Category: 3-SometimeCommentary

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Getting Hammered® - America 250: Ben Franklin With a Report of the Committee of Secret Correspondence

While George Washington was doing military work, a small group of leaders including Ben Franklin and John Jay were on the Committee of Secret Correspondence, which did diplomatic and foreign intelligence work in the service of the American cause. In this missive, Ben Franklin recaps the failed Canada campaign Washington referenced to John Hancock and offers an account of a Canadian visitor to Congress, who sounds like an intelligence asset, and his report on political reasons the campaign isn't working in Canada and how it could be helped. Turns out, it never did catch on north of the border.

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1A - Local Spotlight: The Carpet Capital’s Chemical Problem

Northwest Georgia is a picturesque place, with rolling hills and open farmland. Its creeks and rivers have sustained families for generations. On the surface, the environment looks pristine.

But something toxic lurks within the lush landscape that you can’t see, smell, or taste. For many years, locals weren’t aware of its presence.

PFAS are a group of synthetic chemicals used to repel water and stains. Many of them don’t break down in nature, which is why they’re often called ‘forever chemicals.’ They can build up in the environment and our bodies over time.

These chemicals were used for years in the production of carpets in northwest Georgia. And the long-term environmental and human cost in the region is high.

In this installment of our Local Spotlight series, we head to the “carpet capital” of the world to examine its chemical problems.

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The Source - Trump’s threat to nationalize the midterm elections

The polls look grim for Republicans heading into the midterms — and recent special elections look even worse. President Trump has reacted by calling for the Republican party to take over the elections entirely. Advocates for free and fair elections are calling this a warning sign. What could happen and how can we protect our elections?array(3) { [0]=> string(38) "https://www.tpr.org/podcast/the-source" [1]=> string(0) "" [2]=> string(1) "0" }
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The Gist - Autocracy Watch with Yascha Mounk

Political theorist Yascha Mounk returns to assess whether the United States is sliding toward autocracy or demonstrating institutional resilience under pressure. He argues that while the Trump administration's actions have been more extreme than expected, courts, elections, and a decentralized system have so far acted as real constraints rather than hollow rituals, a case he first laid out in The People vs. Democracy: Why Our Freedom Is in Danger and How to Save It. Mounk also warns against exaggeration that fuels anticipatory obedience, even as he concedes the next three years remain an open test of democratic durability. Plus, Britain's Epstein reckoning, where Keir Starmer loses top aides over ties to Jeffrey Epstein, while close associations in Epstein's own country (the USA) don't matter.

Produced by Corey Wara

Video and Social Media by Geoff Craig

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The Source - Life inside the ICE Dilley detention center

Conditions inside the family immigration detention facility in Dilley, Texas are drawing renewed scrutiny as detainees, attorneys and advocates describe shortages in medical attention, inadequate and substandard food and water, and serious mental-health strain — allegations that federal officials and the private operator dispute.array(3) { [0]=> string(38) "https://www.tpr.org/podcast/the-source" [1]=> string(0) "" [2]=> string(1) "0" }
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The Bulwark Podcast - Jane Coaston: The Epstein Revelations Keep Getting Worse

Not only did Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick go to the Epstein island, a sultan from the UAE, who sent a “torture video” to Epstein, also attended Trump’s first inaugural. That would be the same country where the royal family secretly bought half of the Trump family’s crypto venture—right before he was inaugurated a second time. For some reason, Sultan bin Sulayem was one of six powerful and wealthy men whose names were redacted in the Epstein files by the DOJ. Thank you, congressmen Khanna and Massie. Also, Lauren Boebert saw something in the unredacted files that led her to call for Ghislaine Maxwell to be moved back to a higher security prison. Plus, the administration wants to be feared but also loved, the benefits of being on Bluesky, and a eulogy for The Washington Post’s sports section.

Jane Coaston joins Tim Miller.

show notes

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Federalist Radio Hour - How Do You Save The Republic? Rep. Tim Burchett Says Voter ID Is A Good Start

On this episode of The Federalist Radio Hour, Republican Rep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee joins Federalist Senior Elections Correspondent Matt Kittle to discuss the importance of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, preview Republicans' midterm election strategy, and weigh in on the Senate's talking filibuster option.

The Federalist Foundation is a nonprofit, and we depend entirely on our listeners and readers — not corporations. If you value fearless, independent journalism, please consider a tax-deductible gift today at TheFederalist.com/donate. Your support keeps us going.
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The Daily - Deception and Dependency: Inside the Latest Epstein Files

The latest release of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein has revealed deep and intense relationships with the global elite, long after he became a convicted sex offender.

Debra Kamin, Nicholas Confessore and Matthew Goldstein, Times reporters who have been covering the release of the documents, discuss their findings.

Guest:

  • Debra Kamin, an investigative reporter for the The New York Times, focusing on wealth, power and corruption in New York City.
  • Nicholas Confessore, a political and investigative reporter at The New York Times and a staff writer at The New York Times Magazine.
  • Matthew Goldstein, a New York Times Business reporter focusing on white-collar crime and the financialization of the housing market.

Background reading: 

Photo: Jon Elswick/Associated Press

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

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