The Left increasingly hates the American flag. Why?  The American flag stands for freedom and prosperity and victory. No matter how many problems you have with America, you ought to be grateful God gave you the opportunity, as he did for me, to live in the greatest country in the history of humanity.  So why do so many people hate the flag? President Trump’s magic power is that whatever he touches, his opposition disowns. So if he takes an 80% position, his opposition will take the 20% position just because they hate him so much. If he decides that he likes rock music and MMA and fighter jets, the Left will say all of those things are awful.  If he decides that it would be awesome to have a really cool fair on the Washington Mall, the Left will decide that the fair is really, really bad — just because they hate him that much. If he decides that we need a better lining for the Reflecting Pool, the Left will go nuts and say it’s better if the place is essentially a swamp. So if President Trump hugs an American flag, the Left will — by necessity — want to burn it. The Left should stop doing this because it’s bad and stupid. If we are going to share anything in this country, we should share a love of the American flag.  If you look back historically, the people who had the most reason not to like the American flag still found a way to love it. That’s because if you root for America’s principles, eventually the American flag comes to stand for applying those principles. To take the most famous example, Frederick Douglass, who escaped slavery in the 1850s, gave a speech on July 5 asking what Independence Day meant to the slave. His speech was a critique of the idea that the Declaration of Independence did not properly apply to black people. His complaint was not that the Declaration of Independence or the American flag was wrong or bad, but that black people were not included in that promise. And then, of course, the Civil War was fought. Over the course of 100 years, Jim Crow was extirpated to fulfill Frederick Douglass’s vision of a July 4 that stood for all Americans. That’s the best way to approach the American flag, because the same American flag that flew over an America that tolerated slavery also flew with the troops wearing blue as they fought the Confederates to abolish slavery. But today, the Left has decided that the American flag is just too uncomfortable. There’s a long piece in NBC News today titled “Many Americans Say Stars And Stripes Is Now A Red Flag.” The piece states, “To fly or not to fly an American flag? That was never a question for Bruce Watson, who has put his national pride on display for years — and nudges neighbors in his small New England town to do the same. … But as the polarized nation marks its 250th birthday, Watson, 72, worries his stars and stripes may now need an asterisk. ‘If we do fly the flag, we will also put out signs to make it clear that we are not MAGA,’ he said.”  It’s unbelievable that the Left has allowed the Right to treat the flag as a right-wing symbol. The American flag is not a right-wing symbol. It is a symbol of all the values of America. And if the Left wishes to surrender that to the Right, I’m not sure why they would do it.  Apparently, a bunch of people on the Left are going to fly the flag, but upside down to protest President Trump. One person interviewed by NBC News said her father will be flying the American flag, but if it were up to her and her mom, they’d be flying the Pride flag or the Philadelphia Eagles flag instead. That’s insane. You feel more loyalty and love for the Philadelphia Eagles than you do for the country? According to NBC News, some people said they were motivated more by peer pressure than by patriotism to fly their flags. A teacher said she is flying alternate flags, the rainbow pride flag, and the banner of her beloved New England Patriots. The teacher said she had not flown the flag since 2024, when Trump was elected for a second term, saying, “I have a gay son and a grandson and felt that the flag was now a symbol flown by people who don’t want my children to exist.” Herein lies the problem. The American flag is a symbol. Symbols have underlying meanings. They stand for things. The American flag stands for something different than the swastika or the Pride Progress flag.  What does the American flag stand for historically? Most obviously, the promise of the Declaration of Independence and the greatness of the American Constitution, the greatest system of government ever devised by man.  And yes, a set of values rooted in the Bible, because it turns out that the Declaration and the Constitution were not born out of arid soil. They didn’t spring full-blown from the heads of the men who wrote them. They are the apex of a system of values that was rooted thousands of years beforehand. So if you don’t like those things, you’re probably doing Americanism wrong. You’re failing to understand what makes America great and awesome, regardless of your politics. 

This article is part of Upstream, The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you. *** Second lady Usha Vance just rocked the internet by reading a story to children. But it wasn’t “Winnie-the-Pooh” that shook us; it was the bargain basement price tag of her show-stopping dress.  Now sold out, the bright coral Occasion by Old Navy maternity asymmetrical shoulder maxi dress originally cost $50. Slashed to $12.49 on final sale, the dress with Vance’s discount promo code landed at a grand total of $8.75.  Clearly on the rise as The People’s Second Lady, Vance cut a gorgeous silhouette in the look for her latest episode of “Storytime with The Second Lady.” She even posted the receipt on the official White House SLOTUS account after the New York Times described her baby bump as part of an idealized “pronatalist movement.” Like happily married women having babies is a boring topic no one cares about.  And here’s the receipt! pic.twitter.com/tgICmpbapQ — Second Lady Usha Vance (@SLOTUS) June 24, 2026 Some criticized a White House figure for stooping to this supremely discounted level. Praising Vance’s disclosure of the price, and wondering if the dress had pockets, one fan noted, “It’s a Midwest trademark to respond to a fashion compliment by letting the compliment-giver know if you got it on sale.” If you’ve been following Vance’s pregnancy, the 40-year-old has described the differences between her last pregnancy and the SLOTUS version. She explained to NBC, “I have to dress up a lot more. My last pregnancy, there were a lot of sweat pants.” She’s appeared in gowns that land at all price points, but this look hit especially close to home. At a time when we’ve all got an eye on our bank accounts (unless you get your paychecks from Wall Street or Silicon Valley), the under-$20 fashion find feels accessible and relatable. Maternity or not, I can confirm this, having basically saved an entire wardrobe from whatever Zeagoo is to my Amazon cart. Yeah, it’s technically “throwaway,” and fast fashion has a toxic problem with textile waste, but I can’t afford a closet that also functions as an investment portfolio, gilded with high-end designers. At least, not yet. Vance’s cash-related connection to fans is, of course, totally a thing. Whether it’s the invention of a precision PR network or mastermind marketing mechanism, some of the most iconic women in culture have stepped out in something we could pick up at the mall. Princess Diana famously and repeatedly rocked a Virgin Atlantic graphic sweatshirt and bike shorts look, a combo that still appears every time we hit peak “Princess Diana Outfit Weather.” Catherine, princess of Wales, routinely shops ASOS and TopShop for $30 dresses, wearing hers for multiple occasions. Inspired by their favorite royals, fans waste no time scooping up price-savvy style.  But, just like a Walmart “Wirkin” Birkin bag dupe, we can sniff out a fake when we see it. We were all forced to assume that former first lady Jill Biden “saw us” when she wore a scrunchie to a chocolate shop one time, at least according to Dr. Jill stans on X. (Never mind the part about how she was also bundled up in a $1,000 luxury HiSO peacoat.) But way before that, we were blessed with eight years of Michelle Obama allegedly mirroring our cash-poor struggles with expensive outfits, as the nation crawled out from under the Great Recession.  Unlike current FLOTUS Melania Trump (who’s clearly unbothered by pretending to be relatable, and by the rules of authenticity, therefore is more relatable), former first lady Michelle Obama’s highly publicized “affordable” J.Crew looks still went for hundreds of dollars. Technically, even a $400 sweater set is a more manageable price point than the $12,000 Atelier Versace she wore in 2016 for a state dinner, but for most women in America, it was mercilessly steep. Instead of dunking on her for being a clothes horse (or an allegedly icky trad wife like Usha Vance), media and fashion outlets branded Obama as an all-American, ready-to-wear fashion icon for frugal folk, and then proceeded to detail the exact times she wore something we could buy for ourselves instead of sending our kids to college.  “I’ve always seen fashion as a way to express larger messages,” Obama recently posted on Instagram. “My team and I strategically pick every look … How you dress is a crucial part of how you discover and assert your identity.” She was unironically portrayed as the FLOTUS who wore fashion for the rest of us, only to turn on us for focusing on her clothes while trying to sell us her “Look” coffee table book that’s all about her style. (Look at me! But not in the eyes!) When she says this era of her life is all about “me,” she’s not wrong. Now free to parade around the world in glimmering, thigh-high $4,000 Balenciaga boots, Michelle Obama is no longer forced to pretend she cares about inspiring regular Joe Shmoes to look their best. Maybe you can find some of her fans’ old argyle cardigans, now worn out and “relatably” priced on Poshmark. (I wonder what kind of J.Crew haul Obama could snag for $70 million these days.) Usha Vance, meanwhile, appears to be living the life of someone in the public eye who just wants to look her best for the cameras. Since we all have a chance of catching ourselves on a phone camera, or at least in a mirror under unflattering fluorescents, many of us are grateful for Vance’s tips on how she nails her style. “I love thrifty shopping, coupons, and great deals! Are we supposed to be against SLOTUS being like normal U.S. housewives? I think that’s the best quality she has,” an X user noted. “Women comfortable in their own skin can look beautiful in anything they choose to wear,” one fan shared, giving the Second Lady a W. “They are not held hostage by luxury brands, and that is an incredibly powerful thing to have.” Someone else commented, “[The] Second Lady needs to run our budget, imagine her stewardship, we’d be in a surplus in 2 years!” As for Usha’s fashionable relatability, she’s at least an $8.75 out of 10.

President Donald Trump revealed to Daily Wire White House Correspondent Mary Margaret Olohan on Monday that the growing influence of democratic socialism inside the Democratic Party represents “the biggest threat to our nation.” Olohan asked the president if he was concerned that New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani had become the “poster child” for socialist candidates nationwide. Trump argued that recent electoral victories by socialist candidates signal a broader ideological shift on the Left. “Well, I think it’s a big threat to our nation actually,” Trump said. “Because it’s not socialism, it’s really communism. They use the word social democrat because it sounds so nice, but it’s really communism you’re talking about.” “I think this is the biggest threat to our nation there is, maybe since our founding,” Trump continued. “People will smile when I say that, but the smart people are going to say, you know, he’s probably right.” The comments come as democratic socialists continue building momentum in Democratic strongholds following a string of primary victories. In New York City, three Democratic Socialist-backed candidates won Democratic congressional primaries. Queens Assemblywoman Claire Valdez captured an open House seat with Mamdani’s endorsement, while Darializa Avila Chevalier defeated incumbent Rep. Adriano Espaillat, and Brad Lander unseated Rep. Dan Goldman. The victories add to a broader trend that has seen self-described democratic socialists capture mayoral offices in several of America’s largest cities. Mamdani took office earlier this year in New York City after campaigning on government-run grocery stores, rent freezes, free buses, and expanded public childcare. Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson has similarly advanced left-wing spending initiatives, while Washington, D.C., Democratic Socialist Janeese Lewis George is expected to become mayor after winning the Democratic primary. Supporters argue the candidates are delivering on an affordability agenda centered on housing, childcare, and public services. Critics, including Trump, contend the movement represents a fundamental challenge to free-market principles and traditional American governance. The latest victories have intensified debate over whether democratic socialism remains confined to deep-blue cities or represents the future direction of the national Democratic Party.

A Democratic socialist candidate challenging longtime Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO) is drawing national attention over past comments on the October 7 Hamas massacre as the party’s socialist wing attempts to expand on recent victories in New York.  Melat Kiros, a DSA-backed candidate running in Colorado’s 1st Congressional District, is seeking to unseat DeGette in a heavily Democratic Denver-based seat. The race comes on the heels of wins in New York by socialist candidates backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.  According to DSA Watch, Kiros said in an interview with Kyle Clark that the October 7 massacre of Israeli civilians was “the inevitable consequence of apartheid.” She also declined to clarify directly whether she believes the same standard should apply to the September 11 terrorist attacks and U.S. foreign policy. DSA Watch also reported that Kiros declined to describe the Boulder firebombing attack targeting Jews as antisemitic. Legal analyst Jonathan Turley also criticized Kiros’ response to the Boulder attack, writing that she refused to call it antisemitism because she could not say what “was in the heart” of the attacker. Kiros’s comments have become a focal point for critics of the Democratic Party’s socialist wing. Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), responding to recent socialist primary victories in New York, warned that the “dirt bag Left” was being pulled by what he called the “full pro-Hamas wing,” according to The Daily Wire. Fetterman also said hostility toward Israel had become “the center of a lot of these primaries across the country.” The Colorado race comes as the DSA looks to build on momentum from New York, where several socialist candidates won Democratic primaries. After those victories, the DSA declared, “Today, the East Coast, next week the Mountain West,” according to Fox News. Fox also reported that Kiros is backed by both the DSA and Justice Democrats, the group known for supporting Squad members, including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI). Kiros’ views on Israel have already impacted her professional life. Fox News reported that she lost her job as a lawyer in New York after writing an essay critical of Israel. Kiros has also emphasized leftist cultural priorities. She said she is adding a “Trans Bill of Rights” to her campaign platform and argued that Democrats should defend trans-identifying people, including children, “loudly and proudly and boldly,” according to Breitbart News. She has also defended socialism by pointing to public services in Denver. “We have socialism already, right?” Kiros said, according to a video circulated on X. “It’s in the roads that we drive on, it’s in the schools we send our kids to, it’s in the fire stations we call upon.” The broader debate over the Democratic Party’s direction has intensified as socialist candidates gain traction in safe Democratic districts. The Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh argued that such candidates can gain influence through low-turnout primaries in heavily Democratic districts when organized activists dominate the electorate. Fox News similarly reported that the DSA is looking beyond Colorado, with DSA-aligned candidates running in Democratic primaries in Michigan and Wisconsin. Democratic strategist Joe Caiazzo told Fox News that the party’s left wing is gaining traction in part because it is speaking directly to voters about their economic frustration and the cost of living. Matt Bennett of Third Way, a center-left Democratic group, told Fox News that even though far-left candidates are succeeding in very blue areas, they have not proven they can flip red or purple seats. Colorado’s 1st Congressional District is considered safely Democratic, and the main question is how far to the left voters are willing to go.  If Kiros defeats DeGette, it would add another victory to a recent run of socialist-backed candidates winning Democratic primaries in blue districts. It would also suggest that comments on October 7 and antisemitism may carry different political weight in parts of the Democratic primary electorate than they do nationally.

The Department of Justice on Monday detailed the indictments of former NBA players Malik Beasley and Edward Davis, current player agent Paolo Zamorano, and three other defendants in relation to another sports gambling conspiracy. The indictments come exactly one year after federal authorities announced Beasley was being investigated over allegations of gambling off his own performances during the 2023-24 NBA season with the Milwaukee Bucks after one sportsbook detected “unusually heavy betting interest” on his own stats, according to ESPN. “As alleged, the defendants turned professional basketball into a criminal betting operation,” U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Joseph Nocella Jr. said in the statement. “Bribing then-NBA player Malik Beasley to fix his performance in multiple games in order to place fraudulent wagers, enrich themselves and cheat legitimate sportsbooks.” Along with the players and agent, William Brown, Robert Gorodetsky, and Ernesto Plascencia were named co-conspirators. Beasley and Davis’ connection goes back to when the two were teammates on the Minnesota Timberwolves. Zamorano was Davis’ agent and has several other clients currently active in the NBA. Texts between the two athletes in 2023 allegedly reveal details about the gambling scandal. “Only way you can beat Vegas is sports betting,” Davis allegedly texted Beasley, according to the indictment. “We can make some good money.” Three specific examples of the ploy were provided in the DOJ statement. The first was January 26, 2024, against the Cleveland Cavaliers, in which Beasley told Davis that he intended to “underperform with respect to rebounding.” Davis allegedly relayed this information to other defendants, who placed wagers on his rebounding statistic, according to the indictment. The next alleged incident occurred on February 27, 2024, against the Charlotte Hornets. Beasley allegedly stated he would overperform in rebounding but underperform in points. Davis again relayed the non-public information to the co-conspirators, where they won their wagers. The final one mentioned occurred just weeks later, on March 10, 2024, against the Los Angeles Clippers. Wagers placed on these three allegations totaled “hundreds of thousands of dollars,” with some wagers being $75,000, according to ESPN. The former shooting guard has not appeared in an NBA game since the 2024-25 season, when he was slated to earn a $42 million free-agent deal before being investigated. Beasley and Davis join Terry Rozier, Damon Jones, and Chauncey Billups as the latest former NBA players to face charges regarding gambling-related allegations. This is not Beasley’s first run-in with the law. As a member of the Timberwolves during the 2020-21 season, Beasley was sentenced to 120 days in jail after pleading guilty to a felony count of threats of violence. Under the plea deal, the felony drug charges he was also facing from the incident were dropped. Brown, Davis, Gorodetsky, and Plascencia have all been arrested across several locations. At the time of publication, Beasley and Zamorano are still not in custody. If found guilty, each defendant could face up to 20 years on a wire fraud conspiracy count, 20 years on a money laundering conspiracy count, and five years on bribery in sporting contests.