MOTHER JONES DAILY: Voters Are Furious About Corruption, Abdul El-Sayed keeps getting questioned by manufactured opposition, Memphis wants to be the “Digital Delta.” Its residents want to breathe., Private contractors are set to cash in as millions of Americans lose healthcare, An artful move to call out Ron DeSantis’ hostility toward climate action, Heather Cox Richardson on the real genius of America & Heather Cox Richardson on the real genius of America 21OKT26

 

October 21, 2026 I can remember a few years back when historian Heather Cox Richardson started showing up in my social media feeds. At the time, the Boston College political historian had started her newsletter, Letters from an American, and it completely blew up. Today, her work regularly attracts millions of loyal readers who look for her musings on the day’s events through a historical lens. And I think I know why: Heather writes with a plainspokenness that delivers a bit of sanity in a sometimes insane world. So as the midterm elections approach, we wanted to bring back my conversation with Heather. It’s all about the long arc of how this country arrived at this moment. And it was a mini–history lesson in itself, encompassing the founding (and her beef with Thomas Jefferson), the death of Reconstruction, and the second Trump administration—and how it all ties together. She gave me a little sanity when talking to her, and I hope she does the same for you. —Al Letson

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Voters Are Furious About Corruption Public anger could finally make a difference at the polls. BY RUSS CHOMA

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Abdul El-Sayed keeps getting questioned by manufactured opposition BY ALEX NGUYEN Memphis wants to be the “Digital Delta.” Its residents want to breathe. BY SOPHIE HURWITZ Private contractors are set to cash in as millions of Americans lose healthcare BY SOPHIE HURWITZ An artful move to call out Ron DeSantis’ hostility toward climate action BY OLIVER MILMAN

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Heather Cox Richardson on the real genius of America The historian and Substack superstar lays out a strategy for Democrats if they regain power in the midterm elections. BY REVEAL

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MOTHER JONES DAILY Meet the Tennessee rep who's fighting Elon's data centers:The Fight for America’s Future Is Happening in the South, Donald Trump, prolific poster of AI slop, wants you to let data centers "reign", Pete Hegseth's year of blowing up boats, Trump is unraveling a hard-won rule to reduce toxic pollution from chemical plants, Lawmakers push DHS to cancel its shock gloves, The relentless work of being sick 2SEP26

 

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September 2, 2026 Justin J. Pearson first came on my radar back in 2023. You might remember when he and two other Tennessee state representatives (dubbed “the Tennessee Three”) were expelled from the House for participating in a demonstration on the House floor in favor of gun reform laws. It became a national story for the brazenness of the expulsion and the underlying racial motivations that were impossible to ignore. Fast-forward three years, and Pearson is now a Democratic congressional candidate in a district recently redrawn thanks to a new voting map that turned a majority-Black district into one that’s now one-third Black. That same district is also being upended by Elon Musk’s sprawling new data centers being built near historically Black neighborhoods. So once again, Pearson has found himself at the heart of one of the nation’s most consequential fights, which is why I wanted to bring him onto More To The Story. We talked about how his state is being transformed as the midterms approach and why it’s so important to focus on what’s happening on the ground in places like Tennessee. Because as Pearson tells me, “the litmus test for America’s future is what happens in the South.” —Al Letson

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The Fight for America’s Future Is Happening in the South Tennessee state Rep. Justin J. Pearson talks about how national debates over data centers and redistricting are hyperlocal issues in his state. BY REVEAL

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Donald Trump, prolific poster of AI slop, wants you to let data centers "reign" BY ALEX NGUYEN Pete Hegseth's year of blowing up boats BY SOPHIE HURWITZ Trump is unraveling a hard-won rule to reduce toxic pollution from chemical plants BY BETH GARDINER Lawmakers push DHS to cancel its shock gloves contract BY SOPHIE HURWITZ

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The relentless work of being sick A new book examines the labor of getting chronic illness diagnosed and treated—for those lucky enough to get care. BY JULIA MÉTRAUX

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Your source for journalism that doesn't shrink back. Fifty years and counting. Keep us growing with a gift of any amount. Donate Subscribe For advertising opportunities see our online media kit. Were you forwarded this email? Sign up for Mother Jones' newsletters today. www.MotherJones.com PO Box 8539, Big Sandy, TX 75755