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

Top takeaways from the primary elections in Maine and South Carolina: 'Movement about us'

Graham Platner cruises to Maine Democratic Senate nomination despite mounting controversies, setting up a key midterm battle against Sen. Susan Collins.

Merkel Accepts EU's Highest Honor, Calls for More Censorship

The Insanity of Karmelo Anthony's Defenders

Somali World Cup Referee Denied Entry to U.S. Returns Home to Hero’s Welcome

Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who is widely admired in his home country, would have been the first Somali to referee a World Cup game.

Why Complete Election Results in Maine Could Take More Than a Week

Winners in the Republican and Democratic primary races for governor and in a Democratic congressional primary have not yet been determined.

Politics of the Day

Politics of the Day

‘Proportionally’ Moronic: Iran as The West Wing

Truth is stranger than fiction — like a cease-fire in which no one ceases firing. The reality is a stark choice: Defeat an implacable American enemy or take a bad deal.

Nancy Mace’s thrashing in South Carolina governor’s race caps a rough downfall

The congresswoman finished fifth in the state’s GOP gubernatorial primary, according to unofficial returns, solidly losing even her own home county and district.

Claire's Weekly Letter: Antifragility in Ukraine

New Gallup Poll Shows Gains in Social Conservatism

The results of this year’s Values and Beliefs poll should be welcomed.

ActBlue chief heads to Capitol Hill hot seat as donor fraud probe intensifies

ActBlue CEO Regina Wallace-Jones will testify before House Administration Committee as Republicans probe alleged donor fraud and false statements to Congress.

Nancy Mace Flames Out in South Carolina

Anthony L. Fisher: The South Carolina congresswoman and failed gubernatorial candidate briefly stood up to Trump after he incited the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. But that was then.

Hilton, Becerra lead in California’s governor primary. See live results here.

Latest California governor primary results as Democrats Katie Porter, Tom Steyer and Xavier Becerra and Republicans Chad Bianco, Steve Hilton vie for nominations to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom.

It’s My Party and I’ll Die If I Want To

The most consequential weakness of philosopher and journalist Kathleen Stock’s new polemic against assisted dying is its failure to engage with the empirical record.

Graham Platner’s Victory in Maine Senate Primary Gives Democrats Hope and Fears

Graham Platner’s primary victory sets up a high-stakes contest between an insurgent progressive with political baggage and a battle-tested but vulnerable Republican senator.

PSA, Palate Cleanser: Don't Be Jumpin' in the Swamp When Running From the Law

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…

Time for Those Who Turned Down Covid Shots To Chat

Today's piece about vaccine fanatic Peter Hotez (and the attached 2025 article in which I called out a former friend for his Covid cowardice) have stirred up some feels. I get it. Let's talk.

Washington Post Claims Renovated Reflecting Pool Looks Almost the Same

Preventing Canada’s Next Unmarked-Graves-Style Social Panic

Journalists should resolve to treat their Indigenous sources as real-life human beings—as opposed to mystic savants who channel sacred and unfalsifiable ‘knowings’

Joe Biden's Return Could Be a Blessing for Democrats

After spending more than a year in the political wilderness, former president Joe Biden and his family are suddenly everywhere again. Jill Biden has been touring the country to promote her book and rehash many of the arguments surrounding Joe's de…

FIRST ON FOX: SPLC's tax-exempt status under threat after fiery Capitol Hill hearing

Rep. Chip Roy introduced the Stop SPLC Act to revoke the Southern Poverty Law Center's tax-exempt status amid a federal probe into alleged crimes.

A Baseless Attack on Friedrich Hayek’s Intellectual Legacy

Author Quinn Slobodian has won acclaim for his attempt to link the famed Austrian economist to right-wing extremists. But his arguments collapse under scrutiny.

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.

Trump says US will strike Iran 'very hard' again today

President Trump vows to attack Iran "very hard" after accusing Tehran of prolonging nuclear negotiations and targeting a U.S. military helicopter.

Democrats Embrace Their Inner Cynic in Maine

Last night, Graham Platner won the Democratic nomination for Senate in Maine.

Graham Platner Makes History

Graham Platner made history on Tuesday, becoming the first vanity oysterman and Nazi-tattooed Hotchkiss attendee to win a major party's nomination for U.S. Senate while facing credible allegations of domestic abuse. Barring another unforeseen setb…

The Barbarism in Belfast

That crazed, savage knifing was a bloody byproduct of state failure.

Bill Gates faces House investigators over Jeffrey Epstein ties

Bill Gates will sit for a voluntary interview with the House Oversight Committee about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein after the 2008 conviction.

Gaming-world veteran who ripped ‘woke’ culture scores Trump-backed battleground primary win

Trump-endorsed Halo composer Marty O'Donnell advances in GOP primary to challenge Democratic incumbent Susie Lee in Nevada's 3rd congressional district.

Emergency action seeks to prevent erasure of 'mother' and 'father' in code of largest US town

Hempstead Township passes emergency resolution to preserve "mother" and "father" in its legal code after New York passed gender-neutral parental terms.

The Natural Gas Ban That Totally Did Not Happen Is Crushing New York’s Consumers

The costs that the state’s policies would impose on consumers were anticipated, and now, the consequences of voters’ heedlessness are coming home to roost.

House passes $70 billion immigration enforcement funding through Trump’s term

The legislation, which brings to an end a four-month lapse in funding, now goes to President Trump to sign into law.

Rioting in Northern Ireland

Extralegal violence will solve nothing.

Why Are So Many Law Students ‘Disabled’?

Apparently, the world of ‘social justice’ means that we can’t have fair exams.

Need a U.S. Visa and Want to Skip a 12-Month Line? That’ll Be $750

A new fast-track program will allow certain visa applicants to pay a premium and secure an interview within 10 business days.

Graham Platner Is the Very ‘Toxic Masculinity’ Stereotype the Left Invented

The top of the ticket in Maine embodies all the worst traits that the progressive left assumed were present in all men.

The Murder of Henry Nowak and the Politics of Certainty

This case shows how quickly tragedy becomes raw material for those who seek to exploit it.

Here Come the Riots

Why the Enlightenment Matters

Iona Italia talks to lawyer and historian Adam Wakeling about the enduring importance of Enlightenment values and how to defend them today.

Washington Post: The City Where Karmelo Anthony Murdered Austin Metcalf is Bigoted

Free Press: Dem Response to Platner Astonishing After #MeToo Posturing

Life Inside an ICE Detention Facility

For days protesters have been clashing with law enforcement over conditions at an ICE detention facility in New Jersey. Our reporter Hamed Aleaziz explains how these complaints persist across the country, and takes a closer look at the problems do…

Will Markets Fall for Lack of Power?

I’m a little skeptical about this. Other parts of the American economy, including the industrial economy, seem to be coming online vigorously.

How the Epstein Files Paralyzed the Trump White House

President Trump’s advisers gathered in secret in the Situation Room without him as they struggled to handle the Epstein files scandal, our reporters Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan learned while researching their book, “Regime Change.” Here’s th…

Hegseth Visits Guantánamo Bay Amid U.S. Tensions With Cuba

The trip comes as the Trump administration pushes for political and economic changes on the island.

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…

Richard Dawkins and the Claude Delusion

What is consciousness for?

Colbert and Cancellation

The #CancelColbert saga in 2014 established the paradigm for countless hashtag controversies that followed.

DSCC Chair Gillibrand: Oysterführer Uber Alles, or Tomorrow Belongs to Dems

Will Trump’s Repairs to Washington D.C.’s Reflecting Pool Work?

President Trump has said that construction is complete. Now comes the real test. Will the longstanding problems finally be solved?

Spencer Pratt’s Frustrating, but Not Shocking, Third-Place Finish

Spencer Pratt’s third-place finish is deeply disappointing, but not particularly shocking.

Tuesday's Final Word

Trump-Backed Air Force Veteran Wins Republican House Primary in Nevada

David Flippo won his party’s nomination for a safely Republican open seat, defeating a candidate backed by the G.O.P. governor.

Sen Tom Cotton urges DOJ to probe Chinese bid to 'kneecap' American AI

Sen. Tom Cotton urges DOJ to investigate alleged Chinese influence campaign funded by Neville Roy Singham targeting U.S. data centers and AI infrastructure development.

Americans Are of Two Minds About the ‘Moral Acceptability’ of Suicide

The morally acceptable answer to all suicide ideations should be universal, regardless of the ‘why’: rescue and prevention, which is to say, love.

5 Takeaways From Primaries in Maine & S. Carolina

Graham Platner easily secured Maine's Democratic nomination for a key U.S. Senate seat. In South Carolina, Republican Rep. Nancy Mace's career derailed.

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.

Trump to Iran: Bridge and Power Day May Be Back, Baby; UPDATE: On Like Donkey Kong?

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.

"They Hate Australia": The Activists Behind the Gaza Flotilla and the Radical Left's Antizionist Turn | Quillette Cetera Ep. 65

Hava Mendelle — army veteran, nurse, and co-founder of Minority Impact — speaks with Zoe Sankey about antisemitism in Australia, the red-green alliance, October 7th, and why she left the activist left behind.

As Pratt Gets Bad News, CA Vote-Counting Fuels Distrust

For Spencer Pratt's supporters, the last four days of the Los Angeles mayoral primary vote-counting and conclusion were like a gut punch delivered in slow motion.

Trump rails at Gov. Moore over pace of Jack Nicklaus golf course project

The president and the Maryland governor are at odds again — this time over renovations to golf courses at Joint Base Andrews.

How Nancy Mace Self-Immolated

The story of Nancy Mace is merely another variation of the same sequence of events that led to Marjorie Taylor Greene’s resignation from Congress in January.

Dan Sullivan accuses same-name challenger of trying to 'rig' Alaska Senate race

Sen. Dan Sullivan claims a same-name rival in Alaska's GOP primary is a Democratic plant designed to confuse voters under ranked-choice voting.

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.

Donald Trump Has Deterred Himself

So far in the war against Iran, the president’s actions are the sort that will invite future aggression against American interests and allies.

Former Biden official Deb Haaland wins New Mexico primary for governor

Haaland could make history as the first female Native American governor if she’s elected.

Trump’s grip on the GOP leaves Netanyahu with few places to turn

As Trump clamps down on Netanyahu, the Israeli leader is finding he has few avenues of appeal among American politicians.

Liberals Without Teeth

British liberals exclude reactionary cranks like Hasan Piker and Cenk Uygur because they don’t have the stomach for a fight.

Antifragility in Ukraine

Four years into the full-scale invasion, Ukraine bears little resemblance to the country Russia expected to defeat in a matter of days.

CNN Political Briefing

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

Could Control of Congress Run Through Northern Maine?

The state’s vast rural areas, which make up the swing Second Congressional District, will be important in November.

When ICE Visits Your Plant and Your Employees Drop From 100 to 24? That's All on You

ActBlue C.E.O. Invokes Fifth Amendment Repeatedly in Testimony to Congress

The head of the Democratic fund-raising behemoth declined to answer questions from House Republicans about reports that she may have misled Congress over how her group vetted foreign donations.

Trump takes ICE shutdowns off the table with signature on key $70B bill

Trump signed the $70 billion homeland security bill after it narrowly passed the House, funding ICE and CBP through the remainder of his term.

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.

Pathology and Politics

British author Josh Ireland’s new book about the murder of Leon Trotsky tells the gripping story of a rivalry between two very different men.

The Axe Files with David Axelrod

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

Europe's $116B fighter jet 'failure' raises fresh doubts about ability to defend itself without US

France and Germany abandon the Future Combat Air System sixth-generation fighter jet program, dealing a major blow to Europe's defense autonomy amid NATO spending.

The Bidens Stir Up Voter Anxiety Dems Can't Afford

The best thing former President Joe Biden and his family can do is go away and let Democrats battle Trump and Republicans free of their baggage.

Homeless Addicts in L.A.: They Paid Us to Vote

The Urgent Case for Fixing California's Broken Elections

'It's hard to overstate how much of an outlier California is for its slow vote-counting relative to literally any other state'

Inside Trump’s White House, the Epstein Files Caused a Freakout

The president’s top advisers gathered in a series of Situation Room meetings as they struggled to contain a scandal engulfing Donald Trump himself.

Trump-endorsed candidate will face top GOP target in Nevada House district

Michael Boris scores upset victory in Nevada's 1st Congressional District Republican primary, defeating Trump-backed state Sen. Carrie Buck. OR Trump-endorsed state Sen. Carrie Buck wins Republican primary to take on Rep. Dina Titus, D-Nev., in Ne…