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

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says she’s freezing her eggs

The Democratic congresswoman, 36, said she made the decision to undergo the fertility procedure to “feel more in control of my life.”

Trump Crypto Took $100 Million From a Businessman With Red Flags

The curious case of Guren “Bobby” Zhou shows the ease with which investors with shady backgrounds and unknown motivations can funnel money to the president.

Longtime San Francisco nonprofit will close as city gets tougher on crime

The demise of SF Pretrial, which for 50 years has provided diversion services, came after the mayor cut its budget and as Democrats’ attitudes toward crime shift.

Understanding the Founders Through Their Books

What drove the Founders was ‘the accumulated experience of past ages.’

Iran War Turning Into Trump's Own Groundhog Day

The US president's profound ignorance of his enemy has led to an impotent cycle of empty threats, analysts say

Vice President Vance says migrant communities show 'clear pattern' in federal fraud as investigations widen

JD Vance reveals $230 billion in fraud uncovered since Trump took office and explains why recouping stolen federal funds remains a major challenge.

Don’t Blame the Iran War for the Awful Jobs Report

Anemic job growth under Trump began around the spring of 2025, coinciding with the start of the president’s trade war with nearly every nation on earth.

A Democratic Socialist Seeks New Voters in an Unlikely Place: Fox News

Gustavo Gordillo, a leader of the New York D.S.A., wants to reach new voters. But in interviews with conservative media, the backlash can be sharp.

DSA Stands for Freeloaders – Hold Onto Your Wallets

Group urges Democrats to woo moderate voters with populist policies

A progressive group says messages that target the wealthy and large corporations appeal to a majority of Americans who see the economy as fundamentally rigged.

Senate narrowly approves Todd Blanche as AG, capping tough confirmation fight

The early-morning 50-49 vote grants President Donald Trump’s former criminal defense lawyer a full stint as the head of the Justice Department, which has been rocked by vacancies and controversies.

How Pittsburgh Became the Early Alarm Bell for the DSA's Rise

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.

Trump doubles down on reflecting pool vandalism allegations, cites new witness account

Trump shared court documents on Truth Social showing a National Park Service employee alleged David Hearn "violently" ripped at the Reflecting Pool.

Voters Won't Like the Right's Response to '$20 Burrito' Debate

A year and a half into Trump's second term, what should they tell voters increasingly unhappy about rising inflation and sluggish job growth?

'Leftists Hate Fun': Skateboarder Taylor Silverman and Rejecting the Culture of Complaint

Sunday Smiles

CNN Political Briefing

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

Moderate Democrat in Hawaii Easily Defeats Progressive House Challenger

Representative Ed Case beat Jarrett Keohokalole, a younger progressive, in a race that centered on questions of generational change and the state’s skyrocketing cost of living.

Glimmers of Hope in Higher Ed

Civics programs are on the rise.

EXCLUSIVE: Talarico caught on tape giggling about his church housing illegal immigrants set for deportation

James Talarico bragged his church housed an undocumented family facing ICE deportation, saying Christianity is "just another word for causing trouble."

RNC chair says Talarico's GOP crossover hopes are a 'pipe dream': 'Nobody is going to follow him'

Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters called Democratic Senate canddiate James Talarico's Republican coalition claims a "pipe dream."

Dark Artist

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

Crémieux on Fertility Collapse, Ozempic, IQ & Pit Bulls | Quillette Cetera Episode 69

Why a Victorian obscenity trial tanked the birth rate, what the wellness industry gets wrong, and the case for choosing your baby's genes — with the internet's most data-obsessed anon.

The Axe Files with David Axelrod

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

Michigan Senate Candidate, a Former Trump Critic, Shifts Toward Election Skepticism

Mike Rogers, the Republican nominee, has suggested that further scrutiny of the 2020 election was warranted and that voting irregularities sank his first Senate bid two years ago.

The Allegedly Awful Jobs Report

Our sense of what counts as a bad or good jobs report hasn’t kept up with population trends.

Claire's Weekly Letter: Cowardice at Cambridge

Obama and Abdul El-Sayed Discuss Unity After Michigan Senate Primary

Dr. Abdul El-Sayed’s call with the former president comes as he tries to win over wary Democrats in Michigan’s high-stakes Senate race.

Don’t Eliminate the Filibuster, But . . .

This is not the same minority protection the Senate had for most of its history.

Blanche as AG faces pressure from Trump, skeptical courts, low staff morale

As Todd Blanche officially takes over at the helm, the challenges for the Justice Department have been stacking up.

Saturday's Final Word

Biden-world veteran issues stark warning about Abdul El-Sayed as he crosses party lines

Michael LaRosa invoked his best friend's mother, who died jumping from the World Trade Center on 9/11, in his sharp rebuke of Abdul El-Sayed.

Politics of the Day

Politics of the Day

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’

The Democratic Party Is Being Hijacked

I serve in Congress. Abdul El-Sayed's victory this week is only the latest evidence that my party is being overrun by antisemitism. We know where this leads, writes Rep. Josh Gottheimer.

After bitter primary, El-Sayed faces daunting task of unifying Democrats

Before going up against Republican Mike Rogers in November, Abdul El-Sayed must heal the wounds from his fierce race against Rep. Haley Stevens.

What Is the Point of Anthropology?

How a discipline lost interest in the people it was founded to understand.

Mary Eberstadt’s Upcoming Novel, The Washington Zoo

I have it on good authority — which should not be a surprise to anyone who knows the author — that this is not a thinly veiled tell-all.

Max Miller locked in as Republican nominee after Ohio ballot deadline passes without withdrawal

Ohio Republicans now have no path to replace Max Miller after the ballot deadline passed despite domestic abuse allegations from his ex-wife.

Chuck Grassley Announces the Death of His Beloved Vacuum, Beth

Senator Chuck Grassley mourned his decades-long cleaning companion, writing on social media: “GOOD BYE BETH. U hv been a real workhorse.”

Who Really Speaks for the Working Class?

Mike Rowe calls out the Democratic leaders who are flirting with the ‘really bad idea’ of socialism.

Scientists Used AI to Create Viruses: Are We Guarding Against Dangers?

Political leaders, here and around the world, need to grapple with tech’s acute challenge to the human future.

Five Lessons Learned From the Fauci Fiasco

Young conservatives reveal what’s top of mind as GOP, Democrats battle for 'hopeless' Gen Z voters

Conservative students say inflation and housing costs drive peers toward democratic socialism as both parties battle for Capitol Hill this November.

AOC documents egg-freezing journey, takes aim at Trump admin over women's reproductive choices

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez revealed she is freezing her eggs in Instagram videos, saying the decision empowers her while blaming the Trump administration.

Senate Bows to Reality, Leaving Trump’s Voting Bill Undone

The summer exit confirmed what had been apparent for weeks: that Republicans lacked the votes to pass the voting restrictions the president has made a top priority.

Bernie Sanders demands Democrats ban super PACs from primaries, blasts AIPAC, ‘corrupt system’

Sanders is urging Democratic leaders to ban super PACs from party primaries, citing concerns about outside spending and influence.

Pirro, Trump’s longtime champion, is on the outs over Reflecting Pool move

D.C.’s top prosecutor spent a year navigating the president’s demands. Now she finds her job at risk amid a rare break with him over cases of alleged vandalism.

Voter turnout surges in Tennessee after Black-majority district is erased

High Democratic turnout for House primaries in Shelby County, which includes Memphis, is the latest sign that redistricting may be energizing Black Southern voters.

The Gods of the Grid

A mostly forgotten movie of 2010 illuminates fundamental issues of artificial intelligence today.

IN CHARTS: A visual breakdown of the Smithsonian's billion-dollar taxpayer-funded budget

Trump's proposed Smithsonian budget drops below $1 billion for the first time since 2020 after years of climbing federal appropriations under Biden.

A Democrat Sounds the Alarm on Christian Nationalism in Congress

Representative Jared Huffman of California, the only self-declared “humanist” in Congress, writes in a new book that the separation of church and state is in grave danger.

The Passion of Bess McNeill

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

Next Senator From SC Will Not Be Like Lindsey Graham

Different in this way: the next senator will not share the fixation on foreign policy, and especially on military conflict, that marked Lindsey Graham's 24 years in the Senate.

AI Cannot Give Writers Something to Say

Joe Biden’s cancer has spread, Hunter Biden says

In a BBC interview, Hunter Biden also acknowledged that the pardon he received from his father was “not fair” or good for the country.

Those Who Tell You 'AI Is Changing Everything' Are Lying

It has become impossible to tell managers mesmerised by artificial intelligence that the tools are not, in fact, helpful. So employees just play along with the fiction to keep their jobs, writes our tech columnist

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.

Hogg to Schumer: Get Out of Our 'Big Tent' and Take Moderates With You

Democratic voters who used to back Susan Collins aren’t so sure anymore

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) has counted on split-ticket voters to help her win office in a blue state. Some of those supporters are more reluctant to vote for her again.

Burnham Confirms Fears of UK's Accelerating Decline

New Prime Minister Andy Burnham's claim that all of Britain's issues stem from Thatcherism highlights his failure to understand the country's recent historical successes and challenges.

Max Miller, Republican Accused of Abuse, Won’t Drop Out, Spokeswoman Says

Mr. Miller, who has faced pressure from fellow Republicans to end his campaign and avoid endangering a solidly red seat in Ohio, will stay in the race, his spokeswoman said.

Socialists rising in Colorado? Send in the Marines, GOP nominee says

Victor Marx and retired Marine Col. George Markert form an all-Marine ticket they say can combat what Marx calls the rise of communism in Colorado.

Trump Names Will Scharf as White House Counsel

The president said Mr. Scharf, a deeply conservative lawyer and the current staff secretary, would replace David Warrington in early September.

Climate Crisis

'Outsider' House primary winner sets sights on flipping longtime GOP seat back from Dems: 'Ready for a change'

Terri DeBoer says Rep. Hillary Scholten's voting record contradicts her moderate image, citing votes on girls sports and the SAVE America Act.

Window closes for Ohio GOP to replace Rep. Max Miller on the ballot

The Republican congressman, who denies claims of domestic abuse, has resisted growing calls to drop his bid for a third term.

The Machines That Keep America Alive Are Failing

U.S. electricity demand surged 7% since 2020, but two decades of disinvestment hollowed out the workforce and supply chain needed to meet it.

Hunter Biden Says His Father’s Cancer Is Worsening

In an interview with the BBC, Mr. Biden said that former President Joseph R. ⁠Biden Jr.’s prostate cancer had spread into his bones and was causing pain.

The Class Struggle in Your Wallet

A new book about the meaning of money argues for how to use finance to create a more equitable economy.

The Good and the Bad of the Common Good

The Meaning of Haley Stevens' Defeat

Until Democratic moderates stand up for their beliefs against the party's radicals, they will keep losing.

Unintended Consequences on the Filibuster

What Senate leadership intended in the 1970s and what actually resulted don’t match up.

Michigan, El-Sayed and a Reckoning for the Democrats

Its leftwing insurgency was no longer confined to deep blue coastal cities; it had breached the walls of a critical midwestern swing 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.

Tucker Carlson Could Derail GOP in 2028

A third-party bid by the disaffected MAGA podcaster would be difficult - and beneficial to Democrats

The Lonely Crew at the Kennedy Center Will Miss Its…Mice

Employees say the performing arts center’s quirky-looking mice have an exotic back story. Do they?

What Do We Want Congress to Do?

Before deciding whether to change the filibuster, we should decide what we actually want Congress to do.

The Still, Small Voice of the Creator: Sunday Reflection

Billy Bunter and the Man from Animal Farm

A look back at the 20th century’s most entertaining literary spat—one of the few such encounters that Orwell emphatically lost.

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 Lancet: Wildfires the Latest ‘Health Emergency’

The plan here could not be more obvious: Treat fires as a public health emergency and justify increasingly coercive regulation of individual freedom.

Claire's Weekly Letter: Truths About Men and Women

Nicola Sturgeon Loses Another Round to JK Rowling

Trump picks longtime aide Will Scharf as new top White House lawyer

The White House staff secretary replaces David Warrington, who is leaving for the private sector.

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…

Three Ancient Ways of War

In a new book, Robert O’Connell situates the battlefield tactics of ancient Greek hoplites within the grand sweep of bronze-age military history.

Scott Presler Warns GOP Senators on SAVE America Act

Early Vote Action founder Scott Presler criticized Senate Republicans over the SAVE America Act and urged conservatives to pressure lawmakers.

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. 

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…

The Tip of the Iceberg

The Jason Arday fiasco is a reminder why academia has developed a reputation for cowardice, careerism, and conformism in recent years.

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.