Mario Gonzalez Died Of ‘Restraint Asphyxiation’ By Police, New Autopsy Finds
An independent autopsy confirmed what the Latino father’s family had declared: Police in Alameda, California, killed him, not meth. No officers were charged.
Today's Liberal News
Elon Musk Isn’t Buying Twitter to Defend Free Speech
Conservatives on Twitter have greeted Elon Musk as a liberator. The mega-billionaire is in the process of purchasing the social-media platform and reorienting it toward what he calls “free speech.” The conservative columnist Ben Shapiro celebrated the news of the new free-speech era by insisting that Musk engage in politically motivated mass firings of Twitter workers based on their perceived political leanings.
What Should Twitter Forbid? Be Specific.
This is an edition of Up for Debate, a newsletter by Conor Friedersdorf. On Wednesdays, he rounds up timely conversations and solicits reader responses to one thought-provoking question. Every Friday, he publishes some thoughtful replies. Sign up for the newsletter here.Question of the WeekElon Musk bought Twitter. Anticipating that the deal will go through, many are advising him on how to improve the platform, with a focus on the tension between free speech and content moderation.
What the Fitness Industry Doesn’t Understand
If you tried to imagine the perfect gym teacher, you’d probably come up with someone a lot like Hampton Liu. He’s a gentle, friendly guy who spends most of his time trying to figure out how to make the basics of exercise more approachable, and he talks frequently about how he never wants anyone to feel shame for their ability or skill level.
Coachella Defeated My Cynicism About Music Festivals
In an ill-fated attempt to hype myself up for the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, I went on YouTube to look at an inflatable blue gorilla—a stage prop for the hip-hop act Brockhampton, who had announced that Coachella would be the group’s last booking ever. The festival unfolds in two identical three-day lineups over consecutive weekends; I was attending the second weekend, and I wanted a taste of how the first one had gone.
“Putin Is Bluffing”: Historian Alfred McCoy on How to End Ukraine War with Solutions Beyond Sanctions
We speak with historian Alfred McCoy about how the Russian invasion of Ukraine could possibly end. McCoy argues the European Union is essentially funding the war by buying energy from Russia, and says sanctions will not deter Russian President Putin from war so long as his economy continues supplying energy for the world.
Can Biden Undo Trump’s “Remain in Mexico” Policy That Forced Asylum Seekers into Dangerous Conditions?
The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments Tuesday on whether to strike down the Trump-era “Remain in Mexico” policy, which forced tens of thousands of non-Mexican asylum seekers to wait in Mexico while their cases played out in U.S. courts, often in extremely dangerous conditions. Biden suspended the policy, formally known as the Migrant Protection Protocols, shortly after taking office, but Texas and Missouri challenged the move.
Juan González: In Surprise Move, Gorsuch Challenges U.S. Colonialism in SCOTUS Ruling on Puerto Rico
Puerto Rican elected officials from both the island and the United States are on Capitol Hill today to support the Puerto Rico Self-Determination Act, which would establish a process for determining the status of the U.S. territory. This comes after the Supreme Court recently supported the Biden administration’s claim that Puerto Ricans are not entitled to claim full Supplemental Security Income benefits unless they move to the mainland.
‘It’s insanity’: Providers end Covid care for uninsured in the wake of congressional inaction
Less access could also prolong the pandemic, allowing the virus to circulate and perhaps provide a haven for new, more dangerous variants.
Most of Beijing to be tested for Covid amid lockdown fears
Residents in the Chinese city of 21 million were stocking up on food.
Biden administration says it won’t keep messing with Texas’ Trump-era Medicaid waiver
The Centers for Medicaid and Medicaid Services “concluded that it is not the best use of the federal government’s limited resources.
IMF warns of ‘severe’ global economic risk from war in Ukraine
The war in Ukraine will “severely” set back the global recovery from Covid-19, according to the IMF.
What could go wrong with Biden’s booming economy? Here are the big risks.
The Fed’s campaign to raise interest rates — designed to reduce spending and curb inflation — will slow growth, which will have consequences for American workers.
U.S. inflation jumped 8.5 percent in past year, highest since 1981
Prices have been driven up by bottlenecked supply chains, robust consumer demand and disruptions to global food and energy markets worsened by Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Psaki: Student loan borrowers likely to have to pay debt ‘sometime’
The Biden administration recently extended a Covid-related pause on repayments.
Biden’s mounting midterm threat: Inflation angst outweighing historic job growth
White House officials deny any sense of panic over the economy or their midterm chances.
Florida to Michigan to Missouri: Hear Speeches of Gay Legislators & Allies Fighting Anti-LGBTQ Bills
Florida’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law is part of a nationwide push by Republicans to score political points by attacking gay and transgender students.
Republicans Cheer As Congressional Candidate Demands Fauci’s Execution By Firing Squad
Oklahoma GOP chair John Bennett’s sinister comments about the top infectious disease expert earned him applause at a campaign event.
Ex-FBI Assistant Director Accuses Tucker Carlson Of Aiding And Abetting Terrorism
Frank Figliuzzi said the Fox News personality’s parroting of Russian propaganda has “gone way beyond free speech.
Tucker Carlson Declares Kevin McCarthy A ‘Puppet Of The Democratic Party’
The House Republican leader made some comments on tape last year that the Fox News host wasn’t too happy about.
U.S. Diplomats Return To Ukraine, Hope To Reopen Kyiv Embassy ‘As Soon As Possible’
The State Department said it would continue to support the “people of Ukraine as they bravely defend their country.
Ukraine Update: When political goals trump military ones
As noted this morning, Russia went from attacking in too many axes during the war’s first season, to …. attacking in too many axes in this second phase.
Kevin McCarthy Feared GOP Lawmakers Were Inciting Violence After Jan. 6, Audio Shows
The House Republican leader singled out extremist Reps. Matt Gaetz and Mo Brooks and said Gaetz was “putting people in jeopardy.
Barrage of gunshots leaves kids, parents scrambling for cover at a youth baseball game, video shows
A chilling video of an incident in North Charleston, South Carolina, showing dozens of kids and adults scrambling for cover as a barrage of gunshots rings out has left a community traumatized.
In the video, as gunfire is heard, a frightening scene unfolds Monday night at the Dixie Youth league baseball game, leaving players, coaches, and parents running for safety. The video was taken by Lori Ferguson, a parent at the game, The Post and Courier reports.
Ukraine update: Balancing desperate needs and uncomfortable reality
Over the course of the now more than two-month-long invasion of Ukraine, kos has written several times about the difficulty of integrating unfamiliar weapons systems into an army—especially when that army is already engaged in a life-or-death struggle. Every single one of these systems comes with its own training requirements, not just for the person whose finger is on the trigger, but for all the mechanics, electricians, and support crews needed to keep it operating in the field.
Meadows texts reveal Marjorie Taylor Greene was concocting Jan. 6 lies even as coup was underway
We now know that Senate Minority Bleater Mitch McConnell was “exhilarated” after Jan. 6 because he thought the events of the day had finally discredited Donald Trump.
The army of Trumpists gathering at megachurch rallies build around myth of stolen election
We’ve usually thought of Trumpism as being an essentially mainstream-conservative movement with expanding extremist elements. But its post-Jan. 6 metastasis, bringing these elements together, suggests it has become its own kind of extremism: wildly conspiracist, militantly if not fanatically religious, and fundamentally violent.
Elon Musk Already Showed Us How He’ll Run Twitter
Last night, after Twitter accepted his $44 billion bid to buy the company, Elon Musk traveled to South Texas, where SpaceX is building prototypes for a rocket system designed to take people to Mars someday. Earlier, he had shared some of his to-do list for the social-media company he could soon own outright: “enhancing the product with new features,” “defeating the spam bots,” and making the platform’s algorithms public and available for anyone to see.
Democrats Need to Stand Up for Themselves
Sign up for Molly’s newsletter, Wait, What?, here.It’s unusual for a one-off political speech to make someone famous. This is especially the case in today’s toxic fog of disinformation and apathy.
The Elon Musk Placebo Effect
Elon Musk is buying Twitter and taking the public company private in order to save “free speech.” That much we know: He has made his intentions clear.But what will actually change about the social-media platform is still largely a mystery, and the hints don’t suggest that Twitter’s about to become a free-speech free-for-all. Maybe Musk will reinstate Donald Trump on the platform.