Columnist and editor at MS NOW (formerly MSNBC). WGAE member. Ex-Washington Post Opinions. DC born and raised. D.C. United and Montreal Canadiens fan. Email: jim.downie at versantmedia.com; jdow.92 on Signal
BREAKING WSJ: The Trump admin plans to end a subsidy program that helped hold down premiums for Medicare drug plans — a move that could leave many seniors facing higher rates for their prescription coverage next year.
Exclusive | Trump Administration to End Medicare Drug Plan SubsidyProgram that held down premiums won’t be renewed for 2027, resulting in higher costs for some seniors.www.wsj.comNew Economist / YouGov poll (7/25-27, MoE ±3.3%): Trump approval: 34% (tied for record low) Disapproval: 62% (record low) Net approval: -28% (also a record low) "Trump's net approval among Independents has fallen during his second term to -53, a new low for him, from -4 at the start of the term."
A new low for Trump approval, the close House race, views on Netanyahu, and more: July 25 - 27, 2026 Economist/YouGov PollTrump's job approval hits record low, Americans like their member of the House more than they like Congress, and half of Americans think the U.S. should arrest Netanyahuyougov.com
Really driving home the fact that the "Abraham Accords" condition for bilateral relations is less something Trump himself believes in and more something that his feverishly pro-Israel advisors and Netanyahu himself demand be inserted effectively as a veto point.
CBS NewsPresident Trump said he hasn't spoken with Saudi Arabia about joining the Abraham Accords, a condition he added for the U.S. and Saudis to go through with a civilian nuclear program on Saudi soil.
do a deer my kids aren't here re i'm estranged from my son me the named in this lawsuit fa i'm driving on the run so my ex-wife wants me dead la i'm running from the feds ti a drink to clear my head that will bring us back to do!
Chicago TribuneOnly Illinois residents can claim a roadkill deer, according to state law. The only stipulation is the resident claiming the deer cannot be delinquent on child support payments.
"At least six House members or their immediate families purchased a total of between roughly $83,000 and $245,000 in SpaceX shares....Joining [Rep. William] Timmons were Reps. John McGuire, R-Va., Dan Meuser, R-Pa., Gil Cisneros, D-Calif., John James, R-Mich., and Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla."
SpaceX stock-purchasing by Congress members fuels conflict concernsFive of the Congress members serve on committees whose work touches SpaceX's federal contracts, defense programs, AI, telecommunications or securities markets.www.cnbc.com
Angus King consistently avoided saying which party he'd caucus with during his first Senate campaign – then said he would caucus with the Democrats within a week of the polls closing.
Maine Independent Angus King To Caucus With Senate DemocratsSen.-elect Angus King of Maine, who cruised to victory last week running as an independent, said Wednesday that he will caucus with Senate Democrats, giving them in effect a 55-45 seat advantage next ...www.npr.orgNew TX Senate poll by Texas Public Opinion Research (7/15-7/17, ±3.4%): Talarico 45% (-2% from May) Paxton 40% (-4%) "Paxton’s 40% vote share is the lowest he has received in a public poll post-runoff."
Talarico leads Paxton by 5 points in new Texas Senate pollThe poll found the Austin Democrat with a commanding lead among independents and a surprising edge with non-college-educated voters, who have consistently favored Republicans.www.texastribune.org
New: Former intel officials call for probe into CIA note at heart of Trump’s 2020 election document dump The CIA doc in question is on China’s alleged efforts to undermine Trump in ‘20 Intel vets want to know when/why it was written, and who requested it www.ms.now/news/cia-not...
Former intel officials call for investigation into Trump's 2020 election document dumpOne of the 58 documents Trump declassified and published online is drawing scrutiny from former intelligence officials who want more public information about when and why it was written.www.ms.now
"Stare decisis, the obligation to follow precedent, is critical to judicial legitimacy, but this Court treats it as optional. Sometimes it overrules prior decisions outright; more often it just declines to follow inconvenient precedent." – @davidcole-gtown.bsky.social
Close Calls | David ColeIn the Supreme Court’s recently concluded term, it showed that it is willing to constrain Trump but less willing to accept limits on its own authority.www.nybooks.com
"Policymaking and governing strategy still matter, but everybody to the left of Mitt Romney should lower their expectations of what the next Democratic president can achieve unless the court’s ideological makeup is changed." Excellent @mford.bsky.social piece. newrepublic.com/article/2135...
Why Elena Kagan is Defending the Roberts CourtThe justice recently contended against the notion that the court has become a rubber stamp for Trump. She’s not wrong—but that’s just part of the story.newrepublic.com
"Trump positions himself as a vindication of masculine prerogatives," says @moiradonegan.bsky.social. He tells men not to "cultivate virtues" but to "embrace their own vices." On the pod, this look at Trump, the Tate brothers, and the plight of young men is so good: newrepublic.com/article/2136...
Trump and Hegseth's "fixed belief that 'lethality' is how you win surely led to basic inability to anticipate the blindingly obvious: that we have a limited supply of sophisticated weapons and that the Iranians would close the Straits of Hormuz." – @pkrugman.bsky.social
The Putinization of the American MilitaryWhen poseurs and yes-men run a waropen.substack.com"Weather forecasters are warning that it looks like the most powerful El Niño in recorded history is coming soon. Climate change is not going to wait for America or any other country to sort out its political dysfunctions. We can confront climate reality or be run over by it." – @ryanlcooper.com
The Strongest El Niño in History Is Coming. Get Ready. - The American ProspectDonald Trump has no ideas, but America is ready for a U-turn on climate change.prospect.orgNew GQR poll of Montana Senate (7/23-26, MoE ±4.4%), shared with @gelliottmorris.com: – in the current 4-way race: Kurt Alme (R) 41, Seth Bodnar (I) 27, Alani Bankhead (D) 22, Kyle Austin (Lib) 6 – In a hypothetical head-to-head, Bodnar leads Alme 50-44 – Bankhead loses a head-to-head 52-44.
To defeat Republicans, Democrats may have to sit some races outAn exclusive poll shared first with Strength In Numbers shows Independent Seth Bodnar in Montana runs ahead of the Democrat in a hypothetical Senate horse-raceopen.substack.com