Today's Liberal News

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.

We’re Already Barreling Toward the Next Pandemic

Updated at 7:55 p.m. on September 29, 2021.A year after the United States to actually do the job.[Read: The coronavirus is here forever. This is how we live with it. ]“Nobody should read that plan as the limit of what needs to be done,” Eric Lander, the president’s science adviser, told me.