Word

Mehdi Hasan:

“Donald Trump is the son of an immigrant, the grandson of an immigrant, and married to an immigrant.

In fact, two of his three wives were immigrants, proving yet again that immigrants will do the jobs that even Americans are not willing to do.”

Defining socialism

Voting

Alternet America - The Trump DOJ announced Tuesday it will send federal election monitors to 15 jurisdictions across six states during the 2026 primary season. Civil Rights Division chief Harmeet Dhillon named Arizona, Michigan, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, and Virginia in a video posted to social media.

Dhillon framed it as business as usual, noting the department sent monitors to nine jurisdictions in 2022 and 27 in 2024. “This is something that DOJ does routinely,” she said.

What is not routine is what landed the same day. The department sent letters to all 50 states and D.C. warning that election officials could face criminal liability if they knowingly keep noncitizens on voter rolls or let them cast ballots.

That campaign has not gone well in court. The DOJ has lost 11 district court cases and its first appeal in its push to force states to hand over unredacted voter rolls. Not one judge has ordered a state to comply.

Alternet America -   Texas says voting in the wrong county is a 20-year felony, which is awkward for the guy who prosecutes them.

ProPublica reported Tuesday that Republican Attorney General and U.S. Senate candidate Ken Paxton voted in six elections while registered at an address where he does not live, his Collin County home. According to filings from his ex-wife, State Senator Angela Paxton, he has not lived there since their divorce two years ago.

Prior reporting linked Paxton to a home in Denton County. If true, that would make him ineligible to vote in Collin County. In Texas, doing so is a second-degree felony punishable by up to $10,000 and up to 20 years in prison.

The voter rolls show Paxton voted in Collin County in the March Republican primary, and again in May when he became his party’s nominee for the U.S. Senate.

David Becker, a former voting rights lawyer, told ProPublica that a residence “where someone does not live, does not spend the night” would raise red flags in any state. He added that the state’s chief law enforcement officer should be expected to know the residency laws.

Especially since Paxton wrote them down. In February, when he announced a tip line for suspected voter fraud, his office shared guidelines requiring registrants to “provide the address where you reside.”

Donald Trump

The Hill -  President Trump lashed out at Spain early Wednesday during remarks from the NATO summit, urging the U.S. to cut off all trade with the European country over what he called a lack of contributions to defense spending.  “Spain is a wasted cause. We don’t want to do any trade business with Spain anymore by the way,” Trump said, sitting alongside NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the group’s summit in Ankara, Turkey.

“Spain is a terrible partner in NATO. They don’t participate. They don’t pay,” the president continued. “I don’t want anything to do with Spain. Cut off all trade with Spain, please, including visits,” he said.  

Alternet -  President Donald Trump has provided “a stunning example of political pandering and exploiting religious faith for personal profit,” said a religious freedom advocate on Tuesday after financial disclosure forms revealed one of the latest ways in which the president has profited from the presidency: this time, by licensing his name to the “God Bless the USA” Bible sold by supporter and country music star Lee Greenwood.

The Bible bearing the president’s name is being sold for $99.99—as are the “First Lady Edition” and the “Vice Presidential Edition.”

According to his latest financial disclosures, the president has earned a total of $1,514,521 from placing his name on the religious text in a package that also includes copies of the US Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, the Pledge of Allegiance, and the handwritten chorus of Greenwood’s 1984 song “Good Bless the USA.”

Middle East

New Republic -   The Iran deal is dead, according to the U.S. president.  Donald Trump bitterly referred to Iran’s leadership as “scum” during a NATO summit presser in Ankara, Turkey, on Wednesday, telling reporters that he believes peace negotiations—and the regional ceasefire—are “over.”

“I don’t want to deal with them anymore. They’re scum. Do you know what scum is?” Trump said. “They’re scum. They’re sick people. They’re led by sick people, and they’re vicious, violent people, and if they had a nuclear weapon, they’d use it.

“As far as I’m concerned, it’s over. I’ll speak to our negotiators, they’ll want to negotiate, they’re good people. Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, but they’ll have to come back to me. As far as I’m concerned, it’s just a waste of time dealing with them.

“They’re liars. We make a deal—if I make a deal with him, we have a deal, and it goes out and he talks,” Trump said, briefly gesturing to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. “We make a deal, everyone’s agreed, no nuclear weapons. We make a deal. They go outside, talk to the press, they say we never even talked about it.

NY Times -  Oil prices spiked on Wednesday to the highest level in weeks and stocks dropped after President Trump said that he thought the Iran cease-fire was “over” amid a volatile 24 hours in the Persian Gulf region.

Trump vs. Smithsonian

Bob Fertik, Democrats.com - Donald Trump is trying to bully the Smithsonian into rewriting American history to fit his political agenda.

A new White House report attacks the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, smearing museum leadership and accusing the institution of pushing "far-left ideology."

But the real threat is coming from the White House: a president using government power to pressure one of America’s most important public cultural institutions into telling history the way he wants it told.

Don't Let Trump Rewrite American History

The Smithsonian does not belong to Donald Trump. It belongs to the American people. Its job is to preserve history, tell the truth, and help the public understand the full American story — including the achievements, struggles, injustices, and movements that shaped this country.

Tell the Smithsonian Board of Regents: Defend the Smithsonian’s independence and reject Trump’s political interference.

If Trump succeeds in intimidating the Smithsonian, it could set a dangerous precedent for every public institution that teaches history, protects knowledge, or tells uncomfortable truths. Museums should not be forced to erase slavery, civil rights struggles, Indigenous history, women’s history, LGBTQ+ history, immigration history, or any other part of the American experience because politicians find it inconvenient.

The Smithsonian Board of Regents has a responsibility to protect the institution from political pressure. The Board must make clear that museum professionals, historians, curators, and educators — not Donald Trump — should decide how American history is preserved and presented.

American history is not propaganda. It is complex, painful, inspiring, unfinished, and real. We cannot allow any president to turn the Smithsonian into a political weapon.

Trump still wants Greenland

CNBC -  President Donald Trump on Tuesday resurrected his push for the U.S. to acquire Greenland, and suggested the U.S. could pull all of its armed services members out of Europe in response to the Continent's continued pushback on the issue. The island territory "should be controlled by the United States," Trump said shortly after he arrived in Ankara, Turkey, for a NATO summit.

More living alone

USA Facts -  In recent decades, the most common type of US household has been those headed by a married couple without children under 18 in the home. But last year, people living alone comprised the largest share of households (29.5%) for the first time. Nearly three out of every 10 people lived on their own.

Labor

Tax raise for wealthy could save Social Security

Newsweek  -   As Social Security's financial outlook grows increasingly concerning, a bipartisan group of lawmakers is reviving a proposal to require higher-income Americans to pay Social Security taxes on more of their earnings.

To many, it presents as one of the least painful ways to shore up the retirement program, but it also could amount to one of the largest tax increases in decades.

Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren and Republican Senator Bernie Moreno wrote in a recent New York Times op-ed that removing the payroll tax cap would be a “no-brainer” as the Social Security Administration faces funding insolvency as early as 2032.

According to the latest Social Security trustees' projections, the program's Old-Age and Survivors Insurance trust fund is expected to become depleted in the fourth quarter of 2032. If Congress does nothing, incoming payroll tax revenue would only be sufficient to pay about 78 percent of scheduled benefits, resulting in an automatic 22 percent cut for retirees and survivors.

Under current law, workers and employers each pay a 6.2 percent Social Security payroll tax on earnings up to $184,500 in 2026. However, wages earned above that amount are exempt from Social Security taxes.

Warren and Moreno are two lawmakers so far to call for eliminating the cap entirely, arguing that wealthy Americans should pay Social Security taxes on all earnings rather than stopping once they exceed the annual threshold.

“Why should a middle-class nurse pay a larger share of her paycheck — than a wealthy corporate lawyer? This is doubly unfair in an economy in which top earners’ wages, over time, have pulled far ahead of those of the average worker,” the senators wrote in their Times op-ed.

Meanwhile. . .

The Supreme Court yesterday permitted a Texas law restricting minors from downloading most apps without parental consent to take effect.

Hegseth features far right preacher

NPR - Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth invited Pastor Doug Wilson to deliver a sermon at the Pentagon earlier this year as part of his monthly Christian worship service. Wilson self-identifies as a Christian nationalist, and his appearance at the Pentagon was controversial.  He has advocated for the repeal of women's right to vote, defended slavery and believes that homosexuality should be criminalized. His extreme views were once considered fringe, but religious scholars say his teachings are now making their way into the mainstream. In an episode of NPR's Newsmakers, Morning Edition's Leila Fadel sat down with Wilson at his home church in Idaho to discuss why he wants the U.S. to become a Christian theocracy and the implications it would hold for women and non-Christians across the nation.  Watch or listen to the interview or read the article about their discussion.

Heat weather

NPR - The dangerous heat wave that swept across much of the eastern U.S. over the July Fourth weekend could be the nation's new normal this time of year, according to experts. Scientists say climate change is driving more extreme temperatures and heavier rainfall. Both can contribute to significant, costly damage to roads. These extreme weather changes can cause pavement to expand, crack and warp, rendering some roads unusable until they are repaired. Engineers suggest that using a more durable — and more expensive — asphalt blend could be a solution for some roads that are subject to extreme temperatures. The way the U.S. has traditionally approached infrastructure, such as roads, is no longer sufficient for the future, says Mikhail Chester, a professor of engineering at Arizona State University. Here’s what else experts say can be done to help.

Most and least sports loving states

 With the FIFA World Cup in full swing and the final less than two weeks away, the non-profit organization SmileHub today released new reports on the Best Charities for Sports & Recreation and the Best States for Sports Lovers in 2026.

To highlight the most sports-loving states, SmileHub compared each of the 50 states based on 20 key metrics. The data set ranges from the number of sports charities per capita to the number of sports-related jobs per capita to the number of sports scholarships per capita.

 

Most Sports-Loving States	Least Sports-Loving States
1. Ohio	41. Oklahoma
2. New York	42. Arkansas
3. Pennsylvania	43. Wyoming
4. California	44. Maine
5. Illinois	45. West Virginia
6. Massachusetts	46. Alabama
7. Indiana	47. New Mexico
8. Colorado	48. Idaho
9. North Carolina	49. Alaska
10. Iowa	50. Hawaii

Key Stats

·       Ohio has the most sports bars per capita – 24.5 times more than Alaska, which has the fewest sports bars.

·       Florida has the most sports clubs per capita – 19.3 times more than Arkansas, which has the fewest sports clubs.

·       California has the most sporting goods stores per capita – 6 times more than North Dakota, which has the fewest stores.

To view the full report and your state’s rank

Todd Blanche

The Hill -  More than 1,200 former Department of Justice (DOJ) employees encouraged the Senate to reject acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s nomination to take on the role permanently, writing in a Tuesday letter that he has been “demonizing career employees.”

 “In the coming weeks, many will rightly underscore the corruption and abuses that have defined the Justice Department under Todd Blanche’s leadership: the vindictive prosecutions and investigations of the President’s foes; the deals designed to reward lawbreakers with taxpayer dollars; the erasure of accountability for January 6; the mishandling of the Epstein files; and the denigration of judges and repeated violations of their orders,” the former employees wrote in a letter organized by Justice Connection, a DOJ alumni group.

 “But we want to focus on an area that deserves just as much attention: Todd Blanche’s degradation of DOJ’s apolitical career workforce.”

 While such letters are common while a nominee is pending, it’s unusual for them to gain such a large number of signatures. The effort comes as Blanche is set to appear for his confirmation hearing next week.  

Polls

AP News -  About one-third of U.S. adults — including roughly half of Democrats — believe that Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians during the war in Gaza, an accusation that’s been leveled by some human rights organizations and vehemently denied by Israel and the U.S. government. About 2 in 10 Americans say Israel has not and the rest, about half, don’t know enough to say.  A similar share, 30%, of Jewish adults say Israel has committed genocide, although about half, 49%, say it has not.

The Guardian -   Ninety-five per cent of Americans believe the US is suffering an affordability crisis, as many report trouble with the rising cost of groceries and gas, according to an exclusive new poll conducted for the Guardian.

The survey, conducted by Harris Poll, paints a bleak picture of how people feel about the US economy amid the war in Iran and ahead of the key midterm elections this fall.

Despite stable employment and record-high stock markets, more Americans believe the overall economy is getting worse (57%) than in February (46%), when the poll was last conducted and before the war in the Middle East sent gas prices soaring. Fewer people today also believe the economy is getting better (16%, compared with 28% in February) and more say their financial security has gotten worse.

Immigration

New Republic -  A federal judge in Ohio ruled against the Trump administration Monday, citing bigoted comments President Trump and Vice President JD Vance made about immigrants. 

U.S. District Judge Algenon Marbley ordered the White House to unfreeze immigrants’ benefit applications, citing Trump and Vance’s “outright hostility towards immigrants, both before and after the 2024 presidential election.” These applications include filings for work authorization and green cards from people in the U.S. from countries including Burma, Canada, Iran, Nigeria, Syria, Tanzania, and Venezuela.

“Their ire appears focused on immigrants from countries in the Caribbean, South America, Africa, and Asia,” Marbley, nominated to the federal bench by President Bill Clinton in 1997, wrote.  

The judge quoted many of Trump’s comments against immigrants of color, including the time he railed against people coming to the U.S. from “shithole countries” or when he claimed Haitians are “poisoning the blood” of our country. In his second term as president, Trump attacked Somali Americans and accused them of adding “nothing” to the country, and oversaw violent immigration crackdowns across the country, particularly in Minnesota.

Marbley also highlighted Trump and Vance’s made-up accusation that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were eating people’s pet cats and dogs. 

Word

Greg Gerritt - I work with lots of young people and Democratic Socialists and no one I have ever met except rich folks wants things for free. We know real good public services require money and we want taxes that reflect ability to pay. We want an end to tax breaks for the rich. We want an economy that works for everyone. We want an end to subsidies for oil companies and downtown real estate and luxury buildings. We want mass transit that works, parks in every neighborhood, clean air and water. What kind of compromise is there on clean water or air?

Trump's war on the Smithsonian Institution

MS Now -   A new report from the White House Domestic Policy Council has a dire warning about the Smithsonian Institution. According to the White House, the National Museum of American History has become home to “a radical, activist cohort dedicated to reframing the American story to serve its ideological ends.” Accordingly, its authors write, President Donald Trump “has a duty and obligation to seek reforms of the Smithsonian” and restore the museum to its aims of being a beacon of patriotism.

This overwrought declaration spells out just how impossible Trump’s cohort finds it to imagine a world in which thoughtful criticism of America’s past could foster love of this country. But it’s only through examination of the unvarnished truth of where we’ve come from that we can truly appreciate where we are — and develop a vision of what we want America to become.

…The council’s conclusions in the 162-page report, titled “Saving America’s Story,” are as unnerving as they are dramatic: “As it stands today, it would benefit most Americans, especially parents bringing their children for a tour, if the Smithsonian’s flagship history museum had a label at every entrance that reads: ‘Warning: the exhibits in this museum were prepared by people who don’t want you to love your country.’

Donald Trump

Alternet -  A quarter millennia after its founding, the United States faces a stark choice that will define its future.  In the years ahead, the country can continue to follow the path blazed by President Donald Trump, who is attempting to bring states under the authority of a more powerful federal government led by him. Or it can move in a different direction, one where states become a heavier counterweight to an aggressive White House and rebalance the relationship between the states and the federal government.

The United States’ foundations are undergoing a significant stress test, experts say, raising questions about whether a radical reconception of the nation lies ahead. The federalism that has helped bind the states — and therefore, the nation — together is fraying, pulled apart by a president who demonstrates little regard for many of the nation’s core principles.

….While a long line of modern presidents have expanded the powers of their office, Trump has wielded the executive branch as a weapon to punish states and those state leaders he views as enemies. Federal dollars and resources have become a form of leverage he has tried to use to pursue his political aims and deliver the retribution he promised to, if reelected. He is trying to assert an unprecedented level of White House control over state-run elections.  How states — and the people — respond will forever shape the nation. 

Newsworthy News -   During his Mount Rushmore address kicking off America's 250th birthday, President Donald Trump again painted the United States as "the most just and exceptional nation ever to exist on Earth." He said people do not have to be born here, but "do have to love what we have built" and "must love our country." He tied American survival not only to the Constitution but to the "culture and character of the people," suggesting shared values matter as much as written laws….

In the same speech, Trump described communism as a "mortal threat to American liberty" and blamed it for roughly "100 million" deaths in the last century. He warned that modern movements on the left are trying to tear down American history, weaken pride, and "beat the American spirit out of us." For many conservatives, this fits long-running fears about socialism, globalism, and "woke" agendas that they feel attack faith, family, and national identity.

Critics argue that Trump's language goes beyond normal debate and turns politics into a test of loyalty. They point out that his claims about communists being made up of "illegal immigrants, criminals, and everybody that doesn't want to work" have no evidence behind them and smear whole groups of people. They also challenge boasts like "We beat Venezuela in one day" or that Iran was "dying to settle," calling them more campaign talk than proven fact. Yet they often do not offer detailed government records to prove him wrong.

The word “communist” is not the bogeyman it was during the 20th century or even the first decade of the 21st century. The Cold War has long been over. Millennials and Gen Z Americans either were not alive or were not politically conscious at a time when communism was seen in popular culture as a serious national security and economic threat. To them, communism is a historical term, not a haunting specter. The Communist Party U.S.A. exists, but it is a tiny and politically irrelevant organization. Trump, perpetually stuck in the 1980s, likely overestimates the power of “communist” as a slur.  

Trump’s “communist” agenda is also inaccurate in a way that a good chunk of the public is likely to understand. He falsely claims that democratic socialists are no different from communists. The most prominent communist projects of the 20th century in the Soviet Union and China involved authoritarian political organizations and centrally planned economies, and were known for massive human rights abuses and dysfunction in distributing resources. By contrast, democratic socialists believe in democratic political organization and reject central planning. 

Health

Health -   Check your shower—a popular shampoo has been recalled in the U.S. and Canada over bacterial contamination.vCertain bottles of Oribe shampoo were pulled from shelves after Pluralibacter gergoviae bacteria were detected, the Food and Drug Administration announced July 1. The bacteria pose little risk to healthy people, but if you are immunocompromised, you may be more susceptible to infection.

JD Vance

NY Times -   JD Vance seems stressed.  Not just because he must publicly support a war that he privately opposed, or because his political fortunes are tied to a president whose approval rating is circling the drain. Those conditions are bad enough for the vice president. But Vance appears most agitated because he believes America is engaged in a civilizational struggle — and it is losing.

Polls

Most and least stressed cities

WalletHub released its report on 2026's Most & Least Stressed Cities in America, as well as expert commentary, to show where people are struggling and may need assistance. WalletHub compared more than 180 cities across 39 key metrics. The data set ranges from average weekly work hours to the unemployment rate to divorce and suicide rates.
 

Most Stressed Cities	Least Stressed Cities
1. Detroit, MI 2. Baltimore, MD 3. Cleveland, OH 4. Memphis, TN 5. Shreveport, LA 6. Gulfport, MS 7. Philadelphia, PA 8. Jackson, MS 9. Akron, OH 10. St. Louis, MO	173. Burlington, VT 174. Sioux Falls, SD 175. San Jose, CA 176. Irvine, CA 177. Overland Park, KS 178. Lincoln, NE 179. Fargo, ND 180. Bismarck, ND 181. South Burlington, VT 182. Fremont, CA

Best vs. Worst

• Rapid City, South Dakota and Honolulu, Hawaii, have the lowest unemployment rate, which is five times lower than in Detroit, Michigan the city with the highest.
   
• Fremont, California, has the lowest divorce rate, which is 4.4 times lower than in Cleveland, Ohio, the city with the highest.
   
• Cheyenne, Wyoming, has the lowest share of adults in fair or poor health, which is 3.1 times lower than in San Antonio, Texas, the city with the highest.
   
• Columbia, Maryland, has the highest median annual household income (adjusted by cost of living), which is 3.3 times higher than in Detroit, the city with the lowest.

 To view the full report and your city’s rank

Trump's war on public media

Democratic Values - Since Donald Trump gutted funding for public media, nearly 600 public media employees have been laid off, including experienced and respected journalists at NPR. PBS eliminated 15 percent of its workforce. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting shut down entirely. Congress is considering legislation that would restore funding and provide struggling stations with a critical lifeline... Tell Congress to support legislation restoring funding for public media now.

Photos of past Independence Day celebrations 

European leaders deal with Trump

Alternet -  A new report about French President Emmanuel Macron described an unusual moment while he was visiting the United States and the American president had a complete meltdown. A Wall Street Journal report revealed the scrambling that unfolded as it appeared the U.S. was breaking up with Europe.

 Macron made it clear to the leaders, "We are drawing a line here."

 …The Prime Minister of Belgium lamented that Europe risked becoming “a miserable slave” to the U.S….

 The Journal explained that, in its research, it was "able to review detailed notes taken by some participants as well as classified assessments that European intelligence agencies gave leaders struggling to navigate the new Washington."

 One of those from Southern Europe read: “You are not dealing with an administration that has processes; you are dealing with a single volatile individual.”

 ….It described a "succession of leaders" that came to the White House using the same talking points in an effort to "mold" Trump. During one such visit with Macron, the men were together for hours and Trump appeared open to his ideas until there was an outright meltdown in the Oval Office.

 "They used a tablet to dial into a video call led by Justin Trudeau. But as the Canadian prime minister was talking, Trump, frustrated with a technical issue that prevented him from chiming in, lobbed the device over the Resolute Desk and onto the floor," the Journal wrote of an official present at the time.

Some Republicans say it’s time Trump changed course on the SAVE America Act

MS Now - For months, President Donald Trump has relentlessly pressed Congress to pass the SAVE America Act. An increasing number of Republicans say it’s time for him to change course.  “He wants to go it alone, his way to the highway, and it don’t work,” Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., who’s retiring at the end of the year, told MS NOW. “He’s trying to pound the square peg through the circle, and it doesn’t work.”

 After two failed votes in the Senate, unheeded calls to nuke the filibuster and countless attacks from Trump, Republican holdouts haven’t budged. Instead of forcing Democrats into politically difficult votes ahead of the midterms, Republicans have spent months highlighting their own divisions — with little to show for it.

 Another House Republican, who requested anonymity to discuss the internal dynamics of the debate, said Trump just can’t change the reality of the Senate.

 “The Senate does not have the votes to pass it, and no matter how much everybody wants to push on it, it’s not gonna move through the Senate unless through reconciliation,” the member said. “And that’s just a reality.”

 Yet another House GOP lawmaker was more succinct: “Republicans — those of us who can do math — would like the president and other members to recognize that there isn’t a path forward.

Florida Republican says deporting Haitians would be ‘huge mistake’

The Guardian - Carlos Giménez, a Republican congressman from Florida, broke with the Trump administration on Sunday, calling on the White House to reconsider its push to eliminate temporary protected status (TPS) for Haitian migrants.

Returning about 350,000 Haitians to their chaotic, dangerous homeland would be a grave error, Giménez said, after the US supreme court’s ruling that the Trump administration could cut off temporary legal protections.

He said: “[TPS] is meant to safeguard those who are either fleeing countries that are failed states and are at risk of going back to them or countries that really can’t handle them right now, as is the case with Venezuela that has suffered a natural disaster.”

The ruling gave the green light to plans to end TPS for more than 350,000 Haitians and 6,000 Syrians. TPS allows people to live and work in the US if the Department of Homeland Security deems their home countries unsafe due to war or natural disasters.

Middle East

NPR - Netanyahu has been seeking a face-to-face meeting with Trump for some time but has been repeatedly turned down, a source familiar with the matter who was not authorized to speak publicly tells NPR. The prime minister wants to discuss U.S. approval for potentially taking military action against Iran if necessary. Netanyahu is currently on the defensive regarding the interim deal between the U.S. and Iran, NPR's Carrie Kahn says. It has been unpopular and perceived as too lenient toward Iran. Netanyahu, who faces elections this fall, has had to defend his relationship with Trump, Kahn adds. It's unclear when Netanyahu will meet with Trump at the White House. The 60-day deadline to finalize the details of the preliminary peace plan is about a month away.