BY DAN RATHER AND TEAM STEADY

Democratic socialist Melat Kiros, the newly elected Democratic nominee for Colorado’s first congressional district. Credit: Getty Images

Despite what you may hear from the president, the rise of democratic socialism is a far cry from the “godless communists” he claims are taking over the Democratic Party.

Donald Trump would have you believe Karl Marx is on the ballot. But today’s socialists are not the old school communists who demanded …

As America celebrates its independence, Washington quietly prepares for political war, where subpoenas replace fireworks and the real battle for power begins after Election Day.

Tonight, families will gather beneath exploding fireworks, children will wave sparklers, and politicians will post the obligatory photos pretending they still agree on what this country actually stands for.

Enjoy it.

Because if Democrats retake the House, the Senate, or, if the political gods are feeling especially mischievous, both, these …

"When You Know… You Know" launches on WABC, where I will bring The Tired Majority behind the curtain; no script, no spin, just uncomfortable truths and surprises.

For about a week now, I’ve been telling you that a major announcement was coming.

Well… the cat got out of the bag a few days early.

And honestly? That’s exactly how we wanted it.

I’m excited to tell you that I’m joining WABC 77 Talk Radio, where …

The headlines scream failure. The experts predict war. But beneath the chaos sits a negotiating strategy I watched unfold countless times before.

Let me tell you something that I learned after spending more than a decade inside Donald Trump’s orbit: never confuse the noise with the strategy.

The media does it all the time.

They see chaos and assume there’s no plan. They see contradictory statements and assume indecision. They see a deadline slip and …

By Michael Cohen — via Substack

If you think Washington is a shit show today, you haven’t seen anything yet.

Everyone is obsessed with November. The polls. The fundraising. The horse race. But inside Washington, that’s not the conversation that’s keeping people awake at night. The conversation already happening behind closed doors is about January 2027.

Who gets the gavels?

Who chairs Judiciary?

Who takes Oversight?

Who inherits Homeland Security?

Who controls Intelligence?

Who gets …

By Michael Cohen — via Substack

There are certain movies that stick with you because the ending is so absurdly destructive that you almost forget how funny the journey was. The War of the Roses is one of them. Kathleen Turner. Michael Douglas. A marriage that begins with champagne and ends with two people literally destroying everything they own because neither is willing to blink.

If I had to describe the diplomatic relationship between the …

By Michael Cohen — via Substack

There’s an old expression about making a terrible mistake: don’t shoot yourself in the foot.

Simple enough. One bad decision. One self-inflicted wound. A painful lesson.

What we’re watching unfold inside today’s Democratic Party isn’t that.

This looks more like someone discovered the selector switch on a fully automatic weapon and decided their own foot was an acceptable target.

Historically, American politics follows a remarkably predictable rhythm. The party …

By Michael Cohen — via Substack

If politics had a pressure gauge, primary season would be the moment it stops measuring anything useful and just starts vibrating in place.

What’s happening inside the Democratic Party right now isn’t one story. It’s several, unfolding simultaneously in different states, under different conditions, all feeding into the same uncomfortable realization: there is no shared agreement on what “winning” is supposed to look like anymore.

Colorado is just the …

Democrats Surge Left in Primaries as Insurgent Wins Shake Establishment Control, Raising Alarm Over Party Unity and November Electability Risks Across Key Battleground Districts

If politics had a pressure gauge, primary season would be the moment it stops measuring anything useful and just starts vibrating in place.

What’s happening inside the Democratic Party right now isn’t one story. It’s several, unfolding simultaneously in different states, under different conditions, all feeding into the same uncomfortable realization: …

As Democrats embrace candidates Republicans could only dream of running against, history's easiest congressional victory risks becoming one of the party's most devastating self-inflicted defeats.

There’s an old expression about making a terrible mistake: don’t shoot yourself in the foot.

Simple enough. One bad decision. One self-inflicted wound. A painful lesson.

What we’re watching unfold inside today’s Democratic Party isn’t that.

This looks more like someone discovered the selector switch on a fully automatic weapon …

Like every toxic marriage, this relationship survives another day, while the rest of the world nervously wonders who throws the next plate; or missile.

There are certain movies that stick with you because the ending is so absurdly destructive that you almost forget how funny the journey was. The War of the Roses is one of them. Kathleen Turner. Michael Douglas. A marriage that begins with champagne and ends with two people literally destroying everything …

Behind closed Capitol doors, lawmakers aren't merely discussing victory, they're preparing investigations that could dominate headlines, consume government, and reshape American politics for years.

If you think Washington is a shit show today, you haven’t seen anything yet.

Everyone is obsessed with November. The polls. The fundraising. The horse race. But inside Washington, that’s not the conversation that’s keeping people awake at night. The conversation already happening behind closed doors is about January 2027.

Who …

Years working beside Trump taught me one thing: challenge him publicly, and retaliation follows. Iran just learned that lesson the dangerous way.

There are moments when knowing Donald Trump isn’t a gift. It’s a burden.

People often ask me how I seem to predict what he’ll do next. The truth isn’t magic, clairvoyance, or some secret decoder ring left behind in Trump Tower. It’s experience. When you’ve spent years watching someone treat every negotiation like …

While America obsesses over viral distractions, the Supreme Court quietly hands Trump the legal blueprint to permanently reshape immigration, executive power, and constitutional norms forever.

Politics has become America’s favorite reality show.

Every day there’s a new shiny object. One day it’s a reflection pool. The next it’s speculation about Donald Trump’s health. Then it’s cable news breathlessly counting how many people walked out before the end of his speech celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. Social …

As Washington celebrates competing victories over Iran, exhausted Americans see something darker: a political system where everyone claims triumph while public trust collapses.

Within the next two weeks, I’ll be making an announcement that I know will generate strong reactions.

Some people will love it. Some will hate it. And because this is America in 2026, plenty will criticize it before they’ve even heard what it is.

For now, I’m asking for a little patience.

…

New York Democrats didn't just move left; they detonated their own political foundation, toppling party giants and unleashing a revolution that could reshape America forever.

There’s an old saying in politics: when your opponents are busy fighting each other, get out of the way and let them continue.

Right now, somewhere in Republican headquarters, somebody is framing that quote.

Because what just happened inside New York’s Democratic Party wasn’t a disagreement. It wasn’t a debate. …

As New York grows more expensive, more congested, and increasingly unlivable, Democratic candidates keep promising to defeat Donald Trump while voters wonder who will save their city.

As I prepare to head out this morning to vote in New York’s 12th Congressional District, I have a confession to make: if I see one more campaign ad promising to “take on Donald Trump,” I may throw my television out the nearest window.

Not because I support …

While Americans battle inflation, debt, and uncertainty, the world's most powerful billionaires, politicians, and influencers quietly gather behind closed doors shaping tomorrow.

In America, if a group of competing CEOs gathers in a hotel ballroom and decides how to divide markets, suppress competition, or coordinate behavior, prosecutors have a name for it: collusion.

If they get caught, they can face fines, lawsuits, and even prison.

That’s because we all understand a simple truth: when powerful …

By Robert Reich

Friends,

On this July 4 — the 250th anniversary of the start of this country — many people, including the current occupant of the Oval Office, believe that celebrating America means waving the flag or standing for the national anthem or shouting, “America First.”

That’s not what real patriotism is.

Real patriotism means sacrificing to keep America going.

It means paying taxes proportional to your wealth. I’m talking to you, Donald Trump, …

By Robert Reich

Searching for what should be celebrated at our 250th anniversary

Friends,

As we prepare to mark the nation’s 250th birthday, I hope you’ll forgive me if I fill part of your inbox today with some thoughts about what’s worth celebrating — the American common good.

America’s common good consists of our shared values about what we owe one another as citizens bound together in the same society — the norms we voluntarily …

By Robert Reich — via Substack

Friends,

Today’s Supreme Court decision ending the independence of independent regulatory agencies, and directly overruling a court precedent, was justified by a pernicious idea advocated by the conservative Supreme Court majority — that the framers of the Constitution envisioned a so-called “unified executive.” In fact, the framers central focus was to prevent a United States president from becoming too powerful — like the king they were displacing — so …

By Robert Reich — via Substack

Friends,

Today, the Supreme Court struck down Trump’s Day One executive order canceling the right to birthright citizenship. Good. That executive order declared that children born in the U.S. would not be considered citizens if their parents were living in the country illegally or were visiting the country on temporary visas.

The executive order never took effect. It was quickly blocked by multiple lower courts because it appeared to …

By Robert Reich — via Substack

Friends,

In one of the most notable upsets of the Democratic primaries so far, Democratic Socialist Melat Kiros, 29, yesterday won the nomination over incumbent Rep. Diana DeGette to represent Colorado’s hotly-contested First Congressional District.

I expect to see more stories about how the Democratic Socialists of America are taking over the Democratic Party. In New York last week, nine of 10 candidates endorsed by the DSA won primaries …

By Robert Reich — via Substack

Friends,

In financial disclosures released Tuesday, Trump reported earning more than $1.4 billion last year from his several cryptocurrency ventures.

All told — including other parts of his vast holdings, such as his real estate assets —Trump pulled in at least $2.2 billion last year. That compares to a roughly $622 million his enterprises raked in for all of 2024, before he returned to the presidency.

In other words, …

By Robert Reich

The source of the new energy taking over the Democratic Party isn't Democratic Socialism. It's something far more exciting

Friends,

In one of the most notable upsets of the Democratic primaries so far, Democratic Socialist Melat Kiros, 29, yesterday won the nomination over incumbent Rep. Diana DeGette to represent Colorado’s hotly-contested First Congressional District.

I expect to see more stories about how the Democratic Socialists of America are taking over the Democratic …

By Robert Reich

The Supreme Court majority throws out the New Deal and much else

Friends,

First of all, you should know that I spent five years of my life advising the commissioners of the Federal Trade Commission how they could best protect Americans from monopolies and deceptive corporate practices.

I’m proud of the work the FTC did then, and proud of much of what it’s accomplished since then. When I served there, the chair …

By Robert Reich

The putative presidential candidate is even more skilled at demagoguery

Friends,

JD Vance said on Friday that the U.S. wins “either way” in negotiations with Iran. “If we make the final deal, then great,” Vance told HBO’s Bill Maher. “If we don’t make the final deal, their nuclear program is still destroyed. They’re still much weaker as a country.”

Just hours after Vance’s appearance on HBO, Iran launched attack drones on Bahrain …

By Robert Reich

<p style="text-align: left"

Friends,

For the next seven days, most of America will be engaged in celebrating the birth of our nation 250 years ago.

Trump wants to use this occasion for his insatiable ego by putting his name and face everywhere he can. His grandiosity is boundless; his narcissism, loathsome.

Others may use the anniversary to celebrate the good things America has accomplished over two and a half centuries. Fine.

But …

By Robert Reich

A guide to the perplexed

Friends,

I keep getting phone calls from politicians wanting to know what I make of the extraordinary victories at the polls this week of young Democratic Socialists. Here’s what I tell them:

The most powerful force in both the Republican and Democratic Parties today is anti-establishment populism. It’s roughly similar to the late 19th century when the Populist Party challenged the dominance of corporate elites, national banks, …

By Robert Reich

They're making him even more erratic and dangerous

Friends,

Nothing makes Trump angrier than being humiliated. Humiliation involves public shame, which Trump’s malignant narcissism cannot abide.

But Trump is facing humiliation after humiliation. They’re causing him to lose his mind even faster than before.

The Iranian regime knows this, which is why it’s publicly humiliating Trump by contradicting everything he says about making progress on the peace talks.

Yesterday, Iran went further. …

By Robert Reich

Today

Friends,

Today I start my ninth decade on earth. It’s astounding and distressing, but I suppose it’s better than the alternative.

In his latter years, my father would always answer my weekly phone question, “How are you, Dad?” with a brisk “Still here!”

Several of my joints ache, I can’t remember shit, I can no longer do 20 pushups at a clip, several good friends have passed, my bald spot is …

By Robert Reich

Democrats must take on America's oligarchs. Here's how.

Friends,

The last time Americans faced such overwhelming evidence that the monied interests were screwing them over was the Great Crash of 1929 and ensuing Great Depression, resulting in the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt, starting in 1933.

The one silver lining of the current Trump-Musk-Bezos-Ellison-Murdoch-Koch horror show is that most Americans now know beyond any reasonable doubt that they’re on the losing side …

By Robert Reich

His pick to head OSHA must start vigorously protecting workers — or be fired

Friends,

Some 163 million people in the U.S. live in areas that experienced dangerous heat on Thursday, according to the National Weather Service — sending “heat risk” forecasts in major cities (including New York, Washington, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Atlanta) into the most extreme risk category through Saturday.

Part of the reason is the planet is warming dangerously, but …

By Heather Cox Richardson — via Substack

“To show the importance of the Slaughter Case, 90 years of precedent has been COMPLETELY AND UNEQUIVOCALLY OVERRULED, greatly increasing Presidential Power at a time when it is most needed!” President Donald J. Trump wrote this afternoon. He continued: “Today’s Historic Slaughter Decision by the Supreme Court is the Greatest Increase in Presidential Power in the last 100 years. Such a Monumental Ruling at such an important time!”

…

By Heather Cox Richardson — via Substack

On January 20, 2025, the day he took the oath of office a second time, President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order titled “Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship.” Fulfilling a campaign promise, the order declared that, contrary to the Fourteenth Amendment, individuals born in the United States are not citizens if their parents do not have legal permanent status.

With the help of the …

By Robert Reich

Will Republican candidates be penalized by the war's failure?

Friends,

We’re coming to the end of Trump’s war in Iran, mainly because Trump is under huge pressure to lower gas prices and prevent additional inflation before the midterms. He was elected in 2024 mainly to reduce prices, yet prices are now 4.2 percent higher than they were at this time a year ago. Pay hasn’t kept up, meaning most Americans are poorer.

…