My Weekly Recommendations
Things to read, watch, and listen to
Welcome — I’m glad you’re here. Let’s get you caught up on what happened this week.
Trump's Pivot to Putin
On the third anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, European capitals lit up with Ukrainian blue and yellow. Meanwhile, at the United Nations, America voted against a resolution condemning Russian aggression. The symbolism was unmistakable – and profoundly alarming to Europe. America had quite literally switched sides.
Who is Usha Vance?
JD and Usha Vance got together in law school and later married. Not only have they been inseparable ever since, but she was pivotal in getting him elected.
Trump Promised the Biggest Deportation Operation in History. It’s Not Happening.
One month into his second term, Donald Trump is not yet on track to break any deportation records, but he has been successful at something else.
Has DOGE Actually Cut $55 Billion?
According to DOGE’s own calculations, the group has already American tax payers $55 billion. But have they actually? We went line by line through DOGE’s website, matching up the receipts with the actual government contracts. And not everything is how it seems.
The Epstein File Mess, Ukraine’s Stolen Children, and Trump’s Gaza Fantasy—All in One Week
Plus: tax cuts for billionaires, and is RFK is ignoring the measles?
What I’m reading…
A Ukrainian Family’s Three Years of War
By Michael Holtz for The New Yorker
Mykola Hryhoryan was on the front lines before being gravely injured. Now, with American support in question and the country’s troops depleted, he’s preparing for the possibility of going back.
Was This Little-Known Standoff Between British Soldiers and Colonists the Real Start of the American Revolution?
By Robert Pushkar for Smithsonian Magazine
Seven and a half weeks before the “shot heard ’round the world” at the Battles of Lexington and Concord marked the conventional start of the American Revolution on April 19, 1775, a long-overlooked encounter between the British Army and the townspeople of Salem, Massachusetts, almost sparked outright war. At a river and over a bridge, American colonists’ desire for independence reached a fever pitch as they stood their ground against the distant kingdom of their heritage.
This Black artist’s vibrant quilts inspired generations of U.S. artisans
By Cathy Newman for National Geographic
Only two of Harriet Powers’s 19th-century quilts survive today, but their dynamism—and spiritual power—left their mark on American art.
The Languages Lost To Climate Change
By Julia Webster Ayuso for NOEMA
For generations, Lars Miguel Utsi’s family has lived in the small town of Jokkmokk in northern Sweden, where reindeer husbandry is a way of life. In a part of the world where most of us would see just an endless expanse of white snow, Utsi perceives the landscape in intricate detail, recognizing subtle features of the frozen terrain so vital to his livelihood.
Her job is to remove homeless people from SF's parks. Her methods are extraordinary
By Susan Freinkel for The San Francisco Standard
To watch park ranger Amanda Barrows is to be faced with a disturbing question: If this is what it takes to help one unhoused person, how can we manage thousands?
What I am listening to…
What in the World with Leanne Morgan
Here’s Where It Gets Interesting
How did Leanne Morgan go from a small-town mom to one of the biggest comedians in the country? I chatted with the hilarious Leanne Morgan about doing comedy in a parking lot, her love of Costco (because, of course), how she survived a 200 city comedy tour, and never giving up on your dreams. It took more than 20 years, but Leanne now has her own Netflix special, a sitcom in the works, a movie alongside Reese Witherspoon, and a NYT best-selling book. If you want to laugh while also being inspired, don’t miss this episode.
Alternate Realities: A Strange Bet
Embedded
Reporter Zach Mack thinks his dad has gone all in on conspiracy theories, while his father thinks that Zach is the one being brainwashed. In 2024, after the latest round of circular arguments, they decided to try something new, an attempt to pull each other out of the spell each of them thinks the other is under. Can one family live in two realities?
What Are The Forces Shaping Polarization in Congress?
Not Another Politics Podcast
Why does Congress feel more divided than ever? Are politicians genuinely becoming more extreme, or is something else at play? In this episode, we take on the polarization debate with a twist. Anthony Fowler sits down with University of Chicago political scientist Daniel Moskowitz to uncover new data that challenges conventional wisdom in his paper “Parsing Party Polarization In Congress”.
What I’m watching…
Why I Do One Of The World's Most Dangerous Jobs
Great Big Story
This bomb disposal unit in Northeastern France are removing unexploded bombs still left behind from World War One. Watch the heroes saving civilians from injury, terror attacks and even death.
Conversations I had this week…
The Small and the Mighty - with author Sharon McMahon
Breaking Down the Patriarchy
I spoke to Amy Allebest about the stories in my book that honor the histories of overlooked but world-changing women in America's history and discuss how we can all gain wisdom and take heart from their bold examples.
Have a great week, Governerds. I love y’all.
Thank you for this. The piece about living in two different realities? Father and son each believing different things? This is what happens when you lose the political middle. Disinformation fills the gaps - maybe even on both sides? I think we’ll need a two step cure to get out of this mess. First, we’ll all need to feel tremendous pain. That will at least break the spell. But then - Dems must find THE candidate who is likeable and has big tent appeal. I don’t care if it’s not a woman or a person of color. I don’t care if I don’t get everything I want. I care that it’s a fair minded globalist who listens to science and believes in the humanity of every person. That’s my new bar. In the meantime, I hope everyone does an audit on their spending: make the Big Tech Bros hurt too (don’t forget that WaPo is owned by he-who-shall-not-be-named so unsubscribe). My spending is way, way down (and we used to spend a ton). Never forget - your weapon is your wallet.
Thank you - always such an interesting mix of current and historical information. I found the article on the Ranger and homelessness very hopeful. The Park Rangers are currently leading the resistance against autocracy. They would also be in a perfect position to help the homeless in many of our parks. I was a social worker for decades and am now a volunteer- the homeless are the consequence of decades of policy neglect and helping them is brutally hard. The American Park Ranger has proven to be one of our many quiet heroes.