The Daily, 04/29/26
Source: New York Times
“Why Even Some Democrats Hate California’s Billionaire Tax Proposal.” (04/29/26)
Author: Thomas L. Knapp
Progressive groups: We don’t need the Democratic Party to cause a “blue wave”
Source: Semafor
by David Weigel
“Eighteen months after losing everything, left-leaning activists and unions have a comeback in their sights. All they need is money, aggressive turnout of their 2024 voters, and a president who keeps screwing up on the cost of living. The Democratic Party could figure out its own problems later. That was the overwhelming sentiment at the annual summit of America Votes, founded 22 years ago to coordinate the electoral work of left-leaning unions and climate groups. … One of my questions heading into America Votes was how worried progressives were about the Trump administration looking for legal avenues to suppress their work. I detected surprisingly little concern about that over my two days at the conference. There was more short-term angst that Trump’s network would contest a GOP loss in the midterms, which everyone there expected.” (04/29/26)
US FDA Moves to Real-Time Clinical Trial Patient Monitoring, Faster Drug Review
Source: US News & World Report
“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is moving to speed drug development and review by launching real-time clinical trials. The move could soon mean more options for patients who need life-saving medications. The agency announced Tuesday that it has completed the first tests of a system that allows FDA scientists to see safety and effectiveness data from patients as it is collected. This shift aims to turn the traditional, stop-and-go process of drug testing and reporting into a continuous stream of live data.” (04/29/26)
Command Post, 04/29/26
Source: The Bulwark
“Hegseth’s Takeover of Military Newspaper (w/ Jacqueline Smith).” (04/29/26)
Reason Interview: Andy Serkis
Source: Reason
“What Orwell Understood About Tyranny.” (04/29/26)
https://reason.com/podcast/2026/04/29/andy-serkis-what-orwell-understood-about-tyranny/
Unhealthy Kid Stuff
Source: Common Sense
by Paul Jacob
“Julian Shapiro-Barnum is the host and creator of Recess Therapy, where he regularly records conversations with kids. Recently, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) joined his program to discuss healthcare policy. … AOC and the youngsters shown think healthcare should be free, which The Post used as a jumping off point to have an adult conversation about government-run healthcare, specifically the National Health Service in the United Kingdom. … The Brits ‘have learned the hard way that the promise of ‘free’ care is only as good as their ability to get an appointment,’ wrote the editors. … ‘the belief that a full government takeover would lead to better outcomes is just childish.’ One of the nation’s largest newspapers appears to be growing up.” (04/29/26)
https://thisiscommonsense.org/2026/04/29/unhealthy-kid-stuff/
UK: Regime expels Russian diplomat in tit-for-tat
Source: ABC News
“The U.K. on Wednesday expelled a Russian diplomat in retaliation for Moscow’s recent expulsion of a British official and the smear campaign that followed. Britain’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said it summoned the Russian ambassador to its offices in London to inform him of the ‘reciprocal action.’ The tit-for tat moves reflect spiraling tensions between Moscow and the West. … Russia and NATO member states have carried out multiple rounds of mutual expulsions of diplomats since the Kremlin launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, sending diplomatic relations to their lowest ebb since the Cold War.” (04/29/26)
The David Frum Show, 04/29/26
Source: The Atlantic
“Who Is the Real Base of the Democratic Party?” (04/29/26)
https://www.theatlantic.com/podcasts/2026/04/-democratic-party-base/686988/
The White House correspondents’ dinner shouldn’t be rescheduled
Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer
by Jenice Armstrong
“If the White House Correspondents’ Association decides to reschedule Saturday’s dinner — aborted after a gunman breached the security perimeter — they shouldn’t invite President Donald Trump. Members need to tell the president, ‘Nah, we’re good.’ … Reporters aren’t supposed to be besties with the people they write about. That’s especially true for journalists who cover elected officials. Journalists serve as public watchdogs. We are charged with holding power to account, and while our relationships with sources need not be hostile, they are often — out of necessity — adversarial. With all of that in mind, it was cringey to watch reporters be photographed on the same red carpet as members of the Trump administration some of whom would just as soon lock them up.” (04/29/26)
Trump Made Progressivism Great Again
Source: The Contrarian
by Jennifer Rubin
“Donald Trump and his MAGA lackeys have done a bang-up job making progressive positions and policies more popular than ever. It’s human nature to take well-entrenched conditions for granted (e.g., the Department of Justice’s commitment to justice, access to cutting-edge medical research, an available supply of dependable farm and construction workers, predictable foreign policy). It is only when those things are dramatically snuffed out by a hyper-extreme and entirely inept regime that people come to appreciate what they once assumed were permanent features of American society and politics. Trump’s evisceration of popular programs and eradication of freedoms we used to enjoy have made Americans cling ever more tightly to those programs and freedoms.” (04/29/26)
https://www.contrariannews.org/p/trump-made-progressivism-great-again