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

Piker: America Is Worse Than Al-Qaeda. M-SNOW: Please Shut Up.

The Pollwatcher: Inside The Washington Post-Schar School poll on Michigan

Plus: AI layoff fears and measles vaccine trust.

The Current German Grimms

What to know about the Kennedy Center closing under Trump

His allies have warned that it could be permanent if his name is not added to the iconic arts venue.

Fox News Poll: Majority says immigration enforcement has crossed the line

A Fox News poll finds Trump's immigration approval at 43%, and 53% of voters say ICE enforcement has gone too far, nearly erasing the GOP's edge.

Banning Diesel Exports Would Backfire on Americans

Suppressing a product’s price won’t end well if the cost of its essential input stays elevated.

The Ape in the Basement

Why is masturbation so shameful?

Leftist Prosecutors Have a Crime Problem All Their Own

Philadelphia D.A. Larry Krasner's scandal is just the latest in a long line.

Virginia Attorney General: D.H.S. Likely Broke State Law in Voter Fraud Investigation

The department has pulled hundreds of agents from their regular duties to find noncitizens on the voter rolls, despite decades of evidence that widespread voter fraud is exceptionally rare in the United States.

Newts Get a Veto. Piddington’s Women Don’t.

Does Artificial Intelligence Dream of Electric Sheep?

Before Congress and philosophers decide how an AI system ought to live and die, we might want a clearer account of what sort of thing we believe AI is.

A Bright September Day

Reflections on a morning that changed the world as we knew it.

CNN Political Briefing

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

Fox News Poll: 71% think Trump administration lacks plan to end Iran war

A Fox News poll finds 70% of voters say Trump lacks a clear strategy for the Iran war, while 60% now call the military action the wrong decision.

More Bad Polling for Tech

The AI panic is just one skiff sailing atop a roiling sea of discontent.

We’re Not as Dumb as You Think

Trump should find himself a few advisers who don’t hold their fellow Americans in contempt.

Chairman Warsh Is Off to a Great Start

Kevin Warsh deserves credit for shoring up the independence of the Federal Reserve from politics.

Hitchens on Scruton

We do seem to radically discount how disruptive television was to cultural transmission and the education of elites.

The Mountain Will Labor: Paramount Reportedly to Leave Hollywood

Remembering the Noble Life of Dovie Eisner

Dovie was a New Yorker whose last public writing act was to speak out against assisted suicide in a very personal practical way.  

Good Economic News and the Midterm Elections

For the president, the point is to argue that the economy is moving in the right direction, and that the Trump administration is working to fix the other issues.

The Importance of State of Louisiana v. FDA

It represents the best opportunity for pro-lifers to place legal limits on telehealth abortions.

Israel's Most Consequential Election

Israelis go to the polls on 27 October. After seventeen years of Netanyahu, former IDF chief Gadi Eisenkot is in the lead.

Jon Kyl, Senator Known for His Skills Behind the Scenes, Dies at 84

The Arizona politician rose to the second-highest position in the Republican-held Senate caucus thanks to his policy smarts and deft political sensibilities.

Can We Start Impeaching Judges Now?

Burnham: Meet the New Boss, Same As the Old Boss

As warnings mount, Democrats eyeing the presidency wake up to AI fears

Their plans are heavier on rhetoric than specifics so far. But it’s a shift for many in the party who have been slow to address the fast-changing technology.

Our Great American Heritage Belongs to All Americans

Objections by ‘heritage Americans’ seem designed to prove my point.

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.

Iran: We Got a Mighty Convoy, Stuck Here Overnight

Blanche’s Political Campaigning Breaks an Ethical Norm Going Back to Watergate

The attorney general’s campaign politicking for Republicans adds to the degradation of post-Watergate values at the Justice Department.

Italian Doctors Under Threat of Criminal Prosecution for Refusing Participation in Assisted Suicide

Forcing anyone to be complicit in the taking of innocent human life (not involving a legal military order) is profoundly authoritarian.

The Axe Files with David Axelrod

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

Democrats demand to know where Venezuelan oil revenue is going

The Trump administration seized control of Venezuelan oil after capturing President Nicolás Maduro in January.

Why Karl Rove, a father of the modern Texas GOP, is voting for a Democrat

How Texas Republicans abandoned their immigrant-welcoming tradition.

The Real End of the Arab–Israeli Conflict?

The strategic case for Syria–Israel normalisation.

Our Foreign Aid System Is Broken. Thanks to Trump, We Have a Chance to Rebuild It

During my three-decade career as a diplomat and international-development manager, I saw the sector become more wasteful, frivolous, and ideologically self-serving.

RFK Jr. Assures Vaccine Skeptics They Have a ‘Friend at the White House’

The health secretary spoke at a conference featuring misinformation about vaccines, including a claim that the success of the polio vaccines was a “fraud.”

Can These 4 Working-Class Populists Win?

We're keeping an eye on their races to find out. Here's where things stand.

Former Institute of Peace Workers Warn Trump May Push to Engrave Name on Building

As part of a lawsuit, the workers have asked a federal court to stop any plans to engrave the building with President Trump’s name.

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.

Plan To Stop Rigged Census Might Work This Time

The Trump administration just proposed the rule change that could finally deliver on 'one man, one vote.'

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.

Radical El-Sayed ally doubles down on anti-American rhetoric with stunning terrorist comparison

Hasan Piker told Axios that America is worse than al-Qaeda "pound for pound," deepening scrutiny of his ties to Abdul El-Sayed's Michigan Senate race.

Star Wars, Episode I?

Reportedly, the United States has orbital weapons capable of both ‘offensive and defensive’ action.

Starbucks resolves Florida DEI lawsuit with blockbuster agreement

The Starbucks settlement requires four years of annual compliance certifications and applies to all company operations, not just Florida stores.

Talarico hit with ‘blatant corruption’ allegation over hefty salary from consulting firm, campaign pushes back

James Talarico drew a hefty salary from MAYA Consulting while overseeing the Texas Education Agency that awarded the firm millions in contracts.

The Price of Affirmative Action in Canadian Academia

Podcast host Jonathan Kay speaks with Eric Kaufmann about his new report, ‘⁠The Equity-Excellence Trade-Off: A Study of EDI in the Canada Research Chairs Program⁠’

Toxic Fracking Waste Becoming a Political Issue in Ohio

The Democratic candidate for governor backed restrictions on disposal of fracking wastewater around a hard-hit town, and called for a “thorough investigation” of the dangers.

Antizionist City

A community that embraces a set of shared beliefs is not necessarily a bad thing, but the value of solidarity depends entirely on the merits of the cause in question.

Bad Criticism

Name-calling, guilt-by-association, and other unscrupulous methods of argument are polluting our discourse.

Russia and China Veto U.S. Bid to Renew U.N. Monitoring of Iran Nuclear Program

The conflict underscored the distance between world powers over the United States’ pressure campaign on Iran.

The Retro Fashion of the Wealth Tax

Every few decades, the ideas with the worst track records come back into style.

Dems May Regret Their Primary Choices in 5 Senate Races

GOP's closing pitch: just vote for the normal people. Five Senate races pit mainstream Republicans against Abdul El-Sayed and other radical Democrats.

The Public Charge Rule: How Trump’s Green Card Policy Could Affect Immigrant Families

The policy, set to take effect Friday, would give immigration officers broader authority to deny permanent residency to people using public benefits.

Why Manchin's Endorsement of Sen. Collins Is Infuriating

Does the former West Virginia senator really believe his old colleague will transform from credulous to courageous?

Trump Air Force One Photos Fuel Kennedy Center Demolition Speculation

Images captured through the windows of Air Force One showed President Trump reviewing a poster with the title “Kennedy Center DEMOLISHED.”

Mike Huckabee calls out Macklemore on antisemitism: 'Voice' of 'Jew hatred'

Mike Huckabee backs NFL owners pushing to cancel Macklemore concerts, calling the rapper's stance pro-Hamas and a clear voice of Jew hatred.

Still Here? AI Hoax Similar to Climate Change

Fortunately for America, some important people, including the single most important person, understand AI. I mean, of course, Donald Trump

'Associations': Major Michigan Newspaper Makes Stunning Endorsement

General Education Requirements Have Become a Joke

As long as the tuition keeps flowing in, who cares whether students learn much or little?

Harris Is Sticking to Her Own Timeline on 2028 Decision

Kamala Harris knows other potential 2028 Democratic candidates are waiting on her decision about running for president again. She's going to keep them waiting.

House GOP lawmaker under fire by fellow Republicans after ad bashing Trump on immigration

Rep. María Elvira Salazar's ad told President Donald Trump his immigration enforcement has gone too far, drawing sharp rebukes from the Freedom Caucus.

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…

WATCH: Gaffe-prone Seattle socialist mayor cuts off police chief in yet another awkward interview

Seattle Assistant Police Chief Nicole Powell's uncomfortable reaction when asked about Flock cameras alongside Mayor Katie Wilson went viral online.

Alex Saab, the $195 Million Man

‘This Country Is But One Scene of Massacre’

In the 31st instalment of ‘Nations of Canada,’ Greg Koabel describes the violent provocations that tipped the St. Lawrence region into all out war in the late 1640s.

RFK Jr. says Americans worried about vaccines have a ‘friend at the White House’

Since being confirmed as health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has made clear he wants to overhaul the nation’s immunization system.

Trump PAC Forced To Spend Deep in MAGA Country

Trumpworld is spending tens of millions to defend House districts he carried by sizable margins in 2024. Not a good sign for him.

Unearthed clip exposes what 'DEI Queen' in razor-thin House race thought of 'Back the Blue' law

Christina Bohannan called Iowa's Back the Blue law an "overreaction" to the George Floyd riots, fueling fresh Republican soft-on-crime attacks.

Politics of the Day

Politics of the Day

Trump's EPA reforms are a huge boost to manufacturers, but there's more red tape to cut: expert

NAM CEO Jay Timmons says Trump EPA rollback of Biden-era power plant emissions standards is a game changer but warns more permitting reform is needed.

ActBlue in Le Deep Doody!

US economy notches remarkable new record, sparking cheers: ‘Good job everyone’

Census Bureau data shows poverty hit an all-time low of 10.2%, yet 85% of Americans say their financial situation is worsening or unchanged.

Claire's Weekly Letter: A Bright September Day

Hasan Piker’s Comments Create Headaches for Abdul El-Sayed

Under pressure, the Democratic Senate nominee in Michigan this week rejected Hasan Piker’s argument that the U.S. has caused more terror than Al Qaeda.

Trump Moves Ahead With F-35 Jet Sales to Saudi Arabia Despite Intelligence Concerns

U.S. intelligence agencies have warned in internal reports that China could acquire or steal U.S. warplane technology if F-35 jets are sent to Saudi Arabia.

'Gone too far:' GOP candidate runs to Trump’s left on signature issue in deep red district

María Elvira Salazar tells Trump his immigration enforcement has gone too far, warning that Hispanics who backed him in 2024 now feel betrayed.

Mike Pence says he has ‘no plans’ to run for president in 2028

Mike Pence says he has no plans to run for president in 2028.

Senator blocks bill meant to lower electricity prices linked to data centers

Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-New Mexico) halted passage of a proposal that had passed the House by an overwhelming margin.

We polled Michigan’s Senate race. There’s good and bad news for Democrats.

A Post-Schar School finds 53 percent of Michigan’s likely voters say they want Democrats to control the Senate, but 48 percent support Democrat Abdul El-Sayed in the Senate race.

Montana Ballot Measure Would Strike at Political ‘Dark Money’

A measure aimed at stemming the tide of corporate money in politics will be on the November ballot. Opponents say it violates a high court ruling.

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.

House Report Drops Screenshots of ActBlue's Internal Messages

NEW: A House Judiciary report just dropped screenshots of ActBlue's internal Slack messages.They show staff knowingly waved through foreign donations-using

AI Firms' Self-Serving Warnings

The coming AI apocalypse is the best reason to buy their stock.

Richard Landes on Jihad and the Apocalyptic Mind

A medievalist on apocalyptic movements, shame–honour cultures, and why he believes the Western press has spent twenty-five years reporting jihad backwards.

U.S. will let Iranian leaders attend U.N. General Assembly in New York

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is scheduled to address the annual gathering of world leaders on Wednesday.

A Right Way To Regulate AI--and a Very Wrong Way

Trump is a fool to say no regulation's needed. But don't let's leave the solution to Anthropic and OpenAI.

What's the Point Anymore? Archbishop of Canterbury Celebrates Islamic Extremist

Thursday's Final Word

Trump won by latching on to popular issues. He’s doing the opposite on AI.

It's been stunning to see this president so firmly position himself on the unpopular side of the debate around AI and data centers.

Democrats seize on House GOP’s decision to leave town early

The Republican-led chamber has no more workdays scheduled in Washington before the November midterms.