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

Ex-federal prosecutor fired by Trump will run for Congress in Virginia

J.P. Cooney served as a top deputy to special counsel Jack Smith in two criminal prosecutions of Trump.

Hotel California: Sam Darnold Can Check Out Any Time He Likes, But His Money Can Never Leave

Rep. Tony Gonzales to Newsmax: Dems Holding US Hostage in DHS Funding Fight

Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, told Newsmax that Democrats are "trying to hold America hostage" as Congress fights over Department of Homeland Security funding, arguing Republicans won't budge while funding for critical security agencies hangs in th…

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.

Sen. Tillis Accuses Trump Admin of 'Political Lawfare'

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., on Wednesday accused the Trump administration of politicizing an attempt to charge Democrat party figures with crimes connected to a video they posted telling military service members they should disobey orders.

Epstein Files Feeding Frenzy Is No Moral Panic, Expert Declares

Your academic credentials don’t help you when your argument is absurd.

Progressive Win in NJ Hinged on Anti-ICE Organizing

Analilia Mejia won a close congressional primary race by preparing constituents for encounters with ICE. She warned that the agency's surveillance technology needs more attention.

No Bodies, No Accountability

A new book catalogues the damage to Canadian society caused by a 2021 social panic over non-existent ‘unmarked graves.’

House Raises Red Flags Over Tech Mogul's 'CCP Network'

A House committee exposed how foreign adversaries allegedly fund U.S. protest groups through extensive

House Is Set to Vote on Canceling Trump’s Canada Tariffs

Republican leaders have blocked challenges to President Trump’s trade war for a year, but dissent in their own ranks will force a vote.

Podcast #323: British Columbia’s Radical Political Landscape

Politician Dallas Brodie explains why her province continues to promote dubious social-justice policies and myths—including the false claim that 215 dead Indigenous children were discovered four years ago in ‘unmarked graves.’

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.

How Jeff Bezos Broke The Washington Post

The paper of record for the nation’s capital cut a third of its staff this week. It didn’t have to be like this.

Trump Is Doubling Down on All the Wrong Things

Republicans are worried about the midterm elections, but the president doesn’t seem to be.

Finland — Cold Weather Shock

Boasts about installed capacity for wind power can be misleading. Capacity is one thing, production is another.

Vance visits Armenia, Azerbaijan as Trump eyes deals in Russia’s sphere

The vice president’s historic trip illustrates Trump’s transactional diplomacy and willingness to use economic muscle to elbow out rivals such as Russia and Iran.

Lawyer for Dem Legislator Warns Pirro After Grand Jury Rejects Indictment

A lawyer for Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., warned U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro in a letter on Wednesday that her office could face legal consequences if it continues to pursue criminal charges over a video in which Crow and other Democrat lawmakers...

FBI cited debunked claims to obtain warrant for Fulton County vote records, documents show

The FBI told a federal judge that it is investigating whether any “deficiencies” in Georgia officials’ handling of the 2020 presidential election were intentional.

Pam Bondi lashes out as lawmakers press her on Epstein, cases against Trump foes

The attorney general lobbed insults when lawmakers questioned her decisions and portrayed the Justice Department as unfairly maligned by Democrats and Trump critics.

Israel joins Board of Peace ahead of Netanyahu-Trump meeting

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed on to join the Board of Peace before meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House.

Netanyahu Urges Broader Iran Nuclear Talks

As President Donald Trump says he believes Iran wants to make a deal on its nuclear program, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived at the White House on Wednesday with his own urgent message: Expand the talks.

Epstein Mania on the Digital Borderlands

The longevity of the Epstein story owes less to new facts of criminal conduct than to its symbolic utility in alleging deviancy.

The Media Botch the Gerrymandering Story

‘I’m not outraged about the Democrats doing this or about the Republicans doing this because this is what politicians do.’

Portland Lawsuit Alleges Tear Gas Use by ICE Is a Health Threat

A novel lawsuit in Portland argues the chemicals are a health threat that have soaked into apartment walls, furniture and even children’s toys.

US military shot down party balloon near El Paso after drone suspicion, official says

A U.S. official says the military shot down a party balloon near El Paso, Texas, after initially suspecting it was a foreign drone, prompting a temporary airspace closure.

'Gun PERSON' Rampages Thru Canadian School - 10 Dead, 25+ Wounded UPDATE She/Her's a Guy

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.

Politics of the Day

Politics of the Day

Should Community Colleges Offer Four-Year Degrees?

Jonathan Butcher is not against competition for students but wants community colleges to get back to basics first.

Army Signs $5.2M Deal for New Counter-Drone System

American troops facing the growing threat of drone swarms on future battlefields will soon have a new defensive weapon: a small, low-cost interceptor drone designed to crash directly into enemy aircraft, Stars and Stripes reported.The Army signed …

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.

The Democratic Party Will Be a Radical Party

Progressives have been winning more intra-Democratic fights than they’ve lost of late.

Ruthie Blum to Newsmax: Netanyahu Needs Trump Assurances on Iran Deal

Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking assurances from President Donald Trump that any potential agreement with Iran will not limit Israel's ability to act militarily if it believes it must strike on its own, former Netanyahu …

Bondi hearing devolves into chaos of shouts as AG accuses top Democrats of 'theatrics'

Attorney General Pam Bondi's confirmation hearing erupted as Democrats made demands and engaged in shouting matches over the Epstein files.

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…

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.

Strange Delight

Radley Metzger’s 1975 hardcore adaptation of a celebrated literary hoax is a vast improvement on the cynical source material.

The Canadian Paediatric Society Is Trapped in a Pre-Cass Time Warp

While other jurisdictions adopt balanced, evidence-based protocols for treating gender dysphoria, the CPS has doubled down on an obsolete policy instructing doctors to reflexively ‘affirm’ trans-identified youth.

US January Budget Falls 26% to $95B on Revenue Gains

The U.S. government posted a $95 billion budget deficit in January, down $34 billion or 26% from a year earlier as revenue gains including customs duties outpaced growth in outlays, the Treasury Department said Wednesday.

NATO Is Expected to Step Up Arctic Security. Here’s Why.

As Russia displays its military might in the Arctic region, the Western alliance is beginning a mission to increase its presence there.

NBC Poll Shows Dissent With ICE Operations

A new NBC News Decision Desk poll conducted online via SurveyMonkey claims public opinion on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) leans toward changing operations rather than maintaining the agency in its current form.

Homeland Security Hires Labor Dept. Aide Whose Posts Raised Alarms

A young aide behind social posts that echoed white supremacist messaging will help run social media for the much larger Homeland Security Department.

Circling Sharks: Inside the Athlete-Finance Industry

A look inside the athlete-finance industry, which resembles predatory lending-and worse

U.S. Brings Dozens of Foreign Military Chiefs to Washington

The rare gathering focused on the Western Hemisphere underscored potential implications of the Trump administration’s “Donroe Doctrine.”

Heir Jordan

Aaron Magid has written a timely biography of a consequential monarch.

Conservative Women Find a New Way to Talk About ICE

When can an influencer opt out of the news cycle?

Schumer, Dems choose partial shutdown as negotiations hit impasse

Political standoff intensifies as Senate Democrats refuse compromise on immigration funding measures, while Senate Republicans scramble to avoid a partial shutdown on Friday.

Virginia Democrats quickly approve proposed redistricting map

Democrats in the Virginia General Assembly approved proposed congressional maps that favor their party, setting the stage to send sending the matter to Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D).

Self-Defeating “Sustainability”

The sustainable agriculture movement’s ideological opposition to biotechnology undermines genuine environmental progress and food security.

ICE After Minneapolis

Trump’s team wants a reset on its mass-deportation goals, not a retreat.

Democrats seek to counter Trump, boost 2028 profiles on European tour

Gavin Newsom, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ruben Gallego and Gretchen Whitmer hope to reassure anxious European allies at the Munich Security Conference.

Former lingerie mogul faces lawmaker questioning after FBI internal memo calls him Epstein co-conspirator

Bipartisan lawmakers will question Les Wexner Feb. 18 for Jeffrey Epstein connections after Department of Justice files allegedly revealed authorities considered him an accessory to his crimes.

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.

D.C. grand jury declines to indict six Democratic lawmakers

Federal prosecutors launched an investigation into the lawmakers after they released a short video advising current military members to reject “illegal orders.”

What Popular Music Gave Up Doing

Perhaps we reached an endpoint where it wasn’t really possible to turn the dial past eleven.

The Democrats Are Not Built For This

Ken Martin has one of those resting dread faces, as if he's bracing for someone to dump a bucket of rocks on his head. His nervous eyes make him look chronically unsettled-which is probably appropriate for someone trying to run the Democratic Nati…

Affordability Is More Than Just Prices

Affordability is a lot more than just prices. Beyond lowering prices, an affordability agenda needs to reckon with how the economy feels.

Fired Former Trump Prosecutor to Run for Congress in Virginia as a Democrat

J.P. Cooney, a former top deputy to the special counsel Jack Smith, who led two prosecutions of President Trump, plans to seek election to a newly drawn district in Northern and Central Virginia.

Democratic governors threaten to boycott Trump dinner over exclusions

The president left some governors, including Maryland’s Wes Moore, off the guest list for an event that has traditionally been bipartisan.

One Month Since President Trump’s ‘Help Is on Its Way’ Message to the Iranian Protesters

Thirty days ago, President Trump assured Iranian protesters, ‘Help is on its way!’

American Liberalism and Illiberalism

Americans who may have ferocious disagreements about the size of government, foreign policy, and a wide range of other issues must find a way to unite around their shared commitment to the liberal idea.

The Democrats Aren’t Built for This

They say they want to save democracy. First they’ll need to get out of their own way.

White House Portrait Gives Biden the Legacy He Deserves

Sandwiched between Trump portraits, he is described as Sleepy Joe Biden... by far, the worst President in American History on two newly placed bronze plaques under his autopen por...

Down in the West Texas Town of El Paso . . .

Rather stunning news out of southwestern Texas this morning.

The Axe Files with David Axelrod

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

Trump Religious Liberty Commission boots member after contentious antisemitism hearing

President Donald Trump's Religious Liberty Commission removed Catholic activist after controversial antisemitism hearing.

This TikTok Reveals the Instinct We Tell Women To Ignore

If you're on the fence about having kids, I think you should have them - and have a lot.

Why This Shutdown Is Different

Now come negotiations over the administration’s immigration crackdown.

Sympathy for the Devil, and None for You

Kemp Already Proved Schumer Wrong on Voter ID

Democrats are again calling voter identification requirements the equivalent of Jim Crow, but the elections in Georgia show this is false

Yes, Science Has a Political Bias Problem

But there's a way to fix it.

YGTBFKM: LA County Just Started Rent Relief Fund for Wildfire Victims and...People Avoiding ICE

Vandals Send a Message to Washington Democrat

Hardline conservatives double down to save the SAVE Act

The SAVE America Act would mandate identification for voting, in-person citizenship proof for registration and removal of non-citizens from voter rolls.

Lawmakers Question Bondi Over Justice Dept. Under Her Watch

Her appearance comes as the department is under scrutiny over its handling of the Epstein files, its approach toward the shootings in Minneapolis and its move to prosecute six Democratic lawmakers.

The Thornhill and Palmer Affair: When Evolutionary Biology Challenged Rape Orthodoxy

For their research showing that rape is generally motivated by sexual desire, Randy Thornhill and Craig Palmer were subjected to death threats and hounded in their personal and professional lives. And yet, they were right.

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…

Sen. Mitch McConnell Discharged From Hospital

Sen. Mitch McConnell was discharged from the hospital on Tuesday after spending more than a week under observation for what his office described as "flu-like symptoms," People reported on Wednesday.

Hamas Floating 'Jewish Space Laser' Theory

In rebuke, House opens door to challenging Trump’s tariffs

Three Republicans joined Democrats in rejecting an attempt to block votes that would end the national emergency underpinning the president’s tariffs.

Iran’s Missile Program Tops Israel’s Concerns as Netanyahu Meets Trump

President Trump is focused on Iran’s nuclear program, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sees a more immediate threat from Tehran’s rapid rebuilding of its ability to launch missiles at Israel.

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor: Friday 30 January — February 6, 2026

The Israeli Lesson Democrats Ignore at Their Peril

What happens to democracy when a major political party loses its way and loses its connection with the electorate?

‘Not American Enough’

Trump’s immigration crackdown has Latinos wondering if they belong in his America.

Carrie Prejean’s Newfound Grift

Good riddance to the now-former member of Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission.

Gallup Ends Presidential Approval Polling

Gallup said Wednesday it will stop tracking and publishing presidential job approval and political figure favorability ratings this year, ending a public opinion yardstick it helped define for nearly nine decades.

Federal Debt to Hit Record Levels, Budget Office Warns

President Trump has reshaped the country’s economic policies, but the outlook for the budget remains dire.

CNN Political Briefing

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

Why Democrats' Sanctuary City Economies Are Crashing

Democratic leaders say their sanctuary city economies are crashing because Trump is requiring them to comply with civil rights laws.

The Return of Capital Questions: Q&A Today

We hope you’ll join us for this timely discussion.

Idaho families sue over federal immigration enforcement at horse racing track

A lawsuit has been brought on behalf of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents who were detained by authorities during an episode in Idaho last year.

5 takeaways from the Republican-led hearing on ICE

At least some in the GOP want ICE to tone it down.

Trump to host ‘Clean Beautiful Coal’ event, calls it America’s most reliable energy

President Donald Trump is hosting an event at the White House Wednesday to tout how “Clean Beautiful Coal" is America’s most reliable and affordable energy source.

BREAKING: US Closes Airspace Over El Paso – For Ten Days; UPDATE: FAA Pulls an Emily Litella?

Rebound: US Adds 130,000 Jobs in January

Murder Most Foul

William J. Mann’s new book about the notorious Black Dahlia case is a valuable corrective to the cottage industry of speculative theories that proliferated after her murder in 1947.

How Not to Develop a Country

The idea that we should redistribute wealth by fiat from prosperous to low-income and stagnating countries remains popular even though it is profoundly misguided. 

Bondi confirms DOJ has received criminal referral alleging Brennan perjury over Steele dossier

Former CIA Director John Brennan faces DOJ investigation after Attorney General Pam Bondi confirms criminal referral over alleged false testimony about Russia interference assessment.

What Mamdani Doesn’t Know About Tenants

Fixing New York’s affordable housing isn’t as simple as going after bad landlords.

‘Trust Has Been Breached’

The broken relationship between Minnesota and the federal government

In North Carolina, a Tight Primary Could Upend the Balance of Conservative Power

Phil Berger has led the State Senate for years with an iron grip. But in a March election, he faces a popular, horse-riding sheriff who could topple his reign.

National Guard troops were quietly withdrawn from some U.S. cities

The deployments encountered repeated legal setbacks that stymied President Donald Trump’s desire for a show of force in Los Angeles, Chicago and Portland, Oregon.

No, the Singularity Isn't Here. But We Must Govern AI

Moltbook, a social media site for AI agents, is nothing new. Still, the marriage of big tech and politics demands we take a stand

‘The Trust Has Been Absolutely Destroyed’

Some state election officials say they no longer trust their federal partners.

Trump to Keynote NRCC President's Dinner March 25

President Donald Trump will be the keynote speaker March 25 at the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) President's Dinner, an event that helped raise a record $35.2 million last year.

Trump Meets Netanyahu in Washington Amid Tensions With Iran

It is the sixth visit by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel to the United States to meet with President Trump since the president began his second term.

Ray Mouton Dies at 78; Lawyer Warned of Pedophilia in the Catholic Church

After defending one of the first priests charged with child sex abuse, he coauthored a 1985 report warning that the problem was endemic and ignoring it could be catastrophic.

The Murder of The Washington Post

Today’s layoffs are the latest attempt to kill what makes the paper special.

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 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.

Western Hemisphere defense chiefs convene after border drone scare prompts airspace closure

Top U.S. military leaders hosted over 30 nations in Washington to strengthen Western Hemisphere security cooperation and address growing regional threats.

The Second Death of Charlie Kirk

The activist’s assassination unleashed anti-Semitism that is pulling the Trump coalition apart.

CNN/TMZ: There Is 'Activity' in the Ransom Account (Update: Released)

The Unnecessary Baggage of Trump’s Epstein-Tainted Associates

It’s not at all clear why Bannon and Lutnick, two replaceable components in the MAGA machine, are worth the effort.

Shock: WaPo Praises EPA for Repealing Greenhouse Gas 'Endangerment' Finding

CBO Forecasts Higher Deficits Under Trump

The U.S. budget deficit will grow slightly in fiscal 2026 to $1.853 trillion, the Congressional Budget Office forecast on Wednesday, showing that on balance, President Donald Trump's economic policies might be worsening the country's fiscal pictur…

Today's Deep Question: Why Is Violent Crime Plummeting in the US?

Nadler mocked after appearing to doze off during Bondi hearing opening statements

Rep. Jerry Nadler appeared to sleep during House Judiciary hearing with Attorney General Pam Bondi, prompting Republican criticism and social media mockery.

The Shocking Truth About the Economy

It’s in pretty good shape, even if it gets poor ratings.

Tuesday’s Final Word