Over the previous couple of weeks, one story has overshadowed each different, irrespective of how necessary they could be: Jeffrey Epstein.
Except you’ve been taking your summer time trip on Mars, you in all probability know the contours of the story. (And should 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 %, in response to 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 time, 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 prison 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, properly, excellent news — you don’t have any scarcity of sources.) However there may be just about no means we’ll look again in 20 years and assume that the relitigation of the Epstein case was clearly crucial factor taking place on the earth in July 2025.
Consideration is a finite useful resource, and you might be 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 believed I’d put collectively an inventory 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 honest warning — they’re not all excellent news tales, however they completely are price your consideration.
1) America’s harmful debt spiral
Via the primary 9 months of the 2025 fiscal yr, which fits as much as this June, the USA spent $749 billion on curiosity on the nationwide debt, greater than it spent on something apart from Social Safety. Not the debt itself — simply the curiosity. And our debt downside is accelerating: In accordance with the Congressional Finances Workplace (CBO), President Donald Trump’s not too long ago handed funds invoice will add $3.4 trillion to the nationwide steadiness sheet over the following decade.
You would possibly say: So what? Finances scolds have been warning in regards to the debt since not less than the Nineteen Eighties, and probably the most dire predictions have but to return true. However because the economist Herbert Simon as soon as warned, referring particularly to unsustainable financial insurance policies: “If one thing can not go on eternally, it should 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 yr, nearly every part that’s taking place now — together with persistently excessive rates of interest, which make debt that rather more painful, as anybody with a latest mortgage is aware of — signifies that disaster level is on its means.
And what’s going to occur then? The CBO warns that except funds patterns shift dramatically, the nation will face an unpalatable mixture of huge tax hikes, extreme cuts to important providers, even default. And our debt downside intersects catastrophically with a few of America’s different generational challenges, just like the fertility and ageing disaster (see No. 3) and the nation’s skill to defend itself (No. 4).
2) A worldwide starvation disaster
I’ve written earlier than in regards to the long-term enhancements in baby mortality and excessive poverty. These traits are actual, and so they characterize among the greatest causes to really feel optimistic in regards to the world.
However constructive long-term traits can masks durations of setback. Relating to childhood starvation, the world is at risk of falling again. A new UNICEF report reveals that after greater than twenty years of constant progress, baby stunting — early-life malnutrition that may result in much less progress and lifelong well being issues — seems to be rising once more. And whereas the humanitarian disaster that’s Gaza not less than has the world’s consideration, if not sufficient of its assist, starvation is spreading in different international locations that stay beneath 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 support, 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
Relating to long-term, world-changing traits, local weather change will get a lot of the consideration (if not essentially the motion). However there’s one other problem unfolding in practically each nation on the earth that will probably 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 degree. Whereas different international locations like Japan or Italy will get there sooner, the US is totally on a path to an ageing, shrinking future. As early as 2033, annual deaths are predicted to outpace annual births, whereas by 2050, one in each 5 Individuals will probably be over the age of 65.
Given {that a} era in the past, we have been worrying about world overpopulation, many individuals appear to assume a smaller inhabitants would largely be an excellent factor. Actually that’s what my emails recommend each time I write in regards to the difficulty. Effectively, let me let you know this: It is not going to. (Even for local weather change, apparently.)
An ageing and ultimately shrinking inhabitants will put extra stress on every part from well being care to pension techniques to financial productiveness, in ways in which — absent some sort of technological miracle — will make us poorer, and can change life in methods we are able to solely start to think about. And nobody actually has any concept learn how to repair it, or if it’s even fixable in any respect.
4) A generational safety problem
The Chilly Warfare ended practically 35 years in the past. For all of that point, the US has loved a traditionally unprecedented place of world navy supremacy. Individuals have lived with the background assumption that the US would by no means actually face a struggle with a real geopolitical rival — and definitely wouldn’t lose one. Of all our nationwide privileges, that could be probably the most foundational one. However that basis is at risk of crumbling.
Geopolitical tensions — particularly with China — are escalating, but America’s navy readiness is quietly degrading. The US Navy’s present annual funds is over a quarter-trillion {dollars}, however the service nonetheless maintains in regards to the similar variety of ships as in 2003. Whereas the US builds about 5 industrial ships a yr, China builds greater than 1,000, and its naval fleet is already bigger.
On the similar time, America’s munitions reserves are dangerously low. In supporting Israel throughout its latest battle with Iran, practically 14 % of the US’s important THAAD missile interceptor stock was expended — simply replenishing these shops could take as much as eight years. In the meantime, Pentagon authorities quickly paused shipments of Patriot missiles and different vital air-defense techniques to Ukraine amid world stockpile pressures. US air defenses now reportedly have solely 1 / 4 of the interceptors wanted for all of the Pentagon’s navy plans. Ought to a significant battle pop up in, oh I don’t know, Taiwan, important munitions might be depleted far quicker than manufacturing may exchange 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 arduous, long-term, wonky, even boring. However they’re necessary. And so they deserve our consideration.
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