Today's Liberal News
There’s Just One Problem With Ford’s Electric F-150
Joe Biden says the pickup truck is fast. It’s heavy, too.
New Jersey lifts mask mandate, social distancing rules in time for Memorial Day
Businesses can continue to require customers and employees to wear coverings, the governor said.
Biden expected to use budget to strengthen abortion rights bona fides
Omitting traditional anti-abortion provisions from his budget proposal could be his strongest statement yet on the issue.
Ohio announces first $1M Vax-a-Million lottery winner
The prize drawing is meant to encourage vaccination.
Dems back growing calls for Congress to probe Covid lab leak theory
The ongoing discussions on Capitol Hill represent a remarkable bipartisan agreement that Congress should investigate the origins of a virus that has killed 3.5 million people worldwide.
Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine appears safe and powerfully effective in teens
The finding could pave the way for the shot to become the second authorized in the U.S. for use in teens.
An Interview With the Man Who Waited Five Years to Open a Mysterious Safe—and Found the Weirdest Thing Possible Inside
It involves Vin Diesel, a condom, and a mostly forgotten movie.
The Most Spectacular Corrections From the New York Times’ Weddings Column
There were how many diamonds on the ring? The groom has been married how many times?
A Biden-friendly economist is creating a big headache for president’s spending plans
The study adds fuel to an intense national debate about what is behind a suspected worker shortage and what policy changes are needed to accelerate Americans’ return to work as the pandemic subsides.
Tax the rich? Executives predict Biden’s big plans will flop
Corporate executives and lobbyists say they are confident they can kill almost all of these tax hikes by pressuring moderate Democrats in the House and Senate.
Biden pressed to send clear message on economy as warning signs flash
The White House’s reaction to unexpected jobs and price data has opened the administration up to GOP attacks.
Lockdown mentality still holding the economy back, banking official says
Neel Kashkari of the Minneapolis Fed says things should get better as people overcome fears related to the pandemic.
Dr. Monica Gandhi on the Origins of COVID-19, Vaccine Equity, the Debate over Masks & More
President Joe Biden has ordered U.S. intelligence agencies to investigate the origins of COVID-19 as new questions are being raised over whether an accidental leak from a Chinese virology lab is to blame for the pandemic. The Wall Street Journal reports three employees of the Wuhan Institute of Virology fell ill with COVID-like symptoms in the autumn of 2019 and were hospitalized in November of that year, before the first recorded case of COVID-19.
News Roundup: Republicans filibuster the commission, commission, commission
It is Friday! In the wee hours of the night, the Republican Party destroyed the chances for our country to investigate the closest our nation has come to a coup d’etat since the main form of visual media was the daguerreotype. It’s not surprisng but it is a sad statement about where our country is at.
The scammer gets scammed as Gaetz and fiancée claim to lose $155K in ‘Thirsty’ yacht sale
Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida took time away from mocking the sex trafficking charges against him and rallying against Liz Cheney alongside Marjorie Taylor Greene to tell the world that he’s possibly been the target of a scam. Yes, that’s right. WFLA reports that Matt Gaetz and his brand new fiancée Ginger Luckey* say that they’ve been had.
A 3-year-old child dies in Vieques, Puerto Rico, which still has no hospital
After a 3-year-old boy died this week in Vieques, Puerto Rico, angry residents say the death could have been prevented if the island had a functional hospital.
Arizona Republicans seek to strip power from secretary of state just like in Georgia
In the two states with the closest outcomes in the 2020 election and where secretaries of state held the line against efforts to overturn the results, Republican lawmakers have made brazen power grabs that would tie the hands of those same elected officials in future elections.
Georgia GOP lawmakers have already codified their effort into law while Republicans in Arizona are attempting to finalize a similar move, as The Washington Post’s Aaron Blake points out.
NPC community seeing a burst of hope—and concern—as treatment for rare disease moves into new hands
When Daily Kos first covered the situation with children suffering from Niemann-Pick type C (NPC) and the possible treatment now called adrabetadex back on April 14, the story was left at a moment of confusion, frustration, and real fear that the only available treatment for this heartbreaking disease was about to become unavailable.
White House Defends High Gas Prices As Americans Prepare To Travel For Memorial Day
Gas prices have reached a seven-year high, which experts say is largely the result of higher demand and a shortage of fuel truck drivers.
Biden Omits Hyde Amendment From Budget, Keeping Promise To Defend Abortion Rights
The amendment makes abortion essentially inaccessible for low-income women and many women of color.
High on the Hog Tastes Like Life
Netflix’s history of Black American food serves up the shock of the familiar.
Democracy Defeated, 35–54
Three times in the past year, American democracy has been tested. Once, and most consequentially, it emerged victorious. The subsequent two tests have not turned out as well, and that is a bleak omen for whenever the next test arrives.The first test came after last fall’s election, when more Americans voted for the Democratic candidate, Joe Biden, than for any other presidential candidate in history.
Biden’s budget blowout predicts years of Obama-level tepid growth
Some analysts suggested that the administration is essentially admitting that its proposed surge in federal spending won’t actually boost the economy much at all.
Trump Slams Paul Ryan For Calling End To His Presidency ‘Disgraceful’
The ex-president claimed the former House speaker is “a curse to the Republican Party.
The Filibuster Discourages Bipartisanship. The GOP Filibuster Of A Jan. 6 Commission Just Proved it.
Will this change the opinion of the remaining Democratic supporters of the filibuster?
Republicans Filibuster Bill Establishing Bipartisan Jan. 6 Commission
The GOP blockade of a bipartisan probe of the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol will increase pressure on Democrats to eliminate the Senate filibuster.
Farewell to Masks (For Now)
Two weeks ago, for the first time in a year, I intentionally walked out of my front door without a mask. I didn’t even have one in my pocket. I have been vaccinated and was planning to be outdoors only, and so I was certain that going unmasked posed no risk to anyone. Still, the moment was eerie and profound. And not just because I had that phantom sense of having left the house without my keys, or my phone, or my pants.
The Books Briefing: What to Read This Summer
Whether you’re in the mood to burst out the door or curl up on a couch this summer, The Atlantic’s writers and editors have reading recommendations to match. Do you want to feel wonder about the universe, or be transported to another place? Maybe you’re craving smart observations about life, a deep dive, or just a bit of human connection. If you’re looking to embrace high drama or rediscover an old gem, we have you covered too.