Smash The Bubble

Reality is a social construct. Today we have two divergent, almost contradictory realities in America, and the country is roughly evenly split between them.

This is because we tend to get trapped in a filter bubble where we simply don't see the news that the other half is focused on. We consume our news only from partisan outlets that echo and re-affirm our worldview.

The result is that each half of the population believes that the other half is crazy/stupid/intolerant. This is unhealthy, even dangerous.

This site is an attempt to intermingle daily news stories from both sides of the aisle so you can see what the other half of the country is seeing.

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Today's Headlines

Running Amok

An empirical analysis of spree killings finds that two distinct patterns emerge.

Rep. Ken Buck: Forget Trying to 'Out-Trump Donald Trump'

Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., told CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday that 2024 GOP presidential candidates trying to "out-Trump" former President Donald Trump should instead stick to whatever their strong suits are.

Manufacturing Dissent

Activists and opinion-formers on the Left and Right have been persuaded that living under anything besides the kind of governance they want means they’ve been cheated.

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.

Fmr Amb: US Must Halt Military Deployments Near China

The United States should ease off military deployments close to China in an act of "good faith" if high-level defense talks between the two superpowers are to resume, a retired veteran Chinese diplomat said in Singapore on Sunday.

Trump Post Laments 'Biden Crimes Go Unpunished'

Former President Donald Trump lashed out on Truth Social on Sunday about the possibility of his being indicted on the alleged mishandling of records at Mar-a-Lago.

Mark Wahlberg Aims for Vegas to Be 'Hollywood 2.0'

Hollywood star Mark Wahlberg took center stage in Nevada's legislative arena on Wednesday as he passionately lobbied state lawmakers to pass a bill aimed at propping up the film industry in Las Vegas.

Congressional regulation of AI?

Left is Not Woke: An Interview with Susan Neiman

In undermining universalism and moral progress, "wokeism" is inherently reactionary.

GOP hopefuls, with Trump notably absent, mingle at Iowa event

Eight announced or soon-to-announce candidates for the GOP presidential nomination made their cases to Iowa voters.

0% intro APR until 2024 is 100% insane

Manchin not ruling out 2024 3rd-party presidential run: ‘Extremism coming from the far left and the far right'

Sen. Joe Manchin sidestepped questions on whether he was considering a third-party presidential run in 2024, while praising moderate centrists.

'Anti-woke' GOP presidential candidate says he wouldn't ban transgender service in military

GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy said he would not seek to reinstate a ban of transgender individuals being able to openly serve in the U.S. military.

Oklahoma girl beaten by trans student in bathroom

Republicans Don’t Really Want to Cut Spending

GOP leaders are starting to recognize that what the government funds is more popular than they like to claim.

Two Black Native Americans Were Arrested. The Law Sees Only One as Indian.

A Supreme Court ruling barred Oklahoma from prosecuting crimes committed by Native Americans on tribal land, but some Black tribal members are still being prosecuted because they lack “Indian blood.”

New Hampshire Man Is Arrested After Threatening to Kill U.S. Senator

In a voice mail message, the man told the senator that he was “a dead man walking,” according to federal court documents. He was angry about the blocking of military promotions, prosecutors said.

Inside the Meltdown at CNN

CEO Chris Licht felt he was on a mission to restore the network’s reputation for serious journalism. How did it all go wrong?

'Woke' Is the Opposite of Whiteness

"And I thought personally, there was too much Black history," she said.

Would the New Chicago Mayor Let His Daughter Ride the CTA?

This is a simple question really, a straightforward question from a father who once loved Chicago, to another father who is mayor of Chicago, yet who defends the violent lest they be demonized by those troublesome law-abiding taxpayers: Mayor John…

Evan Gershkovich and Our Brave New World

Dictators count on being able to control what is reported about their countries.

First drag law ruled unconstitutional

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…

The Most Dangerous Democrat in Iowa

As state auditor—and his party’s only elected politician in statewide office—Rob Sand is in the Republicans’ sights. But his eyes are on higher things.

Car Shopping Ain't Broke, So the FTC Will Fix It

The internet vastly improved the process but Lina Khan can still make the bad parts worse.

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…

Los Angeles offering free money if you buy an EV

Philadelphia’s slumping voter turnout worries Democrats ahead of 2024

Philadelphia’s voter turnout has been waning, and it’s an ominous trend for Democrats, who make up a large share of the electorate in urban areas.

For God so loved the world ... Sunday reflection

Can the Climate Heal Itself?

Dissenters from the catastrophe consensus on warming are worth listening to.

Biden admin slammed as granting ‘major coup’ to China after top officials visit on Tiananmen massacre date

Two senior Biden administration officials made a controversial trip to China on Sunday, 34 years after the Chinese military slaughtered hundreds of pro-democracy protesters.

U.N. Body Condemns Torture of Guantánamo Prisoner Awaiting Capital Trial

The panel denounced the United States and seven other nations. It also called for the release of Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, who is accused of orchestrating the bombing of the Navy destroyer Cole.

'Woke' Cultural Marxism an 'Existential Threat to Society'

RCP's Phil Wegmann asked Gov. Ron DeSantis about former President Trump coming out against using the word "woke" to classify the left during an event this weekend in Iowa.

Turns Out You Can Make It the 1980s Again

All baseball fans should be saying, ‘Thank you, Mr. Rob Manfred.’

America’s Failing Child-Protection System

If Governor DeSantis really wants to protect children, he should forget about the death penalty and institute a “one-strike-and-you’re-out” policy instead.

Radical climate group slashing SUV tires says they're now active in 18 countries including US

A climate activist organization based in the U.K. that organizes tire-deflating operations has expanded its operations to 18 countries and has boasted that

Our Part-Time President

Joe Biden’s shrinking window for public appearances reflects his advanced age.

Weekend Short: Flannery O’Connor’s ‘A Good Man Is Hard to Find’

The perfect short story to kick off your summer.

The Way They Live, Die, and Fight

Notes on Ukraine and Russia, cont.

The Sardonic Inferno

At its best, Amis’s fiction broke open the locked door behind which our culture tries to keep its skeletons hidden.

ESPN Host Is Fed Up With Black-on-Black Crime

The outspoken host of ESPN's "First Take" and "The Stephen A. Smith Show" podcast is fed up with black-on-black crime and the silence that surrounds it. This week Smith said during his eponymous podcast that he "had no choice" but to talk about it…

Chuck Todd is leaving 'Meet the Press' - his replacement isn't much of a change

CNN Political Briefing

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

The debt ceiling vote, by the numbers

Even several House Freedom Caucus members voted for the deal in a surprisingly large, bipartisan vote.

Targeting Toyota for Its Electric-Vehicle Heresy

Public pensions and proxy advisers try to punish the company using corporate governance as a pretext.

McCarthy Earns the Speakership

The debt-ceiling vote was the product of a deliberate, well-considered strategy.

Senate Republicans once again voluntarily cede their negotiating power

Following Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's advice to let House Republicans negotiate for them, Senate Republicans learned the hard way how bad that decision was.

The Case for Debt-Ceiling Optimism

All of the public feuding is good, actually.

DeSantis Goes There

And speaks a truth that Republicans in the mainstream of the party have been loath to say out loud.

Campus Speech and Compromised Safety

As universities try desperately to serve two masters (knowledge production; diversity and inclusion), they will increasingly end up sanctioning speech that should be protected.

School Choice Saves Arizona Money

Democrats claim a new program will bankrupt the state. The opposite is true.

Chris Christie and the Republican Party's Peril

In some ways he’s a match for Trump, whose third nomination would mark the end of the GOP.

The Dualism of Duluoz

An eagerly awaited new edition of Gerald Nicosia’s splendid Kerouac biography provides the definitive portrait of a great artist and a profoundly troubled man.

Tennessee drag ban is unconstitutional, federal judge rules

A federal judge said the Tennessee law that would criminalize public drag performances was “unconstitutionally vague and substantially overbroad.”

TX Strikes a Blow on Books. Kids Will Suffer

The greatest literature often deals openly about the human body, and it would handicap Texas students to deny them access to it.

WH Focused on Oil Prices, Not Supply After OPEC Cut

A White House official said on Sunday that the Biden administration is focused on oil prices and "not barrels" after Saudi Arabia planned to make a deep cut to its crude output.

Colorado’s Ingenious Idea for Solving the Housing Crisis

And why local governments hate it

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.

NY Times article on Biden’s age ripped as ‘slobbering,’ ‘embarrassing’ after latest fall

The New York Times is facing ridicule on Twitter after an article published Sunday described President Biden, 80, as "sharp" and "fit."

Senate debt ceiling vote puts a feather in McCarthy’s cap

A much higher percentage of House Republicans voted for the bill than Senate Republicans. Here’s why — and what it means for McCarthy.

The Freedom Caucus fizzles

In its first big clash with Speaker Kevin McCarthy, on the debt ceiling, the caucus emerged looking bruised, hapless and apparently without the leverage it thought it had.

Ex-FBI director James Comey on 2024 race: 'It has to be Joe Biden'

Former FBI Director James Comey said Joe Biden must be re-elected in 2024, rejecting the notion that he'd support any GOP candidates opposing Donald Trump.

Biden Signs Fiscal Responsibility Act, Ending Debt-Limit Crisis

Now that the bill is law, the nation will not risk running out of money to pay its obligations for two years.

Biden Is Failing, But His Allies in Media Are Protecting Him

A focus group of 11 Biden voters said he's not up for the task of being president again, but all said they would vote for him.

Evangelicals Are Trump's Firewall Against Primary Losses

Many Evangelical voters remain grateful for how Trump delivered for them. And a growing subset see him as a key figure in their spiritual warfare.

A Bouncy, Fresh Brand of Trumpism

Vivek Ramaswamy has burst into the Republican primary race with ultra-Trumpy politics and super-tall hair.

Trump congratulated Kim Jong-un on WHO appointment as GOP opponents criticize the move

Washington State Now Taking Refugee Cancer Patients from Canadian Health Care

British Columbia is sending hundreds of cancer patients to Washington state due to skyrocketing wait times for diagnosis and radiation treatment.

The Real Cost of Cheap Labour

Michael Lind's 'Hell to Pay' presents a dire cautionary message to the political establishment.

GOP senator slams Biden admin relationship with China: ‘love-struck teenagers’

Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton slammed the Biden administration's relationship with China, calling for them to stop "chasing after" Chinese communist counterparts.

A Great Day on The Megyn Kelly Show

You really need to listen to Megyn Kelly’s monologue at the top about how done she is with the whole trans craze — it’s powerful stuff.

The Debt Deal's Defense Threat

The last sequester hurt military preparedness. Republicans can avoid repeating that mistake.

Politics of the Day

Politics of the Day

Republicans Gather in Iowa to Ride, Eat and Disagree

Eight presidential hopefuls, with Donald Trump absent, spoke at an annual political rally in Des Moines to highlight their conservative bona fides.

Thomas Buergenthal, Holocaust survivor who shaped global rights law, dies at 89

Dr. Buergenthal was part of cases ranging from Israel's separation barrier to atrocities in Central America.

California Officials Investigating Flight of Migrants to Sacramento

The state attorney general said the migrants carried documents that specified a Florida government agency and a company that dropped migrants in Martha’s Vineyard last year.

Hagerty Raises Questions about Biden Admin’s China Export Controls

Some issues had gone overlooked in the conversation about the Biden administration’s drive to seek further engagement with China.

What’s ‘Woke’?

People who use the word ‘woke’ ought to say what they mean by it. Here is one man’s answer.

Calif. Probes Florida for Flying in Migrants

California's attorney general is investigating whether the government of the state of Florida played any role in sending more than a dozen migrants to the California capital of Sacramento without advance notice.

Why Biden Caved

The president said he would not negotiate with Republicans on the debt ceiling. But that’s exactly what he’s now doing.

No service, no tip

Ron DeSantis’s Joyless Ride

The ultimate performative politician doesn’t seem to enjoy the in-person performance of politics.

China's Military Provocations

Beijing’s war hawks are making it harder to improve relations with the U.S.

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.

A Declaration of Decadence

Mary Jane Rubenstein’s real target in “Astrotopia” is not the corporate space race, but the very ideas of humanism and progress.

Nate Cohn: Every generation of voters moves right over time

Dropping DEI in Texas Schools

A new law would end the ‘equity’ bureaucracy at public universities.

The Axe Files with David Axelrod

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

The Man Reimagining Disney Classics for Today’s World

Sean Bailey is in charge of live-action remakes of films like “The Little Mermaid.” It’s a job that puts him in the middle of a partisan divide.

Trottenberg Expected to Be FAA's Interim Chief

Deputy U.S. Transportation Secretary Polly Trottenberg is expected to be named Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) next interim leader, two sources told Reuters on Sunday.

Sunday Smiles!

The Economy: Where’s the Beef?

Recent jobs numbers came with some footnotes.

Inside the Complicated Reality of Being America’s Oldest President

President Biden is asking voters to keep him in the White House until age 86, renewing attention to an issue that polls show troubles most Americans.

The 'Negative Partisanship' Phenomenon

Today's lesson is in the phenomenon known as "negative partisanship." Don't turn away from this column thinking you have no idea what that means. You know exactly what it means - and you probably feel it profoundly.

Capitol Police stop youth choir during national anthem performance, sparking outrage: 'I was shocked'

Video that shows the Rushingbrook Children’s Choir from South Carolina being stopped by police from singing the national anthem in the U.S. Capitol has sparked criticism.

The Hammett and Chandler of Gay Detective Fiction

How the books of George Baxt and Joseph Hansen changed the genre.

Parlatore: Not Surprising if No Charges for Trump

It would not be surprising if former President Donald Trump did not face any charges in special counsel Jack Smith's probe into his handling of classified documents, former Trump attorney Timothy Parlatore told NBC News' "Meet the Press" on Sunday.

The Colorado Teachers Association's War on America

The Colorado Teachers Association has passed a resolution condemning capitalism, and I couldn't be more delighted.

DeSantis on the trail: Combative with critics, not yet cozy with voters

The Florida governor hit back at a heckler, highlighted his family and chatted up voters — but offered limited back-and-forth

A Reagan official went rogue on AIDS by teaching Americans the truth

The Reagan administration thought Surgeon General C. Everett Koop would put his faith above public health. Instead, Koop sent all Americans a mailer on AIDS.

Why the GOP Wants to Rob Gen Z to Pay the Boomers

The budget clash, in many ways, represents the fiscal equivalent to the battle over cultural issues raging through Republican-controlled states.

DeSantis Relied Heavily on Big Donors in Initial Money Haul

The Florida governor’s campaign said it had around 40,000 donors in May, an average of more than $200 per donor — a figure far higher than is typical for a campaign heavily funded by grass-roots support.

Work Requirements and the Lost Lessons of 1996

The left fought to stop welfare reform and failed. Now they want us to forget the law's success. But Robert Doar remembers.

Ex-FBI director Comey says prosecutors face 'intense pressure' to deliver Trump charging decision before 2024

Former FBI Director James Comey said Special Counsel Jack Smith is likely rushing to finish the Mar-a-Lago classified documents probe before Donald Trump can be GOP nominee.

Judge Finds Tennessee Law Aimed at Restricting Drag Shows Unconstitutional

The law, one of the first aimed at curbing drag performances in front of children, had been on hold for nearly two months as the legal battle went on.

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.

'Modern-day miracle': Catholics flock to rural Missouri to witness 'incorrupt' nun

As church leaders investigate the "incorrupt" body of a nun who died four years ago, thousands of Catholics have traveled to behold what they say is a modern-day miracle

Political Campaigns May Never Be the Same

How AI could save politics—if it doesn’t destroy it first

Ex-FBI Director Comey: 'Has to Be Joe Biden' in 2024

Former FBI Director James Comey, who is on a book tour for his latest mystery novel, said the next president of the United States "has to be Joe Biden" and that another hack of U.S. elections by the Russians could be in store for 2024.

Instagram Reinstates RFK Jr. Account

Meta Platform's Instagram on Sunday lifted its suspension against the account of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., nephew of the late president John F. Kennedy, The Washington Post reported.