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How Massie’s Kentucky primary may test Trump’s hold on the Republican Party
Massie emerged as one of Trump's most prominent Republican critics. Can his re-election bid survive the president's ire?
Behold the crown jewel of outrageous gaming laptops
It’s like r/battlestations in laptop form.
GOP candidates revive anti-Islam attacks as midterms approach
Republican lawmakers and candidates across the country have escalated their anti-Islam rhetoric in recent months, warning their constituents that Islamic law could gain a foothold in the United States.
AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. to Announce First Quarter 2026 Results and Host Earnings Webcast
LEAWOOD, Kan., April 28, 2026--AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: AMC) ("AMC" or "the Company"), the largest theatrical exhibition company in the world, announced today that it will report its results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2026, after the market closes on Tuesday, May 5, 2026.
Scientists think they finally know why Neanderthals vanished
A new study suggests Neanderthals didn’t go extinct simply because of climate change or competition with Homo sapiens. Instead, the key difference may have been social connectivity—Homo sapiens formed stronger, more flexible networks that helped them survive environmental shocks. Neanderthals had connections too, but they were more fragile and regionally limited. This made them less resilient as conditions became increasingly unpredictable.
AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. to Announce First Quarter 2026 Results and Host Earnings Webcast
LEAWOOD, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: AMC) (“AMC” or “the Company”), the largest theatrical…...
Where to watch Detroit Pistons vs Orlando Magic Game 4 NBA playoffs: Live stream, start time, TV channel, odds for Monday, April 27
The Magic hold a 2-1 lead in the series entering Game 4.
Federal appeals court upholds conviction of ex-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan
The news from the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals comes less than three weeks after oral argument and will likely prompt a bid by Madigan to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Rachel Reeves considering rent freeze to limit Iran war fallout
Exclusive: Sources say chancellor is examining exceptional measures to protect household budgets
WATCH LIVE: White House holds briefing as accused Correspondents' Dinner attacker faces charges
Gov. DeSantis releases proposed congressional map for Florida, could cut 4 Democratic seats
Democrats hold 8 seats on the current map.
Scientists may have found the brain’s switch for chronic pain
Deep within the brain, scientists have uncovered a hidden “switch” that may decide whether pain fades away—or lingers for months or even years. Researchers found that a small, little-known region called the caudal granular insular cortex (CGIC) acts like a command center, telling the body to keep pain signals alive long after an injury has healed. In animal studies, shutting down this pathway not only prevented chronic pain from forming but could even erase it once it had taken hold.
Lawmakers introduce bipartisan bill to speed up prior authorization in Medicare Advantage
Several healthcare stakeholders have voiced their support for the effort, including the Medical Group Management Association.
Britain Politics
Richard Tice, Deputy Leader of Reform UK poses with campaigner Joseph Afrane as Reform UK holds a 'national fuel tax protest' to protest against the Government's plans to raise fuel
Britain Politics
A campaigner with a Pinocchio puppet as Reform UK holds a 'national fuel tax protest' to protest against the Government's plans to raise fuel duty for the first time in
EUDA Health Holdings Limited Receives Nasdaq MVLS Notice with 180-Day Compliance Period to Regain Listing Status
EUDA Health Holdings received a Nasdaq notice for not meeting market value requirements, with a compliance period until October 2026.Quiver AI SummaryEUDA Health Holdings Limited received a notice from Nasdaq on April 23, 2026, indicating that it failed to maintain a Minimum Market Value of Listed Securities of $35 million for 32 consecutive business days, violating Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(b)(2). The notice does not immediately affect the compan
Distracting from unfinished business
North Carolina House Republicans introduced a bill Thursday that would ban books from elementary school libraries and allow the state to withhold salaries from school district leaders who violate the state law known as the “Parents’ Bill of Rights.”
Allied Gaming backer says no share sales through 2026—with no lock-up
Primo said it will not transfer or sell Allied shares through Dec. 31, 2026. The company said the commitment is non-binding and has no written lock-up.
Can lacrosse take hold in Indiana? Plan to leverage youth lacrosse for long‑term success
The Indiana High School Lacrosse Association (IHSLA) is focused on supporting the youth level to help build the high school ranks.
Shiny Volcanion Released For the First Time Ever in Pokémon Games
For the first time ever, Shiny Volcanion is available to obtain in the Pokémon games main series! The Pokédexes of Pokémon Legends: Z-A now hold a special reward in Pokémon HOME! If you complete your Lumiose Pokédex, Mega Evolution Pokédex, and Hyperspace Pokédex in Pokémon HOME, you’ll receive a Shiny Volcanion. Shiny Volcanion will know four powerful […]
‘Shakespeare Live’ creates beauty for eyes to behold
In the halls of the Valparaiso University Center for the Arts (VUCA), you may have heard peals of laughter echoing through the halls. No, that’s not fairies, but instead, the
USC women hold off Cal for Trojans' 7th water polo title
USC earned its seventh national championship in women's water polo with a 10-9 victory over California on Sunday night at UC San Diego.
How to live stream Lakers vs Rockets: NBA Playoffs, TV channel
The Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets meet Sunday for Game 4 of their first-round playoff series, with the Lakers holding a commanding 3–0 lead after a dramatic overtime comeback in Game 3. MORE: Ranking the current NBA playoff duos…
The shocking origin of human eyes traces back to an ancient “cyclops”
A bizarre, cyclops-like creature from nearly 600 million years ago may hold the key to how your eyes—and even your sleep cycle—evolved. Scientists have discovered that all vertebrates, including humans, trace their vision back to a single light-sensitive “median eye” perched atop a worm-like ancestor’s head. As this ancient animal shifted from a sedentary to a more active lifestyle, it lost and then reinvented its vision, eventually giving rise to the paired, image-forming eyes we rely on today.
Morrisey celebrates passage of Rural Health bill
CHARLESTON – West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey celebrated the bill giving state health officials spending authority to use the $199 million federal Rural Health Transformation award in a ceremonial bill signing Thursday. Morrisey traveled to Princeton Community Hospital in Mercer County Thursday morning to hold a ceremonial signing for Senate Bill 570, a supplemental appropriation […]
Is It Time To Consider Buying Nine Entertainment Co. Holdings Limited (ASX:NEC)?
Nine Entertainment Co. Holdings Limited ( ASX:NEC ), is not the largest company out there, but it saw a double-digit...
Assessing Six Flags Entertainment (FUN) Valuation After Quantum Accelerator Coaster And Park Upgrades Debut
Six Flags Entertainment (FUN) is back in focus after Six Flags New England previewed its new Quantum Accelerator coaster, along with refreshed dining and guest experience upgrades across the park. See our latest analysis for Six Flags Entertainment. At a share price of $18.28, Six Flags Entertainment has a 30 day share price return of 10.12% and an 18.01% share price return year to date. However, the 1 year total shareholder return of 49.36% and 3 year total shareholder return of 56.66%...
The long rumored foldable iPad may never see the light of day.
Apple has supposedly been working on a folding tablet since at least 2023. The rumored release has slipped from 2024, to 2026, to 2028, to 2029, and now, according to Mark Gurman, it might not happen at all. While it was a priority for incoming CEO John Ternus, its future is now in doubt: > Foldable iPad: Apple has been working on a roughly 20-inch foldable iPad. This device has been a Ternus priority but may end up being a wacky experiment that doesn’t see the light of day, according to several people who have worked on it.
I finally stopped fighting with spotty hotel Wi-Fi thanks to this Netflix USB hack
No more fighting slow hotel internet
New York fights DOT decision to withhold nearly $74M in highway money
New York Attorney General Letitia James said the state believes it properly followed all the rules for commercial licenses that were in place at the time they were issued, so it doesn't plan to revoke the licenses.
Leaders come and go; companies rise and fall. In business, change is the constant.
While leadership changes don’t always go as hoped, history also shows they can work out well. In fact, Apple is arguably the epitome of what shareholders hope for.
TST Best Bets: April 26, 2026
The overlooked lower-seeded playoff teams of the Eastern Conference have turned the first round into chaos, with every series producing upsets or serious scares for contenders.The eighth-seeded Orlando Magic are the most shocking story of the postseason so far, as they hold a 2-1 series lead over the top-seeded Detroit Pistons. Both the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics faced first round matchups that looked like relatively easy first-round draws, taking on a fledgling Toronto Raptors squad
England's Hamilton wins first European Tour title
Esme Hamilton holds off challenge from fellow Englishwoman Cara Gainer to win her first European Tour title at the South African Open.
10 Lowe's Gadgets Under $50 Users Say Are Worth Buying
The gadget holds a special place in our hearts with its niche problem-solving abilities. These under-$50 gadgets from Lowe's offer surprising utility.
Dave & Buster's Entertainment Chief Information Officer Steven Klohn Sells 34% Of Holding
We'd be surprised if Dave & Buster's Entertainment, Inc. ( NASDAQ:PLAY ) shareholders haven't noticed that the Chief...
40 Years After Chernobyl, Wolves May Be Adapting to Live With Radiation
They could hold clues to fighting cancer.
Other states made bolder moves to fix mental health care. What lessons does this hold for SC?
South Carolina is hardly alone in struggling to care for the mentally ill inmates filling its jails. But other states have made greater strides in devising potential fixes.
Scientists believe birds’ skulls hold clues to inner lives of long-extinct dinosaurs
Early birds were like ‘T rex reincarnated’, says scientist who believes avian skulls offer insight into dinosaurs’ behaviour
Georgia public health board goes seventh straight month without meeting
For the seventh month in a row, the board of the Georgia Department of Public Health will not hold a meeting this month.
Family and friends hold vigil to mark one year since death of Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre
Family and friends of Virginia Giuffre, one of the best known accusers of Jeffrey Epstein, gathered on the National Mall in Washington on Saturday to celebrate her life and legacy on the one-year anniversary of her death and in the wake of the Justice Department’s release of millions of documents related to Epstein.
White House Correspondents' Dinner protesters decry media, Trump, Iran War
Protesters stood outside the 2026 White House Correspondents' Dinner in Washington, DC, chanting “shame” and holding anti-war signs.
New CEO Steve O'Donnell vows to unite NASCAR and return the fun
O’Donnell becomes the first person outside the France family to hold the CEO title after Jim France stepped down.
In California, a Voter ID Proposal Is Set to Appear on the Ballot in November
A Republican-backed initiative has cleared the signature threshold for the election. Critics say the proposal could make it harder for people to vote.
2026 NBA Playoffs: Denver Nuggets at Minnesota Timberwolves Game 4 best bet
The Timberwolves host the Nuggets in Game 4 Saturday as slight underdogs despite holding a 2-1 series lead with Denver's Aaron Gordon questionable.
Palo Alto Networks: AI Means Business, And The Valuation Isn't Low Enough Yet
Palo Alto Networks delivered solid Q2 results with 15% revenue growth and 33% NGS ARR growth, but guidance was lukewarm. Learn why PANW stock is a hold.
Scientists just discovered Africa is closer to breaking apart than we thought
Beneath East Africa’s Turkana Rift, scientists have found the crust is thinning to a critical point, suggesting the continent is gradually breaking apart. This “necking” process marks an advanced stage of rifting that could eventually lead to a new ocean forming millions of years from now. Surprisingly, the same geological forces that are splitting the land may also explain why the region holds such a rich fossil record. Instead of being the birthplace of humanity, Turkana may just be where the story was best preserved.
Trump is using the Iran war to take more control over business
The president has already turned the federal government into a major shareholder.
Santa Margarita holds on for 10-9 baseball win over Orange Lutheran
The Orange Lutheran Lancers tried to overcome 10-5 deficit in the seventh, but Santa Margarita finally got final out for 10-9 win Friday.
Podcast: Call of Duty, Game Pass, and the Mario movie
It's Friday, so we have another episode of the pre-alpha GamesIndustry.biz Podcast. Once again I'm joined by Lewis Pack…
The Center Cannot Hold Part 3: Beyond Recovery
Experience The Center Cannot Hold, Part 3: Beyond Recovery, a powerful opera inspired by Elyn Saks’ journey of resilience, love, and mental health advocacy.
Congress keeps holding all-nighters. Lawmakers say it’s a symptom of dysfunction
It's a scenario that is playing out again and again as the House and the Senate fracture and careen from one crisis to the next.
Elmet Group: Some Questions On This Rare And Critical Materials Business
Elmet Group debuted strongly, leveraging its role in securing US critical component supply chains and reducing reliance on foreign imports. See why ELMT stock is a Hold.
Best of the Best: Duke’s Legacy in the Collegiate Women Sports Awards
DURHAM, N.C.-- Women's sports have never had a bigger stage. Audiences are growing, athletes are becoming household names and the conversation around female ...
Generali tightens link between solvency, pay and shareholder cash returns
Generali’s AGM signed off on a higher dividend, fresh buybacks and new equity‑linked pay plans
Businesses dole out up to $4 million to cross Panama Canal during Strait of Hormuz chokehold
Businesses have doled out up to $4 million to cross boats through the Panama Canal to dodge ongoing chaos in the Strait of Hormuz, which has created a seismic shift in global trade flows.
Businesses dole out up to $4 million to cross Panama Canal during Strait of Hormuz chokehold
PANAMA CITY (AP) — Businesses have doled out up as much as $4 million to move boats through the Panama Canal with the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed, according to the Panama Canal Authority, in a move that has created a seismic shift in global trade flows.
Businesses dole out up to $4 million to cross Panama Canal during Strait of Hormuz chokehold
Businesses have doled out up as much as $4 million to move boats through the Panama Canal with the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed, according to the Panama Canal Authority, in a move that has created a seismic shift in global trade flows. While passage through the waterway usually comes at a flat rate via reservations, companies without reservations can cross by paying an additional fee in an auction for slots, which are awarded to the highest bidder rather than waiting for days off the coast of Panama City. Ships have increasingly traveled through the Panama Canal as shipments are rerouted and buyers purchase from other countries to avoid commerce through now-treacherous Middle Eastern waterway.
Opinion | I’m One of Cuba’s Political Prisoners. When Will I Go Free?
Nearly five years in Cuban prison have taught me that the government won’t loosen its hold on power.
Michigan auto stakeholders sound alarm ahead of governor election
MichAuto is holding roundtables across the state to develop an automobility policy roadmap expected to be released ahead of the November election.
Sports roundup: Southold tennis serves up a loss for Mattituck
Josh Uguna smashed an ace to clinch his third doubles match with partner Joe Moran, to give Southold an insurmountable 4-2 lead over host Mattituck in its Suffolk County boys tennis match on Thursday, April 16. The Settlers’ duo recorded a 6-2, 6-7, 9-7 win over Monte Lang and Matt Kuzman. Southold (5-2, 5-2) recorded...
Here's What's Coming in the 2026 Apple TV
There are a lot of folks waiting for a new version of the Apple TV because the set-top box hasn't been updated since 2022. There is an update coming this year, but people will need to wait a bit longer because Apple is holding the next Apple TV until the new version of Siri comes out this fall. Design Apple TV design updates don't happen often, and that's not changing in 2026.
What does the future hold for BYU cornerback Mory Bamba?
Bamba performed so well at pro day that he could find himself in the NFL next season.
Land, Power, and Property Rights: The Political Economy of Land Titling in Sub-Saharan Africa -
Land, Power, and Property Rights: The Political Economy of Land Titling in Sub-Saharan Africa By Matthew K. Ribar, Stanford University Only 15% of African households possess a formal title for their agricultural land, despite the [...]
Wisconsin attorney general suing Kalshi, others for illegal sports betting
Attorney General Josh Kaul is holding an afternoon news conference to address the lawsuit
Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders approve Paramount Skydance deal
Warner Bros. Discovery announces stockholders approved its merger with Paramount, aiming to create a next-generation media and entertainment company.
What a combined Paramount-Warner would mean
HBO Max, “Harry Potter,” “Top Gun,” CBS and CNN may all be placed the control of the upstart Paramount Skydance soon. That’s because shareholders of Warner Bros. Discovery approved an
Warner Bros shareholders approve Paramount's $81B takeover of Hollywood giant
It still faces ongoing regulatory reviews
Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders approve Paramount takeover
Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders have cleared the way for CNN, HBO and Warner’s other media brands to join Paramount Skydance later this year.
WBD shareholders approve Paramount deal, reject David Zaslav's pay
Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders voted to approve the Paramount Skydance deal but against the pay package for CEO David Zaslav.
Cumberland takes $100M cash deal, keeps three Phase II programs
Shareholders must approve the Apotex transaction. Cumberland keeps majority ownership in CET, with top-line systemic sclerosis data next.
SCIENCE-MONKEYS/
Macaques hold food while an infant sits between them at the Rock in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar, July 27, 2019.
SCIENCE-MONKEYS/
Macaques hold food while an infant sits between them at the Rock in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar, July 27, 2019.
Tottenham hold talks with leading contender Sebastian Kehl over co-sporting director role
Spurs are searching for a replacement for Fabio Paratici, who left the club in February to take up a position at Serie A side Fiorentina.
Titans' NFL Draft: What will they do with pick 4?
The Tennessee Titans hold the fourth overall pick in the NFL Draft. What will they do with it? Here are best and worst case scenarios.
Patriots' Mike Vrabel to seek counseling, will not be with team for Day 3 of the NFL Draft, per report
Pictures of Vrabel holding hands with NFL reporter Dianna Russini were published earlier this month
USA TODAY Sports/AVCA Super 25 boys volleyball rankings, Week 7
Mira Costa holds strong atop the USA TODAY Sports/AVCA boys volleyball Super 25 rankings for Week 7.
Senate committee rejects plan to cut key NH business tax
Citing concerns about lost revenue, the panel instead backed lifting the filing threshold for the Business Enterprise Tax.
WATCH: Chaos erupts as leftists interrupt conservative group's UCLA event featuring DHS lawyer
Protesters booed and disrupted DHS General Counsel James Percival during a Federalist Society event at UCLA Law, holding profane signs and chanting.
Gamers sue Nintendo over tariff refunds, saying consumers should get the money back
Two gamers have filed a class action lawsuit against Nintendo, alleging that the company will be unjustly enriching itself with any refund it secures from the U.S. government over widespread tariffs last year that, among other things, hiked the prices of Nintendo hardware and accessories. “Unless restrained by this Court, Nintendo stands to recover the same tariff payments twice—once from consumers through higher prices and again from the federal government through tariff refunds, including interest paid by the government on those funds,” the suit states. Nintendo sued the U.S. government to secure a tariff refund in March, after the Supreme Court struck down the tariffs a month prior, saying they were illegally implemented by President Donald Trump.. The gamers who have sued, California-based Gregory Hoffert and Washington-based Prashant Sharan, both say they purchased Nintendo goods that had increased in price due to tariffs, according to the complaint. They filed their suit in the Western District court of Nintendo of America’s home state of Washington and are seeking class action status to represent all people in the U.S. who purchased price-hiked Nintendo goods between February 1, 2025 and February 24, 2026. They allege that Nintendo’s recovery of any tariff refunds would constitute unjust enrichment and violate Washington state consumer protection law. Similar class action lawsuits pressing companies to pass on tariff refunds have been previously filed against FedEx, UPS and eyeglass importer EssilorLuxottica. The tariffs were announced in early April, and by mid-month, Nintendo had announced $5 price increases for controllers for the then-forthcoming Switch 2. In August, it raised the price of the original Switch. In their suit, the gamers cite comments from Nintendo executives connecting the tariffs to price increases. In May 2025, a month after the tariffs were imposed, Nintendo CEO Shuntaro Furukawa told investors “Our basic policy is that for any country or region, if tariffs are imposed, we recognize them as a part of the cost and incorporate them into the price.” Nintendo’s March lawsuit, along with tariff-recovery suits from hundreds of other companies was immediately put on hold pending the implementation of a refund system. The U.S. government announced the beginning of the refund process earlier this week. Companies could receive as much as $160 billion, per CNBC. In March 2026, after Nintendo filed its lawsuit to recover the cost of the tariffs, I asked the company if they planned to pass their refund on to customers who’d paid increased prices. The company’s response acknowledged the existence of the lawsuit but avoided answering that question: “We can confirm that we filed a request. We have nothing else to share on this topic.” Even a promise to consumers may not have spared Nintendo this week’s lawsuit. FedEx previously promised to pass its tariff refunds on to consumers. They’ve been sued over them anyway.
McLeod Health Holds Ribbon Cutting for New Pharmacy
McLeod Health held a ribbon cutting and open house on April 20, 2026, for its new McLeod Choice Pharmacy. The pharmacy officially opens
N.C. A&T Real Estate Foundation, Cone Health Hold Ribbon Cutting for The Resurgent
The North Carolina A&T Real Estate Foundation, in partnership with Cone Health, celebrated the ribbon cutting of The Resurgent.
Romanian President Holds Talks to Save Government From Collapse
Romanian President Nicusor Dan is holding talks with coalition parties to salvage the country’s teetering pro-European government, with the nation’s investment grade and billions of euros in European Union funding potentially hinging on the outcome.
Australian Gas Exporter Santos Streamlines Business to Cut Costs
Santos Ltd. is restructuring the company’s oil and gas business in order to cut costs, according to an internal notice seen by Bloomberg, after a string of stymied takeover bids in recent years that have raised pressure to increase shareholder returns.
Assessing Madison Square Garden Entertainment (MSGE) Valuation After New Impossible Foods Partnership
Madison Square Garden Entertainment (MSGE) is in focus after announcing a multiyear partnership with Impossible Foods. The deal introduces branded plant-based offerings, a dedicated Impossible Grille concession and expanded in-arena promotion across Knicks and Rangers home events. See our latest analysis for Madison Square Garden Entertainment. The stock is trading at $61.42 after a 9.37% 1 month share price return and 13.03% year to date share price return. The 1 year total shareholder...
Morrisey holds ceremonial signing for Small Business Growth Act
CHARLESTON – Gov. Patrick Morrisey held a ceremonial signing Tuesday for a bill – the first to pass the West Virginia Legislature during the recent session – that focuses on benefiting existing small businesses in the state. Morrisey held a ceremonial bill signing Tuesday afternoon for Senate Bill 1, creating the West Virginia First Small […]
SpaceX strikes $60 billion deal for right to buy coding startup Cursor
SpaceX announced a partnership with coding startup Cursor that will give Elon Musk's a major foothold in the AI coding race.
Warsh vows to keep monetary policy independent of politics
STORY: :: Fed chief nominee Warsh vows to keep monetary policy independent of politics:: Washington, D.C. / April 21, 2026:: Kevin Warsh, Federal Reserve chief nominee“Monetary policy independence is essential. Monetary policymakers must act in the nation's interest. Their decision is the product of rigor, deliberation and unclouded decision-making. And as Senator Warren said, I do not believe that independence of monetary policy is threatened when elected officials state their views on rates. Fed independence is up to the Fed." // :: Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Ranking Democrat on Senate Banking Committee“So, independence takes courage. Let's check out your independence and your courage. We'll start easy. Mr. Warsh, did Donald Trump lose the 2020 election?”WARSH: “Um, we try to keep politics, if I’m confirmed, out of the Federal Reserve.”WARREN: “I’m just asking you a factual question. I need to know. I need to measure your independence and your courage.”WARSH: “Senator, I believe that this body certified that election many years ago.”WARREN: “That’s not the question I’m asking. I’m asking did Donald Trump lose in 2020?”WARSH: “And I’m suggesting to you in 2020…”WARREN: “I’m suggesting you can’t answer that.”WARSH: “… the Fed had a huge inflation problem, and you certified the election…[crosstalk]… let’s keep the politics out of monetary policy.” //WARREN: "Just one little place where you disagree with Donald Trump.”WARSH: “Well, I do have a disagreement actually, Senator, with the president. I think even this morning, he said that he thought I was out of central casting. I think central casting, I'd look older, grayer, maybe show up here with a cigar of sorts.”WARREN: “Quite adorable. But, you know, we need a Fed chair who is independent. That's the only way we preserve the independence of the Federal Reserve. If you can't answer these questions, you don't have the courage and you don't have the independence.”In a confirmation hearing before the Senate Banking Committee that quickly hinted at major changes to come at a Warsh-led Fed, the 56-year-old lawyer and financier blamed the central bank for an inflation surge in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic that continues to hurt U.S. households.Warsh's hearing quickly turned contentious. Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren pressed Warsh on his independence and "courage", saying President Donald Trump had made clear Warsh would be his "sock puppet".
Shaky political science: using "simulated" elections over real-world elections
[Dear DSOS readers – this article is the latest in our “Shaky Political Science” series. In our 38 page report, “Shaky political ‘science’ misses mark on ranked choice voting,” released in early December, we examined over 40 studies focused on ranked choice voting. We found that many of these studies suffered from puzzling research methodologies, poorly constructed surveys, unrealistic simulated elections, cherry picked data, and faulty analyses that often were contradicted by results from real-world elections (a link to our full paper is here). Here are links to the first three articles in our series: the first one summarizing the overall results of our report, the second one analyzing a study co-authored by University of Minnesota academic Larry Jacobs, which was one of the most error-prone of all the research we reviewed in our report, and a third article showing an admirable example of two political scientists holding two other political scientists accountable for their flawed, sloppy research]. In this fourth article in our “Shaky Political Science” series, we shine a spotlight on seven studies that were web-hosted and funded by New America’s Political Reform Program and its Electoral Reform Research Group (the ERRG is an ad hoc committee headed by New America’s Political Reform Program and joined by the American Enterprise Institute, the Unite America Institute and Stanford University’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law). This research consortium has been led by Lee Drutman, senior fellow with New America’s Political Reform Program. These seven studies are simply not credible from any objective standard about how political “science” is supposed to illuminate our understanding of either ranked choice voting or politics in general. The feature that six of these seven studies have in common is that they all used surveys – artificial, simulated elections -- to attempt to say something cogent or interesting about ranked choice voting (RCV) elections. None of them used real world data from actual RCV elections – either the 1000+ elections in the US or the many thousands of elections from places like Australia, Ireland and elsewhere where RCV has been used for 100 years. While a few of these studies conclude with some mixed positives about RCV, our analysis here is content neutral. The idea that, with a political reform like RCV, you can ask respondents in a mock, artificial election to vote with that method, with only the barest of explanation about how RCV works or its likely impacts (i.e. no spoiler candidates, majority winners, voters liberated to pick their favorite candidates, coalition-building), and then ask them their thoughts/reactions about voting in that system, with fake candidates and no real campaigning, no real exposure to an actual election or actual candidates, rests on some very puzzling assumptions. The findings of these seven studies actually are contradicted by the findings from many other studies based on real-world RCV elections. These New America studies also failed to list the real-world RCV studies in their own citations, instead including those studies that reinforced their conclusions. The seven studies featured in this article were chosen because they form a cohesive cohort which precisely illustrates one of the main points of our research paper, namely that using surveys, i.e. artificial elections, or mathematical/theoretical models, instead of real-world data, is in fact “shaky political science.” Below are summaries of our analysis of five of the seven New America studies. You can read our complete analysis of all seven studies at our paper, “Shaky political ‘science’ misses mark on ranked choice voting.” Choosing to “Vote As Usual” by Andre Blais, Carolina Plescia, and Semra Sevi. New America. (Blais et al., 2021). This study, web-hosted and funded by New America’s Political Reform Program and its Electoral Reform Research Group, used two surveys in which respondents completed ballots for simulated elections using plurality, approval, RCV and point (Score) voting. In both cases the authors provided the respondents with only minimal explanation of each method. For example, the entire explanation for RCV was “For this vote, rank the candidates from your first to your last choice (you do not need to rank them all). This is called the ranked vote.” That’s it. The study did not provide any context or explanation to survey respondents about why she/he might want to rank multiple candidates. Participants were not even told that ballots would be tabulated using an “instant” runoff, not to mention any description of RCVs ability to eliminate the spoiler effect or liberate voters to rank their favorite candidates without fear of helping the “greater evil” candidate to win. That’s like taking an iPhone back in time to 1970 and asking someone if they like it better than their rotary phone without explaining how it works. Their first survey targeted states that held 2020 Super Tuesday Democratic primaries and used the real candidates’ names in the survey; the second survey used fictitious candidates. In other words, they surveyed respondents who had only ever participated in plurality elections, had no history or background with using RCV or any of the other methods, had no clue about its likely impacts, and did not communicate how the alternative methods would be counted, and then asked them: “How satisfied are you with using each system?” Predictably, the winner was plurality elections, the system used for president, Congress, gubernatorial and state legislative elections – in other words, the method they have been using, year after year, all their voting lives. With so little explanation of RCV and its impacts, this study is simply not credible in discovering anything useful about real-world RCV elections. It merely shows that a basic voter education campaign is needed when adopting a new election system. Additionally, the result contradicts many other post-election surveys following real RCV elections, asking opinions from voters who had just participated in a RCV election, that showed a great deal of satisfaction with RCV (see details on that in Studies 22-25 in our paper, as well as the four studies cited in the review for Study 28). Share Other studies on “satisfaction” and “understanding” make similar mistakes, in terms of basing their surveys on inadequate explanation to respondents and lack of education about context. How could any survey ever hope to measure accurately, in essence simulate a real-world election, without actual campaigning candidates, the media writing about those candidates, organizations endorsing candidates and voters being inundated with crucial information? More than anything, what these “studies” based on surveys show is that if you ask voters about something they don’t know very much about, and fail to adequately educate them, their responses will unsurprisingly reflect their confusion. Equally puzzling is that New America’s Electoral Reform Research Group, headed by political scientist Lee Drutman, found this to be a credible enough study that they not only published it but highlighted it in Drutman’s own discussion of research related to ranked choice voting. This pattern was repeated in study after study featured by New America’s Electoral Reform Research Group. For example in Ranked-Choice Voting and Political Expression: Voter Guides Narrow the Gap between Informed and Uninformed Citizens by Cheryl Boudreau, Jonathan Colner, and Scott MacKenzie, the researchers based their analysis on a survey which found that respondents who were asked to vote in a simulated RCV election, with minimal explanation of RCV or how it works, displayed less evidence of being informed about how to use RCV effectively, with the least informed voters ranking fewer candidates. As pointed out under the study above, in a real election voters are informed by a wide variety of methods, including public education by the election administration, by interested political groups, the media, and the candidates themselves who benefit from voters being aware of how to vote in the new system. In Support for Ranked-Choice Voting across Race and Partisanship by Joseph Anthony, David C. Kimball, Jack Santucci and Jamil Scott, the researchers used respondents from different parties and races voting in simulated plurality and RCV elections, who indicated their satisfaction with each voting method. Instead of using real world election results, the authors fell back on the easy, armchair and less reliable academic research methodology of making up mock elections. As with the other studies, little explanation was given of how RCV works or what its implications might be (electing majority winners or eliminating spoilers, for example). Unsurprisingly, this study found that respondents were not very satisfied with RCV. However, when the authors added an explanation that RCV has a tendency to elect more women and people of color, they found that this greater explanation increased the preference for RCV. The more voters were familiar with it, and the more they understood potential positive impacts – surprise! -- the more they were open to switching away from the status quo. Of note, the results from this study are thoroughly contradicted by a number of other studies whose data was obtained from real RCV elections with real voters. Those studies show a great deal of satisfaction with RCV. More “fake election” research An interesting wrinkle on this “research by fake elections” approach, which only served to illustrate how unreliable such “research” can become, was taken in Ranked-Choice Voting, Runoff, and Democracy: Insights from Maine and Other U.S. States by Joseph Cerrone and Cynthia McClintock_,_ also web-hosted and funded by New America’s ERRG. It gets high marks for creativity, but an eye-roll for thinking this could possibly add anything meaningful to our understanding of real world RCV elections. This study tried to determine whether RCV, plurality or two-round runoff elections provided greater voter satisfaction and acceptance of election results. To determine that, the authors conducted a survey asking if voters were satisfied with a fictional newspaper report of an election, with three different versions given to respondents – plurality, runoff and RCV, with variations of Republican/Democrat winners and variations of “come-from-behind” winners,” i.e. candidates not initially in first place but who win the “runoff.” Again, a minimal explanation of RCV or how it works was given, and the survey showed that respondents had the greatest unfamiliarity with RCV than the other methods. The unsurprising result? Respondents were much more satisfied with “come-from-behind” victories in a traditional two-round runoff election than in RCV, even though RCV is also a runoff system but with a single round of counting. Interestingly, the dissatisfaction with RCV disappeared for those who were more familiar with RCV. In fact, among those respondents who were “very familiar” with RCV, they were equally satisfied with RCV, runoff and plurality. Surprise, surprise. Again, what this study revealed, more than anything, is not only the inadequacy of the explanation for RCV given by the authors of this study, but the failure of the research format itself, thinking that such an artificial mock election could somehow simulate what actually happens in the real world in a real RCV election. Those four studies reviewed above are fitting examples of inadequate and shaky political “science.” Other studies reviewed in our paper from the New America/Electoral Reform Research Group cohort which also used mock elections included: Ranked-Choice Voting is an Acquired Taste by Joseph Anthony and David C. Kimball. New America. (Anthony et al., 2021). Ranked-Choice Voting is No Refuge for Extreme Candidates by Melissa Baker. New America. (Baker, 2021). Also included in this New America cohort is Does Ranked-Choice Voting Reduce Racial Polarization? by Yuki Atsusaka and Theodore Landsman, which actually did use real-world election results data but applied an odd and unconventional methodology to the data which relied on shaky assumptions and non-real-world scenarios that were too divorced from reality. To determine levels of “racially polarized voting,” the researchers imagined “ethnic parties,” by which they mean political parties for each ethnic group, which was especially odd since the election data they were using came from nonpartisan RCV races. But then they made an even odder assumption, namely that since race and ethnic characteristics of studied voters were not available, the authors tried to infer that information based on who voters selected and the racial make-up of voters in each district. This amounted to little more than vague and ambiguous guesswork dressed up with a bunch of mathematical equations used to give it a veneer of scientific appearance. Indeed, it seemed to assume racial polarization in order to prove racial polarization. Based on this questionable methodology, the authors concluded that RCV doesn’t reduce racial polarization. But the premise of this study missed an obvious reality: since RCV incentivizes more candidates to run and can result in more diverse fields of candidates, one would expect more racially-polarized voting in voters’ top rankings, not less, because more voters would have someone on that ballot who represents their racial or ethnic identity and more freedom to vote for their real first choice. By encouraging more diverse candidates and eliminating the spoiler effect, RCV facilitates voting for a favorite candidate of your own race and then selecting a second choice with the best likelihood of winning. The real measure is what voters do with their additional rankings – do they consider other candidates and vote “for the best of the rest”? This study didn’t tell us anything useful about that. But readily available data shows this is common in real RCV elections, and candidates act on this knowledge by engaging with voters outside their racial group. So the authors of this study failed to consider or account for what actually happens in real-world elections, and their conclusions are tainted by this failure. New America has contributed a great deal over the past 2.5 decades to our understanding of many policy areas, including politics and political reform (full disclosure: Steven Hill, one of the authors of this article and of the “Shaky Political Science” research paper and series, is a former senior fellow and former director of New America’s political reform program, 2005-2010). So it was especially disappointing that New America funded and published such a large batch of dubious studies about ranked choice voting. The stated praiseworthy goal of its Electoral Reform Research Group was to inspire new academic research about ranked choice voting that would shed light and help the public better understand the impacts of RCV. Instead, the ERRG research did just the opposite. It produced dubious research that created more confusion and misinformation. In so doing, New America’s political reform program contributed to “shaky political science.” Steven Hill and Paul Haughey Share Upgrade to $5 subscription Thanks for reading DemocracySOS, a reader-supported digital portal for the pro-democracy movement. Subscribe for only $5 per month to receive full benefits and to support our work. Subscribe
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