What Obama Meant

Source: Persuasion
by Eboo Patel

“I recently got the chance to walk through the exhibits of the Barack Obama Presidential Center before its opening on Thursday. Looking at photos of the young Obama as a community organizer in Chicago, watching video clips of those iconic speeches that marked his dream-like rise from a nobody to leader of the free world, I was reminded of a time when our politics was more hopeful, our social sector was more constructive, and the two were aligned in the service of the nation.” (06/21/26)

https://www.persuasion.community/p/long-live-obama-ism

The Pro-Israel Super PAC Cinematic Universe

Source: The American Prospect
by David Dayen

“Campaign finance disclosures released over the weekend provide a clearer picture of the millions of dollars pro-Israel PACs United Democracy Project (an affiliate of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC) and Democratic Majority for Israel (DMFI) have spent thus far in the midterm primaries, and the lengths to which they have gone to hide their true influence. In 2026, more than 1 out of every 4 dollars in independent expenditures that the two groups have disbursed (almost $8 million out of a total of $30.66 million) have been funneled to nine different partners and shell PACs. Those numbers are likely higher, since the disclosures made to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) only go through the end of May, and they do not count possible outlays to dark-money PACs that do not have to disclose their spending.” (06/22/26)

https://prospect.org/2026/06/22/pro-israel-super-pac-cinematic-universe/