The Topline · [email protected]

October 4, 2021 at 7:59 PM

Facebook has some explainin' to do

Facebook has some explainin' to do Whistleblower says FB puts profits over public good Thanks to our readers for sharing their ideas last week on what steps Congress can take to bolster our democracy ahead of the next presidential election. O…

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October 1, 2021 at 7:00 PM

The week in review

The week in review Congress averts government shutdown in nick of time Avoiding our partisan doom loop will require fundamental electoral reform. Eliminating the Electoral College altogether and electing presidents with a straight popular vot…

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September 30, 2021 at 8:04 PM

Disinformation is killing us

Disinformation is killing us And it's taking down our health and our democracy After the 2012 presidential election, the Republican Party did a post-mortem on why they lost and how they could improve in the cycles ahead. Eight years later, th…

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September 29, 2021 at 7:00 PM

A mess in Congress

A mess in Congress Also: Milley testifies on Afghanistan withdrawal If you caught yesterday's Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, you might have heard Sen. Dan Sullivan of Alaska say this: "I've never seen so much anger, at least from my…

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September 28, 2021 at 8:30 PM

The boosters are here

The boosters are here But a quarter of U.S. adults still need their first jab A congressional candidate calls for election officials to be "executed." A sitting congressman declines to run for re-election in part because of threats to his fam…

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September 27, 2021 at 7:49 PM

Congress' 'time of intensity'

Congress' 'time of intensity' It's a big week on Capitol Hill Thank you to all readers who responded to last week's question about the Jan. 6 select committee. We received feedback from a few readers who feel we devote too much coverage at TH…

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September 24, 2021 at 7:05 PM

The week in review

The week in review Subpoenas, audits, and a mess at the border Did the Cyber Ninjas actually prove that Joe Biden won Arizona by even more votes in the 2020 election? No. Because their entire audit was a sham, and their report a farce, even i…

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September 23, 2021 at 8:19 PM

The election audit craze of 2021

The election audit craze of 2021 It's not just for Arizona anymore We don't like it any more than you do, but we have to talk about Donald Trump. President Biden is facing his own set of serious challenges of late, and those have rightly gain…

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September 22, 2021 at 7:49 PM

Dancing on the (debt) ceiling

Dancing on the (debt) ceiling And stepping on each other's toes The Protecting Our Democracy Act (PODA) was just re-introduced in the House yesterday, and it deserves serious attention from both sides of the aisle. PODA aims to prevent presid…

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September 21, 2021 at 8:34 PM

'Relentless diplomacy'

'Relentless diplomacy' Biden addresses the UN General Assembly Ordinary citizens should be able to disregard politics in their day-to-day lives and get on with the "pursuit of happiness," rather than having to stay in a state of high dudgeon.…

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September 20, 2021 at 8:34 PM

Biden agenda takes a hit

Biden agenda takes a hit Immigration debate retakes spotlight Thankfully, Saturday's "Justice for J6" far-right rally in support of the Capitol insurrectionists was largely a non-event. According to U.S. Capitol Police, about 450 people showe…

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September 17, 2021 at 7:15 PM

The week in review

The week in review Voting rights, Milley, Capitol rally, and more One of the 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Donald Trump earlier this year for inciting the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol has announced that he will not seek re-ele…

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September 16, 2021 at 8:49 PM

Preparing for the worst

Preparing for the worst But hoping for the best in D.C. If you often feel that modern American politics are closer to gang warfare than a spirited competition between two healthy parties, you're certainly not alone. Our once-highly functional…

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September 15, 2021 at 8:19 PM

Between a rock and a hard place

Between a rock and a hard place Milley goes to extraordinary lengths to protect U.S. There's a connection between two of today's key stories—the revelations about Joint Chiefs Chair Mark Milley in the waning days of the Trump Administration, …

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September 14, 2021 at 7:19 PM

Tough questions on Afghanistan

Tough questions on Afghanistan Secretary of State gets a grilling on the Hill Thank you to all of our readers who responded to last week's question about the filibuster. It is clear that there are good faith arguments to be made for both side…

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September 13, 2021 at 8:34 PM

Back in session

Back in session Senate returns to intense fall schedule The annual observance of the anniversary of 9/11 is always solemn and heart-wrenching, but this year's was especially so, marking 20 years (how is that possible?) since those acts of hat…

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September 10, 2021 at 7:00 PM

The week in review

The week in review 9/11…20 years later After the 9/11 attacks occurred 20 years ago, the last thing on Americans' minds was our partisan differences. That's not to suggest that we didn't have very real ideological disagreements—we did, of cou…

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September 8, 2021 at 7:30 PM

After Ida

After Ida Costly natural disasters become the new normal Symbols of sacred American institutions were violated on both Sept. 11, 2001, and Jan. 6 of this year. Even if the 9/11 hijackers had succeeded in reaching the Capitol or the White Hous…

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September 7, 2021 at 7:49 PM

AG weighs in on Texas law

AG weighs in on Texas law Feds promise a fight for abortion rights Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed the state's controversial new election bill into law today, after months of battles with Democrats, who fled the state in an attempt to block the…

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September 3, 2021 at 7:45 PM

The week in review

The week in review Out of Afghanistan Last night, I had the incredible honor to sit down with Lt. Col. (ret.) Alexander Vindman. He shared his story and how he came to find himself in the room where it happened: the now infamous call on July …

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September 2, 2021 at 8:35 PM

GOP infighting returns

GOP infighting returns Actually it never left Gov. Greg Abbott is poised to sign new voting legislation in Texas this week, but he's far from alone. States across the country have been implementing new voting restrictions in response to the l…

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September 1, 2021 at 7:29 PM

Next up: Ukraine

Next up: Ukraine With Afghanistan behind him, Biden meets with Zelensky As America turns the historical—though likely not the final—page on Afghanistan, President Biden is meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House…

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August 31, 2021 at 8:20 PM

It's finally over

It's finally over But some evacuees—and many questions—remain Today America draws 20 years of war in Afghanistan to a close. It leaves a complicated legacy that demands deep study and reflection to steer American foreign policy to better outc…

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August 30, 2021 at 8:19 PM

One day left in Afghanistan

One day left in Afghanistan Troops set to withdraw for good tomorrow Everyone seems to have an opinion on Afghanistan. Judging by our readers' responses, they seem to fall into three broad categories. The first is that it was long past time f…

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August 27, 2021 at 7:05 PM

The week in review

The week in review A grim week in Afghanistan This was a very difficult week, with the turbulent withdrawal in Afghanistan rightly capturing the world's attention and distress. But here at home, the fight to shore up our democracy went on, wi…

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August 26, 2021 at 7:45 PM

Deadly attacks at Kabul airport

Deadly attacks at Kabul airport American and Afghan lives lost Today's attacks in Afghanistan are yet another reminder of how much we as a nation owe to our military service members, who bravely go into harm's way in our defense. As they've h…

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August 25, 2021 at 8:50 PM

Voting rights bill passes the House

Voting rights bill passes the House Faces uphill battle in Senate Extreme political rhetoric is nothing new, but outright calls for violence are increasingly becoming acceptable discourse in mainstream politics. An ad from Republican Mike Col…

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August 24, 2021 at 8:45 PM

Deadlocked deadline

Deadlocked deadline Biden won't extend airlift past Aug. 31 This week, as the House takes up the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, you can expect to hear arguments claiming the legislation betrays the spirit of federalism. But does it…

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August 23, 2021 at 7:30 PM

Thousands evacuated from Kabul

Thousands evacuated from Kabul Commercial airlines pitch in to help If you kept an eye on the news over the weekend, then you know it was bleak. Afghanistan, Covid, floods and fires…it's been a tough summer. So a reminder of the good we're fi…

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August 20, 2021 at 7:35 PM

The week in review

The week in review Fiasco in Afghanistan The scenes of loss and desperation in Afghanistan this week are heartbreaking. The U.S. mission there was a necessary, righteous fight at the beginning, but while well-intentioned, it became too ambiti…

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  Mike Brand · [email protected]

August 20, 2021 at 1:58 PM

Take Action: Help Pass the Voting Rights Advancement Act

    Hi John , In the wake of the effort to overturn the 2020 election and spread the big lie that the election was stolen, state legislatures across the country have been introducing voter suppression bills in record numbers. There have been over 400 bills introduced across the…

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  The Topline · [email protected]

August 19, 2021 at 7:45 PM

Biden doesn't budge

Biden doesn't budge POTUS defends Afghanistan withdrawal, warts and all The American abolitionist movement provides the best example of how political movements progress. In 1833, William Lloyd Garrison established the American Anti-slavery So…

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August 18, 2021 at 7:34 PM

Voting still needs protection

Voting still needs protection With Congress stalled, action remains in the states and the courts The collapse of Afghanistan's government—or at least the speed with which it fell—seems to have taken the Biden Administration by surprise. The r…

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August 17, 2021 at 7:50 PM

'I stand squarely behind my decision'

'I stand squarely behind my decision' Biden deals with the fallout of withdrawal in Afghanistan Good afternoon, Topliners! I am over the moon to share with you that tomorrow, Wednesday, Aug. 18, at 2pm ET, I'll be hosting the first-ever RAM C…

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August 16, 2021 at 7:40 PM

A tragedy in Afghanistan

A tragedy in Afghanistan Grave situation as Kabul falls to the Taliban Be careful what you wish for. Nowhere is that adage more applicable right now than in Afghanistan. For many years, critics of the U.S.'s ongoing presence in the country ha…

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August 13, 2021 at 7:00 PM

The week in review

The week in review The pandemic's unwelcome return Time for a much-needed reality check on vaccines and masks. No doubt about it, the Delta variant has changed the state of play on the pandemic. New data reveals that breakthrough cases are mo…

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August 12, 2021 at 7:34 PM

A dialog on democracy

A dialog on democracy Biden calls on world leaders to help save democracy Two government officials who deserve attention this week are former acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen and former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia …

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August 11, 2021 at 8:49 PM

The next Great Society?

The next Great Society? Dems inch closer to enacting sweeping social agenda If Republicans are unwilling to tell the truth about what happened on Jan. 6, they do not deserve to serve in public office. With the midterm primary elections less t…

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August 10, 2021 at 8:49 PM

Cuomo is out, infrastructure is in

Cuomo is out, infrastructure is in NY gov resigns as Senate approves bipartisan bill What a day. First, the Senate at last passed a bipartisan infrastructure bill. This is big, both policy-wise and politically. Infrastructure projects positiv…

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August 9, 2021 at 9:00 PM

So much more to learn

So much more to learn A lot happened before Jan. 6 Good news is hard to come by these days, so let's try to focus on some positive developments. The Senate is likely to pass a bipartisan infrastructure bill this week. A new analysis of CDC da…

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August 6, 2021 at 7:04 PM

The week in review

The week in review Cuomo, China, and the Crazy Caucus New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's reputation has taken a massive dive since the spring of 2020, when his daily pandemic briefings helped fill the void left by a lack of national leadership. Sin…

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August 5, 2021 at 8:30 PM

Delta force

Delta force Climbing caseload raises new concerns Amy Berman Jackson has played a key role in several high-profile legal cases over the past few years. If you're not familiar with her, she's the federal judge who presided over the criminal ca…

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August 4, 2021 at 7:45 PM

Time to go, Cuomo

Time to go, Cuomo Pressure builds for NY gov to resign If people claim to back the blue or believe in our democracy, then it is imperative they watch the testimony and bodycam footage of the Capitol and Washington Metropolitan Police officers…

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August 3, 2021 at 7:00 PM

Vaccine resistance vs. vaccine insistence

Vaccine resistance vs. vaccine insistence U.S. faces the costs of anti-vaxxers' 'personal choice' We're back. And though we were only gone for a few days, we missed some notable stories, mainly driven by the Justice Department. We learned of …

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July 28, 2021 at 7:34 PM

In the nick of time

In the nick of time Bipartisan group reaches infrastructure deal After yesterday's devastating testimony about the attack on the U.S. Capitol in January, it's nice to get some hopeful news from Washington today. The bipartisan group of senato…

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July 27, 2021 at 7:34 PM

'You all tried to disrupt democracy, and you all failed'

'You all tried to disrupt democracy, and you all failed' Police officers describe the horrific battle to defend the Capitol Listening to the excruciating testimony from the Jan. 6 hearing today was difficult for any American. Though we witnes…

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July 26, 2021 at 7:14 PM

Kinzinger joins Jan. 6 committee

Kinzinger joins Jan. 6 committee And the GOP is not pleased We're keeping an eye on two big (and familiar) things this week—the Jan. 6 committee and infrastructure. The select committee will finally get off the ground tomorrow with its first …

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July 23, 2021 at 7:05 PM

The week in review

The week in review GOP reversal on vaccines and boycott of Jan. 6 committee During the Obama presidency, there was a lot of criticism—perhaps justifiably—about "leading from behind" on foreign policy. So it's ironic, but no longer surprising,…

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July 22, 2021 at 7:30 PM

A pandemic of the unvaccinated

A pandemic of the unvaccinated Biden pleads with Americans to get their Covid shot Rep. Liz Cheney is again at the center of intraparty controversy over statements she made yesterday about some of her fellow Republicans. Defending House Speak…

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July 21, 2021 at 8:04 PM

So you thought Covid was over?

So you thought Covid was over? Guess again As cases of the Delta variant of the coronavirus rise dramatically in the U.S., there's a growing attitude of ambivalence or outright hostility among the vaccinated toward those who refuse the vaccin…

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