What Mitt Romney Saw in the Senate

Photographs by Yael Malka This article was featured in One Story to Read Today, a newsletter in which our editors recommend a single must-read from The Atlantic, Monday through Friday. For most of his life, Mitt Romney has nursed a morbid fascination with his own death, suspecting that it might assert itself one day suddenly and violently. He controls what he can, of course. He wears his seat belt, and diligently applies sunscreen, and stays away from secondhand smoke. For decades, he’s followed his doctor’s recipe for longevity with monastic…

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There’s More Than Enough Evidence for a Joe Biden Impeachment Inquiry

“Without evidence.” They want those two words imprinted in your mind whenever you hear about the House impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. “Since gaining the House majority in January,” writes The Associated Press, “House Republicans have aggressively investigated Biden and his son, claiming without evidence that they engaged in an influence-peddling scheme.” Many other pieces use the same language. Sticking the words “without evidence” into a story is meant to insinuate that the impetus for an investigation is itself meritless. What kind of people make accusations without evidence, right?…

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Junk Fees: Fees You’re Paying for That You May Not Even Know About

If you have a credit card or bank account, then you’ve probably had to pay junk fees. From credit card late fees to ATM fees, convenience fees to overdraft fees, U.S. banks and financial institutions are padding their profits with our money. Junk fees are surcharges that typically come as a surprise to consumers. In many cases, they appear at the end of the checkout process and their costs are not shown upfront.  Junk fees are squeezing the middle class on essential needs like housing, banking, and travel—and it’s time…

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Biden nominates a former Obama official to run the Federal Aviation Administration

President Joe Biden on Thursday nominated a former Obama administration official to lead the Federal Aviation Administration after his first choice withdrew in March after running into opposition from Republican senators. The White House said Biden nominated Michael G. Whitaker, a former deputy administrator at the FAA. He is currently the chief operating officer of a Hyundai affiliate working to develop an air taxi aircraft. Whitaker’s nomination had been expected for months, and Biden’s announcement was praised by several industry and labor groups. The FAA, which regulates airline safety and…

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Red States Are Rolling Back the Rights Revolution

The struggle over the sweeping red-state drive to roll back civil rights and liberties has primarily moved to the courts. Since 2021, Republican-controlled states have passed a swarm of laws to restrict voting rights, increase penalties for public protest, impose new restrictions on transgender youth, ban books, and limit what teachers, college professors, and employers can say about race, gender, and sexual orientation. Some states are even exploring options to potentially prosecute people who help women travel out of state to obtain an abortion. In the early legal skirmishing over…

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