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Friday, August 21, 2026

Category: Politics
16 hours ago
News
Politics

Win for Trump, GOP as Court Upholds Redistricted Map Ahead of Midterms.

A Missouri court decision has secured a Republican-drawn congressional map, in a decision that could shape the balance of power in the U.S. House of Representatives.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: A Missouri judge has rejected a Democrat-backed effort to challenge the state’s newly drawn congressional map, giving Republicans another boost ahead of the November midterms. Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green ruled that Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins was justified in refusing to certify a referendum petition targeting the map, though the decision is expected to be appealed.
📺 DETAIL: The ruling keeps in place a map supported by President Donald J. Trump and Missouri Republicans that significantly reshapes Democrat Representative Emanuel Cleaver’s 5th Congressional District by extending it into more conservative-leaning territory. The changes could put Cleaver against a stronger challenge from Republican state Senator Rick Brattin. Missouri is one of several states where redistricting battles are intensifying ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, with Republicans pursuing potential gains in Florida, Texas, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Louisiana, and Alabama. Democrats have pursued countervailing gains in California and Utah, while Maryland Democrats are seeking to potentially eliminate the state’s only Republican-held House district.
🎯 IMPACT: With Republicans currently holding a 218-212 House majority, even a handful of altered districts could have major consequences for control of Congress. If all projected changes materialize, Republicans could gain approximately ten additional seats.
📺 FLASHBACK: Similar redistricting victories for Republicans have occurred in states like Florida, Texas, and North Carolina, while Democrats have made gains in California and Maryland. These battles highlight the high stakes of redistricting in shaping the nation’s political landscape.

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A Missouri court decision has secured a Republican-drawn congressional map, in a decision that could shape the balance of power in the U.S. House of Representatives.

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20 hours ago
News
Politics

Canadian Liberal Lawmaker Caught Campaigning for the Democrats.

Liberal MP Anthony Housefather’s involvement in a U.S. election campaign raises questions about cross-border political activism on behalf of the Democrats.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Canadian Member of Parliament (MP) Anthony Housefather, of Prime Minister Mark Carney‘s Liberal Party, traveled to Florida to campaign for Democrat Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, raising questions about foreign political activism as Canada remains engaged in contentious tariff and trade negotiations with the Trump administration. Housefather was photographed canvassing for Wasserman Schultz before celebrating her victory in Florida’s Democratic primary, writing that he was “always on Team DWS.”
📰 DETAIL: The Mount Royal MP’s participation in an American election campaign drew criticism from former Canadian Conservative candidate Neil Oberman, who questioned why a sitting Canadian parliamentarian was spending his summer campaigning for a U.S. politician while Canada faces significant economic pressure. Housefather’s post did not disclose who paid for his travel. Housefather and Wasserman Schultz have maintained a close political relationship through their joint work advocating for stronger social media policies concerning Zionism.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “Nice to know your tax dollars that pay his salary goes towards him spending summer having his social media comms manager send out Party talking points while he’s down south doing photo ops and banging doors for a U.S. congressperson, huh?” – Neil Oberman, former Canadian Conservative candidate.
🎯 IMPACT: The incident raises concerns about a sitting Canadian MP actively campaigning for a U.S. opposition politician while Canada is navigating sensitive tariff and trade negotiations with Washington.

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Liberal MP Anthony Housefather's involvement in a U.S. election campaign raises questions about cross-border political activism on behalf of the Democrats.

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20 hours ago
Bonkers Britain
News
Politics

Burnham Puts UK Growth in Hands of ‘Yes Man’ Behind FAILED Northern Plan.

New British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has appointed Caroline Simpson as Deputy Chief of Staff at Number 10 North to oversee economic growth, despite her past economic strategy failures while working as a local civil servant.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Prime Minister Andy Burnham has appointed Caroline Simpson to lead Number 10 North, the British government’s cornerstone operation for driving economic growth, despite her dubious credentials.
📰 DETAIL: Last month, Simpson was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff at Number 10 North, a new, regional office of the Prime Minister’s official residence and the “engine room” for economic growth, regeneration, and devolution, according to Prime Minister Burnham. From 2009 to 2015, Simpson served as Director of Economic Growth on Cheshire East Council, a local government body in northwest England. Simpson was in charge of the council’s Local Plan to align housing, employment, and development across various towns in the area. The plan was criticized by a government planning inspector for being “unduly pessimistic” and having a “serious mismatch” between the council’s own economic and housing strategies. Specifically, the plan proposed 27,000 homes and 300 hectares of employment land. The plan’s “fundamental shortcomings” led to a £3.7 million revision process which lasted more than five years. The housing figure was ultimately increased to 36,000, and employment land to 380 hectares. Despite her failure, Simpson was promoted to Executive Director for Economic Growth and Prosperity on the council, serving from 2015 to 2016. Her salary increased from approximately £90,000 to £120,000 (~$122,000 to ~$163,000). She was also given a performance bonus of £10,000 (~$13,600). Simpson went onto serve as Chief Executive of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) where she became one of then-Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham’s closest officials. While Chief Executive, Simpson presided over public payments to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) firms. In one instance, GMCA paid £3,500 (~£4,770) to Thisismindseta, an educational initiative specializing in “DEI experiences” dedicated to “exploring microaggressions,” “contemporary manifestations of racism,” and “Racism and Discrimination in both the workplace and society,” among other things.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “Her relationship with Burnham has already attracted criticism. One senior official told The Guardian that Simpson ‘sometimes goes along with Andy’s stuff too easily, rather than pushing back until it’s ready and ends up clearing up the mess or trying to make it work.’ In other words, she’s a yes man.”  – Raheem Kassam, The National Pulse Editor-in-Chief, on X
🎯 IMPACT: The elevation of Simpson suggests that the Prime Minister is prioritizing cronyism over merit when it comes to appointing his inner circle. It also suggests that while Simpson is prepared to allow public money to go towards frivolous measures such as DEI. Significantly, her appointment comes at a time of economic stagnation and a rising cost of living.

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New British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has appointed Caroline Simpson as Deputy Chief of Staff at Number 10 North to oversee economic growth, despite her past economic strategy failures while working as a local civil servant.

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August 20, 2026
News
Politics
World

Populist AfD Demands Abolition of Politicized Intelligence Agency.

Alternative for Germany, the leading eurosceptic populist party in Germany, has criticized Germany’s domestic intelligence agency for alleged political bias, calling for its abolition or major reform.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has called for the abolition of Germany’s domestic intelligence agency.
📺 DETAIL: Alice Weidel, leader of the AfD, has declared that the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, “should be abolished in its current form or at least fundamentally reformed.” Weidel accused the agency of being used to “monitor and suppress the political opposition” and argued that it should re-focus on preventing threats to national security, such as terrorist attacks, rather than policing democratic parties. The agency has labeled the AfD as a “right-wing extremist” organization for criticizing mass immigration and Islam, among other cultural and social issues. This comes amid growing criticism, even from former BfV personnel such as former BfV chief Hans Georg Maaßen, who accused past governments of “using domestic intelligence services to suppress opposition” last year.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “In no other Western democracy are political parties monitored by intelligence agencies… That creates an obvious conflict of interest.” – Hans Georg Maaßen, former BfV president
🎯 IMPACT: The AfD’s growing popularity with the German electorate has sparked fears within the country’s establishment that the party cannot be stopped democratically. As such, several left-leaning and establishment-aligned groups have called for the party to be banned or suppressed. The AfD’s call to abolish or reform the BfV demonstrates the growing salience of concerns about the weaponization of the German state and its agencies against the populist right. 
📺 FLASHBACK: The AfD’s call to reform the BfV follows a series of polls that have placed the party ahead of its rivals. Back in August last year, the AfD secured 26 percent of the vote in a poll, two percent ahead of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) formerly led by Angela Merkel, on 24 percent. A poll reported this year showed similar results, establishing a record lead of 8.5 percent for the party.

Image by Olaf Kosinsky.

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Alternative for Germany, the leading eurosceptic populist party in Germany, has criticized Germany's domestic intelligence agency for alleged political bias, calling for its abolition or major reform.

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August 19, 2026
Data
News
Politics

DATA: Most California Dems Favor Democratic Socialist Candidates.

A new poll has revealed a growing generational split among California Democrats, with younger Democrats favoring democratic socialists and older Democrats favoring more mainstream candidates, with substantial support for far-left candidates overall.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Most California Democrats support democratic socialist candidates, according to a new poll.
📺 DETAIL: According to a poll conducted by the University of California, Berkeley, and co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Times, 58 percent of registered Democrats in California favored democratic socialist candidates. The poll also revealed that 60 percent of Democrats in the state support progressives, while only 48 percent favor more mainstream Democrats. Notably, support for democratic socialist candidates varies by age cohort. Democrats under 40 show more support for democratic socialists, while Democrats over 65 overwhelmingly back mainstream Democrats. Specifically, 69 percent of California Democrats aged between 18 and 29 expressed support for democratic socialists, compared to 45 percent of those over 65. In contrast, only 32 percent of Democrats in the state between 18 and 29 were more inclined to support a mainstream Democrat, compared to 67 percent of those over 65. The survey also revealed that 40 percent of all Californian voters support progressives, slightly ahead of democratic socialists, specifically, on 38 percent.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “There’s particular frustration among the younger voting population… Their views of mainstream Democrats are not that positive, and that’s a long-term problem, I think, for the Democratic Party.” – Mark DiCamillo, Institute of Governmental Studies (IGS) poll director
🎯 IMPACT: The results highlight the internal divisions within the Democratic Party. This underscores the leftward shift of the Democrats over the course of the 2026 election cycle. This reflects similar reports from earlier this year. Back in July, a poll revealed that one-third of Democrats describe themselves as democratic socialists. That same month, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), who is backed by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), the far-left political organization currently taking over the Democrats from within, topped a poll in New Hampshire.

Image by Famartin.

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A new poll has revealed a growing generational split among California Democrats, with younger Democrats favoring democratic socialists and older Democrats favoring more mainstream candidates, with substantial support for far-left candidates overall.

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August 19, 2026
News
Politics

Trump Celebrates Alexander Vindman’s Upset Failure in Dem Primary.

President Trump celebrated Angie Nixon’s primary win over Alexander Vindman, a key figure in his first impeachment, in a Florida primary.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) candidate Angie Nixon defeated Alexander Vindman in a Florida Senate primary in a significant upset celebrated by President Donald J. Trump.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “SleazeBag Vindman loses tonight to a Radical Left Lunatic. How cool is that???” – President Trump, reacting to the news on Truth Social
📰 DETAIL: Vindman, a central figure in Trump’s first impeachment, was comfortably defeated by his socialist rival despite enjoying a massive fundraising disadvantage. Nixon raised less than $1 million and secured 56 percent of the vote against Vindman, who raised over $16 million. Vindman, a former National Security Council member born in Soviet Ukraine, was a central figure in Trump’s first impeachment, which centered on the contents of a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Nixon’s campaign focused on progressive issues like Medicare for all and abolishing ICE.
🎯 IMPACT: Nixon’s victory sets the stage for a November showdown with Republican Senator Ashley Moody.
👀 FLASHBACK: Vindman gained national attention during Trump’s first impeachment in 2019, alleging impropriety in the President’s “perfect call” with Zelensky, in which they discussed possible corruption involving former Vice President Joe Biden using his position to stop a Ukrainian investigation linked to his son Hunter Biden’s business activities. This led to Trump’s impeachment by the House of Representatives, though he was subsequently acquitted in a Senate trial.

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President Trump celebrated Angie Nixon's primary win over Alexander Vindman, a key figure in his first impeachment, in a Florida primary.

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August 18, 2026
News
Politics

Polling and Research Firm Confesses to Rigging Polls Favoring Socialist Candidate Before Unexpected Defeat.

A self-described “independent polling and research” firm has admitted to fabricating polls throughout the 2026 election season, claiming it was part of a “social experiment” on the spread of unverified polling data.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: A polling company that gave failed far-left gubernatorial primary candidate Francesca Hong (D-WI) a double-digit lead has admitted to faking its polls.
📺 DETAIL: On Monday, Median Strategies, a self-described “independent polling and research” firm, announced that all its polls were fake and told press outlets to disregard its previously released work. Median Strategies claimed that the fake polls were part of a “social experiment” to examine how unverified polling data spreads. The firm released polls on the Wisconsin Democrat gubernatorial primary and the Los Angeles mayoral race. One of the fake polls suggested that Hong, the far-left candidate backed by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), a far-left political organization operating within the broader Democratic Party, had a 23-point lead over her main rival, Milwaukee County Executive David Cowley, who ultimately won the primary. In another fake poll, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass had a 12-point lead over leftist challenger Nithya Raman. The fake poll was shared by Bass in a now-deleted post on X (formerly Twitter). The firm claimed that its experiment was not funded by any candidate, campaign, or organization. It also claimed that its experiment had no financial incentives or ties to betting markets. The Los Angeles Times uncovered the deception after questioning the firm about its polling methodology. The firm’s website has since been scrubbed.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “All previously published polling releases have been withdrawn and should not be cited or treated as genuine polling data. Median Strategies was created as a short-term social experiment examining how purported polling information could enter and spread through the political information ecosystem without independent verification.” – Median Strategies statement.
🎯 IMPACT: This provides context for Hong’s surprise defeat in Wisconsin. Hong was widely seen as the clear frontrunner, having been given a 95.5 percent chance of victory by Kalshi and a substantial lead by several reputable and established pollsters. The extent to which the fake polls meaningfully influenced voter behavior is unknown, although given the fact that one was shared by a candidate, the revelations are likely to further undermine public faith in the reliability of polling ahead of the midterm elections in November.

Image by LaShawnda Jones.

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A self-described "independent polling and research" firm has admitted to fabricating polls throughout the 2026 election season, claiming it was part of a "social experiment" on the spread of unverified polling data.

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August 18, 2026
Crime
News
Politics

Transgender Who Plotted to Assassinate Treasury Sec Scott Bessent Sentenced.

A man identifying as a woman has been sentenced to over six years in prison for plotting to assassinate Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, having been inspired by Luigi Mangione.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: A man identifying as a woman has been sentenced to roughly six years in prison for plotting to assassinate Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
📺 DETAIL: Ryan Michael English, who goes by Riley Jane English, a 25-year-old transgender, was sentenced to 63 months in prison for plotting to kill Secretary Bessent. English pleaded guilty to charges of unlawful possession of a firearm and carrying dangerous weapons on U.S. Capitol grounds before U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras in late March. He was sentenced on Tuesday. “I was going to kill Scott Bessent,” English told police, having traveled from Massachusetts to Washington, D.C. on January 27 last year. Having initially thought about killing Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, English opted to target Bessent, who was in the process of being confirmed by the Senate. He also considered an attack on the Heritage Foundation. English turned himself in later that day. Officers found a folding knife, two bottles of vodka fitted with cloth, and a lighter in his vehicle. English told police that he was angered by Bessent’s comments regarding the minimum wage. According to prosecutors, English “had been thinking about for this for a while because of Luigi Mangione.“
💬 KEY QUOTE: “Our system of justice depends on public officials being able to carry out their duties free from intimidation and fear. This defendant’s threats crossed a clear legal line, and today’s guilty plea reflects our commitment to protecting those who serve. Anyone who threatens violence against government officials will be identified, charged, and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro declared back in March.
🎯 IMPACT: This represents another case of political violence involving a transgender perpetrator. This has been a recurring issue throughout the Trump administration. The White House previously unveiled plans to crack down on transgender terrorists back in May. The fact that the would-be assassin was inspired by Luigi Mangione, who recently pleaded guilty to federal charges related to the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thomson in December 2024, confirms suspicions that Mangione’s actions could inspire copycats. This is part of a broader problem of left-wing political violence in the U.S., especially targeting those serving under or allied with President Donald J. Trump.

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A man identifying as a woman has been sentenced to over six years in prison for plotting to assassinate Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, having been inspired by Luigi Mangione.

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August 18, 2026
News
Politics

Aide to RINO Cornyn Defects to Democrat Talarico’s Team.

An aide to outgoing Senator John Cornyn (R) has crossed party lines to support Democrat candidate James Talarico in his bid to defeat Republican candidate Ken Paxton in their Senate race.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: A former aide to Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) has joined Democrat Senate candidate James Talarico’s campaign as he seeks to defeat Republican nominee Ken Paxton, who displaced Cornyn as the Republican nominee earlier this year, in the November midterms. Jacob Smith, who was Cornyn’s deputy legislative director and policy adviser for five years, now works as Talarico’s deputy policy director.
📺 DETAIL: Smith, who said he has “worked for Republicans like Senator Cornyn”—a Republican-in-name-only (RINO) who has repeatedly backstabbed President Donald J. Trump—for his “entire career,” and was “proud” to join Talarico’s campaign. The move comes after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, an America First conservative committed to the Trump administration’s agenda, defeated Cornyn in the Republican primary runoff earlier this year with President Trump’s backing. The victory came despite Cornyn spending enormous sums on his campaign. Talarico, meanwhile, has been caught in several controversies regarding past comments, including claiming that Islamic mystics influenced his Christian beliefs, and taking money from a donor linked to pedophile Jeffrey Epstein while campaigning against the “Epstein class.”
🎯 IMPACT: Smith’s switch highlights the preference of some in the GOP establishment to see Democrats win elections over America First Republicans.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “I’ve worked for Republicans like Senator Cornyn my entire career, but this year I’m proud to be joining James Talarico’s campaign.” – Jacob Smith

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An aide to outgoing Senator John Cornyn (R) has crossed party lines to support Democrat candidate James Talarico in his bid to defeat Republican candidate Ken Paxton in their Senate race.

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August 17, 2026
Crime
News
Politics

Socialist New York Lawmaker Defends Shoplifting as a ‘Biological Need.’

New York Assemblywoman Emily Gallagher has claimed shoplifting is driven by “biological need,” sparking criticism from law enforcement.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: A far-left New York State Assemblywoman claimed that shoplifting stems from a “biological need” and criticized the prosecution of shoplifters.
📺 DETAIL: On Thursday, New York State Assemblywoman Emily Gallagher (D), a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), claimed that most shoplifting stems from a “biological need” to acquire necessities, describing such crimes as “crimes of poverty.” She criticized the prosecution of shoplifters and claimed that the “true crime” is the wealth disparity in New York City. Gallagher’s comments have since sparked widespread criticism. “Suggesting that someone who steals toothpaste for the first time is automatically being thrown in jail creates a false picture of how the system actually works. Prosecution does not have to mean incarceration,” said Dave Aronberg, former Palm Beach County State Attorney. Gallagher also accused the justice system of prioritizing the interests of corporations, namely CVS and Walgreens. Gallagher called for an end to “broken windows policing,” which emphasizes addressing minor offenses to prevent escalation to larger crimes. “Broken Windows is a proven theory which holds people accountable for their actions and rightfully so… The tides are turning and everyday New Yorkers are getting sick and tired of this reckless narrative,” said retired New York Police Department Sergeant Joe Imperatrice.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “Most of what we saw were crimes of poverty-people who are stealing things like toothpaste, people who were stealing things like, you know, soap. And that means if you’re stealing those things, you need them. And we are choosing to protect billion-dollar companies, like CVS and Walgreens, over the people who are struggling to get by. So I would say that the true crime is that there is such incredible wealth disparity in this city that there are people who can be thrown in jail simply for having a biological need.” – Emily Gallagher
🎯 IMPACT: Gallagher’s comments highlight the ongoing leftward drift of the Democrats on social policy, including law and order. Gallagher’s comments are likely to reinforce the perception shared by many moderate, Independent, and swing voters that the Democrats are soft on crime and that the party is inclined to prioritize the welfare of criminals over the wider, law-abiding community. As such, the remarks may hurt the party’s electoral prospects in the upcoming midterm elections in November.

Image by Marc A. Hermann / MTA.

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New York Assemblywoman Emily Gallagher has claimed shoplifting is driven by "biological need," sparking criticism from law enforcement.

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