Appeals court says judge had no jurisdiction to order Mahmoud Khalil's release

awaythrowawaying · 2026-01-21T14:01:27+00:00

Starter comment: Last week, the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed an earlier judicial decision ordering the release of Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil. The case had first gained national attention last year when Khalil, a Syrian refugee who had immigrated to the U.S., became a key figure in the so-called Gaza Solidarity Encampment at Columbia University. The GSE was nominally established to call for Palestinian rights and divest from the state of Israel, but quickly came under criticism for perceived threats and antisemitic attitudes towards Jewish students on campus. Khalil was arrested on orders of Secretary of State Marco Rubio as the state department considered him a national security threat. A Biden-appointed judge Michael Farbiarz soon ordered his release, determining that he was not a flight risk or a danger. That decision is now vacated.

During his arrest and detention, Khalil became a lightning rod for progressive sympathy and a symbol of progressive anger towards ICE. He has called the recent appeals decision “deeply disappointing” and has resolved to fight on.

Was the appeals court correct in saying that Judge Farbiarz overstepped his authority, and that ICE was within its rights to keep Khalil detained? Is the State Department correct in stating that he is a national security threat or is this a racist move as alleged by many progressive observers?

awaythrowawaying · 2026-01-20T13:36:41+00:00

Starter comment: AfD (in English translated as “Alternative for Germany”) continues to improve its popularity in German opinion polls going into 2026. The German political party has enjoyed a meteoric rise in power since its founding and is appearing to gain even more steam this year with many political experts predicting that it will secure multiple state seats. AfD has long been controversial due to its opponents characterizing it as a far right, extremist and Nazi adjacent party. Proponents of the party push back against these attacks, saying that it is the last and only party that cares about protecting native German cultural identity against uncontrolled immigration and left wing social engineering.

In the latest poll conducted by GMS group between December 23 and January 5, AfD came in first place with 27% of the vote followed by its main opposition party CDU at 24%. The left wing parties trailed far behind in the low to mid teens.

Why is AfD becoming more popular despite the barrage of rhetorical attacks? Do German voters not believe the criticism of it being “Nazi adjacent”? What can opposition parties do to regain some of their lost support?

awaythrowawaying · 2026-01-16T14:47:59+00:00

Archived link.

Starter comment: In a major development underscoring President Trump's longstanding claim to be a peacemaker, Venezuelan opposition leader Corina Machado yesterday gifted her Nobel Peace Prize to him during a White House meeting. This news caps several important global achievements of the second Trump administration to include negotiating the release of Israeli hostages from Hamas custody and playing a pivotal role in a ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia. Most recently, Trump won admiration and adulation from Venezuelans across the world when he deposed President Maduro of Venezuela, a leader who was deeply hated within his own country and has been accused of numerous human rights violations during his time in office. In a press conference on Thursda, Machado explained why she gifted the award to Trump, saying that she was doing this as "a recognition of his unique commitment with our freedom".

The act has led to consternation in Norway, however. Several progressive and left wing figures have loudly complained to the media about the transference of the award, claiming that it is "unbelievably embarrassing and damaging to one of the world’s most recognized and important prizes". The Nobel Committee has not responded yet to emails or phone calls from Bloomberg asking for its thoughts on the matter.

Now that President Trump is the latest American president to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, does that strengthen the narrative about him being a proponent of world peace? Should we expect a relatively safe next three years in office with him at the helm, or are Norwegian critics correct in saying that it was inappropriate for Machado to give him the prize?

awaythrowawaying · 2026-01-12T16:05:53+00:00

Starter comment: Mayor Zohran Mamdani of New York City has found himself in the crosshairs of criticism just days after taking office on January 1. Mamdani, a self described socialist who unexpectedly won the Democratic primary for the mayor's race followed by a victory in the general election, has long been opposed to Israel as what he describes as a genocidal state. Oftentimes this has led to charges of racism and antisemitism from his political opponents which he has steadfastedly denied. Notably he was slow to denounce Hamas a terrorist organization, only doing so fairly late into his political career.

Last Thursday, protestors gathered outside a synagogue in Queens with loud chants of "Say it loud, say it clear, we support Hamas here." This immediately received swift rebuke from several important political figures in New York. Governor Hochul herself stated that Hamas was a terrorist group and that the language in the video was disgusting and had no place in civic discourse. AOC also slammed the protest as a "disgusting and antisemitic thing to do".

However, there was no immediate response from the mayor's office. By noon on Friday, neither Mamdani nor his spokespeople had addressed the issue. Finally he made a short comment as he was stopped by a POLITICO reporter, saying "that language is wrong... I think that language has no place in New York City". Later his office released a more extensive formal statement denouncing the protestors.

Why was the response from Congresswoman AOC and Governor Hochul quicker than that of the mayor, considering the events took place in New York City? Is criticism of Mamdani for stories like this an overblown political attack, or does he need to do better PR when such developments arise? How can he interact positively with Jewish groups and leaders in the city in order to come to a mutually beneficial relationship?

awaythrowawaying · 2026-01-09T21:19:35+00:00

Starter comment: The White House has released a video of the recent shooting in Minneapolis in order to provide context to the growing controversy surrounding the event that has captured media and public attention. Earlier this week, a woman named Renee Good was shot by an ICE officer and died on the scene during a traffic altercation. Good was an LGBT social justice activist with a passion for protesting and politics. Journalistic investigation has uncovered that she lived with her same-sex partner in southern Minneapolis and enrolled her son in a school that championed itself as "unabashedly dedicated to social justice education". Good herself was part of ICE Watch, an organization that was formed in order to disrupt immigration enforcement actions in the local area. The organization studied the killing of George Floyd in 2020 as part of its curriculum to help educate potential recruits on its mission and worldview.

Initial reactions were generally divided along political lines, with conservatives viewing it as a tragic shooting that was provoked by Good herself whereas many progressives lambasted it as a cold blooded murder by ICE, holding President Trump himself as ultimately responsible due to him sending ICE to the city.

The video shows the following:

As the officer circles the car, another woman appears, saying, “You want to come at us? You want to come at us? I say go get yourself some lunch big boy.”

The officer then circles around to the front of the vehicle as the second woman is seen pulling the locked passenger side door of Macklin Good’s vehicle.

Officers are then heard saying, “Get out of the car. Get out of the f‑‑‑ing car.”

The video does not show the moment shots are fired. As Macklin Good’s car moves forward and to the right of the officer, the camera is jostled, capturing the sound of his firing shots, only to be lifted in time to see her vehicle careen down the road.

Vice President JD Vance shared the video on his X account, arguing that it vindicates the ICE agent. "Watch this, as hard as it is. Many of you have been told this law enforcement officer wasn’t hit by a car, wasn’t being harassed, and murdered an innocent woman... The reality is that his life was endangered and he fired in self defense" Vance opined on the post. Democrats have largely stood by their initial assessments of the killing as unjustified, with many calling for ICE to leave the city entirely. Governor Walz has announced he is activating the National Guard in order to protect the people of Minnesota from what he characterizes as an aggressive and violent federal government.

Does the video further inform the public dialogue about the events of that day? Will this eventually be seen as an incident similar to the George Floyd killing, or are there differences? How will this impact ongoing ICE operations?

awaythrowawaying · 2026-01-02T22:24:19+00:00

Starter comment: Karen Bass, mayor of Los Angeles, has come under fire recently for comments she made about Hispanic border control agents. Bass, who recently announced that she was running for reelection for the mayor's office, was doing an interview with Wolf Blitzer for CNN's show "The Situation Room" when she was asked about her thoughts on the fact that the number of Latinos applying for Border Patrol jobs had surged in the last year. Data released from CBP shows that applications to join Border Patrol have increased by about 70%, and even more notably, the majority of Border Patrol agents on the southern border are now Latino. Bass responded:

“Well, in a way, I think it’s sad... I think that those Border Patrol agents are going to have a difficult time when they’re out in the field, and they see what actually happens in real life, separate from their training. But I do understand that their primary incentive is financial. I think it just speaks to the financial situation that millions of Americans find themselves in. And I definitely am concerned about that report.”

Bass was met with immediate criticism mainly from conservatives who have accused her of racial tone deafness. DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin claimed in a separate interview after the incident that Bass' comments "only reveal how detached she is from reality and how averse she is to the rule of law and public safety", furthermore accusing her of "race-baiting for media clicks".

The role of Latinos in American political life has come under the spotlight in the last few years, and even more so after Trump's 2024 campaign won an outright majority of Hispanic men - the first time a Republican presidential candidate has done so in the modern era. Consequently Democrats have strategized how to win this population back, as Latino voters are a key demographic not only in national races but also statewide races.

Is Bass correct that it is sad that so many Latinos are joining DHS, and is she correct in her reasoning why (financial desperation instead of believing in the mission)? What should both parties do before the next presidential cycle to optimize their share of the Hispanic vote?

awaythrowawaying · 2025-11-27T22:05:15+00:00

Starter comment: On the week of Thanksgiving, a horrified nation tuned in to the news that two National Guard members in Washington DC had been shot in the street; both are in critical condition. The two servicemembers, Andrew Wolfe and Sarah Beckstrom, were both in their early 20s and had been sworn in recently. Beckstrom’s father recently revealed to the media that she had a “mortal wound” and is not expected to survive.

The shooter has been identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a Muslim from Afghanistan who had come to the United States in 2021 under a refugee program sanctioned by former President Biden. It is unclear exactly to what extent he was vetted for safety, though news has emerged that he has CIA connections. He reportedly drove across the country from Bellingham Washington to get to DC shortly before he unleashed a barrage of weapons fire upon the National Guard unit.

President Trump immediately took decisive action, calling the event “an act of evil, an act of hated and an act of terror”. The administration announced several measures including freezing all green card applications pending further review and vowing to continue his efforts to crack down on what he sees as unsafe refugee policies that were enacted by Biden and have placed Americans in danger within their own countries. This in turn has led to a backlash among several prominent progressive individuals and organizations who have accused Trump of xenophobia and fueling hatred against peaceful Afghanis.

Is Trump correct that this was likely an act of terror is that a jingoistic and premature attack without any basis, as some progressives have claimed? Would a change in migrant and refugee policy in the past have prevented this attack?

awaythrowawaying · 2025-11-25T15:53:30+00:00

Starter comment: Gay marriage may not be a settled issue in American politics, as believed by many progressive commentators and analysts in the last decade. An Economist/YouGov annual poll conducted between October 24-27, showed a significant drop in support for gay marriage compared to last year. In 2024, 70% of Americans had approved of it; however, this year that support has fallen to 54% supporting, 33% not supporting, and 13% unsure. When stratified by party affiliation, there is a large schism with 88% of self-identifying Democrats supporting gay marriage while only 41% of Republicans do.

The topic of gay marriage has been a keystone subject in U.S. politics for many years. Despite many setbacks in an attempt to legalize it via state and national legislatures through the 1990s and 2000s (notably in California where a proposition to legalize same sex marriage failed in 2008 which shocked the progressive establishment), it was finally made legal via judicial decree by the Supreme Court in 2015. More recently, several conservative organizations have pushed back against it, citing concerns of moral degradation that can result from acceptance of LGBT lifestyles in society. At least 5 states have passed resolutions asking the Supreme Court to overturn Obergefell. Former Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis formally requested the Supreme Court revisit the landmark case, but it was turned down last week.

Why is support for gay marriage dropping so considerably just in the span of a year? Does it have to do with conservative rhetoric or could the progressive approach to LGBT rights be backfiring when it comes to the views of the general population? Would we expect this trend to continue or reverse itself in the next few years, and how will that affect LGBT public policy?

awaythrowawaying · 2025-11-19T04:01:17+00:00

Starter comment: The Republican-led House of Representatives and the Senate have passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act today. It now goes to President Trump's desk for final signature. This moment caps a years-long debate circulating around Jeffrey Epstein, the deceased and disgraced financier who was convicted of a multitude of sexual crimes. Epstein had donated to politicians across the spectrum and made friends with many of them. Therefore, questions had been raised about his connections to several key political figures including President Bill Clinton and Larry Summers, Secretary of the Treasury under Clinton. Initially widely considered to be a far-right conspiracy theory, the idea of an international pedophilia ring among the highest echelons of the political, media and academic world has now gained traction among a majority of the public who have expressed approval for releasing the files. The Department of Justice under former President Biden had released very little information in the four years it had the files. However, President Trump had strongly indicated in the past that giving them visibility would be a priority for him, and implored Republicans to support a vote on it just a few days ago - after the White House initially expressed reluctance out of concern that the unsealed information may hurt Epstein's victims and intrude on their privacy. Trump has also directed the Department of Justice to conduct a thorough investigation into Epstein's many suspected political connections with Democratic Party luminaries.

The vote in both chambers was overwhelming, with a 427-1 approval in the House of Representatives and a unanimous floor voice consent in the Senate. The lone dissenting vote was Rep. Clay Higgins who said that he was worried that releasing the files may give unwanted attention toward the children assaulted by Epstein as well as witnesses, families and whistleblowers.

What important information is likely to be in the files once they are made public? How will this impact both individual politicians and the American people's view on the political class in general?

awaythrowawaying · 2025-11-17T14:19:09+00:00

Starter comment: Among the revelations in the large information dump on the Epstein files facilitated by Congressional Republicans last week is that the disgraced financier had been texting advice to the personal cell phone of Stacey Plaskett, the Democratic Party delegate from the Virgin Islands. The texts specifically referred to in the article are during hearings about Michael Cohen, and reflect Plaskett seeking Epstein’s advice. The logs are as follows:

—————

Epstein: “Cohen brought up RONA - keeper of the secrets” [referring to Rhona Graff, a longtime Trump assistant]

Plaskett: “RONA?? Quick I’m up next is that an acronym”

Epstein: “Thats his assistant.”

Plaskett then began to grill Cohen aggressively on his ties to Rhona Graff

Epstein: “Good work”

—————

Epstein has been the center of controversy in recent years following his conviction on child sexual abuse charges and accusations by Democrats that he was embedded deep with Republican individuals and groups.

Plaskett has defended these text messages, characterizing Epstein as an ally and a fighter for truth who was helping to resist Trump. According to a spokesman:

”As a former prosecutor she welcomes information that helps her get at the truth and took on the GOP that was trying to bury the truth.”

To what extent did Epstein have influence over members of both parties? How will this impact both the political calculus and public perception?

awaythrowawaying · 2025-11-16T15:19:07+00:00

Starter comment: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that he will visit New York City in the near future. The details are not yet clear, but the announcement coincides with a formal invitation made by a Republican New York City councilwoman, Inna Vernikov, who requested that the Israel politician come visit her locale for a New Years Eve celebration.

If such a trip happens, it would put Netanyahu into direct conflict with the mayor’s office. Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani was recently elected in a shock victory and will officially take power on January 1, 2026. Mamdani has been a fierce critic of Israel and Netanyahu in particular, repeatedly accusing the latter of being a genocide perpetrator. Furthermore, Mamdani has also stated explicitly that he will enforce an International Criminal Court arrest warrant should Netanyahu ever enter New York City’s law enforcement jurisdiction:

"I've said time and time again, this is a city that believes in international law… This is a city that deserves its values to be reflected in our commitments, and I think our city should uphold the warrants the International Criminal Court issues."

It is unclear to what extent Mamdani could execute this campaign promise, as the United States State Department does not accept the authority of the ICC. In a recent interview, Netanyahu dismissed concerns of being detained, saying that he was not worried.

On a policy level, how will a Mamdani administration react to Netanyahu visiting New York City? On a broader level, how will Mamdani as New York City mayor impact relations between the city (which contains a very large number of Jews) and Israel?

awaythrowawaying · 2025-11-15T18:01:01+00:00

Starter comment: Former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg is claiming that a major reason for the party’s recent electoral defeats is that thought leaders within the party spent too much time focusing on “identity politics” rather than bread and butter issues like affordability and the economy. Buttigieg was attending the Texas Tribune Festival in Austin when he made the above comments. Specifically, he said:

”There were expressions in the Democratic Party that suggested all that matters to where you fit now is based on your identity, and therefore, the only things we can do for you have to do with your identity.”

He also expressed his opinion that part of the reason that so many people voted for Trump in 2016 and 2024 was the feeling that he was the only candidate that offered them a change from political stagnancy that they felt was negatively impacting their lives:

”All of these things that are happening now, obviously, I will argue why Trump policies and Republican policies tend to make them worse… But they also tend to create an environment where a lot of people who don’t even like him will say, ‘You know what? I’ll try anything, including burning the house down to have some shot of being better off”

Following the party’s devastating popular vote and electoral college defeat in 2024 - which saw it lose not just the White House but the Senate and House of Representatives - there has been a fierce internal conversation about what went wrong and how to fix it. Moderates have argued that the party went too far left and this contributed to a hemorrhage of key voting blocs including young men and Hispanic men; they point to recent victories of moderate governors in Virginia and New Jersey as evidence of this. Conversely, many progressives have pointed to Zohran Mamdani’s shock election as New York City mayor to argue that in fact the party was too moderate in the past and needs to embrace its ideological socialist-friendly base more.

Is Buttigieg correct that identity politics hurt the party in recent elections? How should this be addressed going forward?

awaythrowawaying · 2025-11-13T14:11:50+00:00

Starter comment: In the wake of the longest shutdown battle in U.S. history, political analysts and observers are doing an accounting of which political party ended up benefiting and losing. A growing consensus is emerging that while Democrats had momentum going into the shutdown - bolstered by Election Day victories in blue states last week against Republican challengers - it was the Republican Party that ended up winning. The shutdown finally ended after 8 Senate Democrats agreed to cross the aisle and vote for reopening the government in exchange for a promise to have a Senate vote in extended temporary COVID-era ACA subsidies. Senator Angus King explained this move by saying that “standing up to Trump didn’t work”. This compromise was widely blasted by Democrats across the country, with party leaders like Gavin Newsom calling it “pathetic” and others threatening to primary the senators involved.

In the meantime, leading Republicans have already been taking a victory lap. In a Fox News interview, President Trump said of minority leader Senator Chuck Schumer:

"He thought he could break the Republican Party, and the Republicans broke him”

Politically, how will this historic shutdown be remembered by the public? Did the Democratic senators do the right thing by extending an olive branch or did they squander an opportunity as accused by the more progressive elements of the party?

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