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

IL Should Stop Passing 3,000-Page Budgets Sight Unseen

For at least the past several years, in the middle of the night on the last day of the legislative session, Illinois lawmakers have been asked to vote on budgets of over 3,000 pages mere hours after first seeing them.

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.

Warming Up Yesterday’s $28 Lunch

Millennials in some ways have gotten a better deal than they realize.

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.

Early War Goal Was to Install Hard Line Former President as Iran’s Leader

An Israeli strike designed to free Mahmoud Ahmadinejad from house arrest in Tehran, U.S. officials said, was part of an effort to bring about regime change and put him in power.

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…

Bill Cassidy Unchained

Republican margins to do things that pander specifically to Trump just got thinner.

LIVE PRIMARY RESULTS: Mässiedämmerung in KY; UPDATE: Massie Loses; UPDATE: Massie Loses It Too

Intifadas Bring Neither Justice Nor Peace

Calls to “globalise the intifada” have produced a wave of antisemitic terror and encourage an unending cycle of violence.

Sen. Gillibrand of New York Clashes With Sean Duffy Over Funding Freeze

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Democrat of New York, criticized the transportation secretary, Sean Duffy, for posting a video that bragged about withholding money from the state.

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 Republican senators speaking out against Trump

Sen. Bill Cassidy joins a short but notable list

Kentucky physician advances to general election after receiving glowing Trump endorsement: 'True friend'

Ralph Alvarado, Kentucky's first Hispanic state legislator, won the GOP primary to fill Rep. Andy Barr's open seat on Tuesday after a Trump endorsement.

Why I'm Endorsing Paxton in Texas Senate GOP Runoff

The Highly Respected Attorney General of Texas, Ken Paxton, an America First Patriot, and someone who has always been extremely loyal to me and our AMAZING MAGA MOVEMENT, is running for the United States Senate, to represent a place I love and WON…

Trump endorses Paxton in Texas Senate primary over incumbent Cornyn

The president faced pressure from his base to endorse the state’s attorney general, Ken Paxton. Advisers had urged him to support Sen. John Cornyn, arguing that Paxton has too much baggage.

Trump shows off White House ballroom construction as funding stalls in Congress

The president offered journalists the closest look yet at the construction project, where photographers captured images of the work in progress and Trump touted security measures.

Kicking an Ally

Poland is a model NATO ally. Why are we canceling an important troop deployment there?

Admiral accuses lawmaker of ‘inappropriate’ remark at Iran war hearing

Adm. Brad Cooper, the head of U.S. Central Command, appeared frustrated with questions from House Democrats who pressed him on a range of issues about the conflict.

Thank Goodness, It's Almost Over

Tracking who Trump is appointing to fill key administration roles

Follow President Trump’s progress filling over 800 positions, among about 1,300 that require Senate confirmation, in this tracker from The Washington Post and the Partnership for Public Service.

Democratic leaders denounce a party candidate as ‘antisemitic.’

Democrats accused Republicans of propping up a fringe candidate in Texas, Maureen Galindo, in hopes of pushing her past a more viable Democrat in a House runoff next week.

Will Sen. Cassidy Get His Revenge Against Trump?

Interesting things happen when members lose primaries and suddenly have the opportunity to do as they please.

The Issue Is the Revolution

The murder of Brian Thompson was, in the Mangionistas’ view, the propaganda of the deed that should galvanize similar acts of terror.

Ex-Biden official wins Georgia Dem primary for governor in bid to end party's losing streak

Keisha Lance Bottoms captures the Democratic nomination for Georgia governor, winning a majority of the vote in Tuesday's crowded primary election.

Alabama Democrats rally around former Dem senator to challenge Trump-backed Tuberville in fall

Doug Jones, the former Democratic senator in Alabama, on Tuesday won the Democratic nomination for governor, the Associated Press reports.

Former Atlanta Mayor Wins Democratic Primary for Georgia Governor

Keisha Lance Bottoms will be the Democratic standard-bearer, despite worries about her single term as mayor of the state’s biggest city.

Bluegrass Democrats make their choice to replace McConnell, take on Trump-backed Barr

Charles Booker wins the Democratic nomination for Kentucky Senate, setting up a clash with Trump-backed Rep. Andy Barr and the SAVE America Act.

The Axe Finally Falls upon Thomas Massie

And in the end it wasn’t even terribly close.

Republican Primary for Georgia Governor Will Go to a Runoff

The state’s lieutenant governor, Burt Jones, will face a billionaire health care executive, Rick Jackson, on June 16 to decide the party’s standard-bearer to succeed Gov. Brian Kemp.

Maid in Manhattan Got It Made

Former prosecutor who accused Trump of weaponizing DOJ wins Dem primary

Zach Dembo, a former federal prosecutor and Navy JAG officer, won the Democratic primary for Kentucky's 6th Congressional District to replace outgoing Rep. Andy Barr.

China Is Ready for the Next War. America Is Not.

What radar and jet propulsion were to World War Two, robotics and artificial intelligence will be to the next war between great powers.

Democrats Have a Problem. The Solution is Less Extremism

Taiwan in the Balance

Donald Trump seems to have given up on Taiwan’s long-term future.

Pentagon says U.S. will cut thousands of troops from Europe

Poland was set to receive forces whose deployment was abruptly halted last week.

Dems Force 1st Vote on Trump's 'Anti-Weaponization Fund'

Democrats will try to make sure Republicans pay a political price if they support the president's new payout scheme.

A Tuberville-Jones Rematch Is Set for the Alabama Governor Race

Senator Tommy Tuberville, a Republican, will face the Democrat that he defeated in 2020, Doug Jones, after both easily won their primaries.

Donald Trump Bets on Ken Paxton for the Senate

Expect the Texas Senate race to become the most stupendously expensive money pit in modern electoral history.

Thomas Massie Loses Kentucky House Primary to Trump-Backed Ed Gallrein

Representative Thomas Massie, President Trump’s chief G.O.P. antagonist in the House, lost to Ed Gallrein, Mr. Trump’s handpicked candidate.

A New Way To Bring Down Childcare Costs

New accountability rules could expose the childcare wage crisis and push states to fund early childhood work like the public good it is.

Restitution Set for Victims of the Biden Justice Department

The president dropped his justified lawsuit against the IRS and administrative claims against the DOJ to instead seek financial relief for J6ers and other victims of government abuses.

Trump's Georgia candidate heads to GOP runoff for governor against billionaire businessman Jackson

Trump-endorsed Lt. Gov. Burt Jones advances to a Georgia GOP gubernatorial runoff against billionaire Rick Jackson after a crowded eight-candidate field.

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.

How a UN Agency Misled the World on Cancer Risk

Nathan Schachtman’s indispensable new paper explains how the International Agency for Research on Cancer has misled the public with its classifications of carcinogens.

A Deceitful Propaganda Campaign Marketed as a ‘Prank’

CBC-funded TV producers using fake names are ambushing Canadians who take a positive view of their country—including an 82-year-old Ontario grandfather who invited the film crew into his home.

Democrats Face Midterm Disappointment

As they look to the midterm elections, Republicans have reason to worry -- but not despair.

Katy Tur Seems Deeply Confused

On ‘Gender-Affirming Care,’ Canada’s Medical Establishment Refuses to Follow the Evidence

While the British Medical Association now acknowledges that the Cass Review has been ‘vindicated,’ its Canadian counterparts still remain beholden to debunked activist slogans.

Graham Platner Is One Revolting Tub O' Goo

What to Know About the Republican Senate Primary in Alabama

Three leading contenders, including a Trump-backed congressman, are aiming to replace Senator Tommy Tuberville. The winner will be favored in November.

Claire's Weekly Letter: Dangerous Losers

Trump-backed Navy SEAL vet delivers major blow to Massie in fiery GOP primary

Trump targeted GOP critic Rep. Thomas Massie in Kentucky's record-breaking $32 million House primary, backing former Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein to unseat him.

The Axe Files with David Axelrod

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

Andy Barr bests crowded Senate primary with help from Trump on way to replacing McConnell

Rep. Andy Barr topped an 11-person Kentucky Republican Senate primary, powered by Trump's endorsement, to vie for retiring Sen. McConnell's seat.

Longtime news anchor-turned-House candidate wins Dem primary in key Pennsylvania district

Democrat Janelle Stelson, a former TV anchor, beat Dauphin County Commissioner Justin Douglas to take on endangered GOP Rep. Scott Perry in November.

Trump ally Tommy Tuberville cruises to Alabama GOP governor nomination

Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville captures Alabama's GOP gubernatorial nomination, backed by Trump, as he seeks to succeed term-limited Gov. Kay Ivey.

With Trump’s Settlement, a Possible $100 Million I.R.S. Penalty Melts Away

The tax service argued that the Trump Organization tried to claim the same losses twice. The president said the audit was a “disgrace.”

I Found Votes for Sale on the Streets of Los Angeles

On Monday, the US Department of Justice announced that Brenda Lee Brown Armstrong, 64, of Marina Del Rey had been indicted on federal charges for illegally paying homeless people to register to vot...

Texas Democrat Maureen Galindo faces backlash for pledging to imprison 'American Zionists' at ICE facility

Texas Democratic candidate Maureen Galindo draws criticism from her own party over posts pledging to detain American Zionists at an ICE facility.

Politics of the Day

Politics of the Day

Pelosi Backs Chan in San Francisco Race To Replace Her

Nancy Pelosi is officially wading into the race to replace her in Congress, endorsing San Francisco supervisor Connie Chan after weeks of more subtly expressing her support.

Nicholas Kristof and the Pornography of Accusation

Investigating abuse is a duty. Laundering propaganda is not.

The Trump Ballroom and Unmanned Aerial System Launch Site

Drones taking off from a rooftop port during a state dinner? It would make for an exciting pre-credit sequence, at least.

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…

Voters in Georgia say they’re wary of efforts to unseat Sanford Bishop.

fut to unseat Black Democrat in Georgia could backfire, voters say.

Better Late Than Never? Trump Endorses Paxton After Voting Starts

Frampton Comes Alive! at Fifty

The improbable story of rock’s greatest live album.

Representative Mike Collins Heads to Runoff in G.O.P. Senate Race in Georgia

Derek Dooley, a former football coach, and Representative Buddy Carter were battling for the second spot in the runoff scheduled for June 16.

The Arizona Two-Step May Save Your University

Red states are beginning to grasp their legitimate, yet largely neglected, power over graduation requirements.

More on the Mosque Shooters

Automating Away Snipers?

The technology that is being developed to fight in Ukraine is changing warfare.

The Data Center Race

‘It’s a geopolitical and a world-defining, epoch-defining technology potentially. And so we cannot afford to lose.’

Vance and Rubio step behind the lectern — and deeper into 2028 territory

Parallel briefings by the two men offer a view of their contrasting styles.

Justice Thomas' Courage Deserves Careful Attention

In his speech, he offered something increasingly rare: a coherent defense of the American constitutional order rooted in first principles.

Could a PA Primary Decide Democrats' New Direction?

Election in Allentown pits three establishment insiders against a firefighter with a populist message

Trump’s extraordinary $1.8 billion legal fund to his allies

Why the enormous fund is so controversial.

International Courts of Injustice

The politics of corruption at the ICC and ICJ.

Would New Jersey Bill Authorize Slow-Motion Euthanasia of Dementia Patients?

The vaguely worded S.B. 4186 could open the door to intentional legal undernourishment.

A Problem Med Schools Don't Want To Discuss

Demographic disparities in medical and scientific knowledge show up long before admissions time. DEI manipulation at the end of the process doesn't solve the problem.

Terrorists Haven’t Just Taken Over Iran — They’ve Run It for 47 Years

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has always been a component of the sharia-supremacist, jihadist terrorist regime formed in 1979.

Dangerous Losers

It's not poverty that drives men to violence, but the experience of losing status.

Tuesday’s Final Word

Conservatives: The Culture is Not as Bad as You Think

Hmmm: Key MN Fraud Figure Claims Omar Took Part in $250M Scam

Shapiro vs Trump-backed Garrity set for high-stakes Pennsylvania governor showdown

Gov. Josh Shapiro and Republican state Treasurer Stacy Garrity cruise to nominations, setting up Pennsylvania's 2026 gubernatorial general election.

CNN Political Briefing

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

Georgia Senate GOP primary heads to runoff; Rep. Mike Collins advances

Georgia was among six states where voters participated in primaries Tuesday. Its Senate race is among a handful that could determine party control next year.

It's a Hot One on the East Coast and So Are the Electricity Rates

Bob Brooks, Labor Leader Backed by Top Democrats, Wins Pennsylvania House Primary

Mr. Brooks will face Representative Ryan Mackenzie, a Republican, in the fall. He earned endorsements from across his party, including Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania.

Teacher in a Tutu

Bragging about my PhD to general indifference during the second-most humiliating day of my life.