Smash The Bubble

News and opinion from both the left and the right, mixed together so you can break out of your filter bubble.

more info

Today's Headlines

CNN Political Briefing

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

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…

Trump hails Greenland security deal that falls short of takeover

The agreement, which Danish officials said is not final, stops far short of Trump's often-stated goal of taking possession of the territory.

Jazz Fans Stunned by Cassandra Wilson’s MAGA Views

F.A.A. Safety Request for the Top of Trump’s Arch: Eternal Fire

The aviation agency deemed the mammoth arch safe for air travel if it includes a constant flame and other safety measures to help make it visible to planes.

Democrats Feeling Bullish About a Midterm Wave

Democrats' wary optimism about the midterms gave way to growing confidence this week.

California governor signs order pushing for an AI ‘kill switch’

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a likely 2028 presidential contender, said he had to act because the federal government hasn’t done enough to regulate AI.

Foreign hackers breach two more US water utilities, threaten safety of Colorado residents

Foreign hackers breached two Colorado water utilities, altering pumping cycles and disabling alarms before operators regained control of systems.

What happened under the Trump administration this week

Trump and his administration continue to push vaccine skepticism.

Bad Criticism

Name-calling, guilt-by-association, and other unscrupulous methods of argument are polluting our discourse.

Judge says issues in Trump administration anti-weaponization case 'alive and kicking' despite DOJ push

Judge Brinkema questioned whether the Trump administration's Anti-Weaponization Fund truly died or if the DOJ Judgment Fund serves as its equivalent.

An Anti-Communist Film Festival Comes to Washington, D.C.: It Couldn’t Be More Timely

It’s important that we honor and promote films that challenge and refute the many Hollywood products that have whitewashed communism

Push On to Grant ‘Rights’ to Arctic Sea Ice

The rights-of-nature movement has found its latest candidate for legal personhood: Arctic sea ice.

New York Is Holding $19M That Belongs to These Nuns

The Sisters of the Congregation of Divine Providence want to use the money from selling their home for 'friendless French girls' in their surviving ministries, writes Madeleine Long. Why won't the attorney general let them?

Kennedy Center Supporters Rally Amid Fears of Trump’s Demolition

Photos of President Trump reviewing a poster board with the title “Kennedy Center DEMOLISHED” spurred the largest gathering yet in support of the performing arts institution.

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.

Cost of Iran War Estimated at $43.6 Billion

For the first time, the Pentagon reported costs incurred by each armed service. The figures are almost certainly on the low side, congressional officials said.

Socialist Claire Valdez faces calls for federal probe after Mexico ‘fight’ pledge

New York City socialist Claire Valdez faces Logan Act scrutiny after meeting Mexico's Morena party and vowing to carry independence fight to Congress.

A Bright September Day

Reflections on a morning that changed the world as we knew it.

Do the Women Excusing Murder Because of 'Hormones' Know What They Are Saying?

SCOTUS Still Works as the Founders Intended

Many Democrats are hot to remake the Supreme Court. But it's the lifetime appointment that just kept Trump from meddling with the midterms.

The Axe Files with David Axelrod

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

Psaki on Sweeney Bodd: It's Misogynistic to Get Naked While Not Progressive, or Something

What to Do When Campus Stalking Is Being Directed by Students

The Real End of the Arab–Israeli Conflict?

The strategic case for Syria–Israel normalisation.

English Departments Have Lost the Plot

It's been a decade or more since Jordan Peterson became famous telling the world that most papers don't get cited and that professors will turn your children into mindless Marxists. This accusation won't die. Most recently on Twitter, WVU business…

Letitia James Seized Aging Nuns' $19 Million. Why Won't She Release It?

Why the House let out early is a matter of debate after Johnson says chamber has 'done its work'

Thomas Massie claims Mike Johnson sent the House home early to dodge a vote on his eight privileged impeachment articles against Pete Hegseth.

NAACP files lawsuit seeking to bar federal agents from polling places

The lawsuit is the second one this month aimed at keeping ICE and others away from the polls.

Newsom: 'We Were Insane' but Elect Us to Be Insane Again

The Ape in the Basement

Why is masturbation so shameful?

Our Great American Heritage Belongs to All Americans

Objections by ‘heritage Americans’ seem designed to prove my point.

Trump's Attack on Effective Altruism Is a Head-Scratcher

Why the Trump administration's new playbook on AI is bound to go poorly.

Trump Bans CNN, Politico and MS-Now From the White House

Losing the Sun Belt

What a blow it is to the GOP to lose the South — indeed, to preemptively cede the South.

Politics of the Day

Politics of the Day

Swing state mayor sued as city’s Muslim holiday displays ignite religious-favoritism fight

A federal lawsuit alleges Dearborn spent thousands on Ramadan displays while Mayor Abdullah Hammoud stonewalled requests for Easter and Passover.

Dems abandon candidate who said MAGA is 'more destructive' than Nazis, but she’s stuck on the ballot

North Carolina Democrat Shelly Headen called for an attack on U.S. soil targeting red states and compared Trump to Hitler in resurfaced posts.

Vance campaigns in deep-red territory, highlighting risks for GOP

JD Vance went for a campaign twofer on Friday: He visited a deep-red district in a swing state where the GOP desperately needs to mobilize voters. It’s also the state that happens to be the first to get a say in who will be the 2028 Republican no…

Illegal immigrant arrested in Indiana for allegedly voting in federal election: DHS

Helda Araceli Mendez-Merida, an illegal immigrant from Guatemala, was arrested by ICE in Indianapolis for allegedly voting in a past federal election.

Unsealed FBI interviews reveal Obama, Emanuel's discussions about Blagojevich Senate seat deal

Newly unsealed FBI interviews reveal what Barack Obama and Rahm Emanuel told agents about Rod Blagojevich's plans for the Illinois Senate seat.

Sydney Sweeney Is the Epitome of What Modern Feminists Fight For

So why are they all so mad at her?

Helping Mikala Sposito Achieve Her Dream of Becoming a Welder

A couple years ago, Mikala Sposito applied for a work ethic scholarship from my foundation. She asked for $2,700.00 to help realize her dream of becoming a welder. (Actually, her first dream was to become an Olympian. As a kid, she excelled at hor…

Great Books and the Embrace of Complexity

Review of 'What's So Great About the Great Books?' by Naomi Kanakia

How CodePink co-founder Medea Benjamin's family foundation became a major funder of left-wing activist groups

Arc of Justice, the family foundation tied to CodePink co-founder Medea Benjamin, provided nearly $3.2 million to the protest group since 2009.

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.

Judge is skeptical Trump administration has fully abandoned payout fund

Officials dropped plans for a $1.8 billion fund to pay those who claimed they were wronged by the justice system. But a suit against the effort is ongoing.

Air Force Officer Charged After Protesting Trump Says He Spoke to Defend Constitution

Major Jason Watson could face court-martial in what could become a rare test of a service member’s right to publicly dissent.

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.

‘This Country Is But One Scene of Massacre’

In the 31st instalment of ‘Nations of Canada,’ Greg Koabel describes the violent provocations that tipped the St. Lawrence region into all out war in the late 1640s.

Zineb Riboua on Islamism, Israel and the West’s New Culture War | Quillette Cetera Episode 72

Political analyst Zineb Riboua discusses Iran’s declining influence, the Houthis, Turkey’s ambitions, Israel’s changing role in the Middle East, Islamist radicalisation in Europe, AI doomerism, third-worldism and the West’s demographic decline.

MI Voters 'Just Gross' for Not Wanting the Anti-American, Anti-Breast Cancer Research Anti-Semite

F.A.A. to Roll Out New A.I. Tool for Washington Airports

The tool, called SMART, will crunch scheduling and weather data to predict and avoid delays. It will be deployed in the Washington region’s three major airports next week.

Congress Should Block Trump from Business Deals with Putin

The president has broad authority to pursue an appeasement policy with our enemy, but Congress needn’t go along for the ride.

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…

Trump says son has paid back Russian for wedding party

The president defended Donald Trump Jr.’s decision to take a large gift from Umar Kremlev, saying that such presents are “common.”

Republicans Are Now the ‘Elitist’ Party, Voters Say

We spoke to independents who have soured on Trump.

Obama's brother-in-law rejects civil rights, racism argument against college sports overhaul

Sen. Chris Murphy and the NAACP call the Protect College Sports Act a civil rights issue, saying NIL restrictions hurt Black student-athletes most.

Judge Who Struck Down Trump’s Compensation Fund Asks: Will Trump Just Pay Allies Another Way?

The question was raised at a court hearing by a federal judge who has already barred the fund from moving forward.

Trump Has Tried to Ban Reporters From Government Spaces Before

There are several instances where the president made an effort to stifle the work of journalists.

Israel's Most Consequential Election

Israelis go to the polls on 27 October. After seventeen years of Netanyahu, former IDF chief Gadi Eisenkot is in the lead.

Spanberger takes unusual step to limit data centers — up to a point

Spanberger acts to restrict new data centers in Virginia but leaves some details for the future.

Lefty Prosecutors Have a Crime Problem All Their Own

Philadelphia D.A. Larry Krasner's scandal is just the latest in a long line.

Communism, Globalism and a Push for Regulatory Capture

Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale discusses efforts by the left to regulate artificial intelligence on 'The Will Cain Show:'

Trump Says He Has Banned CNN, MS NOW and Politico From White House

The president cited reporting from the outlets that he deemed “fake news.” It was unclear how such a ban would be enforced or defended in court.

The Price of Affirmative Action in Canadian Academia

Podcast host Jonathan Kay speaks with Eric Kaufmann about his new report, ‘⁠The Equity-Excellence Trade-Off: A Study of EDI in the Canada Research Chairs Program⁠’

U.S. and Denmark Reach Security Deal on Greenland, Trump Says

The full contours of the deal were unclear, but Denmark and Greenland both indicated they expected an agreement to be signed soon.

Burned on My 16th Birthday

The night I turned 16, my birthday cake had the biggest candle of all time: my own house. Yes, the Palisades fire was approaching my house, which then burned down.

Our Foreign Aid System Is Broken. Thanks to Trump, We Have a Chance to Rebuild It

During my three-decade career as a diplomat and international-development manager, I saw the sector become more wasteful, frivolous, and ideologically self-serving.

Friday's Final Word

Democrats Need Not Fear the Fact Checkers

FINALLY! Totally Objective Journalism!

Appeals Court Restricts Trump Administration Deportation Effort

The ruling allows migrants to contest deportations to countries other than their place of origin. The case could head to the Supreme Court.

Claire's Weekly Letter: A Bright September Day

The Insufferable Wokeness of Bates College

The administration decreed that the college had to embark on a crusade to eliminate every possible vestige of colonialism.

Trump criticizes Republican who said immigration enforcement had ‘gone too far’

Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R) is running in a Latino-heavy district in Florida.

Trump declares victory in historic deal with Greenland as he secures 'permanent' US military rights

President Donald Trump's Greenland deal bars China and Russia from the Arctic island and grants permanent U.S. military basing with no expiration.

The Future of Woke: The New Issue of NR Is Out

Are we ready for Woke 2, the sequel?

Hasan Piker Does Not Love America

‘You don’t love something that you believe to be wicked purely because if you got your own way and completely recast it, it would be more to your liking.’

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 GOP’s Buffalo buffalo

The White House’s stupid and pointless economic and cultural war with our neighbors to the north could be a legitimate problem for the GOP.

Vance calls midterms a referendum on ‘common sense versus pure unadulterated crazy'

JD Vance rallied in Iowa, calling the midterms a referendum on common sense and targeting Democrats he says have abandoned the working man.

Sam Bankman-Fried Is the Spiritual (and Financial) Godfather of Anthropic AI

Citizen Sane

The mainstreaming of therapy culture may be driving us all out of our minds.

Richard Landes on Jihad and the Apocalyptic Mind

A medievalist on apocalyptic movements, shame–honour cultures, and why he believes the Western press has spent twenty-five years reporting jihad backwards.

Chairman Warsh Is Off to a Great Start

Kevin Warsh deserves credit for shoring up the independence of the Federal Reserve from politics.

Banning Diesel Exports Would Backfire on Americans

Suppressing a product’s price won’t end well if the cost of its essential input stays elevated.

Trump says he will demand drug companies split up vaccines into more doses

Those comments came a day after Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told attendees of a conference for the anti-vaccine group he founded that they have a “friend at the White House.”

The Politics of Religion

Good afternoon. We're some 45 days away from the 2026 midterms. Most media observers - recalling with well-earned humility how they felt after the "red wave" of 2022 turned into a mild reddish ripple - are refraining from giving apocalyptic predic…

Russia Aims to Inject Chaos Into Elections, U.S. Intelligence Finds

The Kremlin is once again seeking to undermine confidence in American democracy with online influence campaigns, U.S. officials said.

Records Show ActBlue Opened Door Wide to Foreign Donors

The Dems' fundraising giant's passport verification system was 'essentially toothless,' a congressional report asserts.

Vought pushes for scrutiny of NIH grants in Oval Office clash

A heated debate took place in the Oval Office on Friday, with some Trump officials accusing the National Institutes of Health of funding grants that conflict with the president’s agenda.

Black congressional leaders endorse James Talarico in Texas Senate race

Talarico has strong support among Black voters in public polls, but he has recently stepped up his efforts to reach them.