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Social Security Warning Issued: 'Heading for Trouble'
Despite a more positive report regarding Social Security's solvency issued this week, experts have warned lawmakers are unlikely to take action anytime soon.
4 m
newsweek.com
Macklemore's 'Hind's Hall' Song Receives Avalanche of Praise
Macklemore has long been a vocal supporter of Palestine and now he's being praised for a new song about the current conflict.
6 m
newsweek.com
Russia Rues Loss of Two Combat Planes in Just 72 Hours
Russia's air force has suffered extensive casualties throughout the war in Ukraine.
7 m
newsweek.com
Skeletons without hands and feet found at Hitler's former base
The skeletons were found at Wolf's Lair, the site of the failed assassination attempt on Hitler by Col. Claus Stauffenberg on July 20, 1944.
cbsnews.com
16 tornadoes reported in 6 states
The most destructive storm appeared to have been in Barnsdall, Oklahoma, north of Tulsa, where major damage was reported.
abcnews.go.com
Woman Accused of Killing Ex-Husband’s Family With Poisonous Mushrooms Pleads Not Guilty
A 49-year-old pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and attempted murder by poisoning of her ex-husband and his relatives. Here’s what to know about the case.
time.com
Russian Elites Scramble for Power in Putin's 'Last' Cabinet
Vladimir Putin is expected to conduct a government reshuffle following his inauguration on Tuesday.
newsweek.com
Stock Market Today: Disney Shares Up Ahead of Earnings, Futures Flat
Shares in former President Donald Trump's company Trump Media were down pre-market.
newsweek.com
Rise of rhubarb, the vegetable that acts like a fruit, 'a sure sign' spring in swing
Rhubarb explodes across rural America in May. The rare perennial plant is a vegetable that's treated more like a fruit, and its harvest is celebrated with festivals around the country.
foxnews.com
2024 Nissan Sentra Review: Wallet-Friendly Fun in an Efficient Package
The four-door Sentra comes standard with Apple CarPlay and a quick launch from a standstill.
newsweek.com
The Politics of Fear Itself
A few months ago, I had an email exchange with a person who works in the right-wing-media world. He said that crime was “surging,” a claim that just happened to advance the Trumpian narrative that America during the Biden presidency is a dystopia.I pointed out that the preliminary data showed a dramatic drop in violent crime last year. (Violent crime spiked in the final year of Donald Trump’s presidency, during the coronavirus pandemic, and has declined in each year of Joe Biden’s presidency.) During our back-and-forth, my interlocutor at first denied that crime had dropped. He sent me links showing that crime rates in Washington, D.C., were increasing, as though a national drop in crime couldn’t be accompanied by an increase in individual cities. He insisted the data I cited were false, implying they were the product of the liberal media. “Perception is reality,” he told me. “Nobody is buying the narrative that crime is getting better.”Eventually, after I responded to each of his claims, he reluctantly conceded that crime, rather than surging, was dropping—but ascribed the source of the progress to Republican states. I corrected him on that assertion, too. (Crime has dropped in both red and blue states.) He finally admitted that, yes, crime was decreasing, and in blue states too, but said the drop was inevitable, the result of the pandemic’s end. So he blamed Biden when he thought violent crime was increasing and insisted Biden deserves no credit now that violent crime is decreasing.[Rogé Karma: The great normalization]I consider where we ended up a victory, but only a partial and temporary one. His fundamental storyline hasn’t changed. Virtually every day he insists that life in America under Biden is a hellscape and that his reelection would lead to its destruction.Welcome to MAGA world.I mention this exchange because it reveals something important about the MAGA mind. Trump and his supporters have a deep investment in promoting fear. At almost every Trump rally, the former president tries to frighten his supporters out of their wits. He did this in 2016 and 2020, and he’s doing it again this year.“If he wins,” Trump said of Biden during a rally in Schnecksville, Pennsylvania, “our country is going to be destroyed.” Trump also said this of Biden: “He’s a demented tyrant.” After Trump’s victories on Super Tuesday, he told an audience of his supporters, “Our cities are choking to death. Our states are dying. And frankly, our country is dying.”Other politicians have been fearmongers, but none has been as relentless and effective as Trump. He has an unparalleled ability to promote feelings of terror among his base, with the goal of translating that terror into votes.But as I recently argued, Biden has been president for nearly three and a half years, and America has hardly entered a new Dark Age. In some important respects, in fact, the nation, based on empirical evidence, is doing better during the Biden years than it did during the Trump years. And evangelical and fundamentalist Christians, who comprise the most loyal and embittered parts of the Trump base, enjoy perhaps the greatest degree of religious liberty they ever have, and they are among the least persecuted religious communities in history. The number of abortions, of particular concern for evangelical Christians, declined steadily after 1990. At the end of Barack Obama’s presidency, during which there was a decrease of nearly 30 percent, the number of abortions reached its lowest level since Roe v. Wade was decided, in 1973. (During the Trump administration, the number of abortions increased by 8 percent.)For many Trump supporters, then, fear is not so much the cause of their support for the former president as a justification for it. They use fear to rationalize their backing for Trump. They have a burning need to promote catastrophism, even if it requires cognitive distortion, spreading falsehoods, and peddling conspiracy theories.But why? What’s driving their ongoing, deepening fealty to Trump?Part of the explanation is partisan loyalty. Every party rallies around its presidential nominee, even if the nation is flourishing under the stewardship of an incumbent from the other party.But that reasoning takes us only so far in this case. For one thing, it’s nearly inconceivable to imagine that if any other former president did what Trump has done, Republicans would maintain their devotion to him. Richard Nixon committed only a fraction of Trump’s misdeeds, and the GOP broke with him over the revelation of the “smoking gun” tapes. It was not his liberal critics, but the collapse of support within the Republican Party, that persuaded Nixon to resign.Beyond that, Trump was not an incumbent this cycle. In 2020, he lost the presidency by 72 electoral votes and 7 million popular votes; Republicans lost control of the Senate, and Democrats maintained their majority in the House. In the past, when a one-term president was defeated and dragged his party down in the process, he was shown the exit. But despite Trump being a loser, Republicans remain enthralled by him. So something unusual is going on here.Human beings have a natural tendency to organize around tribal affiliations. Some are drawn to what the Danish political scientist Michael Bang Petersen calls the “need for chaos,” and wish to “burn down” the entire political order in the hopes of gaining status in the process. (My colleague Derek Thompson wrote about Petersen and his work earlier this year.) And social scientists such as Jonathan Haidt point out that mutual outrage bonds people together. Sharing anger can be very pleasurable, and the internet makes doing this orders of magnitude easier.For several decades now, the Republican base has been unusually susceptible to these predispositions. Grievances had been building, with Republicans feeling as though they were being dishonored and disrespected by elite culture. Those feelings were stoked by figures such as Newt Gingrich and Pat Buchanan, who decivilized politics and turned it into a blood sport. And then came Trump, the most skilled and successful demagogue in American history.An extraordinary connection between Trump and his base was forged when he descended the golden escalator at Trump Tower in the summer of 2015 and employed his dehumanizing language. Almost every day since then, he has selected targets at which to channel his hate, which appears to be inexhaustible, and ramped up his rhetoric to the point that it now echoes lines from Mein Kampf. In the process, he has fueled the rage of his supporters.Trump not only validated hate; he made it fashionable. One friend observed to me that Trump makes his supporters feel as if they are embattled warriors making a last stand against the demise of everything they cherish, which is a powerful source of personal meaning and social solidarity. They become heroes in their own mythological narratives.But it doesn’t stop there. Trump has set himself up both as a Christ figure persecuted for the sake of his followers and as their avenging angel. At a speech last year at the Conservative Political Action Conference, Trump said, “In 2016, I declared, ‘I am your voice.’ Today, I add: I am your warrior. I am your justice. And for those who have been wronged and betrayed, I am your retribution. I am your retribution.”“You’re not selling ‘Morning in America’ from Mar-a-Lago,” Steve Bannon, one of the MAGA movement’s architects, told The New York Times’ Charles Homans. “You need a different tempo. He needed to reiterate to his followers, ‘This is [expletive] revenge.’”Malice, enmity, resentments: These are the emotions driving many Trump supporters. They’re why they not only accept but delight in the savagery and brutishness of Trump’s politics. They’re why you hear chants of “Fuck Joe Biden” at Trump rallies. His base constantly searches for new targets, new reasons to be indignant. It activates the pleasure center of their brain. It’s a compulsion loop.Which brings me back to the exchange I described at the beginning of this essay. My interlocutor was clearly rooting against good news; though he would deny it, the implication of his response was that he wanted crime to get worse. Not because he was rooting for innocent people to die, though that would be the effect. What appeared to animate him—as it has for the entire Biden presidency—is the awareness that good news for America means bad news for MAGA world. Worse yet, good news would be celebrated by people—Biden, Democrats, Never Trumpers—he has grown to hate. But hate is an unattractive emotion to celebrate; it benefits from a polite veneer.[Read: You should go to a Trump rally]In this case, the finishing coat is fear, the insistence that if Biden is president, all that Trump’s supporters hold dear will die. This isn’t true, but it doesn’t matter to them that it’s not true. The veneer also makes it easier for Trump supporters—evangelical Christians, “constitutional conservatives,” champions of law and order, and “family values” voters among them—to justify their support for a man who embodies almost everything they once loathed.Even as Donald Trump’s politics has become more savage, his threats aimed at opponents more ominous, and his humiliation of others more frequent—he has become ever more revered by his supporters.I imagine that even some of the Republican Party’s harshest liberal critics could not have anticipated a decade and a half ago that the GOP would be led by a man who referred to a violent mob that stormed the Capitol to stop the peaceful transfer of power as “political prisoners,” “hostages,” and “patriots.” It’s been an astonishing moral inversion, a sickening descent. And it’s not done.
theatlantic.com
India Begins Third Phase of Elections, as Modi Escalates Rhetoric Against Muslims
The third round of voting kicks off as Prime Minister Narendra Modi steps up incendiary speeches targeting the Muslim minority.
time.com
Trump vows to execute risky gambit if it means defending Constitution and more top headlines
Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox.
foxnews.com
Donald Trump's Lawyers Caught Off Guard by Alvin Bragg's Witness
Former Trump Organization controller Jeffrey McConney testified during Trump's hush money trial on Monday.
newsweek.com
Caitlyn Jenner Responds to Kim Kardashian's Jab
During Tom Brady's star-studded comedy roast, Kardashian joked that a romance with the retired athlete "would never work out," because he reminds her of Jenner.
newsweek.com
Which 1934 Film Swept the Five Major Categories at the Academy Awards?
Test your wits on the Slate Quiz for May 7, 2024.
slate.com
Slate Crossword: “Renaissance” Woman, to Fans (Three Letters)
Ready for some wordplay? Sharpen your skills with Slate’s puzzle for May 7, 2024.
slate.com
Police Break Up Pro-Palestinian Camp at Amsterdam University, as Campus Protests Spread to Europe
Dutch police arrested about 125 activists as protests that roiled U.S. campuses spread into Europe.
time.com
Fani Willis Calls Investigation Into Her 'Unlawful'
The Fulton County district attorney criticized Georgia state Senate's investigation into allegations of misconduct against her.
newsweek.com
The day I honored my ancestor’s remains — at a Smithsonian storehouse
The remains of Little Poplar, a Plains Cree Indian who was killed in 1886, should be returned to his people in Montana.
washingtonpost.com
The Most Acclaimed Horror Movie of the Year Is About How Fandom Can Save Your Life—or Ruin It
A24’s latest both a Buffy tribute and a cautionary tale.
slate.com
Anti-Israel encampment sprouts up at University of Amsterdam, Netherlands police immediately take action
Police in the Netherlands arrested more than 120 people at an encampment erected at the University of Amsterdam, as demonstrations in the US have spread into Europe.
foxnews.com
In Most of the World, It’s Banned. In America, Some Parents Will Stop at Nothing to Create the Perfect Baby.
Little girls are better than little boys—according to these people.
1 h
slate.com
US surfer Jack Carter Rhoad killed in Mexico was set to marry in 3 months: ‘Heartbreaking loss’
Jack Carter Rhoad, 30, was just months away from tying the knot when he and his two pals disappeared from the province of Baja California.
1 h
nypost.com
Seniors and breast cancer: Why aren’t older women told to get mammograms?
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that women between the ages of 40 and 74 should get mammograms every other year, but some experts object to the older cut-off age.
1 h
foxnews.com
Trump Plays Chicken With Judge as Hush-Money Trial Continues
Peter Foley/ReutersThe thirteenth day of Donald Trump’s hush money trial gets underway Tuesday after the judge gave the former president a clear ultimatum: stop violating the court’s gag order or risk being thrown in jail.The final warning Monday came as Judge Juan Merchan found Trump in criminal contempt for the tenth time over breaches of an order meant to prevent the GOP’s presumptive presidential nominee from intimidating jurors, potential witnesses, and others associated with the proceedings in Manhattan. After hitting Trump with yet another $1,000 penalty, Merchan said it “appears that the $1,000 fines are not serving as a deterrent.”“The last thing I want to do is put you in jail,” Merchan told Trump. “You are the former president of the United States and possibly the next president as well.” The judge added that while the “magnitude” of possibly jailing Trump isn’t lost on him, he ultimately has “a job to do.”Read more at The Daily Beast.
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thedailybeast.com
Who Is Gordon Black? US Army Officer Arrested During Secret Russia Trip
The staff sergeant reportedly made an unauthorized trip to the Pacific port city of Vladivostok, where he was detained.
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newsweek.com
NYT 'Connections' Hints May 7: Clues and Answer for Puzzle #331
Need help with today's "Connections" brainteaser? Newsweek has all the clues and answers.
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newsweek.com
Trump's critical VP pick, Lincoln's special forces, and more from Fox News Opinion
Read the latest from Fox News Opinion & watch videos from Sean Hannity, Raymond Arroyo & more.
2 h
foxnews.com
Video shows devastation after at least 10 tornados sweep Midwest
Storms have damaged dozens of homes across the Midwest United States with downed power lines and piles of debris and household items gathering across yards and roads.
2 h
edition.cnn.com
Morning Glory: Which nation leads 'the West?'
It is not the United States today. It is Israel.
2 h
foxnews.com
Australia Accuses Chinese Fighter Jet of Dangerous Maneuver
This is the latest of a growing list of unsafe interactions between China's military and U.S. allies in the region.
2 h
newsweek.com
Donald Trump to Attend Fundraiser on Day of Barron's Graduation
Former president was given day off court for his son's high school event, he might need his private jet to get to the dinner later.
2 h
newsweek.com
The One Thing Trump Knows He Wants in a Running Mate
When election denialism is a prerequisite.
2 h
nytimes.com
In Berkeley Public Schools, a War Gives Rise to Unusual Tensions
Accusations of antisemitism in K-12 schools have fractured a city long known for its progressive ideals and inclusiveness.
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nytimes.com
Ozempic Is Repairing a Hole in Our Diets Created by Processed Foods
Now is our chance to rethink the centuries-old stories we’ve told about obesity and weight loss.
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nytimes.com
House Republicans’ Next Target: Reports of Antisemitism in K-12 Schools
After helping topple two college presidents, Congress will grill school district leaders from New York City; Berkeley, Calif.; and Montgomery County in Maryland.
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nytimes.com
Growing Mushrooms From Food Waste
In Queens, an indoor farm develops high-quality mushrooms for restaurants in scraps discarded by the restaurants’ chefs.
2 h
nytimes.com
This gentrifying Mexico City neighborhood has a Soho House — and a migrant encampment
An encampment in the Juarez neighborhood of Mexico City shows how migration is impacting countries south of the U.S. border.
2 h
latimes.com
Trump’s critical VP pick: 5 key criteria the president must consider
The RNC recently convened important donors in Palm Beach. The gathering showcased several possible Trump V.P. candidates. Who will he choose? Let the guessing game begin.
2 h
foxnews.com
UNC frat members who protected American flag recount chaotic protest: 'Blew my mind'
University of North Carolina fraternity members who helped defend the American flag against protesters in viral images spoke with Fox News Digital about the chaos.
2 h
foxnews.com
Hamas' cease-fire agreement is like a 'jailhouse conversion': Mike Pompeo
Fox News contributor and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo breaks down Hamas' cease-fire deal with the U.S. and Israel through Qatar on "The Story."
2 h
foxnews.com
Female journalist speaks out after being attacked by ‘leftist extremists’ at Portland State
A journalist who was attacked by alleged Antifa members last week at Portland State University said the "leftist extremists" will continue to wreak havoc.
2 h
foxnews.com
D.C.-area forecast: Warm and humid next few days with pesky clouds and rain chances
While we can’t rule out a few afternoon showers, it’s less cloudy and muggy over the weekend.
2 h
washingtonpost.com
Help! The Mom of My Kid’s Bully Is Stirring Trouble in My Book Club. I Have a Devious Plan.
She's a very clever woman.
2 h
slate.com
Hamas Agreed to a Ceasefire. Now What?
2 h
slate.com
Punishing A Shooter’s Parents Misses The Point
2 h
slate.com
Prince Harry's Met Gala Double Has Fans Stunned
"I honestly thought for a split second that Prince Harry had got himself a new job," wrote one X user.
2 h
newsweek.com