Author: Brittany Mays

A three-armed spacecraft rocketed into orbit Friday to rescue a NASA telescope that’s in danger of crashing back to Earth. The spacecraft’s launch marks a clear shift in how agencies plan to protect and extend the life of vital space assets. Engineers built the vehicle with three robotic arms so it can reach, grasp, and stabilize a failing observatory without relying on fragile manual procedures. The mission is designed to buy time and capability for a telescope that otherwise faces an uncontrolled return to Earth. Once on station, the robotic arms will perform delicate maneuvers to secure the telescope and…

America’s quarter-millennium experiment still hums with promise even as political tempers flare, and that living experiment depends on citizens who choose to preserve liberty, local institutions, and the rule of law rather than surrendering to anger or apathy. The country that began in 1776 was meant to be self-correcting and resilient, built on checks and balances and the expectation that ordinary people would steward their communities. Those structures have survived wars, depressions, and bitter political fights, proving the design durable when citizens care enough to show up. Today, the question is whether we will act like the stewards our ancestors…

A concise look at the 250-year American experiment in liberty, the Constitution that made it possible, and the ideas that kept it resilient. Two hundred and fifty years in, America still fascinates because it didn’t just survive chaos and conflict — it grew through them. The founders set up a framework that prized limited government, individual rights, and a system of checks and balances that forced compromise and accountability. That mix has produced stability and prosperity most rivals envy. We should be blunt: this experiment depends on civic virtue as much as institutions, and those virtues aren’t automatic. Citizens who…

America’s 250th birthday is shaping up as a big mix of pageantry, private celebration, and sober reminders of the founding principles that built this country, with communities and leaders preparing parades, concerts, and civic events around July 2026. Festivities are already being planned in towns and cities across the nation, and the mood is a blend of pride and careful organization. Communities are leaning on volunteer networks, local nonprofits, and private sponsorships to stage events that celebrate heritage without bloated federal interference. The focus in many places is on music, historical reenactments, and family-friendly public gatherings that highlight local traditions.…

Federal courts and the Supreme Court have recently blocked several of the administration’s moves to reshape vote-by-mail rules, while Congress has stalled on legislative fixes, leaving an election-security fight splintered across the branches. President Trump pushed hard this spring to constrain mail ballot delivery when states wouldn’t share voter data, and Postmaster General David Steiner announced a policy on June 24 aimed at enforcing that demand. Within days the courts pushed back, and judges in multiple districts issued rulings that undercut both the USPS policy and parts of a presidential executive order. That string of courtroom losses has turned a…

Alex Vatanka, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, speaks about the aftermath of recent U.S.-Iran tensions, weighing whether Tehran has accomplished strategic goals and examining how mistaken assumptions shaped American political reactions. Alex Vatanka, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, joins the conversation with clear-eyed analysis about where Iran stands after its recent actions and responses from Washington. His perspective focuses on political signaling, regional influence, and the military and diplomatic measures used by both sides. Vatanka’s assessment presses the question of whether Iran’s moves amount to a strategic win. The core of the debate is…

On June 25 the Supreme Court ruled 6 to 3 to allow the administration to end Temporary Protected Status for Haitians and Syrians, and powerful local leaders immediately pushed back, exposing a raw split over whether court rulings bind those who govern. The justices’ decision came down on June 25 and cleared the way for the Trump administration to remove the deportation shield that had let people from disaster-hit or war-torn nations live and work here legally. Within hours New York City’s mayor declared the ruling “not something we will ever accept.” That reaction set off a fierce debate about…

More than 120 people fell ill on a Princess Cruises voyage that ended in San Francisco, prompting public health follow-up and on-board containment steps. More than 120 passengers and crew members on a Princess Cruises ship that docked in San Francisco on Thursday were infected with a stomach virus while on their voyage, federal health officials said. The outbreak was reported after the ship returned to port and prompted immediate attention from health authorities. Passengers described disrupted plans and heightened cleaning activity during the disembarkation process. The situation is being handled under standard public health procedures for maritime outbreaks. Stomach…

President Trump has been warning recently that communism will pose a threat to the U.S. if Democrats win in the upcoming midterm elections. President Donald Trump has been warning recently that communism will pose a threat to the U.S. if Democrats win in the upcoming midterm elections. That blunt claim cuts to the heart of what many Republicans see as the election’s real stakes: an ideological choice about American freedom. For conservatives, the worry isn’t just policy fights but a steady drift toward centralized control. That sense of urgency explains the tone and repetition of the message. Trump frames this…

Should the 17th Amendment Be Repealed? A concise look at how returning the power to appoint U.S. senators to state legislatures would reshape federalism, political accountability, and the incentives that drive national campaigns. Jul 2, 2026 — Kelli Ballard reports on a debate gaining traction in conservative circles as lawmakers and activists question whether direct election of senators has served the republic. “The controversial legislation may be headed toward the chopping block.” That line captures the blunt mood driving renewed interest in restoring the original constitutional design. The 17th Amendment, ratified in 1913, shifted the selection of U.S. senators from…