Today's Liberal News

El Milagro Tortilla Workers Walk Out to Demand Fair Wages & Workload Amid Staff Shortage, COVID Deaths

We go to Chicago for an update on workers at El Milagro tortilla plants who staged a temporary walkout last week to protest low pay, staff shortages and abusive working conditions, including intimidation and sexual harassment. El Milagro claims an ongoing tortilla shortage is due to supply chain issues, but organizers say the company has lost staff due to their poor treatment of workers, including their mishandling of the pandemic, resulting in dozens of infections and five deaths.

The Plot to Kill Julian Assange: Report Reveals CIA’s Plan to Kidnap, Assassinate WikiLeaks Founder

Did the CIA under the Trump administration plan to kidnap and assassinate WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange during a shootout in London? That is one of the explosive findings in a new exposé by Yahoo News that details how the CIA considered abducting and possibly murdering Assange while he took refuge in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London to avoid being extradited to Sweden for rape allegations, charges that were dropped in 2017.

News Roundup: Manchin and Sinema still playing games; DHS downplayed January 6 violence

In the news today: Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema continue to imperil infrastructure and climate change legislation and continue to offer no specifics about how to gain their support. After months of this game, it’s safe to say the rest of the Democratic caucus is fed up with the performance. New information on the January 6 insurrection shows the Trump-era Department of Homeland Security was downplaying the violence even as it unfolded on television screens.

The ‘Good Lord Bird’ is gone … and so are 22 others as Fish and Wildlife logs official extinctions

For a few heady weeks in 2004 and 2005, it seemed a miracle had occurred. The ivory-billed woodpecker—the “Good Lord Bird” known for its startling size, massive white bill, and a call described as being like a “toy trumpet”—had been found living in a national wildlife refuge along the Cache River in Arkansas. Multiple sightings were reported. The sounds of woodpeckers pounding on trees were recorded. A single grainy video was shot.

Despite orders, he just couldn’t quit social media, so this right-wing Marine is in jail

A right-wing Marine officer who went viral for criticizing the U.S. military and its leadership over Afghanistan has been sent to the brig, family members told Task & Purpose. The officer, identified as Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller, went viral after sharing a video on Facebook in which he questioned the command of military leaders for withdrawing from Afghanistan. He released several videos despite being told by supervisors to stop posting on social media.

Trump’s miserable presidency coincided with extreme mental distress for LGBTQ folks, says study

Donald Trump’s presidency is marked by so, so many failures, it’s hard to know where to start. He stirred division, spread hate, and made life markedly worse for countless vulnerable, marginalized folks. It wouldn’t be hard, for example, to say they felt depressed or betrayed when watching election results roll in on that historic night in 2016, or to find folks who felt increased anxiety leading up to the 2020 election.

Ben Sasse Wants to Talk About Tocqueville, Not Marjorie Taylor Greene

Editor’s Note: This article is part of our coverage of The Atlantic Festival. Learn more and watch festival sessions here. Ben Sasse is worried about midlife crises. Not just for himself, but for every working American who feels that their future in the face of technological disruption is not as secure as that of previous generations.

My Dad Is Dead. His Landlord Just Evicted Him.

Trent Parke / Magnum
When my father’s heart stopped, I had no choice but to keep moving. He had lived alone, and I understood that managing the logistics of his death—planning his funeral, settling his debts, divvying up his belongings—would be an enormous task. Those looming practical matters infuriated me; I hated that my world-shattering news had not, in fact, shattered the world. It kept spinning along, so I did too.

Why Biden Is Patient as Democrats Panic

A faint but discernible note of alarm has been slipping into Democrats’ chatter about the 2022 and 2024 elections. President Joe Biden’s approval ratings have slumped to their lowest levels since his inauguration. His governing coalition is splintering over the Haitian migrant crisis. Many Democrats view the legislation moving through Congress this week as a defining test of whether they can marshal their congressional majority and pass something that most Americans want.

Pelosi: ‘Make No Mistake: This Is the Biden Agenda’

Editor’s Note: This article is part of our coverage of The Atlantic Festival. Learn more and watch festival sessions here. Nancy Pelosi is juggling a series of looming deadlines. House Democrats must avoid a government shutdown and federal default, and they need to reach a consensus on advancing President Biden’s agenda through two different bills.