Over 180 current and former FEMA employees have issued a letter warning that recent agency cuts and management issues threaten to undo gains made in disaster response preparedness. The letter criticizes policies like spending approval processes and reassignments of FEMA staff, and calls for FEMA to be established as a Cabinet-level independent agency. This internal dissent highlights ongoing upheaval within FEMA amidst recent criticisms of its response to Texas floods and broader reforms aimed at improving the agency’s efficiency.

President Trump signed executive orders aimed at increasing federal involvement in Washington D.C.'s criminal justice system, including measures to hold more individuals in federal custody and curb cashless bail practices. While supporters argue these steps enhance public safety by ensuring law enforcement accountability, critics warn they could increase pretrial detention unfairly and undermine reforms like the First Step Act. The move reflects ongoing political debates over crime policies, law enforcement, and justice reforms following recent spikes in crime and shifts in leadership priorities.

The article discusses the severe housing shortage in the U.S., highlighting regulatory, financial, labor, and material constraints that have prevented housing production from meeting demand. It emphasizes the importance of land-use reform advocated by the YIMBY movement, addresses common criticisms, and suggests a multifaceted approach including financing, reducing regulatory costs, and improving labor and materials supply to build a more abundant and affordable housing future.

This article examines recent efforts by the Department of Homeland Security and ICE under the Trump administration to reshape immigration enforcement through flashy vehicles, aggressive recruitment, propaganda, and political influence. It highlights the use of social media, altered training standards, and new imagery to recruit ideology-driven officers, as well as concerns about professionalism, oversight, and the agency’s shifting role in American society.

John Arnold, a billionaire philanthropist with roots in Enron, has played a significant role in shaping healthcare policy through extensive funding of research, publications, and lobbying groups. His network supports studies that often align with his organizational goals, such as reducing hospital costs and increasing transparency. Critics argue this creates a circular and potentially biased influence on policy discussions, while Arnold and his supporters claim their funding promotes solutions to reduce healthcare costs and improve access. His influence extends to media, think tanks, and direct policymaker access, raising concerns about the transparency and independence of the healthcare debate.

By Christopher M. SmithAug. 26, 2025Smith is a registered nurse, hospice care advocate, and writer.I’ve spent more than a decade in hospice care, sitting at the bedsides of people facing the final days of their lives.

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Get your news from a source that’s not owned and controlled by oligarchs. Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily. In an urgent letter to Congress on Monday, more than 180 current and former workers at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) wrote to “sound the...

In a frustrating encounter that highlights deeper flaws in America’s healthcare pricing system, a mother recently took her daughter to an urgent care clinic, only to discover that her insurance coverage led to higher costs than paying out of pocket. According to a post on X by WallStreetApes, t...

Leo seems eager above all to avoid polemics or making the papacy about himself, and wants instead to focus on Christ and peace.That seems exactly what many Catholic faithful want, and may respond to what today’s church needs.“He’s been very direct and forthright … but he’s ...

In a sharply worded letter dated August 15, 2025, a group of prominent Senate Democrats urged President Donald Trump to reverse his administration’s decision to permit sales of advanced artificial-intelligence chips to China, citing profound national security risks and potential legal violation...

This article was republished with permission from WTOP’s news partners at Maryland Matters. Sign up for Maryland Matters’ free email subscription today.A provision in Maryland’s digital ad tax is an unconstitutional restriction on free speech, a federal appeals court ruled Friday.The 20...

Good morning, and welcome to L.A. on the Record — our City Hall newsletter. It’s Noah Goldberg, with assists from Julia Wick, Seema Mehta and David Zahniser, giving you the latest on city and county government.Days after the Trump administration’s mass immigration raids came to Los Angeles,...