FRIDAY ROUNDUP: Jam Girl Summer & the Big Wealth Transfer

PLUS A BOOK GIVEAWAY!

I’ve been thinking about how cruelty doesn’t always look like chaos, it can look like a form. A portal. An added deadline. Republicans in the House passed their version of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the literal name of the piece of legislation, adding a work requirement to Medicaid benefits that would result in 7.7 million Americans losing health insurance by 2034, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

Republicans say they’re not cutting Medicaid, but it's very clear that's exactly what they are trying to do. They need to cut spending so that they can lower taxes for the richest Americans. The way they are stripping health care from millions is by burying it under red tape. It’s the same old story: if you can’t kill a popular program outright, just make it impossible to access. Miss a form. Miss a deadline. Miss your chemo. That’s just the cost of tax cuts.

ProPublica profiled Luke Seaborn, a 54-year-old auto mechanic in Georgia, who was the face of Georgia’s Medicaid Work requirement, and he worked steadily but still lost his insurance twice because of paperwork issues. “I did what I was supposed to, but that wasn’t good enough,” he told ProPublica. That’s not a policy failure. That’s the design.

The bill still needs to pass the Senate and then the two versions (House and Senate) will need to be reconciled (that's why folks are calling this the “Reconciliation bill.”) The bill is massive and does a lot, let’s chat more in the comments.

THIS WEEK:

• ICYMI, I posted about Adriana Smith, whose corpse is being given life sustaining measures because of Georgia’s abortion ban, and Casey Means, who may become the highest ranking influencer in the country this year.

• → And if you’re looking to connect with people in your area, we have location-specific threads now in the EYP chat! You can find that here!

• Call your Senators and tell them to oppose any bill that cuts Medicaid & SNAP.

• Anthropologists have long studied the role of communal meals. Try putting one intentional meal on the calendar this week. Make it phone-free, slow-paced, and centered on connection with people who bring you joy. Even if it’s just takeout with a friend, treat it like a ritual.

• I love seeing you all post about politics and culture war stuff. I often talk about our platforms as public squares, but what if we thought about them as front porches instead, places to invite people into conversation. This could mean posting a reel or on your stories or on the EYP group chat!

The Largest Upward Transfer of Wealth in American History (The Atlantic)

House Republicans have passed a bill combining deep cuts to food assistance and Medicaid with major tax breaks for the wealthy. This will potentially reshape the U.S. economic landscape and I want to hear all of your thoughts.

Christian Nationalists Decided Empathy Is a Sin. Now It’s Gone Mainstream (Vox)

A look at how a once-fringe theological claim—that empathy weakens Christian resolve—has gained traction among conservative leaders and public figures.

AI Is Killing Entry-Level Jobs (The New York Times)

AI-driven tools are quietly replacing traditional entry-level roles, shutting out a generation of first-time job seekers.

Buy Now, Pay Never (NBC News)

It isn’t just credit cards plunging consumers into debt. Americans are falling behind on ‘buy now, pay later’ loans like Klarna, as debt climbs and repayment becomes harder.

U.S. Officials Sold Stocks Before Trump’s Tariffs Sank the Market (ProPublica)

More than a dozen federal officials, including Attorney General Pam Bondi and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, sold stocks shortly before Trump’s tariff announcements triggered a market plunge.

What Is a Type B Mom? A refreshing counterpoint to the Type A parenting hustle, this piece celebrates the chill, intuitive moms who are just doing their best amidst the chaos. Read it here.

Good Enough Gardening. From

Amy Bauer

. A gentle guide for anyone who dreams of a backyard garden but doesn’t want to lose their mind trying to make it perfect. Read it here.

Joy Is a Skill.

Grace Atwood

makes the case that joy is a habit, a practice, and maybe even a kind of defiance. Read it here.

The Hidden Pressure of Hosting. Why keeping a clean house for guests feels so high-stakes and how our social anxiety around it might be making us lonelier. Read it here.

The Brawny Man Gets a Glow-Up. The classic paper towel mascot has gotten a lumber-sexual rebrand and it’s pretty on point. Read more here.

Gene Editing Gives Kids with Rare Disorders a New Chance. A revolutionary personalized approach uses DNA to create custom therapies for children with conditions once thought untreatable. Read more here.

Korean BBQ-Style Cauliflower Lettuce Wraps. Saucy, spicy, sweet, and fresh, this weeknight dinner hits all the notes. Read more here.

Jam Girl Summer Is Coming. This season’s latest vibe is fruit-forward. Read more here.

15-Year-Old Cat Celebrates Her Quinceñera. There was a cake. There was a dress. There was a tiara. Watch it here.

The Bear Drops Season 4 Trailer. Tensions rise, kitchens heat up and Carmy is still spiraling. Watch it here.

The Viral Tuna Melt That’s Actually Worth the Hype. Crispy, melty, salty perfection from your toaster oven. Try it here.

BOOK GIVEAWAY: Each week, I give away a book to my paid subscribers (U.S. only). This week, I'm excited to offer a copy of Four Mothers: An Intimate Journey through the First Year of Parenthood in Four Countries by Abigail Leonard.

This moving and propulsive narrative follows four women, Anna in Finland, Tsukasa in Japan, Chelsea in Kenya, and Sarah in the U.S., as they navigate their first year of motherhood. From grief and cultural pressure to single parenting and state-sponsored support, their stories span continents but share a common thread: the fierce, complicated reality of becoming a parent.

Leonard weaves their experiences with deeply researched reporting on how different nations support (or fail) new families, offering an eye-opening look at what modern parents really need and deserve.

→ Comment MOTHERS below for a chance to win.