August 5, 2026

02c U.S. Politics – Election

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Asteroid 2022 YS5 is a building-sized asteroid that is scheduled to make a close approach to Earth on July 17, capturing the attention of astronomers, scientists, and space agencies worldwide. Although the asteroid is expected to fly past Earth at a safe distance, the event underscores the increasing importance of planetary defense systems, ongoing asteroid monitoring, and global cooperation in space. Both NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) have confirmed that 2022 YS5 poses no threat, but are treating this event as a timely reminder of the need for continued vigilance and preparedness.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has officially confirmed that asteroid 2022 YS5, measuring approximately 120 feet (36.5 meters) in diameter, will pass Earth at a distance of about 4.15 million kilometers (roughly 2.58 million miles). While that may sound like a vast distance, it is considered relatively close in astronomical terms, especially given the asteroid’s speed of over 14,000 miles per hour (22,500 km/h).2022 YS5 belongs to the Aten group of near-Earth asteroids, known for having orbits that can cross Earth’s path. However, NASA has made it clear that this particular asteroid does not qualify as potentially hazardous, as it does not meet the two key risk criteria:

  • Proximity: Within 7.4 million kilometers (4.6 million miles) of Earth
  • Size: Greater than 85 meters in diameter

Since 2022 YS5 falls short on both counts, its flyby is being monitored but not considered dangerous.

Elon Musk forms pro-tech ‘America Party’– mashable.com
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Elon Musk isn’t done with politics just yet.

Days after the SpaceX and Tesla CEO threatened to form his own political party as an alternative to America’s “Democrat-Republican uniparty,” Musk has announced his pledge to do so.

“Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom,” Musk wrote in a July 5 post on X. “The way we’re going to crack the uniparty system is by using a variant of how Epaminondas shattered the myth of Spartan invincibility at Leuctra: Extremely concentrated force at a precise location on the battlefield.”

Following a rift between him and President Donald Trump that saw Musk unceremoniously severed from his “Department of Government Efficiency,” the former top campaign funder became a vocal opponent to the Trump Administration’s 900-page “One, Big, Beautiful bill,” which was recently signed into law and includes cuts to Medicaid and $350 billion for border and national security.

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Former DOGE adviser writes to Tesla Board against Elon Musk after he launches ‘America Party’.

Former DOGE adviser James Fishback wrote to the Tesla Board urging them to ask Elon Musk to clarify his political ambitions. Fishback said his investment firm Azoria Partners will defer the listing of its Azoria Texla Convexity exchange-traded fund after Musk’s announcement that he was forming a new political party called ‘America Party’. The paperwork of the America Party was done, and it was registered with the Federal Election Commission with Tesla CFO Vaibhav Taneja listed as its treasurer.”Elon has gone too far…Our decision comes in direct response to @ElonMusk’s announcement that he is launching a new national political party. This creates a conflict with his full-time responsibilities as CEO of Tesla. It diverts his focus and energy away from Tesla’s employees and shareholders,” Fishback wrote. “In May, when Elon stepped back from his work at DOGE and returned his attention to Tesla, we were encouraged. With Elon fully engaged, he gave shareholders renewed confidence in Tesla’s future. Elon’s announcement today undermines that confidence,” the letter added.

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An unspoken rule among the Washington establishment is that once Congress throws money at a spending program that decision should be treated as irrevocable. If a future Congress shows any fiscal conservatism and tries even to address some of its waste and abuse, left-wing lawmakers—and their allies in the media—will excoriate them for making supposedly radical cuts.

Before the House voted Thursday to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries went on a record 8.5-hour rant on the House floor accusing Republicans of an “all-out assault on the health and well-being of everyday Americans.”

If that sounds ominous, note that he also called the bill “an all-out assault on the care being provided by Planned Parenthood” for prohibiting Medicaid funds from going to abortion providers for one year. Phrases like “health care” and “all-out assault” mean something different to the far left than to the rest of us.

 

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An unspoken rule among the Washington establishment is that once Congress throws money at a spending program that decision should be treated as irrevocable. If a future Congress shows any fiscal conservatism and tries even to address some of its waste and abuse, left-wing lawmakers—and their allies in the media—will excoriate them for making supposedly radical cuts.

Before the House voted Thursday to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries went on a record 8.5-hour rant on the House floor accusing Republicans of an “all-out assault on the health and well-being of everyday Americans.”

If that sounds ominous, note that he also called the bill “an all-out assault on the care being provided by Planned Parenthood” for prohibiting Medicaid funds from going to abortion providers for one year. Phrases like “health care” and “all-out assault” mean something different to the far left than to the rest of us.

 

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“Squad” Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (D-NY) is coming under fire for misstating her supposed hardscrabble background in the Bronx, with the Democrat now claiming she grew up in an area adjacent to the notoriously violent New York borough.

AOC, who rose from humble bartender to congressional celebrity after the 2018 election, backpedaled on her origin story after a new report alleging she went to high school in Yorktown Heights, a suburb 40 miles outside of New York City.

The controversy began when AOC fired back at President Donald Trump, who labeled her “one of the dumbest people in Congress” after she attempted to impeach him for striking Iran.

“Also, I’m a Bronx girl. You should know that we can eat Queens boys for breakfast. Respectfully,” the progressive lawmaker replied on social media.

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President Donald Trump has a chance to do two incredible things.

First, with a successful second term he could buck a major historical trend.

Second, as his popularity increases, Trump could soon eclipse former President Barack Obama while relegating the 44th president to a historical footnote.

Tuesday on “The Benny Show” podcast, pollster Mark Mitchell of Rasmussen Reports told host Benny Johnson that Trump’s approval rating at this point in his presidency will soon surpass that of Obama at the same point in his second term.

“You’re saying that President Trump is about to beat Barack Obama for being the most popular president in our lifetimes?” Johnson asked in a clip posted to the social media platform X.

“At this point in the term and going forward, yeah, 100 percent,” Mitchell replied.

The key phrase “at this point in the term” sounds like a caveat.  In truth, however, it makes Trump’s achievement all the more remarkable.

Recall, for instance, how Obama entered the presidency. The media glorified him. His face appeared on posters, accompanied by the word “HOPE.”

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Prominent MAGA-aligned commentators launched xenophobic attacks on Zohran Mamdani over the 33-year-old state lawmaker’s Muslim religion following his apparent Democratic primary win in the New York City mayoral race.

In a series of posts, conservative social media personality Laura Loomer wrote “New York City will be destroyed,” Muslims will start “committing jihad all over New York” and that “NYC is about to see 9/11 2.0.”

If elected in November, Mamdani would become the first Muslim mayor in New York City’s history. And while many conservatives have criticized Mamdani’s progressive policies, others have taken aim at Mamdani for his religion.

“24 years ago a group of Muslims killed 2,753 people on 9/11,” conservative activist Charlie Kirk posted on X, referencing the number of people killed in New York. “Now a Muslim Socialist is on pace to run New York City.”

“New York City has fallen,” Donald Trump Jr. wrote, quoting a post by Michael Malice about when New Yorkers “endured 9/11 instead of voting for it.”

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The top congressional Democratic leaders congratulated state Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani for his victory in New York‘s Democratic mayoral primary on Wednesday, but they stopped short of offering a full-throttle endorsement of the self-proclaimed socialist.

Both Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) released statements minutes apart on Wednesday celebrating Mamdani’s “strong” and “impressive” campaign focused on the economy and affordability.

Jeffries said he spoke to Mamdani on Wednesday morning and they “plan to meet in Central Brooklyn shortly.”

“Assemblyman Mamdani ran a strong campaign that relentlessly focused on the economy and bringing down the high cost of living in New York City,” Jeffries wrote.

Schumer said he also spoke to the assemblyman and is “looking forward to getting together soon.”