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

How the SPLC Drives Demonization of Its Conservative Foes

Banks, tech companies and others have reportedly used the SPLC hate map to debank, censor and otherwise blacklist conservatives.

California Dems Have Pulled Off Trifecta of Political Infamy

We weren't sure you could do it, but you came through.

Elon Musk Is Not Actually a Trillionaire in the Way Democrats Want You to Believe

How to Watch the U.F.C. 250 Freedom Fights at the White House

Seven bouts will take place in an arena created on the South Lawn for the Ultimate Fighting Championship event, which coincides with President Trump’s 80th birthday.

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…

Standing At the Crossroads: Sunday Reflection

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…

Gabbard says declassified biolab records validate concerns previously dismissed as misinformation

DNI Tulsi Gabbard releases declassified records showing U.S. funded over 120 biolabs in 30-plus countries, including more than 40 in Ukraine.

Elon Musk Is a Genius, and a Litmus Test

People's reactions to him are diagnostic.

Liberals Without Teeth

British liberals exclude reactionary cranks like Hasan Piker and Cenk Uygur because they don’t have the stomach for a fight.

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.

Trump backs MAGA champion Mike Collins in Georgia's Republican Senate runoff

Trump endorses Rep. Mike Collins in Georgia's Republican Senate runoff against Derek Dooley, who is backed by Gov. Kemp, ahead of Tuesday's key vote.

The Destructivists

When the appetite for moral reform becomes an appetite for destruction.

Party Poopers' Fight Card: Jane Fonda, 'No Kings,' communists roll out rival spectacle to Trump's 250th

Anti-Trump 'No Kings' coalition organizes nationwide watch parties and a Jane Fonda concert as counterprogramming to White House UFC Freedom 250 event.

The Data a Flemish TV Network Didn't Want You to See

How I read a confidential memo on live television—and what it reveals about ideological bias.

Why the Enlightenment Matters

Iona Italia talks to lawyer and historian Adam Wakeling about the enduring importance of Enlightenment values and how to defend them today.

We're Broke Because Billionaires Don't Pay Their Share

Most of America's billionaires pay little to no income or payroll taxes − even though these taxes pay for Social Security and Medicare.

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.

Trump at 80: A President ‘Really Uncomfortable’ With Aging

Even for a president known for imposing his own reality on every situation, Mr. Trump has not outrun scrutiny over his age.

Trump Administration Reignites Its Feud With Anthropic Over Latest A.I. Models

The administration’s surprise restrictions Friday cut off foreign access to Anthropic’s latest models and sparked another round of finger pointing.

Politics of the Day

Politics of the Day

Republican leaders embrace viral World Cup fans they say are discovering the 'real America'

German soccer fan FreddyLA7 goes viral documenting American road trip experiences from Waffle House to college football ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

President Trump Endorses Mike Collins in Georgia Senate Runoff

Mr. Trump backed Mr. Collins over Derek Dooley, a former football coach supported by Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican whose relationship with the president is strained.

Sunday Smiles

Yosemite Ranger’s Suit Over Trans Flag at El Capitan Is Dismissed

The ranger, who was fired after hanging the flag, sued the government on free speech grounds. On Friday, a judge dismissed the case, saying the court lacked the authority to rule.

Can the Normal Democratic Process Lead to Deficit Reduction?

When enough voters feel more pain from deficit increases than from deficit reduction, more politicians will try to stop the deficit from increasing.

Trump Goes to the NBA Finals -- Look Who Attacked Him

Monkeys Hoarding Bananas: The Economic Confusion on X is Not Abating.

Noah Rothman Is Wrong About Everything . . .

Talking to Noah about his sesquipedalianism, left-wing violence, using his book as a refutational reference, and if he’s Ben Shapiro’s older brother.

'New Man' Platner Can't Stop Lying

There is overwhelming evidence that Platner knew the meaning of his Nazi Totenkopf tattoo before last year.

President Trump Is Turning 80. So What?

Trump is 80 and still running circles around most politicians. The media's age fixation isn't journalism - it's discrimination dressed up as concern.

Will Trump’s Nomination of Clayton Obviate the Pulte Problem at ODNI?

Statutory foreign-intelligence-collection authority will lapse at midnight, but there’s the makings of a deal to get it reauthorized quickly.

Pathology and Politics

British author Josh Ireland’s new book about the murder of Leon Trotsky tells the gripping story of a rivalry between two very different men.

Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle Has No Sense of Decorum

What happened to ‘professional attire’?

Go Bold, Bruce Blakeman, to Win New York State

A Baseless Attack on Friedrich Hayek’s Intellectual Legacy

Author Quinn Slobodian has won acclaim for his attempt to link the famed Austrian economist to right-wing extremists. But his arguments collapse under scrutiny.

Mitch McConnell Is Hospitalized, His Spokesman Says

No details were given about the 84-year-old former majority leader’s condition, but he has had a string of health issues in recent years.

Graham Platner Is an Insult to the Working Class

Platner ‘is not what you’re intrinsically like if you’re working class. It’s not what you’re intrinsically like if you’re a veteran or if you saw action in combat.’

Selective Pressure, Selective Silence

David Reich and the politics of recent human evolution.

Claire's Weekly Letter: Antifragility in Ukraine

How Redistricting Pit Wasserman Schultz Against Black Democrats in Florida

Four candidates running in a historically Black district risk dividing the Black vote and losing to Ms. Wasserman Schultz, who is white.

Qintel Puts Pittsburgh on the Map for Cyber Intelligence

Self-Destructive Pillars of the Left Finally Begin To Fall

Increasingly, Americans, and indeed all Westerners, are saying no to green haranguers, gender and sex demagogues, the race-baiting industry, the open-borders conglomerate and ungrateful immigrants.

Of Course: Britain Detains Tommy Robinson Again

From Wasserman Schultz to Goldman, Democratic incumbents are fighting for survival

Democrats face anti-incumbent wave as progressives like Goldman, Espaillat, Wasserman Schultz, and Matsui fight primary challengers.

'The Office' star blasts political 'hypocrisy,' explains why sitcom couldn't be made today

Rainn Wilson says cancel culture means you couldn't make The Office today, calls out partisan hypocrisy on both sides for fueling divisions.

Trump Owns Shares in Company Hosting U.F.C. Bout as Part of His Vast Holdings

The Trump Organization says the president has no control over his stock positions, including that of TKO Group, which runs the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

An Electoral Reckoning at Last?

Benjamin Netanyahu’s unprecedented tenure as Israeli prime minister may be about to end.

Claire's Weekly Letter: Spirals of Silence

The G7 Summit Is Dogged by Chaos and Divided by Trump

Group of 7 meetings once embodied the effort to sustain the global diplomatic order. This year’s gathering, starting on Monday, symbolizes its fragmentation.

Trump Kills Alleged Leader of Tren de Aragua

There is no obvious justification in American law for the use of lethal military force against an indicted drug trafficker.

Merger Cleared, David Ellison to Join Trump at U.F.C. Bouts

A U.F.C. fight on President Trump’s birthday will now double as a capstone for Paramount’s successful effort to secure Justice Department approval for a mega media merger.

UFC Fight at WH a Grand Pageant for 80-Year-Old Boy King

A $60 million price tag outstrips even the most lavish spectacles that medieval tournaments provided for feudal lords.

Trump trades NBA boos for UFC cheers as sports become dividing line

Once a refuge from political division, major sports have become a partisan arena in the Trump era.

Obama Presidential Center's $470M safety net under scrutiny as subcontractors say they're owed millions

The Obama Foundation has yet to build a $470 million reserve fund meant to protect taxpayers, raising concerns as contractor payment disputes mount.

Trump's Birthday UFC Fight a Seminal Moment in US Politics

Politicians are increasingly asked to function as cultural icons. That's why a cage fight on the White House lawn represents a seminal moment in American politics.

Here to 'Help'

CNN Political Briefing

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

The Fights on the Right: The New Issue of NR Is Out

Ramesh Ponnuru on where ‘freedom conservatives’ and ‘national conservatives’ can, and can’t, find common ground. Plus, a rare treat: new fiction by Cynthia Ozick.

No, the Pope Isn’t a Pacifist

Some context on Magnifica Humanitas.

"They Hate Australia": The Activists Behind the Gaza Flotilla and the Radical Left's Antizionist Turn | Quillette Cetera Ep. 65

Hava Mendelle — army veteran, nurse, and co-founder of Minority Impact — speaks with Zoe Sankey about antisemitism in Australia, the red-green alliance, October 7th, and why she left the activist left behind.

Colbert and Cancellation

The #CancelColbert saga in 2014 established the paradigm for countless hashtag controversies that followed.

Trump Again Picks Personal Lawyer for a Top Job, as U.S. Attorney in Manhattan

James M. McDonald, a veteran former federal prosecutor and regulator, has more recently been part of President Trump’s legal team, appealing his criminal conviction.

Sen Mitch McConnell hospitalized, 'receiving excellent care,' his office says

Sen. Mitch McConnell, 84, has been hospitalized for an undisclosed health issue, according to his office, which said he is receiving excellent care.

Biden-appointed judge orders Trump to restore slavery, climate change references at national parks

A Biden-appointed judge ordered Trump's administration to restore national park exhibits on slavery and climate change removed under an executive order.

SpaceX, Hayek, and the Progressive War on Wealth Creation

For the record. SpaceX, Hayek, and the Progressive War on Wealth CreationThe progressive left clings to the fantasy that wealth is manufactured by the state and its pet technocrats rather than by entrepreneurs who risk their own capital to create …

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.

Democrats have a one-word defense for supporting Graham Platner: Trump

Platner’s backers in Maine say with Trump in office and Senate control on the line, the bar is low and the stakes are high: “Purity politics don’t get us anywhere.”

Trump marks 80th birthday, now second octogenarian sitting president: 'Seemed to utterly defy age'

President Trump turns 80 in office, becoming only the second sitting U.S. president to reach octogenarian status while allies praise his stamina.

The Axe Files with David Axelrod

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

Three Cheers for Elon Musk — and America

You can count me out of the envy and resentment.

New Hot Take: Differences in Intelligence Are Illusory

These 11 upcoming Supreme Court decisions could make or break Trump's second term agenda

The Supreme Court faces 23 unresolved cases this term, including challenges to Trump's immigration orders, presidential firing power, and gun rights.

Britain’s Immigration Numbers

To say that that many Britons are unhappy with the scale of immigration into their country is an understatement.

Congressional baseball game offers longstanding traditions, and plenty of confusion

The annual Congressional baseball game poses unique challenges as lawmakers on the same team wear duplicate uniform numbers, making broadcasts tricky.

At the Kennedy Center, a Name Change Shrouded in Uncertainty

President Trump’s name was removed from the arts institution’s facade overnight on Saturday. Many questions remain, including whether or not it stays off.

Knicks Meet Destiny

The Knicks had luck, but they also made plenty of their own. It was beautiful to watch.

Today's Deep Question: Where Is CNN's Fact-Checker on Trump?

Families Like Mine Paid Price for Crazy Open Border Policy

Katie Abraham's father argues her death was preventable, blaming Biden-Harris border policies and Illinois sanctuary protections that failed.

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.

Flag Day Chronicles

A reflection on the Stars and Stripes.

We Always Knew Corporations Would Abandon LGBTQ+

In reducing their support for Pride Month and the LGBTQ+ community, these stores are reducing access for people who want to celebrate who they are.

Saturday's Final Word