April 22, 2026
Space
1440 - NASA unveiled its Roman Space Telescope yesterday, an instrument that could allow researchers to observe an area of the cosmos 100 times larger than the Hubble Space Telescope. See the telescope here. Roman could help scientists find exoplanets by identifying distortions in starlight that may indicate a planet passing in front of stars. The telescope also aims to answer questions about the formation of the universe as well as dark matter and dark energy (what’s the difference?). The observatory, estimated to cost over $4B, will be launched on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy from Florida as soon as this fall.
States where people spend the most and least on housing
WalletHub - With housing costs consuming up to 50% of the median income in some states, the personal-finance company WalletHub today released its report on the States Where People Spend the Most & Least on Housing to highlight where homeownership is least affordable for the average resident.
For this report, WalletHub analyzed mortgage and home energy payments across all 50 states. These costs were then combined and compared with each state’s median household income to determine where people spend the largest share of their income on housing.
Full report
For this report, WalletHub analyzed mortgage and home energy payments across all 50 states. These costs were then combined and compared with each state’s median household income to determine where people spend the largest share of their income on housing.
| Highest % of Income Spent | Lowest % of Income Spent | |
| 1. Hawaii (50.02%) | 41. Kentucky (20.34%) | |
| 2. California (43.00%) | 42. Mississippi (20.13%) | |
| 3. Massachusetts (33.67%) | 43. Arkansas (19.93%) | |
| 4. Oregon (33.56%) | 44. Indiana (19.70%) | |
| 5. Washington (32.97%) | 45. Illinois (19.70%) | |
| 6. Colorado (32.58%) | 46. Ohio (19.68%) | |
| 7. Nevada (32.36%) | 47. Nebraska (19.34%) | |
| 8. Idaho (30.88%) | 48. Kansas (18.64%) | |
| 9. Montana (30.47%) | 49. West Virginia (18.39%) | |
| 10. New York (30.41%) | 50. Iowa (17.26%) | |
Full report
Universities
“What they need, in every department, are more skeptics and iconoclasts and people with a capacity to change their minds intelligently.” - Bret Stephens, an Opinion columnist. Read now
Now hospitals are a target
Axios - Washington's anti-hospital animus is gaining momentum with new calls to crack down on federal financing of hospitals coming from a think tank with close ties to the Trump administration.
It's becoming apparent on both sides of the aisle that addressing health care costs means addressing their largest driver: Hospitals.
The Paragon Health Institute, a conservative think tank led by first-term Trump health official Brian Blase, released a report today, "The Hospital Cost Crisis: How Government Policies Drive Consolidation, Undermine Competition, and Fuel Soaring Prices."
- It dismantles several of hospitals' most common arguments about their finances, concluding that "hospitals are not broadly financially distressed."
- It also disputes the industry's longtime claim that facilities lose money treating Medicare and Medicaid patients — an argument often used to justify charging commercially insured patients more for services.
- And it argues that federal policy, in many cases, overpays hospitals, gives them a competitive edge against other health industry players, and encourages consolidation while promoting inefficiencies.
- Paragon played a significant role in shaping the Medicaid overhaul that was included in last year's Republican budget bill, in a sign of its clout on Capitol Hill.
Details: The paper calls for greater scrutiny of "direct subsidy programs" like provider taxes, state-directed payments, and certain Medicare and Medicaid payments, saying such programs are "extensive, opaque and poorly targeted." More
Virginia a win for Democrats
Roll Call - Virginia voters on Tuesday approved a constitutional amendment to redraw the commonwealth’s congressional map, giving Democrats an opportunity to pick up as many as four additional House seats in this fall’s midterm elections.
The pro-redistricting “yes” side was leading with just over 50 percent of the vote when The Associated Press called the race around 8:50 p.m. Eastern time, meaning that, at least for now, Democrats would be favored to control 10 out of Virginia’s 11 congressional districts under the new lines.
Tuesday’s special election comes after the Virginia legislature began the process to redraw the map last fall, joining a collection of states that have altered their congressional lines ahead of the midterms.
The result represents a big win for Democratic hopes of flipping the House this year when Republicans are defending a razor-thin majority in the chamber.
Middle East
The Guardian - Donald Trump unilaterally announced an extension of the two-week ceasefire with Iran on Tuesday amid frantic efforts to bring the two sides back to the negotiating table.
Hours after announcing that he “expected to be bombing”, Trump said he would extend the truce until Tehran submitted a proposal for peace. The announcement came on a day where JD Vance’s expected trip to Islamabad was put on hold and after Trump stepped up his aggressive messaging, saying the US military was “raring to go”.
Trump’s ceasefire rhetoric received short shrift from Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of the Iranian parliament and Tehran’s lead negotiator. His personal advisor dismissed it as “a ploy to buy time for a surprise strike”, adding that “the time for Iran to take the initiative has come”.
April 21, 2026
Pete Hegseth
X- Pete Hegseth announces that the War Department will no longer require the flu vaccine for military service members this season.
Middle East
NBC News - President Donald Trump said the U.S. would hold off on new attacks against Iran, heeding a request from Pakistani mediators. Trump said on Truth Social that Iran's "fractured" government needed more time to put forward a comprehensive proposal for negotiations. A U.S. military blockade of Iranian ports would continue, he said.
Pope takes on those "“exploited by authoritarians and defrauded by the rich”
Independent, UK - Pope Leo has delivered a forceful condemnation of global injustices during his ongoing four-nation Africa tour, lamenting that many people are “exploited by authoritarians and defrauded by the rich”. This marks an ongoing shift in his public sermons, showcasing a new, more outspoken style.
Addressing worshippers at a Mass in Saurimo, near the Democratic Republic of Congo border, the first US pope – who has previously drawn the ire of President Donald Trump – said that violence and oppression contradict the Christian message.
He declared: “Every form of oppression, violence, exploitation and dishonesty negates the resurrection of Christ”, referring to the core belief of Christianity that Jesus rose from the dead after being crucified.
ICE Condemned for ‘Police State’ Tactics
Newsweek - A federal judge has issued a scathing attack on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), describing aspects of its arrest practices as resembling “police state” tactics and warning of serious constitutional concerns. The ruling, issued by U.S. District Judge Dora L. Irizarry of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, centers on the detention of an individual on Long Island and ultimately orders the person’s release.
In the opinion, the judge, a George W. Bush-era Republican appointee, points to what she describes as troubling enforcement practices, including the use of after-the-fact documentation to justify arrests, which the judge said raised serious due process concerns.
According to the court, ICE officers arrested the individual without a judicial warrant and later relied on paperwork that appeared to have been prepared after the arrest to justify the detention. The judge said this sequence raised serious questions about whether the government had complied with statutory and constitutional requirements at the time of the arrest. In unusually forceful language, the judge compared such practices to “police state” tactics.
Maryland bns "surveillance pricing" by retailers
Newsweek - Maryland could become the first U.S. state to ban "surveillance pricing" as a new law—the Protection From Predatory Pricing Act—could affect how retailers charge millions of residents for their groceries.
Surveillance pricing—sometimes called dynamic or personalized pricing—is a practice that allows retailers to charge different customers different prices for the same item, based on their personal data.
Retailers use information they've collected about individual shoppers—such as their purchase history, location or online behavior—to determine how much someone is willing to pay for an item.
After Maryland lawmakers passed the Protection From Predatory Pricing Act, Democratic Governor Wes Moore confirmed that he would sign the bill into law, arguing that surveillance pricing could unfairly raise the cost of everyday essentials.
In January, when the bill was first introduced, Moore said in a news release, "At a time when Marylanders are already stretched by the rising cost of groceries, housing, and everyday necessities, we must ensure that new technologies are not used to drive up the bill for working families."
Donald Trump
The Daily Adda - A stunning new report from The Wall Street Journal has exposed a deeply troubling picture of President Donald Trump during one of the most critical national security moments of his second term. According to senior administration officials, Trump completely lost it during an active military rescue operation tied to the Iran war. His own team made the extraordinary decision to physically remove him from the room and shut the door behind them.
The crisis began on Good Friday when a U.S. F-15E Strike Eagle was shot down over Iran and two American airmen went missing behind enemy lines. When Trump received the news, he screamed at aides for hours. The scene inside the West Wing, according to sources, was not one of calm leadership. It was one of a president who had completely lost his grip.
Senior officials including Vice President JD Vance and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles dialed directly into the Situation Room to receive live, minute-by-minute updates on the rescue operation. Trump was not in that room. He was briefed separately, only at what officials described as “meaningful moments,” over the phone.
Heather Cox Richardson - Late Saturday evening, Josh Dawsey and Annie Linskey of the Wall Street Journal reported that Trump was so unstable and angry after learning on April 3 that Iranians had shot down an American jet that his aides kept him out of the room as they received updates, simply telling him what was going on at important moments.
The journalists describe an erratic president who entered the war after Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu convinced him the Iranian people would support such strikes and after his successful extraction of Venezuela’s president Nicolás Maduro and his wife Celia Flores convinced him the military could pull off another quick victory. He seemed to believe that if his gamble worked, he would be saving the world.
But while the strikes did indeed kill Iran’s top leaders and badly damage its military, the Iranians closed the Strait of Hormuz. Trump did not foresee this outcome, although he was warned of it. He told his team that the Iranian government would give up before it closed the strait and, if it did manage to close the strait, the U.S. military would handle it. The journalists report Trump has “marveled at the ease with which the strait was closed.”
Social Security checks come later in May
Newsweek - Millions of Social Security beneficiaries will face a longer-than-usual wait for their next payment, according to the Social Security Administration’s benefit schedule.
The delay isn’t the result of a policy change or benefit cut. Instead, it stems from how the calendar falls this spring. However, it is a quirk that can catch retirees and other recipients off guard if they’re not expecting it.
“Most seniors don't realize their May Social Security check isn't late, the calendar just shifted on them. Because May 1 falls on a Friday, the first Wednesday payment doesn't land until May 13,” Michael Ryan, a finance expert and founder of MichaelRyanMoney.com, told Newsweek.
The Democrat alternatives
Robert Reich - Here, according to early polls and political observers, are the people most likely to be the Democratic nominee — as of April 21, 2028 (no candidate has yet officially announced their candidacy)....
1. Kamala Harris: Harris says she’s now “thinking about” another run at the White House, which is tantamount to throwing her hat into the ring. Her brief campaign in 2024 showed her to be a tough and able campaigner, and she was enormously effective in her debate with Trump (so much so that he refused to debate her again). She has wide name recognition. And having been the Democratic nominee once, she may have dibs on another run if she wants it.
But some worry that a woman cannot win the presidency and that we shouldn’t put a woman up for president when a Democratic win is so urgently needed. Others say that although she was effective as a candidate, she hesitated to take any strong positions during her spirited three-month 2024 campaign. Most Americans still don’t know what she stands for.
2. Gavin Newsom. The California governor has eagerly become Trump’s foil. He sued Trump for sending the National Guard to Los Angeles and led a successful push to redraw California’s congressional map to counter redistricting in red states. He also has a popular podcast. And he’s gaining attention for giving Trump some of his own medicine on social media by mocking him.
But many worry that a prominent California Democrat can’t win. In addition, Newsom has some baggage: He infamously dined in a high-priced restaurant during COVID after warning Californians to avoid dining out. He had an affair with his deputy chief of staff’s wife, who was also his aide. His ex-wife and former political adviser was Kimberly Guilfoyle, who then dated and became engaged to Donald Trump Jr., before they separated (she’s now the ambassador to Greece).
3. Pete Buttigieg. The former transportation secretary is well-liked. Many are drawn to him by his obvious intelligence, thoughtfulness, even-temperedness, facility with languages, and ability to articulate a clear progressive Democratic message. No potential Democratic candidate is as much the opposite of Trump in all these respects.
But for the same reason that some worry about putting up a woman for president in 2028, some worry that a gay candidate wouldn’t have a chance in the bigoted politics Trump has left us with and argue that we cannot risk that America’s homophobia would scare off needed voters. Others claim that although he was mayor of a small city and transportation secretary, he lacks enough experience in national politics to be an effective campaigner for president.
4. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The fiery representative from New York’s 14th Congressional District was the youngest woman ever elected to Congress and one of the first two female members of the Democratic Socialists of America to be elected. In 2028, she’ll be old enough to run for president, and many progressives love her powerful speeches and strong voice on the Internet. No politician has mastered social media nearly as well as AOC, and none has as clear a blessing from Bernie Sanders and the progressive wing of the Democratic Party.
But some express disappointment with AOC’s more recent voting record, claiming she has pivoted from challenging establishment Democrats to aligning with them as she weighs a potential 2028 run. Her vote on funding Israel’s Iron Dome, and her increasing willingness to work within the party machinery rather than primarying establishment Democrats, has caused concern among progressives. Others argue that a Democratic-Socialist woman candidate has little chance of winning.
5. Others? Among others actively being mentioned (and fairly actively pushing themselves) as potential Democratic presidential candidates in 2028 are Illinois governor JB Pritzker, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro, Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer, California congressman Ro Khanna, Kentucky governor Andy Beshear, New Jersey senator Cory Booker, and former congressman and Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel.
New Federal Reserve head says he'll make decisions independent of Trump
NY Times - Kevin M. Warsh, President Trump’s pick to lead the Federal Reserve, asserted at a confirmation hearing before the Senate Banking Committee on Tuesday that he would not do the president’s bidding on interest rate decisions, pledging to be “strictly independent” if confirmed for one of the world’s most powerful economic positions.
In sometimes testy exchanges, Mr. Warsh, 56, sought to dispel doubts around his credibility, saying Mr. Trump had “never asked me to predetermine, commit, fix, decide on any interest rate decision in any of our discussions, nor would I ever agree to do so.”
Democrats also sought clarity on his roughly $100 million in assets that he has agreed to divest if he is confirmed. Mr. Warsh said that confidentiality agreements had prevented him from providing specific details, and said his investments will be “as plain vanilla as possible” and “sitting in something like cash.”
Mr. Warsh touched on several reforms he would support if confirmed, including changing how the Fed communicates around its policy decisions, and providing fewer hints about the future to avoid officials getting boxed in. He also reiterated his commitment to keep the Fed focused on keeping inflation low and stable and avoiding issues that fall outside its remit.
“The president believes that real economic growth in the U.S. and real take home pay will accelerate,” he said. “I share the president’s confidence in the country and its people. America’s economic growth potential is rising as we sit here today.”
Harris claims Trump pulled into Iran war by Netanyahu
Congressional Insider - Former Vice President Kamala Harris accuses President Trump of being “pulled” into an Iran war by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, raising questions about whose interests truly drive America’s military choices.
She links the conflict to soaring gas prices, with Americans paying $15 more per tank and 50% higher diesel costs.
She links the conflict to soaring gas prices, with Americans paying $15 more per tank and 50% higher diesel costs.
Claims lack evidence, highlighting partisan attacks amid a war yielding historic U.S.-Israel gains against Iran.
Gambling addicted states
WalletHub - With the gambling industry generating a record $78.7 billion in revenue last year, ... WalletHub has released its report on the 2026’s Most Gambling-Addicted States, along with expert insights, to shed light on where this risky addiction is most widespread.
To create the ranking, WalletHub compared all 50 states using 20 key metrics, including factors such as illegal gambling activity, lottery spending per person, and the percentage of adults struggling with gambling disorders.
To create the ranking, WalletHub compared all 50 states using 20 key metrics, including factors such as illegal gambling activity, lottery spending per person, and the percentage of adults struggling with gambling disorders.
| Most Gambling-Addicted States | Least Gambling-Addicted States |
| 1. Nevada | 41. Maryland |
| 2. South Dakota | 42. Connecticut |
| 3. Montana | 43. Florida |
| 4. Mississippi | 44. Wisconsin |
| 5. Louisiana | 45. Nebraska |
| 6. West Virginia | 46. Hawaii |
| 7. Pennsylvania | 47. Kansas |
| 8. New Jersey | 48. Alaska |
| 9. Oregon | 49. Vermont |
| 10. Oklahoma | 50. Utah |
To view the full report
A GOP House member wants to deport citizens for their politics
Alternet America - A Republican introduced a bill this week to deport people for their beliefs and explicitly cut the courts out of the process. Checks and balances had a good run.
Rep. Chip Roy of Texas introduced the Measures Against Marxism’s Dangerous Adherents and Noxious Islamists Act (the MAMDANI Act) which would deport, denaturalize, deny citizenship, or bar entry to any citizen or immigrant who is a member of a socialist party, a communist party, the Chinese Communist Party, or an Islamic fundamentalist party.
The bill is named after Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic Socialist mayor of New York City, who is Muslim and was born in Uganda. Roy has been upset about his existence for some time.
The legislation would also bar judicial review of decisions made under its inadmissibility, deportation, or denaturalization clauses, making such determinations final and legally unchallengeable. So the government could strip someone’s citizenship for their political beliefs, and that person would have no legal recourse.
Health
Green Energy Times - For every day of heat above 100.4°F, the risk of heart disease for an individual increased by about 3%. [ABC News]
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Celebrating Earth Day and co-ops
Erbin Crowell, Green Energy Times - The first Earth Day was celebrated in the U.S. in 1970 as awareness of the impacts of pollution and industrial agriculture on the environment and human health was reaching a peak. The date of April 22 was originally chosen because it fell during spring break for many schools, offering an opportunity to engage young people in community activism and advocacy. The next few years saw the establishment of the United States Environmental Protection Agency as well as the passage of critical legislation such as the National Environmental Education Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and the Clean Air Act, and the Clean Water Act.
Not surprisingly, many of the food co-ops here in the Northeast were founded in the 1970s, riding this wave of ecological awareness. In the spirit of mutual self-help, people used their volunteer energy to build a democratic economic alternative — member-owned grocery stores rooted in their communities and controlled by the people who shopped and worked there. Food co-ops were also pioneers in local sourcing, bulk buying, and organic products, innovations that were later adopted by mainstream retailers.
In 2009, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly made April 22 an annual global celebration, International Mother Earth Day, and approved the Millenium Declaration the next year. With goals ranging from halving extreme poverty rates and halting the spread of HIV/AIDS, to providing universal primary education and ensuring environmental sustainability by 2015, the endeavor was unprecedented in its global scale. Co-ops were seen as key partners in the effort, demonstrated by the declaration of 2012 as the first International Year of Co-operatives.
....Today, more than 20 of the food co-ops founded in the northeast region in the ‘70s continue to serve their communities today. And while a new wave of start-ups has contributed to the growth of the movement in our region, the more than 60 food co-ops in New England and New York State remain true to their ideals. For example, an average of 30% of goods sold at these grocery stores are sourced from local producers. You can also find organic products that reduce pesticide pollution and support healthy soils, buy in bulk to help reduce packaging waste, and choose fairly traded and co-op products that benefit workers and producers in the developing world. In response to food insecurity, many food co-ops have also launched Healthy Food Access programs that make healthy, local food more accessible and contribute to community organizations through round up at the register efforts.
Gas and oil
Bloomberg - There’s more evidence of pain in the airline industry from surging jet fuel prices. Alaska Air suspended its full-year profit guidance and is forecasting a second-quarter loss. Spirit raised the prospect of offering the US government an equity stake to help stave off its potential liquidation. And over at JetBlue, CEO Joanna Geraghty waved off recent speculation about a bankruptcy filing.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright told CNN Sunday that gas might not drop all the way down to the pre-war level — averaging just under $3 per gallon in the U.S. — until next year. But President Trump appeared to contradict him in comments to The Hill yesterday, seeing a faster drop.
Researchers and the analysts we've talked to see slower price drops — pretty close to Wright's prediction.
- And the Iran war — and threats to oil supplies — remain so unpredictable that the country could even face more spikes. Full story
Epstein Inquiry
Alternet - House Republicans have orchestrated a deliberate strategy to avoid formal hearings on the Epstein investigation by replacing them with informal roundtable discussions, according to Democrats on the House Oversight Committee. According to Politico, the shift coincides with a spike in Democratic subpoena motions aimed at forcing testimony related to the investigation into the late Jeffrey Epstein.
....Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-Wis.) inadvertently revealed the reasoning behind the shift during a March subcommittee roundtable on mental health issues.
"It's no secret why we are not doing a formal hearing today," Grothman said. "We'd like this hearing to be solely focused on the issue before you, and there is some concern that — both parties are guilty of this — that they make motions in the middle of the hearing and try to bring up unrelated topics."
The statement suggests Republicans are using roundtables — which operate without formal procedures — to prevent Democrats from raising Epstein-related questions during committee proceedings.
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