Epstein's list: There's rare agreement between far-right conspiracy theorists, Democratic lawmakers and the general public that the Department of Justice should release the evidence it collected on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. But there are some serious risks to this kind of mass release of records, which can quickly become fodder for further conspiracy theories, writes Brandy Zadrozny. Without a legal process to adjudicate what's true, innocent people can also become victimized, with little recourse. Read more. |
ICE'd out: The White House claims that assaults on Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers have increased due to Democratic criticism. But officials are using misleading statistics and cherry-picked, out-of-context quotes to make their case, writes Anthony L. Fisher. And while assaulting a federal officer is strategically stupid and morally wrong, there's little evidence that Democratic rhetoric are causing the few documented incidents — which aren't all particularly violent. Read more. |
De-pledge drive: When Republicans in Congress voted to cut funding for public broadcasting and foreign aid, they also undercut a long-standing tradition that helps avoid government shutdowns, writes Hayes Brown. By retroactively approving cuts made unilaterally by the White House, GOP lawmakers made clear that they cannot be trusted to make any future guarantees on spending to Democrats. That will make it harder to get bipartisan approval for budget deals in the future, all but ensuring a government shutdown this fall. Read more. |
Farming out work: Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins' pledge to create a "100% American workforce" in agriculture is a good applause line for the president's base, but it's also completely unworkable, writes Michele Norris. The 2.6 million people working on farms in the U.S. include substantial numbers of immigrants, many of whom lack formal work authorization. But farmers say there's no way they can replace these workers with Americans to do the back-breaking, thankless and often dangerous work it takes to keep the country fed. Read more. |
The late, lamented 'Show': When CBS announced it had canceled "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert," the network said it was a "purely financial decision." But given Colbert's long history of roasting Trump — coupled with CBS' recent $16 million settlement with the president over its edit of a "60 Minutes" segment — not everyone is buying that rationale, writes Jacques Berlinerblau. It certainly didn't help that Trump almost immediately responded by saying he "absolutely" loved that Colbert "got fired." Read more. |
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In an interview about their terminal cancer diagnosis, prominent American poet Andrea Gibson explained how contemplating an imminent death better helped them appreciate life. "You tap into the brevity of something and all of a sudden, everything becomes more special," they said. Gibson, whose spoken-word poetry touched the lives of millions, had long shown a sense of spirituality that emphasized nondualism — the idea that we are deeply interconnected, both to each other and to nature, an important message at a time of political turmoil, journalist Noor Noman writes in an appreciation of Gibson's life and work. Before their death Monday at the age of 49, Gibson had addressed mortality with a similar approach, asking people not to say they "lost some battle" to ovarian cancer. "I'll be a winner that day," they said. Read the column here. — Ryan Teague Beckwith, newsletter editor |
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Tonight, MSNBC Films presents a new episode of "Leguizamo Does America," an NBC News Studios production. Host John Leguizamo is back for season 2, traveling cross-country to six new destinations and exploring the Latino traditions, cuisine, and political perspectives that form the fabric of each community. In episode 3, John visits Denver. Watch tonight at 9 p.m. Eastern on MSNBC. |
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