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 administration asks Congress to block state limits on AI

White House advisers aim to codify policies to protect AI companies’ interests, despite past opposition from many Republican governors and influencers.

Evil Meat

DOJ Sues Harvard for Turning 'Blind Eye' to Harassment of Jewish Students

The State of Grace

When an anti-Zionist worldview collides with the principle of “believe all women,” it is the principle that gives way.

Planned Parenthood of Illinois Settles DEI Lawsuit

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.

Friday's Final Word

What to Know About Electric Cars When Gas Prices Are Surging

War in Iran has disrupted global oil supplies, which is prompting some car shoppers to look for ways to climb off “the gas-price roller coaster.”

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…

The Original Ladies of Letters

A new book by Elizabeth Scott-Baumann examines the female poets and literary critics who challenged seventeenth-century England’s male literary establishment.

DHS shutdown blows past one-month mark as Dems push to carve out ICE from any new funding deal

Democrats in Congress say they will fund DHS but not ICE as the partial government shutdown tops one month, while Republicans call their stance unsustainable.

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.

Time To Force a Talking Filibuster on National Voter ID

In 2024, the public delivered a resounding mandate to President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans to fix our country. Chief among those problems: Ensure we never have a repeat of the disastrous 2020 election.

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.

Trump orders TV networks to protect Army-Navy football game

The president wants to grant an exclusive broadcast window for the game, which faces scheduling pressure.

Congress could be headed for a tipping point, irreversible decline

After nearly two decades covering Capitol Hill, a reflection on how bad things are.

N.M. State Reps: Wider Look at Epstein's Ranch Needed

New Mexico state Reps. Rebecca Dow, R-District 38, and Stefani Lord, R-District 22, told Newsmax on Friday that a broader investigation of Jeffrey Epstein's Zorro Ranch is needed, saying any inquiry should reach beyond individual allegations to ex…

James Cameron Goes Native

‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ is a Rousseau-esque oikophobic fantasy of evil humans and noble savage aliens.

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.

A 'Truth Bomb' for NATO

If your retirement portfolio is over $50,000, it may be time to think about diversifying into gold and silver.Markets are volatileInflation continues to erod...

Letters to the Editor

Friday 13 March – Friday 20 March

Crime Down as Trump Criticizes Democrat-Led Cities

Crime in the United States continued to fall in 2025, with preliminary city data showing steep declines in homicides and other major offenses, a trend President Donald Trump has seized on as proof of tougher enforcement while also pressing a broad…

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…

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.

The Shocking Implications of Iran Missile Attack on Diego Garcia – For Europe

Can St. Louis Make a Comeback?

After decades of drift, the troubled city has a chance to restore public order and competitiveness.

CNN Political Briefing

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

Trump’s Ballroom Architect Is Skilled at Shrugging Off Outrage

Shalom Baranes, who arrived in the U.S. as a Libyan refugee and went on to renovate the Pentagon, is baffling fellow architects for accepting the job. But he said some of his previous projects have drawn outrage too.

Politics of the Day

Politics of the Day

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.

How Much Longer Do Dems Play Shutdown Chicken With American Tempers Rising

So It Begins: FL Fraudster Has Naturalized Citizenship Revoked

Musk Offers to Pay TSA Workers Amid DHS Shutdown

Elon Musk said he would be willing to pay the salaries of TSA employees as a partial Dept. of Homeland Security shutdown continued to disrupt airport operations, according to a post he published early Saturday on the social media platform X.

Remobilizing the American Industrial Machine

Military deterrence in the twenty-first century will require a new synthesis of public and private interests.

Justice Dept. Seeks to Drop Charges Against Officers in Breonna Taylor’s Death

The civil rights charges against the two Louisville, Ky., police officers stemmed from their involvement in drafting the no-knock search warrant that led to the fatal shooting.

Warren warned Hegseth's tattoo made him a potential 'threat' — now she backs candidate with Nazi-linked ink

Sen. Elizabeth Warren endorsed Maine Democrat Graham Platner despite his Nazi-linked tattoo after she once questioned Hegseth over his Christian tattoos.

Trump signals U.S. may leave allies to manage Iran fallout

The threat comes as Marines sail toward the region amid widespread speculation that U.S. soldiers could be called on to deploy.

Not So Fast, Bill Maher

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

Underground Railroad museum says Trump administration cut funds over race

The founders of an Underground Railroad history site in Albany, N.Y., claim the Trump administration’s funding cuts were aimed at marginalizing Black history.

Trump Isn’t Even Trying to Sell This War

Has the salesman in chief gotten rusty?

The Buenos Aires Bombings

How Argentina became a front in Iran’s war against the Jews.

U.S. Coast Guard Recovers One Man and Two Dead Bodies From Pacific Boat Strike Area

A spokesman for the Coast Guard did not directly connect the rescue operation to Thursday’s boat strike in the eastern Pacific Ocean. The vessel sent the man to Costa Rica, and recovered two dead bodies.

Firm with ties to Trump officials signs deal to lobby for Libyan warlord

Ballard Partners will represent Khalifa Hifter and his armed forces, signaling a renegade commander’s desire to gain influence in Washington.

Trump threatens to deploy ICE agents to airports amid funding fight, vows arrests of illegal aliens

President Donald Trump warns he will deploy ICE agents to U.S. airports to arrest illegal immigrants if Democrats refuse to meet his demands to end the government shutdown.

Fallon to Newsmax: US Has Capability to Open Strait of Hormuz

Retired Adm. William Fallon, a former commander of U.S. Central Command, said Saturday that the United States has the capability to reopen the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz if necessary, but warned that the cost and duration of such an oper…

Swalwell plays up athletic credentials in effort to blunt DHS sweeps at World Cup

Rep. Eric Swalwell, citing his Division I soccer past, introduced a bill to ban ICE enforcement on public transit near World Cup sites this summer.

Holt to Newsmax: Trump Oil Sanctions Aim to Avert Crisis

Retired U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Blaine Holt warned Saturday that President Donald Trump’s decision to temporarily lift sanctions on Iranian oil shipments comes amid a widening global crisis that could soon extend beyond energy markets into food …

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.

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 Party Continues Eating Its Own

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

The Abuse of Girls by Progressive Heroes is Definitely a Thing

House Republicans subpoena prosecutor for records tied to Stephen Miller protester

The demand comes after Rep. Jim Jordan, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, opened an inquiry into Parisa Dehghani-Tafti, Arlington County’s lead prosecutor.

An Ambivalent Relationship

Southeast Asia in World War II, Part Three: Independence Movements under Japanese Occupation

Who's Afraid of a Trillionaire?

U.S. Pauses Sanctions on Some Iranian Oil to Get More to Market

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent estimated that the move would add about 140 million barrels of crude to the oil market.

High Gas Prices, Driven Up by the Iran War, Loom Over the Midterms

The war has complicated the Republican message on affordability. Democrats see an opportunity to drive their economic message while tying President Trump to an unpopular overseas conflict.

War in Straitened Circumstances

After nineteen days of war, Israel and America face a grinding conflict with Iran and Hezbollah, and there is no clear end in sight.

Child safety nonprofit founded by Tom Steyer’s brother has multiple Epstein ties: 'No concerns'

Jim Steyer's nonprofit Common Sense Media has five board members with ties to Jeffrey Epstein, raising questions about alignment with the organization's goals of protecting children.

Supreme Court sides with antiabortion activist in free speech case

The Supreme Court ruled an antiabortion activist can challenge a law blocking protests outside of a designated area.

Iran’s Missiles Strike Far-Off Diego Garcia Base, but U.S. Remains Out of Range

Iran’s attempted attack on a military base 2,500 miles away raises questions of the reach of its arsenal.

Trump: Send ICE to Airports If Dems Don't Act

President Donald Trump warned he could deploy Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to U.S. airports if Democrats refuse to sign off on new enforcement measures, as a prolonged government shutdown strains airport security.

Napolitano to Newsmax: Biased Jurors Shouldn't Serve on Juries

Newsmax senior judicial analyst and retired judge Andrew Napolitano told Newsmax Friday that steps need to be taken to ensure biased jurors don't end up serving on juries.

Chicago's teetering debt is stark warning left-wing mayor is fueling 'pay later' doom cycle: expert

Expert Austin Berg warns Chicago's "pay later" debt culture under Mayor Brandon Johnson is alarming markets with a $1 billion budget gap and risky bond deals.

Britain’s Half-Measures on Iran

As Iranian agents surveil London’s Jewish communities and IRGC-backed plots multiply, Britain’s failure to proscribe the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps endangers UK citizens.

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.

Heritage's Roberts: Tensions Within MAGA on Iran 'Good'

Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts said tensions within President Donald Trump's MAGA base over the conflict with Iran are "good," contrasting them with what he called the "intellectual totalitarianism" of progressives.

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.

The Republican Who Wants to Banish His Own Constituents

Representative Andy Ogles wrote on Monday that “Muslims don’t belong in American society.” He represents thousands of them in Congress.

Why Wait 60 Years To Accuse Cesar Chavez?

But wherever there is a great and glorious leader, there is danger of abuse.

The Many Faces of Tucker Carlson

Jason Zengerle’s new book about the degradation of a once-gifted writer and broadcaster also illustrates the downward trajectory of the entire news industry during the same period.

In Trump’s Administration, Military Housing Is Becoming a Hot Commodity

Until President Trump took office for the second time, it was rare for civilian government officials to live on military bases or installations.

Mullin Said to Have Credited the King of Jordan for a Helicopter Rescue

The homeland security nominee brought up a mysterious trip in mid-2016 at a confirmation hearing. He visited Jordan that August, congressional records show.

Iran funding emerges as key test for Johnson's razor-thin House majority

GOP fiscal hawks warn that a potential $200 billion funding request for the Iran campaign must be offset by spending cuts as the national debt surpasses a staggering $39 trillion.

Sen. Marshall to Newsmax: '90% There' on Trump Iran Goals

Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., said Saturday that U.S. efforts against Iran are "90% there" in achieving President Donald Trump’s stated objectives, while cautioning that the final goals could prove the most difficult.

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…

Iran’s Revolutionary Regime and the Long War Against the West: Behnam Ben Taleblu

Behnam Ben Taleblu discusses the history of Iran’s Islamic Republic, the evolution of protest movements, and the geopolitical stakes of the current conflict.

The Axe Files with David Axelrod

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

Justice Dept. seeks to drop case against officers connected to Breonna Taylor raid

The move comes six years after police shot and killed Taylor inside her Louisville apartment.

Supreme Court to consider whether Trump can end protected status for Syrians, Haitians

A decision by the Supreme Court could affect other challenges to the government’s efforts to end temporary protected status for hundreds of thousands of migrants.

Soros-backed Austin DA faces resignation calls over alleged ‘secret meetings’ in case against cop

Police groups are calling on DA Jose Garza to resign over alleged Brady violations and secret meetings tied to an APD officer's 2020 Austin riot case.

Judge Sides With NY Times on Press Access to Pentagon

Connecticut Dems demand IDs to recycle cans but reject GOP efforts to verify citizenship at polls

A new Connecticut law forces recyclers cashing in more than 1,000 containers to show a copy of their driver's license, handing Republicans fresh ammunition in the voter ID fight.

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.

The ‘Big Black Scar’

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

Iran Warns UK Over Use of Bases by US Forces

Iran warned Britain on Friday that it is putting its citizens in danger by allowing the U.S. military to use its bases for aggression, adding that Tehran "will exercise its right to self-defense."

Graham: Move US Forces From Nations Limiting Iran

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., on Friday urged President Donald Trump to reconsider the U.S. military footprint in allied nations that restrict American operations, intensifying pressure amid ongoing tensions with Iran.

A Police Report About a House Candidate Surprised the White House

A woman’s allegations of rape against a Republican House candidate have put Trump in a bind.

GOP senator’s gambit exposes false Dem claims about supporting voter ID

Sen. Jon Husted's standalone voter ID bill was blocked by Sen. Jeff Merkley via unanimous consent amid the Senate's battle over the SAVE America Act.

Podcast Episode #330: When Everyone Knows Everyone Knows ...

Iona Italia talks to cognitive psychologist and linguist Steven Pinker about his new book on Common Knowledge and the Mysteries of Money, Power, and Everyday Life.

‘I’m Far Angrier’

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

California Could Elect a Republican Governor Thanks to the ‘Jungle Primary’

The state’s wide-open “jungle primary” has Democrats on edge.

Sen. Schumer Faces Growing Dissent Inside Senate Ranks

Frustration with Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is driving quiet discussions among some Dem. senators, aides, and donors about whether he should step aside after the November elections.

Why Does U.S. Have Kharg Island in Its Sights?

The tiny island is home to one of the most critical pieces of Iran's energy infrastructure.

Not Just MAGA: Politico Poll Shows Americans Support Iran War

Super PAC spending passes $200M, with some groups hiding their cause

Groups that include pro-Israel organizations obscured their spending in some midterm races to try to defeat candidates that oppose their cause.

NYC Mayor Mamdani’s wife glorified terrorists in online posts, criticized US military: report

New York City first lady Rama Duwaji is facing backlash amid resurfaced posts that show her praising airplane hijackers and using racial slurs.

Brave Marine Colonel Took On Pentagon, Paid the Price

How one Marine colonel transformed Pentagon AI capabilities with Project Maven, only to face bureaucratic investigations that took a heavy toll on his career.

Chuck Norris, Movie and TV Star (and Then an Internet Meme)

A martial-arts champion, he played tough guys in movies such as ‘The Delta Force' and ‘The Hitman,' and a lawman on TV's ‘Walker, Texas Ranger'.

A Look at the Escalating Battle for the Strait of Hormuz

There are several ways the United States could attempt to reopen the waterway, all of which carry substantial risks.

Supreme Court Considers Case Involving Gender Transition and Parental Rights

Everyone Has Trump’s Phone Number Now

The president’s personal iPhone has been lighting up.

Robert S. Mueller III, 81, Dies; Rebuilt F.B.I. and Led Trump Inquiry

After he concluded that Russia had interfered in the 2016 election, he became a target of the president’s anger.

Podcast #329: Has the Gay Rights Revolution Gone Too Far for the Gay Community’s Own Good?

Jonathan Kay speaks with Ronan McCrea about his new book, ‘The End of the Gay Rights Revolution: How Hubris and Overreach Threaten Gay Freedom.’

'Blame the Democrats': Videos From Atlanta Airport

National Republicans are sharing videos from inside the Atlanta airport blaming the partial government shutdown on Democrats. Long lines continue.

Iran After Larijani and Khamenei

The killings of Ali Khamenei and Ali Larijani have pushed the Islamic Republic into its most acute crisis since 1979.

Mamdani ignites social media outrage after photo-op at notorious NYC jail: 'F---ing ridiculous'

NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani broke his Ramadan fast with Muslim inmates at Rikers Island, calling it one of the most meaningful evenings of his mayoral term.