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New York socialist lawmaker takes heat after saying shoplifting results from 'biological need'
A New York democratic socialist lawmaker's referral to shoplifting being the result of a "biological need" is getting swift blowback.
New York state Assemblywoman Emily Gallagher suggested this week that aggressive prosecution of theft of items like soap and toothpaste was wrongheaded, saying the "true crime is that there is such incredible wealth disparity in this city that there are people who can be thrown in jail simply for having a biological need."
"This is exactly the wrong way to talk about crime and poverty. Poverty can help explain why someone commits an offense," former Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg told Fox News Digital. "It should matter when prosecutors decide how to handle a case. But poverty is not a permission slip to steal."
Aronberg, who now leads his own law firm, rejected the suggestion that prosecution necessarily means incarceration and pointed to alternatives available for first-time offenders.
SOROS NETWORK REBUILDS PROGRESSIVE PROSECUTOR PUSH AFTER STRING OF ELECTION LOSSES
"Suggesting that someone who steals toothpaste for the first time is automatically being thrown in jail creates a false picture of how the system actually works. Prosecution does not have to mean incarceration," Aronberg said. "There are diversion programs, treatment, conditional dispositions and other ways to impose accountability without ruining someone’s life."
Retired New York Police Department Sgt. Joe Imperatrice, founder of Blue Lives Matter NYC and a retired NYPD supervisor with more than 20 years of law enforcement experience, said politicians should focus on crime victims rather than make excuses for offenders. He also defended the policing strategy Gallagher wants New York City to abandon.
"Broken Windows is a proven theory which holds people accountable for their actions and rightfully so," Imperatrice said. "The tides are turning and everyday New Yorkers are getting sick and tired of this reckless narrative."
"In the very near future we will thank all of these ridiculous so-called ‘leaders’ for pushing the needle so far left that the great days of the late 90's and early 2000's will be resurrected better than ever before," he added.
Gallagher, who represents Greenpoint and Williamsburg in Brooklyn, made the remarks Thursday outside Manhattan Criminal Court during a news conference with Court Watch NYC and other lawmakers. She described misdemeanor theft cases involving basic necessities as "crimes of poverty."
"People who are stealing things like toothpaste, people who were stealing things like, you know, soap. And that means if you’re stealing those things, you need them," Gallagher said.
Gallagher contrasted struggling New Yorkers with large drugstore chains and argued that wealth inequality was the greater offense.
"And we are choosing to protect billion-dollar companies, like CVS and Walgreens, over the people who are struggling to get by," she said.
Organizers said Court Watch NYC monitored 360 arraignments over four days and found more than half involved misdemeanor offenses.
CRIME IS FALLING, OFFICIALS SAY — VICTIMS CLAIM REPORTING ISN’T WORTH IT
Gallagher and her allies also urged Mayor Zohran Mamdani to end "broken windows policing." Mamdani entered office promising to shift some responses to homelessness, mental illness and low-level disorder away from police while maintaining enforcement against serious violent crime.
The NYPD reported retail theft declined 16.3% citywide during the first half of 2026 compared with the same period last year. The department attributed the decline to analyzing crime patterns, deploying officers at high-theft locations and conducting sustained investigations.
Aronberg also warned that Gallagher’s argument could damage the Democratic Party politically by allowing Republicans to portray the party as unconcerned about crime.
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"Democrats should reject the idea that enforcing laws against theft is somehow incompatible with caring about poverty. That is bad policy, and politically it is a gift to Republicans who want to portray Democrats as indifferent to public safety," Aronberg said.
Fox News Digital reached out to Gallagher for further comment, but did not immediately receive a response.
Massachusetts teen accused of killing mom, brother in affluent suburb after disturbing ChatGPT activity: DA
A 17-year-old Massachusetts boy who allegedly used ChatGPT to explore fantasies about killing his family is accused of murdering his mother and younger brother inside the family's home in an affluent Boston suburb, and was ordered held without bail Thursday as prosecutors revealed new details about the violent scene.
Arjun Aravind, of Acton, was arraigned Thursday in Concord District Court on two counts of murder, two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and two counts of assault and battery, the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office confirmed to Fox News Digital.
He was charged as an adult under Massachusetts law and he pleaded not guilty, the DA’s office said.
Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan said Wednesday that investigators uncovered what she characterized as "concerning behavior" by Aravind in the period before the deaths, including internet activity and the use of ChatGPT to explore theoretical or fictional scenarios involving the killing of his family.
DISPATCH AUDIO RELEASED IN MICHIGAN FAMILY MURDER-SUICIDE AS TROUBLED FAMILY'S SECRETS EMERGE
Ryan said Aravind allegedly used the artificial intelligence chatbot to "make searches including for theoretical ideas or fantasies regarding killing his family."
The teen is accused of murdering his mother, Sudha Venkatesan, 45, and his 14-year-old brother, Siddharth Aravind, who were found dead Tuesday evening inside the family’s Martha Lane home.
Acton is an affluent community about 30 miles northwest of Boston and the family had recently moved to the town in part for its schools and a support system for the children, Aravind’s defense attorney, Debra DeWitt, told CBS News Boston following Thursday’s hearing.
Authorities were called to the home shortly after 6:30 p.m. Tuesday after Aravind’s father requested a well-being check.
The father had been at work and was worried after a tutor who arrived at the house was unable to get inside, according to authorities. After repeated attempts to contact his family went unanswered, he contacted police.
Responding officers entered the home and found Siddharth dead on the first floor. Venkatesan was subsequently found dead in the finished basement, authorities said.
Prosecutors said Thursday that investigators encountered evidence of a violent physical struggle inside the home and that preliminary evidence indicated both victims suffered blunt-force trauma.
The official causes of death remain pending determinations by the medical examiner.
Venkatesan was last seen alive at about 7 a.m. Tuesday, when her husband left for work, according to Ryan.
Siddharth went to a recreational facility around 9 a.m. and returned home shortly after noon.
Investigators quickly discovered that Venkatesan’s green Honda Accord was also missing from the residence.
TEEN SUSPECT IN MURDER OF TWO BANK EMPLOYEES IN KENTUCKY LEADS POLICE ON WILD 130 MPH CHASE
Aravind was located at approximately 3:40 a.m. Wednesday inside his mother’s vehicle in a parking lot in nearby Wayland, Massachusetts, and was taken into custody without incident.
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Prosecutors said Thursday that investigators recovered several items from the car that they believe corresponded with evidence from the scene, though officials have not publicly identified those items.
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Court documents also indicate Aravind’s father had become concerned about his son’s recent behavior and internet use and had begun hiding knives inside the home, CBS News Boston reported.
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Aravind received medical treatment for injuries to his hand before Thursday’s appearance and was medically cleared to attend court, prosecutors said.
His attorney requested that he receive a mental health evaluation. When the judge asked whether the request concerned Aravind’s competency to stand trial or his potential criminal responsibility, DeWitt said that had not yet been determined.
Aravind is due back in court Sept. 11 for a probable cause hearing.
Fox News Digital has reached out to OpenAI for comment.
Tipping screen puts customers on the spot as experts reveal when it's OK to hit 'no tip'
Tipping prompts have become commonplace at checkout counters and kiosks, but should customers who leave a digital gratuity expect a "thank you" in return?
The question came up during a recent discussion on "Fox & Friends" about a viral video involving a Shake Shack customer who selected "no tip" at an airport kiosk.
"Do you notice when you tip people electronically, they never say thank you?" co-host Brian Kilmeade said. "If you physically give somebody a tip like at Starbucks or, you know, they'll say thanks, but there must be something that doesn't register when you actually do it electronically because you never get a thank you."
SHAKE SHACK CUSTOMER HITS 'NO TIP' AT KIOSK, THEN WATCHES PRICES JUMP IN VIRAL VIDEO
Etiquette expert Jacqueline Whitmore, founder of the Protocol School of Palm Beach in Florida, told Fox News Digital that employees shouldn't necessarily distinguish between customers who leave a tip and those who don't.
"I think it's good customer service for an employee to thank a customer each and every time, whether they give a tip or not," Whitmore said.
"They're thanking the customer for coming in. They're thanking the customer for being loyal to their business. So, regardless of whether that person chooses to give a tip or not, I think good customer [service] calls for a thank you each and every time."
Robert Mahon, managing partner of New York-based Mahon Hospitality Group, said his company's expectations for employees are similar.
AMERICANS SAY TIPPING PRACTICES 'HAVE BECOME RIDICULOUS' AS DIGITAL PROMPTS PUSH HIGHER GRATUITIES
"We encourage every member of our team to welcome our guests warmly and thank them as they leave, regardless of the amount of gratuity left," Mahon told Fox News Digital.
"It is very rare that a guest leaves no tip at all, and more often than not, our team receives gratuities of 20% or more. We believe the generosity of the vast majority of our guests more than makes up for the very occasional instance where no gratuity is left."
Whitmore said there isn't much difference, from an etiquette standpoint, between specifically acknowledging a tip and simply thanking someone for patronizing the business.
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"A 'thank you' is a 'thank you,'" she said. "Just looking someone in the eye and saying, 'Thank you very much. Have a nice day. Come back and see us.' It's just good customer service."
The proliferation of digital tip prompts, however, can create another etiquette dilemma: Customers may feel pressured to leave a gratuity when an employee is standing nearby and can potentially see what they select.
"I want to remind everyone, tipping is optional," she said. "TIP: To Insure Proper Service."
Whitmore said customers shouldn't feel obligated simply because a checkout screen asks them for money.
"You don't need to expect to pay a certain percentage just because a machine is requesting it," she said.
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Whitmore said tipping etiquette also depends on the type of service being provided. At a restaurant where employees bring food to the table, refill drinks, provide condiments and clean up afterward, she said leaving a few extra dollars can be appropriate.
"But in instances where you go in, you grab and go, I don't recommend that you tip at all because you really, in many instances, don't even have face-to-face interaction with a human being," she said.
Both experts suggested the amount a customer tips shouldn't determine the level of courtesy he or she receives.
"I don't think that money should be a motivator for employees to treat their customers better or worse," Whitmore said.
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It's dependent upon management to establish that expectation, Mahon said.
"Management sets the culture of a business. Our goal is simple: we want every customer to become a repeat customer," he said.
"We do our best to train our teams to approach every guest interaction with that mindset. Ultimately, hospitality is not just a food and beverage business. More importantly, it is a people business."
Russell Fry endorses ex-rival Darline Graham after failing to advance to special GOP US Senate primary runoff
Rep. Russell Fry, R-S.C., the candidate who placed third in the Aug. 11 South Carolina special Republican U.S. Senate primary, has endorsed top-finisher Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C.
"President Trump needs fighters and allies in the Senate who will show up every day and get results. I believe Darline Graham will be exactly that," Fry said in part of a Friday post on X.
"Darline knows what it means to struggle, persevere, and keep fighting when life deals you a difficult hand. Those experiences shaped her, and I believe they give her a real understanding of the challenges families across South Carolina face," he continued.
MARK LYNCH ENDORSES RALPH NORMAN AS CONGRESSMAN HEADS INTO RUNOFF AGAINST DARLINE GRAHAM
"On August 25, I’m asking everyone who supported our campaign to join me in supporting Darline Graham for the United States Senate. Campaigns are temporary. The cause is bigger than any one candidate. Now let’s get it done," he noted.
Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., who placed second in the South Carolina special GOP U.S. Senate primary, will face Graham in the Aug. 25 runoff.
SOUTH CAROLINA GOP SENATE SHOWDOWN HEADS TO RUNOFF IN RACE TO SUCCEED LINDSEY GRAHAM
Last month, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Graham, the sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, to serve the remainder of her brother's term.
President Donald Trump, who backed Graham ahead of the special primary contest, is continuing to support her in the runoff.
DARLINE GRAHAM DETAILS HOW SHE'D FORGE OWN PATH IN SENATE WHILE CARRYING ON BROTHER LINDSEY'S LEGACY
"SOUTH CAROLINA: GET OUT AND VOTE FOR DARLINE GRAHAM ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 25TH. DARLINE HAS MY COMPLETE AND TOTAL ENDORSEMENT — SHE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!" he wrote in a Friday Truth Social post, which included an image of Fry's post on X endorsing Graham.
IN PICTURES: Historic Smithsonian museum packed with woke political messaging on race and gender
As the Smithsonian Institution continues to face scrutiny over its leftward drift, a Fox News Digital tour of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History revealed exhibits that present the nation's past through the lens of oppression of minority groups.
Perhaps nowhere in the museum was that more apparent than the popular Entertainment Nation Exhibit. The series of installations, focused mainly on sports, television and music, is a ubiquitous hotbed of woke history.
One display focuses on the 2010 "Los Suns" protest, which features a special basketball jersey worn by a Phoenix Suns player during the protest.
SMITHSONIAN AMERICA 250 EXHIBIT FEATURES 3X MORE LIBERAL ITEMS THAN CONSERVATIVE ONES
"In solidarity with the Latinx community, the Phoenix Suns basketball team challenged Arizona’s new immigration law on the court," says the headline of a placard explaining the display.
"In 2010 Arizona empowered police to question anyone on their immigration status, in effect targeting any Spanish-speaking person with brown skin," the placard says, adding that the professional team described the state's new law as a violation of "our basic principles of equal rights and protection under the law."
A mannequin head displays the hijab worn by the first Muslim woman to win a major ice skating competition while wearing the religious head covering.
Another display links a 2014 "X-Men" movie to the Black Lives Matter movement, which sparked during the summer of that year.
"As #BlackLivesMatter went viral in the summer of 2014, one of the first Black woman superheroes was fighting discrimination on the big screen," says the headline on the placard for that display.
The writing describes the main characters in the fantasy the film faced discrimination for "being different," Halle Berry was the lead actress in the film, and her costume is featured in the museum.
The exhibit also pays homage to the massively successful mid-2010's show "Glee," which ran for eight seasons. Its placard says the show "celebrated the arts, and, most importantly, humanity."
"The television series Glee told the story of a fictional high school glee club comprised of a diverse group of students: Black, white, Asian, straight, LGBTQ+, disabled, brassy, rebellious, shy, and geeky. Even as they grappled with navigating interpersonal conflicts and developing their identities as young adults, they came together to support each other and sing as one—exemplifying the motto on a plaque in their school auditorium: 'See the world not as it is, but as it should be,'" says the placard.
Another exhibit display, focused on the 1960s and 70s, mentions NBA legend Bill Russell's greatness on the court, but rather than solely highlight his accomplishments in sports, the placard focuses on his racial activism.
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"Bill Russell was a defensive powerhouse on the court who played offense against racism," the title says.
"Bill Russell redefined defensive play, blocking shots and capturing rebounds. The five-time MVP led the Boston Celtics to 11 championships as he championed civil rights," says the placard. "In 1961 Russell led Black teammates in a protest against racial discrimination, staging the first NBA game boycott."
Yet another display features a massive gold chain, a crew neck sweatshirt and a notepad with handwritten song lyrics belonging to rapper Nipsey Hussle, a proud Rollin' 60s Crip gang affiliate who rapped about violence and drugs. His real name was Ermias Asghedom.
"Nipsey Hussle’s political ethos was as strong as his rap," the placard says.
"Raised in the Crenshaw District of Los Angeles, Grammy Award-winning rapper Nipsey Hussle made his mark through music, activism, and business savvy," it continues.
"As an artist, Hussle’s lyrics painted vivid pictures of West Coast life filled with insights well beyond his years. As an activist, he mentored and inspired a generation to become politically engaged. And as an entrepreneur, he chose to reinvest millions into the streets that raised him. Despite his untimely passing, his spirit of dedication, self-reliance, and community empowerment continues to resonate."
The nondescript "untimely passing" refers to the rapper's murder after he confronted a Rollin' 60s gang member, Eric Holder Jr., and accused of "snitching" to law enforcement. An enraged Holder produced a handgun, shooting and killing Asghedom and wounding several others.
Also on display are a jersey worn by the first active and openly gay NBA player, Jason Collins, the hat worn by Dr. Anthony Fauci when he threw the ceremonial first pitch at the Washington Nationals game when the team league restarted after COVID-19 shutdowns and a skateboard highlighting the struggles of female skateboarders to break into the male-dominated sport.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Smithsonian for comment.
America’s broken permitting system is quietly raising your cost of living
Permitting reform isn't simply an energy issue or an environmental issue. It is an affordability issue.
The economics are straightforward. In a market economy, prices are determined by supply and demand. When the supply of housing, energy or manufactured goods increases, prices tend to fall. When supply is constrained, prices rise. If policymakers are serious about lowering costs for American families, they should focus on making it easier — not harder — to increase supply.
That begins with fixing America's broken permitting system.
THE SURPRISING HIDDEN COST QUIETLY ADDING NEARLY $132K TO NEW HOME PRICES REVEALED
America does not suffer from a shortage of entrepreneurs willing to invest, workers eager to build or capital ready to finance new projects. But the permitting system fails to produce timely, predictable government decisions.
Today, major housing developments, energy infrastructure and even manufacturing facilities routinely spend years navigating overlapping federal reviews, duplicative agency requirements and prolonged litigation. Time becomes a hidden tax. Every year a project sits in regulatory limbo, financing costs rise, construction expenses increase, investors demand higher returns and uncertainty discourages future investment. Those costs are ultimately paid by consumers through higher rents, home prices, utility bills and costlier goods.
Much of this dysfunction stems from decades of expanding procedural requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Enacted in 1970, NEPA was designed to ensure informed environmental decision-making. Over time, it has evolved into a procedural maze that too often delays projects without producing better environmental outcomes. Endless rounds of paperwork, overlapping agency reviews and years of litigation have become commonplace, even after exhaustive environmental analysis is completed.
The resulting delays impede new supply.
TRUMP-APPROVED ENERGY PROJECTS AT RISK OF SUDDEN DEATH BY NEXT HOSTILE PRESIDENT
The Mountain Valley Pipeline illustrates the problem. First proposed in 2014, the project did not begin operating until nearly a decade later despite extensive environmental review, public comment and regulatory oversight. Repeated litigation under NEPA, the Endangered Species Act and the Clean Water Act delayed construction and increased costs. It took an act of Congress to finally complete the project and deliver natural gas to households and businesses.
Housing faces similar obstacles. Following the closure of the Mare Island Naval Shipyard in California in 1996, planners envisioned a vibrant mixed-use community with thousands of new homes. Decades later, significant portions of the property remain unavailable because environmental remediation and overlapping federal oversight still delay redevelopment. Years of delays mean fewer homes entering the market and higher housing costs.
The cumulative impact of these delays extends far beyond individual projects. Delayed housing means higher home prices and rents for families already struggling to afford them. Delayed transmission lines and pipelines mean more expensive and less reliable electricity. Delayed factories send investment — and jobs — to countries with more predictable regulatory systems.
Fixing this does not require sacrificing environmental protection.
America should continue to maintain high environmental standards. Clean air, water and responsible stewardship of public lands remain essential public priorities. But protecting the environment and requiring government agencies to make timely decisions are not mutually exclusive. Endless procedural delays rarely produce cleaner air or healthier ecosystems. More often, they discourage investment, inflate costs and leave communities waiting years for needed projects.
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Congress has an opportunity to modernize the permitting system while preserving core environmental protections. Reasonable deadlines for agency decisions, better coordination among federal regulators, narrower opportunities for duplicative litigation after agencies have completed their work and greater regulatory certainty would all make it easier to build without weakening environmental safeguards. Several proposals already before Congress — including the SPEED Act, the FREEDOM Act and the PERMIT Act — offer practical frameworks for accomplishing those goals.
Permitting reform should not be viewed through a partisan lens. Whether the goal is more affordable housing, lower energy prices, stronger domestic manufacturing or greater economic competitiveness, the solution begins with allowing projects to move from blueprint to construction in a reasonable amount of time.
In today's polarized Congress, achieving bipartisan agreement on major legislation can seem nearly impossible. Yet permitting reform has proven to be the exception. The SPEED Act, the FREEDOM Act and the PERMIT Act have all attracted bipartisan support. This rare consensus reflects a fundamental truth: Permitting delays are not a partisan problem, but a practical one that hampers economic growth and competitiveness regardless of which party is in power. If Congress can leverage this rare bipartisan agreement to modernize America's permitting system, it would demonstrate that gridlock isn't inevitable, and it would deliver real results for American families seeking affordable housing, a stronger economy and enhanced global competitiveness. Making it easier to build America again is not simply good regulatory policy — it’s one of the most effective affordability policies available.
It’s not the economy, stupid. Americans vote based on their personal economy
Every election season, politicians suddenly become economists.
They start talking about GDP, inflation rates, job creation, trade deficits and economic growth. They point to charts showing why the economy is doing better or worse depending on which party is holding the microphone.
But there’s one problem. Most Americans don't live their lives on a government spreadsheet, job reports, GDP data or CPI Index information.
FOX NEWS POLL: MOST RATE THE ECONOMY NEGATIVELY, INCLUDING HALF OF REPUBLICANS
They live at the grocery store. They live at the gas pump. They live with when the mortgage payment comes out of their checking account. They live with the credit card bill.
And they live it when their kid asks, "Can we afford that?"
In Bill Clinton’s successful 1992 presidential campaign, strategist James Carville famously posted the message, "It’s the economy, stupid," as a reminder to keep the campaign focused on what mattered to voters.
More than three decades later, I think that famous line needs an update.
JAMES CARVILLE BREAKS WITH FAMOUS ‘IT’S THE ECONOMY, STUPID’ SLOGAN BECAUSE OF TRUMP
It’s not the economy, stupid. It’s your personal economy that matters. And we will see this front and center as the runaway No. 1 issue in the midterms.
Because when Americans walk into the voting booth, they aren't carrying a copy of the latest GDP report. They're carrying around 365 days of financial experience.
Can I afford groceries? Can I afford my house? Can my kid afford a house? Is my paycheck keeping up with my bills? Can I afford health insurance? Can I fill up my SUV without wondering whether I should have bought a bicycle?
Those questions may ultimately matter more politically than any economic statistic Washington can produce.
FOX NEWS POLL: ECONOMIC GLOOM, TRUMP RATINGS SIGNAL TOUGH GOP MIDTERM PATH
Here’s the disconnect politicians often miss, and the Republicans may miss as a whole. The economy can look good on paper while your personal economy feels terrible.
The stock market can hit records, but that doesn't help much when your rent just went up $200 a month.
Unemployment can look relatively low, but that doesn't make you feel better if you're worried about losing your job.
Inflation can cool, but "cooling inflation" doesn't mean prices went back down. It means they're generally rising more slowly.
DAVID MARCUS: WHY RISING PRICES MAY NOT COST REPUBLICANS AS MUCH AS YOU THINK
Try explaining that distinction to somebody staring at a $250 grocery bill.
And this is where politicians in both parties make a huge mistake.
You don't get to tell people how their wallet feels.
You can tell Americans inflation is improving. You can tell them wages are growing. You can tell them the stock market is booming. You can put an economist on television with 17 charts explaining why Americans should feel better.
THE SURPRISING HIDDEN COST QUIETLY ADDING NEARLY $132K TO NEW HOME PRICES REVEALED
But if a family has $200 less left over at the end of every month, their personal economy isn't improving. And that is exactly what matters to voters.
If a first-time homebuyer can't afford the monthly payment on a starter home, their personal economy isn't working. If filling the family SUV, buying groceries and paying the electric bill takes a bigger bite out of the paycheck, no government statistic is going to convince that family they're financially thriving.
You don't get to tell people how their wallet feels. Their bank account already did that.
Housing may be the ultimate example.
For many young Americans, the question isn't whether they can negotiate another quarter-point off their mortgage rate. It's whether homeownership is becoming financially impossible altogether. I have three kids in their 20s who all have good jobs and are wondering how they can afford their first homes.
That's your personal economy.
Then there's gasoline. Politicians can debate why gas prices rise. Including war, oil markets, geopolitics, refinery capacity, regulation, taxes or supply disruptions. The person standing at Pump No. 7 doesn't care one iota about the political PowerPoint.
They see the number spinning at the tank.
$40.
$60.
$80.
That number is the economy to them. What do my eyes tell me?
This is why politicians heading into election season should be very careful about telling Americans how good or how bad the economy is right now. Republicans can point fingers at Democrats. Democrats can point fingers at Republicans. Both sides will cherry-pick statistics that make their economic record look better.
But voters will perform a much simpler calculation:
Am I financially better off right now than I was two years ago? Do I have more breathing room than I did a few years ago? Can my paycheck buy more or less? Do I feel like I'm getting ahead or falling behind?
That's the economic report card that ultimately matters.
Elections may be fought over immigration, foreign policy, taxes, abortion, crime and dozens of other deeply important issues. But money has a funny way of cutting through political noise. Because you can turn off a campaign commercial. You can scroll past a political argument on social media.
You can even ignore Washington entirely. But you can't ignore your mortgage payment. You can't unsubscribe from the grocery store. And eventually, you have to fill up the car.
Carville was onto something in 1992. But in 2026, I'd change the message.
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It’s not the economy, stupid. It’s your personal economy that matters most.
And Washington would be wise to remember one simple rule: You don't get to tell Americans how their wallet feels.
From New York to Texas, states should respect local control on data centers
There are already nearly 4,600 data centers in the United States and thousands more in the works. In 2025, companies spent almost $400 billion on U.S.-based data centers, with spending trending even higher this year.
From New York to Texas, the backlash is growing. "Leading the nation," read a sign on the podium as New York Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul introduced a statewide moratorium on hyperscale data centers. Texas followed on Aug. 3, when Republican Gov. Greg Abbott announced a pause on new data center grid connections until state agencies can audit the projects. At least 14 other states are considering similar actions, including Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin and even Virginia, whose northern suburbs are the data center capital of the world.
These misguided efforts seek to protect residents from data centers by ensuring they miss out on the benefits. Communities that excluded canals and railroads in the 19th century often found themselves bypassed by new economic activity.
TEXAS GOV. GREG ABBOTT EFFECTIVELY PAUSES NEW DATA CENTER PROJECTS PENDING STATEWIDE GRID AUDIT
States that make it hard to build artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure risk a similar mistake. Compute can be accessed remotely, but the communities that permit the necessary physical infrastructure – like data centers – will still attract capital, expand their tax base and create jobs and other opportunities that other areas may miss out on.
The resistance does not come from nowhere. The biggest worry is that data centers will drive up local prices for power. Overall, however, this just hasn’t happened. When the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory explored why retail electricity prices rose above inflation from 2019-2024, it offered seven explanations, none having to do with data centers.
Still, it’s fair for people to worry that data centers’ voracious need for power will stress the grid and squeeze consumers. Policymakers and the hyperscalers, major cloud computing and data center providers, themselves are taking steps to minimize this risk. Utilities in 19 states, for example, have imposed "large load tariffs," in which big power consumers pay for new generation and transmission (and sometimes more).
The White House announced in late July that Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI, Oracle, xAI and more than 200 other players have agreed to pay for 100% of the power infrastructure required by data centers.
FOUR WAYS TO HARDEN AMERICA'S POWER GRID BEFORE OUR GLOBAL ENEMIES STRIKE
Once the power problem is sorted, the remaining issues, such as noise and traffic, are local. So are the potential benefits, such as tax revenue and construction jobs. Communities should therefore have the right to decide whether the benefits are worth the disruption. This is a version of the Coase Theorem, an economic theory that holds that private parties (in this case, one side being a community) can negotiate solutions to externalities on their own without heavy government intervention.
And localities are indeed proving themselves willing and able to negotiate good deals for their residents. Lancaster, Pa., for example, secured commitments that will limit noise and water usage, along with $20 million for the city’s economic development and sustainability efforts. Cedar Rapids, Iowa, struck a community betterment agreement with Google and QTS that included job and wage guarantees. Teachers in Richland Parish, La., received bonus checks of as much as $51,000 thanks to higher local sales tax revenues generated by the construction of a nearby massive data center.
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State-level restrictions also carry a whiff of luxury belief, with people who don't live in areas where data centers could be built imposing their preferences on those who do. Many struggling communities with more land than prosperity would love the chance to negotiate with a hyperscaler.
AMERICA'S AI BOOM IS A JOBS OPPORTUNITY, NOT AN EXCUSE FOR UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME
To be sure, the principle cuts both ways. Just as states should not enact blanket bans, they should not force projects on unwilling towns or counties. States and communities also should not rush to offer tax benefits or other incentives to hyperscalers that have proven willing to invest massive sums on compute. At the very least, the public should always know exactly, and beforehand, what kind of incentives are being offered.
AI will become an ever-greater part of our economy, whether the data center is near or far. What can be done is to embrace the opportunity, while limiting the potential harm. When it comes to data centers, that balance is best struck by those who will live near them.
Australia sets launch for sweeping gun buyback after Bondi Beach terror attack: 'Sensible gun reform'
New South Wales in Australia is slated to begin a gun buyback scheme in November, the first state in the nation to kick off the program as part of the national response to a shooting spree that killed 15 people at a Hanukkah celebration in the state capital of Sydney, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on Sunday.
Albanese and New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said the scheme would start on November 2. People who return eligible firearms under the first phase would receive fixed compensation ranging from $450 to $1,000 per firearm, depending on the type. A second phase will provide a valuation pathway for certain higher-value firearms, capped at $10,000 per firearm.
Albanese's center-left government adopted new gun-control laws in January in the aftermath of the December 14 attack at a Bondi Beach Hanukkah celebration, including the gun buyback program and tighter firearms measures. New South Wales separately passed tighter state firearms laws in December, while the federal government also strengthened laws targeting hate speech and extremism.
The pair of alleged gunmen used firearms that were obtained legally. Australia's government said there were a record 4.1 million firearms in the country last year, including more than 1.1 million in New South Wales, its most populous state.
AUSTRALIA VOWS TO STRENGTHEN HATE SPEECH LAWS, GUN CONTROL IN WAKE OF BONDI BEACH ATTACK
"We must do everything we can to make sure the antisemitic terrorist attack in Bondi doesn’t happen again. That includes meaningful nationwide gun reform," Albanese said in a statement.
The initiative is set to be Australia's largest buyback since a similar effort following the 1996 massacre in Tasmania's Port Arthur, when a gunman killed 35 people.
"Australians are quite rightly proud of our gun laws, but the fact is there are more guns in Australia today than there were at the time of dealing with the Port Arthur gun buyback," Albanese said.
New South Wales generally limits individual firearm ownership to four guns under restrictions sparked by the Bondi Beach attack, with exemptions allowing certain license holders, including some primary producers, sport shooters and others with specified genuine reasons, to possess more firearms. It estimates that up to 274,000 registered firearms — about 24% of the total number of registered firearms in New South Wales — and about 50,000 license holders are affected by the new limits on gun ownership and reclassification of some types of firearms.
VIRGINIA GUN SALES SPIKE AHEAD OF JULY 1 ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN SIGNED BY GOV. SPANBERGER
"After Bondi, we promised the people of New South Wales we would introduce the toughest gun laws in the country, and that’s exactly what we did," Minns said. "The next step is getting the guns that are no longer permitted under those laws out of circulation and permanently off our streets."
"There are potentially hundreds of thousands of firearms affected by these changes," Minns added. "We want those guns handed in, compensated for and safely destroyed. This is a big undertaking, but the principle behind it is simple: fewer dangerous guns in our community means a safer New South Wales."
The attack was allegedly carried out by a father and son who police believe were inspired by the Islamic State.
The 50-year-old father, Sajid Akram, was shot and killed by police at the scene, while the surviving suspect, Naveed Akram, 24, has not yet entered pleas on a slew of charges, including 15 counts of murder. Authorities have charged him with 59 offenses in total, including committing a terrorist act and 15 counts of murder.
A man identified as Ahmed al Ahmed has been praised as a hero for tackling and disarming one of the gunmen. He suffered gunshot wounds in the incident and is still recovering.
"After the tragedy at Bondi, we committed to dealing with the motive and the method," Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke said. "Since then, we have strengthened our hate crimes and hate speech laws, which are now the strongest in our country’s history."
"Today we continue the proud Australian tradition of sensible gun reform designed to protect our community from weapons which have no utility other than to cause harm," he added.
Trump blames vandals for dead grass on National Mall where he hosted 4th of July celebration
President Donald Trump is blaming vandals for large spots of dead grass on the National Mall near the World War II Memorial, the same area where the president hosted crowds for a 4th of July celebration.
Trump made the claim without providing evidence or explaining why he believes vandals damaged the grass. He shared a photo showing an area by the World War II Memorial with patches of brown and dead grass across much of the sprawling turf that was previously full of green grass.
"Look what VANDALS did to the grass connecting the vandalized World War II Monument and the vandalized Reflecting Pool, which will be opened again, and better than ever, shortly," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
"Anybody who thinks the Reflecting Pool wasn’t vandalized should go back to Law School!" he continued.
TRUMP URGES JEANINE PIRRO TO REVISIT DROPPED LINCOLN MEMORIAL REFLECTING POOL VANDALISM CASE
Trump had a large stage built and invited crowds to the same lawn for his Independence Day celebration last month. He is now blaming vandals for the grass damage. Crowds gathered to hear from the president and watch fireworks to celebrate the nation's 250th anniversary.
Photos from the celebration show a large bandstand and seating areas covering nearly the entire lawn Trump now says was damaged by vandals. Photos from subsequent days showed workers removing the structures, revealing brown and damaged grass underneath. The photographs show that the event infrastructure occupied much of the affected lawn, but do not by themselves establish what caused all the grass damage.
Trump has repeatedly blamed vandals for damage to his renovation projects in Washington, D.C., often without evidence and contradicting accounts from his officials.
Earlier this month, Trump criticized U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro after her office moved to dismiss the vandalism case after newly disclosed evidence showed widespread liner damage stemming from a flawed installation and the rush to complete the project ahead of Independence Day events, undermining the case against the defendant.
On Friday, an arrest was made in connection with vandalism at the World War II Memorial after the words "Clean hands dirty $" were found painted on the monument and bubbles filled a fountain.
Felony charges in that case are being brought against Melissa Farris, according to Pirro.
Charging documents in that case do not mention the once-grassy area Trump referred to in his new social media post. Authorities said Farris was previously arrested for camping on federal property a few blocks from the World War II Memorial, but not the spot referenced by Trump.
OBAMA JUDGE HANDS PROGRESSIVES A WIN OVER ANTI-TRUMP '86 47' MESSAGE AMID RISING THREATS
On Aug. 1, Trump posted a different photo of the same area of dead that appears to show the numbers "86 47," which federal officials argue is a threat against Trump. The numbers are not visible in the photo Trump shared on Sunday.
Trump cited that image as evidence against Pirro's conclusion, describing it as "a pure case of VANDALISM, that included the grass."
"There may have been some contractor difficulty, but the major damage was caused by VANDALS!" he wrote.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.