Our politics is in a partisan death spiral.  That's why I'm leaving the GOP.  —  The two-party system has evolved into an existential threat to American principles and institutions.  — By Justin Amash-  —  The Opinions Essay

Robespierre's America  —  We need to reclaim the spirit of 1776, not the certitudes of 1789.  —  I was walking through an airport terminal trying to catch a connecting flight last Saturday when I spotted a writer I had never met but whose work I admire.  He greeted me with a look of fatherly concern …

Scoop: Trump considers executive order on citizenship question  —  President Trump is considering an executive order to try to move forward with a citizenship question on the 2020 census, top sources tell Jonathan Swan and me.  — “We didn't come this far just to throw in the towel,” …

Harris says busing should be considered, not mandated  —  WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Sen. Kamala Harris said Wednesday that busing students should be considered by school districts trying to desegregate their locations — not the federal mandate she appeared to support …

Pentagon officials 'are concerned Trump's July 4 parade could be too political' - despite the president's claim that military chiefs are ‘thrilled’ to be taking part in the event  — An insider says the military's top brass have been hesitant about accepting Trump's invitation to the event at the National Mall on Thursday

‘What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?’:  The History of Frederick Douglass' Searing Independence Day Oration  —  After the Independence Day military parade in the nation's capital on Thursday, President Donald Trump will give a speech at the Lincoln Memorial, the most recognizable memorial …

Bad news for Bernie has his backers getting antsy  —  Bernie Sanders keeps getting bad news.  —  After Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren seized the spotlight in the first primary debate, the Vermont senator dropped to fourth place in two polls in the first-in-the-nation caucus state of Iowa.

Inside the effort to build suspense — and crowds — for Trump's Fourth of July  —  As President Trump's appointees have worked doggedly to assemble the most ambitious and costly Fourth of July ceremony the nation's capital has ever seen, they have been guided by one overriding principle: It cannot be a repeat of his 2017 inauguration.

Trump's Fourth of July salute to himself will only hurt him  —  It's no surprise that President Trump has hijacked the Fourth of July ceremony on the Mall.  He wants to turn a celebration of America's founding into a celebration of himself.  Obscene, yes, but entirely in character.

A July 4 NPR Tradition: A Reading Of The Declaration Of Independence  —  In 1989, Morning Edition launched what has become an Independence Day tradition: hosts, reporters, newscasters and commentators reading the Declaration of Independence.  —  Church bells rang out over Philadelphia 243 years ago today …

AP FACT CHECK: Trump often is wrong about military matters  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — In his Fourth of July remarks, President Donald Trump will be celebrating the armed forces and showcasing what he's done for them.  But in recent days, he has falsified his record on military matters on several fronts.

Outcry after reports Brazil plans to investigate Glenn Greenwald  —  Federal police reportedly asked money laundering unit to investigate the ‘financial activities’ of the US journalist  —  Brazil's Bar Association, journalists and opposition lawmakers have reacted with outrage to reports …

After Confederate statues, America's culture war targets Betsy Ross and a founding father  —  As the nation has celebrated its birthday with displays of its contemporary power and prestige this week, two of its cherished historic symbols came under fire — its first flag and its third president.

Democrats Grapple With a Sprawling Primary Field, and No One to Shape It  —  WASHINGTON — John Deeth is the sort of Iowa activist who keeps up with every new twist in the Democratic presidential primary, but there was no way he was going to devote two evenings to watching the first round of debates last week.

ABC, CBS, and NBC announce they will snub President Trump's ‘Salute to America’ celebration  —  Major networks opting to run shows like ‘Jeopardy!’ in lieu of live coverage of the Fourth of July event  —  What are the details?  —  The Daily Mail reported that the networks will stick …

Appeals Court Upholds Ruling Blocking Trump From Using Defense Funds for Border Wall  —  WASHINGTON — A federal appeals court in San Francisco on Wednesday upheld a block on President Trump's attempt to use $2.5 billion from the Department of Defense to construct a wall along the southwestern border …

Imperial AT-ATs Begin Arriving In Capital For Military Parade  —  WASHINGTON, D.C.—Ahead of Trump's planned July 4 military parade, several dozen Imperial walkers began to arrive in Washington throughout the week.  —  The AT-ATs were dropped off by U.S. Space Force Star Destroyers just outside …

Kushner hints Palestinian refugees won't return, says Trump ‘very fond’ of Abbas  —  Promising a ‘pragmatic’ solution, president's son-in-law says Jewish refugees from 1948 were looked after, but Arab states have ‘not absorbed a lot’ of Palestinian refugees  —  Despite tensions and a total break …

This Fourth of July, why patriotism is worth defending  —  For the haters, it's open season on the American ideal.  —  Colin Kaepernick doesn't like today's American flag because it reminds him of police brutality and he doesn't like Betsy Ross' O.G. flag because it reminds him of slavery.