The hottest U.S. Politics Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top U.S. Politics Topics

The New York Times: Professional Makeup Artist

The Algorithmic Bridge • 286 implied HN points • 16 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Media Criticism Technology impact Mental health Public Perception
  1. The New York Times often highlights dramatic stories tied to new technology, like ChatGPT, but can miss the bigger picture of how society reacts to these changes.
  2. Media coverage tends to focus more on violent or sensational stories, which skews public perception and creates a belief that the world is more dangerous than it really is.
  3. It's important for journalists to tell stories with context and nuance, especially when discussing sensitive issues, so people don't jump to exaggerated conclusions.

Tariffs, Chaos, & the G6: I Watch Adam Posen as an Eloquent Cassandra on the Economic Wages of Pluto-Populist Trade-Policy Folly

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 269 implied HN points • 18 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Trade policy Economic Policy Populism Tariffs International relations
  1. Tariffs can harm regular American families by increasing prices and creating uncertainty. They may seem like a good idea to support local industries, but they often backfire.
  2. The U.S. is becoming more isolated in global trade because of unpredictable policies. Other countries will easily find new trade partners, leaving the U.S. at a disadvantage.
  3. The chaos caused by tariffs leads to significant financial burdens on lower-income households. The overall economic impact will hurt many people, especially those with less money.

Exclusive: Trump Administration Launches Probe Into Yale’s Use of Hacked EJMR Data

Karlstack • 274 implied HN points • 10 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Federal Policy Higher education Cybersecurity Data Privacy Social justice
  1. Yale University is under investigation for using data obtained through hacking an economics forum. This raises questions about the legality of their actions.
  2. The hackers from Yale believe their actions were justified in the name of social justice, arguing that they were revealing sexism and racism in the economics field.
  3. The situation highlights serious issues around digital privacy and academic integrity, especially as universities may face legal consequences for such actions.

🎇💥 Strike on Iran shows why US doesn't want to lose the AI race

Faster, Please! • 274 implied HN points • 23 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Military Technology International relations AI Geopolitics
  1. Keeping up with technology is crucial now. Being behind can mean falling behind in significant areas like defense.
  2. Advanced military tech, like stealth jets and AI, gave a major edge in recent conflicts. This shows how important new tech is in today's warfare.
  3. As AI gets smarter, it could create an even bigger gap in military capabilities. This has people worried about who will lead in future tech.
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Reading/TV, Podcasts, and Elite Human Capital

Richard Hanania's Newsletter • 633 implied HN points • 13 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political culture Media Studies Human Capital Socioeconomics
  1. Conservatives tend to prefer watching TV and listening to podcasts, while liberals often gravitate towards reading. This difference can impact how each group understands and interacts with politics.
  2. The cultural divide between people with varying levels of education and knowledge can shape political affiliations. Higher educated individuals are often more liberal, which has changed over the years.
  3. Political movements can share traits with both liberal and conservative ideologies. For example, right-leaning groups can sometimes exhibit characteristics similar to those found in some leftist groups.

US intel hid high-level doubts about "Russian interference", docs reveal

Aaron Mate • 224 implied HN points • 22 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Intelligence Media Relations Political Narrative Government Accountability
  1. U.S. intelligence agencies expressed low confidence in the claim that Russia hacked and leaked Democratic Party emails. They had doubts but didn't share them publicly.
  2. Despite the lack of evidence, officials promoted the narrative that Russia interfered to help Trump. This narrative became widely accepted even when it faced internal skepticism.
  3. Documents reveal that U.S. officials, influenced by political motives, suppressed dissenting views within the intelligence community to support the narrative of Russian involvement.

Dick Cheney Is Why Donald Trump Must Face Consequences

JoeWrote • 73 implied HN points • 14 Nov 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political Accountability War Crimes Executive Power Military Policy Civil Rights
  1. The wars after 9/11 have caused immense suffering, with many lives lost and countless others affected by trauma and hardship.
  2. Dick Cheney played a key role in pushing for the Iraq War, which many argue was not a mistake but a deliberate act that has led to further violence and instability.
  3. For America to change its reckless path, it's essential that those responsible for war crimes, like Cheney, face consequences for their actions.

Disaction Bias: When Doing Nothing Causes Disaster

Viruses Must Die • 35 implied HN points • 24 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy Governance Institutions Decision-making Political theory
  1. People and institutions often default to doing nothing even when action would prevent predictable harm; the coined term "disaction" captures this refusal to act that leads to avoidable disasters.
  2. A mix of psychological and institutional forces — omission bias, exaggerating the risks of acting while downplaying the risks of doing nothing, futility bias, vetos and status pressures, decorum, and failure of imagination — push decision‑makers toward inaction.
  3. Giving this bias a name makes it easier to spot across medicine, science, environment, housing, and government, and reminds us to try sensible actions, admit failures, and reform systems that reward safe-looking inaction.

The Cowardice of Ann Wagner

The View from Rural Missouri by Jess Piper • 437 implied HN points • 16 Oct 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Congress Sexual misconduct Political endorsements Political pressure Allegations
  1. Ann Wagner originally opposed supporting Jim Jordan but later endorsed him for Speaker, citing issues like border security and human trafficking.
  2. Hannity's show seems to be pressuring GOP members to support Jim Jordan for Speaker.
  3. Wagner's flip-flop to endorse Jordan raises concerns, especially since Jordan faced allegations of knowing about sexual misconduct at Ohio State.

✨⏩ JD Vance offers an accelerationist AI vision in Paris

Faster, Please! • 548 implied HN points • 11 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Populism Technology AI Policy Economic Policy International relations
  1. JD Vance spoke about how technology can empower workers instead of taking their jobs away. It's important to focus on how AI can help people do their jobs better.
  2. He emphasized the need for more support in areas that are less technologically advanced. Investing in the heartland can help create a balanced economy.
  3. Vance's speech addressed the idea of balancing innovation with careful development. It's crucial to ensure that the rapid growth of AI doesn’t lead to negative social impacts.

So what if they’re below average?

Something to Consider • 39 implied HN points • 08 Jul 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Immigration Economics Public Policy Social Issues Labor Market
  1. Immigration can be beneficial even if new arrivals have lower average intelligence. People with high intelligence can greatly contribute to economic growth and help lift others out of poverty.
  2. Knowledge is essential for progress, but it's not shared equally. Smart people create innovations that can benefit everyone, even if some tasks are done by less skilled workers.
  3. Countries benefit collectively from advancements made in one area. For example, technologies developed in rich nations can significantly improve lives and economies in poorer regions.

A Tale of Two Peters

Gideon's Substack • 54 implied HN points • 02 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Ethics Power Military Zionism War Crimes
  1. Hegseth and Beinart both think that being powerful means being unethical, which is not true. Power can be used responsibly without sacrificing ethics.
  2. Making unethical decisions in the military can drive away good, honorable people, ultimately weakening the military itself. Honor and ethics are vital for a strong and effective military.
  3. Beinart's recent actions show a dangerous trend where individuals abandon their own judgment to follow group think, which can harm their personal power and effectiveness.

How Abortion Became ‘the Defund the Police of the GOP’

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 1623 implied HN points • 05 Mar 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Republicans Election
  1. Americans in different states are showing disagreements with their party's approaches to social issues like pro-life legislation.
  2. There is a notable shift in American politics, with individuals reconsidering their party allegiance based on specific issues.
  3. Personal experiences and conflicts with political decisions are leading some voters to reevaluate their support for specific candidates.

Transcript: America This Week, Episode 78: "The Surveillance State is a Moody, Sadistic Child"

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 1634 implied HN points • 02 Mar 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Media Intelligence Anxiety CIA Russia
  1. The rise in Bitcoin price can serve as a proxy for general anxiety felt by the investing public, reflecting concerns about uncertain times.
  2. A notable news development was the New York Times article revealing the ways in which the CIA assists Ukraine in its conflict against Putin.
  3. The general anxiety levels are increasing across various facets, not just limited to one area.

The model exactly predicted the most likely election map

Silver Bulletin • 790 implied HN points • 07 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections Polling Candidates Political Analysis Voting Trends
  1. The election model predicted the map based on 80,000 simulations, accurately reflecting the most common outcome, though some surprises were noted.
  2. Polling errors tend to be similar across states, meaning if Trump performed poorly in one swing state, he likely did in others, leading to a statistically predictable outcome.
  3. Beneath the overall results, some deep blue states showed unexpected weakness for the Democrats, while some traditionally red states are trending more blue, indicating shifting voter patterns.

Tax Breaks for the Rich

Fake Noûs • 572 implied HN points • 25 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Tax policy Income Inequality Wealth Distribution Government spending Political theory
  1. The current tax system in the U.S. is very progressive, meaning the rich pay a larger percentage of their income in taxes, but some believe it's still not fair for the wealthy.
  2. There are different arguments about how taxes should be distributed, like paying based on ability, benefits received, or costs incurred, but many don't support the idea of higher tax rates for the rich.
  3. Some argue that high taxes on the rich hurt economic growth by discouraging investment and productivity, suggesting that everyone, including the middle class, should contribute to taxes more fairly.

Social Learning Links, 5/31/2025

In My Tribe • 288 implied HN points • 31 May 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Social media Populism Executive Power Progressivism
  1. TikTok boosts right-wing populism by making emotional content easily shareable and bypassing critical thinking. This makes it very appealing and dangerous as a social media platform.
  2. It's important for individuals to reflect on their beliefs, and to be open to the idea that they might be wrong sometimes. This kind of self-examination can help improve understanding and reduce defensiveness.
  3. The power of the presidency has grown partly because Congress has given up its authority. This shift means that the executive branch now has more control, which raises concerns about the balance of power in government.

For the offence of tweeting three thumbs-up emojis, a 64 year-old German woman has been fined €1,800

eugyppius: a plague chronicle • 258 implied HN points • 28 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Free speech Law enforcement Criminal Justice Public Policy
  1. A 64-year-old woman in Germany was fined €1,800 for liking a tweet that supported vigilante justice. This shows how serious some countries are about regulating online speech.
  2. There are concerns about the increasing disorder caused by migrants in Europe, which some believe is getting more attention than the crimes themselves.
  3. The government seems to be cracking down more on public criticism of migrant issues rather than the issues themselves. This suggests they want to limit discontent among citizens.

Life after Twitter

lawrence’s Substack • 499 implied HN points • 21 Apr 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Policy Opinion International relations Military Humanitarian Aid
  1. The author is moving away from Twitter to focus on writing about various subjects like Tesla, energy policy, music, and more.
  2. The author expresses discontent with current political situations and ideologies, rooting for individual freedom and less government interference.
  3. There is a strong support for aiding Ukraine in its fight for freedom against Russia and the author advocates for US intervention to weaken Russia and send a message to China.

Punishment and populism

Sex and the State • 18 implied HN points • 15 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Populism Political Behavior Public Opinion Political Psychology Criminal Justice Education & Policy Family Policy
  1. People overestimate how effective punishment is because we punish extreme bad behavior and then see natural regression to the mean as proof that the punishment worked.
  2. Experts who track behavior find rewards are at least as effective as punishment, but that expert view clashes with common-sense beliefs and leaves a gap politicians can exploit by promising to “get tough.”
  3. Fear, scarcity, loneliness, and threat activate punitive, authoritarian instincts and reduce people’s ability to weigh complex evidence, so support for harsh punishment often comes from emotional strain rather than simple lack of intelligence.

Dingus of the week: Joni Ernst

Men Yell at Me • 300 implied HN points • 06 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Health care Elections Legislation Public Opinion Political Commentary
  1. Senator Joni Ernst made a controversial statement about death at a town hall, saying, 'We are all going to die,' which upset many. People reacted by creating funny merchandise and memes.
  2. Ernst's comments seem to ignore the real-life consequences of policy changes on people's health, such as proposed Medicaid cuts. Many feel these cuts could result in people losing access to essential healthcare.
  3. Despite Ernst's focus on mortality, the discussion raises larger issues about healthcare rights and the disparity in access to medical services in America.

Trump the China Dove?

Nonzero Newsletter • 203 implied HN points • 01 Aug 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy Trade Relations Diplomacy Technology Policy Political Analysis
  1. China is pushing for an international group to manage AI, while the US feels the need to strengthen its position in global AI dominance. Each country has a different approach to global governance.
  2. Many young Americans are using AI tools frequently, especially for brainstorming. This shift suggests that AI is becoming a regular part of people's work and daily life.
  3. There are concerns that AI is taking away entry-level jobs, leading to higher unemployment for new graduates. This trend is affecting traditional job training pathways.

Why the Deep State Loves Tariffs

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 579 implied HN points • 21 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Tariffs Bureaucracy Lobbying Inflation Administrative state
  1. Tariffs raise prices for consumers, going against the goal of reducing inflation. It's a way for bureaucrats and lobbyists to benefit at the expense of everyday people.
  2. The system of tariffs is controlled by complex bureaucracies that aren't transparent. This means that the true impact and manipulation of tariffs can be hidden from public view.
  3. If someone wants to reduce the power of the government and its administration, getting rid of tariffs would be a good starting point.

Cluck cluck peck peck

Disaffected Newsletter • 1039 implied HN points • 18 Feb 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political Discourse Public Opinion Free speech Activism
  1. People react differently to styles of communication; some prefer straightforward and blunt expressions. It's important to recognize that personal preferences shouldn't dictate how others express their ideas.
  2. If someone is resistant to a message, emotional appeals won't necessarily change their mind. It's often more about the content of the idea than the way it's delivered.
  3. Not everyone seeks to please or follow conventional advice on communication. Some individuals prioritize expressing their truth over trying to fit a more palatable mold.

Why Are Some Of Our Most Successful Leaders Mentally Ill?

The Ruffian • 510 implied HN points • 22 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Leadership Psychology Economics Political theory Mental health
  1. Some successful leaders, like Javier Milei and Elon Musk, show traits that could be seen as mentally ill or eccentric. This often helps them think outside the box and act decisively, even in the face of criticism.
  2. Having a lack of empathy can sometimes be a strength in leadership. When leaders don't try to please everyone, they can take bold actions that others may avoid.
  3. While unconventional behavior can lead to positive change, not all 'crazy' actions are beneficial. Sometimes it's just madness without any deeper logic.

“Smoking Gun” Documents Point to CIA Machinations in JFK Assassination

Public • 236 implied HN points • 09 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Politics Government History Investigations National Security
  1. The newly released documents about George Joannides show that the CIA had more knowledge about Lee Harvey Oswald than previously admitted. This changes the narrative about the JFK assassination and the 'lone gunman' theory.
  2. The evidence suggests that the CIA monitored Oswald closely, contradicting earlier claims that they had minimal information about him before the assassination. This calls into question the integrity of past investigations.
  3. Investigative journalist Gerald Posner, who argued for the lone gunman theory, now faces challenges to his claims as new information emerges that complicates the official story of JFK's assassination.

The Polarization Machine

KERFUFFLE • 35 implied HN points • 16 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Polarization Media Elections Political parties Public Opinion Political Communication
  1. Trump's gratuitous attack on the late Rob Reiner shows how the attention economy rewards outrageous, performative political behavior and drags public discourse into a swamp.
  2. The Substack earned a Top Ten spot on Vincent Kelley's Handful of Earth list, signaling growing recognition for its writing.
  3. Coverage is planned from the Turning Point USA convention, promising on-the-ground reporting from the event.

The Meaning of America

Fake Noûs • 224 implied HN points • 12 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political theory Historical Events Civic engagement Government American Values
  1. July 4th used to symbolize freedom and independence, but now it often feels like just a chance to party with fireworks and food. Many people seem to forget what the holiday is really about.
  2. The Declaration of Independence expresses strong beliefs about everyone having unalienable rights and the government's role to protect them. The founders had real courage and took huge risks to declare their independence.
  3. America was built on the idea that people should stand up against unfair government actions, and these values seem less emphasized today compared to the past. There's a sense that many people today may not understand or appreciate that history.

Trade: How Free is Too Free?

ChinaTalk • 533 implied HN points • 03 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Trade policy Economic History Federal Government International relations
  1. US trade policy has evolved over 250 years, reflecting different political interests and economic conditions. This history shows that trade debates have always been intense and sometimes divisive.
  2. Tariffs serve three main purposes: to raise revenue, restrict imports to protect local jobs, and enable reciprocal trade agreements. Each of these has played a significant role in shaping the US trade landscape.
  3. Recent trade policies, especially under Trump, have likely created lasting changes in US-China relations. These changes may make it hard for future administrations to return to previous trade norms.

ONE IMAGE: 40 Million Canadians

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 607 implied HN points • 04 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Geography Demographics Economics Population Policy
  1. About 90% of Canadians live close to the US border, which influences their economy and lifestyle. Most of Canada's population is concentrated in big cities like Toronto and Montreal.
  2. Canada's population density is quite low, with only 4 people per square kilometer outside urban areas. This means there are many large, empty spaces in the country.
  3. Canadians have a relatively high life expectancy and are mostly bilingual in English and French. About a quarter of the population are visible minorities, showcasing diversity.

Anti-Defamation League raises cost of speaking out

Tilting At Windmills • 235 implied HN points • 25 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Policy Organizations Law enforcement Ideology Criminal Justice
  1. The Anti-Defamation League faces criticism for pressuring law enforcement to investigate those with ideological disagreements.
  2. Law enforcement has denied investigating individuals targeted by the ADL, which is seen as a positive development.
  3. Disagreement should not equate to criminality, and the ADL's actions raise concerns about stifling freedom of speech.