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

Trump’s Venezuelan Oil Deal Relies on a Powerful and Divisive Partner

The administration will work with a private Venezuelan oil company that has close ties to the country’s government.

House Republican aims to put Democrats on the record over DSA with resolution condemning socialism

Jeff Crank's House resolution condemning socialism cites Zohran Mamdani's NYC mayoral win and the DSA's growing political momentum nationwide.

Friday's Final Word

This Is Pretty Funny, Actually...

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.

Return of the Common Good

Our contemporary categories too often simplify and even estrange us from our political inheritance, and from moral and political reality.

Trump asks Supreme Court to allow military to discharge transgender troops

The high court could decide to hear the case in the term that begins in October.

Politics of the Day

Politics of the Day

Wyoming governor decries ‘aggressive’ behavior of federal election monitors

The Justice Department sent observers during the state’s primary election this month. A local official said the activities exceeded their authority.

Alone-ness, Loneliness and the Content Crisis

Derek Thompson on the antisocial century

Net Zero Won't Fix Climate Change. Technology Will

Treat a warming planet as an engineering problem rather than a moral failing, and it starts to look solvable.

Teleprompter Operator Who Bet on Trump Speeches Is Ordered to Pay Fine

Gabriel Perez had access to the president’s speeches before they were delivered and was accused of placing unlawful wagers on words that would be spoken.

Fact-Checking Senate Races in Georgia, Alaska and Texas

Candidates’ attacks are focused on illegal immigration, faith and stock trading.

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.

Influencers Have a Lot to Say About Politics. Many Are Quietly Paid for It.

Their videos have proliferated on social media, but the payments are frequently hidden from viewers.

Kevin Warsh Makes the Case for Rate Hikes

In his Jackson Hole speech, the Fed chair did everything but say it out loud.

Claire's Weekly Letter: Punished for Truth-Seeking

Carney Has Canadians’ Support on Trump. Now Comes the Hard Part.

The U.S.-Canada trade war has galvanized Canadians behind their prime minister’s decision to walk away from negotiations. What happens when the time comes for talks to restart?

The Fed Confronts a Powerful New Economic Force

Officials at the country's top financial institution regularly debate the effect of artificial intelligence on the U.S. economy.

Can Fixing Potholes Rebuild Trust in the Government?

In cities where everything seems to take forever to build, literally covering over these sites of everyday urban friction has become a powerfully visible form of political currency.

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.

Gov. Abbott blocks funding in Texas for Flock cameras as bipartisan fury brews

The automated license plate readers aren’t popular with the public. Politicians are catching on.

Do Republicans Need More Trump?

Republicans need to give their voters a rationale for voting the straight ticket.

Is the USA Going Bankrupt?

Women’s Sport or ‘Transformational’ Activism: It Can’t Be Both

A U.S.-based Australian Rules Football league allows trans-identified men to play on women’s teams. When one turned out to be a convicted sex criminal, no one wanted to talk about it.

Dem House hopeful’s delayed disclosure reveals mystery payments from Soros-linked groups

Rebecca Cooke's financial disclosure reveals she was compensated by two organizations with direct ties to George Soros' Open Society Foundation.

Viral Dearborn pastor delivers blunt warning on El-Sayed Senate bid: ‘Can you imagine?’

Pastor Lorenzo Sewell warns that Abdul El-Sayed could recommend federal judges aligned with Sharia law if elected to the Michigan Senate seat.

A Grievous Gap in One State’s Higher Ed

In today’s Martin Center article, Christopher Schilling explains that, though North Carolina “requires Holocaust education for public school students,” there is no such requirement for…

Drink More Ovaltine

The jokes we told in a Venezuelan prison.

Life Inside Iran Is Becoming Intolerable

Given the economic pressures on the regime, something has to give.

Trump Says U.S. Struck Deal for Control of More Than 65 Billion Barrels of Venezuela’s Oil

The president said an agreement between the countries covered more than 65 billion barrels of reserves. A U.S. official said it would involve a partnership with a private company.

Pop star-turned-Dem candidate’s defense of graphic murder video resurfaces in key House race

Bobby Pulido defended Gerardo Ortiz's graphic music video depicting sexual violence, adding to controversies as he challenges Monica De La Cruz.

El-Sayed apologizes for March comments about Michigan synagogue attack

The Democratic Senate candidate said he regretted comments in which he linked the synagogue attack to a broader cycle of violence. "You don’t ever want to trample somebody’s pain," he said.

This Appalachian memoir author is running as a Democratic contrast to JD Vance

Beth Macy is challenging Rep. Ben Cline in a bright-red Virginia district, hoping her own story and the stories she told about the region will win back rural and working-class White voters.

SpaceX Plans to Launch a NASA Space Telescope This Weekend

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…

AI and the Bioweapon Threat

The knowledge and infrastructure needed to engineer a pandemic pathogen, once confined to a handful of elite military and civilian research institutions, are quietly becoming more accessible.

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.

Mamdani's Universal Child Care Extension Turns Into 'an Absolute Disaster'

Finally, ICE Catches and Detains the Worst of the Worst

With one swift act, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement makes the country a better place.

The Autism Epidemic That Wasn’t

The Trump administration’s scientific illiteracy about rates of autism is going to have catastrophic results.

Nature: Scientists Should Have to Register with Governments to Prevent ‘Misinformation’

A scandalously anti-science editorial from the world’s leading science journal.

I Don’t Like Flock Cameras, but I Don’t Think They’re Unconstitutional

The courts are not going to save us. We’ll have to do this work politically.

Seneca Nation leader calls Trump's Lake America renaming 'unpresidential,' demands reversal

Seneca Nation's leader calls Trump's Lake Ontario to Lake America renaming "unpresidential," saying it violates the 1794 Canandaigua treaty.

The Catholic Revival and Free Student Admission to the Anti-Communist Film Festival

L’Affaire Shirer Revisited

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

Pennsylvania commissioner accuses Shapiro of 'deceptive' measles death framing as RFK Jr blasts Dem governor

Lancaster County Commissioner Joshua Parsons accused Gov. Josh Shapiro of deception over measles-related deaths, saying the coroner has no record of them.

An Unsatisfactory Settlement

What rules should govern our online digital lives? What rights do we have as digital citizens? The Meta settlement raises more questions than it answers.

The Most Ridiculous Presidential Ranking

Trump recycled a ranking reflecting midcentury liberal preferences just so he could call himself the ‘greatest.’

In Georgia, Jon Ossoff Courts Broad Appeal With an Anti-Trump Script for Senate Race

Senator Jon Ossoff, the youngest sitting senator and the only Democrat seeking re-election this year in a state President Trump won in 2024, hasn’t moderated his message in his critical race.

Stories You Don’t Want to Be Told

A new exhibition curated by Lars von Trier provides a fascinating look at who and what has influenced one of the world’s most prodigiously gifted and provocative filmmakers.

Legal Fight Over Trans Women in Women's Prisons Continues

How states’ fight over an ICE agent could open a new political battleground

Minnesota wants Texas to turn over an officer charged with shooting an immigrant. Such extraditions are usually routine, but in this case politics loom large.

Trump confirms Pentagon plans for 25th anniversary of 9/11 attacks, disputes report on Ground Zero absence

President Donald Trump said he will be at the Pentagon. A White House official said Vice President JD Vance will travel to New York for the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

Trump touts access to 65 billion barrels of Venezuelan oil in deal he says will slash gas prices

The Trump administration is touting the oil deal with Venezuela as a way to lower gasoline prices, which have been elevated since the Iran war broke out.

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.

Why Putin Still Thinks He Can Win

Measles’ role in child’s death ignites fight between RFK Jr. and Pennsylvania governor

A county coroner said that the pathologist who examined a newborn who tested positive for measles did not believe the virus played a role in the baby’s death.

Trump Fixin' to Double Proven US Oil Reserves in a Move As Smooth As the Orinoco Flows

Why Trump Really Wants To Rename Lake Ontario

An executive order to rename Lake Ontario is a bandage on a wounded ego, not the power move Trump seems to think it is.

CNN Political Briefing

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

How I spent my summer: At the Reflecting Pool

Our reporter reflects on her months at the memorial, as it turned blue, then green, then peeling, amid the dead ducks and gawkers and National Guard.

Red Reign

A thrash-metal classic turns forty.

Judge issues new block on Trump’s sweeping restrictions on mail-in voting

The legal fight over the controversial measure is expected to continue.

Milo Yiannopoulos, Right-Wing Agitator, Deported Home to U.K.

Mr. Yiannopoulos, an early supporter of President Trump and vocal supporter of mass deportations, was himself sent back to his home country, part of a long fall from right-wing grace.

El-Sayed Apologizes for March Comment About Michigan Synagogue Attack

Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic Senate nominee in Michigan, faced criticism from Jewish Democrats after remarking, “hurt people hurt people.”

From 'All In' to Tap the Brakes: Josh Shapiro Redefines Pennsylvania's Tech Boom

Dems face uphill battle in challenge to Georgia congressional map under new SCOTUS rules

Biden branded Georgia's election law "Jim Crow," and now the state's redistricting maps face a tougher legal test after the Supreme Court's Callais ruling.

Mississippi mayor argues against lowering flag for Dolly Parton after her death

Olive Branch, Mississippi, Mayor Ken Adams argued against lowering the flag to half-staff for Dolly Parton, saying the honor should be reserved.

Rogers' Plan To Defeat El-Sayed

Mr. El-Sayed has called Mr. Rogers a "coward." At the convention after our interview, Mr. Rogers calls the Democrat "con man Abdul."

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…

Abdul El-Sayed peppered with questions on Hasan Piker link, fracture with Jewish Dems at Michigan convention

Abdul El-Sayed dodged four reporter questions about Hasan Piker at Michigan's Democratic convention, dismissing the streamer as irrelevant to his race.

Prominent Texas Republican predicts GOP losses over data centers

One prominent Texas Republican predicts disaster at the polls if his party doesn't take a harder stand against data centers.

Antifa Networks Panic After Sanctions on Their Servers

This move by the U.S. State and Treasury Departments is the first sign they understand how to address the unique challenge of far-left terrorism.

What happened under Trump this week

Here’s what happened under President Donald Trump and his administration this week that you may have missed.

Lake America? Spare Us

Another pointless foot-stamping gesture from a president incompetently locked into several simultaneous tire fires of his own making.

The Axe Files with David Axelrod

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

Ditching Net Zero

Trump Announces Vast U.S. Stake in Venezuelan Oil Industry

A U.S. official told CBS News that interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez granted a private joint venture a 100-year concession to operate in oil fields that make up 65 billion barrels of petroleum.

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.

Judge rejects Trump’s latest bid to challenge hush money conviction

The court rejected Trump’s third attempt to move the case to federal court, where the president believes he would benefit from broader protection from prosecution.

Can Progressive Christians Reclaim God? Unlikely

Until the Democratic Party moderates, the effort is unlikely to succeed.

Pardon Attorney Ed Martin Reflects on 'Year of Mercy'

Ed Martin is finishing up as pardon attorney next week. Under his guidance, President Trump has pardoned hundreds of victims of the Biden administration's weaponization of the justice system against Trump and anyone who supported him.

How Trump’s Deportation Agenda Spreads Overseas

Our White House correspondent Zolan Kanno-Youngs explains how so-called third-country deportations are sending immigrants to countries across the globe.

High Debt and Rising Prices Catch Up to Trump, as Midterms Near

To win in 2024, the president promised an economic course correction. Almost two years later, his agenda has made that fight even harder.

The Blues Brothers and the Pope

They don’t make a dime, wreck their car, and end up in jail.

Andy Burnham Meets the Standard of Misconstrual

This was an entirely fake controversy, and Burnham’s reputation has been unjustly tarred.

Judge Rules Trump Unlawfully Targeted Stanford Students Who Criticized Israel

The ruling was a win for Stanford’s student newspaper, The Stanford Daily, and it followed another court victory for students targeted by the Trump administration last year.

One question about the Constitution puts liberals’ appetite for sweeping change to the test

March on Washington activists called to abolish the Senate and rewrite the Constitution while pushing Zohran Mamdani-style socialist policies.

A Death on Another's Head

We should worry about the perverse incentives created by elevating a self-killer and punishing his enemies.

Shapiro's Shame: The COVID Playbook, Lancaster Edition