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U.S. Vice President JD Vance

The Feigned Confusion of JD Vance: Erasure by Design

A miniature residence of the President of the United States, the White House, against the backdrop of 100 US dollar bills.

Trump’s State Capitalism Marks a Radical Break in U.S. Policy

a house made of brown cardboard in a person's hands.

Homelessness Just Declined in the U.S.–Trump’s Plans Will Take Us Backwards.

A stage on the national mall with a crowd of people before it.

America’s Birthday Is Not a Trump Rally

Video: Democracy in the balance?

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Democracy in the Balance? The Polarized Politics of Political-Economic Reform
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The Fulcrum
By The FulcrumDec 02, 2021
The Fulcrum
The Fulcrum staff.
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At a moment of political division and policy uncertainty, many believe American democracy is in serious danger. Inequality, polarization, the stoking of anger, and the exploitation of weaknesses in our political system all threaten the representative government we once took for granted. We cannot go backward, so how do we move forward to assure that the years of struggle that led to our democracy were not in vain? The Network for Responsible Public Policy discusses in its forum: Democracy in the Balance.


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Environment

Trump's Water Policies Put America's Drinking Water at Risk

America's Blue Collar Workers Shouldn’t Be the Fall Guy for Everyone Else’s Prosperity
Economy

America's Blue Collar Workers Shouldn’t Be the Fall Guy for Everyone Else’s Prosperity

Spectators on a stadium with USA playing.
Democracy

Democracy Needs Citizens, Not Fans

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Deadly Venezuela Quakes Spark Renewed Calls for U.S. to Restore Temporary Protected Status

People and rescuers search for victims amid debris of demolished buildings as rescue efforts continue after a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Venezuela and other regions in the Caribbean on June 25, 2026 in La Guaira, Venezuela.

(Photo by Jesus Vargas/Getty Images)

Deadly Venezuela Quakes Spark Renewed Calls for U.S. to Restore Temporary Protected Status

Venezuela is reeling after a series of catastrophic earthquakes that collapsed buildings, triggered landslides, and overwhelmed emergency responders across multiple states. The strongest quake, a 7.3‑magnitude event, sent residents fleeing into the streets as aftershocks rippled through Caracas, Sucre, Miranda, and Bolívar. Entire neighborhoods have reported severe structural damage, blocked roads, and hospitals struggling to treat the injured as rescue teams work to reach communities cut off by debris and power outages.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Venezuela’s National Seismology Foundation confirm the scale of destruction and warn that more aftershocks are likely. International humanitarian organizations, including the Red Cross and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), say the disaster has intensified an already dire humanitarian crisis marked by food shortages, failing infrastructure, and mass migration.

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Collage.
Collage by Alex Bandoni/ProPublica. Source images: Bloomberg/Getty Images, Firearm Transaction Record Form via U.S. Department of Justice and Alec MacGillis/ProPublica.

“No One Is Watching”: How Trump Reversed Biden’s Crackdown on Gun Trafficking

Marianna Mitchem grew up in the Denver suburbs, where she played high school soccer. One day in April 1999, her team faced off against a nearby rival, Columbine High. The next day, two teenagers went on a shooting rampage at Columbine, killing more than a dozen people.

The massacre left an imprint on Mitchem. After graduating from Providence College, she joined the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “Fearing for my friends and watching what was happening — you don’t forget things like that,” she told me. “I wanted to make a difference.”

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Mutual Surveillance?: The History and Consequences of the Treaty on Open Skies

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adamkaz/Getty Images

Mutual Surveillance?: The History and Consequences of the Treaty on Open Skies

This nonpartisan policy brief, written by an ACE fellow, is republished by The Fulcrum as part of our partnership with the Alliance for Civic Engagement and our NextGen initiative — elevating student voices, strengthening civic education, and helping readers better understand democracy and public policy.

Key Takeaways

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White marble exterior of the United States Capitol, often called the Capitol Building, is the home of the United States Congress and the seat of the legislative branch of the U.S. federal government

This week's congressional agenda includes anti-fraud legislation, ICE funding, FISA Section 702 renewal debates, and major committee hearings.

Richard Sharrocks / Getty Images

Fraud, Funding, and FISA

Fraud

This week in the House is Fraud Week based on the large number of bills likely to receive a vote that in some way are intended to decrease or eliminate many different kinds of fraud. Example bills up for a vote include:

Funding

One bill will likely become law this week if it passes the House:

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