| I’m Beth Kowitt and this is Bloomberg Opinion Today, the normalizing practice of Bloomberg Opinion’s opinions. Sign up here. Superman is under a lot of pressure these days. Not only does he have to engage in his regular business of villain-fighting, but he has also become a target in America’s culture wars. The new Superman movie, set to hit theaters tomorrow, predictably ignited the MAGA rage machine after writer and director James Gunn told the London Times that “Superman is the story of America. An immigrant that came from other places and populated the country.” The ensuing uproar confirms what we already know: There’s not much of a consensus over what “truth, justice and the American way” stands for right now in this country. But as Jason Bailey points out, anyone who’s been paying attention knows this isn’t a new narrative for the Man of Steel. “The idea that Superman is a previously apolitical character who has been co-opted by the political left for cultural indoctrination is comically ignorant,” he writes, noting that the that character’s creators were both children of Jewish immigrants. Superman has a history here, having fought both Hitler and the Ku Klux Klan. Critics of the new film have summoned the argument that they don’t go to the movies to be lectured to or engage with politics; they just want to be entertained. That kind of misses the point. As Jason writes, “Art can often be political, either through inclusion or exclusion of the world around it, and Gunn’s choice to address the current demonization of immigrants is valid, responsible and inevitable because of who Superman is meant to be.” As we’ve seen with other movies that espouse a strong political message (hello, Barbie), it may also end up driving viewers to the box office. Bonus Citizenship Reading: Republicans have discussed stripping US citizenship from Elon Musk, Zohran Mamdani and Ilhan Omar. Other naturalized citizens are watching. — Patricia Lopez Despite Trump’s threats, citizenship is a constitutional right that’s difficult to revoke once granted. — Noah Feldman Another day, another botched layoff | For all the talk of a no-hire/no-fire economy, there’s still plenty of firing going on in 2025. In the first half of the year, US employers let go of nearly 745,000 people — the second-highest number for the period since 2009. (The highest was the first six months of 2020, when the pandemic shut down the global economy.) But despite all the experience corporate America has laying people off, it is still shockingly bad at it. Two case studies from last week: Bumble’s CEO told her employees to “calm down” after saying she was letting go of 30% of its staff, while Microsoft announced its second major wave of layoffs this year. My theory is that the frequency and volume of workforce cuts have served to normalize the practice, which has drained it of any and all humanity. It’s part of a broader shift I’ve been following among America’s CEOs: “The end of the era of corporate do-gooderism and make-the-world-a-better-place discourse. Empathetic leadership, all the rage during the COVID era, isn’t part of the conversation anymore. And the lack of respect that employees have subsequently felt from their employers is accelerating a crisis of trust in big business.” Bonus CEO Reading: Mark Zuckerberg is creating momentum among top scientists who want to be first to build “superintelligent” AI. — Parmy Olson When Trump signed the “big beautiful bill” last week, he boasted that it is “the single most popular bill ever signed.” Not so fast, Mr. President. “The 900-page bill, passed on a party-line vote, is unpopular and potentially a political albatross for the GOP,” writes Nia-Malika Henderson. Next comes the battle over branding; as of now, the left seems to have an edge. “The numbers suggest that Democrats’ “Robinhood in reverse” framing of the bill has worked, a bright spot for the party as they seek to gain control of Congress,” she explains. It could be an opportunity for Dems to win back some of the working-class voters they’ve lost.  Also from the department of constituencies Trump risks losing: small businesses, which could end up bearing the brunt of the administration’s tariffs and trade uncertainty. “Unlike the publicly traded giants who can often secure a private audience at Mar-a-Lago or at least have officials lobby on their behalf, small businesses have neither the policy influence, the negotiating leverage with suppliers, nor the fat profit margins to weather large cost increases and haphazard policy implementation,” writes Jonathan Levin. Small businesses, which employ about half of America’s private workforce, just don’t have the same cushion to navigate the confusion. “To them, the existing tariffs and the months of uncertainty are a near-and-present danger,” he says. Already about 44% of small- and medium-sized businesses have reported that their revenues are suffering. Trump’s foreign-aid cuts are ending lives — and US influence, as China takes advantage of the vacuum. — Donald Kerwin Why voters in swing states are unlikely to punish lawmakers for Medicaid cuts next year. — Mary Ellen Klas Developers need cheaper land if they are going to keep constructing new homes even as prices fall. — Conor Sen Brazil’s 50% tariff is about punishment, not trade. — John Authers Ukraine doesn’t need a recovery, it needs a rescue. — Marc Champion Ultra-spicy Buldak ramen appeals to young Americans seeking exotic tastes. — Shuli Ren Trump’s brash intervention in Brazil’s domestic politics is a big gift to Lula. — Juan Pablo Spinetto Trump’s birthright citizenship order is blocked again. Andreessen Horowitz is quitting Delaware for Nevada. Nutella and Froot Loops are joining forces. Puerto Rico gets the Bad Bunny Bump. Manhattan rents hit another high. Pucker up for mac and cheese lip balm. Bill Ackman wants to be a tennis star. Millennial dads learn they can’t have it all. Notes: Please send Nutella and feedback to Beth Kowitt at bkowitt@bloomberg.net. Sign up here and find us on Bluesky, TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn and Threads. | 
