Yesterday, Israel launched a large-scale military operation known as Operation Rising Lion, targeting several key nuclear and military facilities deep within Iranian territory. These included uranium-enrichment centers at Natanz, ballistic missile stockpiles, and secret research reactors suspected of developing nuclear weapons capabilities. The Israeli Air Force deployed advanced F-35I Adir stealth jets and long-range drones…
Drill, Baby, Drill or Stewardship First? A Look at the Public Lands Provision in the OBBBA
Tucked within the One Big Beautiful Bill Act is a particularly transformative set of provisions on natural resources. Chief among them is a bold expansion of oil drilling, gas extraction, mineral mining, and timber harvesting across millions of acres of public lands and offshore zones. This includes both previously accessible and newly reopened areas, such…
Faith, Freedom, and Fiscal Honesty: A Look at the House GOP’s Tax-and-Spending Bill Tweaks
The latest maneuvering in Washington’s halls of power has the House GOP finalizing changes to their tax-and-spending reconciliation bill, tweaks necessary to keep the legislation compliant with the Senate's "Byrd Rule." Now, before your eyes glaze over at Senate procedure, here's why it matters: if the bill doesn’t follow this rulebook, it loses its “privileged”…
In Defense of Order or an Overstep? President Trump’s Deployment of Troops to Los Angeles
In a bold and highly controversial move, President Trump took swift action to restore order in Los Angeles, where anti-deportation protests had spiraled into widespread unrest. On June 8, he ordered the deployment of the National Guard without the consent of California’s governor. Roughly 500 active-duty Marines were dispatched the next day to safeguard federal…
A Look at the $1,000 Baby Bonus in the OBBBA
Let’s take a closer look at a provision in the OBBBA that promises a $1,000 federal contribution for every child born between January 1, 2024, and December 31, 2028. Yep, you heard that right: every baby born during that five-year stretch gets what’s being dubbed a “MAGA account,” kickstarted with a cool grand courtesy of…
Why Workforce Pell Grants Are a Win for America’s Soul and Economy
Today we’re popping the hood on a provision in the OBBBA that introduces “Workforce Pell Grants” specifically aimed at students heading to trade schools, while also tightening eligibility requirements for traditional Pell Grants. Now, this isn’t just another reshuffling of paperwork or an academic reshuffle cooked up by folks who’ve never touched a shovel or…
AI, the OBBBA, and the Great 10-Year Gag Order on the States
Today, we’re going to look at a provision in the OBBBA that has recently stirred a lot of controversy. Marjorie Taylor Greene railed against this provision, which imposes a 10-year federal ban on states and local governments from enacting or enforcing any laws regulating artificial intelligence (AI) systems, models, or automated decision-making tools involved in…
Weighing the Evidence: The Federal Case Against Kilmar Abrego Garcia
I’ve previously written about the troubling deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland father who was removed from the United States without the benefit of a full and fair legal process. My position then—and now—was simple: every individual, regardless of status, deserves due process under the law. If there were grounds to believe Garcia had…
Cutting Off the Money Trail: A Look at the One Big Beautiful Bill’s Crackdown on Terror-Funding Nonprofits
Today, we’re zeroing in on a provision in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that hands the Treasury Department the power to yank the tax-exempt status of nonprofits that are found to support terrorism. Now, on the surface, that sounds like a no-brainer. I mean, who wants their tax dollars subsidizing groups that cozy up…
Justice with Compassion: Considering the Asylum Fee in the OBBBA
Yesterday, we dug into the $46.5 billion proposal to secure our southern border, a major investment in national sovereignty. Today, we’re turning our attention to another measure tucked into the OBBBA: a $1,000 fee slapped on migrants seeking asylum in the United States. For the first time in our nation’s history, those fleeing war, persecution,…
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