The Favor System
POLITICAL POWER · WHITE HOUSE · PUBLIC FINANCE
February 17, 2026
At Mar-a-Lago, the mingling of
political donors and executives
illustrates how executive discretion…
Continue →
Who Keeps the Lights On?
LABOR · IMMIGRATION · HOSPITALS
February 16, 2026
The United States relies heavily on
immigrant labor across critical
sectors including healthcare…
The Shutdown Is the Show
CONGRESS · IMMIGRATION · POLITICAL POWER
February 15, 2026
The government shutdown prominently
disrupts visible services like TSA
operations and public-facing…
The Vote That Wouldn’t Close
CONGRESS · WHITE HOUSE · LAW AND COURTS
February 14, 2026
A procedural House vote intended to
block challenges to Trump-era
emergency tariffs failed after three…
The Distance a Day Can
Collapse
WAR AND SECURITY · TRADE · COST OF LIVING
February 13, 2026
Cuba faces escalating fuel shortages
amid U.S. sanctions targeting oil
imports, leading to widespread
rationing, transportation
disruptions.
When a missed bus becomes the first
sign that a country is running out
of power…
The Sound Before the Doors
Open
IMMIGRATION · POLITICAL POWER · LAW AND COURTS
February 12, 2026
A federal immigration raid at a
racetrack in Caldwell, Idaho,
illustrates how enforcement actions
reshape daily life.
How power changes daily behavior
long before it changes law
The horses started first.
They usually do when something…
Leaving Without Moving
IMMIGRATION · LAW AND COURTS · MAINE
February 11, 2026
In Lewiston, Maine, increased
federal immigration enforcement has
prompted fear and behavioral changes…
Who’s Reading My Google?
IMMIGRATION · LAW AND COURTS · POLITICAL POWER
February 10, 2026
Federal authorities increasingly use
administrative subpoenas to obtain
subscriber data from companies…
Arch de Trump
POLITICAL POWER · WHITE HOUSE · UNITED STATES
February 9, 2026
A proposed 250-foot ceremonial arch
for the National Mall, linked to
America’s 250th anniversary…