News of the Week for August 30th, 2026
- 2026 Election
- Abortion
- Gun Rights
- Hide the Decline
- Socialized Medicine
- War & Terror
- National News
- Economy & Taxes
- International News
- Opinion
2026 Election
Texas conservatives are ‘breaking rank’ and pledging to vote Democrat
Republicans who are angry at Gov. Greg Abbott’s refusal to block data centers are giving his Democratic challenger hope for an upset.
MAGA Explodes After El-Sayed Asks Fox’s Jesse Watters If He’s Circumcised During Trans Care Question
MAGA pundits seized on Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed’s bizarre Monday night hit on Fox News after he asked host Jesse Watters whether he was circumcized in response to rapid-fire questioning about gender-transition surgeries for minors.
Darlene Graham Wins South Carolina Republican Senate Nomination
She will face liberal Democrat Annie Edwards in the November general election.
‘With 1,000% certainty’: Voters say candidates faked their donations to get public campaign cash
Three candidates tapped $4.7 million in public funds using voters who say they never gave a dime
A former Mike Collins staffer posted KKK and Nazi images. Some Republicans see a pattern.
Rep. Mike Collins (R-Georgia) is challenging Sen. Jon Ossoff (D). The former Collins staffer posted a swastika and shared an image of himself in what appear to be KKK robes.
As If Electronics Weren’t Expensive Enough
Amid the AI build-out, the country is experiencing a historic surge in the cost of memory and other computer chips. This demand shock has forced electronics makers to raise their prices. Apple raised the prices of Macs and iPads by an average of 23 percent two months ago and is now planning to raise iPhone prices. Google and Samsung have done the same on their phone models. PC prices are jumping for the first time in decades.
Published by the Outsider Media Foundation
Iowa Judge Rules Libertarian Replacement Candidates Cannot Appear on November Ballot
Last-minute doomsday scenarios for the 2026 election
Imaginations run wild at what President Donald Trump and his allies might yet do to interfere in the coming midterm election. He’s already done quite a bit.
This Appalachian memoir author is running as a Democratic contrast to JD Vance
Beth Macy is challenging Rep. Ben Cline in a bright-red Virginia district, hoping her own story and the stories she told about the region will win back rural and working-class White voters.
Alaska campaign watchdog says Treg Taylor should not be allowed to run for governor
Alaska’s campaign finance watchdog has recommended against certifying former Attorney General Treg Taylor’s candidacy for governor. The Alaska Public Offices Commission found that Taylor failed to complete a financial disclosure form as required by state law, even after months of requests to do so by commission staff.
Abortion
Court Cases & Legislation
Idaho federal judge narrows abortion ruling to only protect Boise doctor who filed lawsuit
US District Court judge says doctor may perform abortion if it protects the mother’s health, prevents self-harm. Other doctors face enforcement of near-total ban.
Second Amendment Roundup: The Militia of the Sea
The Marque and Reprisal Clause as Textual Proof of Private Heavy-Arms Ownership at the Founding
Hide the Decline
Environment &“Green Energy”
California Lawmakers Chase Unicorns While Real Crises Mount
As typhus hits Los Angeles, wildfires incinerate our cities, and our water infrastructure deteriorates, our state legislators more about gene-edited pets.
Socialized Medicine
Government in Healthcare
Trump NIH funds ‘antiracism’ program for ‘underrepresented’ doctors
The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities continues to fund a State University of New York program that trains “underrepresented” physicians to research the role of racism in healthcare.
Pennsylvania reports first 2 measles deaths in the US this year, both people unvaccinated
Two unvaccinated Pennsylvania residents have died after being infected with measles, the first U.S. deaths this year related to the contagious virus.
RFK Jr. said a Samoa trip had nothing to do with vaccines. New documents refute that
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. repeatedly told lawmakers who held the key to his confirmation last year that a 2019 visit to Samoa before a deadly measles outbreak had “nothing to do with vaccines.” New documents obtained by The Associated Press and The Guardian refute that testimony.
Deadly ancient disease is making a comeback in the US, experts warn… as they reveal the surprising reason why and how to protect yourself
It’s one of the world’s most ancient diseases, long associated with shame and uncleanliness. Historical records of leprosy date back at least 4,000 years, likely originating in Africa or Asia before reaching Europe as early as 300 BC
War & Terror
The Gray Zone Descends on Leipzig (Again)
As a reminder, the term “gray zone” describes an action or series of actions that are not quite war, and not quite not war, either. I wrote a bit the other day about how the pace and intensity of Russian operations within this zone had been increasing, noting among other developments the dispatch of an explosive-laden drone (it contained twice as much Semtex as the device that blew up Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie) to Leipzig Airport. Mercifully, it was headed off by a vigilant bus driver.
Putin ‘clears schedule’ as CIA chief makes secret trip to Moscow on US military jet as Ukraine ‘warned to halt strikes’
VLADIMIR Putin cleared his schedule for a “major event” before CIA chief John Ratcliffe landed in Moscow on a secret trip, reports say. The spy boss was reportedly on board the US military jet that mysteriously landed in Russia today.
Russia Is Bombarding Europe With a New Wave of ‘Gray Zone’ Attacks
NATO countries see Moscow’s appetite for conflict increasing as it flounders against Ukraine
National
Ponnuru: ‘I would be surprised’ if next Congress doesn’t ‘have government shutdowns’
The Powerhouse Roundtable breaks down the latest news on “This Week.”
Newsom-appointed UC regent pick admits university faculty are ideologically one-sided
?A UC Board of Regents member suggested that universities are failing their students due to a lack of ideological diversity among their faculty. Scott Galloway said in an interview that ideological ‘homogenization’ in higher education is a greater threat than indoctrination.
Nevada sues Interior over cuts to ‘already meager’ Colorado River water allocation
The state is the first to challenge a federal decision that could cut its already-small Colorado River allocation by more than 70 percent.
Whatcom Community College renames ‘diversity statement’ but keeps DEI hiring criteria
After Campus Reform asked about a required ‘diversity statement,’ Whatcom Community College changed the label to ‘values statement’ but kept an DEI-focused applicant essay. The current posting still asks candidates to describe how they build ‘an inclusive environment’ and lists a commitment to equity and ‘language justice’ as a preferred qualification.
Supreme Court eases path for Trump’s sweeping limits on mail-in balloting
The legal fight will continue, but the president’s executive order could inject fresh uncertainty into the already high-stakes midterm elections.
“Signs of AI Authorship in Federal Appellate Opinions”
“Dozens of published circuit opinions show signs of AI writing. If courts are using AI, that’s promising—and worth getting right.”
Lawyers hit back after Trump admin suggests Kennedy Center could be demolished
A DOJ court filing argues the center faces a “death spiral” without Trump help.
U. Kentucky Offers Program to Prepare Students For DEI ‘Leadership’ Roles in Higher Ed
“A PhD Studies in Higher Education specialization in Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion prepares students for high-level administrative positions in diversity, equity, and inclusiveness leadership in higher education settings.”
Williams course frames racial, queer identities as resistance to ‘normalizing tides of erasure’
Students in the course will study racial and queer ‘melancholia’ through ethnic studies, gender and sexuality studies, and critical theory. The fall course fulfills Williams College’s ‘Difference, Power, and Equity course requirement, which is mandatory for graduation.
Paul Ryan Hasn’t Given Up on Wonky Conservatism
The former House speaker believes populists are ill-equipped to fix the country’s thorniest problems.
Court Backs DMCA Takedown of Public Meeting Videos
Waltham outsourced its public meeting recordings, and the contractor used DMCA notices to pull 15 news videos.
The Brewing Anti-DSA Backlash in Seattle
The Seattle residents who filmed a shootout between what locals called the “known drug dealers” operating out of a city park and “roughly six ‘bounty hunters'” sounds like something out of a movie.
Concerns about grade inflation extend to AP exams with rise in passing grades
The organization behind the Advanced Placement exams recently defended itself amid questions about grade inflation, a wider issue of concern spanning from high schools to the Ivy League.
Grand jury finds DeSantis administration “misappropriated” $10 million in taxpayer money to Hope Florida
A state grand jury found the DeSantis administration “misappropriated” taxpayer money when it diverted $10 million from a Medicaid settlement into the Hope Florida Foundation, arguing the transfer was “part of a sophisticated scheme to fund political activities,” according to a copy of the sealed grand jury report obtained by CBS News Miami.
When the Revolution Almost Died in Brooklyn
The Battle of Long Island required a stroke of providence to stave off disaster for the American cause less than two months after independence was declared.
They confided in ChatGPT. Their secrets ended up in court.
The Post found a dozen examples of chatbot conversations being swept into criminal and civil legal proceedings.
New Jersey course teaches that ‘white supremacy,’ ‘white privilege’ remain ‘institutionalized’
The Fall 2026 course explores how race has influenced ideas about criminality and incarceration in the United States. Students will examine race and the prison system using perspectives from several identity-focused academic disciplines, including ‘Whiteness’ and ‘Transgender Studies.’
Nature: Scientists Should Have to Register with Governments to Prevent ‘Misinformation’
Nature — the most prestigious science journal in the world — has editorialized in favor of requiring scientists to register with governments as a condition of participation in the sector.
Trump’s DHS is using an obscure law to secretly snoop on journalists, non-profits and unions: ‘It’s outrageous’
Even after judges rejected the same ploy, the Trump administration is going directly to social media and telecommunications companies
Economy & Taxes
Collins blasts Trump’s Canada tariffs as a ‘mistake’
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), who faces a tough reelection race this November, blasted President Trump’s latest tariff threats against Canada as a “mistake,” arguing that the United States and especially her home state have a “beneficial” trade relationship with Canada.
JD Vance vs. King Dollar, revisited
Whatever benefits undoing the currency’s global status would bring, it would mean less affordability for Americans.
Famine and trade
The sumptuous liquidity of global trade renders local starvation all but impossible today
As If Electronics Weren’t Expensive Enough
Amid the AI build-out, the country is experiencing a historic surge in the cost of memory and other computer chips. This demand shock has forced electronics makers to raise their prices. Apple raised the prices of Macs and iPads by an average of 23 percent two months ago and is now planning to raise iPhone prices. Google and Samsung have done the same on their phone models. PC prices are jumping for the first time in decades.
The Canadian Menace
A review of the disputes that lead to another escalating round of tit-for-tat tariffs with our second-largest trading partner, Canada.
Trump signs controversial beef import plan despite ranchers’ backlash
A slew of Republican lawmakers and beef industry allies have come out against President Donald Trump’s plans that aim to lower the cost of ground beef.
International
The Meaning of Air-Conditioning in France
Marine Le Pen, leader of France’s National Rally party, a descendant of the National Front, has been a political renovator. Her party, like other European formations with origins on the far right, has responded to anger and anxiety over the influx of Muslim immigrants by ditching open or covert antisemitism for something like philosemitism.
The Story Told by Poland and Venezuela
Only socialists can look at Poland and Venezuela and arrive at the wrong conclusion. For everybody else, which system works and which does not is as certain as where the sun rises and where it sets.
“Europe is doomed”: The rationale
Earlier this week I cited a brilliant friend who does business in Europe. When I asked him about it on a phone call at the end of the year, he commented, “Europe is doomed.” He must have repeated the thought five times in our conversation: “Europe is doomed.” I admired his concision and remember his comment verbatim without the assistance of notes: “Europe is doomed.”
Brazil Wants Discord to Pay $97 Million and Expand Age Verification Digital ID
Brazil says it is protecting children, but its demands could require Discord to know far more about who its users actually are.
Trump says US has entered deal with Venezuela to take control of 65 billion barrels of oil reserves
President Donald Trump said Friday that his administration has entered a sweeping agreement with Venezuela that, if realized, could give the U.S. access to vast amounts of the South American country’s untapped oil reserves, at cost.
Opinion
The Democratic Socialists and the Return of American Exceptionalism
We need a leader who can remind us all about the statesmanship of American exceptionalism.
Forget the recent socialist shift — Democrats are ready for an FDR revival
But the defeat of Democratic Socialists member Francesca Hong in the Wisconsin gubernatorial primary proves that even if Democrats are angry, they are not entirely stupid. Canceling Thanksgiving and abolishing the police are deal-breakers.
The Restoration of Albert II
We’d be better off trusting a monkey to fix our federal deficit.
The Hard Part of the Mail-In Ballots Decision Trades Short-Term Chaos for a Long-Term Setback for Trump
As I noted in my first post on today’s decision in Alabama v. California — which gives the background of what follows here — the Supreme Court was on fairly solid ground in throwing out of court the challenges to Section 2 of Donald Trump’s mail-in ballot executive order. But the challenge to Section 3(b) raises more serious issues. The key element of that section directs the Postal Service to refuse to deliver ballots for federal elections mailed by people not verified by DHS as citizens.
Supreme Court Kicks the Can on Trump’s Mail-In Ballots Order
The Supreme Court exists to resolve disputes. It does not exist to clean up messes. That is the mood in which the Court today — in a 6–3 unsigned per curiam opinion in Alabama v. California — decided to lift an injunction against a Trump executive order on mail-in ballots in federal elections.
People Are Not Victims or Puppets: The Anti-Liberal Critique Lets People off the Hook for Their Choices
To put it mildly, economic liberalism is not in vogue. In the United States, the energy in the Democratic Party is with self-described socialists who reject free markets and support, say, government-owned grocery stores. On the right, Vice President JD Vance argues that economic growth is overrated, that economic science might be “fake,” and that the bipartisan liberal consensus on economic policy has “failed” for the last four decades. Attacks on economic liberalism are increasingly common from think tanks, commentators, and economists, as well.
J.D. Vance’s Interest in Huey Long Should Be a Red Flag for Conservatives
Long’s motto, “every man a king,” was not a call for individual sovereignty. It was a populist pitch for wealth taxes and a more powerful government.
Bringing Civics To Small Town America
Small liberal arts colleges can strengthen civic education by building local programs rooted in their communities.
Now for the Good News: Five Problems America Has Largely Solved
They are big and consequential, and strike me as a better record for incumbent Republicans to tout on the campaign trail than posing as born-again data center opponents.
Five More Problems America Has Largely Solved
Yesterday’s and today’s editions amount to a cheer-a-thon, spotlighting aspects in American life that are getting better and problems that are getting solved — sometimes because of government policy, sometimes because of ingenuity and innovation, or sometimes from just better decision-making on the part of its people. Elsewhere, the CIA director reaffirms the accuracy of my reporting from earlier this year.
Dolly Parton and the Two Commandments
Dolly Parton is one of the last Americans truly loved by people across the ever increasingly divided tribal American landscape.
The Woke Right’s Elitist Coup: Inside the MAGA Civil War
By necessity, we begin here: Most of MAGA is not Woke Right. Few conservatives even lean Woke Right. Only some people claiming to be Christians (rightly or wrongly) are Woke Right. So who is, and who isn’t, Woke Right, and what its relationship to MAGA and conservatism? What is Woke? How is the Woke Right waging a revolution against MAGA and conservatism? And how is that revolution proceeding so far? At what stage in the revolution is the Woke Right at present? In other words, as everyone is asking, what the hell is going on?!
Was Hitler a Socialist?
Hitler was undoubtedly an anti-capitalist and a socialist in the modern sense of the word
‘Science fiction’: Five writers share what medical innovation excites them most
New technology is enabling major advances in medicine.
Spare America from the ‘Noblesse Oblige’ of This DSA Duchess
Were Grace Ryan’s approach to prevail, the cultural consequences would be catastrophic.
John Adams’s 1765 Defense of Religious and Political Liberty
In 1765, Great Britain had foolishly decided to continue escalating its attempts to recover the cost of the French and Indian War from its American Colonists by passing the infamous and odious Stamp Act upon the colonies, who famously were not represented in the Parliament that would tax them. In response, a great deal of pre-Revolutionary mayhem and energy was unleashed on this side of the Pond, and within that current came one of the most brilliant and under-recognized essays of the nascent American era, penned under pseudonym by the incredible John Adams. “A Dissertation on the Canon and Feudal Law,” as it was called, was a hammerstroke against the twin tyrannies of an overbearing church and state, and worse yet, their confederacy. It was also a call to learning and to memory for the colonists about who they are, who they were, and why they and their forefathers came: not just for religion, but for religious liberty and a hatred of these wicked tyrannies all across Europe.
JD Vance Is the GOP’s Obama
He and the former president have much in common. And both disdain Republicans.
Dumb, Dumb, Dumb
But Trump can’t stay out of his own way. His sound policy decisions are accompanied by a steady stream of foolish pronouncements, and occasionally by foolish actions. Thus, his enemies at the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Associated Press, etc., can trumpet a new Trump outrage on pretty much a daily basis.
Erick Erickson’s Show Notes
The word “Ontario” is Iroquoian. English settlers put “Ontario” on their maps in the early 1600s, borrowing it from the Indians already here, and it meant roughly “great lake.” The water named everything else. The colony took the name from the lake, the province took it from the colony, and the Dominion of Canada did not exist until 1867, two years after Appomattox. That name predates Canada, predates the United States, and predates every man who has ever held the presidency.
Wile E. Coyote Finally Lawyers Up
It was about time that Wile E. Coyote lawyered up. After decades of having Acme products blow up in his face while he’s blamed for the explosions (the nerve!), he finally sues the company with the help of Kevin Avery (Will Forte), an ambulance chaser with a penchant for settling. The Albuquerque, N.M., setting had me wondering if we’d see a Better Call Saul crossover, but Forte is just right as a bumbling billboard counselor.
