will determine control of Congress.

What’s up with all these scandals in Congress?

One lawmaker faces domestic abuse allegations; another, allegations of inappropriate behavior toward female staffers.

On Michigan, Keep Big Picture in Mind

The first thing to say about Abdul el Sayed's victory in the Michigan Democratic Senate primary is that it's not a story about polls.

Four-Minute Refutation of the Genocide Charge

Any way you look at the Israeli genocide charge, it is a lie, as Michael Mandelbaum so thoughtfully and effectively makes clear.

Why you shouldn’t be surprised if Democrats don’t flip the House

Democrats are ahead in polls, and voters typically punish the party that controls the White House during midterms. But Republicans have several paths to maintaining power.

Senate Panel Has Obtained Copy of Fauci’s Government Cellphone

The development comes as a Senate committee prepares to vote Thursday on whether to hold Dr. Anthony S. Fauci in contempt of Congress for refusing to answer questions at a hearing.

Senate Holds Fauci in Contempt; Obtains His Phone

After Dr. Anthony Fauci pleaded the Fifth, a Senate committee takes action, after obtaining a copy of his phone

Bringing Back Old-Time Imperialism in Latin America

'Hondurasgate' exposed a plan to boost far-right American puppets across the Western Hemisphere.

Hemp Fight Snarls Speedy Passage of Government Funding Bill

A White House effort to delay a ban on intoxicating hemp was holding up a final agreement on a bipartisan spending bill ahead of a monthlong Senate recess.

Senate Panel Votes to Hold Fauci in Contempt of Congress

Dr. Anthony Fauci had refused to answer questions at a hearing last week, invoking the Fifth Amendment. Republicans argued he wasn’t entitled to that protection because he had a presidential pardon.

Is Schumer on the Ropes Amid Democrat Divisions?

Far-left candidates are toppling Schumer's establishment picks in key primaries. Could the Senate Minority Leader be facing a challenge to his own leadership? Here's what's happening.

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.

Scotland Yard: We're Sorry We Investigated a Journalist for Asking Jason Arday Questions

A Beautiful Odyssey, Made Dreary By Remorse

Christopher Nolan’s creation is a big movie in every technical sense. But inside, it is diminished and faded: heroes who aren’t allowed to be heroes and gods who aren’t allowed to be gods.

Senate panel votes to hold Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress

The longtime infectious-disease scientist refused to answer questions from committee members at a hearing last week.

Francesca Hong Is in the Driver’s Seat — but Can She Cross the Finish Line?

In the chaotic Wisconsin Democratic primary for governor, Hong has had the ‘Mao was too moderate’ lane all to herself.

Politicising the Humanities: Sociology as Case Study

Quillette podcast host Jonathan Kay speaks with University of Hawaii professor Ashley Rubin, co-author of the recently published ‘Special Commission Report on the State of Scholarship in the Humanities and the Humanistic Social Sciences’

Politics of the Day

Politics of the Day

The Most AWFL Monologue Ever

Lawsuit over Missouri’s congressional map could throw a wrench into midterms

If the court approves the request for a referendum, it could raise questions about whether Tuesday’s primary winners under the new map are the official nominees.

'Fake' moderate Talarico's Texas surge tests Paxton in fight to hold crucial GOP Senate seat

Ken Paxton says he's confident Texans will reject James Talarico once they learn about his record on border security, energy and social issues.

Minnesota prosecutor asks Texas to extradite ICE agent to face charges in shooting case

The county attorney asked Gov. Greg Abbott to authorize the extradition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer Christian Castro on charges of assault.

Insults, Expletives and Fat-Shaming: Vance Trolls Critics on the Right and Left

The vice president has dispensed with the decorum and restraint of his predecessors to directly take on opponents and journalists on social media with sometimes profane and often personal jabs.

Lawsuit Settlement: Texas Children's Hospital Will Create Nation's First 'Detransition Clinic'

McConnell is out of rehab, but his absence has stunted a key Republican priority

Sen. Mitch McConnell has been discharged from a rehabilitation facility and will continue recovering at home after a June fall in Kentucky.

FBI’s ‘clever’ Trump-Russia probe code name ignites suspicion something deeper was at play

Jeff Clark alleges the FBI deliberately misspelled its Trump-Russia probe name "Oxferd C0mma," using a zero to foil FOIA requests and hide records.

Edgy Vanity Plates Test Limits of Free Speech

Virginia will ask the Supreme Court to hear a dispute over a seven-character license plate message.

Obviously, DOGE Did Not Save Money

Reining in federal spending was never going to be so easy.

Senate Democrats probe Korean firm’s $2 million payment to Trump company

Base Co. LTD was fighting a trade case before the Commerce Department at the time of the payment.

In the Battleground States, Voters Like Their Economy More Than ‘the Economy’

63 percent say their personal finances are either good or excellent. 34 percent say that the economy is good or excellent. What gives?

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.

Fled to America at 11. Stole at 18. Deported to Vietnam at 44.

The Trump administration is sending back record numbers of Vietnamese, Laotians and Hmong. Many came to the United States as young war refugees and later committed crimes.

Sophie's Choice: Three Cheers for Women's Tennis?

Is the Pro-Palestine Movement Israel’s Unlikely Ally?

By framing terrorism and armed struggle as legitimate resistance, the pro-Palestine movement has unwittingly strengthened Israel’s case that withdrawal and concessions carry unacceptable risks.

U.S.-Canada relations go up in smoke

There’s been something in the air in D.C. this summer — namely wildfire smoke and frustration over Canada’s inability to keep it on its side of the border.

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…

Reporter's Notebook: Summer ends, but the Senate's fall crunch begins

The Senate faces a daunting list, including Todd Blanche's confirmation, government funding, the SAVE America Act and college sports NIL regulation.

The FDA Does a Very Good Thing

Nobody tell the boss.

Neocons Losing the Great Burrito Debate

Over the past 24 hours, America's hawkish pundits have got deep into the business of how best to cook burritos, how to keep burrito budgets down, and whether kids these days are too profligate with their burrito spending. No, really: this is what …

Women’s Share of Top Military Promotions Falls as Hegseth Blocks Nominees

The percentage of high-ranking officer nominations going to women is currently at its lowest level in over two decades.

'I'm Anti-Zionist, Not Antisemite'

SEE IT: Mamdani booed off stage at New York City pro-police celebration: ‘Walked off in shame’

Video shows Zohran Mamdani booed off stage in under a minute at the NYPD National Night Out event on Staten Island as crowds chanted against him.

The Rise of Sainte-Marie Among the Hurons

In the 30th instalment of ‘Nations of Canada,’ Greg Koabel describes the expanding Jesuit presence of the late 1630s—and the increasingly bitter opposition it provoked among France’s local Indigenous allies.

Tennessee’s Andy Ogles Faces Well-Funded Opposition in House Primary Thursday

Representative Andy Ogles received President Trump’s endorsement, but his challenger, Charlie Hatcher, a former state agriculture commissioner, has the backing of Gov. Bill Lee.

Rep. Edwards drops competitive reelection bid after House censure recommendation

An Ethics Committee report detailed “persistent unprofessional and inappropriate conduct” by the North Carolina Republican toward two young female staffers.

What the Situation in Iran Actually Looks Like

Don't listen to what the Left is saying or even Donald Trump about Iran, says Victor Davis Hanson. What is actually happening in and to Iran?

Mitch McConnell Discharged From Rehabilitation Facility

The Kentucky Republican has been absent from Congress for nearly two months after a health episode. He said he would continue recovering from home.

The Passion of Bess McNeill

Lars von Trier’s harrowing but resplendent story of suffering and grace turns thirty this year.

Did Russia Just Try to Extend the War With Ukraine Into Germany? (Update)

Regarding Those Claims of $20 Burritos . . .

As usual, the sneering back-and-forth on X about the cost of a Mexican-food lunch is conflating multiple issues.

Ohio’s other GOP senator calls on Rep. Max Miller to resign

Sen. Jon Husted joined Sen. Bernie Moreno, Miller’s former father-in-law, in calling for the embattled congressman to step aside.

Claire's Weekly Letter: Truths About Men and Women

Sex Differences Above the Neck

The evidence for innate sex differences has been accumulating for decades. Steve Stewart-Williams's new book is a welcome inventory.

‘Why Is Food More Expensive?’ There’s a Simpler Answer

It’s the money supply. It’s always been the money supply.

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.

Washington Post: Don't Assume Democrats Will Flip the House

House GOP launches probe into 5 major labor unions over Dem spending despite MAGA membership base

GOP lawmakers demand financial records from UAW, United Steelworkers, SMART-TD, BLET and BMWED over alleged political spending and lavish perks.

Men Without Meaning

Men are quietly leaving the workforce—not for lack of jobs, but for lack of purpose.

The Highly Credentialed Are All Jason Ardays

Trump-linked law firm to get $150 million no-bid contract to represent migrant children

The Trump administration announced the award after allowing the previous contract with a longtime legal provider to expire.

CNN Political Briefing

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

Smart, Affordable Energy Built Iowa. Voters Must Protect It

In 1983, before climate anxiety became injected into the American bloodstream by Washington, D.C. consultants, Iowa passed the nation's first Renewable Portfolio Standard. It wasn't driven by ideology - it was pro-agriculture and smart market-hedg…

El-Sayed's Challenge: Overcoming 'Otherness'

If the economy is the issue, he can win Michigan in November.

Wednesday's Final Word

Democrats targeting 12 additional red districts in midterms push to retake House

The DCCC is targeting 12 additional deep-red House districts, including seats held by Lauren Boebert and Mike Lawler, as Democrats eye midterm flips.

Student Writing Skills and the Best Uses of AI

Students need to learn how to think and write independently while also developing the judgment to use artificial intelligence effectively.

Trump allies push to arm president with new tariff weapon to punish countries 'ripping off' America

Sen. Rick Scott's Trade Deficit Elimination Act would give Trump new congressional authority to impose tariffs on countries with trade deficits.

Republicans Are Cooling on the Supreme Court

Public confidence in the Supreme Court has reached a record low.

Capturing the ‘Odyssey’

Homer’s epic provides a window on to a strange, paradoxical, fascinating, beautiful, and terrifying world that is at once familiar and unfamiliar. 

False Unanimity at the National Academies

When the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine speak, Americans assume they are hearing from thousands of the country's most accomplished researchers. That isn't always true.

WATCH: GOP split over Rand Paul’s DOJ strategy in Fauci contempt push

Sen. Rand Paul says he plans to send a criminal contempt referral directly to the Department of Justice after Anthony Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment.

The ‘Sex Recession’ is Real

Quillette podcast host Jonathan Kay talks to Debra Soh, author of ‘Sextinction: The Decline of Sex and the Future of Intimacy,’ about neuroscience, hypergamy, elephant seals, politicised sex research, the perils of polyamory, and the sex-repellent…

WSJ: Fauci May Have a Bigger Problem Than Contempt Charge Today; UPDATE: Contempt Referral Passes

Moderate Democrats Prepare for ‘War’ Against an Ascendant Left

One moderate group says the progressive wins are “deeply troubling” and is planning a $15 million effort against democratic socialism.

Hasan Piker Is a Symptom, Not the Cause

Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed can no more renounce his association with his Bolshevist booster than he can shed his own views.

Socialist victories show Dems' descent down 'deadly path of communism,' Johnson warns

Mike Johnson warns Democrats are heading toward communism as DSA-backed candidates like Abdul El-Sayed topple establishment figures in key races.

The Attack on Kyiv

A brutal reminder of the consequences of Ukraine’s lack of anti-ballistic interceptors.

Elite Academia Finally Flames Out in Clueless Heights of Hilarious Hubris

This Is the Real AI Divide

Whether a model is open or closed, the more important distinction is whether it was built through innovation or through theft.

Hey, Has Anybody Noticed That the Obama Bros Are Pushing the Radical Candidates?

RFK Jr. Decertifies Kentucky Organ Procurement Organization

Making patients brain-dead on purpose seems little different than actively killing them.

Trump Administration to Deregulate Head Start, Antipoverty Program Created Under R.F.K. Jr.’s Uncle

While administration officials say the changes will save money by lifting onerous requirements, advocates fear the anti-poverty program will be gutted.

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…

Sen. McConnell discharged from rehab center, continuing recovery at home

The Kentucky Republican has been absent from the Senate since he was hospitalized June 14 following a fall at home.

Biting the Hand

Artists increasingly insist that their work and their politics are indivisible. They should not be surprised when the institutions that fund them agree.

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.

Paxton Is Suddenly Campaigning Like a Democrat

The longtime culture warrior is now talking about affordability and complaining about the economy.

Dark Artist

Frank Miller’s valuable new memoir explores the creative life of one of America’s most gifted writers and artists.