Author: Brittany Mays

Unmarried voters skew Democratic, and the share of adults who remain unmarried has been rising, a shift with real consequences for political strategy and policy debate. Voter behavior is changing as family patterns change, and that matters at the ballot box as much as it does in the classroom and workplace. The Republican response should be practical and straightforward: understand the shift, adapt messaging, and propose policies that strengthen families without lecturing. If the party wants to broaden its appeal, it must reckon honestly with why more people are choosing not to marry and what that means for civic life.…

This report covers the International Energy Agency’s coordinated release of 400 million barrels of oil and what that move means for markets, supply chains, and consumers. The International Energy Agency said Wednesday that member countries will release 400 million barrels of oil to alleviate price pressures from the war in Iran. That announcement aims to blunt a spike in crude costs linked to disruptions and heightened risk in the region. Officials framed the release as a temporary measure to steady markets while diplomatic and military tensions continue to unfold. The IEA is a consortium of advanced-energy economies that coordinates policies…

This piece looks at why soaring beef prices have not produced a boom in plant-based alternatives, how market signals and consumer choices are shaping protein supply, and why policy responses in Washington miss the core problem. Smashburgers and smaller portions are more than a food fad; they’re a visible reaction to tighter beef supplies and higher costs. Ground-beef prices are up 17% year-over-year and the U.S. cattle herd sits at its lowest level in 75 years. Restaurants and shoppers are stretching beef the way past generations did, turning scarcity into menu creativity rather than surrender. Compare that to the shale…

The bishop of a small Chaldean Catholic community in the San Diego area has resigned amid charges that he embezzled $270,000 from his parish, Pope Leo XIV announced Tuesday. The resignation landed abruptly and left parishioners and local clergy scrambling for answers. The allegation centers on $270,000 that church officials say is missing from parish accounts. The announcement from Pope Leo XIV made clear the Vatican is involved in the removal and next steps. For small, tight-knit congregations like this Chaldean community, any hint of financial misconduct cuts deep. Parish finances typically run on tight budgets, donations and careful accounting,…

Federal year-end spending spiraled to record highs, raising questions about waste and oversight. Congress and the Pentagon closed 2025 with a spending rush that deserves tough questions from taxpayers and lawmakers. The rush did not look like careful budgeting or strategic investment. It looked like unchecked spending that piled up at the last minute. ‘Unfortunately, the Pentagon’s traditional year-end spending spree in 2025 was the worst ever on record at a staggering $93.4 billion.’ That quote captures the scale of the problem in a single line, and the number is impossible to ignore. When sums that large are committed in…

At least a half-dozen Senate Democrats are preparing a campaign of repeated war powers votes and other procedural tactics to slow Senate business, creating a standoff that will test the chamber’s rules and majority will. Washington is bracing for a raw, procedural fight as a group of Senate Democrats signals they will use every tool at their disposal to force votes and disrupt the legislative calendar. Their strategy centers on repeated war powers resolutions, along with holds and other minority motions designed to generate floor time and publicity. Republicans see this as a deliberate effort to stall priorities and box…

Ford Motor Company announced via the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on March 3 that it is recalling about 2.36 million vehicles across multiple model lines for defects that pose safety concerns. The recall affects a wide swath of Ford vehicles and was disclosed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on March 3. Ford Motor Company said the action covers roughly 2.36 million units across several model years and model lines. The company and regulators framed the move as a preemptive step to address potential safety risks. Details about the specific defects were described as spanning multiple systems, which…

An NTSB member who served as the public face of last year’s investigation into the deadly collision between an airliner and an Army helicopter near the nation’s capital has remained central as the agency moves through technical reviews, public briefings, and the path toward safety recommendations. The midair collision last year claimed lives and raised immediate questions about how civilian and military flights share airspace near the capital. Local and federal officials treated the accident as a high priority, and the National Transportation Safety Board took charge of the technical probe. That effort included on-scene examinations and long hours of…

Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Sunday that an oil tanker has passed through the Strait of Hormuz, calling it an early sign that the crucial shipping route is starting to reopen. The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s busiest chokepoints, where a large share of global oil shipments transit every day. Shipping firms, traders and governments watched recent developments closely after a period of heightened tensions and disruptions. For many, the movement of a tanker through the passage feels like the first real sign of normalizing traffic, even if risks remain. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Sunday that…

Two species of marsupials previously believed to be extinct were confirmed alive in the Indonesian half of New Guinea by researchers. Researchers working in the Indonesian half of New Guinea have confirmed that two marsupial species once thought lost to extinction are, in fact, still living. The discovery upends long-standing assumptions about those animals and shines a spotlight on the region’s hidden biodiversity. It also raises immediate questions about how many other species might be hanging on out of sight. Field teams and local collaborators played key roles in locating these animals, combining on-the-ground knowledge with careful observation. The terrain…