News On Tap For Thursday, July 23, 2026

America's Real Divide

Today’s “News On Tap” should help clarify the real divide in America’s politics - & it’s not the war you might have thought. First up, Republicans Love War - and Trump clearly loves his Iran War, even if The Costs Of War are high. Thankfully for him, Republican also love Forever Wars. Meanwhile, Democrats know Americans Want Affordability. But Democrats are delivering progress, where they have power. The War On Democracy continues too - but the good folks are still holding the line. The Cluster on Capitol Hill continues, along with the War In The Courts. There’s good news in our Polls & Politics section, and we have Media news, TV & Music news, & Sports news too. And John Fugelsang is back in the bar tonight to talk with us about all of it. Read up, get informed, & we’ll see you here tonight!

First Round - Republicans Love War

Trump Loves War

• Houthis Attack 2 Saudi Oil Tankers In Red Sea Area, As U.S. Carries Out 12th Night Of Strikes Against Iran

• Trump Regime Surging U.S. Forces Toward Middle East, Giving Him More Options To Expand Iran War

• Iran’s Strikes On Middle East Cia Facilities Prompt Questions About Possible Russian Assistance To Iran

• Trump Now Considering Military Strikes In Mali; Would Be The 8th Country He’s Attacked This Term

The Costs Of War

• Trump Downplays 18 Deaths Of U.S. Service Members In Iran War In Social Media Posts Comparing Current War To Previous Conflicts

• House Democratic Rep. Ted Lieu Blasts U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz Over ‘Wrong’ Answers On Troop Casualties During House Hearing

• Tom Nichols: The American People Need The Truth About The Iran War [Gift Link]

Trump’s Middle East Mess

• Wed: Trump Admin. Signs 30 Year Deal To Help Saudis Obtain Nuclear Power [Gift Link]

• Thurs: Trump Now Says Saudi Nuclear Pact Requires Kingdom To Normalize Relations With Israel Through Abraham Accords

• Trump’s Saudi Nuclear Deal Risks Igniting A Middle East Arms Race

• Popular Information: A Nuclear Deal For The Saudis. A Media Blackout For Kushner’s Corruption.

Republicans’ Forever Wars

• House Republicans Pass Defense Funding Bill, As Democrats Overwhelmingly Oppose Bill Over Trump’s Iran War & SAVE Act [Gift Link]

• Six Centrist Democrats Cross Aisle, Join Republicans To Back Annual Defense Funding Bill

• Senate Republicans Block New War Powers Resolution To Curb Trump’s Actions In Iran, 49-47

• House Republicans Also Vote In Favor Of Renaming Department Of Defense To Dept. Of War, Add It To Defense Funding Bill

• House Democrats Again Pass War Powers Resolution To Halt Trump’s Iran War, As 4 Repubs Join All Democrats

Second Round - How Democrats Govern

Americans Want Affordability

• Oil Prices Near $100 A Barrel After Trump’s Continued Attacks On Iran & Houthis Hit Tankers In Red Sea

• One Small Positive Note: U.S. Filings For Unemployment Aid At 187,000 Last Week, Fewest Since 1969

• The No Hire No Fire Jobs Market Continues, And And Recent College Grads Are Paying The Price

• New Gallup Poll Shows Just 12% Of Americans Now Say Four-Year Colleges Are Affordable

• New Gallup Poll: Health Insurance Once Again Traps Nearly 1 In 4 U.S. Workers In Unwanted Jobs, Mostly Due To Attacks From Republicans

Democrats Deliver Progress

• In Surprise Move, Nyc Mayor Mamdani Taps Progressive Antitrust Champion Lina Khan For Key Role As Chair Of Nyc’s Economic Development Corporation

• Democratic Mayors Association: As Trump Attacks Affordable Child Care, Democratic Mayors Are Delivering Progress On Child Care

• Rex Huppke: What Dems Should Not Be Doing - ‘I Am A Centrist Democrat And I Am Terrified Of Success’ [Satire]

The War Over Democracy

• Trump Briefly Flirts With 2020 Interference Claims During Speech In Georgia

• House Republicans Tie Defense Funding Bill To Trump’s Vote Suppressing SAVE Act [Gift Link]

• Federal Judge In Massachusetts Says Trump’s Attack On Mail Voting Is ‘Unconstitutional,’ Allows Lawsuit Against Trump’s Executive Order To Continue

• Senate Democratic Leader Schumer Convenes Democrats To Prepare For Election Doomsday Scenarios

• Ryan Teague Beckwith: Republicans Are Calling For Faster Election Results. Democrats Should Embrace That - And Take Away Republicans’ Talking Point.

Third Round - Elsewhere In Federal Government

Cluster On Capitol Hill

• House Republicans Ram Through Reconciliation 3.0 Despite Little Chance Of Senate Passage

• House Republicans Pass Stock Trading Bill Tied To SAVE Act And Voter Suppression Measure [Gift Link]

• Trump Ally Rep. Jim Jordan Accuses Jack Smith Of Lying To Congress In New Criminal Referral To Trump’s Corrupt DOJ

• OpenAI’s Models Broke Free And Launched A Cyberattack. Congress Wants New Rules Before It Happens Again.

War In The Courts

• Judge In Manhattan Today To Weigh New York Times Subpoenas Over Trump Air Force 1 Reporting

• Federal Judge In Dc Now Questioning Hegseth’s New Pentagon Testosterone Policy In Trans Ban Lawsuit, Saying It Appears To Have Animus & May Be Inherently Discriminatory

• Special Prosecutor Drops All Felony Criminal Charges Against Louisiana Attorney General Murrill

• Trump Immunity Over Jan. 6 Issues Now In Question After Federal Judge Finds Trump’s Tweet ‘Poured Gasoline’ On Jan. 6 Insurrection

Fourth Round - More News To Drink About

Polls & Politics

• New Emerson Poll: Democrats Open Up Stunning 11-Point Lead On Republicans On Generic Congressional Ballot

• New Fox Poll: American Voters Want Major Change Amid Economic & Political Discontent; Dems Lead On Affordability, Health Care, & The Economy

• Dr. Amish Shah Declared Winner In Arizona Democratic House Primary In Blow To Dem Establishment, Now Set To Face Maga Republican Former Nfl Player

• Democratic-Backed Independent Candidate Matt Orlando Flips Chandler, Az Mayor’s Office From Republican Control

Other Foreign Affairs

• Widening Ukrainian Attacks On Russia’s Largest Online Retailer Bringing The War Home To Russians

• Google Hit With $1 Billion Fine For Abusing Its Power In Europe [Gift Link]

Miscellaneous But Important

• Mexican Govt. Now Seeking Full Accountability In Chicago-Area Ice Death And 16 Others, Filing Criminal Complaints With State And County Prosecutors

• James Woolsey, Embattled Cia Director Under Pres. Clinton, Dies At 84

• Trump ‘Mocked Ruthlessly’ By Attendee In Stands Behind Him At His Own Rally In Georgia

Fifth Round - Media, Entertainment, & More

Media Matters

• European Commission Approves Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger

• Trump Toadie & Current Fcc Chair Carr Threateningly Says Abc’s Decision To Not Broadcast Trump Speech Live Will Be Part Of Agency’s Review Of Its Station Licenses

TV, Music, & More

• ‘The Morning Show’ To End With Season 5 On Apple Tv

• Katy Perry’s Lifetimes Tour, Aka ‘Disneyland On Wheels,’ Is Now Coming To Imax Screens This September

• Universal Theme Park Attendance Hit By Weaker Consumer Sentiment & Higher Travel Costs, As Oil Hits $100 A Barrel Again

Sports Entertainment

• Baltimore Orioles End Boston Red Sox’s Record-Tying 15-Game Winning Streak

• Collier Has Stellar Showing In Season Debut, As Minnesota Lynx Defeat Seattle Storm 86–76

• Former WNBA Stars Lauren Jackson, Elena Delle Donne To Compete In All-Star Shooting Competition

Tonight’s Bar Regular:

John Fugelsang, our friend, broadcaster, podcaster, Substacker, comedian, author of the bestselling book “Separation of Church and Hate” , & host of his own show on SiriusXM is back in evenings tonight, to hang out with us! We’ll talk about Trump’s speech you didn’t need to see, Republicans’ love for war, if Democrats can unite to win, and more Join us tonight!

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