The Distraction Index

Weekly civic intelligence report · v2.2

DashboardUndercoveredSmokescreenTimelineTopicsSearchMethodCorrections
Sep 14 – Sep 20, 2025
Week 38🔒 FROZEN
WHAT ACTUALLY MATTERED

This week saw significant constitutional concerns advance across multiple fronts: a vaccine panel led by RFK Jr. shifted COVID-19 vaccination guidelines outside normal public health processes, a Trump appointee assumed interim control of the Census Bureau ahead of the decennial count, and the FCC chair threatened to revoke a broadcaster's license in apparent retaliation for political speech. Simultaneously, the administration pursued Supreme Court action to strip Venezuelan migrants of legal protections and escalated sanctions threats against Harvard University. These developments represent direct challenges to institutional independence and established legal safeguards. Meanwhile, announcements about military strikes on vessels, large-scale ICE operations, visa fee increases, and unsubstantiated claims about foreign funding of climate lawsuits dominated public attention, though these events, while significant in their own right, operated as secondary narratives to the week's structural constitutional shifts.

23
Events
6
List A
5
List B
12
Noise
17.7
Avg A
19.9
Avg B
200
Sources
0
Primary Docs
LOOK AT THIS
RFK Jr. Vaccine Panel Changes COVID-19 Shot Guidelines · Trump Appointee George Cook Takes Interim Lead at Census Bureau
THEY WANT YOU TO LOOK AT
Ted Cruz Claims Without Evidence That China Funds US Climate Lawsuits · ICE Conducts Large-Scale Arrests in Chicago Area Operation
Real Damage
Constitutional Threats · 6 events
#1
RFK Jr. Vaccine Panel Changes COVID-19 Shot GuidelinesMIXED
2025-09-20-2 MIXED
A
47.2
B
45.6
#2
Trump Appointee George Cook Takes Interim Lead at Census Bureau
2025-09-20-24 MIXED
A
46.9
B
22.5
#3
Washington Election Chief Refuses DOJ Request for Voter RollsMIXED
2025-09-20-11 MIXED
A
40.5
B
29.3
#4
US Government Seeks Supreme Court Action to End Venezuelan Migrant Protections
2025-09-20-16 MIXED
A
38.7
B
22.6
#5
Trump Administration Threatens Sanctions Against HarvardMIXED
2025-09-20-4 MIXED
A
32.5
B
28.6
#6
FCC Chair Brendan Carr Threatens Jimmy Kimmel's Broadcasting LicenseMIXED
2025-09-20-4 MIXED
A
30.5
B
26.6
Distractions
Manufactured Outrage · 5 events
#1
Ted Cruz Claims Without Evidence That China Funds US Climate Lawsuits
2025-09-20+26 MIXED
A
9.9
B
35.6
#2
ICE Conducts Large-Scale Arrests in Chicago Area Operation
2025-09-20+6 MIXED
A
26.4
B
32.3
#3
Trump Imposes $100K Annual Fee on H-1B Visa Applications
2025-09-20+12 MIXED
A
20.0
B
31.8
#4
Trump Announces Plans to Visit China and Discusses TikTok Progress
2025-09-20+22 MIXED
A
7.5
B
29.7
#5
Trump Says US Conducted Fatal Strikes on Drug-Smuggling Vessels
2025-09-20+1 MIXED
A
27.8
B
28.9
Noise Floor
Low Impact · 12 events
#1
Lamelas Confirmed as US Ambassador to Argentina
2025-09-20
1
#2
House and Senate Pass National Day of Remembrance for Charlie Kirk
2025-09-20
1
#3
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Vallejo Felon for Illegal Gun Possession
2025-09-20
1
#4
Freed Israeli-American Hostage Announces Return to Military Service
2025-09-20
1
#5
Trump Welcomes Turkish President Erdogan, Discusses Warplane Dispute
2025-09-20
1
#6
Prosecutors Rest Case Against Man Accused of Attempting to Assassinate Trump
2025-09-20
1
#7
Trump Questions US Interest in Retaking Afghan Air Base from Taliban
2025-09-20
1
#8
Administration Seeks $6 Billion Arms Sale to Israel Despite Gaza Offensive
2025-09-20
1
#9
Judge Blocks USDA from Collecting SNAP Data in 21 States
2025-09-20
1
#10
Trump Administration Moves to Revoke Wind Project Permit
2025-09-20
1
#11
Senate Rejects Government Shutdown Avoidance Bill
2025-09-20
—
#12
Trump Pushes Virginia Prosecutor to Resign Over Refusal to Charge NY AG Letitia James
2025-09-20
—