Thursday, November 5, 2026
LEAKED: Trump’s Secret Plan to Rule Without Congress.
An extraordinary White House insider leak, reported by Reuters, has exposed a secret blueprint designed to bypass Capitol Hill entirely following the 2026 midterm elections. If Democrats reclaim majorities in the House or Senate, President Donald Trump has no intention of submitting to traditional legislative checks and balances. Instead, key loyalists—including Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, OMB Director Russell Vought, and White House Counsel Will Scharf—have spent months constructing an administrative fortress. From invoking national emergency declarations to overhaul immigration and trade, to seizing control over federal spending through impoundment, this strategy pushes the Unitary Executive Theory to its absolute limit.
How a scientist went from hero to traitor in a US water crisis
When the water in Flint, Michigan, became contaminated with dangerous levels of lead, Dr Siddhartha Roy, then a third year PhD student, was part of the team of scientists who publicly contradicted state and federal claims that it was safe. He became a local hero until a new piece of research challenged the idea that children in Flint had been left permanently brain damaged by the crisis. His adherence to the evidence, no matter who it offended, has earned him the 2026 Maddox prize, which recognises individuals who stand up for science and evidence, despite challenges or hostility. He tells Ian Sample how he reflects on his experience in Flint, and why he lost friends as a result of his work there…
US voters rebuke Trump as Democrats win control of Congress in ‘blue wave’
President’s party stripped of control after he spent weeks pleading with Americans to pretend he was on ballot…
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/nov/04/democrats-house-midterm-elections-results
US dollar slides after Democrats’ midterm election win as growth fears rise
American voters rejected Trump and the Republican party’s agenda across the country, as the Democrats’ “blue wave” led to the party securing Senate seats in traditional Republican strongholds such as Texas, Iowa, North Carolina and South Carolina.
Axel Rudolph, the chief technical analyst at the trading platform IG, said: “The scale of the losses will inevitably raise questions about Trump’s ability to push through his agenda over the next two years, and markets are already reacting. The dollar is under pressure as investors reassess the political outlook, while gold and silver are benefiting as safe haven plays.”…
What can Democrats actually do now they have won Congress?
Democrats have taken back the House and Senate in the 2026 midterms. Here’s what a majority in Congress means for them – and for Trump…
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/nov/04/democrats-midterms-congress-win-power
Top Democrat tells Trump and Republicans to ‘lawyer up’ after US midterm defeats
Robert Garcia, set to become oversight chair, vows to take on president while Senator Ron Wyden signals ‘subpoenas’…
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/nov/04/robert-garcia-trump-oversight
Mike Johnson will step aside as top House Republican : NPR
After a bruising defeat for Republicans, House Speaker Mike Johnson does not plan to stay on as Republican leader in the new Congress, according to a source familiar with his plans who was not authorized to discuss them publicly…
https://www.npr.org/2026/11/04/g-s1-151854/2026-midterms-mike-johnson-speaker
The GOP’s Mid-Decade Gerrymandering Strategy Was an Epic Fail – Mother Jones
Republicans were supposed to pick up 15 new seats. Instead they lost the redistricting war…
Trump’s Political Career Crashed Last Night. So Did His Crypto. – Mother Jones
Enriching the president no longer seems like a solid investment…
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/11/trump-crypto-world-liberty-meme-coin-election-results/
The end of Trump’s most potent legacy - POLITICO
Democrats’ sweeping victories Tuesday night will soon bring to a halt one of President Donald Trump’s most important achievements: remaking the federal judiciary.
Democrats may even have some hope of chipping away at the Supreme Court’s conservative supermajority, depending on the number of Senate seats they ultimately pick up and whether a vacancy arises…
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/11/04/donald-trump-judges-nominees-senate
Wednesday, November 4, 2026
Democracy Now! Video: Democracy Now! 2026-11-04 Wednesday
Headlines for November 04, 2026
Abdul El-Sayed Becomes First Muslim Senator as Democrats Rout GOP Across the U.S. in Rebuke to Trump
"The Earth Shook Last Night": Talarico Wins Senate, Hinojosa Becomes First Latina Governor in Texas
"Over a Decade of Organizing": Keisha Lance Bottoms Elected First Black Woman Governor in U.S. History
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/democracy-now-2026-11-04-wednesday/id75648468
Progressive Abdul El-Sayed wins Michigan Senate race to become first Muslim US senator
Democrat defeats Mike Rogers in race marked by Islamophobic attacks from Trump and Republican allies…
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/nov/03/abdul-el-sayed-mike-rogers-michigan-senate
US midterm elections 2026: live results from Senate, House and governor races in all 50 states
See results in real time without having to listen to people talk…
Jon Ossoff wins Georgia Senate race over Republican Mike Collins
Jon Ossoff wins Georgia Senate race over Republican Mike Collins
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/nov/03/jon-ossoff-mike-collins-georgia-senate
Tennessee national guard trained guns on dying man after guard member shot him, video shows
Footage from prosecutors shows aftermath of shooting of Tyrin Johnson, 20, shot and killed by national guard in July…
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/nov/02/tennessee-shooting-tyrin-johnson-video
US strikes Iran’s Qeshm Island as Vance voices optimism about a deal
Strikes on eve of US midterms reportedly target surface-to-air missiles being used against US assets…
Trump’s Big Announcement on Israel Means Nothing – Mother Jones
This announcement doesn’t mean the end of US taxpayer dollars financing Israeli wars. “We’re obviously not going to be zeroing out aid,” explained Matt Duss of the Center for International Policy, a former Bernie Sanders aide. “The plan is to rename and reprogram that aid as ‘joint defense partnerships,’ and tuck it into the defense budget.”…
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/11/trump-israel-4-billion-aid-announcement/
Justices signal support for Catholic preschools in clash between religious and LGBTQ+ rights - POLITICO
The Supreme Court on Tuesday appeared inclined to side with Catholic preschools challenging Colorado’s universal pre-K program because the state won’t allow them to exclude children with same-sex parents.
The Colorado program, approved by voters in 2020, deliberately includes faith-based preschools. But it requires participating schools to abide by the state’s anti-discrimination laws, including protections for LGBTQ+ people…
Election Day and the Battle to Come – Mother Jones
Whatever the outcome of these midterm elections, Trump’s assault on America will not cease…
Through this chaos, the Democrats will need a story—an overarching narrative that provides compelling context for what will likely be a never-ending stream of conflicts with Trump…
Tuesday, November 3, 2026
Democracy Now! Video: Democracy Now! 2026-11-03 Tuesday
Headlines for November 03, 2026 "
Democracy Itself Is on the Ballot": Voters Weigh 150+ Ballot Initiatives, from Wealth Tax to Abortion
Election Protection: NAACP Warns of Voter Suppression & Deployment of Federal Agents to the Polls
Democratic Socialists on the Rise: Darializa Avila Chevalier & Claire Valdez Set to Win House Seats
Latino Voters Swing Away from Trump for "Terrorizing Our Communities": Marisa Franco of Mijente
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/democracy-now-2026-11-03-tuesday/id75648468
Ex-FBI chief in Chicago sues DoJ, claiming he was pressured to investigate Trump’s foes
The former head of the FBI in Chicago has accused the Trump administration of pressuring him to investigate the president’s political opponents and making him a “scapegoat” after a major federal case against anti-ICE protesters fell apart…
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/nov/02/fbi-douglas-depodesta-trump-lawsuit-doj
The Biggest Upset of Election Night Could Come From South Carolina – Mother Jones
Lindsey Graham’s sister inherited his Senate seat. Plenty of Republicans aren’t buying it…
When will Michigan election results come in? What to expect
If all goes well, Meisch said results could come in by 11:30 or midnight. Here are reasons why results might arrive later:…
Here Are Some Things Haley Stevens Said About Mike Rogers Before Endorsing Him – Mother Jones
“Millionaire Mike Rogers” is “the worst kind of politician.”… and so on…
A Test for Trump’s Disinformation Operation – Mother Jones
The GOP’s midterm effort that he’s leading—like his past presidential campaigns—is foremost a disinformation operation. Trump never stops pumping out extreme falsehoods...
Bird Flu, Measles & the Healthcare Crisis: What You Need to Know (Dr. Zachary Rubin; From Bench to Bedside podcast and YouTube)
Bird flu is evolving, measles cases are surging, and healthcare costs are putting lives at risk.
In this episode of From Bench to Bedside, Dr. Zachary Rubin and Dr. Melanie Matheu examine the biggest public health headlines, including the rising threat of H5N1 avian influenza, concerning early flu hospitalization rates, and the potential loss of measles elimination status in the United States.
They also discuss Medicaid work requirements, rural hospital closures, rising Medicare prescription drug premiums, and the disturbing story of a woman reportedly charged $400 for lifesaving epinephrine during anaphylaxis.
Plus, what makes H5N1 outbreaks in mink farms particularly concerning? Why do influenza viruses mutate? And how do RFK Jr.'s public statements intersect with scientific evidence and public health policy?
Science, healthcare, politics, and the real-world consequences for American families.
We discuss:
The bottom line: Public health decisions have real consequences, and understanding the science matters.
01:35 Measles Cases and Elimination Status
05:05 Medicaid Work Requirements and Healthcare Access
09:10 The $400 Epinephrine Story
12:50 Rising Healthcare Premiums
16:10 Flu Season and H1N1
21:10 H5N1 Bird Flu and Human Infections
24:00 Mink Farms and Viral Mutations
27:00 RFK Jr. and Bird Flu Policy
30:00 Immune System Genetics and Misinformation
33:00 Protecting Science and Public Health
34:30 Final Thoughts
In this episode of From Bench to Bedside, Dr. Zachary Rubin and Dr. Melanie Matheu examine the biggest public health headlines, including the rising threat of H5N1 avian influenza, concerning early flu hospitalization rates, and the potential loss of measles elimination status in the United States.
They also discuss Medicaid work requirements, rural hospital closures, rising Medicare prescription drug premiums, and the disturbing story of a woman reportedly charged $400 for lifesaving epinephrine during anaphylaxis.
Plus, what makes H5N1 outbreaks in mink farms particularly concerning? Why do influenza viruses mutate? And how do RFK Jr.'s public statements intersect with scientific evidence and public health policy?
Science, healthcare, politics, and the real-world consequences for American families.
We discuss:
- Measles in America: Why rising cases threaten the country's measles elimination status, and the potentially devastating long-term consequences of infection.
- Medicaid and Healthcare Access: A federal court ruling on Medicaid work requirements, threats to rural hospitals, and what healthcare cuts mean for patients.
- The Cost of Anaphylaxis: A woman reportedly faced a $400 charge for lifesaving epinephrine at an urgent care. Why is emergency allergy treatment so expensive?
- Rising Healthcare Costs: Medicare prescription drug premiums, affordability, and the financial burden on American families.
- Flu Season Warning Signs: Early influenza hospitalizations, changes in circulating H1N1 viruses, and why flu vaccination still matters.
- H5N1 Bird Flu: Reports of human infections, outbreaks in mink, the possibility of viral adaptation, and the risks of allowing bird flu to circulate unchecked in animal populations.
- Science, Politics, and Public Health: RFK Jr.'s statements about bird flu, scientific misinformation, research funding, and the importance of protecting evidence-based healthcare.
The bottom line: Public health decisions have real consequences, and understanding the science matters.
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and Halloween Recap01:35 Measles Cases and Elimination Status
05:05 Medicaid Work Requirements and Healthcare Access
09:10 The $400 Epinephrine Story
12:50 Rising Healthcare Premiums
16:10 Flu Season and H1N1
21:10 H5N1 Bird Flu and Human Infections
24:00 Mink Farms and Viral Mutations
27:00 RFK Jr. and Bird Flu Policy
30:00 Immune System Genetics and Misinformation
33:00 Protecting Science and Public Health
34:30 Final Thoughts
Iran's delegation has left negotiations in Qatar after a tense weekend. Here's where things stand | PBS News
"The Middle East Gulf region should not become an arena for great-power rivalry and geopolitical conflict," Chinese President Xi Jinping told Oman's sultan, according to a readout from China's Foreign Ministry. China and Oman called for a return to dialogue…
On Abortion Rights, Nevada Offers a Perfect Snapshot of the Midterms – Mother Jones
Timmaraju argues that repro rights has become a compelling closing argument: “[It’s] the tipping-point issue, the thing that really helps make it plain that Republicans are too extreme to represent average voters.”…
Judge tosses case against two officials accused of lying about Hunter Biden
The two FBI agents were charged with making false statements to Congress while testifying about the bureau’s role in investigating Biden’s laptop…
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/nov/02/judge-tosses-case-fbi-hunter-biden
What can Democrats actually do if they win Congress?
Democrats are fighting to win control of the House and Senate in the midterms. Here’s what winning would mean for them – and Donald Trump…
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/nov/02/democrats-midterms-congress-win-power
Mamdani threatens to sue Trump administration over ICE ‘illegal commandeering’ NYC parking lots - POLITICO
The legal threat marks an escalation in the mayor’s effort to disrupt ICE activities…
2026 midterm elections fact-checks: Candidates make their final pitches before Election Day – PolitiFact
PolitiFact is fact-checking multiple competitive 2026 midterm election races across the United States. Follow this live blog for our latest fact-checks and updates…
Judge tosses charges against former FBI officials accused of lying to Congress over Hunter Biden probe - POLITICO
In a ruling from the bench, U.S. Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui condemned the Justice Department’s case as rushed and overtly political…
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/11/02/judge-tosses-charges-fbi-hunter-biden-01145074
How Israel is at the heart of Haley Stevens’s extraordinary reversal
It is the culmination of a fight over Israel that has come to define the congresswoman’s political persona, seemingly eclipsing her commitment to the Democratic party and its opposition to Donald Trump…
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/nov/02/haley-stevens-israel-aipac
Supreme court rules against Trump over bid to force California to set aside ballots
The supreme court on Monday ruled against the Trump administration and its attempts to force California election officials to segregate and not count ballots from people that the justice department claims are non-citizens. The ruling follows several lower courts siding with California officials, who argued the federal government was seeking to interfere in state elections…
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/nov/02/supreme-court-trump-california-ballots
DOJ asks Supreme Court to weigh in on California ballot demands : NPR
A day before Election Day, the Department of Justice is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to wade into its unprecedented feud with California over the state's voter rolls…
https://www.npr.org/2026/11/02/nx-s1-6023802/supreme-court-california-voting-ballots-trump
Outside groups spend millions on ads to weaken Black support for El-Sayed in Michigan Senate race
“The same PR firm Rick Snyder hired during the Flint water crisis is now trying to mislead Black Michiganders about a doctor who has spent his career fighting to improve health outcomes and equity,” Richner said. “Republicans and special interests are resorting to divisive attacks because they can’t defend Mike Rogers’ record of selling out Michigan families.”…
Cryosphere faces permanent damage when world overshoots 1.5C, scientists warn
Bill Hare, a climate scientist and the CEO of Climate Analytics, a policy institute, who was not involved in the report, said: “Ice sheets melting six times faster than 30 years ago, sea ice and mountain glaciers disappearing at record speed, sea levels inexorably rising, the life-giving polar oceans acidifying: all irreversible now on human timescales, all laden with worldwide consequences, and all taking climate impacts past limits of adaptability.”
He added: “Every government minister and every fossil fuel executive who’s ever succeeded in watering down climate action can look at this report and see how their actions have fundamentally damaged the world we live in.”…
LIVE DEBATE [Your God is Evil] 5-18-2026 (Justin at DZ Debates on YouTube)
TIMESTAMPS
4:25 Jesus Saves Forever Ron - Will a good being cause unnecessary suffering? Does God cause unnecessary suffering? Caller has a tough time answering questions31:45 NatureVsAI - The universe doesn’t exist
33:10 Enema Enjoyer - Are natural disasters necessary? Will there be earthquakes when Jesus returns? Caller doesn’t believe in all of the Bible
53:23 (Enema Enjoyer) - Do we have free will; Does God mess with our free will? What happened with Pharaoh?
1:31:37 Leo - Caller is now a Christian; We need evil because it will help us eventually; The Bible is contradictory and we don’t need it; Unnecessary suffering is good
2:03:22 Xavier - It was indeed good for God to have babies unalived; Caller refuses to answer what they would do if commanded by God to unalive a baby
2:27:35 (Xavier) - Could people successfully follow the Mosaic Law? How long should we follow the Law? Was slavery good? Was the test of the bloody sheet a fair test (Deuteronomy 22)? Caller loses
3:12:50 Tiger [Friendly] - Caller expresses thanks to Justin for helping them deconstruct
3:16:45 40days_all - God is all good; What is evil? Caller can’t keep track of the conversation so gets dropped
3:36:02 Jodash Pillay - Are natural disasters necessary for free will to exist? Caller claims that we can cure cancer and prevent volcanoes
3:57:40 (Jodash Pillay) - Caller says it was good for the Israelites to unalive babies in 1 Samuel 15; Is it good to punish people 400 years after the offense? Is it okay to eat your own children? Pro-baby paste; Caller loses connection
4:35:12 Chris - Was it just for 70K Israelites to be unalived because David took a census (2 Samuel 24)? Response: you can’t understand God’s mind; Should David have been punished? A little bit of Sov Cit arguments leak in
4:57:00 (Chris) - Do we have free will if God knows our future (Romans 9)? Is slavery always bad? Get a little BHI arguments
5:23:40 Superchats and wrap up
Interview:
Monday, November 2, 2026
Democracy Now! Video: Democracy Now! 2026-11-02 Monday
Headlines for November 02, 2026
"Princes and Thieves" Author Matthew Cole on Jared Kushner & the "Secret Plot to Remake Middle East"
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/democracy-now-2026-11-02-monday/id75648468
Special Master (Andrew McCabe and Allison Gill; Unjustified podcast)
The justice department has filed its third set of charges against former FBI director James Comey.
A federal grand jury has refused to indict former Trump White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson for false statements to the January 6th Select Committee.
A magistrate judge sharply criticized Justice Department prosecutors over their handling of the case against two former FBI officials accused of lying to Congress about their involvement in investigations into Hunter Biden’s laptop.
FBI agents are expressing deep concern that they may be ordered to take actions designed to disrupt the midterm elections.
Plus listener questions.
Interview:
A federal grand jury has refused to indict former Trump White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson for false statements to the January 6th Select Committee.
A magistrate judge sharply criticized Justice Department prosecutors over their handling of the case against two former FBI officials accused of lying to Congress about their involvement in investigations into Hunter Biden’s laptop.
FBI agents are expressing deep concern that they may be ordered to take actions designed to disrupt the midterm elections.
Plus listener questions.
Interview:
Judge dismisses Trump attempt to block Alaska Senate race results if Republican loses
Incumbent Dan Sullivan says he will accept election results after ‘unprecedented intervention’ by Trump’s DoJ…
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/nov/01/alaska-senate-race-republican-dan-sullivan
Democrat Haley Stevens endorses Abdul El-Sayed’s Republican rival Mike Rogers
Endorsement was met with backlash from the party, condemning Stevens for her ‘betrayal’…
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/nov/01/abdul-el-sayed-haley-stevens-michigan-senate
Connecticut senator Chris Murphy hospitalized after stroke
Democratic senator was at his son’s hockey game when he felt a numbness in his arm and was in Johns Hopkins…
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/nov/01/chris-murphy-stroke-hospitalized
Student Asks 'If Tomorrow…?'; Bernie & Abdul's Reply Surprises Entire Crowd
Senator Bernie Sanders joins U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed to discuss wealth inequality, healthcare, campaign finance reform and America's political future. Responding to questions about taxing billionaires and funding major reforms, Sanders argues that the United States can afford Medicare for All, universal childcare and stronger public education. He criticizes the influence of billionaires over politics, traditional media and social media, warning that economic inequality is shaping public consciousness.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7x3auz9N2OY
Just Say Yes with Lyndsey Frank (Mega the podcast)
In this episode of the improv-satire of a megachurch:
When Halle recruits a jobless woman in the checkout line (Lyndsey Frank) she brings her to the podcast to prepare for her interview at Twin Hills.
Interview:
Sunday, November 1, 2026
Weekly Roundup: The 8-Week Plan to Delegitimize the Midterms Between Election Day and January 3 (Bradley Onishi and Daniel Miller; Straight White American Jesus podcast)
The midterms are Tuesday. The fight over whether they count may start the moment polls close.
Between Election Day and January 3, 2027, when the new Congress is sworn in, there are eight weeks. Right-wing media and political operatives are already building two narratives to fill that time:
In this video, Brad Onishi and Dan Miller walk through the evidence, show what’s being said in public, and explain what to watch for between November 3 and January 3.
Between Election Day and January 3, 2027, when the new Congress is sworn in, there are eight weeks. Right-wing media and political operatives are already building two narratives to fill that time:
- “Non-citizens voted.” Hundreds of right-wing accounts and outlets have published thousands of statements questioning the election’s integrity, and the focus has shifted to non-citizen voting. The initial claims are huge. When the numbers are actually checked, they shrink dramatically, but the corrections rarely reach the audience that heard the big number.
- “Some winners can’t be seated.” Trump, Sen. Bernie Moreno, and Rep. Keith Self have each argued that certain elected Democrats, including Muslim candidates and DSA-aligned candidates, are ineligible to serve. The same idea appears in Center for Renewing America materials tied to Russ Vought.
In this video, Brad Onishi and Dan Miller walk through the evidence, show what’s being said in public, and explain what to watch for between November 3 and January 3.
Chapters:
- 0:00 Intro
- 2:09 What to expect on Tuesday
- 5:55 The “non-citizens voted” campaign
- 10:24 Why the courts may respond faster this time
- 19:00 The plan not to seat Democrats
- 22:16 Trump, Moreno, and Keith Self on who can serve
- 29:00 Sen. Chris Murphy on CNN
- 41:00 Hegseth’s spiritual advisor
- 49:00 Netanyahu’s election fraud claims
- 51:00 Trump and men’s bodies
- 1:01:00 Reasons for hope
It’s closer to Beijing than Washington – and residents of this Alaskan outpost are reeling from Trump’s policies
On the Bering Sea, Unalaska is the US’s most productive seafood port, employing thousands of workers. But Trump’s cuts, and his disastrous war with Iran, have caused chaos – and put Republican control of Congress at risk…
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2026/oct/31/alaska-unalaska-fishing-trump
Senator Calls Trump CRIMINALLY INSANE After President's Leaked War Plans go public
Democratic Senator Chris Murphy is calling out Trump's mental derangement as his war plans are now publicly known and drawing intense backlash. This paired with Trump's declining health days before the midterm elections is exactly what the GOP didn't need heading into an election where they were already polling terribly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CA3f7uYqH1E
Trump boosted half of US coal plants with taxpayer dollars and ‘free passes to pollute’, report says
Environmental Defense Fund analysis shows administration handed out $950m and Clean Air Act exemptions…
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/31/trump-coal-plants-taxpayer-dollars
Men detained at Texas’s ‘dog pound’ ICE facility describe their experience – in art, letters and song
Nearly 500 men are detained at the T Don Hutto detention facility, and many have risked sharing their experiences in a unique way…
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/31/ice-detention-texas-stories-art
Animal Sacrifice Began as Feeding God, Not Forgiving Sin (Dan McClellan and Dan Beecher; Data Over Dogma podcast on YouTube)
Why would anyone burn a bull, dung and all, for a god? Dan McClellan traces animal sacrifice back to the way ancient West Asians cared for their dead, from a stele whose owner left instructions for his own meals to Jacob Milgrom's theory that sacrificial blood was a ritual detergent for the temple rather than the sinner.
Then the Dans follow that logic out to the land itself in Leviticus 18 and 20, and to the early Christians who reframed Jesus' execution as a sacrifice.
0:48 Thicker Than Water
1:13 Why sacrifice at all?
2:17 Feeding gods and the dead
4:24 The Katumuwa stele
6:44 What ritual is really for
7:13 The food never disappears
10:36 What sacrifice accomplished
11:07 "Only Jesus' blood"?
13:08 Blood as ritual detergent
13:36 Reading Leviticus 4
15:17 Milgrom's temple theory
17:32 The land vomits you out
19:22 Personal impurity
22:42 How rituals pile up
24:41 Exile and the Holiness Code
25:26 Jesus as sacrifice
28:19 Recap and the prophets
29:09 Outro
Then the Dans follow that logic out to the land itself in Leviticus 18 and 20, and to the early Christians who reframed Jesus' execution as a sacrifice.
Chapters:
0:00 Intro0:48 Thicker Than Water
1:13 Why sacrifice at all?
2:17 Feeding gods and the dead
4:24 The Katumuwa stele
6:44 What ritual is really for
7:13 The food never disappears
10:36 What sacrifice accomplished
11:07 "Only Jesus' blood"?
13:08 Blood as ritual detergent
13:36 Reading Leviticus 4
15:17 Milgrom's temple theory
17:32 The land vomits you out
19:22 Personal impurity
22:42 How rituals pile up
24:41 Exile and the Holiness Code
25:26 Jesus as sacrifice
28:19 Recap and the prophets
29:09 Outro
Interview:
How Trump and his allies seek to interfere in the US midterm elections
The administration’s efforts have raised concerns among experts about potential disruptions after Election Day…
The Pope Says No to the Death Penalty. Does the Bible? (Dan McClellan and Dan Beecher; Data Over Dogma podcast on YouTube)
When Pope Leo XIV called the death penalty "inadmissible," critics fired back that he'd clearly never read the Bible, a book that prescribes death for everything from kidnapping to gathering sticks on the Sabbath.
But the Pope's argument is the same made-in-God's-image reasoning from Genesis 1:27 that abolitionists used against the Bible's slavery texts, and Jesus himself seems to land on both sides in the Gospel of Matthew. So does the Bible support the death penalty? It says the Pope is wrong, and it says he's right.
1:35 The Pope's death penalty post
2:26 Hasan and Christa Pike
3:57 The Bible's capital crimes
5:59 "You've never read the Bible"
6:48 Image of God vs. slavery
9:04 Pope Leo's AI encyclical
11:09 A pastor's double standard
12:16 Feelings first, reasons later
15:48 Did Jesus accept execution?
16:21 Cast the first stone
17:07 An eye for an eye
19:06 Just interpersonal ethics?
21:33 Matthew 15's death clause
22:45 One gospel, two answers
24:24 Genesis 9:6 cuts both ways
26:43 The forgotten blood rule
27:57 The Bible says both
28:36 Wrap-up and thanks
Chapters:
0:00 Welcome in1:35 The Pope's death penalty post
2:26 Hasan and Christa Pike
3:57 The Bible's capital crimes
5:59 "You've never read the Bible"
6:48 Image of God vs. slavery
9:04 Pope Leo's AI encyclical
11:09 A pastor's double standard
12:16 Feelings first, reasons later
15:48 Did Jesus accept execution?
16:21 Cast the first stone
17:07 An eye for an eye
19:06 Just interpersonal ethics?
21:33 Matthew 15's death clause
22:45 One gospel, two answers
24:24 Genesis 9:6 cuts both ways
26:43 The forgotten blood rule
27:57 The Bible says both
28:36 Wrap-up and thanks
Interview:
Teen boy from Ghana chased and fatally shot on way to school in New York City
The fatal shooting came as Javits marked one year of being in New York after arriving from Ghana, Frimpong said. Frimpong described his son as “clever” and “quiet”. Javits was being bullied at the DreamYard preparatory school, according to Frimpong.
Frimpong said the high school’s principal, who could not be reached for comment by phone or email, informed him recently that two students were suspended for harassing Javits, he said…
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/30/javits-frimpong-fatal-shooting-bronx-new-york
Is God Eternal? (Part 2) (Bradley Onishi and Daniel Miller; Straight White American Jesus podcast)
The affirmation that God is eternal, that God exists outside of time and is unaffected by it, has been central to orthodox Christian teaching for centuries. But it brings other questions with it. How can God act in the world, as Christians also teach? How can we possibly avoid the logic of determinism that follows from the claim that God knows all future events, decisions, and actions? What answers have Christians offered in response to these questions? Are they convincing? What if they are not? Join Dan for this week’s episode to find out.
Interview:
Friendly Atheist News Roundup 10/29/2026; GOP Candidate Wants to Hide Her Sermons (Hemant Mehta and Jessica Bluemke, The Friendly Atheist podcast #659)
— Atheist wins “religious exemption” to get out of using AI at work. (0:39)
— The sermons Republican Katy Cornell doesn’t want voters to hear. (7:57)
— Conservative Christian blogger Samuel Sey will be deported by ICE. (27:55)
— Catholic Church upholds excommunication of deacon whose son was abused by a priest. (38:22)
— Elizabeth Struhs died after her Christian parents withheld insulin. Could she have been saved? (54:06)
— A sociologist’s lazy defense of Christian Nationalism misses the real threat. (1:02:55)
Interview:
— The sermons Republican Katy Cornell doesn’t want voters to hear. (7:57)
— Conservative Christian blogger Samuel Sey will be deported by ICE. (27:55)
— Catholic Church upholds excommunication of deacon whose son was abused by a priest. (38:22)
— Elizabeth Struhs died after her Christian parents withheld insulin. Could she have been saved? (54:06)
— A sociologist’s lazy defense of Christian Nationalism misses the real threat. (1:02:55)
Interview:
- Audio only podcast, with Jessica: https://friendlyatheistpodcast.com/2026/10/28/gop-candidate-wants-to-hide-her-sermons/
- YouTube video, with Jessica: https://youtu.be/9XpUhTD3TOI?si=YFuKiG3OCjbIG_6c
- YouTube video, no Jessica: https://www.youtube.com/live/GAvxzv0MS6c?si=y1ct5oIFC9P8O4sF.
The staggering $446m Elon Musk has spent on the US midterms – visualized
The tech mogul’s midterm donations backing Republicans have made him the largest single-cycle political donor in modern US history…
Saturday, October 31, 2026
The News Roundup – Domestic and International (The 1A) 2026-10-30
Domestic
President Donald Trump hit the campaign trail in the final stretch of midterm season. And he’s made a number of promises to Republican voters this cycle, looking to shore up support in the communities he’s visiting. This week, in Texas, he promised to undo Biden-era methane regulations and to produce 210 million barrels of oil.The president is swinging big as seats in traditionally red states seem to be up for grabs. One high-quality poll this week, The New York Times/Siena poll. showed the race in South Carolina between appointed Republican Sen. Darline Graham, the late Lindsey Graham’s sister, tied with her Democratic opponent, Dr. Annie Andrews.
The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady at its October meeting. However, two members of the Federal Open Market Committee dissented, and were in favor of raising rates by a quarter of a percent to try to bring down inflation.
Interview:
International
On Sunday night, 81-year old incumbent Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva defied the polls — and historical precedent — by convincing more than 51 percent of Brazil’s electorate to vote for him and deliver an unprecedented fourth term. His opponent, Flávio Bolsonaro, fled the country following his loss amid an ongoing corruption investigation.All the ballots from Tuesday’s Israeli election have been counted, and there’s still no clear winning coalition. On Thursday, Israel’s Central Election Committee said Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc holds 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset, while opposition parties have 67.
And Vice President J.D. Vance reportedly sent a letter to a senior Iranian official in Tehran aimed at reviving peace talks to end the Iran war. But when Donald Trump was asked if he directed Vance to revive peace talks, he claimed the letter was about medical supplies.
Interview:
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