The Big Story

U.S. District Judge Eleanor Ross, who was appointed by President Barack Obama in 2014, is facing impeachment efforts in Congress. A judicial investigation found Judge Ross engaged in sexual activity in chambers, attended a political campaign event, and initially denied the misconduct before later admitting it. Ross received a private reprimand, but two Republican lawmakers have since introduced articles of impeachment.

The Two Spins

From the Left

• The investigation is over, the misconduct was confirmed, and the judiciary already handed down a punishment.
• The discipline should be allowed to stand unless new information emerges.

From the Right

• The findings go beyond poor judgment and include false statements during the investigation.
• The discipline does not go far enough, and Congress should consider impeachment.

What This Means for Us

Federal judges serve for life so they can make decisions based on the law without worrying about politics or elections.

If Judge Ross were ultimately removed, her cases would be reassigned and the president would nominate a replacement, who would then need Senate confirmation.

This case highlights how our legal system balances protecting judges from political pressure while also holding them accountable for misconduct.

How They Make Money

Bloomberg L.P.

• Founded in 1981, Bloomberg L.P. owns Bloomberg Law, a subscription service used by legal professionals across the country.
• Bloomberg generates an estimated $13 billion to $14 billion in annual revenue, largely from subscriptions to its financial data, news, and research platforms. Bloomberg Law helped identify Eleanor Ross after the Judicial Council report did not publicly name the judge.

Takeaway

Some of the biggest stories start with someone reading a document most of us never see.

The Number That Stuck With Me

15

Only 15 federal judges have been impeached in U.S. history, and just 8 have been removed from office.

The Big Story

As demand for artificial intelligence grows, so does the need for data centers and the resources required to power them.

Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon signed an executive order directing state agencies to develop a strategy for attracting data centers while protecting the electric grid, local communities, and residents from potential increases in electricity costs.

The Two Spins

From the Left

• Data centers drive economic growth, but also create risks around electricity demand, water use, and long-term impacts on local communities.
• Strong oversight and planning before projects are approved ensures growth does not strain resources or raise costs for residents.

From the Right

• Data centers are an economic opportunity, but regulations that are too restrictive discourage investment and push development to other states.
• Maintain basic safeguards while making it easier and faster for companies to build new facilities.

What This Means for Us

When a large data center comes to a community, it brings a temporary surge in construction jobs and new tax revenue. But it also increases demand for electricity and land.

Communities in Northern Virginia and Texas are already debating whether the power plants, transmission lines, and other utility upgrades needed to support data centers are worth the tradeoffs.

How They Make Money

Microsoft

• Microsoft recently announced plans to acquire 3,200 additional acres near Cheyenne to support future data center and AI infrastructure growth.
• It operates one of the world’s largest data center networks, with hundreds of facilities supporting Azure, AI services, and cloud computing around the globe.

Takeaway

The AI race isn’t just about technology. It’s about land, power, and who controls both.

The Number That Stuck With Me

590,000

That’s about how many people live in Wyoming, making it the least populated state in America.

Our phones know where we are. What most of us don’t realize is that some phone companies were making money by allowing access to our location data to random third-parties.

This practice made headlines in 2018. Nearly eight years later, the issue reached the Supreme Court.

What started all of this?

AT&T and Verizon shared customer location data with companies called location aggregators.

Think of these as middlemen between the phone company and businesses that wanted location information. Some uses were legitimate, like roadside assistance.

But the data didn’t always stop there.

In 2018, reports revealed serious problems with how that data was being accessed and shared. According to the Court’s opinion, one investigation found that location information could be obtained using improper documentation.

That raised a bigger question: If your phone company knows where you are, who else can find out?

Why were the companies fined?

The FCC investigated and said AT&T and Verizon failed to adequately protect customer location data. The agency issued penalties of roughly $57 million against AT&T and $47 million against Verizon.

The FCC’s argument was simple: customers trusted phone companies with highly sensitive information, and the companies failed to put strong enough safeguards the information.

Why did the telecom companies go to court?

The companies were not asking the Supreme Court to decide whether they mishandled customer data.

Instead, they challenged the FCC’s process. Their argument was that if the government wants to impose tens of millions of dollars in penalties, companies should get a jury trial before those penalties are issued.

What did the Supreme Court decide?

The Supreme Court ruled 8–1 in favor of the FCC.

The Court said the FCC can issue a forfeiture order without a jury because that order does not automatically force the company to pay. If a company refuses to pay, the government has to bring a civil lawsuit. At that point, the company still gets a jury trial.

So the ruling does not mean the FCC can collect money however it wants. dIt means the FCC can start the enforcement process and issue penalties, but the courts still matter if payment is challenged.

Why does this matter to us?

This case is really about privacy. Your phone’s location reveals where you live, work, go, and spend your time.

The Supreme Court’s decision keeps one of the FCC’s main privacy enforcement tools in place when it believes companies have failed to protect that information.

The Big Story

Early results show Xavier Becerra and Steve Hilton leading. Under California’s election system, the top two vote-getters move to the November general election, where California’s voters will choose the state’s next governor.

California is home to nearly 40 million people, the largest state economy in America, and about 1 in 5 immigrants living in the United States.

The Two Spins

From the Left

• California should continue using government programs to address housing, healthcare, and homelessness.
• Focus on building more affordable housing, expanding healthcare access, and funding programs to reduce homelessness.

From the Right

• California should focus on whether government has become too costly and ineffective at solving major problems.
• Focus on lowering costs, increasing accountability, and reducing regulations that make daily life more expensive.

What This Means for Us

California is the most populous state. Its economy is worth about $4 trillion a year, which accounts for $1 out of every $7 generated in the U.S. economy.

Because so many companies operate there, decisions made in California affect the products we buy, the prices we pay, and the jobs companies create.

How They Make Money

Walmart

• Walmart employs more than 300,000 people in California, making it the state’s largest private employer.
• About 90% of Americans live within 10 miles of a Walmart, giving the company enormous reach when labor, healthcare, or workplace laws change.

Takeaway

A company with 300,000 California employees pays close attention to who wins the governor’s office.

The Number That Stuck With Me

22%

California is home to about 22% of all immigrants in the United States.

The Big Story

Democrats and Republicans disagree on one big question: how much of a role should government play in helping solve our country’s problems?

The political debates and headlines we see in taxes, healthcare, education, business, and tech come back to that question.

The Two Spins

From the Left

• Government should create opportunities through healthcare, education, and other public services.
• Public investment and support helps more people get access to those opportunities.

From the Right

• People should have more control over the decisions that affect their lives.
• Individuals, businesses, and local communities can solve public problems without federal involvement.
  

What This Means for Us

Democrats ask, “How can government help?”

Republicans ask, “How can people solve this themselves?”

Democrats believe more government involvement solves problems. Republicans believe people, businesses, and local communities know best.

The real debate is where the balance should be.

How They Make Money

Fairshake

• Fairshake is a Super PAC, or political action committee, that raises money from cryptocurrency companies and investors who want to influence elections and public policy.
• It uses the donations to fund political ads and support candidates whose policies might affect the future of the crypto industry.

Takeaway

Politics is really a conversation about who should have more control over resources: the government, businesses, individuals, or some combination of all three.

The Number That Stuck With Me

535

More than 340 million Americans are affected by decisions made by just 535 members of Congress.

According to the website, Trump Accounts jumpstart the American Dream.

The accounts are designed to build long-term financial security for millions of kids through tax-advantaged investment accounts for U.S. citizens under the age of 18.

The Trump Account program is for eligible children born between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2028. The accounts will receive $1,000 for those who qualify.

Who Qualifies?

The qualifier isn’t family income, how much parents earn, or whether the family pays a certain amount in taxes.

The requirements are simple:

• Born between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2028
• Be a U.S. citizen
• Have a valid Social Security number

Why It Matters

If the government contributed $1,000 at birth and a family added just $60 a year ($5 a month), the account could grow to roughly $5,400 by age 18 assuming a 7% annual return.

The idea behind the program is simple: start investing earlier and give compound growth more time to work.

Whether that amount ultimately makes a meaningful difference is something people will debate.

Where to Learn More

The program is still new, and many of the details are continuing to roll out. Families looking for information can find updates, eligibility requirements, and official guidance at TrumpAccounts.gov.

The Big Story

Mortgage rates climbed back above 7% this week after new economic reports showed inflation is still staying higher than expected.

During parts of 2021, many homebuyers locked in rates below 3%. Today, these higher interest rates are making monthly mortgage payments expensive.

The Two Spins

From the Left

• More first-time buyers and middle-income families should have access to affordable mortgages and lower borrowing costs.
• Government-backed loan programs help make homeownership more reachable.

From the Right

• Lending should remain strict so buyers are less likely to take on loans they may struggle to repay later.
• Interest rates need to stay higher longer to help slow inflation and prevent another rapid jump in home prices.

What This Means for Us

Higher mortgage rates do not just affect homebuyers. They also impact homeowners with adjustable-rate mortgages and home equity loans tied to changing rates.

Adjustable-rate loans have become more common in the past year and recently made up roughly 10% of new mortgage applications, meaning those homeowners will see payments rise this year.

How They Make Money

Fannie Mae

• Originally created during the Great Depression in 1938, Fannie Mae now operates as a shareholder-owned company connected to Wall Street and global markets.
• Fannie Mae is a privately owned company that helps keep mortgage money flowing by buying home loans from banks and selling them to investors.

Takeaway

A private company created during the Great Depression still shapes a huge part of today’s U.S. housing market.

The Number That Stuck With Me

$4.3 trillion

Fannie Mae backed around $4.3 trillion in U.S. mortgages last year.

The Big Story

Roughly 783,000 people received permanent residency from inside the United States through adjustment of status, while about 574,000 completed the process overseas through U.S. embassies and consulates.

Now immigration officials are increasing efforts to move more applications back toward overseas processing that already exists in our immigration laws.

The Two Spins

From the Left

• Requiring people to leave the country during processing interrupts jobs, families, and daily life for immigrants already established in the U.S.
• Embassies and consulates already face major backlogs, creating concern that immigration processing will slow down even more.

From the Right

• Permanent residency processing has long included embassy and consulate pathways, so immigration systems should apply those rules more consistently.
• Expanding overseas processing creates more consistency in how permanent residency applications are handled.

What This Means for Us

Immigrants are directly related to our jobs, wages, and everyday living in America.

Healthcare, farming, hospitality, construction, and trucking companies across the country already struggle to fill certain jobs. Businesses say slower immigration processing makes hiring harder, while others argue companies should focus more on raising wages and improving working conditions to attract more American workers.

How They Make Money

VFS Global

• VFS Global processes millions of visa and residency applications for more than 60 governments across 140 countries.
• The company is privately owned and makes money handling fingerprinting, appointments, and document processing for people traveling between countries.

Takeaway

Private companies handle huge parts of the world’s immigration process behind the scenes.

The Number That Stuck With Me

58%

About 58% of all green cards issued in 2024 went to people already living inside the United States.

The Big Story

Federal officials are warning that Iran-linked hackers are increasing attempts to target fuel, energy, and utility systems across the U.S.

Hackers are targeting digital systems connected to pipelines, refineries, shipping operations, and parts of the power grid. U.S. companies are now being told to tighten cybersecurity and monitor for unusual activity.

The Two Spins

From the Left

• Focus on protecting public infrastructure like hospitals, utilities, and transportation systems from large-scale disruptions.
• Say cybersecurity weaknesses show why older public systems need more modernization and federal investment.

From the Right

• Focus on foreign cyber threats from countries like Iran as a growing national security issue.
• Say critical industries should reduce dependence on foreign technology and strengthen domestic energy security.

What This Means for Us

Everything around us now runs through connected systems.

Deliveries and shipping routes all rely on a digital infrastructure. If energy, oil, or fuel systems are disrupted, prices and supply chains are affected very quickly.

That is why cybersecurity has become one of the fastest-growing industries in the world.

How They Make Money

CrowdStrike

• CrowdStrike helps companies monitor and stop cyber threats across airlines, banks, hospitals, and energy systems around the world.
• In 2025, a faulty CrowdStrike software update crashed millions of Windows systems worldwide, impacting flights, banks, hospitals, and businesses.
  

Takeaway

One cyber problem can cause issues for everyday life almost immediately.

The Number That Stuck With Me

45%

The 2021 Colonial Pipeline cyberattack shut down the nation’s largest fuel pipeline for nearly six days, disrupting about 45% of the East Coast’s fuel supply.

Some prefer permanent Daylight Saving Time for later sunsets. Others prefer permanent Standard Time for brighter winter mornings.

That disagreement has stalled multiple proposals, including the Sunshine Protection Act.

Why Longer Days Matter

One of the main reasons to favor Daylight Savings Time is that when daylight lingers, people spend more time outside after work.

Restaurants, golf courses, parks, and outdoor venues all see more customers during longer daylight hours, which means daylight after work leads to more consumer spending.

What Health Experts See

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine says our bodies respond better to natural morning sunlight and more consistent sleep schedules.

They have also found that the spring clock change may be linked to:

• increases in traffic accidents after we lose an hour of sleep
• higher workplace injury rates in the days after the time shift
• sleep disruption that takes several days for the body to adjust to

The Bigger Debate

Another reason Daylight Saving Time gets complicated is geography. If permanent Daylight Saving Time became law, some northern states would stay dark much later during winter mornings.

For example, parts of Minnesota would see sunrise close to 8:00 AM, while parts of Michigan and Indiana would push closer to 8:30 AM. That means dark mornings for millions of people during winter months.

The Real Question Behind Daylight Saving Time

While the time change seems like a small annoyance, the bigger conversation is really about how we want to live our daily lives.

Do we value brighter mornings to start the day or more daylight after work to spend time outside, shop, travel, or be with family?