Good morning, Welcome to MS NOW's Sunday Spotlight, where you can find a selection of the week's most interesting and important stories. No Kings protesters mobilized across the country to speak out against President Donald Trump's policies. Meanwhile, someone made a very suspicious trade before Trump made news, critics say Republicans' response to the economy is "tone deaf" and birtherism is coming for us all. Plus, the children's entertainer who keeps making waves. Don't forget to check out more top columns and videos from the week below. |
Beyond No Kings: The No Kings protests that took place across the country this weekend were massive. These demonstrations continue to drive home how Trump's presidency is not only unpopular, but unpopular in a manner that infuriates and mobilizes people. But something is missing, writes Zeeshan Aleem. There is an absence of friction. The contained and routine choreography of these demonstrations every few months is central to their mass appeal, and, paradoxically, it is also what limits their power. Americans interested in using collective action to push back against Trump's authoritarian agenda will need to show more ambition and creativity to move the dial. Read more. |
Spent: As the war in Iran drives up gas prices and snarls supply chains, Republicans have a simple message for Americans: spend less. In recent months, Trump and his allies have bluntly asked Americans to buy fewer Christmas gifts, take fewer trips to Starbucks, eat a bizarre $3 dinner and buy liver instead of steak, among other personal sacrifices, writes Akayla Gardner. Critics, including some Republicans, say the messaging is "more than tone-deaf" and will come back to haunt the party in November, just as a sluggish economy hurt former President Joe Biden. Read more. |
Inside Strait?: Trump's announcement last Sunday that he has been in peace talks with Iran was a surprise. But maybe not to whomever it was who traded futures for oil and stocks worth billions of dollars just 15 minutes earlier, argues Zeeshan Aleem. It's impossible to rule out other explanations for the trades, but market analysts say it's definitely worth investigating if someone was profiting on inside information. That's especially plausible in an administration that has made clear it has no problem with the president and his family profiting from his position. Read more. |
Birtherism, redux: Trump got his start in politics by demanding to see former President Barack Obama's birth certificate. Now he's asking for everyone's, argues Ryan Teague Beckwith. The president wants Americans to produce a birth certificate to vote or just play high school sports, either to prove citizenship or decide what gender someone is allowed to present, even though millions of Americans don't have access to those documents. At the same time, the administration's lawyers will argue before the Supreme Court that being born in the U.S. should not automatically confer citizenship, which would undermine the major use of the birth certificate. Read more. |
Standing up for kids: Children's entertainer and educator Ms. Rachel recently posted a video of her FaceTime with a 9-year-old boy. But the now-viral video is different from some of her others because the boy is being held in the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas with his family, argues culture writer Noor Noman. Ms. Rachel has gained notice for her fierce advocacy of Palestinian children under siege in Gaza, but she maintains that her advocacy extends to all children, everywhere and that it should not be political to "believe that every child is equal." Read more. |
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Women in labor are being forced to appear virtually before judges who force them to undergo a cesarean section against their will, according to a recent ProPublica report. Because of problematic laws and policies that bestow personhood on a fetus, hospitals in some states can turn to the courts when a pregnant patient refuses a recommended intervention, argue obstetrician Dr. Joia Creer Perry and reproductive justice advocate Jade Below. These policies prioritize the fetus at the expense of mothers who are fully informed on the health risks at issue and can face problems with a lack of paid leave or newborn care if they are forced to have cesarean sections. Doctors in obstetrics and gynecology have long emphasized patient autonomy, but these ethical traditions are being undermined by these laws. Read the column here. — Ryan Teague Beckwith, newsletter editor |
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This week on "The Best People," Nicolle Wallace is joined by Julie K. Brown to reflect on her incredible legacy of investigative reporting, including her role in breaking the Jeffrey Epstein story wide open. They discuss what threads she continues to pull, and the importance of believing these women. Listen now, and subscribe to MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts for early access, ad-free listening and bonus content. |
In the latest episode of "Why Is This Happening?," Chris Hayes is joined by Robert Pape, a political science professor, to discuss his outlook for the future of the war with Iran. Listen now, and subscribe to MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts for ad-free listening and bonus content. |
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