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

Iranian Military Shows It Knows How to Adapt, U.S. Officials Say

Iran appears to be targeting what it views as American vulnerabilities, including air defenses meant to guard troops and assets in the region.

I Recognize the Look on Liam Ramos’s Face

The 5-year-old was briefly held at Dilley, where families are sent after ICE roundups.

A Strike Against Beijing

Operation Epic Fury is not just about Iran.

‘Titanic’ statue of Trump and Epstein on the Mall draws praise, scorn

The statue, depicting them embracing on a copy of the Titanic bow, is the third placed on the Mall by the artists depicting a connection between Trump and Epstein.

Good News! U.S. and Israel Still Blowing Up Bad Stuff and Bad People in Iran With Impunity

Musk Is Enticed by the Lunar Siren

Elon Musk should remain focused on Mars; diverting to the Moon would be a mistake.

Trump Administration to Restart Global Entry Program

The program for people traveling internationally, set to come back online at 5 a.m. Wednesday, had been paused amid the shutdown of the Homeland Security Department.

DOJ blasts 'partisan' DC Bar complaint against senior Trump official

The complaint against a top Trump official sparked fierce backlash from the Justice Department, adding fuel to the fire between the administration and the D.C. legal establishment.

Oregon Universities Are Struggling, Portland State Needs to Cut Millions

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.

Emanuel on Persuading Dems To 'Get Back to the Basics'

In a recent interview, former White House chief of staff and potential 2028 presidential candidate Rahm Emanuel offered solutions to fix what ails America.

Arizona Official to Newsmax: 2020 Vote Has Been Investigated, Litigated

Adrian Fontes, Arizona's secretary of state, told Newsmax on Tuesday he is pushing back against the Department of Justice's attempts to investigate any irregularities associated with the 2020 election in his state.

Navarro to Newsmax: Control of Hormuz is Key for Global Economy

Peter Navarro told Newsmax on Tuesday that President Donald Trump's focus on the Strait of Hormuz reflects the strategic and economic stakes of keeping the crucial oil shipping lane free from Iranian threats.

NY Times: San Francisco's BART System Faces a Doom Loop

We Visited 'Ground Zero' for Hospice Fraud: Los Angeles, CA

A CBS News analysis of records for every hospice operating in Los Angeles County finds indications of fraud are growing.

Whistleblower claims ex-DOGE member says he took Social Security data to new job

The Social Security inspector general’s office is investigating allegations that the former DOGE engineer took sensitive data on a thumb drive in a major potential security breach, said people familiar with the process.

America's Exiled Speech Dissident, Dimitri Simes

Dimitri Simes defected to the U.S. in the seventies and was a proud American for five decades, until he was criminally charged with a Soviet-style offense: being a journalist

Whistleblower: Fmr DOGE Worker Had Social Security Data

A whistleblower has alleged that a former employee at the Department of Government Efficiency claimed he had access to two highly sensitive Social Security databases and planned to share the information with his private employer.

Democrats argue Trump’s China policy risks ‘strategic failure’

A new report, issued ahead of the president’s summit with Xi Jinping, takes aim at the administration’s record on trade, diplomacy and other aspects of American power.

Mike Johnson warns Sharia law 'serious problem' after GOP rep's anti-Muslim post

Speaker Mike Johnson says the threat of Sharia law in America is a “serious problem," warning its tenets run afoul of the U.S. Constitution.

D.C. Bar Begins Disciplinary Proceedings Against Ed Martin

A new legal filing accused Mr. Martin, a senior Justice Department official, of an unethical pressure campaign against Georgetown University.

White House tells House GOP to avoid mass deportation talk ahead of midterms

White House tells GOP House members to avoid talk of “mass deportations” ahead of the midterms, backing away from public discussion of a key campaign pledge.

ChatGPT, Other Chatbots Approved for Official Use in the Senate

New guidelines said Senate aides could use A.I. tools for official work, including research, drafting and editing documents, and preparing briefings and talking points for lawmakers.

Things Are About to Get Ugly in Texas

A runoff, resentments, and the question of whether a Democrat can win statewide

A Brief History of America's Involvement in Iran

For many younger Americans, this is the first U.S. war in the Middle East. Here's how we got here.

Letters to the Editor

Friday 27 February – Friday 6 March

Why Trump Changed His Mind on Kristi Noem

Congressional questions about contracts, ads, and extramarital sex ended her tenure.

WATCH: Dem witness accuses Trump of ‘population purge,’ Kennedy fires back: ‘You trigger my gag reflex’

A Democrat-called witness at a Senate hearing drew a draw-dropping response from Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., after accusing the Trump administration of attempting a "population purge."

Trump's Pledge To Stop Signing Bills Has Dems Cheering

I guess he's not going to be signing many more bills, Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, told MS NOW on Monday.

Iran war’s oil shock fuels GOP political anxiety

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday would be “our most intense day of strikes,” after President Trump sent conflicting messages about the administration’s plans.

Jeremy Carl Drops State Dept Bid After 'White Identity' Furor

A conservative commentator who has argued that white Americans face racism and that their "identity" should be protected withdrew his nomination Tuesday for a senior State Department diplomatic post after Republican opposition threatened to derail…

From ‘America First’ to ‘Always America Last’

Trump promised to stop wars. His grip on his base is being questioned now that he’s started one.

Mark Meadows to Newsmax: Fuller Will Be 'Top Vote-Getter' in Georgia

Former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows told Newsmax that Georgia prosecutor Clay Fuller is expected to receive the most votes in Tuesday's special election to fill the seat vacated by former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.

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…

The Impossible Predicament of the Uninsured

My aunt couldn’t afford to go to the hospital. She ended up there anyway.

How America's Oil and Gas Dominance Weakens Iran

The real threat was the climate agenda.

Pete Hegseth’s Moral Unseriousness

The defense secretary appears unable to approach matters of life and death with even the slightest bit of reverence or humility.

Tuesday’s Final Word

Forbes to Newsmax: Market Swings Don't Undercut Trump's Iran Response

Publisher and businessman Steve Forbes told Newsmax on Tuesday that Iran has long used negotiations to stall while threatening the United States and he supports President Donald Trump's initial approach to the war despite temporarily volatile mark…

Arizona Is Now at the Center of Election Investigations

Both the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI are probing the results of the 2020 election in Arizona.

David French Thinks It Is Uncivil to Think that James Talarico Is an Awful Christian

In California You Don't Even Need to Hide the Fraud

Minnesota Dem suggests studying ‘benefit of shoplifting’ in committee clash, then says it was sarcasm

Minnesota Democrat's "sarcastic" shoplifting remarks spark viral controversy after suggesting study on retail theft benefits during legislative hearing.

Trump Tries to Sidestep Blame for Any Civilian Deaths in Iran

The president and the Pentagon have cast blame on Iran for the mounting toll. More than 1,800 people have died in the war, including many civilians.

Trump-Backed Fuller Heads to Runoff for Greene's Seat

Republican Clayton Fuller, endorsed by President Donald Trump, and Democrat Shawn Harris are headed to an April runoff in Georgia's 14th Congressional District after neither candidate cleared the 50% threshold needed to win outright.

‘We Need to Do McCarthyism to the Tenth Power’

Conservative influencers are pushing for a return to the dark days of 1950s inquisitions.

What Does 'Regime Change' Look Like?

Trump's aim to eradicate the Iranian regime seems for now an unlikely scenario.

The Pete Hegseth Exception

Nearly a year after a national-security scandal erupted on my iPhone, no one in the Trump administration has faced consequences.

‘America Doesn’t Want My Children or Grandchildren’

The Cruz family spent years building a life in New York. Then the risks of staying became too great.

Sen. Fetterman to Newsmax: Democrats Should Recognize Gains From Iran Strikes

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., told Newsmax on Tuesday that fellow Democrats should recognize the benefits of President Donald Trump's military action against Iran, saying it helps block the regime from obtaining a nuclear weapon and weakens its miss…

Collision with Reality

The Supreme Court has just invalidated Trump’s tariff agenda. But the economics were already doing that.

AI Can Do Work. Can It Do a Job?

Why passing the bar doesn't make AI a lawyer

Fox News Poll: Voters expect AI to transform our lives — but today is not that day

Fox News poll reveals 53% of voters believe artificial intelligence will dramatically change American life, up from 43% in 2023 amid trust concerns.

Too Fun to Check: Democrats Less Popular Than ICE?

CNN Spinning Like Mad Over Its Terrorism Apologia

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.

Podcast #327: Will Post-Islamist Iran Get a Royal Restoration?

Quillette podcast host Jonathan Kay speaks with Iranian-Canadian human-rights activist Kaveh Shahrooz about whether Reza Pahlavi, the eldest son of the last Shah of Iran, might rise to power as a new Prince of Persia.

Senate Moves Toward Passing Sweeping Housing Bill, but Challenges Lie Ahead

The legislation’s progress is all the more surprising because it addresses an issue that is shaping up to be the main battleground of the midterm elections: affordability. The effort could still stall.

Ed Martin faces disciplinary proceedings over actions as D.C. U.S. attorney

The senior Justice Department official faces disciplinary proceedings over a letter he sent to Georgetown University’s law school about its DEI practices.

Iran Deeply Divided Over Khamenei's Son as Successor

While pro-establishment crowds celebrate Khamenei's appointment as his father's successor, others believe it signals no change to how Iran is ruled.

Trump’s pick advances in race to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene

Clay Fuller, a district attorney, led among Republicans to replace the former congresswoman in deep-red Georgia, while Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Mississippi) fended off a primary challenge.

Trump Backs Fmr Navy SEAL for Massie's House Seat

President Donald Trump on Tuesday endorsed former Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein for the House seat held by one of his most prominent Republican critics in Congress, Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky.

The United Nations Is Going Broke

Too often, the UN’s valuable field work is overshadowed by cynical political posturing. As a result, collecting annual dues from member states has become more difficult.

Pete Buttigieg in the Wilderness

He has a beard, a splitting maul, and a house in Michigan. Is that enough to convince America that he’s a man of the people?

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…

Iran’s Risky Gamble

The war with Iran is reshaping the entire Middle East from the Gulf States to Lebanon with surprising speed.

Mamdani avoids ‘radical Islamic terror’ phrase after ISIS-inspired NYC attack, echoing Obama-era debate

NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani faces mounting criticism for avoiding the "radical Islamic terror" phrase after an alleged ISIS-inspired bomb plot near Gracie Mansion.

Whistleblower claims ex-DOGE member says he took Social Security data to new job

The Social Security inspector general’s office is investigating allegations that the former DOGE engineer took sensitive data on a thumb drive in a major potential security breach, said people familiar with the process.

Our Weaponized Deep State Faces Zero Accountability

Across a decade, not a single senior official has faced criminal accountability, or in many cases any accountability at all.

Is an Off-Ramp With Iran Possible?

It's not too late for a diplomatic resolution.

Price of Oil Has Dropped Like a Rock, Democrats Hardest Hit

Longtime Rep. Bennie Thompson Tops Young Dem Rival in Miss. Primary

Longtime U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson won the Democrat nomination for Mississippi's 2nd Congressional District on Tuesday, defeating two challengers, including a young antitrust lawyer with experience working in Washington.

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.

Far-left lawmaker endorses candidate who boasted about voting with Republicans 80% of time

Rep. Pramila Jayapal endorsed Raj Goyle for New York comptroller, calling him a 'lifelong progressive' despite his own past descriptions of overlap with Republicans in Kansas.

The Soft Disinformation Contagion

How we learned to reason poorly with accurate data.

CNN Political Briefing

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

In the wake of the Republican National Convention earlier this month, Fareed speaks with historian Niall Ferguson about how and why the modern-day GOP has changed since the Reagan era of the 1980s.

A 'Short Excursion' in Iran

Tuesday, March 10th on RealClearPolitics - joined by RCP Contributor Richard Porter: 00:00 Trump Says Iran is a

Special election replacing Marjorie Taylor Greene goes to runoff between Trump-endorsed candidate and Democrat

The candidate Trump endorsed in the race, Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney Clay Fuller, will face Army veteran Shawn Harris in an April runoff election.

Trump Is Expected to Endorse Cornyn

Republican strategists hope the endorsement will make the Texas Senate race less expensive and less competitive.

Politics of the Day

Politics of the Day

Sen. Hyde-Smith set for November clash with Dem foe she once vanquished

Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith wins GOP primary to defend her Mississippi Senate seat against Democratic challenger District Attorney Scott Colom in November's general election.

Clayton Fuller and Shawn Harris Advance to Runoff in Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Georgia District

Clayton Fuller will face Shawn Harris, a Democrat, in an April runoff. Mr. Fuller’s win over a flashier Republican showed the power of the president’s support.

The shutdown that everyone has forgotten

The Washington Post’s essential guide to power and influence in D.C.

Dan Schueftan on Gaza, Iran & the Future of Israel

Israel faces not a solvable conflict but a permanent condition—one requiring deterrence, “violent maintenance,” and historic patience—while confronting both regional enemies and a cultural battle in the West.

Australia grants asylum to 5 Iranian soccer players after Trump pressure

The late-night visa approval came after a days-long operation, authorities said. The players had been criticized back home after they stood silently during the Iranian anthem.

LA County is 'Ground Zero' for Hospice Fraud

EXCLUSIVE: ICE says El Paso detention facility will stay open under new contractor after $1.2B deal scrapped

ICE detention facility Camp East Montana gets operational upgrade under Secretary Noem's new contract, expanding medical care despite previous closure reports.

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.

Sen. Paul to Newsmax: No Evidence US Should Be at War in Iran

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., told Newsmax on Tuesday he has seen no evidence that justifies the United States' involvement in the current military conflict with Iran, saying Iranian expatriates calling for American intervention must incite the change th…

Vice President Kamala Harris, a former US senator from California who previously served as the state's attorney general, could be the first Black woman and Asian American to lead a major party ticket after receiving President Joe Biden's support t…

Voting machine company Smartmatic says DOJ is targeting it to bolster false 2020 claims

The company asked a judge to dismiss foreign bribery charges filed against it last year, alleging a vindictive and selective prosecution.

Fareed explains why AI's massive energy demands are straining the power grid, but also why AI could enable big breakthroughs in sustainability and clean energy.

Why Europe Still Misreads America

Why Germans fear American religion, and what this reveals about Europe.

Out on the Wily, Windy Moors...

Emerald Fennell’s misbegotten adaptation of ‘Wuthering Heights’ destroys the very structure of Emily Brontë’s classic story.

Why Populism is Rising in Australia: Immigration and One Nation Surge

Australia has long been considered politically stable compared with Europe and the United States. But according to political scientist Eric Kaufmann, that period of “Australian exceptionalism” may be coming to an end.

How Trump and His Advisers Miscalculated Iran’s Response to War

In the lead-up to the U.S.-Israeli attack, President Trump downplayed the risks to the energy markets as a short-term concern that should not overshadow the mission to decapitate the Iranian regime.

U.S. Showers Iran With Bombs in Most Intense Strikes of the War, Pentagon Says

Iranians cowered under the barrage as Pete Hegseth, the U.S. defense secretary, said the U.S. aimed to wipe out Iran’s capacity to obtain nuclear weapons “forever.”

Speaker Johnson touts Trump's agenda as crucial blueprint ahead of midterms: 'On the ballot'

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson is linking House Republicans closely to President Donald Trump as the midterm election season heats up.

Bondi Is Said to Move to Military Housing Because of Threats

The attorney general relocated from a Washington apartment to a base in the area within the past month, according to people familiar with the situation.

How Long Will the Iran War Last? Trump Offers Conflicting Answers.

Now 11 days into an expanding military campaign, President Trump and his officials have given conflicting indications on how long the United States intends the war to last.

Trump urges Congress to pass SAVE America Act, fully fund DHS as TSA workers go without pay

Over 100,000 federal workers go without pay as Trump urges Congress to fund DHS and pass the SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship to vote.

Democrats Demand Hegseth and Rubio Testify on Iran War

Senate Democratic leaders called on President Trump to dispatch the senior cabinet officials to make the case to Congress and the American public for the war in Iran.

Incumbent Sen. Hyde-Smith Secures GOP Nod in Miss. Primary

Incumbent Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., won the Republican primary Tuesday night, defeating physician Sarah Adlakha and advancing to the November general election as she seeks a second full term.

GOP Rep. Ogles says Muslims ‘don’t belong in American society’

The Tennessee lawmaker’s post is part of a larger trend of House Republicans leaning on Islamophobic rhetoric.

The Axe Files with David Axelrod

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

LIVE RESULTS: Special Election for MTG Seat in Georgia

Details on the Two Teens Who Tossed Bombs Outside Gracie Mansion