Federal Court Picks Alabama’s New Congressional Map in Win for Democracy
In the fight against gerrymandering, this was a rare victory.
Recent Stories
On EVs and Climate Change, Trump and GOP Are Stuck in Reverse
The Chinese have seized the future.
This Is Only a Test! If This Were a Real Emergency…
A different kind of disaster — the train wreck that is the politics of the United States — has been going on, in super slow motion, since the day Bush v. Gore was decided in December 2000.
Irate Trump Concocts a New Line of Nonsense
Donald Trump has finally found an explanation for how the criminal charges and civil trials he faces constitute “election interference.” Naturally, it’s nonsense.
Menendez Replacement Blocks Egypt Military Aid Over Human Rights Concerns
Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) vowed to place a hold on over $200 million in military aid until the African country improved its human rights record.
Catholic Crusaders Find Forbidden Fruit in Bookshelves of Local Library
In a small Virginia town, a small but vocal religious group has made it their mission to take over the local library — and they won’t stop there.
House in Disarray — Republicans Get a Taste of Their Own Medicine
On Tuesday, a small band of renegade right-wing lawmakers led by Rep. Matt Gaetz forced Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s ouster as speaker, and, for once, all of that GOP chaos was turned inwards.
Here’s How Loathsome Characters Like Boebert and Trump Win
As America bleeds out, we split constitutional hairs.
US Insurance Giants Ditching Homeowners, but Still Underwriting Coal Industry
“The choices of these companies reflect a clear double standard in who is expected to pay the price for climate change,” said one advocate.
GOP Shrugs as Good People Say Bad Things About Trump
The most accomplished people in Donald Trump’s orbit keep telling us hair-raising things about him. But nobody in the MAGAverse cares.
The Real Cost of Ukraine
What happens to Ukraine is more important to America than most people realize. American aid costs less than abandoning the country to be defeated by Putin.
Down and Out on the Campaign Trail
Can you spare a buck to keep former president Trump afloat?
WHO Recommends Cheaper Malaria Vaccine That Could Save Millions
The vaccine is only the second malaria vaccine WHO has recommended for use and is cheaper and easier to produce than the first.
Illinois Gov. Pritzker Urges Biden to Help States Accommodate Asylum Seekers
In a letter to Biden, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) called on the president to help address the “humanitarian crisis” caused by the high number of asylum seekers that are being shipped from red to blue states.
Powerful Democrat Wants IRS to Crack Down on Wealthy Tax Cheats
In a strongly worded letter to the IRS, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) urged the agency to do more to crack down on wealthy individuals who are breaking the law by not filing their tax returns.
Trump Owns Up to His Lie That ‘Mexico Will Pay for the Wall’
Throughout his campaign, Donald Trump vowed that he would build a “beautiful wall” along the southern US border and that he would make Mexico pay for it. In the end, neither happened.
Biden Keeps Sounding the Alarm on Democracy — Will Americans Listen?
While Donald Trump poses by far the greatest threat, there are many other problems. President Joe Biden wants to convince Americans that democracy is once again at stake in the 2024 presidential election.
The Media Has to Stop Grading Donald Trump on a Curve
Trump would likely not have become president without the help of “the enemies of the people,” as he likes to call reporters, and their symbiotic relationship continues even now.
Trump’s Terrifying Words and Numbers
“I alone can fix it” doesn’t work unless you can get massive buy-in to the idea that it’s terribly broken.
The Question Isn’t Whether the Gov’t Will Be Shut Down, It’s When It Will Reopen
You can’t govern with if a sizeable chunk of the members of your caucus want to destroy the government from within, are totally unqualified for their jobs, and are more interested in being right-wing media figures than doing the work.
Trump’s Sticker Shock
The former president’s fraud case reveals he’s worth less.
Can America Survive Its Own Constitution? The Tyranny of the Minority
Is American democracy at a breaking point? How the Constitution enables minority rule, why distrust in institutions is rising, and what’s at stake for the future of democracy.
Republicans Prove Joe Biden Was Vice President and Little Else
In their impeachment inquiry, one Republican after another trotted out the same unproven allegations that “the Bidens” committed crimes, without specifying what those crimes were, providing evidence, or even showing that Joe Biden was involved in any way at all.
Unhoused and Unprotected in California’s Scorching Imperial Valley
The city of Calexico has few resources for the homeless, leaving individuals to survive by scavenging shade and relying on the goodwill of nonprofits.
Second GOP Debate Doesn’t Go So Well for Trump
For the first time, some of Donald Trump’s rivals, specifically Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, figured out how to launch effective attacks against him.
At the Front in Zaporizhzhia
Artillery has to a great extent replaced airpower in the current fighting in Ukraine. Both sides engage in a game of “shoot and scoot.” A Ukrainian battery opens fire on Russian positions, and then braces itself for return fire, hoping that camouflage will keep its location hidden from enemy drones flying overhead. WhoWhatWhy’s special correspondent Madeleine Kelly had a rare opportunity to spend several days with a Ukrainian unit at a front-line location where artillery duels have been among the most intense. This is her on-scene report.
Trump’s Legal Problems Just Reached New Heights
Donald Trump is used to being able to delay legal proceedings or bully plaintiffs who have less money and influence… but these same tactics don’t work against state and federal governments.
Indigenous Peoples Are Being Excluded from a Global Pool of Climate Cash
The UN says the world is spending trillions on climate action and only a fraction is going to Indigenous communities.
Trump’s Lawyers Fight Gag Order With Motion Channeling Their Boss
The motion is riddled with the kind of rhetoric and false claims that you usually hear at Trump’s campaign rallies or when the former president is up late to fire off rants on his social media platform.
Trump Goes Full ‘Crazy Grandpa’ in Series of Late-Night Rants
On Sunday, Donald Trump offered a series of opinions via Truth Social that ranged from “completely at odds with the Constitution of the United States” to “flat-out insane.”
Team DeSantis: Dumpster Fire of a Campaign Is Burning Nicely
The DeSantis campaign is in a tailspin, but at the least the Florida governor’s team is feeling good about it.
Rupert Murdoch Was the Drug Dealer Who Got Conservatives Hooked on Lies
Name anything that is bad in the United States, and there is a good chance that Murdoch has had a hand in causing it, making it worse, or profiting from it.
Politics Without Policies
Record numbers of Americans are not enjoying the storyline of this year’s political theater.
Menendez Indictment Highlights Stupidity of ‘Weaponized DOJ’ Argument
The indictment of Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) dispels the notion that there is a two-tiered justice system that somehow disadvantages Republicans.
The Wisdom of Survivors: Overcoming Global Trauma
Dr. Robert J. Lifton on our collective traumas: The psychic impacts of COVID-19, climate change, gun violence, and divisive politics. A look at resilience in our time.
The Best Thing About the Looming Gov’t Shutdown: We Know Whom to Blame
Many Republican members of Congress are actively working against the federal government and are more interested in performing for their radical base than legislating, so it’s no surprise that we are once again on the precipice of a shutdown.
Has Airbnb Overstayed Its Welcome? Some Cities Say ‘Yes’
What has driven NYC, and other cities here and abroad, to take action against this company?
Beef Guzzlers: 12 Percent of Americans Eat Half of the Country’s Cow Meat
Changing the habits of this small group could go a long way toward cutting the country’s planet-warming emissions.
Trump Calls on GOP to Shut Down the Government to Save Him
On Wednesday night, Donald Trump took to his social media platform to call on Republicans to shut down the government unless they manage to defund the criminal investigations into his alleged theft of classified documents, obstruction of justice, and efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
Top Democrats Hail Creation of American Climate Corps
President Joe Biden announced the initiative on Wednesday, and the White House stressed that it would not only benefit the environment but also put young people on the path toward well-paying jobs.
Twitter Badly Flunks Enviro Groups’ Social Media Report Card
A new report shows that all major social media companies are failing to control the spread of climate misinformation — and none more so than Twitter / X, especially since Elon Musk took the helm.
Four Wheels and a Seat: Car Prices and What’s Wrong With America
If you are in the market for an affordable car, not a status symbol, you’re out of luck.
Working from Home Offers Big Benefits for the Environment
Employees who don’t want to return to deserted offices can now offer a powerful counter-argument: Working from home is good for the planet.
In Win for Democracy, Pennsylvania Implements Automatic Voter Registration
Instead of opting into registering to vote, residents of the Keystone State now have to opt out.
Tourism Lags on Emission Cuts as Climate Woes Besiege Destinations
Tourism is poised to consume a troubling 40 percent of the world’s remaining 1.5 C carbon budget by mid-century.
Ukraine’s Innovative Arms Industry Looks to the Future
Ukraine has shown itself to be innovative in creating new weapons. Now it hopes to export its know-how to NATO once the war is over.
