Patients face barriers to routine care as doctors warn of ripple effects from broad abortion bans
Medical groups say the new laws are delaying patient access to a range of treatments.
Today's Liberal News
American Family Policy Is Holding Schools Back
Many American schools are failing to provide all students with a quality education, and policy makers don’t seem to know what to do about it. Even before schools closed during the pandemic, 30 percent of graduating seniors failed to reach a basic level of competency in reading, and 40 percent failed to do so in math, according to national data. Performance gaps across race and socioeconomic status in both subjects have persisted to some degree for decades.
“Lady Justice”: Dahlia Lithwick on Women Who Used the Law to Fight Racism, Sexism Under Trump & Won
We speak with Dahlia Lithwick, who covers the courts and the law for Slate, about women who fought the racism, sexism and xenophobia of Trump’s presidency. She profiles many of them in her new book, “Lady Justice: Women, the Law, and the Battle to Save America.” “Law is slow and takes a long time, but at its best, it really can make us all freer and safer and restore dignity to those that have been harmed,” says Lithwick.
Asteroid Diversion? Earth Is Still “Careening Headlong into Climate Catastrophe,” Says NASA Scientist
NASA successfully crashed a robotic spacecraft into an asteroid this week, a first-of-its-kind test of technology that could prevent a comet or asteroid from hitting the Earth, though the chances of such a catastrophe are low. We speak with NASA climate scientist Peter Kalmus, who calls the successful mission “bittersweet.
Bill McKibben: Victory Over Big Oil as Sen. Manchin Forced to Drop “Hideous Deal” on Energy
Democratic Senator Joe Manchin abandoned his own energy permitting proposal Tuesday that would have fast-tracked the federal review of energy projects, including the contested Mountain Valley Pipeline. Following intense pressure from a range of climate justice and Appalachian organizers, Manchin asked Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to drop the permitting reforms from a funding bill after it became clear he did not have the votes to pass the proposal. 350.
Tampa Update on Hurricane Ian: Millions Prepare for Cat. 5 Storm Fueled by the Climate Crisis
As Hurricane Ian is set to strengthen into a Category 4 or 5 storm and make landfall Wednesday afternoon south of Tampa Bay, the storm already knocked out power in Cuba and killed at least two people Tuesday. Communities across Central Florida are preparing for a “very strong storm,” says Seán Kinane, news and public affairs director at Tampa community radio station WMNF, and many acknowledge the strength of the hurricane is “definitely impacted by climate disruption.
Arizona judge rules 19th century abortion ban can take effect
Abortion-rights advocates are expected to appeal the decision.
Indiana abortion clinics reopening after judge blocks ban
Owen County Judge Kelsey Hanlon issued a preliminary injunction against the ban, putting the new law on hold as abortion clinic operators argue in a lawsuit that it violates the state constitution.
Galvanized by Dobbs, more doctors are distributing abortion pills by mail
A new president could reverse an FDA rule change that made it possible.
Biden declared the pandemic ‘over.’ His Covid team says it’s more complicated.
Biden’s “60 Minutes” remarks surprised his own health advisers, and came as the administration seeks more Covid response funding.
Fauci: “We are not where we need to be if we are going to quote ‘live with the virus’”
Fauci’s comments follow remarks from President Joe Biden, who declared “the pandemic is over” during a “60 Minutes” interview that aired Sunday evening.
The Fed is declaring war on inflation. It could lead straight to recession.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell has pledged to do whatever it takes to curb inflation.
U.S. inflation falls for 2nd straight month on lower gas costs
Despite the signs of moderating price increases, inflation remains far higher than many Americans have ever experienced and is keeping pressure on the Federal Reserve.
G-7 announces price cap deal on Russian oil in win for Yellen
The plan touted by the U.S. Treasury secretary aims to diminish the Kremlin’s revenue while preserving the global oil supply.
Powell’s ‘dangerous’ words risk resistance from lawmakers
“Jerome Powell’s rhetoric is dangerous, and a Fed-manufactured recession is not inevitable — it’s a policy choice,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren said.
‘We’re in a housing recession’
The housing market has cooled so much as the Fed withdraws its support for the economy that some analysts say it may be in a slump.
Marjorie Taylor Greene Likens Dems To Hogs, Wants Help Shooting Them Dead
The extremist Republican congresswoman’s competition to hunt the feral pigs did not go over well.
Ron DeSantis Appointee Resigns After Alleged KKK Photo Surfaces
The picture reportedly shows Jeffery Moore at a Halloween party wearing a Ku Klux Klan hood and robe.
Sen. Ted Cruz Votes Against Changing Law That Made Him Center Of Attention On Jan. 6
The Texas Republican falsely suggested voter fraud swings presidential elections to Democrats.
Ukraine update: A surprise move could change everything in the battle for Lyman
On Tuesday, buses began to arrive in Crimea carrying Russian conscripts called up during the mobilization. For some of these soldiers, training is apparently going to consist of a couple of days sleeping on cots, and whatever tips they could pick up in transit. Those troops immediately got a ceremony—a “departure ceremony”—as they were directed to the front lines. There are other reports of similar troops arriving in the Donetsk area.
A gutless Ken Paxton tries to preen after bravely fleeing from a court’s process server
At this point, we have probably all heard of “indicted for seven damn years now” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s brave efforts to dodge a process server trying to serve him with a subpoena. But hearing about it is not enough. It’s important to also make fun of him, because Jeebus, this dude is going all-in trying to portray himself as having barely dodged some of the rampant violence going on down in Texas these days.
Newt Gingrich tries to attack John Fetterman’s tattoos and it goes hilariously badly for Newt
John Fetterman has been running a very solid campaign based on policy promises and remedies. The very simple idea is that Fetterman wants Pennsylvanians to consider voting for him to become their next senator. He is hoping that the ideas he puts forth and policy promises he makes will appeal to voters. He has the added bonus of having a great social media team. He has the double added bonus of running against television diet pill-pusher Mehmet Oz.
Staff who talk about abortion at University of Idaho can be terminated, face up to 5 years in jail
In support of the state’s near-total ban on abortion, which took effect in August, the University of Idaho sent a memo to staff last week warning employees not to provide birth control pills or reproductive health services. According to the memo, shared by the Idaho Press, under Idaho’s new law, staff cannot provide emergency contraception except in the case of rape.
Young people are registering to vote in massive numbers post-Dobbs, but we’re running out of time
We’re just six weeks away from the midterm elections, and we have seen a huge influx of young people registering to vote because they’re angry about the Supreme Court’s destruction of abortion rights in June.
As Daily Kos’ Kerry Eleveld wrote this month:
Ideally, heading into the final stretch of a midterm election, a party settles on a unifying message on the top one or two issues driving the cycle.
Biden Maintains Ambitious Refugee Cap Despite Missing It Badly This Year
The U.S. admitted less than a quarter of the refugees it could have in fiscal year 2022.
House Democrats Struggle To Agree On Banning Stock Trading By Lawmakers
Time is running out for a vote, and there’s muted opposition from lawmakers who think the restriction is not needed.
Russia’s Nuclear Threats Are All Putin Has Left
This is an edition of The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture. Sign up for it here.Yesterday, I discussed the shambolic attempt under way in Russia to conscript hundreds of thousands of men. Today, one of Vladimir Putin’s minions again threatened the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine. What do these threats mean?But first, here are three new stories from The Atlantic.
We’re Witnessing the Birth of a New Artistic Medium
Creative artificial intelligence is the latest and, in some ways, most surprising and exhilarating art form in the world. It also isn’t fully formed yet. That tension is causing some confusion.If you’re familiar at all with the use of creative artificial intelligence, you probably know it through one of the popular text-to-image AI applications, which use sprawling databases of existing imagery to convert a written prompt into a new picture.
Who Is Tracy Flick Now?
Editor’s Note: This article is part of our coverage of The Atlantic Festival. Learn more and watch festival sessions here. In the dark 1999 comedy Election, the overachieving student Tracy Flick—played by an up-and-coming Reese Witherspoon—dreams of political domination, starting with the race for class president at her suburban high school.
“Immoral & Sinful”: Bishop Barber Blasts Mississippi Gov. for Failing to Protect Jackson’s Water
We speak with Bishop William Barber of the Poor People’s Campaign to get an update on the water crisis in Jackson, Mississippi, where tens of thousands of residents are still without clean tap water. “It’s an immoral and sinful violation of equal protection under the law and human rights,” says Barber, who led a rally Monday outside the Governor’s Mansion in Jackson demanding the state reverse decades of disinvestment in the majority-Black capital.