Corporate Democrats have made it clear they will do anything they can to stop Zohran Mamdani from becoming the next mayor of New York City—and the New York Times is a willing accomplice in that campaign.

DRIVING THE NEWS: Late last week, the mouthpiece of the city’s capitalist elite ran an article that attacked Mamdani for what he put on a college application when he was 18 years old.

Mamdani—who didn’t get into Columbia by the way—defended his selection by saying:

He went on to say that he doesn’t consider himself Black or African American, and, when prompted to provide additional information in that portion of the application, he said he wrote “Ugandan.”

YES, AND: The Times is under fire not just for running such a non-story, but for how they obtained the confidential application in the first place: a well-known racist hacker whom they granted anonymity.

ZOOM OUT: This… isn’t a story. It’s a smear—supplied by a racist. And if this is the best they’ve got—an 18-year-old checking some boxes on a college app—they must be terrified.

Compare that to whom he’s running against—literal criminals:

BIG PICTURE: When a progressive threatens monied elites’ power, the establishment doesn’t debate him. They try to destroy him.

WHAT’S NEXT: Mamdani isn’t backing down. And the more they attack, the more they reveal what they really fear: a city that puts people over profit.

OH, AND: It was announced yesterday that after counting all the votes—Zohran made history by breaking this record.

Given all this we want to know… do you think the establishment will be able to stop Zohran Mamdani? Tell us why or why not after you vote!

Days after flash floods devastated Kerr County, officials still can’t explain who was responsible for alerting residents—or why warnings came too late for so many. At least 100 people are dead, including 30 children, and survivors say they never received emergency alerts. With more than 160 still missing, calls are growing for transparency, accountability, and answers. Full story from NBC News.

In a quiet but seismic shift, the IRS has agreed to let churches endorse political candidates without risking their tax-exempt status—effectively gutting the Johnson Amendment after 70 years. The move, part of a proposed legal settlement, could open the floodgates for dark money and religious political machines just in time for 2026. Full story from NPR.

Trump has quietly installed three climate deniers as top advisors at the Energy Department—just days after firing hundreds of federal climate experts. Among the new hires are a BP-linked physicist and a cloud-cover conspiracy theorist. The move is a setup to dismantle the EPA’s authority to regulate carbon emissions—and a direct threat to climate science itself. Full story from The New York Times.

A new study reveals that more than half of the Pentagon’s $4.4 trillion in discretionary spending from 2020 to 2024 went to private military contractors. With Trump’s latest budget pushing military spending past $1 trillion a year, researchers say we’re witnessing a massive transfer of public wealth into corporate hands—all while the social safety net gets gutted. Full study from The Guardian.

A new report shows nearly 27% of homes sold this year were scooped up by investors—the highest share in at least five years. As prices rise and mortgage rates stay high, traditional buyers are being sidelined while cash-rich investors dominate the market. Homeownership is becoming a distant dream for millions of working families. Full story from the AP.

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The trash is piling up on the streets of Philadelphia—but for a righteous cause: the city’s lowest paid employees are now entering day nine of their first strike in nearly 40 years.

WHAT’S GOING ON: On July 1, nearly 10,000 members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) District Council 33 walked off the job.

WHAT THEY’RE ASKING FOR: The workers want a 5% raise each year over the next three years, but the city is refusing.

Currently, these essential workers earn an average of $46,000—below the city’s own living wage threshold.

BIG PICTURE: This isn’t just about one contract. It’s about whether working people will be paid enough to live in the cities they serve.

MEANWHILE: Mayor Cherelle Parker, who makes $261,000 a year, has awarded her top staffers raises of 20%, 30%, or more.

But the city has rallied around the striking workers: Public opinion has turned against the mayor. Two of the city’s 4th of July concert headliners, LL Cool J and Jazmine Sullivan, even pulled out of the event in solidarity.

WHY IT MATTERS: This isn’t about one contract—and it’s not just about Philly.

The strike is working—not just because it’s disruptive, but because it’s exposing whose labor really holds cities together.

WHAT’S NEXT: Talks have stalled—and the conflict seems far from over. Maybe it’s time the mayor talked about raising taxes on the city’s wealthiest residents? Just a thought.

Yesterday we asked: Is it time for a progressive third party?

Mharan voted yes: “We need a progressive, even liberal party in order to serve the needs of the bottom 90%. Right now the DNC seems to be operating as GOP-soft. Call the party ‘We the People’!”

Linfront also voted yes and said this: “I am an independent and always have been. The two party system separates the country. I truly think that if you add a progressive party, which would be my favorite, voters would be more likely to vote for the person not the party.”

Still, others were doubtful. Melody wrote: “I believe we can change the Democratic Party to be the progressive party needed to look out for us the people and our needs after Trump has been in office making it so clear about the rich driving everything their way. Now or never!”

Here are some stories the algorithms may be keeping out of your feed.