Democratic Underground: Forums for U.S. Liberals and Democrats

Trump's budget hawk is still trying to slash medical research. Congress is saying no.

04/11/2026 12:00 PM EDT White House budget director Russ Vought isn’t done trying to cut the National Institutes of Health’s funding, but Congress isn’t taking him seriously anymore. Vought released a proposal last week to slash the 2027 budget for the world’s largest funder of health research by 10 percent, down from 40 percent last year. It’s unlikely Congress or the agency’s head will listen to him. Lawmakers rejected Vought’s first big cut in the spending bill they passed in February and ...

BumRushDaShow

Following new USDA food pyramid would raise grocery bills by nearly one-third

Posted 11:35 AM, Apr 11, 2026 There is a new food pyramid, and analysis shows that following the updated guidelines from the U.S. Department of Agriculture could cost Americans significantly more. Data compiled by market analysis firm Numerator indicates a typical household would spend $1,012 more annually to follow the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans compared with the previous version. The guidelines, published every five years, place greater emphasis on meat and fat sources, such as bu ...

riversedge

Exclusive: US intelligence indicates China is preparing weapons shipment to Iran amid fragile ceasefire, sources say

Natasha Bertrand Haley Britzky Zachary Cohen Updated 49 min ago US intelligence indicates that China is preparing to deliver new air defense systems to Iran within the next few weeks, according to three people familiar with recent intelligence assessments. It would be a provocative move considering Beijing said it helped broker the fragile ceasefire agreement that paused the war between Iran and the US earlier this week. President Donald Trump is also set to ...

BumRushDaShow

Trump Has TV Wheeled In At $1 Million-Per-Person 'Candlelight' Fundraiser To Watch Artemis II Splashdown

Apr 11th, 2026, 8:58 am President Donald Trump had a television wheeled in at his $1 million-per-person fundraiser to watch the Artemis II splashdown with his wealthy donors. Just hours before the president’s deadline to destroy the “whole civilization” of Iran at 8PM on Tuesday, conflicting announcements of a two-week ceasefire emerged. While Trump and his allies declared the deal a victory, the Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed and details of the plan are hotly contested. As the wee ...

highplainsdem

Education Secretary Linda McMahon Used AI-Generated Photo in Post Honoring Ida B. Wells

Secretary of Education Linda McMahon shared a social media post honoring civil rights activist and journalist Ida B. Wells — but critics are speaking out after she used an A.I.-generated image rather than a real photo of Wells. On Friday, April 10, McMahon shared a post about Wells on Truth Social as part of a series about well-known women in American history. The tribute featured an image of a woman sitting at a desk that was labeled "Photo by Gemini," a Google A.I. tool. -snip- Hi ...

BumRushDaShow

EPA tells some scientific research staffers to relocate

04/10/26 6:11 PM ET The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is making some of its staffers relocate and reassigning an even larger share of employees as part of its efforts to reorganize its scientific research. The agency is reassigning a total of 124 staffers, 35 of whom are being asked to relocate. The move comes as the Trump administration seeks to eliminate its Office of Research and Development and instead conduct scientific research in a new office housed within the office of the a ...

BumRushDaShow

Trump proposes painting executive office building white

Updated on: April 10, 2026 / 3:02 PM EDT President Trump has submitted plans plans to paint the Eisenhower Executive Office Building white to a group that advises on architecture in Washington, D.C. The French Second Empire-style, slate-gray building houses office space for members of the president's team, including the National Security Council. The building sits across a driveway from the West Wing and was completed in 1888. The plans submitted by the president say that the Eisenhower Exe ...

BumRushDaShow

Layoffs hit Kennedy Center again amid Trump's MAGA overhaul

April 10, 2026 7:21PM ET Layoffs continued Friday at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as the nation’s premier arts institution prepares for a two-year shutdown tied to President Donald Trump’s MAGA-fied overhaul – which included a rebrand as the “Trump-Kennedy Center.” Multiple people familiar with the cuts told the Washington Post that the programming department has been hit especially hard, with staff either terminated or reassigned as the center pivots away from tradition ...

muriel_volestrangler

'Just the beginning': Artemis II crew splashes down after record-breaking moon flyby

The Artemis II, and the four astronauts aboard the Orion space capsule, splashed down into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego on Friday night, with all four astronauts in good health. “53 years ago, humanity left the moon. This time we return to stay. Let us finish what they started. Let us focus on what was left undone. Let us not go to plant flags and leave, but to stay with firmness in our purpose, with gratitude for the hands who built the machines and with love for the ones that ...

BumRushDaShow

Trump team turns to unlikely group to fill much needed air traffic controller jobs - gamers

Friday 10 April 2026 19:05 EDT Facing a national shortage of air traffic controllers, the Trump administration has turned to an unconventional pool of people for help: video game enthusiasts. On Thursday, the Federal Aviation Administration released a one-minute YouTube ad, urging gamers to swap their Xboxes and PlayStations for radar displays. “You’ve been training for this,” the ad declares over the pulsing beat of song “Heads Will Roll.”. “Become an air traffic controller,” it continues. ...

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Iran hawk Lindsey Graham deflects when asked by Fox News host if war will cost GOP the midterms

5 min ago - Saturday 11 April 2026 19:02 EDT Lindsey Graham dodged questions about whether the ongoing war in Iran will hurt Republican chances in the upcoming midterm elections. The South Carolina senator, who has been one of the biggest champions of the U.S. ... (The Independent)

Russia violates Easter ceasefire 2,299 times; at least 4 killed, 35 injured in Ukraine over past day

49 min ago - During the last 15 hours, Russia has violated a recently announced Easter ceasefire 2,299 times, Ukraine's General Staff said on April 12. The violations, recorded between 4 p.m. local time on April 11 and 7 a.m. on April 12, included 28 assault ope ... (Kyiv Independent)

Damning Intel Leak Blows Up Pentagon Pete's Chest-Thumping Claims

1 hr ago - Updated Apr. 11 2026 6:04PM EDT Published Apr. 11 2026 1:23PM EDT Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s chest-thumping claims about Iran’s losses don’t appear to line up with intelligence assessments. Iran still has thousands of ballist ... (Daily Beast)

Virginia redistricting battle enters home stretch

2 hrs ago - 04/11/26 5:00 PM ET Democrats’ push to redistrict in Virginia is entering the home stretch as the party seeks to solidify an advantage in four more House districts ahead of the November midterms. Heavyweight donors have poured millions of dol ... (The Hill)

'Can't send the two real estate developers': Top Dem slams Trump's Iran negotiators

3 hrs ago - April 11, 2026 3:20PM ET Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) spoke out on Saturday against special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner taking part in Middle East diplomatic efforts amid the ongoing Iran war, The Hill reported ... (Raw Story)

'Everything is gone': Israel destroys entire villages in Lebanon

5 hrs ago - The Israeli military has demolished entire villages as part of its invasion of south Lebanon, rigging homes with explosives and razing them to the ground in massive remote detonations. The Guardian reviewed three videos posted by the Israeli military ... (Guardian)

Direct U.S.-Iran talks fail to reach resolution after lengthy negotiation

8 hrs ago - ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Talks between the United States and Iran failed to reach a resolution over ending the war, Vice President JD Vance announced after more than 20 hours of negotiations here. “We just could not get to a situation where th ... (Washington Post)

London police arrest more than 200 at protest backing banned group Palestine Action

8 hrs ago - Updated 12:26 PM CDT, April 11, 2026 Leer en español LONDON (AP) — London police arrested more than 200 people on Saturday during a protest against a ban on the group Palestine Action that the government has labeled a terrorist organizat ... (AP)

Kristi Noem's husband entered a Christian 'sexual behavior' rehab in January: report

10 hrs ago - Saturday 11 April 2026 11:41 EDT Kristi Noem’s husband entered a Christian “sexual behavior” rehab program earlier in January, prior to the bombshell revelations about his alleged “bimbofication” fetish and cross-dressing hab ... (The Independent)

Pope Leo XIV blasts 'delusion of omnipotence' fueling US-Israeli war in Iran

10 hrs ago - April 11, 2026, 1:07 PM ROME -- In his strongest words yet, Pope Leo XIV on Saturday denounced the “delusion of omnipotence” that is fueling the U.S.-Israel war in Iran and demanded political leaders stop and negotiate peace. Leo presided ... (ABC News/AP)

Trump Has TV Wheeled In At $1 Million-Per-Person 'Candlelight' Fundraiser To Watch Artemis II Splashdown

11 hrs ago - Apr 11th, 2026, 8:58 am President Donald Trump had a television wheeled in at his $1 million-per-person fundraiser to watch the Artemis II splashdown with his wealthy donors. Just hours before the president’s deadline to destroy the “whole ... (MEDIAite)

Following new USDA food pyramid would raise grocery bills by nearly one-third

11 hrs ago - Posted 11:35 AM, Apr 11, 2026 There is a new food pyramid, and analysis shows that following the updated guidelines from the U.S. Department of Agriculture could cost Americans significantly more. Data compiled by market analysis firm Numerator indic ... (Scripps News)

Jubilant return of Artemis II shadowed by 'extinction-level' cuts to Nasa: 'It's discordant'

12 hrs ago - Sat 11 Apr 2026 08.33 EDT Last modified on Sat 11 Apr 2026 08.34 EDT The astronauts on board Artemis II were “almost poets”, Nasa’s administrator, Jared Isaacman, declared on Friday, referring to their inspiring words as they swung abo ... (The Guardian)

Sources: Manhattan DA now investigating CA Rep. Eric Swalwell for sexual assault allegations

12 hrs ago - NEW YORK (WABC) -- The Manhattan District Attorney's Office is now investigating California Representative Eric Swalwell. A former staffer for the Democratic lawmaker claims Swalwell assaulted her while at a hotel in New York City. Swalwell has denie ... (ABC 7 NYC)

Education Secretary Linda McMahon Used AI-Generated Photo in Post Honoring Ida B. Wells

13 hrs ago - Secretary of Education Linda McMahon shared a social media post honoring civil rights activist and journalist Ida B. Wells — but critics are speaking out after she used an A.I.-generated image rather than a real photo of Wells. On Friday, April ... (People)

Texas excluded Islamic schools from voucher program, lawsuit says

13 hrs ago - April 11, 2026, 6:02 a.m. ET Efforts by state officials in Texas and Florida are raising questions − and triggering lawsuits − over whether their taxpayer-funded school voucher programs discriminate against Islamic schools in violation of ... (USA Today)

Developer of Massachusetts offshore wind farm sues to stop turbine manufacturer from walking away

13 hrs ago - April 11, 2026 The developer of a major Massachusetts offshore wind farm is suing its turbine manufacturer seeking to force it to stay with the project. Vineyard Wind filed a lawsuit Wednesday in Massachusetts against GE Renewables. That comes after ... (WHDH-TV Boston, MA/AP)

New Republican Food Benefit Cuts Are Taking Effect

14 hrs ago - Apr 11, 2026, 07:00 AM EDT | Updated 8 hours ago Over 2 million fewer people are receiving federal food assistance since Republicans in Congress cut benefits last year. Nationwide enrollment in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program stood at ... (Huff Post)

Exclusive: US intelligence indicates China is preparing weapons shipment to Iran amid fragile ceasefire, sources say

15 hrs ago - Natasha Bertrand Haley Britzky Zachary Cohen Updated 49 min ago US intelligence indicates that China is preparing to deliver new air defense systems to Iran within the next few weeks, according to three people familiar ... (cnn)

Trump's budget hawk is still trying to slash medical research. Congress is saying no.

15 hrs ago - 04/11/2026 12:00 PM EDT White House budget director Russ Vought isn’t done trying to cut the National Institutes of Health’s funding, but Congress isn’t taking him seriously anymore. Vought released a proposal last week to slash the 20 ... (Politico)