
From Washington: 'Liberation Day' Is Near
The National Republican Congressional Committee aims to flip 26 Democratic-held seats in next year's midterm election. The organization hopes to capitalize on divisions within the Democratic Party to expand its majority. Meanwhile, several incumbent Democrats have announced they will not seek re-election, making the election map all the more challenging for them. National Political Reporter at The Hill Julia Manchester examines the races to watch in the 2026 election cycle and unpacks both parties' vulnerabilities.
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New York Post
24 minutes ago
- New York Post
Trump and Zel's peace deal progress: Letters to the Editor — Aug. 20, 2025
The Issue: President Trump's meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss a peace deal with Russia. I wholeheartedly agree with The Post that the United States must back up any deal ('The Post says: US must back up any pact,' Editorial, Aug. 19). We all know that Vladimir Putin is untrustworthy, but he appears to be open to peace — mainly because President Trump has him over a barrel economically. It's up to Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky and Putin to come to an agreement to end this war. If that fails, then Trump can put more pressure on Russia. Advertisement No matter what happens here, Trump should be applauded for trying to end the killing of so many people. Richard Ketay Newark, NJ Advertisement Monday's summit at the White House was a direct contrast to what the previous administration considered a priority, despite the war beginning during the Biden administration. Trump's message on global unity sends a strong message to all our adversaries. As a taxpayer, this meeting restored my confidence in the White House's ability to bring our global partners together. Greg Raleigh Washington, DC Advertisement Zelensky should not surrender a square inch of land to Putin. Instead, I would love to see Putin return all kidnapped angels and pay to rebuild every city he destroyed. Vincent Galante Advertisement Mendham, NJ Zelensky has the best broker for a peace deal in the world by his side. As a successful businessman, the president is highly experienced at negotiation, handling challenges and the art of the deal. If anyone can get a deal going between Zelensky and Putin, it's Trump. I am cautiously optimistic that a deal will be made. If so, the Nobel Peace Prize will be Trump's reward. JoAnn Lee Frank Clearwater, Fla. It was previously the Ukrainians, Zelensky and Trump head-to-head against Putin and Russia. Now it is NATO, the European Union, Ukraine and Zelensky against Putin and Russia with Trump as an arbitrator. The European Union now has to commit to defending Ukraine's independence. It is no longer Trump's fight to win or lose. Nicon Zasorin Advertisement Claverack Whatever comes of Trump's involvement amidst his ever-changing positions on the war is all but certain to be to the advantage of Putin. Putin is a war criminal and an adversary of the United States — which used to stand for freedom, democracy and human rights. Zelensky and his country are Putin's victims. Advertisement Our president can't allow his fondness for ruthless dictators to set that aside. Oren Spiegler Peters Township, Pa. The Issue: Average charter-school students' scores on state exams surpassing district-school students'. Advertisement Charter school education is the way to success ('A Bronx tale of success,' Aug. 18). New York City's district-school system is broken and beyond repair. Politics has gotten in the way of teaching the next generation the importance of the fundamentals: reading, writing and arithmetic. It started with ex-Mayor Bill de Blasio and has gotten worse. The City Council should be ashamed of itself. Gov. Hochul is not a leader and would rather attend to criminals than fight for education. On top of that, socialist Zohran Mandami is posed to be our next mayor. We are doomed. Advertisement Alfred Bonnabel Manhattan Are we really surprised by the test scores in New York district schools versus charter schools? District schools are more concerned with indoctrination and teaching racism, rioting and remedial than they are with reading, writing and arithmetic. Thomas De Julio Delray Beach, Fla. Want to weigh in on today's stories? Send your thoughts (along with your full name and city of residence) to letters@ Letters are subject to editing for clarity, length, accuracy, and style.


New York Post
24 minutes ago
- New York Post
Democratic governors face a school-choice reckoning: Kids or unions?
Republicans in Congress achieved a historic breakthrough last month — and Democratic governors should jump at the chance to take advantage of it. It's the first-ever nationwide school choice program, included as part of President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The program aims to give every child in America a shot at a better future by funding private- and parochial-school scholarships through a dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit. Advertisement But each state's governor has to choose to join it — and nowhere is the need more urgent than in New York, where Gov. Kathy Hochul has a golden opportunity to make good on her own words. In 2022, in her gubernatorial debate with GOP nominee Lee Zeldin, Hochul said she supported lifting New York's charter school cap. But in the years since, she's let the leftist state Legislature handcuff charter expansion, leaving too many poor kids stuck in a one-size-fits-all government school monopoly that's failing them spectacularly. Advertisement Empire State families are demanding more choices to escape from failing district schools. Tens of thousands of kids are on charter-school waitlists in New York City — and 78% of New York parents support Education Savings Accounts like the school choice initiative passed by Congress. New York spent about $37,000 per student in 2023 — 66% higher than the state's average private-school tuition — yet only 13% of NYC's black 8th graders are proficient in math. Statewide, inflation-adjusted per-student spending has skyrocketed 209% since 1970. Have outcomes gotten 209% better? Advertisement Of course not: Test scores have stagnated or declined, proving that throwing more money at the problem without competition is a fool's errand. But now Hochul can't blame the Democrat-controlled state Legislature as an excuse to keep poor kids from accessing better schools, whether charter, private or religious. The new federal school-choice program puts the decision squarely in her hands, and in the hands of her fellow governors. Advertisement Other states' Democratic leaders are showing signs of cracking under the pressure of common sense. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro's team has said he's considering opting in to the federal program. Even more encouraging is North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein, who vetoed a bill passed by the state's GOP-controlled legislature demanding he sign on to the program — calling the bill 'unnecessary,' since he 'intend[s] to opt North Carolina in.' Stein's veto message explicitly stated that 'school choice is good for students and parents,' and pledged to allow North Carolina's public-school students access to the funding. Stein's stance could encourage other Democratic governors to jump on the bandwagon. Speaking of which, California's Gov. Gavin Newsom should opt in, too. He sent his own kids to private school, and attended one himself in his early years. It's hypocritical to oppose school choice for other families while enjoying it for your own. Advertisement What makes the new federal program so compelling — even for Democratic governors beholden to teachers' unions — is a built-in incentive that's impossible to ignore. If states don't opt in, their constituents — whether they know it or not — will be subsidizing scholarships for families in the red states that are already rushing to sign on. All American families and taxpaying individuals can donate to K-12 scholarship-granting organizations and receive a dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit in exchange, even if their state doesn't join up. Advertisement All the governors can decide is whether kids in their state can access those scholarships. Opting out means shooting your state in the foot: Your taxpayers' donations will flow to other states' kids, leaving your own students behind. The ongoing crisis in our schools amplifies the urgency. Last week a new FBI report revealed 1.3 million crimes committed at schools from 2020 to 2024, including about 540,000 physical assaults. Advertisement The statistics prove what parents already know: Too many kids are getting beaten, bullied and traumatized in environments that should be safe havens for learning. Democratic governors can no longer do the bidding of teachers' unions by locking children in failing schools infested with violence. The unions' iron grip has protected mediocrity and danger for too long. School choice breaks that stranglehold, giving parents the power to vote with their feet and demand better. Trump's bill puts children first and champions freedom, opportunity and accountability in education. Advertisement It's time for Hochul and her peers to free our kids from the public school monopoly by helping families find better education opportunities. If she doesn't, she risks cementing a legacy of statewide failure and decline. Corey DeAngelis is a senior fellow at the American Culture Project and a visiting fellow at the American Institute for Economic Research.


New York Post
24 minutes ago
- New York Post
State Department revokes over 6K student visas, including hundreds for ‘support for terrorism'
The US State Department has revoked thousands of student visas — most of them for overstays and various law violations ranging from DUIs and assaults to supporting terrorist organizations, including Hamas. The visas were pulled amid President Trump's ongoing crackdown on illegal immigrants and foreign-born college students, particularly those who have expressed support for terror groups. The State Department revoked thousands of student visas this week, most of them due to the holder breaking the law while in the US. AFP via Getty Images Advertisement Of the 6,000 rescinded student visas, around 4,000 were because the holder broke the law, a department spokesman told The Post, with the 'vast majority' of the crimes committed included assault, DUI and burglary. Around 800 of the revocations were due to the visa holder being arrested or charged with assault, an official told Fox News Digital, which first reported the news. Troublingly, approximately 200 to 300 of the visas were revoked for 'support for terrorism' — the department said, citing 'INA 3B,' a section of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) pertaining to activities that justify the State Department denying someone a visa, such as 'inciting terrorist activity' and 'providing material support to terrorists.' Advertisement The department did not elaborate on how specifically those whose visas were being revoked were supporting terrorism; however, the official reportedly said they had engaged in behaviors such as 'raising funds for the militant group Hamas.' 'Every single student visa revoked under the Trump Administration has happened because the individual has either broken the law or expressed support for terrorism while in the United States,' a senior State Department official told the outlet. 'About 4,000 visas alone have been revoked because these visitors broke the law while visiting our country, including records of assault and DUIs.' The department said 200 to 300 students whose visas were yanked were taken due to 'support for terrorism.' Robert Miller Advertisement International students have come under intense scrutiny under the Trump administration. Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered US embassies and consulates in May to put the brakes on any student visa interviews. When they resumed the following month, the administration said all future applicants would be told to make their social media profiles public. The department said this helped officials scrutinize prospective applicants for 'any indications of hostility towards the citizens, culture, government, institutions or founding principles of the United States,' according to a diplomatic cable sent by the State Department to embassies and consulates at the time. President Trump is also currently in a pitched court battle with Harvard University over his desire to strip the elite school of its ability to enroll foreign students. The administration has so far yanked around 40,000 visas, compared to 16,000 during the same time period under former President Joe Biden.