News On Tap For Thursday, August 21, 2025

Perception Vs Reality

Today’s “News On Tap” has stories today of angry & fear-filled Republicans trying to act like dictators & cheat their way to winning. Meanwhile, Democrats are finally punching Repubs in the mouth in the redistricting wars - and are set to win in New York. All that news and more, plus John Fugelsang joins us in the bar tonight. But first…

First Round - The New American Civil War Continues

The Redistricting Wars Are Here

• Texas House Republicans Ram Through New Highly Biased Congressional Map After Two-Week Delay By Texas Democratic Walkout

• California Supreme Court Rejects Weak Republican Effort To Halt Newsom’s Redistricting Push

• California Senate Embarks On Democrats' Redistricting Plan, A Counterpunch To Texas Theft Of U.S. House Seats

• Former Pres. Obama Backs California Effort To Redraw Districts In Response To Texas

• Solutions To The Gerrymandering Wars: Proportional Representation & Multimember Districts

Trump's Authoritarian Cosplay In DC

• Trump Now Claiming He Will Patrol DC Streets With Police & Military Sometime Tonight

• National Guard Vehicle Crashes Into Private Car In Dc As Republican-Led States Send More National Guard Troops

• Former National Guard Vice Chief Calls Trump's Deployment Into Dc What It Is - An 'Intimidation' Tactic

• White House Tours For The Public Canceled Indefinitely, Supposedly Due To Preparations For Building The Ballroom Trump Wants

Second Round - This Is What Republican Governing Looks Like

Economic Realities

• Notes From Monthly Fed Meeting Show Fed Officials See Inflation Just Around The Corner — And Consumers Will Bear The Burden

• Inequality Is A Real Problem: New Study Shows U.S. CEO-To-Worker Pay Gap Has Surged To 632 To 1

• ICYMI: Commerce Sec. Lutnick Confirms Trump Regime Demand For 10% Equity Stake In Intel In Return For CHIPS Act Funds

• Corporate America Remains Silent As Trump Abandons Free-Market Principles For Thugocracy

Americans Aren't Buying Republicans' Big Ugly BS

• Vance Visiting Metro Atlanta This Week In Attempt To Push Support For Trump & Republicans' Big Ugly Bill

• Republicans Are Facing Major Problems Trying To Sell Their ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ - Mostly That Voters Hate It

• New Economist/YouGov Poll Shows Trump’s Disapproval Rating At Record High 60%; Democrats Lead Generic Ballot By 5 Points

More Trouble In Trump World

• Third Federal Judge Denies Trump DOJ's Request To Release Epstein Grand Jury Records, Calls Trump Admin. Efforts A ‘Diversion’

• A Temporary Win For The Monster: Mid-Level NY State Appeals Court Throws Out Massive $525M Civil Fraud Penalty Against Donald Trump

• House Oversight Chair (& Trump Toadie) James Comer Says Trump DOJ To Start Providing Epstein-Related Records On Friday

Third Round - The Wars Of The Right

Immigration Wars

• Japanese American Groups Blast Use Of Fort Bliss, A Former Concentration Camp For Japanese Americans, As A New ICE Concentration Camp

• Interactive ‘ICE Detention Map’ Shows 71% Of Current Detainees Have No Criminal Record

• Federal Appeals Court Allows Trump Regime To End Protected Status For 60,000 Migrants Rom Nepal, Honduras, And Nicaragua

• Paul Krugman: ICEing The U.S. Economy - Trump's Mass Deportations Will Hurt Both People & The Economy More Than People Realize

War On Good Government

• ICE Now Aiming To Spend Millions On New Decked-Out Vehicles

• Hundreds Of CDC Employees Receive Permanent Layoff Notices

• Trump Says His Administration Will No Longer Approve Solar Or Wind Power Projects

Fourth Round - More News To Drink About

Election Land

• NYC Mayor Eric Adams Adviser Suspended From Campaign After Giving Cash To Reporter

• New Indictments Allege Even More Corruption In NYC Mayor Eric Adams’ City Hall

• Ross Barkan: The Anti-Mamdani Movement Is Fizzling. The Old Guard Will Have To Get Over It.

Over There

• Netanyahu Says Israel To Begin Gaza Ceasefire Negotiations To End War, Release Hostages

• Ukraine Says New Massive Russian Attack Proves Putin Uninterested In Peace

• Trump Admin. Staffers Say He's Stepping Back From Russia And Ukraine Peace Talks, For Now

Fifth Round - Entertainment & More

• Apple TV+ Announces 30% Price Hike To $12.99 A Month

• Beatles Announce The Return Of ‘Anthology’ As A Music Collection With Added ‘Volume 4’ And A Disney+ Documentary Series

• L.A. Dodgers' Ohtani Roughed Up By Rockies, Leaves Game After Getting Hit On Right Thigh By Line Drive

• Paige Bueckers Ties WNBA Rookie Scoring Record In Dallas Wings' Thrilling 81–80 Loss To Kelsey Plum & The L.A. Sparks

• Italian Duo Of Errani & Vavassori Win Revamped U.S. Open Mixed Doubles To Defend Their Title

Tonight’s Bar Regular:

John Fugelsang, comedian, author, broadcaster, podcaster, & friend – & the Host of “Tell Me Everything with John Fugelsang” weeknights on Sirius XM – is back tonight for another round! We’ll talk about all the news of the day, and John’s latest piece at his Substack, “Yes, He Hates Museums More Than Slavery” about Trump’s half-assed attempt to edit & censor history, Plus, John’s great new book, “Separation of Church and Hate” is coming out Sept. 9th, less than a month away! Put it in your book order, then join us all at the bar tonight!

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