The Sunday — September 13

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 left is doodling.

What the right is doodling.

Greetings from Maine!

The Tangle team spent the past week together in Maine. As a remote company, it’s always nice to get together in person to work, spend time, and enjoy a beautiful slice of nature. 

Suspension of the Rules.

Ari, Isaac, and Kmele got together in person for a contemplative Suspension of the Rules, revisiting 9/11 on the 25th anniversary of the occasion and reflecting on Tangle completing its seventh year. Check it out below!

Monday, September 7.

Tangle did not release a newsletter on Monday in observance of Labor Day.

Tuesday, September 8.

Dan Driscoll’s resignation. On Monday, August 31, The Wall Street Journal reported that Army Secretary Dan Driscoll had resigned amid protracted disagreements with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth; Driscoll’s last workday was September 2. Several other military leaders have been fired or resigned under Hegseth, who has sought to reduce the size of military leadership. President Donald Trump appointed Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Adam Telle to serve as acting secretary and did not give a timeline for nominating a replacement.

Our take: “Hegseth’s record as Secretary of Defense speaks for itself. In addition to Hegseth’s constant controversies, our military is now struggling with an ongoing conflict in Iran. With Driscoll gone, how long will it be before Hegseth is shown the door?”

Reader Survey:

Wednesday, September 9.

The latest economic signals. In the run-up to the November midterm elections, new reports on key economic indicators have shed light on the state of the U.S. economy. The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) will meet on Tuesday for the third time under Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh to consider changes to the interest rate in light of a strong jobs report and persistent inflation. Meanwhile, the Iran war and a burgeoning trade dispute with Canada have added new variables to the economic picture.

Our take: “Usually, Tangle focuses on how policy choices impact the economy, but today I want to make some predictions. The Fed will raise rates this year, not cut them, and draw President Trump’s ire. The national debt will keep rising, the AI bubble will burst, and higher education is facing a crisis.”

Reader Survey:

Thursday, September 10.

John Fetterman. On Wednesday, September 9, Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) appeared via video at the Republican Party’s first-ever midterm convention, reiterating his opposition to socialism and praising Sen. Dave McCormick (R-PA). Fetterman has frequently criticized the Democratic Party’s embrace of democratic socialism and anti-Israel rhetoric, leading to speculation that he could switch parties or become an independent.

Our take: “I normally love stories of bipartisan cooperation, but something about what Fetterman’s doing seems off. Simple altruism doesn’t explain a person who ran as a progressive fully endorsing his Republican counterpart. The simplest explanation is that Fetterman is being negatively polarized against his party by progressives.”

Reader Survey:

Friday, September 11.

This week, on the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, members of the Tangle team reflect on their memories of that day and on what has changed since. Then, we answered some of your questions about the attacks and their aftermath. You can read our answers here.

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What just happened.

Here’s a rundown of the major stories that have broken since our newsletter on Thursday.

• On Thursday, President Donald Trump gave a closing address at Republicans’ inaugural midterm convention, asking attendees to pledge their support to him and saying they should “try and cheat like hell like [Democrats] do” in the November elections. (The speech) Separately, on Thursday, President Trump announced that the government will issue $500 refunds to approximately one million people enrolled in Affordable Care Act marketplaces. (The refunds)
• On Thursday, Houthi rebels seized control of Mokha, a port city in Yemen, disrupting a critical shipping route through the Red Sea. On Friday, the Houthis reportedly captured Yemen’s Perim Island, expanding their control of the area. (The captures) 
• On Friday, the Justice Department announced that an Afghan woman was deported after a ruling by the U.S. Alien Terrorist Removal Court — a specialized federal court created by Congress in 1996 — over her alleged support for a planned terrorist attack on Election Day in 2024. The woman’s deportation was the court’s first facilitation of a removal. (The deportation)
• On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that the U.S. cyclosporiasis outbreak is over, ending the country’s largest-known outbreak of the illness. 12,883 cyclosporiasis cases were confirmed between May 1 and September 11. (The declaration)
• On Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the Consumer Price Index increased 0.4% on a monthly basis in August and 3.4% on an annual basis. Rising gasoline prices accounted for over one third of the monthly CPI increase. (The report)

Reader essay.

This week, Tangle reader and author Karen Hill Anton returns to the reader essay pages, this time with a reflection on her experience growing up in a Jewish community in New York. Karen meditates on what it meant to grow up surrounded by Jewish language, food, and culture, and looks back on the Jewish women who inspired and shaped the path of her life.