The Distraction Index

This week, the Department of Justice pursued federal enforcement action against Los Angeles over its sanctuary city policies, representing a significant shift in immigration enforcement authority and federalism questions that will likely face constitutional scrutiny. Meanwhile, the administration's signing of a comprehensive tax and spending bill dominated the news cycle, accompanied by claims about its popularity that contradicted polling data, alongside secondary stories about Planned Parenthood defunding, January 6 pardons, and ceasefire negotiations. The sanctuary city lawsuit represents the substantive constitutional matter requiring sustained attention, while the spending bill's theatrical presentation and the president's false popularity claims functioned as the primary distraction mechanism this week.