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

Judge Strikes Down Trump’s 75-Country Visa Ban

The ruling from the Southern District of New York found that the policy went beyond Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s legal authority.

Senator launches assault on illegal immigration gaps as GOP races midterm clock to lock in key wins

Sen. Jim Banks warns Donald Trump's immigration executive orders face erasure without Congress locking seven bills into law before midterms arrive.

Nuke Academia From Orbit. It Is the Only Way to Be Sure.

Like Odysseus. But Real

Twenty-four centuries ago, Xenophon and his 10,000-man Greek army found themselves trapped at the heart of the Persian Empire. Their amazing escape, described in a new book by Robert L. O’Connell, is a tale for the ages.

Darth Vader and the Vandals Vs. Flock Cameras

The Axe Files with David Axelrod

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

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.

Bad News for Iran's Bad Guys and a Wake-Up Call for World

Forecasts warned of $200 oil if the war ran past June. Regional exports, while below pre-war levels, rebounded faster than expected, and the United States has become the world's largest oil exporter. Iran's threat to trigger a weapon of mass econo…

Teacher who battled union fears she’s being targeted after shirt complaint: 'I'm afraid'

Stacy Adair says she was reprimanded for wearing an "XX ≠ XY" chromosome shirt to a training event raising fears about her job security.

Should Suicide by Self-Starvation Be Grounds for Hospice Care?

Should the desire to commit suicide justify admission into hospice to make their dying by starvation and dehydration easier to complete?

Let’s Preserve Civics Education Programs

Our future depends on building schools and colleges that will teach students actual subjects and instill in them the values of a free society.

What Is Canada For?

Might Canada’s fate foreshadow that of other advanced but dependent democracies, clinging to old ideals of cooperation and diplomacy as they’re rolled under the treads of China’s or America’s naked self-interest?

Friday's Final Word

Woman arrested in alleged ISIS-inspired plot to bomb New York Capitol

Undercover FBI agents who posed as Islamic State facilitators say the Albany resident spoke of attack plans and sought help with explosives.

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…

No, the Media Isn’t Responsible for Jason Arday’s Suicide

The disgraced academic was a pathological liar and lifelong con artist whose misdeeds were covered up for years by self-serving academic administrators. Exposing this kind of rot in elite institutions is our job.

Net Zero Is Dead and Gone

The Troubled State of Sociology

Increasingly, sociologists are expected to avoid research questions and theories that involve the role of culture in shaping societal inequalities.

Ed Martin leaving Justice Dept. after tumultuous tenure that alienated colleagues

Martin’s clashes cost him jobs as U.S. attorney and as head of the Justice Department’s “weaponization” group.

The Causes of Our Future Debt Crisis

A fiscal reckoning will arrive if old-age entitlements are not reined in.

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…

Dem Senate hopeful racked up hundreds of missed votes during stops at multiple taxpayer-serving jobs

Democratic Senate nominee Mary Peltola missed 794 of 4,265 Alaska House votes and over a third of Bethel City Council meetings, records show.

Pro-Reagan 'Brink of War' Can't Draw a Crowd

In Some States, Disparate-Impact Policies Hanging On

The Trump administration is pushing to eliminate the approach at the federal level, but states like Maryland continue to pursue

Russia Is Out of Gasoline, but Complaining Is Not an Option

Federal judge blasts Rubio’s 75-country visa freeze as ‘Orwellian,’ strikes down policy

A federal judge ruled Secretary of State Marco Rubio lacked authority to order immigrant visa denials for applicants from 75 countries found eligible.

Reagan’s Would-Be Assassin Speaks Out After 45 Years

Hinckley’s statements make it all the more clear just what a pivot point in history the failed Reagan assassination attempt might have been.

The Rot Hollowing Out the Democratic Party

One of the more striking developments in American politics over the past three decades has been the transformation of the Democratic Party from a big-tent movement built around working-class Americans into an elite-driven institution obsessed with…

How a Progressive Democrat in Florida Gave Her Party New Hope — and New Fears

Angie Nixon, a state lawmaker from Jacksonville, shocked Democrats in red Florida by soundly defeating her centrist primary opponent. Now comes the hard part.

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.

Absurdity of the Week

Trump, his clout on the line, stumps for Darline Graham in South Carolina

The president sought to recast opposition to Graham as opposition to him. “They’re only fighting Darline because they want me to lose,” he told the crowd in Myrtle Beach.

Improving by Degrees: NR’s October Issue Is Out

The back-to-school issue is an NR tradition.

For Some in a Disrupted D.C., Grand Prix Is More Irritation Than Celebration

Race preparations have snarled traffic, rerouted flights and forced the National Gallery of Art to conduct vibration tests.

Trump to honor Artemis II astronauts who traveled farther from Earth than any humans in history

President Donald Trump will award the Congressional Space Medal of Honor to the Artemis II crew at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston on Aug. 28.

Workforce Pell's Missing Rudder

Congress finally created workforce Pell Grants. Now states have to build the systems that can tell which programs actually work.

Britain Hands Out 'Rape Leaflets' for Illegal Immigrants

Something extraordinary happened in Britain this week: Our leftist government acknowledged a truth it has long denied.

WATCH: Father of three outraged over advice his family received amid trans teacher fight

A dad says families objecting to a trans school teacher are being told public school may not be for them, while another speaker said children of “bigots" could be relocated.

Joe Rogan Slams Marxist Ideology: 'It Sucks'

Joe Rogan said Wednesday that democratic socialists' entire ideology "sucks" and accused those supporting the progressive movement of being "Marxists" fueled by what he described as manipulative social media rhetoric.

Racist Tests

Rep. Nixon's Stunning Florida Senate Win

A democratic socialist manages to build the coalition that has long eluded the left.

The Will of 100: Trump’s SAVE America Act sidelined after Senate unanimously agreed to August exit

John Thune used unanimous consent to recess the Senate for five weeks, but all 100 senators agreed to leave without debating the SAVE America Act.

Trump Accounts Get an Unlikely Endorser: Gavin Newsom

Mr. Newsom, the governor of California, normally has harsh words for President Trump. But he called the new children’s savings accounts “one of the best things” the president has done.

Blinded by AIPAC

For the Americans who contribute to AIPAC, things have changed a lot in the last few years.

The Endless Horizon: Why Generations of Landlocked Appalachians Keep Coming Back to Erie

The Beautiful and Banned

There is a rather large difference between the banned books promoted by celebrities and genuinely transgressive and provocative writing.

President Trump and ally-turned-antagonist Michael Cohen reconcile

Trump’s appearance on Cohen’s radio show — their first public conversation since a bitter falling out — seemed to suggest their relationship had been mended.

CNN Political Briefing

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

The DSA’s Leaders Are Tireless in Their Avoidance of Honest Work

Laugh them off if you please — there is plenty to laugh at. But do not doubt their sincerity. There are few dangers greater in politics than sincere fools.

How the Billionaire Joe Lonsdale Shaped Trump’s Homelessness Policy

As Republicans have embraced tough measures to clear the streets, no group has led the way more than the Cicero Institute, founded by the venture capitalist Joe Lonsdale.

Some States Banned the Use of Food Stamps to Buy Soda. Did It Work?

A study shows a modest decline in soda purchases, but it’s not clear that the results will hold up in the long run.

‘Economic Vandalism’: Geoff Wilson on Labor’s War on Australian Aspiration

Fund manager Geoff Wilson tells Claire Lehmann that Labor’s new capital gains tax will drive Australian capital out of growth companies and into franked dividends—and push a generation of founders offshore.

Drink More Ovaltine

The jokes we told in a Venezuelan prison.

Desperate Measures for Desperate Times: Dem Primaries Magically Become a Blue Wave

The Truth About the Gender Pay Gap with David Maywald | Quillette Cetera Episode 70

David Maywald on the female wage premium, the rites of passage boys no longer have, and why the science on sex differences keeps losing to ideology.

About Alternatives to IVF

Infertility is a brutal, heart-wrenching experience. IVF isn’t necessarily the solution. Medically, morally, practically.

L’Affaire Shirer Revisited

The rise, fall, and rise again of one of the 20th century’s most important journalists.

USPS publishes rule to block mail-in ballots from states that don't provide voter lists

USPS finalized a rule requiring states to share voter lists for mail-in ballots, but a federal injunction on Trump's executive order blocks it.

Claire's Weekly Letter: What We Take on Trust

Claire's Weekly Letter: Punished for Truth-Seeking

From Noah, John, Luke, Paul & Mary to Cora, Dawson & Callan

The first batch of names are of the Clancy children. The second, the Yates children. They are all the names of young children killed by their mothers.

Supreme Court says Trump can continue ballroom work as it weighs case

The administrative stay gives the court more time to weigh an emergency appeal by the Trump administration in a lawsuit challenging the project.

Michigan's Energy Abundance Is on the Ballot

It is indisputable that energy is the lifeblood of every civilization. We are reminded of that truth daily at the gas pumps and when it's time to recharge the latest iPhone. Another indisputable truth is that the availability and affordability of …

Politics of the Day

Politics of the Day

She’s a Trump acolyte. He’s a ‘gringo Sandinista.’ Meet the Harps.

Trump aide Natalie Harp is estranged from her brother, Preston, who has used social media and recent interviews to criticize her and highlight his own left-wing politics.

Democrats remain far behind GOP in cash on hand as midterms near

New filings find the Democratic National Committee trailing its Republican counterpart by more than $100 million, with millions of dollars in debts.

The Anti-Communist Film Festival: Update and Why I Love Actual Film

EXCLUSIVE: 5-time illegal entrant admits ‘mistake’ that finally got him busted by ICE

Ernesto Alejandro Perez-Garcia admitted to lying to ICE agents about his identity in Redondo Beach before being confronted with his own mugshot.

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.

Democrats face ‘do-or-die’ split with key voting bloc in razor-close Senate race

Mike Rogers launched a Democrats for Mike coalition as Jewish voters express alarm over Abdul El-Sayed's Israel stance and Hasan Piker ties.

Creeping Annexation

Israeli governments have never decided what to do with the West Bank—so the settlers have begun deciding for them.

Are Flock cameras the next bipartisan political issue?

Lawmakers and 2026 candidates on both sides of the aisle are questioning whether Flock cameras have proliferated too quickly.

Promoting Nazi Sympathizers Is a Bad Thing

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.

Drawing on His Rust Belt Roots, Vance Campaigns for Republicans

Vice President JD Vance traveled to his hometown, Middletown, Ohio, and spoke at a steel factory where his grandfather once worked.

Alex Vindman says he’ll give away his multimillion-dollar war chest

The Senate candidate had leveraged his national fame to raise more than $16 million before losing Florida’s Democratic primary.

We Tried to Cover a Tom Kean Campaign Event. Someone Called the Police.

Representative Thomas Kean Jr. was joined Friday on the campaign trail by House Speaker Mike Johnson. An aide to Mr. Kean blocked a reporter’s entry. Then the police were called.

With Midterms Approaching, Trump Implores Republicans: Pretend I’m on the Ballot!

President Trump was in South Carolina to stump for Darline Graham, sister of Lindsey. But his own political future was on his mind, too.

Why Polling Chaos Could Create Big Problems for American Politics

Bad polls. Misleading betting odds. Surveys meant to shape narratives. Ahead of the midterms and 2028, there is suddenly serious confusion about candidate strength and voter sentiment.

Are Populists Winning the Economic Debate?

‘They’re winning, but they’re winning by sacrificing the hard-won intellectual gains of a generation.’

Postal Service Publishes Finalized Plan to Restrict Mail Ballots

The plan, which complies with President Trump’s executive order to curtail mail voting, will only go into effect if the Supreme Court rules in the order’s favor.

A Regicidal Proposal for Aircraft Carriers

Get some two-part primer out and put some names we can be proud of on those big beautiful hulls.

Trump 'Stuck,' Iran Happy To Crush His Midterm Dreams

So far, Trump has responded with a mixture of half-hearted persuasion, denial and threatening bluster.

Klobuchar's fraud fight claim takes hit after GOP opponent combs through receipts: 'Where were you?'

Amy Klobuchar issued over 1,000 press releases since 2022 but never once mentioned Minnesota's $250 million Feeding Our Future fraud scandal.

Welfare Reform Act at 30: Work Is Still the Answer

We managed to develop a bill that transformed welfare offices into job-finding offices. The centerpiece - replacing the Aid to Families with Dependent Children program with Temporary Assistance for Needy Families - created incentives that encourag…

Graham Does Damage Control

Friday, August 21st on RealClearPolitics - Joined by RCP National Political Correspondent, Susan Crabtree

FBI asked 'Sammy the Bull' if ex-Gambino mob prosecutor Comey knew meaning of '86': court filing

Sammy the Bull Gravano told the FBI that James Comey "had to know" the term 86 meant killing someone, contradicting Comey's denial in his federal case.

Seeking to flip Senate, Democrats are running ads to criticize their own

Democrats seeking Senate seats in some swing states are taking aim at party leadership — and even supporting Republican policies.

Despite Primary Whiffs, Poll Haters Are Still Wrong

One of the things about politics that people love to hate is polling. To a certain extent, this antipathy is entirely understandable.

Making Sense of the Fertility Frenzy

A conversation with Jennifer Lahl, founder of the Center for Bioethics and Culture, on surrogacy, AOC, IVF and the White House, and more.

Nancy Kassebaum, First Woman to Chair a Major Senate Panel, Dies at 94

A moderate Republican from Kansas, she served three terms before tiring of political strife. “I couldn’t get elected today,” she said in 2013.