California National Guard troops stand in front of a federal building in Los Angeles on June 10, 2025. AP Photo/Eric Thayer Luke William Hunt, University of Alabama A federal judge ruled on Sept. 2, 2025, that the Trump administration broke federal law by sending National Guard troops to Los Angeles in June in response to protests over … [Read more...] about National Guard to fight crime blurs the legal distinction between the police and the military
What’s in a Name? The Department of War, that Is.
On Friday, September 5, 2025, President Trump changed the name of the Defense Department to “Department of War." I am certain that our armed forces were just as competent and powerful for the past 75 years under the name “Department of Defense” as they were under the name “Department of War,” prior to 1949. I am even more certain that the patriotism, heroism and, yes, … [Read more...] about What’s in a Name? The Department of War, that Is.
Trump declares war on American city
UPDATED 8:37 pm Pacific. No matter how the Administration tries to spin this Truth Social post, it is not funny. And based on Trump's public statements this week, it's damn serious. Trump's rhetoric of the Hollywoodification of war, 'Chipocalypse Now’, reflects the Oscar winning movie about Vietnam, Apocalypse Now. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker wrote on … [Read more...] about Trump declares war on American city
The four most violent US cities are in red states. Yet Trump claims Chicago is the ‘world’s most dangerous city.’ He’s lying.
If you see anything about President Trump's claim that Chicago is the 'world’s most dangerous city,' it will probably be in a headline without any pushback. The Guardian headline pushes back, but it's not a truth sandwich like the one on our post: Never mind that there is no official definition for "dangerous." We, like The Guardian, use "violent" to … [Read more...] about The four most violent US cities are in red states. Yet Trump claims Chicago is the ‘world’s most dangerous city.’ He’s lying.
RFK JR TESTIFIES BEFORE CONGRESS (CARTOON)
IS ROBERT F. KENNEDY, JR AN UNMITIGATED QUACK? (UPDATED)
Is Robert F. Kennedy an unmitigated quack? If you strip it all away, remove all the increasingly tiresome journalistic writing niceties, the blunt response is: yes. RFK, Jr. is a quack. But a dangerous quack. RFK, Jr. is a conspiracy theorist and anti-vaccine activist quack who despite growing bipartisan opposition is a powerful quack, who continues to have his … [Read more...] about IS ROBERT F. KENNEDY, JR AN UNMITIGATED QUACK? (UPDATED)
What happened in the Caribbean was murder and a dangerous precedent
On Tuesday, representatives of the Trump Administration committed murder when they bombed what appeared to be a fishing boat in the international waters of the Caribbean, killing all aboard. Without providing any evidence, Trump claimed the boat had 11 people and was bringing drugs ("narcoterrorists") into the U.S. Initially, Secretary of State Marco Rubio had stated the … [Read more...] about What happened in the Caribbean was murder and a dangerous precedent
How RFK Jr.’s misguided science on mRNA vaccines is shaping policy — a vaccine expert examines the false claims
RFK Jr. canceled $500 million of funding for research on mRNA vaccine technology. Anadolu/Getty Images Deborah Fuller, University of Washington At a Sept. 4, 2025, hearing before the Senate Finance Committee, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faced heated questions from numerous senators about his vaccine policies, … [Read more...] about How RFK Jr.’s misguided science on mRNA vaccines is shaping policy — a vaccine expert examines the false claims
Vaccines and Blockheads
I'd rather Lucy's medical advice for a nickel than anything RFK Jr. has to say Five weeks ago, a shooter opened fire on the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) headquarters in Atlanta and killed James Rose, a DeKalb County police officer. The shooter wasn’t an immigrant or trans, that we’re aware, so the Trump administration hasn’t said much about it. After … [Read more...] about Vaccines and Blockheads
Katrina, 20 years later: MAGA has learned nothing
It’s axiomatic by this point that the Grand Old Party has morphed into a pro-death cult ruled by the cruelest overlords in American history – as evidenced by their worshipful gun fetish, their determination to sabotage life-saving vaccines, and their crusade to destroy the federal agency that helps people recover from climate-change disasters. The latter in particular has … [Read more...] about Katrina, 20 years later: MAGA has learned nothing
TRUMP DOES EPSTEIN FLYOVER
REPORT: SUSAN COLLINS GOT BIG WALL STREET BUCKS BEFORE ADVANCING TRUMP TAX BILL
Rolling Stone magazine reports that Republican Maine Sen. Susan Collins -- whose hand-writing expressions of "concern" often preface ultimate support for Donald Trump -- got big Wall Street bucks before advancing Trump tax bill. Here's part of the report: Sen. Susan Collins did not vote for President Donald Trump’s signature piece of legislation, his so-called Big Beautiful … [Read more...] about REPORT: SUSAN COLLINS GOT BIG WALL STREET BUCKS BEFORE ADVANCING TRUMP TAX BILL
Alienation
Alienation is a major word in President Donald Trump’s vocabulary and in his brain. Not only is he alienating a host of government employees and American scientists and health care professionals outside the government, he is now alienating the leaders of major nations who were neutral but leaning towards the United States. The two largest and most important nations whose … [Read more...] about Alienation
Bill Maher Overlooks the Bigger Picture of Mandatory Diversity
Bill Maher recently added to his familiar critique of “weak and woke” culture by mocking “forced diversity” in TV commercials — like an interracial family with a Black mother, white father, and Asian child. This kind of corporate pandering can feel artificial or heavy-handed. Maher is missing the big picture. The cultural shifts he now ridicules didn’t come out of nowhere. … [Read more...] about Bill Maher Overlooks the Bigger Picture of Mandatory Diversity
How to poop outdoors in a way that won’t harm the environment and other hikers
A pilot program to distribute waste bags to hikers on Mount Elbert in Colorado successfully cut down the amount of human waste on the massive mountain. Shari Edelson, CC BY-ND Shari Edelson, Penn State and B. Derrick Taff, Penn State If you’re one of the 63 million Americans who went hiking last year, chances are you’ve found yourself … [Read more...] about How to poop outdoors in a way that won’t harm the environment and other hikers
DONALD TRUMP NUKES U.S. CULITIVATED RELATIONSHIP WITH INDIA
I lived in New Delhi from January to May 1972 during my final semester at Colgate University as part of an independent study project. After getting my Masters in Journalism from Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism, I returned to New Delhi to freelance from September 1973 to May 1976. Even when the United States' relationship with India was going well there was always a … [Read more...] about DONALD TRUMP NUKES U.S. CULITIVATED RELATIONSHIP WITH INDIA
The ‘security guarantee’ paradox: Too weak and it won’t protect Ukraine; too robust and Russia won’t accept it
Ukraine is seeking security guarantees to protect itself from Russian attacks. Yuriy Dyachyshyn/AFP via Getty Images Peter Rutland, Wesleyan University Back-to-back summits in Alaska and Washington with the Russian and Ukrainian leaders, respectively, have done little to clarify how U.S. President Donald Trump intends to engineer an end to … [Read more...] about The ‘security guarantee’ paradox: Too weak and it won’t protect Ukraine; too robust and Russia won’t accept it
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT WEAPONIZED BY TRUMP
She Pushed to Overturn Trump’s Loss in the 2020 Election. Now She’ll Help Oversee U.S. Election Security.
She Pushed to Overturn Trump’s Loss in the 2020 Election. Now She’ll Help Oversee U.S. Election Security.by Doug Bock ClarkProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox.Heather Honey, a high-profile denier of Donald Trump’s loss in the 2020 election, has been appointed to a … [Read more...] about She Pushed to Overturn Trump’s Loss in the 2020 Election. Now She’ll Help Oversee U.S. Election Security.
Independent voices make authoritarianism clear, not traditional media
The Trump administration has weaponized the government against critics, regardless of party. These are acts of authoritarianism. However you would be hard pressed to find a traditional news story (whether "print" or "TV") that uses such straightforward language. Not so, niche, foreign and independent media. This is not about fighting crime. This is about Donald Trump … [Read more...] about Independent voices make authoritarianism clear, not traditional media