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

Russia Bill Broadens Sanctions but Could Fuel Fears Over the Dollar

The Trump administration has recently sought to scale back sanctions as adversaries develop workarounds that some believe could erode the U.S. dollar’s supremacy.

Claire's Weekly Letter: Wars of Choice

The All Bull Corporation News Is Battin' 1000 With Their Reporting

Chinese Fraud Rings Steal Billions From Banks, Retailers

Digital forms of theft such as tap-to-pay schemes and app fraud are shaping the next wave of organized retail crime and fueling solo thieves to Chinese gangs, which earn as much as $1 billion annually from the crime, police say.

A Crisis in the Humanities

The norms governing scholarship now often serve to protect a rigid orthodoxy on certain politically charged issues—with ideological tests substituted for proper academic standards.

Trump wants to impose tariffs on Canada in retaliation for wildfire smoke

The White House did not respond to questions about what legal mechanism he would use to impose the tariffs or how the administration would calculate the rate of the levies.

The Fight over Fedorov

Protests are continuing in Ukraine over the decision by President Zelensky to fire Mykhailo Federov, his popular and effective defense minister.

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…

Far-left activist conference at teachers union HQ raises classroom concerns

Rooms were renamed after Fidel Castro and Nicolás Maduro as socialist and pro-Palestinian groups held a two-day conference at CTU headquarters.

2020 Files Change the Odds. Now Congress Must Change Rules

America remains deeply divided over whether the 2020 presidential election was stolen from Donald Trump. Millions believe the system failed them, while the media, intelligence bureaucracy, and the left have treated their doubts as something to sup…

Trump’s Election Claims and SAVE Act Push Find Muted Response From G.O.P. Lawmakers

Most G.O.P. lawmakers had little to say about the president’s claims of election vulnerabilities, and he did not appear to move the needle on the voting restriction bill he championed.

Reshaping the Middle East

Reconsidering Israel’s wars in 1956, 1982, and 2026.

Dark Day for UK as Burnham Takes Over for Starmer

This week, millions of Brits discovered we have a new prime minister we never voted for. What does Andy Burnham stand for? Your guess is as good as mine.

Kentucky governor says he received 2 calls from agencies indicating McConnell had 'passed'

Andy Beshear says two agencies called him suggesting Mitch McConnell had died while the Kentucky senator was hospitalized after his June fall.

CNN Political Briefing

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

These battleground Senate candidates raised the most money

Democratic candidates are raising more money than Republicans in key Senate races, and Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff (D) has the most money at his disposal at $42 million.

Maine Democratic Senate hopefuls back once fringe position after ICE shooting

The leading candidates to replace Graham Platner as the Democratic nominee to challenge Sen. Susan Collins are presenting themselves as fighters in his mold and calling for ICE to be abolished.

Pratt takes Walz to task in scathing X post over pardoned child rapist: 'Have your hard drives checked'

Spencer Pratt's viral post targeting Tim Walz over clemency for a convicted child rapist sparked massive conservative backlash across social media.

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.

Red States Winning the Prosperity Race

Republicans disheartened by growing fears of electoral losses at the federal level this fall can take some solace in evidence from a new, soon-to-be-released study that we coauthored for Unleash Prosperity, a group focused on promoting pro-growth …

Strong Opinions

When critics start issuing dictates, they end up excluding broad swathes of art and culture as well as whole areas of human experience.

READ THE DOCUMENTS: White House releases election integrity files after Trump speech

The White House released four batches of election-integrity documents, including files on voting-system vulnerabilities, China’s alleged acquisition of voter data, and more.

Iran Places Billboard in Tehran Showing Trump in a Coffin

Clayton and Blanche: Mixed Results in Senate Questions on Trump Elections

If Senate Republicans don’t check Trump administration misconduct, they effectively endorse it.

Rep Ralph Norman enters South Carolina Senate race despite Trump's endorsement of Darline Graham

Ralph Norman says he's running for the South Carolina Senate seat despite Trump's endorsement of Darline Graham, vowing to nuke the filibuster.

Without Platner, Maine Democrats Scramble to Keep Grassroots Energy Alive

Graham Platner’s campaign for Senate imploded last week. The activists who backed him are seeking a candidate to carry his populist message in the race against Republican Susan Collins.

Snowflakes in Palm Beach

Who Really Has the 2026 Midterms Cash Edge?

The fund-raising race is tighter than it seems.

Trump Endorses Graham for Senate, Scrambling South Carolina Primary

Senator Darline Graham had been seen as a caretaker for her brother’s seat after his sudden death. Now she has the president’s nod in what was shaping up to be a crowded fight to succeed Lindsey Graham.

Rubio Takes on Communism

Friday, July 17th on RealClearPolitics - Joined by RCP Contributor Richard Porter

Move Over, Wall Street -- Here Come the Texas Longhorns

Stephen Miller says Trump administration is pursuing policy to debank illegal immigrants

Stephen Miller says the Trump administration is debanking illegal immigrants to shut down their financial access and drive self-deportation.

Trump Releases Election Files Alleging Foreign Threats

In a national address on Thursday night, President Trump declassified troves of documents that he said proved serious vulnerabilities in American elections. The White House website published four batches of disclosures that China has stolen the vo…

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…

Let the Flyboys Fly

The Blue Angels did everything right.

Running the Border: The New Issue of NR Is Out

How to make our humanitarian immigration policies serve our interests; a gathering geopolitical crisis; why reading will survive; a new Whizzbang adventure, & more.

The Anti-Communist Film Festival - Official Dates Announced!

Things Not Going Well for Guys Who Recruited Platner

Andrew Ross Sorkin Thinks You’re Stupid

The New York Times writer seems to believe that advocates of the Second Amendment cannot read.

Claire's Weekly Letter: Soccer, Sartre, and the Sixties

The JD Vance Experience

‘I don’t comprehend what his strategy is here.’

Gary Stevenson Is Wrong About Wealth Inequality

Gary Stevenson says Britain's wealth inequality is spiralling out of control. The data says otherwise—and Channel 4 never thought to check.

The Democratic Clown Car Arrives in Maine

Regardless of who wins the nomination, Collins will not be facing a juggernaut in the fall.

These AIPAC-Backed Democrats Voted to Nix Israel Aid. AIPAC Punished Them.

Of the 103 Democrats who voted to eliminate aid to Israel, more than a dozen had been endorsed by the pro-Israel lobbying group. AIPAC quickly closed off online donations for them.

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.

A Very British CPAC: Few, if Any, Costumes and Not Much Trump

London hosted an understated version of the Conservative Political Action Conference, known in the United States for its over-the-top celebration of MAGA causes.

Trump Pursues a Deeper Bond With China’s Leader, Despite Hostile Speech

Chinese officials appear to think that President Trump’s accusations that China interfered in the 2020 U.S. elections were driven by domestic politics, not foreign policy.

Zohran Mamdani Knows He Has Political Capital. And He Intends to Spend It.

Lulu Garcia-Navarro sits down for an interview with the mayor of New York City.

Generation Trapped: Why Young Australians Have Given Up Hope

Parnell Palme McGuinness on the six distinct "tribes" of young Australians she uncovered—and why personal agency, not income, is the strongest predictor of happiness.

Maine's New Senate Candidates Sound a Lot Like Platner

Whatever distinctions may exist between the eight candidates to replace Graham Platner as Maine's Democratic nominee for the Senate, they weren't on display in the first and likely only debate on Thursday night.

China's Xi Is Still Planning for a Lavish State Visit to the U.S.

Ordinarily, a claim like the one President Donald Trump leveled at China in prime time this week might herald a major rupture in ties with Beijing.

Can Prime Minister Burnham Succeed?

There is a great deal riding on his success, and not just for Britain.

Nuclear Power

The Evolution of Presidential Travel: Horse Carriages to Air Force One

From horse-drawn presidential coaches to Air Force One, presidents have used various modes of transportation to project an image of America for nearly 250 years.

Birth tourism crackdown expands as House chairman raises criminal conspiracy case

Rep. Brandon Gill says birth tourism companies could face criminal conspiracy charges as his task force subpoenas firms across the country.

Charlie Is My Darling

Claudia Verhoeven’s new book is a valuable contribution to the crowded library of Mansonia.

Two US service members killed in Iranian strikes on Jordan, CENTCOM says

CENTCOM says two U.S. service members were killed and one remains missing after Iranian attacks targeted Jordan on Friday.

Nolan Honors the Gods

The tagline promised defiance. Christopher Nolan delivered a film that kneels. Its loudest critics haven’t noticed.

I Chaired Canada's Human Rights Tribunal. Here's What I Saw.

During my time chairing the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal, I sometimes felt like the agent of a state-funded extortion ring.

Progressives in Cambridge, Mass Eliminated Shot Spotter. There Were Consequences.

Will Anyone Miss Sociology?

Scott Yenor foresees program reviews that will accelerate the erosion of this field of study.

As Trump Scraps With Meloni, His Envoy to Italy Is at Sea

Tilman J. Fertitta, the U.S. ambassador to Rome, is summering on his superyacht as President Trump squabbles with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy.

Liberal law professor breaks with Obama judge over Trump lawyer crackdown: ‘I refuse to teach’ it

Judge Kathleen Williams referred Todd Blanche and other DOJ lawyers to bar associations for potential discipline, sparking weaponization concerns.

There Is More Than One Way for Democrats To Win

Party primaries are full of infighting about strategy and electability. That misses the point.

The Rise and Fall of Graham Platner

Is this the far left's #MeToo moment?

Yes, Tim Walz, Deporting Child Rapists ‘Makes Us Safer’

What are we doing here?

That Thing That Never Happens Seems to Be Happening Again MORE

AIPAC Closes Donor Portal to Democrats Who Voted to End Aid to Israel

The pro-Israel lobbying group appeared to be punishing Democrats it had endorsed for re-election after they voted in favor of an amendment that would have cut off U.S. aid to Israel.

White House teleprompter operator placed on leave after betting on Trump speeches

A White House teleprompter operator has been placed on unpaid leave after his online prediction market activity, which showed he was placing wagers related to President Donald Trump’s public remarks, was flagged to federal regulators.

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 Pacific's True Rogue State

Beijing just launched a nuclear-capable missile into the South Pacific Nuclear-Free Zone and called it routine. It was not.

Friday's Final Word

The Axe Files with David Axelrod

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

More Than a Machine: Big Boy No. 4014 Sparks a Nationwide Reunion

Why Soccer Is Boring

How the beautiful game convinced the world that boredom is sophistication.

Politics of the Day

Politics of the Day

New Yorkers collected $2.6 billion in welfare cash payments last year, city data shows

New York City's cash assistance hit a 30-year high of $2.6 billion in 2025, reaching nearly 865,000 residents as Ken Griffin threatens to halt investments.

Trump's Election Speech Was a Weirdly Good Sign for U.S.

If you're worried about American democracy, President Donald Trump's primetime address should give you some hope.

Fraud expert warns AI is helping criminals outpace the government: 'Don't have the right tools'

David Maimon warned lawmakers that criminals use AI-generated deepfake video and fake documents to defeat identity verification and steal taxpayer money.

Journal Article Urges MDs to Impede Immigration Law Enforcement ‘Oppression’

It seems to me that such actions would actively endanger more people of the categories for whom the authors advocate than it would protect.

Trump DOJ Makes First Ever Application to Alien Terrorist Removal Court

The court has existed for 30 years. There have been no cases because prosecution or ordinary immigration proceedings have been preferred.

Ousted Squad Dem stumps with radical activist who defended Hamas, promoted political violence

Ex-Squad member seeking comeback bid campaigns with self-described Maoist activist who has praised flag burning, urged leftists not to disavow Hamas or Hezbollah and called to 'unmake' America.

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.

After Birthplace Ruling, China Won't Need Election Hackers

Who needs fraudulent driver's licenses to vote in elections when birth tourism promises babies born on American soil authentic U.S. IDs?

Truth Is No Defense When Dealing With Totalitarians