The Onion Jul 14, 2026 The World Meteorological Association gathered one final time today to once again warn humanity about ever-increasing global temperatures before finally hanging it up for good. Become an Onion member while it’s still optional: https://membership.theonion.com/?camp…
Last-Ever Global Warming Report Released For Posterity
Johnson says Pentagon needs more money for ‘fighting communism on our own shores’
Posted in Politics and Movements: US
Trump has threatened to deploy the military against the “enemy within” and has recently promoted the idea that “democratic socialism must be criminalized.”
by Stephen Prager July 15, 2026 (therealnews.com)
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., attends a news conference at the Republican National Committee after a meeting of the House Republican Conference on Tuesday, July 14, 2026. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
This story originally appeared in Common Dreams on July 14, 2026. It is shared here under a Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0) license.
As he pushed for Congress to approve $350 billion in new spending requested by the Pentagon, House Speaker Mike Johnson suggested Tuesday that some of the funds were needed for “fighting communism on our own shores,” an ominous notion in light of President Donald Trump’s threats to deploy the US military against his domestic enemies.
In addition to the already record-breaking $1.1 trillion military spending bill that was approved last month by the House Appropriations Committee, the Pentagon has requested a separate $350 billion package to be passed through a separate GOP-led spending bill known as “Reconciliation 3.0,” which can pass without Democratic support.
Johnson (La.) has faced pushback from some GOP senators, including Sens. Susan Collins (Maine) and the hospitalized Sen. Mitch McConnell (Ky.), as he’s sought additional spending. During a press conference on Tuesday, Johnson made his case for Republicans to back the reconciliation proposal.
The speaker argued that the package included “transformational funding that will help us change the dynamic of the Department of War and make it more efficient and effective,” including Trump’s request to “effectively double the funding for national defense.”
“Look, we live in dangerous times,” Johnson said. “We’re fighting communism on our own shores, and we’re fighting evil terrorists and tyrants around the world, and we have to be able to protect our national security.”
In the weeks following a series of Democratic primary victories by progressive and democratic socialist candidates in New York, Colorado, Kentucky, Ohio, Texas, and elsewhere, Trump and his allies in the GOP have relentlessly hammered on the idea that the nation was under siege by “godless Communists” who want to “completely destroy the traditional American way of life,” rhetoric that echoed McCarthy era red-baiting to many critics.
In just two weeks since those primaries on June 23, Reuters found that Trump had invoked “communism” at least 81 times to demonize candidates and officials like New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and others, who have promoted policies like Medicare for All, higher taxes on the wealthy, the expansion of public utilities, the abolition of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, cutting off aid to Israel, and other policies supported by large numbers of Democratic voters.
Trump’s recent rhetoric has indicated that opposing “communism” goes beyond simply voting to keep these candidates out of power. He’s referred to the so-called communists as “animals,” as a “cancer” that needs to be “cut out fast.”
He said during a July 3 speech outside Mount Rushmore that “communists” cannot be “loyal” to America and he will “send them into exile… send them quickly away.”
On Sunday, Trump reposted a video from the right-wing radio host Michael Savage with the title “DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISM MUST BE CRIMINALIZED; LEADERS DEPORTED.”
Johnson echoed Trump’s rhetoric on Tuesday, continuing to describe passing the military spending proposal as part of the existential fight against internal communist enemies.
“THE BARBARIANS ARE INSIDE THE GATE!” Johnson posted to social media alongside a video of himself promoting the bill.
“We are fighting right now in Congress over whether we’re going to maintain our status as a constitutional republic OR trade that in, dismantle the foundations and GO DOWN THIS DARK ROAD OF DEATH TO COMMUNISM,” he continued. “THAT is the question.”
With these comments, Johnson was explicitly tying increased military funding to Trump’s fight against communism, though it’s unclear which aspect of the budget proposal would be directed toward those ends.
Federal troops are generally barred from domestic law enforcement, though the president can deploy them in cases of domestic insurrection and violence that ordinary law enforcement cannot handle.
Trump has deployed active duty Marines to US cities like Los Angeles and ordered the National Guard to deploy to many others, including Portland, Memphis, and Chicago, which courts have said violated the law.
He has also suggested using armed forces to target his ideological enemies. During a speech to generals last year, he said cities should be used as “training grounds for our military” as they fight an “enemy within,” which has included immigrants, the “radical left” and protest movements that have mobilized in opposition to his administration.
The Real News Network
Independent · Nonprofit · Nonpartisan
The journalism that
refuses to be
bought. Funded by
people like you.
Tax-deductible · Secure · Cancel anytime
The Real News Network is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
Stephen Prager
Stephen Prager is a staff writer for Common Dreams.More by Stephen Prager
Solomon’s Song
(Image from rado76.wordpress.com)
“Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee.”
–Solomon 4:7 King James Bible
St. Augustine’s famous quote
(Image from Wikipedia.org)
- Google AI Overview
You are referring to St. Augustine’s famous spiritual reflection, where he prays: “Lord, let me know myself, that I may know You.” This profound theme is most prominently found in his Soliloquies (Book 2) and his spiritual masterpiece, Confessions. [1, 2]
In his writings, St. Augustine of Hippo explores the inseparable link between knowing oneself and knowing God. He believed that because God created humanity in His image, looking inward to recognize our own limitations and the “darkness” within ourselves allows us to see how deeply we need God’s light. By accepting our flaws, we open ourselves up to receiving His divine grace and wisdom. [1, 2, 3]
James Webb Just Saw Pluto for the First Time And It Shouldn’t Be Possible!
Proof Jul 15, 2026 Did the James Webb Space Telescope really see Pluto for the first time—and why are some people saying it “shouldn’t be possible”? Although Pluto was famously explored up close by New Horizons in 2015, James Webb observes the dwarf planet in an entirely different way. Instead of taking close-up visible-light photographs, Webb uses its powerful infrared instruments to analyze Pluto’s atmosphere, surface ices, temperature, and chemical composition with unprecedented sensitivity. These observations are helping scientists investigate how Pluto’s thin nitrogen atmosphere changes over time, how methane and carbon monoxide ice behave in extreme cold, and how the distant dwarf planet continues to evolve billions of kilometers from the Sun. Despite sensational headlines, there is nothing impossible about James Webb observing Pluto. The telescope was designed to study faint infrared objects throughout the Solar System and far beyond. What makes these observations extraordinary is the level of detail Webb can detect—not the fact that it can see Pluto. In this documentary, you’ll discover: Why James Webb observed Pluto despite New Horizons already visiting it. How infrared astronomy reveals details invisible to ordinary telescopes. What scientists learned about Pluto’s atmosphere and frozen surface. How Pluto compares to other icy worlds in the Kuiper Belt. The latest discoveries from NASA’s most powerful space telescope. The difference between scientific breakthroughs and sensational internet headlines. Join us as we explore how James Webb is giving astronomers an entirely new perspective on one of the Solar System’s most mysterious worlds. ???? Do you think Pluto should still be considered the ninth planet? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Free Will Astrology: Week of July 16, 2026
by Rob Brezsny | July 14, 2026 (NewCity.com)
ARIES (March 21-April 19): In honor of the intensive homecoming phase of your astrological cycle, I have homework for you. 1. Make a prediction about how old you will be when you know precisely who you are. 2. Forecast the day when you will look in the mirror and recognize your face as an intricate portrait of every experience you have ever loved. 3. Imagine the dawn when the boundary between your own longing and life’s longing will dissolve, revealing they’ve always been the same current. 4. Predict when your heart will be as wild and free and brave as you have always wanted it to be.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Ornithologists studying migration know that some birds don’t fly directly to their destination. They follow “leading lines.” These are geographical features like coastlines and mountain ranges that provide orientation. Even when this means taking a longer route, the certainty of having a guiding landmark outweighs the efficiency of a straight line across nondescript terrain. I recommend the birds’ approach to you in the coming weeks, Taurus. Follow your own leading lines: practices and intuitions that provide lucid orientation even when they don’t offer shortcuts. The indirect path offers the surety you need.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): What’s an important truth you keep forgetting about? Maybe it’s a promise you once made to yourself, or an understanding that your younger self knew, or a wisdom your body keeps trying to communicate while your mind ignores it. What truth returns again and again in different guises: through synchronicities, seemingly random comments from friends, recurring dreams, or the same lesson repeating in new situations? What crucial insights about life do you remember during crisis or ecstasy, only to abandon them once normalcy returns? Now is a favorable time to fully recover this lesson and install it firmly at the heart of your life.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Make a list of your five greatest pleasures. These are experiences that stir your senses, steady your pulse, and remind you why you love being alive. Write them down as if they were sacred prayers. Sing a spontaneous song of praise of them. Then set out on a quest to discover pleasure number six. This is a delight you have never tasted, touched or imagined before. Maybe it will come from saying yes to a possibility you usually decline. Treat this experiment as a form of worship and a way to boost your devotion to your healing life force.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): According to neuroscientists, the “default mode network” is the area of your brain that lights up when you’re daydreaming, drifting through thoughts and feelings, and letting your imagination roam around. This is when your deep self does crucial work: weaving memories into stories, making creative connections, rehearsing possible futures and forging your sense of identity. I mention this, Leo, because the coming days will be prime time for you to indulge lavishly in this healing and restorative activity. Don’t let a task-obsessed world shame you out of your reveries. Your genius will bloom from their slowly swirling flow.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Here are three gentle nudges: 1. One of your trusty tools or assets still seems to be working fine, but I suggest you look into the possibility that it will soon need repair. 2. Unless you act proactively to ease the strain on your system, a mini-breakdown could be on the horizon. 3. The monster hiding in your closet is hibernating, which makes this the perfect time to summon an exorcist before it rouses. Here’s the very good news, dear Virgo: Because you are reading this oracle, you are now armed with all you need to stave off turmoil and head in the direction of an exciting renaissance.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Researchers who study improvisational jazz have found that master musicians often anticipate each other’s ideas milliseconds before anyone actually plays the notes. Their brains become exquisitely synchronized through deep listening rather than rigid planning. Maybe more than any other sign, you Libras possess a similar aptitude in managing your intimate alliances and social connections. In the coming weeks, this superpower will be even more necessary and available than usual. I’ll provide a reminder: Pay less attention to what people claim to mean and more attention to the rhythms beneath their words. Let your intuition guide you. The subtly shared timing will generate elegant cooperation.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): “It’s bad luck to be superstitious!” is a delightful paradox that I enjoy playing with. It makes fun of our tendency to believe that invisible forces are constantly keeping score on our behavior. On one level, the phrase pokes at the way superstition multiplies anxiety instead of easing it. If you really believed it’s bad luck to be superstitious, then your belief about bad luck would itself be a superstition. So you’d have to avoid the very thinking pattern you’re using to feel safer. It exposes how easily the mind can tie itself in knots trying to control the uncontrollable. On another level, “it’s bad luck to be superstitious” is an invitation to examine which of your little rituals are entertaining and nourishing and which are cages. Keeping a lucky stone in your pocket is fine if it amuses you, but believing you’re doomed if you don’t carry the stone isn’t so fine. My advice: Notice when your charm or taboo is no longer a quirky companion, but starts being a tyrant that shrinks your freedom.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Are you the type of Sagittarius who pushes open doors with “pull” signs on them? Do you get a secret kick out of opening boxes from the end that says “open other side”? Maybe you even yack on your phone in designated quiet zones. If so, I’d like to suggest channeling your rebellious spark into grander acts. In the weeks ahead, you will be carrying some potent renegade energy. Used wisely, your radiant defiance could topple a stagnant situation that’s overdue for change.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Many healers favor the slow-and-steady path. They often meet with people once a week, trusting that even stubborn issues must be unwoven with patience and gentleness. But there are also bold experimenters who work differently. I know an acupuncturist who invites clients to live at her clinic for six days straight, offering a new treatment every two hours during the waking hours. She creates a healing immersion chamber. That’s the spirit I recommend for you in the coming weeks, Capricorn. You’re at the threshold of resolving a long-standing imbalance. What will serve you best isn’t dabbling at it but offering it focused, sustained, wholehearted attention until the shift activates.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You can refresh and boost your ambition if you give it a firm, precise adjustment sometime soon. Your raw vitality will surge back if you refrain from indulging in a careless habit that has been draining it. Your willpower and determination have been weakened by the fallout from an old misstep, but you now have the clarity needed to repair that error. Your libidinous energy is not as clear and potent as it could be, but it will become so once you get more honest about what truly excites you.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): You’re like an arrow that has been shot from a bow and is three-quarters of the way to the target. You’re a delicious meal still simmering on the stove, or a pregnancy at seven months, or the last two weeks before a major election. When I tuned my inner vision to you, I glimpsed a honeybee wriggling a dance to show its coworkers where a stand of blooming lilac awaits. Have you ever been on the verge of speaking a new language with ease? That’s where you are now, Pisces: just before true fluency clicks.
Homework: Do a ritual in which you vow to attract more blessings into your life. tinyurl.com/ommm777
Socrates’ daemon
- Google AI Overview
Socrates’ daemon (or daimonion) was his famous personal inner voice or “divine sign”. Unlike a malevolent demon, it acted as an infallible guide—always warning him against taking the wrong actions, such as making a speech or fleeing Athens. It never told him what to do, just what to avoid. [1, 2, 3]
Socrates referred to this phenomenon in Plato’s dialogues (like the Apology and Phaedrus) as an adjectival “divine something” rather than a specific god, and trusted it implicitly. It has been interpreted by philosophers and historians in various ways: [1, 2]
- Conscience: A highly developed internal moral compass.
- Intuition: Subconscious, rapid processing of situations.
- Divine Guardian: An intermediary spirit connecting him to higher, divine wisdom. [1, 2, 3]
You can read more about its historical and philosophical context in this breakdown by TheCollector or review the exact references on Wikipedia. [1, 2]
Book: “Conservatism: America’s Personality Disorder”
Conservatism: America’s Personality Disorder
Christopher Armitage, D. Carl Brown
AMERICA’S PERSONALITY DISORDER
Conservatives often defend policies that feel hard-hearted. Why? Christopher Armitage and D. Carl Brown argue the root problem is a measurable empathy gap, not mere ideology.
Their concise analysis shows how this gap drives positions on poverty, immigration, pollution, reproductive rights, and LGBTQ+ equality, hurting millions while claiming virtue.
Grounded in psychology and real-world data, this book reframes the culture war and offers a path toward compassion-led politics.
Christopher Armitage is an Air Force veteran and researcher in psychology, law enforcement, and public policy.
D. Carl Brown is a clinical psychologist who studies empathy and personality in political behavior.
About the author
Christopher Armitage
Is Congress thinking of merging U.S. military with Israel?
- Google AI Overview
Congress is not merging the U.S. military with Israel, but lawmakers are actively debating provisions in the annual defense bill that would heavily integrate their technology and intelligence. [1, 2, 3]
Specifics on these legislative efforts include:
- The “Deadly Merger” Provisions: Sections in the House and Senate versions of the Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)—such as Section 224 in the House—aim to create the “United States-Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative”. [1, 2, 3]
- What the Bill Proposes: This initiative requires the U.S. Secretary of Defense to appoint an official to synchronize research, weapons co-production, and data fusion in high-tech warfare areas like artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, autonomous systems, and quantum technology. [1, 2]
- The Opposition: Bipartisan lawmakers (such as Rep. Thomas Massie and Rep. Ro Khanna) have proposed amendments to strike this language, arguing it compromises U.S. sovereignty and entangles American forces in endless foreign conflict. [1, 2, 3]
- Current Status: The broader NDAA, which contains these integration provisions, is currently stalled. Senate Democrats recently blocked debate on the defense bill over broader war funding issues and concerns regarding these integration clauses. [1]
The Sapient Cosmos with James B. Glattfelder
New Thinking Allowed with Jeffrey Mishlove Jul 14, 2026 Dr. James B. Glattfelder is an author, academic, and quantitative researcher whose work bridges physics, complexity science, and the philosophy of consciousness. He holds a Master’s in theoretical physics and a PhD in the study of complex systems, both from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich. As a doctoral researcher, he co-authored The Network of Global Corporate Control, a landmark study mapping the architecture of ownership across the global economy. He is the author of two major works integrating physics, philosophy, complexity science, and the study of consciousness: Information—Consciousness—Reality and his most recent book, The Sapient Cosmos: What a Modern Synthesis of Science and Philosophy Teaches Us About the Emergence of Information, Consciousness, and Meaning, which offers what he calls syncretic idealism — a wide-ranging integration of complexity science, analytic idealism, the perennial wisdom traditions, and the contemporary philosophy of consciousness. In this conversation, James explores the foundations of his inquiry — from his early encounter with quantum physics through the questions that eventually led him beyond the limits of physicalism, and into the metaphysical framework he calls syncretic idealism. He speaks to the hard problem of consciousness, the rise of contemporary idealism, the role of psychedelic experience, and the place of contemplative traditions within a rigorous scientific worldview. He considers symbolic cognition, synchronicity, the re-enchantment of the cosmos, and what it might mean to live in a participatory universe at a moment when humanity is, by many accounts, in a crisis of meaning. Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction 00:04:20 From quantum physics to the question of consciousness 00:10:03 Science, philosophy, and the metaphysical commitment 00:17:51 The hard problem of consciousness 00:34:09 Pure consciousness and its contents 00:45:18 The unconscious: ontological or epistemological? 00:52:45 Psychedelics, set, setting, and the return to trust 01:08:11 Re-Enchanting the universe 01:19:37 Cultural complexes and the choice of hope New Thinking Allowed Guest Host Leanne Whitney, PhD, is a depth psychologist and transformational coach based in Los Angeles, CA. She is the author of Consciousness in Jung and Patañjali and currently serves as Executive Director of Center for Transformation and Integration. Her website is https://leannewhitney.com/ To learn about Leanne Whitney’s upcoming Transformational Coaching Certification Course with an emphasis in Somatic Integration Therapy, please visit: https://transformationandintegration…. Producer: Ricky Derisz Editor: John Hartmann (Recorded on June 19, 2026)