Today’s Big Story

Questioning the American Dream

U.S. adults are losing faith that hard work leads to economic gains, a new poll finds

So much for American optimism. The United States is becoming a nation of economic pessimists. A new Wall Street Journal-NORC poll finds that the share of people who say they have a good chance of improving their standard of living fell to 25%, a record low in surveys dating to 1987. More than three-quarters said they lack confidence that life for the next generation will be better than their own.

Nearly 70% of people said they believe the American dream—that if you work hard, you will get ahead—no longer holds true or never did, the highest level in nearly 15 years of surveys.

Republicans in the survey were less pessimistic than Democrats, reflecting the longstanding trend that the party holding the White House has a rosier view of the economy. An index that combined six poll questions found that 55% of Republicans, as well as 90% of Democrats, held a negative view of prospects for themselves and their children.

Perhaps these dwindling numbers have something to do with these numbers: Back in 2020, TIME reported that the top 1% of Americans have taken $50 trillion from the bottom 90%. “This is an America in which 47% of renters are cost burdened, in which 40% of households can’t cover a $400 emergency expense, in which half of Americans over age 55 have no retirement savings at all. This is an America in which 28 million have no health insurance, and in which 44 million underinsured Americans can’t afford the deductibles or copays to use the insurance they have.”

And it’s why so many everyday workers are protesting billionaires. Even the latest crop of horror films are taking aim at the ultra-wealthy. The Conversation says in a world where the wealthy and powerful “often seem to act with impunity, these films expose upper-class immorality and entitlement, and offer revenge fantasies where those normally crushed by the system fight back or burn it all down.”

Trump to Rename the Defense Department

The president is turning back the clock to the name the agency held until shortly after World War II

Donald Trump will sign an executive order today giving the Department of Defense a new name: the Department of War. Technically, it’s a return to an older name for the organization. The measure has been expected for some time. It fulfills the president’s pledge to realign the mission of the armed forces and project a more aggressive image by reverting to a name used for over 150 years until shortly after World War II.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth appeared to acknowledge the change in a post on social media on Thursday, writing simply, “DEPARTMENT OF WAR”. Of course, this big show of strength is a little toothless. Despite making big headlines Thursday afternoon, the directive won’t officially rename the Defense Department, which would require congressional approval, so the “Department of War” will be the department’s secondary title. According to the fact sheet, the order will also authorize Defense Department officials to substitute the word "war" into their titles. For example, Hegseth could use the title Secretary of War.

Also unclear is whether the move is intended as a full-scale rebranding, or if the administration intends to leave much of the Defense Department’s historic signage intact and unchanged even if Hegseth decides to call the agency the Department of War. The Washington Post points out that official name changes, however, come with a hefty price tag. The blue seal of the “Department of Defense” is on hundreds of installations and government buildings across the globe. Official signage, stationery and publications across the services may also need to be overhauled. And no one like government waste, right?

Porsche’s New All-Electric Cayenne

The battery-powered SUV can be charged without a plug

This is definitely an exciting development: Porsche is sizing up a cool technology currently used for smartphones and supercharging it for the upcoming Cayenne EV. At the 2025 IAA Mobility show, which is open to the public from September 9 to 14 in Munich, Porsche is showcasing a new prototype version of the upcoming Cayenne EV with wireless charging capabilities. If you follow electric cars, you might’ve heard whispers of wireless charging for a while now. But if you're not an EV aficionado, you've probably wondered why it hasn't happened. But that's all about to change.

The automaker says this Cayenne will be its first model that can be ordered with an optional inductive charging floor plate for maximum at-home charging convenience. In a statement, the automaker confirmed that in order to charge the new Cayenne EV a driver will only have to park above a special floor plate to initiate the charging process.

According to Robb Report, the ground plate, which weighs 110 pounds, has a maximum charging power of 11 kW. A common criticism of wireless charging is that it is less effective than its wired counterpart, but the automaker claims its system functions at 90-percent efficiency. That means that it can charge an EV just as fast as you would if you plugged it into your home’s electrical grid. The ground plate, which is air-cooled, is also able to operate in temperatures from -40 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit, though it is unclear how extreme temperatures will affect its efficiency.

A Weekend Pairing

‘Black Bag‘ + a Paper Plane Cocktail

You’ll never be ready until you actually start.