Our democracy is under attack.  Washington journalists must stop covering it like politics as usual.  —  Back in the dark ages of 2012, two think-tank scholars, Norman Ornstein and Thomas Mann, wrote a book called “It's Even Worse Than It Looks” about the rise of Republican Party extremism and its dire effect on American democracy.

A Confusing Message  —  The C.D.C. recommends indoor masking for the vaccinated, but only in some places.  —  The C.D.C. has both a polarization problem and a communication problem.  —  Let's start with the polarization problem: The parts of the country that would benefit most from a new crackdown …

Trump-backed candidate loses in Texas special election  —  Voters in North Texas delivered an upset Tuesday, picking GOP state Rep. Jake Ellzey to fill a vacant House seat over a candidate endorsed by former President Donald Trump.  —  Ellzey beat fellow Republican Susan Wright …

Debunked claims Officer Sicknick died from Capitol riot injuries reemerge at Day One hearing  —  The evidence-free claim that Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick died from injuries suffered in the Jan. 6 riot reemerged Tuesday during the first day of hearings in the Democratic-led House select committee's inquiry of the event.

Simone Biles Isn't Fearless.  That's A Good Thing.  —  By demanding robotic perfection, Biles's detractors are denying her humanity.  —  Simone Biles pulled out of the Tokyo Olympic gymnastics finals for the women's artistic team all-around on Tuesday morning, citing mental health concerns.

Newsom pulls kids from summer camp with no mask requirement  —  SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom's office said Tuesday he pulled his children out of a summer day camp that did not require kids to wear masks, a violation of state policy that Newsom's spokeswoman …

The most and least popular US presidents, according to Americans  —  YouGov ranks all US presidents according to how the US public feels about them  —  The respective excellence of US presidents is always being debated.  Many academics have put together rankings over the years to demonstrate …

Israel appears to have committed war crimes in May conflict with Hamas, Human Rights Watch says  —  According to a leading human rights group, Israel violated international law during the 11 days of fighting with Hamas militants in the densely packed Gaza Strip in May, in what “apparently amount to war crimes.”

The Pandemic Hurt These Students the Most  —  New research shows that all groups are behind in math and reading after disruptions during the pandemic.  But it's the most vulnerable students who experienced the steepest setbacks.  —  How much did the pandemic affect students?

GOP Rep. Clyde stands by comparison of Jan. 6 mob to ‘tourists’ when pressed by Democratic Rep. Raskin  —  Rep. Andrew S. Clyde (R-Ga.), who infamously compared the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol to “a normal tourist visit,” steadfastly stood by his contention Tuesday night during …

‘America is not racist’ becomes a GOP 2024 mantra  —  Democrats made structural racism a centerpiece of the 2020 presidential primary.  —  Now the Republican rebuttal is emerging as an early plank of the 2024 GOP contest: America is not a racist country.  —  The mantra, used by nearly …

Least persuadable unvaccinated Americans are largely white and Republican  —  Parents are heavily resistant to the vaccine.

The New Moral Code of America's Elite  —  Every striver who ever slipped the rank of their birth to ascend to a higher order has shared the capacity to ingratiate themselves with their betters.  What the truly exceptional ones have in common is the ability to connect not only with their superiors …

CDC asks the vaccinated to help save the unvaccinated from themselves  —  The “pandemic of the unvaccinated” has become a big problem for the rest of the country.

'He's a Great Guy': Trump's Favored Aide Has Troubled Past  —  “Max Miller,” said Donald Trump.  —  “You know Max?”  —  The former president stood behind the microphone at the lectern at one of the most recent of his trademark rallies late last month at the county fairgrounds here and told …

The intellectual right contemplates an ‘American Caesar’  —  Jan. 6 was a badly planned rehearsal for the real deal  —  How does ideological change happen?  Why do certain political ideas and possibilities that appear outrageous and even unthinkable at one moment in history come to be considered options worth taking seriously?

DOJ: Ala. Rep Brooks should not be dismissed from Capitol riot lawsuit; actions not ‘within scope’ of duties  —  The Justice Department concluded late Tuesday that Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Ala., did not warrant exclusion from a Capitol riot lawsuit that claims that the congressman …

Biden will announce vaccination requirement across federal government on Thursday  —  Why do vaccinated people need to mask?  See Gupta's answer  —  (CNN)President Joe Biden will announce on Thursday a requirement that all federal employees and contractors be vaccinated against Covid-19 …

Former President Barack Obama joins NBA Africa as strategic partner … President Obama will help advance the league's social responsibility efforts across the continent, including programs and partnerships that support greater gender equality and economic inclusion.