Over the previous couple of weeks, one story has overshadowed each different, regardless of how essential they may be: Jeffrey Epstein.
Except you’ve been taking your summer season trip on Mars, you most likely know the contours of the story. (And in the event you don’t, my Vox colleague Andrew Prokop wrote a helpful abstract this week.) However what issues right here isn’t a lot the main points as it’s the sheer, unrelenting consideration it has commanded.
Between July 6, earlier than the story actually started to explode, and July 13, on-line searches on the subject elevated by 1,900 p.c, in line with a Newsweek evaluation. A CNN analyst famous that over roughly the identical time scale, Epstein was Googled 2.5 occasions greater than Grok — this throughout the AI mannequin’s, uh, newsworthy launch — and 1.4 occasions greater than tariffs.
The furor over the case has led to Congress primarily shutting down early for the summer season, a Republican effort to evade Democrats’ sudden and politically handy calls for for transparency. It’s not an excessive amount of to say that the enterprise of America has all however halted due to a years-old felony case.
I’m not saying the Epstein case is completely with out significance. The crime was horrific, the investigation particulars murky, and the political ramifications if the case shakes the president’s connection to his political base are clearly significant. (And if you wish to examine any of that, nicely, excellent news — you haven’t any scarcity of sources.) However there may be just about no method we’ll look again in 20 years and assume that the relitigation of the Epstein case was clearly crucial factor taking place on this planet in July 2025.
Consideration is a finite useful resource, and you’re the place your consideration is. A narrative like Epstein is analogous to a senseless, out-of-control fireplace consuming all of the oxygen in a burning home. So I assumed I’d put collectively a listing of 4 tales taking place proper now that matter way more for the nation and the world than the contents of the Epstein Information. And truthful warning — they’re not all excellent news tales, however they completely are value your consideration.
1) America’s harmful debt spiral
Via the primary 9 months of the 2025 fiscal 12 months, which works as much as this June, the US spent $749 billion on curiosity on the nationwide debt, greater than it spent on something aside from Social Safety. Not the debt itself — simply the curiosity. And our debt drawback is accelerating: In keeping with the Congressional Funds Workplace (CBO), President Donald Trump’s just lately handed price range invoice will add $3.4 trillion to the nationwide stability sheet over the subsequent decade.
You may say: So what? Funds scolds have been warning concerning the debt since no less than the Eighties, and probably the most dire predictions have but to come back true. However because the economist Herbert Simon as soon as warned, referring particularly to unsustainable financial insurance policies: “If one thing can’t go on endlessly, it’ll cease.” Whereas “there’s no magic quantity at which the debt load turns into a full-on disaster,” as my colleague Dylan Matthews wrote final 12 months, nearly the whole lot that’s taking place now — together with persistently excessive rates of interest, which make debt that rather more painful, as anybody with a current mortgage is aware of — signifies that disaster level is on its method.
And what’s going to occur then? The CBO warns that until price range patterns shift dramatically, the nation will face an unpalatable mixture of large tax hikes, extreme cuts to important providers, even default. And our debt drawback intersects catastrophically with a few of America’s different generational challenges, just like the fertility and getting old disaster (see No. 3) and the nation’s potential to defend itself (No. 4).
2) A world starvation disaster
I’ve written earlier than concerning the long-term enhancements in youngster mortality and excessive poverty. These tendencies are actual, they usually characterize a few of the finest causes to really feel optimistic concerning the world.
However constructive long-term tendencies can masks durations of setback. On the subject of childhood starvation, the world is at risk of falling again. A new UNICEF report exhibits that after greater than 20 years of constant progress, youngster stunting — early-life malnutrition that may result in much less development and lifelong well being issues — seems to be rising once more. And whereas the humanitarian disaster that’s Gaza no less than has the world’s consideration, if not sufficient of its assist, starvation is spreading in different nations that stay below the radar.
In Africa’s largest nation of Nigeria, practically 31 million folks face acute meals insecurity — virtually equal to the inhabitants of Texas. Ethiopia, Pakistan, and Yemen have all seen alarming reversals in childhood dietary well being. Add in surges in meals costs pushed by excessive climate, and the devastating results of cuts in US meals assist, and you’ve got a recipe for an issue that’s getting worse on the very second when the willingness to assist is eroding.
3) An actual inhabitants bomb
On the subject of long-term, world-changing tendencies, local weather change will get many of the consideration (if not essentially the motion). However there’s one other problem unfolding in practically each nation on this planet that might be simply as transformative — and for which we could also be even much less ready.
That’s the inhabitants slowdown. In 2024, the US fertility price hit an all-time low of lower than 1.6 births per girl, far beneath the two.1 required to keep up the present inhabitants stage. Whereas different nations like Japan or Italy will get there sooner, the US is totally on a path to an getting old, shrinking future. As early as 2033, annual deaths are predicted to outpace annual births, whereas by 2050, one in each 5 People might be over the age of 65.
Given {that a} technology in the past, we have been worrying about international overpopulation, many individuals appear to assume a smaller inhabitants would largely be factor. Definitely that’s what my emails counsel each time I write concerning the challenge. Effectively, let me let you know this: It is not going to. (Even for local weather change, apparently.)
An getting old and ultimately shrinking inhabitants will put extra stress on the whole lot from well being care to pension techniques to financial productiveness, in ways in which — absent some form of technological miracle — will make us poorer, and can change life in methods we will solely start to think about. And nobody actually has any concept how one can repair it, or if it’s even fixable in any respect.
4) A generational safety problem
The Chilly Conflict ended practically 35 years in the past. For all of that point, the US has loved a traditionally unprecedented place of world army supremacy. People have lived with the background assumption that the US would by no means actually face a warfare with a real geopolitical rival — and positively wouldn’t lose one. Of all our nationwide privileges, that may be probably the most foundational one. However that basis is at risk of crumbling.
Geopolitical tensions — particularly with China — are escalating, but America’s army readiness is quietly degrading. The US Navy’s present annual price range is over a quarter-trillion {dollars}, however the service nonetheless maintains concerning the identical variety of ships as in 2003. Whereas the US builds about 5 industrial ships a 12 months, China builds greater than 1,000, and its naval fleet is already bigger.
On the identical time, America’s munitions reserves are dangerously low. In supporting Israel throughout its current battle with Iran, practically 14 p.c of the US’s important THAAD missile interceptor stock was expended — simply replenishing these shops might take as much as eight years. In the meantime, Pentagon authorities quickly paused shipments of Patriot missiles and different essential air-defense techniques to Ukraine amid international stockpile pressures. US air defenses now reportedly have solely 1 / 4 of the interceptors wanted for all of the Pentagon’s army plans. Ought to a serious battle pop up in, oh I don’t know, Taiwan, important munitions may very well be depleted far sooner than manufacturing may change them. That’s the way you lose wars.
None of those tales are scandals, and none of them generate nice social media content material. They’re laborious, long-term, wonky, even boring. However they’re essential. They usually deserve our consideration.
A model of this story initially appeared within the Good Information publication. Enroll right here!
