Today's Liberal News
Is Aziz Ansari Sorry?
The Waves also discusses the Riverside Church controversy and the case of Sarah Milov.
Your Opinions on Her Wardrobe Are Probably Unwelcome
What we say matters, especially depending on whom we say it to.
What Role Does HR Play in the #MeToo Era?
The Waves also discusses the case against Jeffrey Epstein and Taffy Brodesser-Akner’s Fleishman Is in Trouble.
Former Trump statistics chief slams Friday firing of Erika McEntarfer
Bill Beach said the president’s suggestions that the jobs report was rigged betrayed a misunderstanding in how those numbers are assembled.
Trump fires statistics chief after soft jobs report
The monthly jobs report showed just 73,000 jobs in July, with big reductions to May’s and June’s numbers
John Mearsheimer vs. Matt Duss: A Debate on Trump-Putin Summit, Ukraine, Russia & Paths to Peace
As U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin meet in Alaska for a high-stakes summit to discuss a possible ceasefire in Ukraine, we host a debate between two foreign policy thinkers about the war, its causes and how it could be brought to a conclusion.
John Mearsheimer is an international relations theorist at the University of Chicago, known for his realist perspective. He has long argued that Western policies are the main cause of the Ukraine crisis.
Trump Buys More Time for Putin
The fallout from Donald Trump’s summit in Alaska with Russian President Vladimir Putin last week continues to grow. On Friday, Trump flew to an apparently impromptu meeting with Putin, shaming America by greeting like an honored guest the man who’d ignited the largest war in Europe since Hitler.
Zelensky Wasn’t Going to Repeat His Oval Office Disaster
Volodymyr Zelensky clearly learned some lessons from his calamitous Oval Office meeting with Donald Trump back in February. That much was apparent today just from the Ukrainian leader’s outfit. Back then, Zelensky took heat from Trump allies who felt that a suit—and not his trademark wartime ensemble—would have been more appropriate attire for an audience with the American president.
How Does Trump’s Federal Takeover End?
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One week after Donald Trump’s federal takeover of Washington, D.C., the militarization of the city is escalating.
Trump now says that he expects Congress to allow him to maintain control of D.C. police after a legally mandated 30-day limit.
AI Is a Mass-Delusion Event
It is a Monday afternoon in August, and I am on the internet watching a former cable-news anchor interview a dead teenager on Substack. This dead teenager—Joaquin Oliver, killed in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, in Parkland, Florida—has been reanimated by generative AI, his voice and dialogue modeled on snippets of his writing and home-video footage.
Law and Order: Sandwich Crimes Unit
“WASHINGTON—The Justice Department worker accused of throwing a Subway sandwich at a federal agent was re-arrested by an armed team of at least a half-dozen US Marshals in a dramatic Wednesday night raid, new video shows.
Sean Charles Dunn, 37, was cuffed a second time inside his apartment about a mile northwest of the White House—after being slapped with a felony assault charge.
“Whitewashing of History”: Harvard Historian on Trump’s Targeting of School Curricula, Smithsonian
The White House has called for a far-reaching review of Smithsonian museum exhibitions in order to ensure they align with President Trump’s interpretation of U.S. history.
In Largest Israeli Protest to Date, 1 Million Israelis Demand Gaza Ceasefire to Free Hostages
Massive protests have erupted in Israel, with about 500,000 people marching in Tel Aviv Sunday to demand an end to the war in Gaza. Organizers say 1 million took part in demonstrations across the entire country. Most of the Israelis who were out on the streets “blame Netanyahu” for prioritizing his political survival over an end to the war, says Oren Ziv, reporter and photographer for +972 Magazine.
Is Peace Possible? Nation Publisher Katrina vanden Heuvel on Trump Summits with Putin, Zelensky
President Trump is meeting today at the White House with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and several other European leaders. This comes three days after Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska failed to secure a peace agreement. Ahead of the Alaska talks, Trump had vowed Russia would face “very severe consequences” if Putin did not agree to stop the war, but Trump then dropped his call for a ceasefire.
Money Travels: Monetizing Not Waiting in Line
From TSA Clear to seat selection, the airlines are trying to monetize giving you more time.
The Rise of Crypto-Based Wrench Attacks
Wealthy crypto holders are being targeted for their digital funds with IRL violence.
Trump Is Right About One Thing When It Comes to Washington
He’s right that there’s a problem. He’s wrong about what causes and fixes it.
The Real Reason Trump Wants to Take Over the Nation’s Capital
Are the feds really sending in the troops because of “Big Balls”?
It’s the Hottest Restaurant in America. It’s Probably in Your Mall’s Parking Lot. How Did This Happen?
It started with a cheese pull.
Money Travels: How to Travel the Right Way (If You Want to Broaden Your Mind)
If you’re seeking the profound, here’s the best way to travel nationally and internationally
Congress is lukewarm on RFK Jr.’s plans. In the states, they’re catching fire.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s ‘Make America Healthy Again’ movement is taking off in red — and blue — states, even as health experts condemn some of his actions.
Wiles intervened to save RFK Jr.’s top vaccine aide
A well-connected drug company and Laura Loomer wanted Kennedy ally Vinay Prasad gone. Trump chief of staff Susie Wiles got his job back.
Proponent of Medicaid cuts set to brief House Republicans as they plot another megabill
Brian Blase has pushed the GOP to make deeper cuts to the safety-net health program.
Humanitarian groups cannot challenge Trump’s impoundment of foreign aid grants, appeals court rules
The ruling overturned a district judge’s injunction that had directed the administration to restore the flow of the grants.
CDC shooter, motivated by vaccine distrust, died of self-inflicted gunshot wound
Agency Director Susan Monarez tried to soothe staff at a Tuesday meeting, but some employees said the all-hands call was lacking.
The Pull—And the Risks—Of Intensive Parenting
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In 2024, Russell Shaw made the case for the Lighthouse Parent. “A Lighthouse Parent stands as a steady, reliable guide,” Shaw writes, “providing safety and clarity without controlling every aspect of their child’s journey.
Trump Has No Cards
President Donald Trump berated President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office. He allowed the Pentagon twice to halt prearranged military shipments to Ukraine. He promised that when the current tranche of armaments runs out, there will be no more. He has cut or threatened to cut the U.S. funds that previously supported independent Russian-language media and opposition.