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Plumes of smoke rise over the oil depot tanks hit by joint Israel-U.S.

Russia is Winning the War in Iran. Earth is Losing

​A group of youngsters help posting posters.

Combating America’s Toxic Polarization: Lessons from Northern Ireland’s Troubles

Judicial Independence Over Judicial Sycophancy

Judicial Independence Over Judicial Sycophancy

Cathy Alderman: Housing Is Healthcare

Cathy Alderman: Housing Is Healthcare

​Reporters and members of the media raise their hand to ask a question to U.S. President Donald Trump.

Trump’s 15 Attacks on Press Freedom Mark an Unprecedented Crisis

Podcast: Separating news from noise

Podcast: Separating news from noise
The Fulcrum
By The FulcrumJan 30, 2023
The Fulcrum
The Fulcrum staff.
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How much news is too much? Or not enough? News Over Noise, the new podcast from Penn State's News Literacy Initiative explores that question and offers guidance on how to consume news that enhances your participation in our democracy without becoming overwhelmed by all the noise on social media and the 24/7 news cycle.

News Over Noise co-hosts Matt Jordan and Leah Dajches join Democracy Works to discuss how the news impacts our mental health, the future of media literacy education, and more. Jordan is a professor of media studies and Dajches is a post-doctoral researcher, both in the Bellisario College of Communications at Penn State.

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Latest news

Eisenhower’s D‑Day Leadership Shows What America Has Lost
Ethics & Leadership

Eisenhower’s D‑Day Leadership Shows What America Has Lost

The Rings and the Great Debate

The Rings and the Great Debate

America was much more of a mess at the bicentennial than it is today
Community

America was much more of a mess at the bicentennial than it is today

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The first Indigenous women in Congress carry a legacy older than American democracy itself

In 2018, Sharice Davids and Deb Haaland became the first two Native American women elected to Congress. They are trailblazers from a long lineage of women whose ancestors were original inhabitants of the land that became America.

(Sarah Porter for The 19th; Getty Images, AP images)

The first Indigenous women in Congress carry a legacy older than American democracy itself

In the lead-up to our country’s 250th anniversary, Errin Haines is writing a series of columns to contemplate the complicated expansion of our democracy. Subscribe to The Amendment newsletter.

Nearly three months before the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Abigail Adams had a warning for her husband, John, one of its authors: Remember the ladies.

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Man pays with a card.

Americans are feeling increasingly pessimistic about the economy despite solid employment and growth. Explore consumer sentiment, inflation fears, spending trends, and the economic outlook for summer 2026.

Maria Korneeva / Getty Images

America’s Summertime Blues: Why Consumers Feel Worse Than the Data

It’s almost summertime, and with it comes the bloom of the season. Kids will soon be out of school, and families will be heading off for vacations at the beach, camping in the mountains, or attending major league baseball games.

Or maybe not. If you believe the latest University of Michigan survey of consumer sentiment, Americans are feeling pretty gloomy about their own personal economic situation. Many people might instead stay home this summer, declining to spend their hard-earned cash on high prices for travel, gas, restaurants, and hotels. For those businesses that depend on a summer surge in customers’ spending, this summer could be very disappointing.

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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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