This is the Tangle Sunday Edition, a brief roundup of our independent politics coverage plus some extra features for your Sunday morning reading.
What the right is doodling.
Al Goodwyn | Creators Syndicate
What the left is doodling.
John Deering | Creators Syndicate
Suspension of the Rules.
This week, Audrey fills in for Editor-at-Large Kmele Foster to talk with Ari and Isaac about progressive Democrats’ rise, Truth Social’s new offering, the biggest political scandals in modern history, and more. Check it out!
From our partner
Tangle readers: here’s your shot at a real conversation with your fellow Americans.
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Monday, August 3.
The latest on the Gaza peace plan. On Thursday, July 30, President Donald Trump said that the Board of Peace, a U.S.-led international body aiming to achieve peace in the Gaza Strip, had reached an agreement for Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza to disarm. The next day, the board shared a 15-point “roadmap” for a multi-step peace plan, outlining actions that Hamas and Israel would take to eventually transfer control of the strip to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG). Hamas officials said the group’s disarmament was contingent on Israel withdrawing from Gaza, while Israeli officials have expressed skepticism about Hamas’s commitment to disarming.
Our take: “Since October 7, most of my fears and few of my hopes have come true. While international attention has shifted, Gaza remains in disrepair while Israeli and Gazan leaders remain deeply mistrustful. It’s hard not to look at the latest developments as anything other than more of the same.”
Reader Survey:
Tuesday, August 4.
Cyberattacks on U.S. water systems. On Thursday, July 30, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued an alert about potential cyber threats to water systems after approximately 36 sites in Minnesota reported cyberattacks. Then, on August 1, Michigan reported cyberattacks on nine water systems; both states say their water supplies are not actively threatened. Separately, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said that attacks have been reported in at least seven states. Federal authorities are investigating the source of the threat, which U.S. investigators believe bears the hallmarks of cyberterrorist groups linked to Iran.
Our take: “I think the alarm over this story is too high for the actual severity of the threats. We’ve known about these vulnerabilities for a long time, and we have the tools to counter them. Municipalities still need to plug these holes, but I don’t think our water supply is in danger.”
Reader Survey:
Wednesday, August 5.
The Michigan primaries. On Tuesday, August 4, the Democratic and Republican parties held primary elections for several key seats in Michigan. The contests were headlined by the Democratic Senate primary, in which Rep. Haley Stevens (MI) faced off against former public health official Abdul El-Sayed to replace retiring Sen. Gary Peters. At 8:35 AM ET on Wednesday, Decision Desk HQ declared El-Sayed the winner, and Stevens conceded the race shortly after. El-Sayed will face former Rep. Mike Rogers (R) in the general election.
Our take: “Abdul El-Sayed is the latest example of the progressive movement’s rise within the Democratic Party. El-Sayed is not without baggage, but he’s a very clever and appealing politician who won for a reason. Progressive and DSA candidates have a real shot in November, and if they can’t win now they may never win.”
Reader Survey:
Thursday, August 6.
The Max Miller allegations. Over the past week, Rep. Max Miller (R-OH) has faced growing calls to resign or drop his bid for reelection amid allegations of domestic abuse. Emily Moreno, Miller’s ex-wife and the daughter of Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH), accused Miller of verbally and physically abusing her and their two-year-old daughter; Miller denies the allegations. In recent days, Sen. Moreno has spoken out against Miller, saying the representative is unfit to serve in Congress.
Our take: “The allegations against Rep. Miller deserve every bit of the attention that Graham Platner’s scandals received. They haven’t drawn as much attention so far because the Morenos were trying to keep this private, and Platner was a more compelling political figure. While Miller’s self-defense has been unconvincing, I still don’t think this scandal will sink his campaign.”
Reader Survey:
Friday, August 7.
In this week’s members-only Friday edition, Tangle’s Contributing Editor Isaac Wood shares a personal essay about why he doesn’t pledge allegiance to the flag — and how he still honors the country anyway. You can read his essay here.
What just happened.
Here’s a rundown of the major stories that have broken since our newsletter on Thursday.
On Thursday, President Donald Trump issued two executive orders seeking to restrict birthright citizenship. One order would deny automatic citizenship to certain categories of people, such as children born to adults with connections to foreign embassies, while the other attempts to curtail “birth tourism.” (The orders)
On Thursday, a judge in New Mexico ordered Meta to pay $942 million in damages and add restrictions on app usage for young people in the state as part of a civil lawsuit judgment. (The damages)
On Thursday, the office of Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced the senator had been discharged from a rehabilitation center and is now at home to continue his recovery from a fall. The office did not specify when McConnell will be ready to return to the Senate. (The update)
On Thursday, the Federal Communications Commission voted 2–1 to rescind a rule that capped the share of U.S. television households a single company can reach. In place of the limit, the agency will now consider cases individually. (The vote)
On Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the U.S. economy lost 23,000 jobs in July, while the unemployment rate dropped to 4.1% from 4.2%. Economists had projected an increase of 95,000 jobs for the month. (The numbers)
On Friday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled 2–1 to block most of President Trump’s planned construction of the White House ballroom, finding that the project lacked necessary congressional authorization. (The ruling)
On Saturday, the Senate voted 50–49 to confirm Todd Blanche as attorney general. (The vote)
On Saturday, the Senate voted 90–6 to pass a continuing resolution to fund the federal government until December 11. The bill now goes to the House. (The resolution)
Reader essay.
Photo from Keith Raynor
The Australian children’s program Bluey is a smash hit around the world, and Tangle reader Keith Raynor enjoys watching it with his five-year-old son Miles. One episode in particular hit close to home, as it spoke to Keith’s experiences growing up with ADHD. In this week’s reader essay, Keith reflects on his childhood with the disorder and how the culture has changed for his son’s generation.
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