The Hound | April 9

Wisconsin liberals win 5-2 majority on state Supreme Court, Route 66 turns 100, and Trump submits war budget.

April 09, 2026

Hi there,

It’s Thursday. Wisconsin liberals expanded their state Supreme Court majority to 5-2, winning a crushing 21-point victory over the conservative candidate. This is an important safeguard for the 2028 election if Republicans try to block the certification of the vote like they did in 2020. Route 66, the iconic 2,400 mile highway, turns 100 this year. And while Trump’s genocidal threats against Iran dominated headlines, the White House also submitted its proposed 2027 budget last week—and it’s a blueprint for expanding military conflict.

With massive increases in defense spending alongside cuts to programs that support working families, the budget signals a clear intention to sustain and escalate ongoing wars without clear authorization, strategy, or end goals. When hundreds of billions are directed toward military operations without clear legal justification or oversight, the story is not just economics—it is war policy. Failing to connect these dots obscures how budgets can be used to normalize and expand conflict.

The public deserves reporting that treats war spending as a central issue, not a footnote in fiscal politics.

Read about this, and more, with today’s stories:

Until next time,

Harry from The Hound

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