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I Help Professionals Buy Their Own Businesses: This Is the $1.1 Million Mistake I See All the Time

Waiting to buy a business because of fear or uncertainty often costs professionals significantly more in missed compounding wealth than the risks they are trying to avoid would cost.

Aug 4 • 6:00 AM EDT • Business • kiplinger.com

Spirit's collapse hits businesses in Detroit Metro's Evans Terminal

Spirit Airlines' exit from Detroit Metro Airport has left vendors in the Evans Terminal facing empty gates, declining sales, uncertainty.

Aug 4 • 12:02 AM EDT • Business • detroitnews.com

If Not AOC, Then Who?

What do we do if Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez decides not to run for president in 2028? It makes sense that many leftists are currently focused on calling on her to take the plunge. But the absence of a Plan B, or even much discussion about one, is worrisome. The US Left can’t afford to sit out the 2028 Democratic primary. Doing so in 2024 was a disaster: our abstention self-marginalized anti-billionaire politics from the national conversation and thereby gave space for Harris to pivot to the “center” (i.e. the policy preferences of corporate donors, establishment hacks, and AIPAC). Abstaining again in 2028 would be especially counterproductive since democratic socialists now have so much wind in our sails after our big electoral wins in NYC and across the country. It’s time to deepen our momentum, organization, and profile — not to retreat to the margins during America’s single most important political battle. Even more urgently, keeping Trump’s heir out of the White House may depend on whether leftists and the party’s unprecedentedly disenchanted base can force the Democrats in 2028 to take meaningful steps towards a very angry electorate and away from the corporate-consultant blob that has helped get us into this mess. If AOC (or Abdul El-Sayed) decides to run, we should enthusiastically go all in — DSA, fighting unions, progressive organizations, anybody who wants to see a better country and world. But, as far as I can tell from the outside, there’s a real chance that she doesn’t run. And we can’t just wait and see where she lands before discussing alternatives, since AOC’s decision might not come for quite a while, giving us little time to scramble at the last minute for an alternative. So we should start working now on getting a Plan B into motion, and recruiting a good candidate for the role. Here’s one idea. A Worker Candidate — Healthcare Not Warfare 2028 Run a union worker Leftists don’t need to always run experienced, well-known socialist politicians for high-profile contests. Lula, the current president of Brazil, began his political career as a metalworker militant who ran for governor of São Paulo in 1982. Especially in an era of institutional distrust, it’s possible to lean hard into making a virtue out of a working-class comrade’s distance from traditional politics. Experience abroad shows this clearly. Rachel Kéké — an immigrant hotel housekeeper — ran as the candidate of the leftist La France Insoumise for the National Assembly in 2022, defeating a former minister in the Macron government. The Belgian Workers’ Party in 2024 won its first Flemish seat in the European Parliament by running Rudi Kennes, a three-decade veteran of the Opel Antwerp auto factory. And the South Korean left in 2024 elected auto factory militant Yoon Jong-oh to the National Assembly. If a tiny French Trotskyist organization could make such a big splash in 2002 and 2007 by running a well-spoken postal worker cadre for office — the LCR’s Olivier Besancenot received about 1.5 million first-round votes — it’s not far-fetched to expect that a much larger organization like DSA, together with a broader coalition of the willing, could run this playbook to much greater effect. This is especially the case now that almost everything DSA does immediately becomes a national news story. We don’t need someone famous. We just need a charismatic, well-vetted comrade who works in a relatable working-class occupation — e.g. a nurse, or a worker in auto or construction, or at Amazon. Ideally, they have a compelling personal story or have been part of a significant strike or organizing campaign, but even those criteria don’t necessarily have to be deal-breakers. The main lesson of the Graham Platner fiasco isn’t that we should never run outsiders for office (the momentum he generated proves the exact opposite), but that they need proper vetting and roots in democratic membership organizations like DSA or a union. In any case, there are plenty of ways to signal working-class authenticity without resorting to Platner’s or Fetterman’s performative macho white dude affect. Better to have someone of any gender or race who is actually working class, with firm socialist politics, who can speak from experience about the day-to-day realities of trying to make it in America. There are surely at least a dozen such worker leaders in our movement nationwide; we just need to sit down and convince one that their personal sacrifice for the greater good (i.e. running for president) will be worth it. If we don’t have a frontrunner with a clear path to victory like AOC (or El-Sayed, were he to win Michigan), it’s better to embrace someone whose decision to run in itself tells an important story about US politics: workers have been iced out of our political system and are now fighting hard to break back in. The novelty factor, in itself, would generate press. And it would help democratic socialists signal to the American public that our movement’s defining characteristic is that we represent workers vs. bosses, not that we’re “the furthest left” force in American politics — a framework that suggests we’re extremists and that helps our opponents isolate us from non-college-educated voters by highlighting extremely minoritarian (and misguided) stances included in DSA’s platform like prison abolition. We don’t get many opportunities to speak to tens of millions of Americans; we need to use these opportunities to broaden our appeal beyond those already in our orbit. Run to polarize the 2028 primary and general election around “Medicare for All” and “End All Aid to Israel” Why should democratic socialists use our scarce time and volunteer energy to run in a race we’re unlikely to win? Running in the 2028 primary will not only recruit us scores of members (imagine having a DSA member intervening in eleven nationally televised primary debates!), but — more importantly — it has the potential to be a decisive leap forward towards an America that finally starts meeting the needs of working people instead of HMO and AIPAC billionaire donors. Polarizing litmus tests are good, actually — as long as they’re fought for around popular demands in a thoughtful and strategic way. Democratic socialists have an opportunity and responsibility to make the 2028 primary about two of the most widely and deeply felt issues of our moment: domestically, America’s unaffordable, family-breaking private healthcare system; internationally, America’s bankrolling of the genocidal Israeli government. A candidacy relentlessly demanding Medicare for All and No Aid to Israel would pose a sharp question to the American public, the Democratic Party, and other 2028 contenders: Why can’t working-class Americans afford their healthcare bills at the same time that our government is spending at least $3.8 billion yearly to fund an Israeli regime eager to keep dragging us and the world into more forever wars? Our candidate can agitate around a clear message: I’m running to give voice to all those working-class Americans who are struggling to get by. No matter what state you live in, who you voted for in 2024, or your background, it’s just plain common sense that we should make healthcare more affordable instead of spending billions to enable the Israeli government’s crimes against humanity. Every American who agrees with me when I say ‘Medicare for All — Not a Dime for Israel’ should make their voice heard through our campaign. Racking up a high number of votes for this agenda is a crucial way to show the Democratic Party and the country as a whole that we can’t keep supporting a life-destroying status quo in our healthcare system and in the Middle East. If we want to defeat Trump’s handpicked crony this coming November, we need to speak to ordinary people’s frustrations with the status quo — we can’t keep running the same tired establishment playbook and expecting a different result. For those highly engaged voters (or skeptical media pundits) who raise concerns about wasting votes, the candidate can take the time to explain why this isn’t the case: It's true I'm a long shot. But Zohran showed anything can happen — and voting for me is a pragmatic decision, not a wasted vote. In a heavily divided primary with a large number of candidates and a very discredited establishment, my campaign and the democratic socialist movement I’m part of are positioned to be the balance of power if we can get a large enough number of voters to loudly demand Healthcare Not Warfare. Since there’s a high chance no candidate will get to 50% in the 2028 primaries, the Democrats could very well be heading towards a brokered convention, where a disciplined, principled current committed to breaking from corporate donors can play an outsized role in making sure whoever ends up with the nomination raises the banner of single-payer healthcare and cutting aid to Israel. How exactly could running this sort of primary campaign be translated into actual leverage? The candidate replies: I’m aiming to win the nomination, but if I don’t achieve that goal, my delegates and I will pledge our support in the primary only for a candidate who agrees in the general election to call for ending US aid to Israel and establishing Medicare for All at home. These are both winning planks for November against the Republicans, and the only reason I can see that other candidates haven’t yet raised these is that they’re still more scared of the donor class than they are of the people. That needs to change. If Democratic leaders want young people, workers, and those sick of the status quo to show up in big numbers this November, they need to meet us halfway. In this way, whether or not we win the nomination, democratic socialists could still play a decisive role in 2028. The approach outlined here is similar to what radical left parties periodically do in parliamentary democracies like Denmark or Sweden when they find themselves as a junior partner electorally: they dictate to center-left allies what their terms would be for enabling, from the outside, the formation of a new government. Running a Healthcare Not Warfare candidate will make it significantly more likely that the 2028 Democratic candidate stands with ordinary people instead of donors on these two pivotal planks — a shift that will, in turn, make it easier to achieve the existentially important task of defeating MAGA’s heir in November. Look at how much popular traction the Uncommitted movement got with a similar strategy in 2024 with so little on-the-ground organization — surely we can go much further with a working-class candidate, a much bigger DSA, and a Democratic Party base that has turned against Israel, billionaires, and the hacks in the party who prop them up. Objections and Responses There are quite a few objections to this proposal, many of which are very reasonable. Let me briefly address each here. Socialists shouldn’t waste their scarce time and resources on a candidate unlikely to win. This is a good rule in general, but there are important exceptions, and presidential elections are the main one. There’s no other political contest that gets anything like this level of attention and engagement in the US, so if you want to be a serious force in nationwide politics, you basically can’t afford not to have a candidate. Far from being an overall drain on our resources, running a dynamic 2028 campaign would likely result in a major net increase in members and capacity. In that spirit, the very pragmatic Milwaukee sewer socialists — who mostly ran to win at home in Wisconsin — supported Eugene Debs’s propagandistic presidential campaigns, which they correctly saw as a crucial means of recruiting to the Socialist Party. And now that the (post-1972) Democratic Party gives more weight to voters than party operatives in determining its presidential nomination, it’s become feasible to run as a socialist in primaries without risking a split in the vote against the Republicans in November. We should just support Ro Khanna, who also supports M4A and ending aid to Israel. I like Ro Khanna and would enthusiastically vote and canvass for him for president were he to get the nomination. But there’s a real chance that Khanna’s bid for office doesn’t catch on; he lacks the grassroots organizational apparatus of DSA, and, because he’s not really of the Left or labor (despite his current very good positions), he’s unlikely to generate the type of buy-in and enthusiasm that a DSA candidate would. Moreover, Khanna would be running as an individual, not as someone emerging from and building an organized movement — his campaign would not likely focus on building sustained power from below, nor would it likely polarize the 2028 primary around M4A and Israel aid. Also, and not inconsequentially, the poor electoral results for Tom Steyer and Saikat Chakrabarti this spring suggest that there’s perhaps not much of a popular appetite in the Democrats’ base to support multi-millionaire class traitors. Much better, then, to run a democratic socialist worker. If by Super Tuesday it’s clear that our campaign has captured the main left lane in the primary, Khanna should drop out and endorse us; conversely, if he’s managed to capture this lane, DSA could at that point transform its Healthcare Not Warfare campaign into an independent campaign to elect Ro Khanna focused on winning (and holding him accountable to) those two critical planks. An openness to consolidating an anti-corporate candidate by Super Tuesday is a necessary component of the strategy I’m proposing, because otherwise we risk splitting the primary votes (per DNC rules, you need at least 15% to get any delegates to convention). We should convince Shawn Fain or Sara Nelson to run for president instead. I agree it’d be great if either ran for president, but my impression is that there’s basically no chance that will happen in 2028, because both are firmly focused on their union leadership duties (and, in the case of Fain, beating back a federal witch-hunt). This plan could have DSA end up endorsing a non-socialist, non-DSAer for president. That’s against our principles. It’s a myth, and bad politics, that socialists can’t ever support candidates who aren’t members of their organization and/or who don’t call themselves socialists. Bernie, after all, was not a DSAer. And socialists abroad regularly make tactical decisions about if and when supporting a non-socialist candidate makes sense from the standpoint of promoting working-class interests, defending democracy, and building a socialist current in the process. If your “principles” prevent you and DSA from helping achieve the momentous stride forward of having a Democratic candidate in 2028 run on Medicare for All and ending aid to Israel, those “principles” are not very good. In fact, they actively undermine the causes they’re aiming to support. We shouldn’t confuse principles (working-class independence) with tactics (the best way to advance this in a given context). In my recent article in Catalyst on Milwaukee sewer socialism (I’ve uploaded the full text here), I have a section showing how similarly rigid rules about endorsements had to be eventually discarded in the old Socialist Party nationwide after WWI because they tended to lead socialists towards a sectarian abstention from broader anti-corporate electoral insurgencies beyond their party’s control. For what it’s worth, Lenin’s current under Tsarism frequently backed bourgeois candidates in the second round of elections and Lenin himself advocated that British Communists support Labour Party candidates; for his part, Kautsky in 1912 defended the German Social Democracy’s electoral pact with the Progressives in the runoffs. If our predecessors could be that tactically flexible in an era before the limits of their underlying strategic assumptions about intransigent class politics in capitalist democracies were made clear, then there’s no need to insist on being more tactically rigid today, after a century’s worth of accumulated experience. As long as you maintain your own political profile and organization while engaging in broader coalitional efforts, there’s zero inherent contradiction with the principle of political independence. More specifically: DSA and allied organizations should enthusiastically back Michigan’s Abdul El-Sayed if AOC declines to run and he throws his hat in the presidential ring. (I have no idea whether he’s even considering this path, but there’ll surely be chatter about it if he wins his Senate race this November.) Though he doesn’t call himself a socialist, El-Sayed is a principled Berniecrat, a consistent fighter for Palestine, and would have a clear path to victory. Using the “s” word is far less important than whether a campaign fights for the interests of working people at home and abroad — and whether actively participating in it can grow the organized working class and the Left. And the same holds true if a less anti-corporate candidate were, under pressure, to adopt our two Healthcare Not Warfare planks. Why focus only on M4A and ending US aid to Israel? There are so many other important issues to fight for! Obviously there are many pivotal issues beyond healthcare and Israel, and our candidate — and especially our organizations involved in the campaign — should be prepared to speak on all of these. But one of the crucial lessons of the Zohran campaign is that you have to relentlessly stay on message if you want to cut through the noise. CNN and Fox News will want to talk about DSA’s views on Venezuela and abolishing the police; we need to polarize the debate on the widely and deeply felt issues that are most favorable for growing the Left, isolating our opponents, and winning urgently needed changes. One recent poll found 63% of Americans support M4A, even after respondents were told it would raise taxes and eliminate most private insurance. Another found that 74% of Democrats opposed “providing additional economic and military support to Israel.” And focusing on two demands sets the campaign up to be able to leverage its mandate to make clear demands upon other candidates (which we can’t do if we run with a laundry list of demands). Talking about a Plan B is a distraction from the more urgent work of building a groundswell of calls on AOC to run. It’s good for DSAers, fightback unionists, and progressive organizations to try to convince AOC to run. This proposal is meant as an addendum to pushes to get AOC to run and to line DSA up for that eventuality, not as a substitute for those efforts. But I’m worried that, like in 2024, we might eventually find ourselves with no time to find a viable alternative unless we start now. DSA, with its abundant deliberative processes, moves slowly. The approach you’re suggesting seems risky. If a DSA candidate runs but doesn’t receive a lot of votes, it’ll undercut our current national momentum. This is a reasonable worry. All big initiatives always carry risks, and the path I’m advocating is certainly not free of these. That said, if a Healthcare Not Warfare campaign doesn’t catch on like we envisioned, it’s a pretty simple pivot in March 2028 to explain that in the future we really need our standard-bearers like AOC, or our growing bench of national electeds, to step up in presidential primaries. Moreover, it’s worth noting that the risk of my Plan B proposal is on the whole significantly less than the risk entailed by an AOC run. We should all back her if she runs, since she’d fire up the base, provide huge openings for organizing, have a real shot at defeating a Republican (especially given MAGA’s unpopularity), be a great standard-bearer for our issues, particularly M4A and ending aid to Israel, and be less willing than mainstream candidates to capitulate to any anti-democratic machinations from Trump and co. But it’s also true that AOC could lose, which would be a devastating setback to the country and the Left. Or she could win and find herself unable to pass much, if any, of her (and our) program, a demoralizing prospect. So if we’re willing to take these risks with AOC (and we should), it follows that we should be able to take lower-level risks if she doesn’t throw her hat in the ring. What’s Your Plan B? The US Left is facing its biggest opening for growth and influence since the 1930s. Initiatives that would have been impossible a few months ago are now potentially feasible. A President AOC is now easier to imagine, but if she ultimately assesses that the risks aren’t worth the potential reward in 2028, we can’t be left flat-footed. So even if you’re not convinced by the specifics of my Plan B, I hope you can at least agree that it’d be a disaster for us not to have one — and not to start getting a Plan B into motion. Hopefully other organizers and political currents will put forward their responses and alternative ideas ASAP. The stakes are too high to just wait and see. More As always, please share this article widely. This newsletter depends on all you lovely people to get the word out. Thank you! I uploaded the full text of my Catalyst article on Milwaukee sewer socialism here (it’s updated and 3x as long as the version published earlier on this substack). If you haven’t yet, please make sure to subscribe to Catalyst here; I read every issue front to back, highly recommend. 🌹🎵 Ivan Lins (arranged by Arthur Verocai) — “General da Banda” 🌹🎵

Aug 3 • 12:50 PM EDT • Politics • laborpolitics.com

It turns out that the 'Yasmine Hadoken' taunt in Street Fighter 6 CAN hurt opponents and the damage it deals is...

Just prior to the release of Yasmine and the Season 4 patch for Street Fighter 6, Capcom showed off two over-the-top taunts for Yasmine. These are certainly some of the craziest taunts we've seen for the game thus far ...

Aug 3 • 11:58 AM EDT • Technology • eventhubs.com

Good Communication Is Good Business by Geoffrey Losee

The following column was contributed by J.D. Fisher. Mixed-use communities are increasingly common. Restaurants, breweries, retail stores, entertainment venues, and professional offices often operate within walking distance of established neighborhoods. That proximity creates tremendous opportunity, but it also means that a business's decisions may affect more than just its customers. Many business owners understandably focus on obtaining the permits necessary to open their doors. However, municipal approval is rarely the end of the conversation. As a business evolves, whether by adding outdoor seating, live entertainment, extended operating hours, or other new amenities, the applicable zoning ordinance may require additional approvals or impose operational standards designed to balance commercial activity with nearby residential uses. From a business perspective, the question should not simply be, "Can we do this?" It should also be, "Have we communicated with everyone who may be affected?" Recent local news coverage highlighted how differing interpretations of a municipal ordinance can quickly become the subject of public hearings, legal arguments, and significant uncertainty for a business. While every situation turns on its own facts, one common theme emerged: practical solutions are more difficult to achieve if communication breaks down. Businesses can often reduce that risk by engaging early with the relevant stakeholders. That begins with municipal staff. Planning departments are oftentimes willing to discuss how an ordinance applies before substantial investments are made. Seeking clarification in advance may identify permitting requirements or operational limitations that can be addressed proactively rather than after enforcement action. Communication should not stop with local government. Nearby property owners and neighborhood representatives frequently appreciate being informed about proposed changes before they occur. A brief meeting, an informational email, or an invitation to discuss concerns can foster goodwill and reveal potential issues while there is still flexibility to adjust operations. That’s why such meetings often required for substantial projects and may be a good idea even if not required. Perhaps most importantly, businesses should view compliance as an ongoing process rather than a one-time event. Operational changes that seem minor from a business standpoint may have regulatory implications under local development ordinances. Periodically reviewing proposed changes with experienced land-use counsel or planning professionals can help identify issues before they become disputes. No ordinance can eliminate every conflict between commercial activity and residential expectations. Nor should every disagreement become a legal controversy. But businesses that invest in transparent, proactive communication place themselves in the strongest position to protect both their operations and their relationships within the community. In today's regulatory environment, good communication is more than good public relations, it is good risk management. If your business is planning to expand its operations, introduce a new use, or simply wants to better understand how local land development regulations apply, the attorneys at Rountree Losee LLP are available to help. Our land use and local government practice works with businesses throughout southeastern North Carolina to navigate municipal approval processes, identify potential issues before they become disputes, and keep projects moving forward with confidence. Read more at rountreelosee.com.

Aug 3 • 8:00 AM EDT • Business • wilmingtonbiz.com

Jonathan Greenard’s missed camp reps could complicate Eagles debut

Vic Fangio isn't certain of Jonathan Greenard's timetable for return, but what is known is his absence could slow his adjustment to a new defense.

Aug 3 • 7:52 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Medicaid Recipients Fear Federal Cuts to Health Care in Rural Montana

A few years ago, Owen Fulford’s parents began noticing their son was struggling with certain activities at home and at school. They switched him to a bigger school so that he would have access to more resources, and they got him into see a primary care physician who after some work referred him to a […]

Aug 3 • 7:00 AM EDT • Health • flatheadbeacon.com

Analysis | Is the midterm cake baked?

The vibes around the economy are bad — polls and focus groups show voters feel like they are getting screwed at the gas pump and at the grocery store, jobs feel harder to come by, and the rise of technology like artificial intelligence is injecting considerable uncertainty into the future.

Aug 3 • 5:28 AM EDT • Politics • washingtonpost.com

Corporate law firms funnel nearly $1M to Democratic incumbents

Last year’s bitter legislative fight over Senate Bill 21 – to shield companies from certain lawsuits – has spilled into the summer’s primary season.

Aug 3 • 4:57 AM EDT • Politics • delawareonline.com

Roanoke’s largest undeveloped tract remains in limbo

The fate of Roanoke’s 150-acre Evans Spring site remains uncertain as city council allows conservation but landowners hold final decision.

Aug 2 • 11:55 PM EDT • Business • virginiabusiness.com

Lindsay Lohan brings back ‘Parent Trap’ twins nearly 30 years later

Lindsay Lohan seemingly reprised her iconic twins from ‘The Parent Trap’ in a new commercial for a product Annie and Hallie would certainly approve of.

Aug 2 • 3:54 PM EDT • Entertainment • ew.com

RFK Jr. says Trump ‘certainly’ wants him to investigate any link between autism and vaccines

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Sunday said President Trump “certainly” wants him to investigate perceived links between autism and vaccines. Kennedy …

Aug 2 • 3:48 PM EDT • Health • thehill.com

Trump's threat to push ahead on settlement fund injects new uncertainty into attorney general talks

Trump asserted in a Truth Social post that he would keep acting Attorney General Todd Blanche in his current role and press ahead on the “Anti-Weaponization Fund” if Sens. John Cornyn and Thom Tillis refuse to back Blanche.

Aug 1 • 12:15 PM EDT • Politics • pbs.org

Zack Wheeler knows deadline uncertainty better than most: ‘an anxious time'

Zack Wheeler has been traded, nearly moved and left in deadline limbo. Those experiences shaped how he views this time of year.

Aug 1 • 11:30 AM EDT • Sports • nbcsportsphiladelphia.com

XBOX could eventually stop releasing games on Steam

Microsoft may reconsider releasing Xbox games on Steam as part of wider PC plans, but Jez Corden says the reported strategy remains uncertain.

Aug 1 • 8:15 AM EDT • Technology • nichegamer.com

Scientists detect a sharp acceleration in global warming

Global warming appears to have shifted into a faster gear. After removing the effects of El Niño, volcanic eruptions, and solar cycles, researchers found that the planet has warmed at roughly 0.35°C per decade over the past ten years, compared with just under 0.2°C per decade from 1970 to 2015. The acceleration, which becomes visible around 2013 to 2015, appeared across five major global temperature datasets with more than 98% statistical certainty.

Aug 1 • 8:00 AM EDT • Science • sciencedaily.com

Alabama’s Tuskegee University demands students wear business suits, bans certain headwear in controversial new dress code

Aug 1 • 4:59 AM EDT • Business • nypost.com

A voters guide to democratic socialism: It isn’t what most people think

Despite what conservatives say, democratic socialism is not anti-capitalist and is certainly not communism, writes Kalman Hettleman, but is squarely within the politics of most left-of-center Democrats. It's only scary because we let Republicans paint it that way.

Jul 31 • 10:40 PM EDT • Politics • marylandmatters.org

Judge strikes down Houston minority contracting rule, leaving business owners uncertain

For more than four decades, Houston’s Minority, Women and Small Business Enterprise (MWSBE) Program has helped connect certified businesses with city contracting opportunities. Now, a federal judge’s ruling is changing part of that process.

Jul 31 • 7:32 PM EDT • Business • click2houston.com

Some THC products now illegal in Texas, businesses worried about future

A statewide ban on certain hemp-derived THC products is now in effect for Texas.

Jul 31 • 6:48 PM EDT • Business • kxan.com

The business of back-to-school

Back-to-school shopping is more than a seasonal ritual for families. It is one of the country's largest annual retail events, generating billions of dollars in spending.For retailers, it is a critical sales period. For economists, it offers an early snapshot of how Americans are responding to rising prices, shifting consumer confidence and broader economic uncertainty.

Jul 31 • 3:20 PM EDT • Business • news.asu.edu

Study suggests eating less protein could be key to healthy aging for most adults

A new review has found that eating less protein, or less of certain amino acids that make up protein, may turn on body processes linked to healthier aging and metabolism.

Jul 31 • 11:01 AM EDT • Health • abcnews.com

Lung tumor signals may tamp down food intake

Researchers found that a high-fat diet in mice amplifies nerve signals between certain lung cancers and the brain, leading to reduced appetite and weight loss.

Jul 30 • 2:50 PM EDT • Health • nih.gov

Brandon Johnson credits Chicago for leading progressive politics

Amid uncertainty about whether he’ll seek reelection, Chicago mayor discusses Democratic climate and progressive politics

Jul 30 • 2:35 PM EDT • Politics • austinweeklynews.com

Safety a top priority as more heart procedures move to outpatient settings

The push to move certain procedures to ambulatory surgical centers is one of the biggest business trends in electrophysiology. Medical societies are watching this space closely to ensure high quality remains the goal.

Jul 30 • 12:41 PM EDT • Business • cardiovascularbusiness.com

Frozen burritos sold at Costco spur public health alert

The mislabeled burritos could be dangerous to people with certain allergies, according to health officials.

Jul 30 • 12:17 PM EDT • Health • usatoday.com

Gov. Greg Abbott cleared the way for the hemp industry in 2019. Now businesses are being pushed out

Texas will ban hemp products containing certain intoxicating cannabinoids starting July 31, and local businesses are feeling the strain — and even closing.

Jul 30 • 10:00 AM EDT • Business • houstonpublicmedia.org

Agassi Sports Entertainment Secures $1 Million Convertible Note From Investments AKA

Agassi Sports Entertainment entered into a $1.0 million convertible promissory note to bolster working capital. The note bears 3.96% interest, defaults to 10% upon certain events, and matures on July 27, 2027. It will automatically convert at the same price as new investors in the next equity finan…

Jul 30 • 8:33 AM EDT • Entertainment • tradingview.com

With future of U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade in limbo, Texas businesses navigate choppy waters

The Trump administration announced July 1 it would not renew the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Rising uncertainty has led businesses that depend on the trade pact to pull back on investment in Texas, experts say.

Jul 30 • 6:00 AM EDT • Business • houstonpublicmedia.org

Business owners uncertain as St. Pete-Duke Energy agreement to expire Friday

Whether St. Pete residents will pay Duke Energy or the city for their power is still unclear, despite the expiration of their agreement coming Friday.

Jul 29 • 7:47 PM EDT • Business • wfla.com

Drought shuts down Otter Tail River tubing business

A longtime Detroit Lakes tubing business is closed for now as drought leaves the Otter Tail River just inches deep in certain spots.

Jul 29 • 5:36 PM EDT • Business • valleynewslive.com

Enzyme ratio could help cardiologists track risk of stroke, AFib after TAVR

The De Ritis ratio could be a new way to anticipate when TAVR patients may face certain short-term risks after treatment.

Jul 29 • 4:50 PM EDT • Business • cardiovascularbusiness.com

Fed policymakers leave rates unchanged amid elevated uncertainty

Fed policymakers left interest rates unchanged at their July meeting as stubborn inflation remains well above the central bank's 2% target.

Jul 29 • 2:01 PM EDT • Business • foxbusiness.com

Is there any benefit to restarting your phone regularly?

While security benefits are minimal, restarting your phone can certainly improve its performance. But how often should you do it? It depends on who you ask.

Jul 29 • 11:30 AM EDT • Technology • engadget.com

What is a p‑value? Expert explains the most misunderstood number in science

If you've ever tried to read a scientific paper, you've almost certainly run into a p-value. And if you found it confusing, you're in good company: Plenty of working scientists misunderstand it too.

Jul 29 • 8:20 AM EDT • Science • phys.org

Jonathan Grennard's Exit Leaves Vikings Dangerously Thin at Edge Rusher

The Vikings fully report to training camp this week, and there are a lot of storylines that could converge in Eagan as the team has had a lot of questions and not a lot of answers this offseason. One such example of uncertain elements of the team that could become more and more urgent as the season gets closer is the Vikings' edge defenders and the depth at that position in particular. To the untrained eye, the Vikings had a plethora of edge rushers last year, but in reality it was actually a facade masked by the star power of their two starters, Andrew Van Ginkel and Jonathan Greenard, who were coming off a season in which they combined for 23.5 sacks and 36 tackles for loss.

Jul 28 • 5:12 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

2026 MLB Odds: Bettors Backing Brewers To Win World Series, 'Miz' For Cy Young

Are the Milwaukee Brewers worth all the hype? Bettors certainly believe so. See the latest.

Jul 28 • 2:47 PM EDT • Sports • foxsports.com

Blanche nomination uncertain as key GOP senator says DOJ ‘radio silent’ on demand to spike controversial fund

The fate of Todd Blanche’s nomination to be President Donald Trump’s attorney general is up in the air, with a key GOP senator indicating Tuesday he has not yet received the assurances he needs to vote in support.

Jul 28 • 2:00 PM EDT • Politics • cnn.com

Small Business: Planning for the Future, Your Way

Voice of Business Blog Guest post from Greater Rochester Chamber member Bank of America As entrepreneurs and small businesses here in Rochester prepare for Q3 and Q4, many are navigating uncertainty. These small businesses – from new ventures to established family-run enterprises – are essential to Rochester’s success. According to a 2025 U.S. Small Business Administration report, Rochester…

Jul 28 • 10:32 AM EDT • Business • greaterrochesterchamber.com

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners was reportedly being turned into a 2.5D brawler by CD Projekt Red and Shantae studio WayForward, but its fate is uncertain

The spin-off was in development between 2025 and 2026, before layoffs hit the retro-inspired developer famous for its beat 'em ups and platformers.

Jul 28 • 8:06 AM EDT • Technology • eurogamer.net

The outrages mount

My kindly and forgiving editors understand that, from time to time, I can’t help myself from leaping atop my rickety soapbox to vent. And, like many other political commentators have already done, I could easily fill this entire missive with page after page commenting on a certain insecure and increasingly tottering orange-hued president who seems […]

Jul 28 • 3:00 AM EDT • Politics • coloradopolitics.com

Iran War Enters 6th Month and a Period of Greater Uncertainty

Here is a rundown of the major events of the war, as both sides consider their next moves.

Jul 27 • 3:53 PM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com

Minneapolis starts Black Business Week with focus on investment, entrepreneurship

The kickoff comes as small businesses across the Twin Cities continue to navigate economic uncertainty. Some business owners have reported challenges tied to the recent increase in federal immigration enforcement activity, including fewer customers, staffing concerns and financial strain.

Jul 27 • 3:25 PM EDT • Business • mprnews.org

Whole Hog Politics: Ready or not, 2028 field is taking shape

Democrats not only can’t decide the order for their 2028 primary calendar, but they also can’t even agree on when the decision should be made. Is it better to have certainty for the states and potential presidential...

Jul 27 • 9:45 AM EDT • Politics • aei.org

Ndiaye future uncertain amid Al-Hilal interest

Al Hilal have expressed an interest in Everton forward Iliman Ndiaye, who has rejected multiple contract offers on Merseyside. The 26-year-old has also held talks with the Saudi Pro League club, but they have not made a formal offer as they explore a number of attacking options. However, Ndiaye's future has been thrown into doubt by him so far being unable to agree new terms with the Toffees.

Jul 27 • 7:28 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Five 2026 ballot measures address sex-based school sports eligibility, certain medical procedures for transgender minors

Welcome to the Monday, July 27, 2026, Brew. By: Lara Bonatesta Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day: Five 2026 ballot measures address sex-based school sports eligibility, certain medical procedures for transgender minors In 2026, voters will decide at least five ballot measures on sex-based requirements for school sports and bans […]

Jul 27 • 5:30 AM EDT • Sports • news.ballotpedia.org

German Business Sentiment Improves, Shrugging Off Middle East Uncertainties

Confidence among firms picked up a little this month, though the roller-coaster ride of oil prices in recent weeks suggested the recovery could be fragile.

Jul 27 • 4:37 AM EDT • Business • wsj.com

Germany’s Business Outlook Improves Despite Iran Uncertainty

Germany’s business outlook brightened for a third month, a sign of resilience to higher energy prices and geopolitical uncertainty.

Jul 27 • 4:09 AM EDT • Business • bloomberg.com

Delaware’s $2 billion corporate franchise is good business for all Delawareans

Civics 101 Special Series: The Corporate Capital In so many ways, there’s no better place to be than Delaware. That’s certainly true for about 2.2 million businesses who continue to call our state home, even as other states work to claim Delaware’s title as the nation’s corporate capital. After decades of dominance as the preferred […]

Jul 26 • 3:45 PM EDT • Business • spotlightdelaware.org

Political turmoil, lower pay yield small candidate pool for HTA’s top job

The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority has attracted about 60 applicants in its search for a new president and CEO, a significantly smaller candidate pool than past searches as the agency tries to recruit a leader after years of political turmoil and uncertainty about its future.

Jul 26 • 6:05 AM EDT • Politics • staradvertiser.com

CEOs and execs can't agree on what AI means for Gen Z workers

For young Gen Zers entering the workforce, the rise of generative artificial intelligence has brought no shortage of uncertainty.

Jul 26 • 6:03 AM EDT • Business • businessinsider.com

Report – Milan Superstar Trains in Brazil Amid Uncertain Future

Milan winger Rafael Leao continues his pre-season preparations away from Italy amid growing speculation surrounding his future. According to Pianeta Milan, the Portuguese star is currently ‘enjoying...

Jul 25 • 8:10 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Jacoby Brissett Practices With Arizona Cardinals Despite Contract Uncertainty

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett participated in Thursday's workout after a quiet offseason due to contract uncertainty.

Jul 24 • 9:46 PM EDT • Sports • foxsports.com

Without Harrison Smith, Vikings have questions at safety in 2026

The Vikings enter training camp with uncertainty at safety as Jay Ward, Theo Jackson and rookie Jakobe Thomas compete to help replace Harrison Smith.

Jul 24 • 8:25 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

New Trump Tariffs Increase Uncertainty For Small Businesses

The change in tariff policies that went into effect Friday is distinctly worrying for some small firms, but other say it's business as usual.

Jul 24 • 6:28 PM EDT • Business • forbes.com

Breaking through the quantum noise barrier

Quantum computing has spent years existing in the space between promise and practicality.The machines exist. Tech giants are building them. Researchers have shown that, for certain problems, quantum computers could one day dramatically outperform today’s fastest supercomputers.The obstacle isn’t that the computers don’t work. It’s that they’re extraordinarily fragile.

Jul 24 • 6:02 PM EDT • Science • news.asu.edu

Mendoza Signs $57M Contract While Pavia’s Path Uncertain

The No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft finally signed his rookie contract.

Jul 24 • 10:46 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Arch Manning keys in on making this a great season at Texas

Certainly, there's still work to do for the 22-year-old junior-to-be.

Jul 24 • 9:42 AM EDT • Sports • spectrumlocalnews.com

PFAS Pose a Serious Threat to Human Health

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large group of synthetic chemicals that were created in the mid20th century and quickly became popular for their water-, grease-, and stain-resistant properties. A growing body of research has linked certain PFAS to various health issues.

Jul 24 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • pew.org

AmEx raises 2026 revenue growth forecast as affluent cardholders keep spending

American Express increased its full-year revenue growth forecast and beat Wall Street expectations for second-quarter profit on Friday as its affluent customers continued ​to swipe their cards for travel and dining despite lingering ‌economic uncertainty.

Jul 24 • 7:05 AM EDT • Business • reuters.com

Can Emery transform Aston Villa again?

Aston Villa will still be seeking another top-four finish next season - when the Premier League landscape looks certain to be a lot different from last season and Villa are without many of their previous squad. After ending their 30-year wait for a trophy with May's Europa League win, can Emery continue to produce his magic? Last season, Villa's expected points was 48.50, which would have left them 12th - eight places below where they eventually finished.

Jul 24 • 6:13 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

10 things you probably didn’t know about male nurses—until now

Fun fact No. 3: This year the American Nurses Association began recognizing men’s health as a nursing specialty. (It’s too soon to say whether the development will draw more men into nursing, but it certainly can’t hurt.)

Jul 23 • 9:03 PM EDT • Health • healthexec.com

Microsoft responds to LG monitors installing McAfee ads on Windows

App is installed through Windows Update when certain LG monitors connect to a PC.

Jul 23 • 4:47 PM EDT • Technology • arstechnica.com

With Judge's Timeline Uncertain, Yankees Faces a Deadline Balancing Act

The race in the AL East has gotten tighter, adding pressure to the Yankees to make a deadline deal.

Jul 23 • 2:19 PM EDT • Sports • foxsports.com

Monza secure Mangas from Sporting CP, fight for Asante too

Newly promoted Monza are very active, today signing Ricardo Mangas from Sporting CP, on loan with obligation to buy at certain conditions, and targeting Maccabi Tel Aviv defender Tyrese Asante.They we...

Jul 23 • 1:50 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Some House Republicans defect to again pass resolution seeking to halt military action in Iran

The House on Thursday narrowly passed a resolution to halt U.S. military action in Iran, sending a warning to President Donald Trump for the second time as the war has escalated and the future of the conflict is increasingly uncertain.

Jul 23 • 12:19 PM EDT • Politics • pbs.org

When It Comes to Fusion, Materials Matter

Fusion at high temperatures powers the sun and, if harnessed, could provide a potential source of energy here on Earth. But controlling fusion reactions has other benefits. The process also generates subatomic particles called neutrons that are used in a range of applications spanning medicine, research, and national security. Now, scientists at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis), and the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have found that the materials surrounding a fusion reaction can dramatically increase how often it occurs, particularly at low energies where fusion is rare. The study was published July 18 in Nature Communications. Their approach sets up a way to study and engineer nuclear reactions within solid materials, opening a new field of “materials-driven fusion.” Instead of designing materials just to survive the harsh conditions of fusion, researchers might be able to design materials that boost the reaction in specific conditions, similar to the way catalysts speed up chemical processes. “It gives you a new knob to turn that you didn’t have before,” said Arun Persaud, head of the Fusion Science & Ion Beam Technology group in Berkeley Lab’s Accelerator Technology & Applied Physics (ATAP) Division. “If we understand this effect better, it opens the door to engineering new materials that would affect the fusion rate under certain conditions. Someday future progress might enable more compact and efficient neutron generators, which have all kinds of applications, like cargo screening, planetary science, and medical therapy and imaging.” In the experiment, researchers used two different methods to pack deuterium, a heavy form of hydrogen atoms that is often used in fusion, into thin foils of palladium and titanium. They then fired a beam of deuterium ions at the foils at different energies and measured how often fusion happened. Then they compared the rates from the different materials and methods with the “bare” fusion reaction (not in a material). The team found that fusion rates depended on how the deuterium was loaded into the metal foils. The biggest effect was at the lowest energies, below 2.5 kiloelectronvolts (keV), where theory predicts fusion rates drop off sharply. Instead, researchers found a surprising plateau: Some samples showed elevated fusion rates roughly a quintillion times higher than bare fusion reactions. (A quintillion is a 1 followed by 18 zeroes.) Researchers are not exactly sure why that’s happening, though they have some ideas and ways to test them. The electrons and defects within the material might partially shield repulsive electrostatic forces between deuterium nuclei, making it easier for them to get close together and fuse. Tuning the electronic structure, defects, and composition of materials could help make nuclear reactions happen more readily. “It comes down to better understanding the mechanism so that we can try to enhance it,” said corresponding author Jeremy Munday, a professor at UC Davis. “We’ve seen that we can increase fusion rates, but what is the limit? Can we bring it to lower temperatures or energies? There’s obviously a lot of interest and excitement about fusion, so if there’s something we can learn about the physics at these lower energy scales, maybe there’s something we can translate to other areas of nuclear science.” The team plans to explore a wider range of materials and continue probing the unexpected fusion plateau at lower energies. Their work establishes a reproducible experimental platform to study how solid materials influence nuclear reactions, creating a new area of research that links fusion science with materials science and chemistry. “The work shows conclusively that the material environment where fusion occurs at low temperatures is an active participant rather than a passive container,” said Cameron Geddes, director of ATAP. “That adds a new dimension to fusion research.” This work was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). ### Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) is committed to groundbreaking research focused on discovery science and solutions for abundant and reliable energy supplies. The lab’s expertise spans materials, chemistry, physics, biology, earth and environmental science, mathematics, and computing. Researchers from around the world rely on the lab’s world-class scientific facilities for their own pioneering research. Founded in 1931 on the belief that the biggest problems are best addressed by teams, Berkeley Lab and its scientists have been recognized with 17 Nobel Prizes. Berkeley Lab is a multiprogram national laboratory managed by the University of California for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science. DOE’s Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit energy.gov/science.

Jul 23 • 11:00 AM EDT • Science • newscenter.lbl.gov

House again passes resolution seeking to halt military action in Iran as some Republicans defect

The House has narrowly passed a resolution to halt U.S. military action in Iran, sending a warning to President Donald Trump for the second time as the war has escalated and the future of the conflict is increasingly uncertain

Jul 23 • 10:33 AM EDT • Politics • washingtonpost.com

German industry group says AfD is 'no pro-business party'

Germany's leading industry association has sharply criticized the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), saying the party's policies would create uncertainty for businesses and discourage investment...

Jul 23 • 2:48 AM EDT • Business • yahoo.com

House takes first step to unlock Iran war funding — but fate in Senate uncertain, with measure tied to ‘SAVE America Act’

The House of Representatives on Wednesday took the first step toward funding President Donald Trump’s war with Iran, as well as approving tens of billions in additional Pentagon money and aid for US farmers.

Jul 22 • 5:38 PM EDT • Politics • cnn.com

FDA sees early promise in new gene therapy for BAG3-associated DCM

An investigational drug therapy from Affinia Therapeutics has secured the FDA's orphan drug designation. This means the company now has access to certain benefits, including tax credits and fee exemptions, as it works toward approval.

Jul 22 • 4:28 PM EDT • Business • cardiovascularbusiness.com

Patriots O-line deep dive: Center change brings uncertainty

Our third installment in a five-part look at the Patriots’ 2026 offensive line.

Jul 22 • 3:34 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Answer for Rising Costs of Club Sports? Involvement inEducation-Based Sports in Schools

Back in May, a bill entitled “Let Kids Play Act” was introduced by several members of the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. The bill targets certain groups that, according to the sponsors of the bill, have priced kids and their families out of youth sports. Sponsors of the bill note that the cost […]

Jul 22 • 2:55 PM EDT • Sports • ripleynews.com

Sony and Alamo Drafthouse are reopening Hollywood's Cinerama Dome

After a six-year closure and an uncertain future, the Cinerama Dome is back. Sony Pictures Entertainment and Alamo Drafthouse are restoring the historic theater and plan to reopen it in early 2028.

Jul 22 • 1:10 PM EDT • Entertainment • latimes.com

NC State’s schedule could open unexpected darkhorse path

The college football season is less than a month away, and the race for a College Football Playoff berth is about to begin. The expanded playoff field will almost certainly feature some new faces. One of those teams could come…

Jul 22 • 9:59 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Model the Transformation You Expect Employees to Deliver

Leaders must model the transformation they expect others to deliver. Yet many leadership teams undermine their own ambitions by promoting agility, experimentation, and innovation while continuing to govern through legacy processes that reward predictability and risk avoidance. Employees notice the disconnect and follow what leaders do, not what they say. The most successful transformations occur when senior leaders personally sponsor the organization’s most uncertain initiatives, devote meaningful time to change, embrace learning, and demonstrate a willingness to change course when evidence demands it. Executives can test whether they are truly modeling the by examining how they spend their time (the calendar test), how they manage ambiguity as an executive team (the uncertainty test as a team, and whether they openly retire initiatives that no longer create value (the cancellation test).

Jul 22 • 8:15 AM EDT • Business • hbr.org

Inside the "We Buy Houses" Business

Have you ever gotten a text asking if you'd sell your house? Or maybe someone called out of the blue wanting to buy a property you didn't even know was connected to your name. In this episode of Entrepreneurial Shades of Gray, Dani and Chelsey sit down with Rhen Bartlett, CEO of Heartland Buys, to answer the questions so many homeowners have. How do these companies find you? Why do they target certain properties? And when does selling directly to a home buyer actually make sense? From inherited homes and rental properties to fixer-uppers and probate, Rhen pulls back the curtain on an industry most people know very little about. He also shares red flags to watch for and practical advice to help homeowners make informed decisions when they're approached about selling.

Jul 22 • 8:10 AM EDT • Business • fox10tv.com

Watch China's Hanfu Boom Is a Political Tool

Bloomberg Opinion columnist Karishma Vaswani says China's Hanfu boom gives young people comfort amid economic uncertainty and the Communist Party a tool for promoting national greatness. But nostalgia cannot create jobs, revive the property market or persuade young people to start families.

Jul 22 • 8:00 AM EDT • Politics • bloomberg.com

Can Pakistan-administered Kashmir’s election overcome a violent summer?

After months of protests and a crackdown, Pakistan-administered Kashmir heads into elections clouded by uncertainty.

Jul 22 • 2:13 AM EDT • Politics • aljazeera.com

It’s time for consensus on science’s place in government

The latest shake-up of UK science policy oversight brings uncertainty to a sector that needs stability to succeed

Jul 21 • 8:00 PM EDT • Science • chemistryworld.com

Why Small Businesses Are Using AI To Plan For Geopolitical Uncertainty

Geopolitical friction has forced a shift in how small businesses plan ahead. Once, leaders asked, ‘What’s going to happen next?’. Now it's ‘What would we do if it did?’

Jul 21 • 11:41 AM EDT • Business • forbes.com

9 Vitamins and Supplements That May Support Brain Health

Certain vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats benefit brain health by supporting nerve function, protecting brain cells from damage, and improving focus.

Jul 21 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • health.com

Freedom, trust and the future of science: Nobel laureates reflect on the ideas shaping tomorrow

Behind every scientific discovery are years, sometimes decades, of fundamental research, failed experiments, uncertain funding, international collaboration and the freedom to pursue questions without knowing where they might lead. The Nobel laureates recently gathered at the 75th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting in Germany argued that scientific breakthroughs depend on far more than brilliant ideas alone. Those conversations unfolded against the backdrop of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and growing geopolitical competition. The question running through the discussions was therefore broader than science itself: what conditions make discovery possible? ‘Europe is a space of freedom’

Jul 21 • 3:07 AM EDT • Science • euneighbourseast.eu

The next step of site-neutral, and a fiery PBM hearing

Medicare proposes to reduce payments to hospitals for certain drugs and imaging services.

Jul 20 • 10:38 AM EDT • Health • statnews.com

Shaky political "science": breakdown of the peer review process

[This article is the latest in our “Shaky Political Science” series. In our 38 page report, “Shaky political ‘science’ misses mark on ranked choice voting,” released in December 2025, we examined over 40 studies focused on ranked choice voting (RCV). Many of these studies suffered from puzzling research methodologies, poorly constructed surveys, unrealistic simulated elections, cherry picked data and faulty analyses that often were contradicted by results from real-world elections (a link to our full paper is here). Here are links to the first four articles in our series: the first one summarizing the overall results of our report; the second one analyzed a study co-authored by University of Minnesota academic Larry Jacobs, which was one of the most error-prone of all the research we reviewed in our report; a third article showing an admirable example of two political scientists holding two other political scientists accountable for their flawed, sloppy research; and a fourth article that analyzed seven studies sponsored by New America’s political reform program that deployed flawed methodology based on “simulated” elections instead of real-world elections, which when combined with some basic misunderstandings of RCV, produced odd and misleading results]. In this fifth article in our “Shaky Political Science” series, we examine two flawed studies on the impact of RCV on voter turnout authored by San Francisco State University professor Jason McDaniel. McDaniel’s research in these two papers stands out for its puzzling methodology, inadequate and cherry-picked data, and faulty analyses that not only misunderstands ranked choice voting but reflects a basic misunderstanding of politics in general. The first of the McDaniel studies actually passed through a peer review process and then was subsequently published by the Journal of Urban Affairs, despite its obvious errors. It is perplexing that a jury of peer political scientists did not catch the errors and send it back to McDaniel for a rewrite or outright rejection. This calls into question the credibility of the peer review process itself. The peer review process is supposed to represent the intellectual pinnacle of the profession – a way for academics to certify the quality of each other’s work, and to act as a check against sloppy research. In the case of the McDaniel study, the peer review process failed. Yet his flawed study has been cited dozens of times by other political scientists in their own flawed works — an unvirtuous circle of academic research. Here is the first Jason McDaniel study that we analyzed: “Writing the Rules to Rank the Candidates: Examining the Impact of Instant-Runoff Voting on Racial Group Turnout in San Francisco Mayoral Elections,” by Jason McDaniel, 2016, Journal of Urban Affairs. This study covered San Francisco’s use of ranked choice voting (RCV) in mayoral elections, purporting to show that RCV reduces voter turnout overall, increases voter errors, and has a negative impact on “marginal populations,” i.e. racial minorities, mainly as the result of the alleged complexity of RCV asking voters to rank candidates and having to be familiar with multiple candidates and related dynamics. McDaniel reached these conclusions by examining five San Francisco mayoral elections taking place in odd years (i.e. where there are no federal or state races on the ballot) from 1995 to 2011, comparing three earlier non-RCV races (in 1995, 1999 and 2003) with the later two RCV races (in 2007 and 2011). Only two RCV races were studied, and as McDaniel acknowledged, only the contest in 2011 was “competitive” (that contest in 2007 was the first mayoral election using RCV, and incumbent mayor Gavin Newsom won easily in the first round of counting, earning 74% of first choices and far ahead of the second place candidate who had just 6.3% of first choices). Yet even the allegedly competitive contest in 2011was won by an incumbent with a landslide margin of nearly 20 points. No other elections were studied by McDaniel, even though San Francisco elects 17 other offices besides mayor with RCV, including the 11 seats on the Board of Supervisors (the name for the city council) in even years, and six other citywide offices in odd years. Previous academic research has found that competitive elections can stimulate greater voter involvement and higher turnout. For unexplained reasons, this study ignored at least 34 other RCV races between the years 2004 to 2011, many of which were very competitive and had high voter turnout. Instead, McDaniel’s analysis based its conclusions on data from only a single, marginally-competitive mayor’s race using RCV. These 2007 and 2011 mayoral elections were the only two RCV elections that McDaniel used as the sole basis for his small data set to determine the impact of RCV on voter turnout. Despite having no meaningful data to inform his study, McDaniel nonetheless concluded that RCV lowered turnout when compared to the previous three mayoral non-RCV elections using two-round runoffs. Then, using the same inadequate database of San Francisco elections, McDaniel also found that “Instant-runoff voting is associated with a significant decline in Black voter turnout and White voter turnout…On average, Black voter turnout decreases by 18 points and White voter turnout decreases by 16 points …” But how could he credibly arrive at that conclusion when his study was based on voter turnout in two RCV contests that were not even remotely competitive? Beyond that, McDaniel tacitly admits that the key determining factor driving Black voter turnout was not RCV vs non-RCV elections, but the presence of a viable Black candidate. McDaniel wrote, “Black voter turnout was about 17 percentage points higher for the two elections that featured an African American candidate compared to the three elections that did not” — but one of those three elections did not use RCV. The same dynamic was present for White voter turnout, in which higher turnout was not correlated with RCV vs non-RCV elections, but the presence of a viable White candidate. Beyond that, McDaniel’s voter turnout results, whether correlated with the race of the candidates or RCV vs non-RCV elections, showed no clear patterns. In his Figure 1, he shows low Asian voter turnout in the non-RCV elections in 1999 and 2003 when there was no viable Asian candidate running, but in the 2007 mayoral election using RCV, there is still no viable Asian candidate, yet Asian turnout increases dramatically. For Latinos, voter turnout is virtually the same in 1999 (no viable Latino candidate, non-RCV elections), 2003 (leading Latino candidate, non-RCV elections), 2007 (no viable Latino candidate, RCV elections) and 2011 (leading Latino candidate, RCV elections). Meanwhile White voter turnout increased dramatically from a low in the 2007 mayoral election, in which the leading candidate was a white incumbent, to the 2011 election in which there were no leading white candidates that finished any higher than sixth place with 5.6% of the vote. Clearly other factors were determining voter turnout than either the race of the candidates or RCV vs non-RCV elections. Despite these inconsistent findings, McDaniel boldly marches forth to render conclusions about the impact of RCV on different groups of racial voters, even though his conclusions are not remotely supported by his data. This looks like the worst kind of “data cherry picking” to cover up a puzzling conclusion based on a poor data set involving only two RCV elections, neither of which were remotely competitive. McDaniel’s cherry picking didn’t stop there. In calculating voter turnout for the three non-RCV mayoral elections in 1995, 1999 and 2003, he failed to mention that in each of these years there was a two-round runoff election, with a first round election in November in which no candidate garnered a winning majority of the vote, followed by the decisive runoff in December. So there were two non-RCV elections in each election year. But McDaniel only decided to include one of the two elections in his data set, apparently the December runoff in each year (which had higher turnout in two out of the three mayor’s races, and lower turnout in the third). So he ignored the November 1995 election, the November 1999 election when turnout was only 45 percent, and the November 2003 election when turnout was only 45.7 percent. This is flawed methodology based on blatant cherry picking, since McDaniel simply omitted three elections worth of data that did not fit within his frame. His study should never have made it through a peer review process, and it is an embarrassment to political science that not only was it approved for publication, but it has been uncritically cited by dozens of other political scientists. Share A “study” without wider context or credible data Lacking a data set that included even a single competitive RCV mayoral race, McDaniel declared that RCV lowered voter turnout in 2011, when turnout was 42.5 percent. But he also ignored -- or did not realize -- that voter turnout in mayoral elections during 2011 had sharply declined in all big cities, including far more steeply in nearby Los Angeles and other cities. In fact, San Francisco’s election in 2011 had the second highest turnout of any mayoral election in the nation’s 22 largest cities from 2008-2011. Was 2011 just a particularly low turnout year all across the country, perhaps because the country was still reeling from the aftermath of the housing market collapse in 2008-2010? McDaniel ignored this factor and did not search for alternative explanations beyond his flawed thesis. Furthermore, while McDaniel suggested that RCV leads to more “overvotes” – which is an invalidated ballot in which a voter, in either a non-RCV or RCV race, makes a mistake and selects two candidates for a single choice – he failed to address that in the June 2012 US Senate primary contest, which used the typical “one-choice” plurality method and did not use RCV, there was more than five times as many overvotes in San Francisco and Oakland than in the RCV mayoral elections in those cities. Additionally, turnout had been significantly higher and more representative in RCV elections for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors races -- that McDaniel didn’t even bother to study -- as compared to previous “delayed two-round runoffs” for those offices, often higher by as much as 40% in the RCV races. Perhaps the most surprising irony was that an earlier study co-authored by McDaniel (Overvoting and the Equality of Voice under Instant-Runoff Voting in San Francisco by Francis Neely and Jason McDaniel, 2015, California Journal of Politics and Policy) found that overvotes are often more common in lower-income precincts, but that the pattern of overvoting is similar in both RCV and non-RCV contests. Wrote Neely and McDaniel: “[Overvote] errors appear to be a function of complexity in general and not IRV per se…. the pattern of overvoting is similar in both IRV and non-IRV contests…Even among votes cast in a top-of-the-ticket race like U.S. Senate, overvoting occurs in an uneven fashion” (IRV, or ‘instant runoff voting,’ is another name for ranked choice voting in single-winner contests). So McDaniel not only contradicted his own conclusion in his earlier study with Neely, but the earlier study had been an important corrective for one of the most frequently made mistakes made by anti-RCV political scientists – a continual failure to provide crucial context by pairing a comparative analysis of real world RCV elections with an analysis of real world plurality or other electoral methods. Unfortunately McDaniel’s earlier study does not get cited much by other researchers, and McDaniel did not even cite it in his own flawed study analyzed above. Incredibly, McDaniel cherrypicked McDaniel, even as his flawed study has been cited dozens of times. Despite being a textbook example of poor political “science,” featuring both inadequate as well as cherrypicked data, the shelf life of McDaniel’s study has been extended endlessly by other political scientists and media outlets who have cited it uncritically. Equally troubling, the Journal of Urban Affairs put this paper through its peer review process and published it despite its numerous flaws. McDaniel gets it wrong, Part II Not content with producing one shoddy, confused paper, McDaniel produced another one a few years later, here is the link: Electoral Rules and Voter Turnout in Mayoral Elections: An Analysis of Ranked-Choice Voting by Jason McDaniel. San Francisco State Univ. (McDaniel, 2019). In this paper, McDaniel extended his previous flawed research focused on San Francisco, about voter turnout and voter impact, to multiple RCV cities through the 2018 elections. In his data set he included San Francisco, Minneapolis, St Paul, Oakland, Berkeley, San Leandro and Santa Fe. He then compared their turnout in mayoral elections to non-RCV cities, and to mayoral elections in those cities held before first RCV usage, and concluded “a significant decrease in voter turnout of approximately 3–5 percentage points in RCV cities after the implementation of RCV.” But he replicated many of the same mistakes as his first study presented above. While in this study McDaniel attempted to distinguish between various factors, such as odd year vs. even year elections, competitive races vs. noncompetitive, contests with open seats and other factors, the analysis is superficial and inadequate. He attempts to incorporate so many often-conflicting variables that his conclusions are once again unsupported by the actual data, and ultimately unconvincing (this second study never underwent a peer review process). For example, McDaniel declared that for RCV cities “in elections that are more competitive than average (margin of victory less than 20%), there is no significant RCV effect on voter turnout.” Yet McDaniel is a professor in a city, San Francisco, in which the 2018 special election using RCV to fill a mayoral vacancy was exceedingly close, decided by a margin of only one percentage point, and resulted in the second highest turnout in San Francisco history for a mayoral election. Illustrating the complexity involved in assessing the critical factors in turnout, that special election was held on the same election day as federal and state offices, which tends to boost turnout. Yet more voters participated in that RCV mayoral election than voted on the same day in the non-RCV primary for governor in which former San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom was running. Even more puzzling, in this study McDaniel inaccurately cited his own previous study from 2015 with Neely. McDaniel wrote, “Neely and McDaniel (2015) examine individual ballot image files within a natural experiment, and find higher rates of ballot errors in RCV elections compared to non-RCV elections” (emphasis added). However, we quoted from that 2015 study several paragraphs above, and in actual fact Neely and McDaniel actually concluded the opposite -- that the pattern of overvoting – which is the most common form of ballot error – is similar in both RCV and non-RCV contests. McDaniel also ignored the fact that in Bay Area RCV elections held in even years – at the same time as federal and state elections, when turnout is highest -- the “undervote” (that is, the dropoff in ballots cast for governor or mayor) has declined, which contradicts his thesis that the act of ranking ballots in RCV elections is too complex and presents a barrier for certain demographics of voters. To his credit, McDaniel actually acknowledged another contradiction in his own paper, which found a negative RCV turnout effect in some odd-year elections but not others, admitting that “may present a challenge to the theory that increased complexity [from RCV] will have a marginal negative effect on voter turnout.” But he tried to wallpaper over that contradiction by blaming it on an unlikely source -- bad election administration. McDaniels wrote, “This would suggest that the negative impact of RCV on voter participation may be alleviated by high quality election administration,” without presenting any data or even anecdotes to support such an unfounded theory. While competent election administration of any election, whether RCV or non-RCV, is crucially important, there is no credible research that supports the far-fetched notion that the quality of election administration has much of an impact on voter turnout in US elections, whether using RCV or otherwise. Upgrade to a $5 subscription The unvirtuous circle of academic research It is puzzling how McDaniel’s first study could have survived the peer review process for the Journal of Urban Affairs. The mistakes in McDaniel’s first study above should have been obvious to anyone with a basic understanding of ranked choice voting as well as elections in general, and elections in San Francisco specifically. It undermines faith in the credibility of the peer review process to think that a jury of peer political scientists did not catch the egregious errors and reject McDaniel’s sloppy research and paper. And it remains a black mark on political science that this thoroughly discredited study has been cited dozens of times by other researchers. Indeed, in our research paper it became apparent that many political scientists cite each other’s flawed research to pad their list of citations and to legitimize their own flawed research, creating an unvirtuous circle of political science. More broadly, McDaniel’s voter turnout studies, like other studies evaluating RCV’s impact on turnout, lacked a recognition that no credible opinion or research can claim that RCV increases voter turnout merely because so many voters are excited to vote for their favorite candidates instead of “lesser evil” candidates without worrying about spoilers. Instead, with respect to turnout, the advantage of RCV has always been that, in most places where it has been used, it has eliminated a pre-November primary or post-November runoff, which usually saw about half the turnout of the November general election. This is especially true during even years when there are state and federal elections on the ballot which substantially drive turnout more than local contests. Any study that does not adequately account for this non-November primary/runoff vs November general election dynamic, or odd year vs even year election factors, is simply not credible. Both of McDaniel’s studies largely failed on those grounds. Steven Hill and Paul Haughey Share Upgrade to a $5 subscription Thanks for reading DemocracySOS…your digital portal for the pro-democracy movement. Subscribe for only $5 per month to receive full benefits and to support our work. Subscribe

Jul 20 • 9:29 AM EDT • Science • democracysos.substack.com

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Jul 17 • 5:41 PM EDT • Business • seattletimes.com

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