Tag

News And Politics

All articles tagged with #news and politics

news-and-politics1 hour ago•10 min saved

Johnson's Nine-Justices Plan Ignites Renewed Court‑Reform Debate

Speaker Mike Johnson introduced a constitutional amendment to cap the Supreme Court at nine justices, arguing Congress can set the court’s size; the move quickly failed on party lines, but the broader debate over reform is intensifying as Democrats, including Harris and Buttigieg, push for expanding the Court to 13 while Republicans resist, highlighting the power Congress holds over the judiciary and the public’s growing concerns about the court’s structure and ethics.

via Slate|

#congress #court-reform #judiciary

news-and-politics14 hours ago•14 min saved

Trump’s National Mail-Voting Plan Sparks Midterm Chaos

Trump’s executive order aims to nationalize mail voting by requiring new ballot envelopes with an official logo, 90-day advance notification to USPS, and a state list of residents to mail ballots, with DHS screening; the plan has prompted fast-moving litigation, a temporary injunction, and questions about constitutionality ahead of the 2026 midterms, forcing states to scramble ballots and voter rolls while differing in readiness based on whether they vote by mail, have already printed ballots, or administer decentralized elections. Critics say the changes would not improve election integrity and could disenfranchise legitimate voters.

via Slate|

#donald-trump #executive-order #mail-voting

news-and-politics8 days ago•10 min saved

America First? Trump's Canada Fiasco Highlights U.S. Power's Waning

Slate argues that the collapse of Trump’s Canada trade talks, paired with talk of a sweeping economic strike against Iran, exposes how Trump’s unilateral 'America First' approach undermines U.S. power: allies balk, U.S. leverage appears diminished, and the world views Washington as less willing or able to back up its threats.

via Slate Magazine|

#canada #donald-trump #economy

news-and-politics21 days ago•11 min saved

Trump’s Lincoln Pool Obsession Pulls Todd Blanche Into Legal Turmoil

Slate’s Jurisprudence column argues that Trump’s fixation on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has sparked a politically charged legal fray, from an investigation into a prosecutor’s handling of the pool controversy to discussions of potential new charges, all under Todd Blanche’s watch as the DOJ leader-in-waiting, signaling a high-stakes struggle where partisan pressure and accountability collide.

via slate.com|

#department-of-justice #donald-trump #executive-dysfunction

news-and-politics27 days ago•11 min saved

Rand Paul’s Contempt Move on Fauci: A Political Play Framed as Legal Scrutiny

The article argues Rand Paul’s push to hold Fauci in contempt and release his diary is a partisan tactic aimed at discrediting Fauci and pressuring the DOJ, rather than a serious legal case. It notes that while the diary could be used to cherry-pick inconsistencies and Fauci could face perjury questions, the Biden pardon complicates prosecutions for actions up to 2025. With state investigations looming and political dynamics in Washington, the piece suggests the move is more about political theater and embarrassing Fauci than a likely criminal outcome.

via Slate|

#anthony-fauci #contempt-of-congress #department-of-justice

news-and-politics1 month ago•12 min saved

The Cyclospora Crisis and the Trump-Era Food Safety Fallout

Slate argues that the Cyclospora outbreak is less about a single food source and more about systemic policy failures—drastic budget cuts to the CDC and FDA under Kennedy Jr., a delayed Food Traceability Rule, opaque supplier disclosures from Taylor Farms and Taco Bell, and messaging that muddies the investigation—reflecting broader Trump-era influence on public health and food safety.

via Slate Magazine|

#donald-trump #farming #fda

news-and-politics1 month ago•8 min saved

The High-T War Plan: A Dangerous Misread of Modern Warfare

Slate's Fred Kaplan critiques Pete Hegseth's proposal to test all service members over 30 for testosterone and provide shots for those with low levels, arguing that hormone levels vary widely and lack a clear 'normal' baseline; higher muscle mass does not automatically translate to combat effectiveness; testosterone therapy carries risks like high blood pressure and mood changes; in Kaplan's view, modern warfare relies more on strategy, technology, and coordination than hormonal boosts, making the plan ill-informed and dangerous.

via Slate Magazine|

#health #hegseth #military

news-and-politics2 months ago•15 min saved

SCOTUS mail-ballot win comes with ongoing Trump threats to voting by mail

The Supreme Court’s ruling preserves counting mail ballots received by Election Day, a win for access, but the piece warns that President Trump continues to threaten mail voting through executive actions and USPS policy, with multiple lawsuits and redistricting battles shaping the midterm election landscape.

via Slate Magazine|

#donald-trump #elections #news-and-politics

news-and-politics2 months ago•8 min saved

Court embraces Project 2025 framework, rewriting agency removals

The Supreme Court, in a 6–3 decision, overruled Humphrey’s Executor and held that the president may remove heads of independent agencies (as with the FTC), advancing the Project 2025 blueprint; in a separate 5–4 ruling it preserved the Federal Reserve’s independence by allowing Lisa Cook to remain on the board after concerns about due process. The paired rulings mark a major shift toward executive control over agency officials, while preserving a narrow exception for the Fed.

via Slate Magazine|

#independent-agencies #jurisprudence #news-and-politics

news-and-politics2 months ago•11 min saved

Trump DOJ's California vote threat collapses as a political bluff

Slate argues there’s no credible evidence of fraud in California and Trump’s post–primary comments, along with the First Assistant U.S. Attorney’s investigations, are largely performative — aimed at sowing doubt and training for potential prosecutions rather than exposing real fraud. The piece notes that California’s mail-in voting and the LA vote-count timeline are normal, and scholars criticize the move as a tactic to undermine confidence in elections and broaden legal pressures in future cycles.

via Slate Magazine|

#california #department-of-justice #donald-trump

news-and-politics2 months ago•14 min saved

Blanche Confirmation: A GOP Test on Independence and the Rule of Law

Slate’s Dahlia Lithwick argues that Todd Blanche’s bid to be attorney general could become a GOP test of independence and accountability, given his Trump-aligned DOJ tenure, the controversy over a $1.776 billion slush fund settlement and a broad civil release, and whether Senate Republicans will demand real scrutiny or yield to total deference to the president—shaping the future handling of the rule of law.

via Slate Magazine|

#department-of-justice #donald-trump #jurisprudence

news-and-politics3 months ago•13 min saved

Trump’s IRS Immunity Deal Crumbles Under Judicial Scrutiny

A planned $10 billion IRS settlement over a leaked tax-return scandal would immunize Trump and his family and create a $1.7 billion anti-weaponization fund, but courts and lawmakers have derailed the deal: acting AG Todd Blanche says the fund isn’t moving forward, a temporary restraining order blocked it, and Judge Kathleen Williams reopened the Trump–DOJ case to probe collusion and legitimacy, with Democrats promising to curb presidential tax immunity—potentially affecting Trump’s holdings and the rule of law.

via Slate Magazine|

#capitol-riot #department-of-justice #donald-trump

news-and-politics3 months ago•10 min saved

SCOTUS Deepens Voting-Rights Crisis With Alabama Map Ruling

An unsigned Supreme Court order handed Alabama a sweeping victory by reinstating a long-disputed 2023 map that heavily dilutes Black voters, expanding a Callais-like standard into constitutional voting-rights rules, and eroding a key remedy against racial gerrymandering; dissenters warn the move invites chaos in elections, undermines democratic norms, and signals that minority rights in redistricting can be sacrificed for partisan ends.

via Slate Magazine|

#alabama #jurisprudence #news-and-politics

news-and-politics3 months ago•48 min saved

Kavanaugh and Roberts Find Bias in Jury Selection, Narrow Batson Violations

In Pitchford v. Cain, the Supreme Court, in a 5–4 decision joined by Chief Justice Roberts and the court’s liberals, held that Mississippi trial courts violated Batson by allowing Black jurors to be struck and denying the defense a chance to rebut the reasons, a procedural error that could lead to a new trial. The opinion highlights Kavanaugh’s historically clear-eyed stance on jury racism, while also noting Roberts’ selective approach to racism in other contexts and suggesting that the court’s colorblind framework can, in limited cases, promote equality.

via Slate Magazine|

#batson #brett-kavanaugh #john-roberts

news-and-politics2 years ago•3 min saved

"New York State Democrats Reject Bipartisan Congressional Map, Opt for Own Redistricting"

The New York state legislature has introduced a bill proposing new congressional district lines, which would extend Rep. Tom Suozzi’s district into Suffolk County and move Co-Op City into Rep. Jamaal Bowman’s district. The proposed bill overrules existing state law and could impact an upcoming Democratic primary. This comes after lawmakers rejected the bipartisan proposal from the Independent Redistricting Commission, prompting the Legislature to draw their own lines following previous legal battles over redistricting.

via City & State New York|

#congressional-map #democratic-primary #legislation