Hello there, Iâm Patrick Caldwell, a new deputy editor at the magazine, helming the Friday guest spot this week, with todayâs top news and a little bonus music trivia for those of you who scroll down to the end.
Texasâs abortion ban is here to stay, at least for now. Late Thursday night, a three-judge panel on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals turned down the Biden administrationâs request to stay the law while its constitutionality is assessed. Iâm sure youâll be shocked, but it was the judges appointed by Donald Trump and George W. Bush who denied the stay, while a judge appointed by Bill Clinton ruled against Texas. Oral arguments are scheduled in the Fifth Circuit for the first week of December, but itâs likely the federal government will appeal, asking for a stay, meaning the Supreme Court will have yet another chance to weigh in again soon.
Steve Bannon could be in trouble. The ex-Trump guru is expected to be held in contempt next Tuesday by the January 6 House panel. Bannon has refused to adhere to a subpoena from Congress.
Column of the day: Over at The Atlantic, Ronald Brownstein looks back at the massive Democratic losses in the 1966 midterms after passing LBJâs Great Society programs. âThe Democratsâ bitter disappointment,â he writes, âis a cautionary tale.⦠The lesson of history is that it is extremely difficult for presidents to translate legislative success in their first year into political success in the midterm elections of their second year.â
A longread for the weekend: Donât expect too much Washington news with Congress out of session. Kick off the weekend by reading an excellent investigation from this weekâs New Yorker by Rachel Poser, examining undercover stings on drug stash houses that should qualify for entrapment but donât clear that high legal bar. The most fascinating part of it all? The tactic entered mainstream policing in the 1970s following cases such as Miranda that gave defendants greater rights. âGary T. Marx, a sociologist and an expert on undercover policing, observed that law enforcement changed its methods in response. âAs the police use of coercion has been restricted, their use of deception has increased,â he wrote in 1982.â
This morning at NewRepublic.com, we got a plethora of stories to keep you occupied through the weekend. Mary Trump (yes, that fellowâs niece) writes about the latest dangerous insanity spewing from the former president. Molly Osberg explores how service workers have been tasked with protecting public health as the people responsible for vaccine mandates. âIs it any wonder they are quitting in droves?â she asks. Meanwhile, say goodbye to your thick sweaters and hot cider, as Liza Featherstone writes that climate change is killing autumn. âThe culture of fall has been a celebration of abundance,â Featherstone writes, âand we now live in a world of terrifying scarcity.â Natalie Shure examines Katie Couricâs bungled editing of her Ruth Bader Ginsburg interview.Â
Finally, be sure to read Jo Livingstoneâs stellar preview of Successionahead of the showâs return for a third season on Sunday. Jo argues that the creators, âin an admirable move, turned the evil way up on this season, sacrificing the likability of their characters for the stickier pleasures of their nasty sides.â Sounds delightful!Â
Happy weekend, Patrick Caldwell, deputy editor
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