The 70-Year Paper Trail on America’s Oil Anxiety
In September 1956, an AP analyst asked whether the U.S. could survive a Middle East oil crisis. Nearly 70 years later, the question hasn’t changed much — only the numbers have.
Scratch Post explores news archives, unveiling America’s history through curated newspaper clips, historic reports, and overlooked stories that have shaped the world we know today.
If Deporting Venezuelan Migrants Without Due Process Doesn’t Concern You, the Price Tag Might.
Trump is using an 18th-century wartime law to deport Venezuelan migrants without due process, despite no war, no invasion, and no legal justification. His administration’s narrative paints these migrants as violent criminals, but 75% have no criminal record. While supporters cheer these actions in the name of safety, they’re overlooking the constitutional violations and ballooning taxpayer costs: $6 million to detain migrants abroad, over 200 lawsuits and counting, and a detention cost that’s 35 times higher than proven alternatives. Following due process isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s cost-effective.
The Signal Group Chat is a very big deal. You need to understand why.
The White House has closed its investigation into the Signal group chat where senior officials discussed a military strike against Houthi rebels in Yemen. Dismissing it as a mistake, they claim no classified information was shared. But military operations are usually classified, and even if this wasn’t, sharing sensitive details on an unsecured platform violated cybersecurity and operational protocols. These actions compromised national security and strained relationships with key intelligence partners. Laws and protocols were broken. The American people are paying the price.
Public Research Shaped Modern America. Now, DOGE Is Tearing It Down.
From vaccines to the Internet, federally funded public research between the government and universities has made the United States a leader in innovation for more than 80 years. This model is one of the most effective and fiscally responsible investments in the nation’s history. But under the Trump administration’s newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), this system is being rapidly dismantled in the name of “efficiency”—a reckless move with consequences that will be felt for generations.
Tracing Elon Musk’s Roots of a Troubling Legacy
Elon Musk’s Nazi salutes, coupled with his ties to a family history of antisemitism, and Donald Trump’s history of emboldening far-right groups and pardoning extremists, highlight a dangerous normalization of hate. These connections demand accountability to prevent further erosion of democratic values.
Political Glossary: What Terms Actually Mean
A political glossary with clear, nonpolitical definitions of common terms to explain what they actually mean.
