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My Biz: Marion auto repair business finds a European niche
The staff at EuroCare auto repair shop in Marion, Iowa, includes 6 factory-certified technicians who stay current with the needs of imported cars that tend to be more expensive but have expired warranties.
Curing U.S. Health Care, Part II
On March 23, 2010 President Barack Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act — usually referred to either as the Affordable Care Act or as Obamacare — into law. Joe Biden, then the vice president, could be overheard whispering “This is a big fucking deal.” And it was. The ACA, which went into full effect in 2014, created a system of subsidies and regulations designed to make health insurance available to many Americans who had previously been left out. It worked: In 2010 there were 47 million uninsured people in America, but by 2016 this number had dropped to 27 million. This still fell short of the universal health insurance that every other advanced nation has, but it was real progress. In 2017, during his first term, Donald Trump tried to destroy the ACA, replacing it with the American Health Care Act — legislation that would have eliminated most of the provisions that expanded health insurance under Obama. At the time the Congressional Budget Office projected that the G.O.P.’s replacement bill would nearly double the number of Americans without health insurance, increasing the total uninsured population by 23 million and undoing all of the progress achieved under the ACA. However, the attack on Obamacare failed by one vote in the Senate, and the ensuing public backlash against the G.O.P. delivered a large victory in the 2018 midterms to the Democrats. After these developments many observers assumed that the ACA had become a more or less permanent feature of American life. Such assessments, however, failed to take into account the deep hostility of the U.S. right toward policies that expand access to healthcare. As we’ll see, this hostility goes back generations. And the second Trump administration has taken actions that the CBO projects will add 16 million people to the rolls of the uninsured by 2034. How did we get here? And now what? Today’s primer will analyze the political economy of U.S. healthcare since the 1940s and the combination of danger and opportunity created by the current crisis. Beyond the paywall I will discuss the following: US health care on the eve of Trump II 80 years of US health politics The Obamacare story The new assault on healthcare
Real Madrid contacted former legendary manager to replace Xabi Alonso
Alvaro Arbeloa was the selected candidate to replace Xabi Alonso as the head coach of Real Madrid after the Spanish Super Cup in January.However, the former youth team manager has not enjoyed the best...
Watch Premier League highlights and analysis
Pundits Joe Hart and Wayne Rooney join host Gabby Logan to bring you the action and talking points from Friday and Saturday's Premier League fixtures. And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds: Brentford 3-0 West Ham United Newcastle United 3-1 Brighton Arsenal 3-0 Fulham
He spent 60 years building Black political power. He sees a wipeout coming.
Press Robinson, who years ago mounted a legal fight to become the first Black person elected to a Louisiana school board, was on the losing side of the Supreme Court case weakening the Voting Rights Act.
iOS 27 Camera Leaks: Every New AI Feature Revealed
Leaked iOS 27 features point to camera-first AI; business card capture can save contact details automatically, signaling broader device plans.
Yes, you should probably be nicer to your AI — here’s why that’s not as ridiculous as it sounds
You've probably felt it — that slightly hollow, going-through-the-motions quality when an AI interaction goes flat. Science is starting to explain why that happens, and who's responsible for it.
Max Verstappen reveals hidden factor behind Red Bull’s F1 turnaround
Verstappen has been surprised by Red Bull’s major step in Miami. The Dutchman reveals there is another factor at play besides the upgrades: during the F1 break, Red Bull discovered an issue in the steering system
Sooo ... About Last Night
Yesterday (Sat., May 2, 2026), Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) ventured forth to RAC Arena in Perth, Australia for UFC Perth. For the second time in as many weeks, the “Prelims” were bloody miserable! Fortunately, the action did pick up for the main card, which featured some truly impressive knockouts and strong showings. In fact, the […]
CISA Adds Actively Exploited Linux Root Access Bug CVE-2026-31431 to KEV
CVE-2026-31431 exploited in Linux since 2017, enabling root access via simple PoC, increasing container and cloud risks.
Manchester United ace ‘tempted’ to join Inter Miami this summer
Major League Soccer (MLS) club Inter Miami are interested in signing Manchester United star Casemiro. The Brazilian has already announced he will leave Old Trafford at the end of his contract this su...
Tekken 8 DLC character Kunimitsu launches May 27 for Season 3 Character Pass owners, June 1 for all
Tekken 8 Season 3 downloadable content character Kunimitsu will launch on May 27 for Season 3 Character Pass owners and Jun 1 for everyone else, Bandai Namco announced.
Kunimitsu trailer for Tekken 8, character releases for early access on May 28th
At the Tekken World Tour 2025 Finals back in January, Bandai Namco unveiled their Season 3 trailer which showed us that the game's third season will consist of Kunimitsu, Bob, Roger Jr. and a brand new character.As promised ...
'Good times are back' say Town fans after promotion
The Tractor Boys are celebrating promotion back to the Premier League and thoughts are already turning to next season.
How A.I. Is Transforming China’s Entertainment Industry
A.I.-generated microdramas have taken off. Celebrities have threatened legal action against the use of their likeness, while actors say jobs have dried up.
‘Water‑sowing’: When science and ancestral knowledge join forces to fight drought in the Venezuelan Andes
This ancestral practice combines reforestation, soil conservation, and the protection of frailejones — the tall, fuzzy Andean plants that harvest water — to capture fog and rain, recharge aquifers, and ensure the flow of rivers
New Raiders QB Fernando Mendoza non-committal about visiting White House with Indiana teammates
Mendoza said that he "can't miss practice," and was unsure if he had a conflict. The Raiders' OTAs start a week after Indiana's visit.
A Look At WEBTOON Entertainment (WBTN) Valuation As Genies Partnership Expands 3D Avatar Opportunities
WEBTOON Entertainment (WBTN) recently announced a partnership with AI avatar company Genies to bring its English platform characters into interactive 3D chat experiences, digital collectibles, and creator tailored avatar tools. See our latest analysis for WEBTOON Entertainment. The Genies partnership arrives after a sharp pickup in momentum, with WEBTOON Entertainment’s 30-day share price return of 35.79% and 7-day return of 18.96% lifting the latest price to $13.24. The 1-year total...
Inside Democratic Fundraiser ActBlue’s Big Spending and Internal Drama
The group faces investigations from the Justice Department and congressional Republicans six months before the 2026 midterms.
Minocqua Brewing owner Bangstad says he's launching run for governor
Liberal activist Kirk Bangstad said he is launching a campaign for governor, days after the FBI interviewed him over a Trump assassination remark.
Fargo physicist says Bluetooth headphones pose no health risk
Whether hitting the gym, walking the dog, or hopping on a bike, many people are wearing headphones. But with Bluetooth technology more popular than ever, some are asking if wireless headphones are actually safe.
Caitlin Clark stats, highlights tonight for Indiana Fever vs. Nigeria
Caitlin Clark scores 12 points in the first half for the Indiana Fever against Nigeria in WNBA preseason action: Stats, highlights, salary.
"Severance" star and Jackson State alum gives commencement speech. See photos
Jackson State University alum and "Severance" actor Tramell Tillman gives the graduation speech at Lee E. Williams AAC in Jackson, MS, on May 2, 2026.
‘The reality, for better or worse’: Columbia comp sci students and faculty grapple with AI’s disruption of the field
‘The reality, for better or worse’: Columbia comp sci students and faculty grapple with AI’s disruption of the field ‘The reality, for better or worse’: Columbia comp sci students and faculty grapple with AI’s disruption of the field A field that once seemed like a direct path to stable, lucrative work is becoming less certain under AI, students and faculty told Spectator. By Ria Vasishtha and Arjun Menon May 3, 2026 Shanying Liu / Deputy Illustrations Editor Asia Genawi, SEAS ’29, first encountered artificial intelligence during her sophomore year at her high school in Indiana. Back in 2023, policies on AI varied widely—even within the same district—and some schools had no guidance at all. As Genawi began to see the effects of AI trickle into her classroom, she turned to guidance from her home state’s Department of Education, which she said she found “outdated and inaccessible.” Genawi spent the rest of her high school career dedicated to the issue, including writing a 15-page memo exploring varying AI policies across Indiana schools, which she sent to every Indiana state senator and representative whose contact information she was able to find. She later helped draft a bill that would have required public high schools to establish and share their own AI policies with students in an accessible format. But with so many other bills already awaiting referral, hers never made it to committee. When Genawi arrived at Columbia to study computer science, she found that the gaps she had spent years trying to address in Indiana had followed her there. Many students and professors were also grappling with what AI meant for the field. Across Columbia’s undergraduate schools, computer science has become the most popular major—accounting for around 11 percent of degrees awarded in Columbia College, 32 percent in the School of Engineering and Applied Science, and 12 percent in the School of General Studies in 2024. While the number of computer science majors in SEAS grew from 166 to 173 during the 2024-25 academic year, the total number across the three schools fell around 4.5 percent from 393 to 375, driven by declines at Columbia College and General Studies. At Barnard, it has grown to become the second most popular major as of 2025, up from third the year prior. The number of degrees awarded have grown fivefold since 2016. Faculty members and students in the department told Spectator that the surge in the major’s popularity has been driven in large part by its apparent promise of a secure, well-paid career path. However, they noted that the recent rise of generative AI has compromised the sense of stability that once defined the field, even as interest in technical skills among students persists. According to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in 2024, out of 74 majors tracked, computer science had the fifth highest unemployment rate among majors at 7 percent, while computer engineering had the second highest at 7.8 percent. “Anecdotally, people are moving away from CS as a major,” Daniel Bauer, a senior lecturer in the computer science department, said. “They’re still taking some of our classes, right, because they think they need that, but they’re instead majoring in other things.” Bauer described a field that had shifted from what he called a “nerdy outlier discipline” to one that “everyone needs,” a sign that technical skills have become a baseline expectation across industries with the emergence of AI. “A lot of people thought, ‘Oh, it’s a guaranteed path to a stable income. You get a six-figure job right out of your undergrad,’” Bauer said. Now, companies may see AI as a way to reduce demand for entry-level programmers, especially in what he calls “code monkey jobs,” roles where a large number of employees are “just writing out code nine-to-five.” Chris Murphy, a senior lecturer in the computer science department, described the current moment as the convergence of two forces: the downturn of the job market and generative AI coming onto the scene. “Things kind of started to really pick up in 2014, 16,” he said, recalling the years after the weaker 2010 market. Murphy added that this was also a period where “students were getting more experience outside of class than they were inside of class” through internships, jobs, and side projects. Murphy suggested that the earlier momentum helped make computer science feel like both an academic program and a reliable pathway into work. That feeling is harder to sustain now as the industry reconfigures, which is a shift that students are seeing firsthand. Rebecca Yu, SEAS ’27, said that during a recent internship in Big Tech, she saw that “every single tech company was racing to integrate” large language models. She added that her manager said her intern class was the first to complete their assigned projects, which she attributed to the increased efficiency that comes with AI. Frank Liu, SEAS ’29, said that with AI lowering the barrier to coding, companies now expect everyone to write code. “A lot of companies outright say if you’re not using coding in your job, you might get fired for not being productive enough,” Liu said. Yu similarly expressed that students increasingly have to accept AI being a part of industry workflow, adding that many also “make use of it to maximize their productivity.” Richard Li, CC ’28, described a “franticness” among his peers as the pace of change accelerates. He explained how “some new tool” is released regularly, noting that tools rise and fall in prominence within weeks. He has come to believe that he doesn’t need to “match that speed all the time” and keep up with every development. Li has learned that AI tools allow him to “take a breath” and “get back into the loop much easier than before” when he needs to. While some companies specifically target Columbia when hiring, sending representatives to campus career fairs and recruiting large numbers from Columbia, a computer science degree cannot be treated as a static credential, Yu described. “You can’t just get your degree and stop learning after that. You have to always be learning,” Yu said. “That is something you basically have to expect for your job.” AI has not only affected students’ decisions to major in computer science, but also reshaped how the subject is taught. Across departments, faculty members no longer treat work done outside the classroom as a reliable measure of understanding, shifting instead toward in-person exams, quizzes, and attendance checks. While homework once made up as much as 60 to 70 percent of a student’s grade in computer science classes, Murphy said that breakdown has since flipped, with exams and quizzes now accounting for the majority. “The assumption—especially among pessimists—is that they’re using it to do their homework,” Murphy said. “They take the homework assignment. They put it into generative AI. Out comes the solution. Submit solution. The end.” Murphy said that faculty members ranged in their responses from fully prohibiting AI use to actively teaching students how to effectively work with AI. He said he shifted his approach this year after his teaching assistants called his belief that students weren’t using the technology “naïve,” and now permits students to use AI on assignments. His surveys of students in his introductory classes have told a more complicated story than the one so-called pessimists offer: Around 60 to 70 percent of students who reported using AI said they used it to have concepts explained to them, to clarify assignment instructions, to generate test cases, or to create practice questions. “Those are all ways that you might have had a tutor in the past to do that, and now you have this AI essentially as your tutor,” he said. Bauer has taken a different approach, teaching students how to use AI productively without sacrificing the core principles of the discipline. “People who are trained to actually use AI tools productively, while being in charge of designing the overall project, will be very much in demand in the next couple of years,” he said. Over the past year, a working group of computer science faculty has been redesigning the introductory and intermediate programming sequence to integrate generative AI as both a subject and a tool, representatives from SEAS wrote in a statement to Spectator. The effort is “coordinated” across the department, “not course-by-course,” with a systematic assessment of how AI integration is affecting student outcomes underway to shape the next round of changes. The goal, the department explained, is for students to be able to “read, verify, and reason about code, whether they or a model wrote it.” Tony Dear, senior lecturer in the computer science department, is piloting individualized AI feedback in a discrete mathematics course, while a machine learning course is also testing a Socratic AI dialogue system designed to “guide inquiry rather than supply answers,” the statement reads. Beyond individual courses, SEAS funded seven cross-departmental faculty projects in generative AI this past academic year, spanning biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, industrial engineering, and computer science, according to the statement. This phenomenon extends beyond the computer science department. SEAS’ new AI minor, which it announced in November 2025, reflects the University’s attempt to adapt. The minor is specifically designed for noncomputer science majors and aims to provide “essential AI knowledge” while emphasizing practical and responsible use across disciplines, according to the SEAS website. At the center of the minor is AI in Context, a course taught by a team of faculty from the departments of computer science, applied mathematics, philosophy, music, literature, and the Writing Center, the representatives told Spectator. Bauer described it as targeted at students who want to bring AI into fields like economics or biology, rather than as a path into software engineering itself. At the graduate level, SEAS announced a new Master of Science in artificial intelligence in February, with the inaugural cohort starting in the fall. While recognizing how AI has helped them navigate coursework, students also described its rise as isolating, even among members of the Application Development Initiative, one of Columbia’s largest computer science clubs. “As people start to ask AI for questions that they would normally ask students and members, it starts to isolate people” Li said. Alexa Kafka, BC ’27, echoed Li’s sentiment, pointing out that computer science has always been a collaborative discipline with code reviews and pull requests, even as AI makes independent work easier. Despite this, Kafka noted that she hasn’t been to office hours “in at least a year.” Bauer added that faculty are exploring long-term solutions to the assessment problem. “One of the things that we’re trying to do at the department or school level is to maybe move towards computerized testing facilities,” Bauer said, referring to ideas in the department to revitalize computer labs as an alternative to pen-and-paper exams. “We have to accept that this is the reality, for better or worse.” But more exams, students say, does not mean better learning, nor does it reflect how computer science is actually done. “Code is so variable and can be approached in so many directions, there’s never just going to be one correct answer. There can be multiple optimal solutions,” Kafka said. Students also expressed concern that the shift toward exam-heavy grading pulls focus away from the applied, project-based work that better reflects both discipline and industry expectations. ADI has tried to respond more quickly than the curriculum can. Through a vibe coding workshop this past semester, club members said they wanted to help students understand not just that AI exists, but how to use it deliberately. “Vibe coding” refers to the practice of prompting AI to write code for a task or project, and has become widespread enough that ADI felt the gap in formal instruction was worth addressing, according to Sophia Huang, BC ’29. The workshop introduced students to the concept of context engineering, which Shaina Sahu, SEAS ’27, described as not just writing a prompt, but optimizing “the rest of the relevant information that you would feed into the model.” Without that, students said that AI-generated code can fail at scale or introduce difficult-to-detect bugs. Genawi said the shift toward AI has changed what it means to be good at computer science. “I think the shift has kind of gone towards what can you create and what can you do, instead of, what do you know,” she said. Indeed, during ADI DevFest, its annual hackathon, Li said more teams are trying to complete their projects than in years past. While sign-ups have historically outpaced submissions, Li said this is beginning to change because teams “have a tool that completes the vision for them.” While many students see AI as an equalizer that lowers the barrier to entry for coding and technical work, Murphy said it also creates new equity concerns inside the classroom around who can afford stronger tools and who already knows how to use them. “The equity issues I worry about are students who have access to paid versions of things versus free versions of things,” he said. Although popular AI models like ChatGPT and Claude have free versions available, both have paid models that can reach over $100 per month, which output different qualities of code. Murphy also pointed to differences in prior exposure to AI literacy itself. “Students who go to high schools or K-12 education, where they’re taught AI literacy, prompt engineering, context engineering, they understand how to do this, as opposed to students who go to schools who don’t teach that,” he said. “Then they come in, and then they’re somehow expected to know how to use these tools.” For Genawi, those disparities begin long before students arrive on campus. “It’s very interesting to consider how lucky you were geographically,” she said. “To be born where you were is influencing your ability to get access to these spaces.” Students like Yu, though broadly apprehensive about the future of computer science, are not without hope. “I’m optimistic, because I think if you’re truly passionate about CS, there will definitely be a place in the field to do something you want to do,” she said. Senior Staff Writer Ria Vasishtha can be contacted at ria.vasishtha@columbiaspectator.com. Follow Spectator on X @ColumbiaSpec. Staff Writer Arjun Menon can be contacted at arjun.menon@columbiaspectator.com. Follow Spectator on X @ColumbiaSpec. Want to keep up with breaking news? Subscribe to our email newsletter and like Spectator on Facebook. Produced with Spectate by Emily Ta
2-alarm fire reported on USF St. Petersburg campus
The scene is active and a cause is under investigation.
State redistricting battles intensify following U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Voting Rights Act
A Supreme Court decision striking down a majority Black congressional district in Louisiana has amplified an already intense national redistricting battle. Here’s a look at how some states are responding.
HER Sports Day gives Charlottesville girls opportunity to explore athletics
Whether on the field or on the court, the sixth annual HER Sports Day gave girls the opportunity to practice, play, and explore athletics.
HER Sports Day gives Charlottesville girls opportunity to explore athletics
Whether on the field or on the court, the sixth annual HER Sports Day gave girls the opportunity to practice, play, and explore athletics.
HER Sports Day gives Charlottesville girls opportunity to explore athletics
Whether on the field or on the court, the sixth annual HER Sports Day gave girls the opportunity to practice, play, and explore athletics.
These Are The 10 Quickest Factory-Stock Porsches Ever Tested
The 918 Spyder and 991.1 Turbo S are iconic cars, but they have some serious company now. Here are the 10 quickest Porsches to ever hit the road.
Kentucky Derby 2026 predictions, odds, betting advice: Win, place, show, exacta, trifecta, superfecta picks
Jody Demling has revealed his win, place and show picks for the Kentucky Derby 2026 on Saturday, May 2
Universal Health Services Adds Talkspace To Expand Virtual Behavioral Health Reach
Universal Health Services (NYSE:UHS) is acquiring virtual therapy provider Talkspace to build a virtual behavioral health platform. The transaction is aimed at supporting outpatient growth and extending UHS's reach beyond its traditional inpatient and facility based network. The company expects the deal to be accretive within 12 months and sees a multi year opportunity tied to digital care and operational efficiencies. For investors following NYSE:UHS, this move adds a digital layer to a...
Diet soda's mixed science and how to kick the habit
The research on diet sodas has about as much clarity as a glass of Diet Coke. Here's a quick guide by PolitiFact to navigating the low-calorie beverage menu — and weaning yourself off sweet, fizzy sodas, if you’re ready.
Diet soda's mixed science and how to kick the habit
The research on diet sodas has about as much clarity as a glass of Diet Coke. Here's a quick guide by PolitiFact to navigating the low-calorie beverage menu — and weaning yourself off sweet, fizzy sodas, if you’re ready.
Phillies activate catcher J.T. Realmuto from injured list
The Philadelphia Phillies activated catcher J.T. Realmuto from the injured list on Saturday. “He’s back and good to go,” interim manager Don Mattingly said. Protect J.T. from the standpoint of running him out there a lot.
New in-game animation for Ingrid shown off by Street Fighter 6 Director
Ingrid is the final character coming to Season 3 of Street Fighter 6. She'll become available for players to use starting on May 28, 2026.The Street Fighter 6 developers recently treated fans to Ingrid's pre-fight animations. Evidently ...
Brentford 3-0 West Ham: What Nuno said
Brentford is a very good team but the way we react and play the first half, hitting the post, having a goal disallowed for a tight margin, it gives us hope at half-time. West Ham have failed to score in three consecutive Premier League away games for the first time since April 2019 under Manuel Pellegrini (3).
Analysis: Perfect display sets up Champions League test
This match could not have gone any better for Arsenal and Mikel Arteta. With Manchester City having been in FA Cup action last week and not playing until Monday, they made the most of their chance to extend their lead in top spot and ease relieve some of the tension. Boss Arteta has to be given credit for taking what could be perceived as risk by playing left-back Myles Lewis-Skelly in midfield for the first time and leaving out Martin Zubimendi, who has played the most minutes of any outfielder in the Gunners squad.
Privacy law is being weaponized against small businesses
When a 1960s law is being used to shake down small businesses over ordinary website tools, something has gone badly off course, and it is time for Sacramento to act.
Ranking college football's toughest 2026 schedules for top CFP contenders after spring practices
Which College Football Playoff contenders have the toughest roads in 2026?
Race tightens between cybersecurity pros in healthcare and cyber bad guys everywhere
Frustratingly to hospital leadership, the upward trajectory in attacks and harms is happening despite healthcare’s striving—and spending—to be more proactive with defensive measures.
Bradley Airport reacts to Spirit Airlines going out of business
The company had left a presence on the airport for several years.
‘Action Is Needed’—Microsoft Changes Windows Update In 10 Days
Microsoft's critical Secure Boot security is about to expire on more than 1 billion PCs. Here's what to do.
Report raises alarm about widespread tanning myths ahead of summer
That “healthy-looking glow” might actually be skin damage. A new report highlights common misunderstandings about tanning and skin cancer.
UISD launches Mental Health Fairs in May
One in five young people struggles with a mental health condition, and United ISD is taking action.
Country star Louie TheSinger, actors and more join 'Horses for Mental Health' campaign
Texas-born Country Star Louie TheSinger is saddling up to spotlight how horses can play a role in mental health support.
Better late than never, Oregon is acting on junk science in the courtroom
SB 1515 helps ensure that Oregonians convicted using the forensic equivalent of haruspicy finally have a remedy.
Gwen Farrell Adair Dies: ‘M*A*S*H*’ Star Was 94
The actress played several nurses in the '70s TV series.
Gwen Farrell Adair Dies: ‘M*A*S*H*’ Star Was 94
The actress played several nurses in the '70s TV series.
The 5 most top-secret places governments and scientists have locked away | BBC Science Focus Magazine
From sites housing deadly materials to the locations of precious artefacts, here's the science behind some of Earth's most restricted areas
Sports Illustrated Revel at the Races party draws athletes, influencers
NFL athletes, dramatic actresses and rising influencers all showed up to the black carpet May 1 at Sports Illustrated's Revel at the Races party.
Georgia resident used phony office for millions in D.C. contracts, lawsuit says
D.C.’s attorney general filed a lawsuit alleging that a Georgia resident has for years fraudulently claimed his company qualifies as a D.C.-based, resident-owned business.
Black Americans face a new fight for racial representation after justices' Voting Rights Act ruling
A generation of Black Americans across the South fought in courtrooms and in the streets during the Civil Rights Movement to dismantle barriers to voting
The politics of Trump's ballroom
WEST PALM BEACH, Florida — President Trump was about a half-hour into his second speech of the day, musing about the danger he faced last week at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. “Saturday night, it was good for one thing. People are loving my ballroom now,” Trump told a crowd last night. “That’s the only thing. They love my ballroom.” Ever since he was hustled off stage at the Washington Hilton last week, after an attempted shooter breached the dinner’s security perimeter and sent guests diving to the floor, the president has argued that the incident is proof for why his White House ballroom is needed. Only his planned $400 million, 90,000-square-foot project, Trump has reasoned, can keep a president truly safe at major events. It’s true that a bunch of GOP lawmakers have jumped on board with new legislation and words of support for Trump’s project. House Speaker Mike Johnson, Sen. Rand Paul and other prominent Republicans went on TV to talk about the need for a ballroom. But as we reported at The Washington Post this week, “people” aren’t really changing their minds on Trump’s ballroom. A new Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll found that most Americans still oppose the ballroom project: 56 percent against it versus 28 percent in favor. The numbers are the same as a poll from last year, the Post’s polling whiz Scott Clement found. Other new polls have found similar margins, too. “I’m just not a giant fan, especially of extravagance,” one independent voter told me. “I mean, in the era we’re in right now, given how much people are struggling, it just doesn’t make a lot of sense to me to spend $400 million on a ballroom.” How we got here The Washington Post has followed Trump’s ballroom project very closely. (My colleague Jonathan Edwards may have written the most total words of any reporter about the project; I may be second.) The project exploded as a national issue after Trump tore down the White House’s East Wing after initially promising not to touch it.1 Historic preservationists sued, and about a month ago, a federal judge ordered a halt to ballroom construction.2 The only way the ballroom could proceed, U.S. District Judge Richard Leon ruled, was if Congress explicitly authorized Trump’s plans. (An appeals court has stayed Leon’s order for now.) The judge’s ruling raised an obvious question: would Congress authorize the project? Keep in mind, “authorization” doesn’t mean that Congress needs to necessarily fund the planned $400 million project; they could just sign off on the private donations that Trump has solicited to pay for the ballroom.3 But GOP lawmakers really didn’t want to talk about the ballroom, we reported at The Post just a few weeks ago. One major reason was the ballroom’s bad polling — not a small detail with many of their own midterm elections looming. The White House Correspondents’ Dinner incident, and Trump’s advocacy, may have changed the political conversation around the ballroom. As this week’s polling shows, it doesn’t seem to have affected the fundamental questions surrounding the project. To put it another way, voters still say that cost-of-living concerns are top-of-mind heading into the midterms. Some Republican and independent voters have told me that they see the ballroom as a vanity project that will help Trump but do nothing for their own lives. It might not help Republicans that Trump has dismissed some of the cost-of-living concerns. He’s described “affordability” as a buzzword manufactured by Democrats whose policies helped cause inflation. “They’ve got one good line of bullshit,” Trump said in his first speech yesterday, delivered at a Florida retirement community known as The Villages. Thanks for reading Dan Diamond's newsletter! Subscribe for free to stay up-to-date on my work. Subscribe Speaking of Trump’s speeches… I’m down in Florida because it’s my “duty week” as a White House reporter — basically, I follow the president wherever he goes. (And then hand the baton off to one of my Washington Post colleagues next week.) As part of my duty week, I’ve spent a few days covering the White House’s reaction to Saturday’s attempted shooting, including officials’ review of the security protocols to protect the president. Trump was restrained in the wake of the incident, addressing the nation from the White House briefing room about the need for peaceful dialogue and trying to lower the temperature. But he’s clearly been itching to get back out of the White House, and I was curious to hear how his Florida speeches would go. And — to my ears — it was an unburdened Trump. Not the one we saw Saturday night in the White House briefing room, but the one we witnessed on the campaign trail in 2024. Loose, dropping profanities, mocking everyone, including members of his team. “We have a man here who knows more about Medicaid, Medicare, medical crap than any human being. Where’s Dr. Oz? Where the hell are you, stand up,” Trump said, referring to Mehmet Oz, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. “It’s the most boring trip I’ve ever made. He’s telling me about Medicare, Medicaid. All I want to do is take care of you, I don’t care. I said, ‘You work out the details.’” I wrote up the speech, as Trump headed to West Palm Beach to deliver more remarks a few hours later. The White House didn’t like my story. Their rapid-response team called it the work of a “total loser”4 and “a miserable TDS-ridden moron.” You can be the judge of whether it’s a fair story or the product of someone afflicted with “TDS.” (The White House’s shorthand for “Trump Derangement Syndrome.”) I’ve pasted the story below with a gift link, meaning that you don’t need to be a Washington Post subscriber to read it. It might prompt you for an email address, though. Meanwhile, I’ll be down in Florida for the rest of the weekend, covering the president. It’s TBD whether those stories will be deemed TDS-afflicted, too. 1 Jonathan details the past six months of ballroom fallout, reactions and the implications for executive authority here. I also had a great time talking about Trump’s ballroom and other projects with Australia’s ABC News Daily on a podcast this week. 2 The judge allowed underground construction and national security-related work to continue. But that hasn’t been enough for Trump, who says the ballroom itself is essential for his protection. 3 The ballroom donors include companies like Palantir, Google and Amazon. For transparency, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos owns The Washington Post, where I work. No one has ever interfered with our team’s coverage of the ballroom or our mentions of Amazon or Bezos, and if that changed, I’d speak out. 4 To be fair, I’ve spent the morning working on stories and writing this Substack post rather than enjoying the beautiful Florida weather. So they may be onto something about who’s winning and who’s losing.
Black Americans face a new fight for racial representation after justices' Voting Rights Act ruling
A generation of Black Americans across the South fought in courtrooms and in the streets during the Civil Rights Movement to dismantle barriers to voting.
Black Americans face a new fight for racial representation after justices' Voting Rights Act ruling
A generation of Black Americans across the South fought in courtrooms and in the streets during the Civil Rights Movement to dismantle barriers to voting.
Black Americans face a new fight for racial representation after justices' Voting Rights Act ruling
A generation of Black Americans across the South fought in courtrooms and in the streets during the Civil Rights Movement to dismantle barriers to voting.
🚨 Need a miracle? Heidenheim are doing plenty against Bayern
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Local teams stay busy this week
Davis-area teams will see heavy action beginning on Sunday.
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‘This is just Jim Crow 2.0’ Rep. Bennie Thompson reacts to Voting Rights ruling
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Titans Rookie Minicamp Photos
See the Top Images from the Titans Rookie Minicamp practice on Saturday at Vanderbilt Health Football Center
Boosting one protein helps the brain fight Alzheimer’s
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The long shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic creeps into the race for Ohio governor
Democrat Amy Acton is running unopposed in her party’s primary for Ohio governor, but she’ll face some steep challenges in the November general election
The long shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic creeps into the race for Ohio governor
Democrat Amy Acton is running unopposed in her party’s primary for Ohio governor, but she'll face some steep challenges in the November general election.
The long shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic creeps into the race for Ohio governor
Democrat Amy Acton is running unopposed in her party’s primary for Ohio governor, but she'll face some steep challenges in the November general election.
Where to Wear Your Fitness Tracker for the Most Accurate Health Data
Where (and how) you wear your health tracker can impact your data accuracy. Here's what researchers say matters most.
Taco Mundo Kitchen y Cantina hosts eighth annual Cinco de Mayo celebration in North Myrtle Beach
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Nashville mayor considers cash incentives for Starbucks in rare move
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"We are killing them all over again": Critics say history is being erased as Trump reshapes narratives at national parks
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Column: Let’s get nostalgic
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UFC Perth live results, highlights and play-by-play
UFC Perth results, highlights, live discussion and instant play-by-play, reactions and analysis.
Cesar Chavez Boulevard signs removed impacting local businesses a second time
A corridor in southeast Fresno is undergoing another name change, impacting local businesses as the city removes and replaces hundreds of Cesar Chavez street signs.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 to Lenny Henry: your complete entertainment guide to the week ahead
Meryl Streep stars in the long-awaited sequel to the fashion-industry hit, and the comic, actor and bona fide national treasure returns to the stage
Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves DLC character Mr. Karate announced
SNK has announced Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves Season 2 downloadable content character Mr. Karate from Art of Fighting. He will launch in May.
Challenger Owens outraises incumbent Dumas in commissioner primary
The Democratic primary for Hamilton County commissioner attracted donations from prominent officials including FC Cincinnati CEO Jeff Berding.
Rapid Reaction: Indiana stomps Northwestern 9-2 at Wrigley Field
The ‘Cats fall to 3-2 at the Friendly Confines.
India vs France in Thomas Cup semifinal, World Relays begins with 5 Indian teams in action; double header in ISL: Indian Sports LIVE, May 2
Here are all the updates from Indian sports on May 2, 2026.
Cirque du Luxe brings circus entertainment to Spartanburg
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Protesters march through South Minneapolis, carry political signs
Activists and demonstrators marched through South Minneapolis with political signs and chants.
Civil rights pioneers of the sky: Pan Am's first Black flight attendants reunite
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 forced airlines to end discriminatory hiring practices.
Doctor explains how using too many health trackers can cause stress
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Two more Southern states move toward adding Republican House seats
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Mr. Karate revealed for Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves though he looks a bit different now
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EastEnders: Actor on Ravi's mental health story 'for everyone'
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NASA to increase value of CLPS contract to support surge of lunar lander missions
NASA is planning to increase the total value of a contract for robotic lunar lander missions to support a proposed surge in flights for a moon base.
Democrat on Supreme Court’s Voting Rights Act reasoning: We’re not in a ‘colorblind society’
The Iran War Is Terminated Because Trump Said So
Pro tip, Mr. President: If you are still blockading ports, that's an act of war.
Study: AI models that consider user's feeling are more likely to make errors
Overtuning can cause models to "prioritize user satisfaction over truthfulness.”...
Everyone loves Ella Langley. Everything else about country music is up for debate.
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Alabama becomes second state to move to redraw maps after Supreme Court ruling
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey on Friday announced the Republican-controlled state legislature will hold a special session next week to pave the way for redistricting – becoming the second state to take action following the Supreme Court’s decision further weakening the Voting Rights Act.
Gillibrand rallies with labor unions, pushes Faster Labor Contracts Act
She rallied in Rochester with Teamsters Local 118 and in Syracuse with IBEW Local 43.
Gillibrand rallies with labor unions, pushes Faster Labor Contracts Act
She rallied in Rochester with Teamsters Local 118 and in Syracuse with IBEW Local 43.
Maine nurses demand Maine Health cancel its contract with Palantir Technologies
Maine Medical Center Nurses are demanding that Maine Health cancel its contract with Palantir Technologies, the tech company powering ICE surveillance.
Apple Appears To Have Discontinued Its Cheapest Mac Mini
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