Support Indiana flooding relief efforts: https://www.cicf.org/resource/options-to-support-recent-indiana-natural-disasters/
SUMMARY:
On this episode of HoosLeft This Week, Jennifer David and Bryce Greene joined Scott as Indiana worked through recovery from historic flooding — Gary still without power after nearly two weeks, a class-action suit against NIPSCO, and a $5 billion disaster request still awaiting federal approval — before turning to a Middle East where the Iran ceasefire expired with no new talks planned, Israel struck Syria and risked conflict with Turkiye, and the USS Lincoln finally got relief after 250 days at sea, leaving the western Pacific without a US carrier presence just as Trump scaled back military exercises with South Korea. The first half closed on a collapsed US-Canada trade deal, the national debt topping $40 trillion alongside a case for modern monetary theory, and federal approval of a Trump family-linked crypto bank. The back half of the show opened with a deep dive into Tuesday’s primaries — Alaska’s top-four voting system, a Freedom Caucus stumble in Wyoming, Florida’s Byron Donalds and Angie Nixon wins, and Aisha Wahab’s California special election victory — before covering Indiana’s role as a flashpoint in the WNBA’s trans-athlete culture war, Stephen A. Smith’s NABJ rebuke alongside Disney’s lawsuit against Trump’s FCC, DuJuan McCoy’s growing Indianapolis TV holdings, food industry consolidation amid a wave of recalls, and closing on education — IU’s new foster-youth scholarship program, Indiana’s now-universal school voucher program, and a Texas case testing whether the Ten Commandments can be mandated in public classrooms.
Guest info:
Jennifer David: https://jenniferdavid12.substack.com/
Bryce Greene: https://brycegreene.substack.com/
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
00:00:35 - Welcome and guest introduction
00:03:45 - Indiana’s flood recovery: Gary’s outages, the NIPSCO lawsuit, and a stalled disaster declaration
00:18:39 - Iran war: the expired ceasefire and Trump’s “economic D-Day” threats
00:24:57 - Israel strikes Syria; Turkiye calls for Netanyahu’s arrest
00:32:56 - The USS Lincoln’s relief and Trump’s pullback from South Korea
00:42:27 - The collapsed US-Canada trade deal
00:48:38 - The national debt tops $40 trillion, bond market jitters, and Trump’s crypto bank
01:01:33 - Alaska’s primary and the case for top-four ranked-choice voting
01:10:36 - Wyoming, Florida, and California primary results
01:26:39 - Indiana, the WNBA, and the trans athlete culture war
01:36:26 - Stephen A. Smith’s NABJ rebuke and Disney’s lawsuit against Trump’s FCC
01:41:33 - Media consolidation and DuJuan McCoy’s Indianapolis TV empire
01:45:22 - Education: IU’s Fostering the Future program, universal school vouchers, and the Ten Commandments case
01:55:31 - Wrap-up, guest info, and announcements
NOTES:
Indiana Recovers from Extreme Weather
NWS: Brief tornado touched down in Delaware County Wednesday evening (WTHR)
A brief, unrated tornado touched down near Yorktown in Delaware County on August 19, confirmed by the National Weather Service based on video and photo evidence — no damage was found, and it was on the ground less than a minute.
This brings Indiana’s tornado count for the year to 87.
Indiana governor announces emergency aid, temporary housing grants amid lethal storms and flooding (ICC)
‘Indiana has opened grants for emergency food, clothing, temporary housing and other basic needs to victims of severe storm and flooding damage, Gov. Mike Braun announced Monday. At least 1,000 residents have been displaced statewide, Indiana Department of Homeland Security Executive Director Jonathan Whitham estimated, with at least seven dead as of Monday.’
‘All of Indiana’s public safety agencies are deployed on emergency response missions under the governor’s orders, including the Indiana National Guard, Indiana State Police, Department of Correction, and Department of Natural Resources. Meanwhile, Federal Emergency Management Agency personnel are helping the state’s Department of Homeland Security conduct wind damage assessments in northwest Indiana.’
‘A major disaster proclamation recognizes when a natural event has caused destruction beyond what a state and local governments can handle, according to FEMA’s website. The request must include an estimate of the amount and severity of damage, estimates of the assistance required and more.’
‘That’s in contrast to the emergency declaration Trump approved Saturday for Indiana, which is intended to supplement state and local response efforts in 53 listed counties. That will help cover some state and local response costs, like for evacuations, shelters, water rescues and more. But federal assistance is capped at $5 million.’
‘Major storms have battered Indiana this summer — depleting the state’s relief fund to just $2 million, according to the state Department of Homeland Security.’
Indiana storm losses could exceed $5B, Braun tells Trump (ICC)
Braun formally requested a major federal disaster declaration covering 54 storm-damaged Indiana counties, seeking expedited FEMA review after storms beginning Aug. 11 killed 8 people and damaged at least 1,700 structures.
The storm produced at least three tornadoes, winds up to 99 mph near Gary, and up to 11.23 inches of rain in 24 hours in some areas — the White River hit record levels in Anderson and Noblesville, surpassing a mark set in 1913.
Power outages peaked at 363,398 homes and businesses, with Lake County hitting 95% outage and two Carroll County towns losing power entirely — more on this in the next story
Early residential damage estimates range from $550 million to over $5 billion across at least 22,164 parcels, though Braun’s letter warns the total will likely climb as more counties report — Marion County alone estimates up to 2,000 damaged structures.
Indiana congressional delegation urges President Donald Trump to approve request for Major Disaster Declaration (FOX59)
Indiana’s full 11-member congressional delegation, including both Democrats, signed a bipartisan letter urging Trump and FEMA to approve Braun’s August 20 Major Disaster Declaration request, citing at least 8 deaths, over 1,000 displaced families, and 1,700+ destroyed or damaged structures.
The letter notes a second, still-pending request tied to a separate June 6-26 tornado outbreak — meaning Braun now has two disaster declaration requests awaiting federal action simultaneously, with the status of the earlier one unclear.
Trump has already approved an Emergency Declaration (a lower tier of federal assistance) for Indiana, but the delegation argues damage has exceeded what state and local governments can handle alone, warning constituents are still confused about what aid is available and when it will arrive.
‘Communication issues’ hampered Indy’s response to flooding (Mirror Indy)
Rocky Ripple residents refused a late-night evacuation order and instead kept sandbagging the levee, a defiance Town Council President Randy Sanders credits with saving the town: “they told us to walk away from our sandbags, and because we didn’t, we’re here.”
Town Marshal Mike Kiefer had a brief standoff with city officials at the 53rd Street bridge over fears it would be closed and trap residents — DPW says it never actually ordered that gate closed, since flooding never reached the level requiring it.
Nearby Ravenswood residents said city coordination was so lacking that neighbors created their own Facebook page to share evacuation information, with one resident saying “coordination is lacking. It’s us doing it.”
Emergency management expert Marie Hitze criticized the timeline directly, noting flooding upriver in Muncie, Anderson, Noblesville, and Carmel had already occurred, making the danger predictable: “you can plan for a flood like this — that’s the job of emergency management.” She said late-Friday-evening warnings followed by overnight action while residents slept “isn’t adequate.”
City officials have acknowledged the problems — Councilor John Barth wants a formal post-incident review, and Marion County’s emergency management director Jacob Spence confirmed multiple agencies will produce an after-action report; Mayor Hogsett defended the city’s response, saying officials acted on the “best information available.”
‘Survival mode’: Indiana residents endure a ninth day without power (AP)
About 68,000 NIPSCO customers remain without power nine days after an Aug. 11 storm, mostly in Lake County — full restoration isn’t expected until Tuesday in some areas, including Gary, even after crews restored service to 306,500 others.
Gary’s roughly 4,300-student school district has been closed since Aug. 13 and stays shut through at least Friday; nearby Portage Township Schools pushed its start date to Aug. 25 citing downed trees and safety concerns.
An IU Indianapolis professor warns prolonged outages carry real health risks — carbon monoxide poisoning from generators, medical devices losing charge, and spoiled refrigerated food — while some residents describe repeated power loss even after restoration, like one East Chicago man who lost power twice.
NIPSCO’s parent company says the storm caused “unprecedented and widespread” damage and that neighboring Illinois recovered faster partly due to different terrain and infrastructure, including buried power lines in some areas.
Class-action lawsuit filed against NIPSCO as storm power outages continue in NW Indiana (ABC7 Chicago)
A class-action lawsuit filed against NIPSCO alleges the utility inadequately managed vegetation around power lines and failed to conduct adequate inspections, arguing the widespread outages were “predictable” and “preventable” — NIPSCO denies the allegations and says it will “vigorously defend” itself.
ABC7’s legal analyst noted plaintiffs face a real uphill battle: courts will need to determine whether the trees that caused outages were within NIPSCO’s actual responsibility zone or on private property, which will be assessed case by case.
NIPSCO says its vegetation management spending has more than doubled since 2016 and that its practices are overseen by the IURC — the same commission whose leadership has been in significant turmoil this year, per earlier coverage.
Real financial toll on residents: Lake Station resident Lori Bugielski estimates her family has spent about $1,500 on hotels and food while displaced, while a Hobart school site providing meals for affected families has seen daily need grow from 300 to over 550 people in less than a week.
A notable secondary crisis in Gary’s Woods Park subdivision: a newly installed sewer system requires power to function, so the outage is causing sewage backups and yard flooding, with the city using portable bathrooms and showers as a stopgap residents say isn’t enough.
War & Peace
Iran
Why is Trump threatening to bomb Oman? (PBS)
The 60-day window from the earlier US-Iran interim agreement has now expired with no extension and no planned talks, leaving Iran-Oman negotiations as the only active diplomatic track on the strait.
Trump threatened to bomb Oman “if it gets in the way,” frustrated that Oman is nearing a deal with Iran over Strait of Hormuz shipping — a deal happening independently of stalled US-Iran negotiations.
Regional officials say the emerging deal would route inbound ships through Iranian-controlled waters and outbound ships through Oman’s — but any agreement appears contingent on the US lifting its naval blockade of Iranian ports.
Oman has notably avoided direct attack throughout the war, unlike other Gulf neighbors — drones have hit Omani ports without Iranian claims of responsibility or Omani accusations against Tehran, reflecting its longstanding preference for quiet engagement with Iran.
Egypt suggested after meeting with Oman’s foreign minister that the emerging deal could actually pave the way back to broader US-Iran talks — though it remains unclear whether Trump’s threat will speed up or complicate that outcome.
Trump announces ‘most crushing economic operation ever’ against Iran (Al Jazeera)
Trump announced what he called the “most crushing economic operation ever” against Iran, threatening sanctions on any country whose institutions, businesses, or ports provide Iran a “lifeline” — calling it an “ECONOMIC D-DAY.”
Iran’s Araghchi dismissed the threat as “economic terrorism” and a “diversion from America’s own crisis,” while state media called the announcement nothing new, claiming Iran has “become very skilled” at circumventing sanctions.
This came hours after the UAE, a key Iranian trade partner, suspended financial ties with Tehran over alleged ballistic missile launches toward its waters — a claim Iran denies as a “false-flag operation.” An analyst says the US likely pressured the UAE into that move.
Experts say China represents the real test: targeting banks serving Chinese “teapot refineries” that still buy Iranian oil is called “the most consequential lever” available, but Beijing has already warned its companies not to cooperate with US sanctions.
Al Jazeera’s Washington correspondent suggested Trump’s real audience may be the American public rather than Iran itself, given persistent domestic opposition to the war — framing this as a show of strength without yet-verifiable specifics on enforcement.
‘There is no breaking point’: The problem with Trump’s plan to economically strangle Iran (Politico)
Trump’s economic pressure campaign has pushed Iran into severe distress — 88% year-over-year inflation, gas rationing, and food prices more than doubled — but experts and former officials warn there’s likely “no breaking point” for a regime treating the war as existential.
The pressure cuts both ways economically: oil is back near $90/barrel and the 30-year Treasury yield hit its highest level in nearly two decades, reflecting inflation risk and market anxiety tied partly to the war’s disruption of global energy markets.
Iran’s parliament speaker mocked the sanctions campaign directly, telling Bessent and Hegseth on X they’re “way out of their league” and should “stop waiting for the clown crew to pull a rabbit out of their hat.”
Trump’s approval rating has fallen to 33% per Reuters/Ipsos, the lowest of his presidency, with roughly 80% of Americans — across both parties — expecting the Iran conflict to drag on much longer.
Not all former officials are pessimistic: ex-NSC chief of staff Fred Fleitz predicts the administration could see a “different Iran” within 30-60 days and argues patience beats the alternatives, which he says include politically untenable options like ground troops or seizing Kharg Island.
Iran security chief threatens neighbors against economic measures, and other Mideast developments (AP)
Iran’s newly appointed hardline security chief Mohsen Rezaei threatened to strike alternative Gulf oil-shipping routes if neighboring countries join Trump’s new economic pressure campaign, warning “we will retaliate in a seismic manner” and calling any cooperating neighbor an enemy.
Iraq and Iran both confirmed some Iraqi oil tankers have been permitted to transit the Strait of Hormuz with Iranian facilitation, though details on quantity or terms remain unclear — a notable exception to Iran’s broader blockade stance.
France and Saudi Arabia are set to discuss alternatives to the strait during Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Paris visit, including expanded Omani port trade, doubled pipeline capacity, and new rail links — with a joint energy/logistics task force meeting at the ministerial level Monday.
Israel
Israel strikes an air base in Syria to prevent Turkish troops from deploying (NPR)
Israel struck Syria’s Abu Duhur air base in Idlib eight times, aiming to prevent Turkish troops from deploying there — Netanyahu’s office said Syria was “on the verge of breaching” an agreed security status quo despite repeated warnings.
Syria’s foreign minister condemned the strikes as “an unjustified provocation” and violation of sovereignty; Turkey’s foreign ministry called for international accountability against Israel’s “escalating aggression.”
US special envoy Tom Barrack called the strikes “an unnecessary escalation,” noting Syria’s transitional government has consistently sought de-escalation with Israel rather than hostility.
This adds to a pattern since Assad’s fall in December 2024: Israel has conducted hundreds of strikes on Syrian military assets and seized a UN-patrolled buffer zone in southern Syria it still occupies, while US-mediated Israel-Syria security talks have dragged on for over a year without a deal.
Regional powers — Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia — all condemned the strikes, reflecting how Israel-Turkey rivalry over influence in Syria is becoming a fresh flashpoint layered on top of the region’s existing tensions.
A US envoy says Israel did not give a warning to the US ahead of a recent Syria air strike (AP)
US envoy Tom Barrack says Israel didn’t warn the US before striking Syria’s Abu Duhur air base, calling it possibly Israel “baiting the Turks” — Israeli Defense Minister Katz disputes this, saying Israel alerted Syrian officials and shared intelligence with the US simultaneously.
Barrack offered two theories: a field commander acting unilaterally on Turkish troop-buildup intel, or a miscommunication between Israel’s military and intelligence agency — either nearly triggered direct Turkey-Israel confrontation.
Syrian officials say a Turkish delegation had visited the base a day before the strike for reconstruction review, and Barrack says the US had already concluded Israel’s concerns about Turkish buildup there were unfounded.
Barrack separately said Israel “still” occupies the Golan Heights in violation of UN resolutions — Katz called the remark “full of inaccuracies” and contradictory to Trump’s 2019 recognition of Israeli sovereignty there.
Turkey hasn’t signaled military retaliation, but the incident adds fresh strain as Ankara deepens defense ties with both Syria and a new Saudi-Pakistan pact.
Turkiye accuses Israel’s Netanyahu of ‘genocide’, seeks Interpol warrant (Al Jazeera)
Turkey issued arrest warrants (dated July 14) for Netanyahu on genocide, crimes against humanity, and torture charges over Israel’s May interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla, and formally requested Interpol red notices to pursue him internationally.
The case covers 35 suspects total, tied to Israel’s interception of aid vessels headed to Gaza in international waters — an incident that also prompted judicial proceedings in France, Italy, and Australia.
Netanyahu’s office dismissed the move as Erdogan’s “pathetic attempt to intimidate” Israel, calling him “antisemitic”; Erdogan’s office fired back, accusing Israel of “petty political tactics” and trying to frame Turkey as a regional threat.
Context worth noting: National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir drew international outrage after releasing a video taunting detained flotilla activists who were kneeling with hands bound — an incident that fed the broader outcry behind these warrants.
East Asia
US aircraft carrier arrives in Middle East to relieve troubled USS Lincoln (Guardian)
The USS George Washington has arrived to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has spent over 250 days at sea supporting Iran operations with no port visit and no announced return date.
A sailor’s wife described worsening morale and sparse meals via text — Navy Times and Stars and Stripes report broader food/water shortages, plumbing issues, and declining mental health; the Navy disputes this, citing “continuous access to clean water, functional AC and healthy meal options.”
Adm. Brad Cooper visited the Lincoln and said it “currently has among the lowest number of cases related to mental health” of the Navy’s 11 active carriers, while acknowledging “that doesn’t mean all is perfect.”
Trump called the deployment “not nearly long enough” last week; a retired Navy captain said that “ignores the human element.”
Trump orders military to ‘substantially reduce’ joint exercises with South Korea (NBC)
‘President Donald Trump said Sunday that he has directed the Defense Department to scale down joint military exercises with South Korea, citing the U.S. ally’s refusal to join the war in Iran and his “very good” relationship with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un.’
‘Trump said the large, annual military drills sent a “signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile” to North Korea, a nuclear-armed state with which the U.S. has no formal diplomatic ties but which Trump says has been “unthreatening and respectful” as long as he has been president.’
‘“Based on the fact that it is too late to cancel, I have instructed Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to substantially reduce the Joint Military Exercises!” Trump wrote on social media. His announcement came just hours before the drills were set to start.’
‘Trump’s announcement comes days after North Korea launched a ballistic missile toward the sea, conducting weapons testing in possible protest of the upcoming U.S.-South Korea military drills.’
‘It also comes a day after the U.S. pulled its last aircraft carrier in Asia, as the USS George Washington was sent to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln — which has drawn scrutiny over conditions on board — in the Persian Gulf.’
South Korea Wants Its Military Back (Mother Jones)
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung called for Seoul to regain full wartime operational control of its military after Trump scaled back joint US-South Korea training drills — control South Korea ceded during the Korean War and has sought back for over two decades.
Trump said the drill cutback was partly punishment for Lee’s refusal to back the US war effort in Iran (”we can’t go around and protect all of these countries, especially when they’re not there to help us”), and separately cited his “very good relationship” with Kim Jong Un, calling the drills “hostile” to North Korea.
Lee is also pushing to accelerate South Korea’s nuclear-powered submarine program — a rearmament move Trump approved last year — signaling Seoul wants more military independence rather than just paying more into an arrangement the US still controls.
The piece frames this as part of a broader pattern of Trump straining alliances (Oman is cited as a parallel case) even as Hegseth has praised South Korea for taking on more of its own defense burden.
Economy
Inside the 72 hours that cratered the US-Canada trade deal (Politico)
A US-Canada trade deal Trump announced as done on Tuesday collapsed within 72 hours, triggering a 50% tariff on $20 billion in Canadian goods that took effect Saturday — threatening over $1 trillion in integrated North American trade.
Both sides blame each other: US officials say Canada introduced late demands on heavy-truck tariffs; PM Mark Carney denies any last-minute Canadian asks and instead blames internal US disunity, saying “you cannot say that [the American team was on the same page]” — pointing to friction between USTR’s Jamieson Greer and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who reportedly felt the deal framework was “sprung on” his agency despite touching issues he oversees.
Canada also objected to US demands it says would have threatened “the French language and our culture” and its ability to strike independent trade deals with other countries — the White House says that provision was actually about economic security, not blocking third-party deals.
Carney is drawing bipartisan Canadian support for walking away, including from Conservative rival Pierre Poilievre and Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who called the draft “a terrible deal”; Canada plans retaliatory tariffs on US steel, dairy, appliances, and other goods starting September 8.
The US Chamber of Commerce is urging both sides back to the table, warning of “an escalating cycle of tariffs,” but USTR’s Greer offered little hope Saturday, saying “we don’t have new talks planned with the Canadians.”
National Debt
The US national debt now stands at $40 trillion (AP)
The national debt hit a record $40 trillion, up from $39 trillion just five months earlier and $38 trillion five months before that — an accelerating pace of accumulation.
The White House says it’s focused on cutting waste and boosting growth to improve the debt-to-GDP ratio, but experts say the debt is already raising mortgage and auto loan rates, lowering wages, and pushing up prices for goods and services.
The Bipartisan Policy Center’s Margaret Spellings warned the current trajectory is “plainly unsustainable” even in the best case, and that shocks like AI disruption, recession, or global war “could quickly push us over the edge from a challenge into a full-blown crisis.”
The US is projected to hit its $41.1 trillion statutory debt limit sometime between late winter and mid-summer 2027, forcing Congress to vote again on raising or suspending it — and per OECD data, the US now has the worst fiscal position among developed nations.
30-year Treasury yield tops 5.33%, new 19-year high, on inflation and spending concerns (CNBC)
The 30-year Treasury yield hit 5.33%, a fresh 19-year high, before pulling back slightly to around 5.28% — driven by mounting fiscal deficit worries and persistently above-target inflation.
July’s fiscal deficit hit $432.3 billion, the highest monthly total since March 2021, pushing the year-to-date shortfall to nearly $1.8 trillion; interest payments on the roughly $40 trillion national debt have cost about $1.2 trillion so far this year.
The expiration of the 60-day US-Iran deadline without a deal — and Iran ruling out an extension while signaling it could take an “offensive stance” — pushed oil prices higher and added to bond market anxiety over an extended Strait of Hormuz closure.
This isn’t isolated to the US: Japan’s 10-year bond hit a 30-year high, France’s 30-year yield hit a post-2008 high, and Germany’s 30-year bond yield hit its highest since 2011 — reflecting a broader global repricing of long-term borrowing costs tied to inflation fears.
What’s behind the bond market roller coaster? (WaPo)
The bond market’s skittishness stems from surging global public debt (US, Europe, Japan, Canada all competing for the same investment capital), renewed Middle East conflict, and uncertainty over the Fed’s rate intentions — with the Trump administration offering no plan to restrain borrowing even as it pushes for more.
Basic supply and demand is driving costs up: governments funding ambitious spending plans and tech giants like Alphabet and Microsoft borrowing heavily for AI infrastructure are all competing for the same limited pool of capital, pushing the price of borrowed money higher across the board.
The collapsed US-Iran ceasefire reignited fears of a Persian Gulf oil disruption — Brent crude jumped to over $88/barrel Thursday, up from around $72 during the recent pause, reviving inflation concerns that make bondholders more cautious.
Bessent’s emergency debt buyback only briefly calmed markets before yields climbed back up — one strategist called it “more about strategic symboling than an actual fix,” since the buyback’s size is minor relative to the $32 trillion Treasury market.
The ramifications extend well beyond government financing: rising Treasury yields ripple directly into mortgage rates, corporate borrowing, and other consumer costs, worsening affordability problems economy-wide even though demand for Treasurys still suggests investors aren’t yet at a crisis point of losing confidence in US debt.
Does it Matter? What is Modern Monetary Theory? (Funding the Future)
Core mechanism: A government with its own central bank and currency doesn’t need to tax or borrow before spending — it can instruct its central bank to simply credit accounts, creating new money. That spending becomes an “overdraft” the government owes to its own central bank.
Why the debt doesn’t need repaying: Since the government owns its central bank, that debt isn’t a real claim against it. More importantly, this spent money becomes the country’s money supply — necessary for the economy to function and grow.
Inflation, not solvency, is the real constraint: Murphy stresses MMT is “obsessed” with inflation. Spending unlimited new money would cause hyperinflation — so the theory needs a control mechanism.
Taxation is the primary inflation control tool — not interest rates: Tax removes money from circulation (it’s “cancelled,” not recycled) to prevent overheating. This directly conflicts with mainstream/neoliberal reliance on central-bank interest rates to manage inflation.
Tax’s secondary role — giving currency value: Because governments require tax be paid in their currency, this forces the currency into everyday use (people trade in it to avoid exchange risk), which is how a fiat currency gets real-world value and how governments maintain macroeconomic control.
Deficits aren’t inherently bad — often necessary: A growing economy needs a growing money supply; running deficits is often the correct way to deliver that, not a problem to “balance.”
No dependency on financial markets: Murphy argues the government never needs to borrow from private markets — it can always fund itself via its own central bank (citing UK’s 2008 and 2020 quantitative easing as real examples of this happening).
What bonds/government borrowing actually are: Not a funding necessity — a safe savings facility for banks, pension funds, etc., who want a guaranteed-repayment asset. It’s a savings vehicle, not fundraising.
What would happen if the U.S. dollar lost its reserve currency status? (Marketplace)
The US dollar dominates global trade (90% of international transactions) largely through “network externalities” — everyone uses it because everyone else uses it, similar to English as a common trade language, per CFR’s Zoe Liu.
A less dollar-dominated world would mean higher borrowing costs across the board — not just for the US government’s public debt, but for everyday mortgages, auto loans, and business credit too, since dollar demand currently keeps rates artificially low.
Losing reserve status would also mean losing the US’s sanctions leverage — because nearly all international money movement currently touches the dollar or a US bank, giving Washington power to cut adversaries off from global finance that would disappear without dollar dominance.
The economists interviewed all agree sudden de-dollarization is unlikely, but warn the real risk is the US being seen as “irresponsible with our power” — pointing to already-occurring workarounds like ships paying Hormuz strait fees in Chinese yuan instead of dollars.
Liu’s closing point: “the only enemy to the U.S. dollar is not a rival currency... it’s our own fiscal responsibility itself” — tying dollar dominance directly to US fiscal credibility rather than any competing currency’s strength.
Trump-appointed regulator OKs banking license for Trump-linked crypto firm (Politico)
‘The Trump administration has granted preliminary approval for a cryptocurrency venture backed by President Donald Trump’s family to operate a federally chartered trust bank, over the protests of Democrats who decried the decision as riddled with conflicts of interest.’
‘The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the bank regulatory arm of the Treasury Department, said in a letter [last] Friday that it was conditionally approving World Liberty Trust Co.’s application for a trust bank charter. The company must still meet additional requirements before it receives final approval, the regulator said.’
‘The decision stands to give new powers and federal credibility to a venture in which Trump and his family retain a substantial financial interest. It’s also among the most direct official actions that the administration has taken involving the president’s private finances.’
Some Democrats and ethics watchdogs argued that the bid was one of the clearest examples of the conflicts of interest that administration officials face as they weigh the wishes of Trump family-backed companies. And they were quick to bash the OCC’s approval. “This is the most brazen act of self-dealing our financial system has ever seen — and Congress cannot allow it to stand,” said Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the top Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee.’
‘Trump disclosed nearly $600 million in income from World Liberty token and equity sales in 2025, a major piece of the $1.4 billion of crypto-related earnings he raked in. He has said he does not manage his financial interests, which are overseen by his children.’
Elections
Alaska
GOP Sen. Dan Sullivan, Mary Peltola Advance In Alaska Primary (HuffPost)
Sen. Dan Sullivan and former Rep. Mary Peltola both advanced from Alaska’s top-four primary — but so, apparently, did a second candidate also named Dan Sullivan, a Petersburg resident and political unknown who campaigned on affordable housing and healthcare access.
The “Petersburg Sullivan” won a court battle to stay on the ballot after the senator tried to have him removed over alleged foul play — the Alaska Supreme Court ruled in his favor and left ballot formatting up to state election officials.
Cook Political Report has shifted the race to a “toss-up” partly due to the name-confusion risk, with recent polling showing Peltola leading Sullivan by 6 points even before accounting for potential vote-splitting from the second Sullivan.
Alaska’s Election Model: How the top-four nonpartisan primary system improves participation, competition, and representation (Unite America)
Alaska’s top-four nonpartisan primary + instant runoff system, adopted by voters in 2020 and first used in 2022, appears to have boosted competition and participation, per this pro-reform group’s analysis.
Alaska led the nation with 35% of eligible voters casting “meaningful votes” — nearly triple the national average — and gained the right to vote for any candidate regardless of party for the first time since 2000.
Uncontested state legislative races fell to 12% (half the 2020 rate), and half of all contests featured intraparty competition for the first time under the new system.
Representation shifted too: 23% of the legislature was people of color after 2022, more women ran for office than in the previous five cycles combined, and independents now hold 10% of legislative seats.
Wyoming
Freedom Caucus candidates come up short in Wyoming’s primary (WPM)
Several prominent Wyoming Freedom Caucus members lost their primaries, threatening the hardline faction’s House majority: former caucus chair John Bear lost by 15+ points, founding member Scott Heiner lost by 10, and House Speaker Chip Neiman narrowly lost his Senate bid.
Winning challengers framed the results as voters wanting more “community minded” candidates — one, Jessica Crowder, said “are you part of the Freedom Caucus?” became a defining question on the trail after she beat caucus member Ann Lucas with 63% of the vote.
At the federal level, the caucus wing still performed well: founding member Chuck Gray narrowly won the GOP US House nomination, and Rep. Harriet Hageman — who shares many caucus priorities though isn’t a member — easily won the Senate primary and will face Democrat James Byrd in November.
Trump’s pick for Wyoming governor is the latest endorsee to lose primary (Politico)
State Sen. Eric Barlow defeated Trump-endorsed Superintendent Megan Degenfelder in Wyoming’s GOP gubernatorial primary, the latest in a growing string of Trump endorsement losses this cycle.
Barlow, a fourth-generation rancher, campaigned on public lands protection, school funding, and rural healthcare — overcoming attack ads from Degenfelder and outside groups branding him as too liberal.
This adds to a rough recent stretch for Trump’s endorsement record: Mike Lindell lost in Minnesota, a Michigan congressional pick fell to a candidate who’d already dropped out, and two Trump-endorsed congressional candidates lost in Florida the same day.
The pattern is especially pronounced in governor’s races — Georgia’s Burt Jones, Iowa’s Randy Feenstra, and South Carolina’s Pamela Evette all lost their primaries this year despite Trump’s backing, alongside this Wyoming loss.
Florida
Florida governor’s race is set (Politico)
Rep. Byron Donalds won the GOP gubernatorial primary despite never securing DeSantis’s endorsement — the two men’s relationship soured after Donalds backed Trump over DeSantis’s 2024 presidential run — and could become Florida’s first Black governor if he wins in November.
Former Rep. David Jolly, a onetime Republican turned Democrat, won the Democratic primary running as a moderate, hoping to end Democrats’ losing streak in Florida governor’s races dating to the 1990s; his running mate is Gwen Graham, daughter of the late Sen./Gov. Bob Graham.
The race is shaping up closer than Florida’s red lean would suggest — a July poll showed Donalds up just 5 points despite Republicans holding a 1.5 million voter registration advantage and Donalds vastly outraising Jolly, including a $10 million donation from hedge fund billionaire Ken Griffin.
The closing argument is already set: Donalds is branding Jolly “radical” over LGBTQ issues and trans rights, while Jolly is pivoting to affordability, telling voters “life is too expensive... not the color of their sidewalks.”
Two Trump-backed candidates lose, Debbie Wasserman Schultz wins in Tuesday’s House primaries in Florida (NBC)
Two Trump-backed candidates lost Tuesday: Rep. Cory Mills fell to former journalist Ryan Elijah in the 7th District after entering the race weighed down by a House Ethics probe and a DOJ investigation, and Catalina Lauf lost the crowded 19th District primary to businessman Jim Schwartzel despite Trump’s last-minute endorsement.
On the Democratic side, Debbie Wasserman Schultz won the 20th District nomination in a crowded field of Black candidates — a choice that drew some frustration given the seat’s history of Black representation — while Jared Moskowitz beat back a democratic socialist primary challenger in the battleground 25th District.
Several genuine battleground matchups are now set for November: Moskowitz faces Scott Singer, Kathy Castor faces Mike Beltran in a redrawn Tampa Bay district, and Democrats are also targeting two GOP-held seats — María Elvira Salazar’s and Anna Paulina Luna’s — with recruited challengers.
Much of this reshuffling traces back to DeSantis’s mid-decade congressional map, signed into law in May 2026, which redrew Wasserman Schultz’s old district and three other Democratic seats into GOP-leaning territory — the map remains under active legal challenge, with critics arguing it abandons the state’s Fair Districts Amendment protections for minority voters.
While other progressives lost in Florida, Angie Nixon won. Why? (TB Times via Yahoo!)
State Rep. Angie Nixon upset retired Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman by 12 points in Florida’s Democratic Senate primary, despite being outraised by roughly $18 million — she’ll face GOP Sen. Ashley Moody in November.
Nixon ran on an explicitly progressive economic platform — Medicare for All, a $25 minimum wage, and universal child care — policies allies say resonated with voters frustrated by rising costs, even as she distances herself from the “democratic socialist” label itself.
The two clashed sharply over Israel — Nixon called the conflict a genocide and Netanyahu a war criminal, while Vindman, citing his status as a Jewish refugee, declined to use the word “genocide” — a stance analysts say may have cost him given 80% of Democratic-leaning voters hold unfavorable views of Israel per Pew.
A viral video of Vindman brushing past questioning content creators fed Nixon’s central attack that he was inaccessible and Washington-chosen; Vindman instead focused almost entirely on attacking Moody rather than engaging with Nixon directly.
Nixon built a broad coalition of Black voters, progressives, and younger precincts through an intense ground game and hyper-local social media presence, while Vindman’s support skewed toward majority-white counties and older, more traditional Democratic donors — nearly 80% of Nixon’s donors were Florida-based versus a third of Vindman’s.
Ron DeSantis, Moms for Liberty reshaped Sarasota school politics. Voters just gave them the boot (Florida Politics)
Voters broke apart Sarasota County’s conservative School Board majority, which DeSantis had personally helped build in 2022 — Megan Tennimon and Beth Mayberry each won outright, defeating GOP-endorsed opponents by double digits despite Sarasota’s heavy Republican registration edge.
The results are a particular blow to the Moms for Liberty wing specifically: Teresa DeWitt, a former vice chair of the local Moms for Liberty chapter, finished third in the District 1 race and was eliminated, despite backing from Rep. Greg Steube and the county sheriff.
The GOP-endorsed candidate who did advance, Heidi Brandt, notably distanced herself from the outgoing majority’s most divisive moves during the campaign — saying she’d have opposed both an ICE-cooperation resolution and a student walkout measure, calling the immigration resolution unnecessary and fear-inducing.
Both winning newcomers ran on de-politicizing the board — Tennimon (a former teacher and PTO leader) and Mayberry (a retired math/science teacher) each emphasized academics, teacher support, and school finances over the culture-war fights that have defined the board since 2022, including a prior superintendent ouster and the Christian Ziegler scandal that fractured the conservative coalition.
One board seat remains contested in a November runoff between Jimmy Glover, who has argued the board must move past “culture-war conflicts,” and Brandt — meaning conservatives could still retain a foothold, but their four-year majority on the board is definitively over regardless of that outcome.
California
Democrat Aisha Wahab will win Swalwell’s House seat, CNN projects, overcoming millions in AIPAC spending (CNN)
Democratic state Sen. Aisha Wahab won California’s special election runoff for the vacant 14th District House seat, narrowing what had been a 26-point lead in June to a tight race after AIPAC-aligned groups poured roughly $4 million into ads backing her opponent, Melissa Hernandez.
Wahab calls for cutting US military aid to Israel and said in a candidate forum that she believes Gaza’s war constitutes genocide; Hernandez said Israel has a right to defend itself while adding “the destruction in Gaza has gone too far.” Neither made Israel central to their campaign.
Wahab will fill the seat left vacant since Rep. Eric Swalwell resigned in April amid sexual misconduct allegations, including a rape accusation from a former staffer — he denied wrongdoing but ended his 13-year career and exited the California governor’s race.
This mirrors the pattern from Michigan’s El-Sayed primary (AIPAC-opposed progressive winning despite massive spending) but contrasts with Missouri, where AIPAC-backed Wesley Bell defeated Cori Bush the same cycle — underscoring genuinely mixed results for AIPAC’s spending strategy this year.
Wahab, the first Muslim elected to California’s state Senate, campaigned on healthcare/childcare affordability and curbing corporate price-gouging; she’ll serve only through the end of this Congress, with a November rematch against Hernandez already set for the full two-year term.
Trans Women in Sports
Sophie Cunningham and the WNBA culture wars (Vox)
Ringer staff writer Seerat Sohi, interviewed on Vox’s podcast, says Fever guard Sophie Cunningham sparked the current flashpoint in July, telling ESPN she wants to “protect young girls” in sports from “biological men” — despite no known trans athlete ever playing in the WNBA.
Sohi argues the league’s vulnerability partly stems from marketing players toward a “girl-next-door” image rather than embracing its predominantly Black, openly queer player base (citing Sue Bird being discouraged from coming out early on).
Caitlin Clark’s arrival accelerated things: her popularity brought resources some felt should’ve already existed, creating friction, while conservative commentators seized on her as a symbol as a white, straight player in a league that isn’t predominantly either.
Sohi traces the “inciting incident” to the 2023 Clark-Angel Reese college title game, where Reese faced racist backlash for a taunt Clark had done herself — convincing media figures the WNBA could serve as a proxy for fights over race, gender, and DEI.
Sophie Cunningham’s transgender stance brings rally, news conference ahead of Fever-Wings game Thursday (CBS)
Rallies both for and against Cunningham’s stance were planned outside a Fever-Wings game in Dallas, with groups including Moms for Liberty and Texas Values holding a news conference — following similar demonstrations in Chicago, Seattle, Portland, Las Vegas, and Minnesota.
Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve has publicly worn a “Trans kids belong” shirt and called it “a human rights issue,” while Cunningham was booed throughout that game — illustrating how players and coaches are actively split, not just fans.
The WNBA players’ union insists it “will not be used as political pawns,” and Commissioner Cathy Engelbert’s office stresses there are “no immediate eligibility matters” — though the legal backdrop remains unsettled after the Supreme Court ruled in June that states can ban trans athletes from competition.
Two former NBA players, Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White, declared themselves eligible for the 2027 WNBA draft, saying they identify as women — a move that’s fueled the controversy despite there never having been a transgender woman on a WNBA roster.
WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement says only “women” are eligible to play but doesn’t define gender identity explicitly, and the Supreme Court ruled in June that states can ban trans athletes from competition — meaning the legal backdrop remains unsettled even as the league insists this isn’t currently a live roster issue.
Spat breaks out in secretary of state’s race over Indiana transgender sports ban (ICC)
Republican nominee Max Engling attacked Lincoln Party candidate Greg Ballard for saying Indiana’s 2022 transgender girls-sports ban was “unnecessary” — Ballard had supported then-Gov. Holcomb’s veto of the bill at the time, which the GOP legislature overrode.
Ballard stood by his original position on WIBC radio, framing it as a “less government” Republican principle, but also added: “boys don’t belong in girls’ sports nor in their locker rooms. That’s common sense” — while calling the attacks a “purity test” distraction from what he says voters actually care about.
Democrat Beau Bayh sided with the existing ban, calling the controversy a “nonissue” since the law is already in place, while pivoting to broader anti-discrimination protections for transgender Hoosiers in housing, voting, and jobs — the article separately notes Bayh’s grandfather, Birch Bayh, authored Title IX.
The alignment cuts against expectations: Ballard, running as a centrist third-party alternative, has staked out the more permissive position of the three candidates on the underlying policy, while Bayh’s explicit support for the ban has drawn criticism from progressive Democrats on social media who see it as a concession on the issue.
How to properly handle this question (Natasha Baker for State Senate on Facebook)
Argues that documented abuse of women in sports (citing Larry Nassar/USA Gymnastics, Paul Riley/NWSL, Scott Shaw/San Jose State) has consistently been perpetrated by cisgender men in coaching/medical roles, not trans athletes — and that no documented cases exist of trans coaches, teammates, or trainers harming women in sports.
Contends that abuse is enabled by institutional failures — poor reporting structures, coercion, and promised privileges for silence — rather than by trans inclusion, making trans bans irrelevant to actually reducing violence against women athletes.
Claims banning trans athletes would do nothing to address the actual pattern of abuse, framing the trans-sports debate as a distraction that lets real perpetrators avoid scrutiny while targeting a “vulnerable group of kids” instead.
Warns that such bans would subject all girls to invasive scrutiny (physical exams, blood tests) to verify sex, and notes Indiana Republicans voted against an amendment that would have banned genital inspections of female athletes specifically.
Concludes that data-driven policy points toward addressing actual perpetrators (cisgender male authority figures) rather than banning trans participation.
‘What’s the problem?’ – Stephen A Smith calls for an end to ‘ridiculous’ WNBA trans debate (Yahoo!)
Stephen A. Smith backed Sophie Cunningham’s stance against trans women in women’s sports, calling the debate “ridiculous” and saying “we’ve got to have common sense.”
Smith argues comments from Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve — who called for the league to be “inclusive” on the issue — directly prompted Enes Kanter and Royce White’s decisions to declare for the 2027 WNBA draft.
Smith says Kanter and White are “going a bit too far” but are “right to do it” as a way of making a provocative point about the debate.
Media
NABJ President Explains Why Stephen A. Smith Got a Thumbs Down Award (Capital B)
NABJ gave ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith a Thumbs Down Award at its Atlanta convention, citing a “recurring public pattern of disparaging commentary directed at prominent Black women across politics, sports, and media” — including his remarks about Kamala Harris, Rep. Jasmine Crockett, and a public dispute with journalist Joy-Ann Reid.
NABJ President Errin Haines framed it as accountability rather than personal dislike, saying “influential voices can become part of the permission structure for how Black women are treated,” and expressed hope for a direct conversation with Smith about “how we move differently going forward.”
Smith responded publicly, vowing to make his own case for why he believes NABJ is “failing Black communities” — signaling this dispute is likely to continue playing out rather than resolve quietly.
Disney sues Trump’s FCC over ‘retaliatory campaign’ against ABC (CNN)
Disney sued Trump’s FCC in federal court, alleging a “retaliatory campaign” against ABC violates the First Amendment — specifically challenging Chairman Brendan Carr’s unusual early-renewal order on ABC’s eight Disney-owned station licenses, which weren’t due for renewal for years.
The dispute traces back to last April, when Trump pressured ABC to fire Jimmy Kimmel over a controversial joke; after ABC stood by Kimmel, Carr ordered the license review, which he claims is unrelated and tied instead to a DEI investigation — a timing critics call implausible.
Disney says the pressure has already changed ABC’s editorial choices: “The View” hasn’t booked a political candidate since February 2, and producers have declined to air certain clips out of fear they could be used against the network in the FCC’s review.
Carr has also opened a separate “equal-time” case against “The View” — a rarely enforced rule — while conservative allies like Daniel Suhr defend the scrutiny, arguing “it is not in the public interest for ABC to operate as an arm of the DNC.”
Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro publicly backed ABC’s “journalistic integrity,” saying “we’re not going to be told how to run that side of our business,” while the lawsuit itself warns the pressure campaign is meant to send a chilling message “to every broadcaster in the country.”
The Washington Post Is Wrong About Todd Blanche And Presidential Power (Civil Discourse with Joyce Vance)
Vance criticizes a WaPo editorial defending AG Todd Blanche’s Meet the Press comments, where he refused to pledge DOJ independence from the White House — arguing the Post conflates two different things: a president legitimately setting policy priorities (like directing focus toward violent crime) versus directing individual prosecutions, which Vance says must remain insulated from presidential influence.
Vance argues the Post’s own reporting undercuts its position — the editorial acknowledges Blanche’s DOJ has pursued “flimsy investigations and prosecutions of the president’s purported enemies, most of which have failed in court,” which she says is itself evidence for why DOJ independence matters, not against it.
She cites former AG (later Justice) Robert Jackson’s 1940 warning that prosecutors who act from “malice or other base motives” become “one of the worst” forces in society, and that prosecutors who pick defendants rather than cases risk punishing people for being “unpopular” or “personally obnoxious” to those in power — a framework she says applies directly to Blanche.
Vance connects this to Bezos’s own comments praising Trump as “more disciplined” and his February 2025 decision to narrow the Post’s opinion section to only “personal liberties and free markets” — suggesting the editorial reflects ownership influence rather than independent editorial judgment.
Her closing argument: the Post’s suggestion that Blanche could simply “push back” or resign if pressured is naive given his own on-record refusal to commit to independence — and she frames the piece as part of a broader pattern of institutions “bending the knee” rather than upholding traditional checks on presidential power.
NABJ gives DuJuan McCoy ‘Thumbs Down’ after WISH staff exodus, WRTV layoffs (IndyStar)
‘The National Association of Black Journalists gave McCoy a “Thumbs Down” at its annual convention in Atlanta on Aug. 15, 2026. The criticism comes about a year after he allegedly terminated former WISH-TV meteorologist Ashley Brown Elliott when she questioned the station’s treatment of Black employees, leading to a new noncompete agreement in employee contracts and a subsequent a mass exodus of WISH staffers.’
‘McCoy also made national headlines when he razed the WRTV newsroom within hours of sealing Circle City’s $83 million purchase of the station from E.W. Scripps Co. in March. WRTV and WISH now operate under dual branding with the same crew staffing both channels. McCoy said the WRTV layoffs and doubling up of the stations were his “prerogative and responsibility” as a business owner in an April appearance on the Leaders and Legends podcast.’
‘NABJ’s annual rebukes spotlight media actors that “undermined fair, accurate and inclusive journalism about Black communities or have otherwise acted in ways fundamentally at odds with NABJ’s mission and values,” according to a presentation at the organization’s Salute to Excellence Awards Gala. Along with McCoy, NABJ also called out Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr, the Washington Post, CBS and longtime ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith.’
‘McCoy – who staked his claim in the Indianapolis media market in 2019 after running stations in Texas, Louisiana and Evansville – owns WRTV, WISH and MyINDY-TV 23 under Circle City Broadcasting. An Indianapolis native and Butler University graduate…’
‘McCoy began his career as an account executive at WTTV and worked his way up the broadcast business ladder, landing a position as vice president general sales manager at Houston’s Fox affiliates before founding his own broadcast company in 2007.’
Education
Whitten, Melania Trump announce $2M in scholarships for IU, Purdue (IPM)
IU President Pamela Whitten joined Melania Trump at the White House to announce IU and Purdue joining “Fostering the Future,” Melania’s scholarship program for former foster youth — Fox Sports and IndyCar donated $2 million to fund the partnership.
The announcement came ahead of this weekend’s IndyCar Freedom 250 race in DC; Fox Sports owns IndyCar’s broadcast rights, and CEO Eric Shanks, an IU alum, personally thanked Whitten during his remarks.
IU and Purdue join 24 other schools already in the program, including Texas, Georgia, and Ohio State.
Braun touts start of universal school choice in Indiana (ICC)
Indiana’s school voucher program is now fully universal — income limits (previously capped at $220,000 for a family of four) were eliminated starting this school year, letting roughly 3,000 additional students qualify.
Braun toured Cardinal Ritter High School to mark the change, one of 427 private/parochial schools accepting vouchers; scholarship amounts this year are estimated between $6,000-$8,500, covering full tuition or 90% of what the state would’ve spent on the student in public school.
Critics like Rep. Tonya Pfaff call it “a handout” to families who already chose and paid for private school, arguing it diverts funds from public schools — she says Vigo County schools alone have lost over $36 million since income limits started being removed.
This lands directly alongside the record wave of public school property tax referendums this fall (38 districts, covered earlier this session) — Braun argues public school funding has kept pace with inflation and schools need better results, not more money, pointing to a new law requiring districts spend at least 65% of state tuition support on teacher pay.
Texas families ask Supreme Court to take up challenge to Ten Commandments in schools (SCOTUSblog)
‘Lawyers for a group of Texas families with children in the state’s public schools came to the Supreme Court on Monday, asking the justices to weigh in on the constitutionality of a 2025 law that requires each classroom in that state to display a copy of the Ten Commandments.’
‘Asking the justices to review a ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit that upheld the law, the challengers told the justices that the lower court “flouted this Court’s binding precedents and gutted the religious-freedom rights of public-school children and parents.”’
‘In 1980, in Stone v. Graham, the court ruled that a Kentucky law requiring public schools to display a framed copy of the Ten Commandments in classrooms violated the Constitution, [...resting] its conclusion that the Kentucky law failed the “Lemon test” – a three-part test, outlined in the 1971 case Lemon v. Kurtzman, to determine whether a law violates the Constitution’s establishment clause.’
‘In 2022’s Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, in which the court ruled in favor of a high school football coach who lost his job after leading post-game prayers on the field, Justice Neil Gorsuch’s opinion for the six-justice majority indicated that Lemon had been “long ago abandoned.”’
‘The challengers are public-school families from an array of religious (including Christianity, Judaism, and Hinduism) and nonreligious backgrounds. They went to federal court, where they argued that the law violated both the establishment clause and their right to freely exercise their religion.’
