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

Have Dems Thrown in the Towel in Schumer Shutdown II: TSA Boogaloo?

34 Former Military Members Were Put on Deportation Track in the Past Year

The Trump administration has ramped up enforcement against immigrant service members and their families in its wider crackdown.

Republicans discussing deal to reopen Department of Homeland Security

Democrats have not signed off on the potential agreement to reopen DHS, which has been partially shut down since Feb. 14.

A Veteran Group Jumps In for a Democrat in Iowa Senate Race.

VoteVets is the first super PAC to intervene in the race for Josh Turek, a state legislator who was born with spina bifida after his father was exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam.

CNN Political Briefing

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

The Back-Channel Diplomacy Behind Trump's U-Turn on Iran

Trump's shift Monday morning followed a series of closed-door discussions-through Middle Eastern intermediaries-that U.S. officials said gave them hope an agreement to settle the conflict was possible.

What Happened With the ICE Arrest at SFO Airport

Oklahoma Gov Kevin Stitt announces who he's tapping to replace Markwayne Mullin in the US Senate

Republican Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt announces Alan Armstrong as his choice to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by next DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin.

Katz: Israel to Occupy Southern Lebanon; Lebanon Expels Iran Ambassador

Oil Traders Bet Millions Ahead of Trump's Iran Talks Post

Market data shows the amount of oil trade rose before the US President said he would postpone attacks on Iran's power plants.

Parallel Kingdom

Nick Cave’s beautiful and tragic music brings redemptive catharsis to a grief-stricken city.

How Dare Trump 'Politicize' Illegal Who Thrill Killed Loyola College Student

Iran War Proving Gulf Is About More Than Oil

what is being tested right now is not just security. It is the economic and strategic model the Gulf has spent years, and in some cases decades, building.

Saudi Leader Is Said to Push Trump to Continue Iran War in Recent Calls

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sees a “historic opportunity” to remake the region, according to people briefed by U.S. officials on the conversations.

Thomas Massie Thinks Being Hated by Trump Is ‘Worth It.’ Will Voters Agree?

The Republican congressman from Kentucky is a die-hard libertarian who has centered his campaign on his willingness to buck the president. It has bought him the most expensive primary in the country.

Sheridan Gorman's Murder--and Chicago's Silence

The cold-blooded execution of Loyola University freshman Sheridan Gorman last week has sparked heartbreak and outrage across the country - including condemnation by President Donald Trump outside Air Force One on Monday morning - as yet another Am…

Podcast Episode #330: When Everyone Knows Everyone Knows ...

Iona Italia talks to cognitive psychologist and linguist Steven Pinker about his new book on Common Knowledge and the Mysteries of Money, Power, and Everyday Life.

The Buenos Aires Bombings

How Argentina became a front in Iran’s war against the Jews.

High Court Reviews Limits on Border Asylum Claims

The Supreme Court heard arguments on Tuesday in a defense mounted by President Donald Trump's administration of the government's authority to turn away asylum seekers when officials deem U.S.-Mexico border crossings too overburdened to handle more…

Senator's resurfaced comment on who Democrats care about the 'most' sparks online outrage: 'He really said it'

Resurfaced clip of Sen. Chris Murphy calling undocumented immigrants the people Democrats care about most is fueling conservative outrage on social media.

New top prosecutor named in New Jersey, ending impasse over U.S attorney’s office

Robert Frazer replaces a trio of officials the Justice Department installed to lead the office late last year — an arrangement a federal judge ruled was illegal.

There's Reason To Be Skeptical of Trump's Talks With Iran

Iran's denial of negotiations with Trump raises big questions.

Trump Wants To 'Take' Cuba, But We've Tried That Before

During President Obama's first term, when the U.S. and Cuba initially made attempts to thaw our icy relationship, I visited the island country as part of an educational delegation.

War in Iran Is Disrupting Air Travel, Hitting Middle East Hardest

Some airlines and travelers, especially in the Middle East and elsewhere in Asia, are bearing the brunt of the pain, while others are doing better.

A 79-Year-Old Freshman Senator?

Janet Mills does not have a dicey Reddit history or a recently covered-over Nazi tattoo. But her candidacy is haunted by Joe Biden’s 2024 debacle.

Trump says he will deploy ICE to airports as TSA shortages drive delays

Border czar Tom Homan said ICE agents will be at airports to help TSA agents, but he does not expect they will do specialized tasks, such as X-ray screening.

I Warned Sanctuary City Policies Would Cost More Lives

A grieving parent who lost his daughter warns that Illinois sanctuary city policies keep costing lives after an 18-year-old college student was killed last week in Chicago.

State Dept: US Still Assessing How to Test Nuclear Weapons

A senior State Department official on Tuesday said that the U.S. still is assessing how to implement President Donald Trump's order to resume nuclear weapons tests.

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…

Trump just voted by a method he calls ‘mail-in cheating’

The president’s decision to vote by mail comes as he pushes a sweeping bill to reform balloting nationwide, including restrictions on mail-in voting.

Trump hails Memphis crime drop as a win. Locals see a more complex reality.

Crime has fallen, but officials and residents question how much credit the federal surge deserves — and whether the approach can deliver lasting change.

Republicans Step Up Efforts to Reach DHS Funding Deal and End Shutdown

A day after President Trump said he did not want a compromise, Republicans were exploring breaking off ICE funding so the rest of the Department of Homeland Security could reopen.

Should You Need to Prove Citizenship to Vote? Ask Kansas.

A Kansas law required a passport, a birth certificate or other proof of citizenship to register, but it was struck down after a court found that around 31,000 eligible voters had been blocked.

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.

Everyone Has Trump’s Phone Number Now

The president’s personal iPhone has been lighting up.

The Swamp Still Looks Pretty Healthy

Waiting for accountability in Trump's second term.

Stephen Miller Asks Why Texas Pays to Teach Undocumented Children

Citing gridlock in Washington, President Trump’s top immigration adviser encouraged Texas lawmakers to lead on conservative priorities.

N.C. Dem Senate Hopeful: Fund Obamacare, Not Iran War

The Democrat U.S. Senate candidate in battleground North Carolina said the federal government should fund Obamacare instead of the U.S. war effort in Iran.

The Liberal Case for Voter ID

The SAVE Act is a bad bill, but voter ID is a good idea

Meanwhile, in Sudan

While Iran, Israel, and Gaza have dominated headlines, a bloody power struggle among Sudanese warlords grinds on.

DHS Says More Than 450 TSA Officers Have Quit

More than 450 Transportation Security Administration officers have quit since the start of a partial government shutdown on February 14, leading to massive delays at U.S. airports, the Department of Homeland Security said on Tuesday.

A Serious Senate Debate About an Unserious Bill

The most pressing question about the SAVE America Act is not whether it’s going to pass, but why President Trump and his allies are so determined to see the Senate put up a bill that’s doomed to fail.

Wesley Clark to Newsmax: US Must Maintain Pressure on Iran

Retired Army Gen. Wesley Clark said Monday that the United States needs a three-pronged approach to keep Iran from delaying an agreement to end the war, even as Tehran keeps up missile attacks and publicly denies any negotiations are underway. The…

Trump, Tehran, and the China Calculus

The CCP will certainly take advantage should Iran turn into a major distraction for the US.

Letters to the Editor

Friday 13 March – Friday 20 March

In Oklahoma, Alan Armstrong Will Fill Markwayne Mullin’s Senate Seat

Gov. Kevin Stitt selected Mr. Armstrong, a fellow Republican and an energy executive, to play a caretaker role in the seat until the next election.

Psych! Iranians Worry Trump Talks Are a 'Trap'

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…

Rubio testifies against friend accused of secretly working for Maduro

Former congressman David Rivera, accused of secretly lobbying for Nicolás Maduro’s government in Venezuela, climbed Miami politics alongside Marco Rubio.

Russian Oil Shipment Puts Focus on Kremlin Spy Outpost in Cuba

Moscow may be challenging President Trump’s effort to choke Cuba’s economy. China also has suspected listening posts on the island.

War in Straitened Circumstances

After nineteen days of war, Israel and America face a grinding conflict with Iran and Hezbollah, and there is no clear end in sight.

Okla. Governor Picks Energy Exec for Senate Seat

Oklahoma's governor on Tuesday appointed energy executive Alan Armstrong to serve in the U.S. Senate through the end of the year and finish the term of Republican Markwayne Mullin, the new Department of Homeland Security secretary.

The Republican Party Continues Eating Its Own

What one lawmaker’s defection from the GOP says about the state of politics

Supreme Court Hears Trump Request to Block Asylum Seekers

A policy of turning back many asylum seekers at the border was rescinded in 2021, but the Justice Department wants the flexibility to reinstate it as a tool for border control.

Ex-Trump counterterror chief Kent clashes with Levin, rejects Iran threat claims

Joe Kent claims Israel "forced President Trump into this war" in a heated Levin interview, denying leak allegations and disputing Iran intelligence.

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…

GOP senator launches effort to close Medicaid loophole allowing fraudsters to rake in millions

Sen. Ashley Moody's STOP FRAUD in Medicaid Act aims to close a legal loophole shielding fraud recipients from prosecution by state attorneys general.

Not So Fast, Bill Maher

The comedian was set to receive the Twain Prize before a sudden reversal of course.

It Took 12 Years for San Francisco to Fix Its No-Algebra-for-Equity Mess

Iran’s Revolutionary Regime and the Long War Against the West: Behnam Ben Taleblu

Behnam Ben Taleblu discusses the history of Iran’s Islamic Republic, the evolution of protest movements, and the geopolitical stakes of the current conflict.

James Cameron Goes Native

‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ is a Rousseau-esque oikophobic fantasy of evil humans and noble savage aliens.

Left-wing Dem hit with hometown church blowback over 30-second ad

Sullivan Harbor Baptist Church said it wants no part in Maine Senate hopeful Graham Platner's campaign ad and demanded he remove the image of the church immediately.

And By a Sleep We Say End the Ideology of White European Supremacy Where Shakespeare Laid His Weary Head

Rubio Testifies on Maduro-Era Lobbying Effort

Secretary of State Marco Rubio testified Tuesday about his interactions with former Miami congressman David Rivera nearly a decade ago, when his longtime friend was accused of secretly lobbying on behalf of Venezuela's government.

House conservatives erupt over Senate GOP, White House deal amid SAVE Act fight

Conservative House members are revolting against a Senate GOP deal to end the DHS shutdown, arguing that a budget reconciliation plan for ICE and voter ID is a political trap.

MAHA’s political power tested as surgeon general pick stalls

Casey Means faces pushback from some Republicans over her refusal to forcefully recommend vaccines.

Surprise! ICE Clearing Out Long Lines at Airports

Trump taps Nick Adams for patriotic, pro-America special presidential envoy role

President Donald Trump has tapped Nick Adams for the position of special presidential envoy for American tourism, exceptionalism and values.

Monday's Final Word

Kristi Noem Bought 11 Warehouses to Use as ICE Jails. Now What?

DHS’s next leader will inherit a fast-moving $38 billion plan for industrial-scale immigrant detention.

Trump’s Threat to ‘Obliterate’ Iran’s Power Stations Could Constitute a War Crime, Rights Experts Say

Intentionally targeting the country’s energy infrastructure could constitute a war crime under international law.

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.

Politics of the Day

Politics of the Day

The Australian Way of Life

Politicians reach for “our way of life” to justify immigration restrictions—but the phrase may be too vague to bear that weight.

The Axe Files with David Axelrod

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

House Oversight Launches Probe Into Calif. Hospice Fraud

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., and Republican members on Monday launched an investigation into alleged widespread fraud in California's federally funded hospice programs, citing what they described as years of insufficient …

High Stakes, and a Low Bar, For Markwayne Mullin at DHS

Trump’s nominee has one big thing going for him: He’s not Kristi Noem.

Donald Trump Is Nothing Like Robert Mueller

The absurdity of a man who avoided Vietnam due to “bone spurs” dancing on the grave of a decorated combat veteran

Trump-backed Republican battles to hold key Florida seat in president's stomping ground

Trump-endorsed Republican Jon Maples faces Democrat Emily Gregory in a Florida House District 87 special election in Palm Beach, home to Mar-a-Lago.

IL Dems decline to defend ‘no’ votes on Laken Riley Act after student’s killing tied to repeat offender

Illinois Democrats stay silent on their no votes on the Laken Riley Act after Loyola student Sheridan Gorman was allegedly killed by an illegal immigrant.

Australian Prime Minister Learns That Diversity Is Our Strength

Melania Trump Hosts Summit on Children, Education, Tech

Melania Trump on Tuesday called on nations to work together to improve access to education and technology for children around the world, delivering her plea as she addressed a gathering of her counterparts from more than 40 countries. The first la…

Supreme Court appears ready to limit mail-in balloting ahead of midterms

Republican groups challenged a law in Mississippi that allows officials to count mail-in ballots received up to five days after polls close.

What Makes the West Western?

Naoíse Mac Sweeney’s new book tries to convince readers that Western civilisation doesn’t exist.   

A Police Report About a House Candidate Surprised the White House

A woman’s allegations of rape against a Republican House candidate have put Trump in a bind.

Jack Smith team secretly sought years of Kash Patel phone records, new docs show

Former special counsel Jack Smith sought more than two years’ worth of phone records for now-FBI Director Kash Patel while Smith was investigating President Donald Trump.

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.

House committee launches investigation into 'rampant' California hospice fraud

Republican lawmakers on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Committee are mounting an investigation into alleged hospice fraud in California.

Cygnal Poll: Sen. Blackburn Leads Tennessee GOP Primary by 51 Points

U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., holds a commanding lead in the 2026 Tennessee Republican gubernatorial primary, according to a new poll from Cygnal. The survey shows Blackburn capturing 58% of the vote, including 34% who say they would def…

Dems' Fraud-Friendly Election Rules Destroy Public Trust

A framework for good policy requires integrity in elections and political service. And this demands honest elections and politicians.

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.

Trump says U.S. is postponing some strikes as it negotiates end to war with Iran

The president’s announcement sent markets up and energy prices diving, as investors bet Iran’s blockade of a key shipping chokepoint could soon end.

The ‘Big Black Scar’

Trump is blowing up national-park land in Arizona to wall off one of the border’s last wild places.

Rubio testifies in trial of ex-Florida congressman allegedly hired by Maduro government to lobby for Venezuela

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is testifying on Tuesday in Miami, Florida, in the federal trial of former Miami congressman and roommate David Rivera.

Moving Ever Farther Left, Rep. Angie Craig Says She Regrets Voting for Laken Riley Act

The State of Grace

When an anti-Zionist worldview collides with the principle of “believe all women,” it is the principle that gives way.

Oklahoma energy executive to temporarily fill Mullin’s Senate seat

The Oklahoma governor said he will appoint Alan S. Armstrong to the Senate seat vacated by Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R), who was recently confirmed as homeland security secretary.

SCOTUS Seems Eager To Help Trump End Mail Voting

The Republican National Committee and the Trump administration want to overturn mail ballot deadlines in 29 states.

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 Needs To Find Off-Ramp of War With Iran. Fast

President Trump is treading on dangerous ground, especially if he is serious − and not just bullying Iran as part of a strategic move.

Muslims Are the Real Victims of Antisemitic Crimes Committed by Muslims, You Know...

Energy Secretary Wright: 'More Levers' to Cut Gas Prices Amid Iran War

The Trump administration still has "a few more levers" to pull to try and lower gas prices while seeking an end to the war in Iran, according to Energy Secretary Chris Wright.

‘I’m Far Angrier’

Can Cory Booker, once the candidate of love, run for president and stay true to who he is?

Trump Isn’t Even Trying to Sell This War

Has the salesman in chief gotten rusty?

Republicans privately fear this swing state Democrat

Behind closed doors, Republicans have tamped down their hopes of unseating Jon Ossoff, a 39-year-old powerhouse fundraiser, as he seeks another term.

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.

Park Police Officer Released From Hospital After Shooting

A U.S. Park Police officer shot during what authorities called an ambush was released from the hospital Tuesday, the Park Police said in a posting on its X account. The officer, whose identity was not disclosed, was shot Monday evening as he drove…

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.