The hottest U.S. Politics Substack posts right now

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Top U.S. Politics Topics

February 19, 2025

Letters from an American • 22 implied HN points • 20 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy Elections Government International relations Defense
  1. The U.S. is shifting its support away from Ukraine and leaning towards Russia, which is causing concerns about international alliances. This change in support reflects the interests of former President Trump rather than the American people's wishes.
  2. Negotiations between the U.S. and Russia have started, but Ukraine is being excluded from these talks. This raises questions about Ukraine's future sovereignty and whether peace can be achieved without their involvement.
  3. American military and political leaders are worried that Trump's approach is weakening NATO and could lead to further Russian aggression in Europe. There is a call for stronger unity among European nations to counter this threat.

January 30, 2025

Letters from an American • 24 implied HN points • 31 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Current Events Government Elections Public Safety Trump administration
  1. An American Airlines jet collided with a military helicopter over Washington, D.C., leading to a tragic crash with no survivors. It's a reminder of how quickly life can change.
  2. President Trump blamed others for the crash instead of taking responsibility, saying it was due to poor decisions made by previous administrations. This reflects his ongoing criticism of government regulations.
  3. The Trump administration has made significant changes to federal positions and safety protocols, with reports indicating that critical air traffic control operations were understaffed at the time of the accident.

Lock Them Up!

Slack Tide by Matt Labash • 141 implied HN points • 10 Mar 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics
  1. January 6 events are undergoing a reputation-rehabilitation effort by some political figures.
  2. Trump collaborated with incarcerated individuals for a song called 'Justice for All.'
  3. Trump may face imminent indictment over paying hush money to Stormy Daniels.

Kabuki Theatre!

C.O.P. Central Organizing Principle. • 12 implied HN points • 05 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections Governance Political parties Public Policy Political culture
  1. Kabuki Theatre is a term used to describe a form of performance that can be symbolic or representational. It emphasizes drama and storytelling, often with exaggerated elements.
  2. The idea of a 'CEO bromance' suggests a close relationship between leaders that can influence their decisions and behaviors. This can lead to significant dynamics in business or politics.
  3. The phrase 'no soap in the Presidential shower' implies a lack of transparency or authenticity in leadership. This can create mistrust among the public.
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SFMTA moves forward with Valencia Street center bike lane despite 13% approval rating

Gotham by Susan Dyer Reynolds • 19 implied HN points • 01 Apr 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Transportation Public Opinion Advocacy Community Engagement
  1. SFMTA is proceeding with a center bike lane on Valencia Street despite low public support.
  2. Many survey respondents prefer an alternative bike lane design along the curb.
  3. Concerns include inadequate protection for cyclists, lack of enforcement, and impact on businesses.

Congressman: Republicans Would Not Have Standing to Sue If Biden Uses 14th Amendment

The Washington Current • 19 implied HN points • 24 May 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Government Law Finance Debt Congress
  1. Republicans may not be able to legally challenge if President Biden invokes the 14th Amendment to ensure the government pays its bills and avoids economic calamity.
  2. Section 4 of the 14th Amendment guarantees that the U.S. government's debts will be paid.
  3. Rep. Jamie Raskin believes that using the 14th Amendment doesn't invite legal challenges, and Republicans would struggle to prove injury if they sued.

Top Republicans Appear Unfazed By Potential for First-ever Default

The Washington Current • 19 implied HN points • 25 May 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Government Debt crisis Political strategy Political Discourse
  1. Some top Republicans are not worried about the possibility of the US government defaulting for the first time.
  2. House Republicans are linking the debt limit increase to demanding federal spending cuts from President Biden and Democrats.
  3. Republican leaders may see a potential government default as a political advantage to capitalize on Biden's low approval ratings.

Mythbusting Kevin Bonham on how voting works

Wheel’s Substack • 19 implied HN points • 24 Mar 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Gerrymandering Political Tactics
  1. Exhausted votes, votes that don't go to the winner, and excess winning votes are considered wasted votes in the voting process.
  2. Understanding where votes go in safe seats versus swing seats is crucial in election campaigning strategies to minimize wasted votes.
  3. The concept of wasted votes impacts the democratic legitimacy and representation in elections, highlighting potential gerrymandering issues.

Instead of targeting welfare, charge after-the-fact

Splitting Infinity • 19 implied HN points • 18 Sep 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Welfare Taxation Social programs Privacy Concerns
  1. Consider charging people for welfare aid after they have received it, managed by the IRS on tax day. This could streamline the process and save on administrative costs.
  2. Using the IRS to handle welfare targeting can provide a more cost-effective and efficient way to assist those in need, by utilizing existing data and payment systems.
  3. Implementing a retroactive welfare eligibility system could help quicken aid distribution and potentially increase tax revenue, while also maintaining accountability and transparency.

(One of) American Compass's horrible, terrible, no good, very bad ideas

California Thoughts • 19 implied HN points • 23 Jun 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Globalization Economic Impact Foreign Investment
  1. American Compass proposes a global tariff to eliminate the trade deficit, but this can have negative effects on the economy.
  2. Trade balances and currency exchanges work to maintain balance in the economy, with imports and exports affecting standards of living.
  3. Implementing tariffs can lead to declines in domestic output and productivity, unemployment, and higher inequality without significant impact on the trade balance.

A critical review of End Times by Peter Turchin

America in Crisis • 19 implied HN points • 12 Sep 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Wealth Distribution
  1. Peter Turchin's book 'End Times' discusses the American Crisis, focusing on elite overproduction, popular immiseration, and counter elites challenging the existing order.
  2. Turchin's metaphor of the wealth pump explains how economic profits flow into the stock market, leaving little for real economy investment and leading to popular immiseration.
  3. Turchin's model suggests a resolution to the current crisis should happen soon, requiring actions against the ruling class's interests, with potential for a shift towards right-wing populism as a counter elite movement.

The Festival of Jackasses

The Radar • 19 implied HN points • 11 Aug 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Government Legislation Defense Military Congress
  1. We elect the members of Congress, so their behavior reflects us as a society. There's always been a presence of 'jackasses' in politics, but we notice them more as we become jaded to their actions.
  2. Senator Tommy Tuberville's abuse of power in blocking military officer nominations is causing significant disruptions in the military's functioning. His actions are impacting readiness and causing distractions within the defense establishment.
  3. Tuberville's actions highlight the risk of one individual holding national defense hostage based on personal opinions. This emphasizes the importance of preventing such instances to maintain a strong defense and safeguard against exploitation by adversaries.

Negative Partisanship

Brain Lenses • 19 implied HN points • 30 Mar 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Partisanship Politics Polarization Violence Rhetoric
  1. Negative partisanship is when some voters base their political opinions on who they dislike, not who they like.
  2. Traditional partisanship involves some dislike for the opposing team, but is more about central democratic tenets and country values.
  3. Negative partisanship is believed to be a factor in political polarization and increased tribal rhetoric in many countries.

Trump’s Coronavirus Response: ‘It Intentionally Was Never Under Control’

The Washington Current • 19 implied HN points • 23 Jul 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Government Policy Leadership
  1. Donald Trump did not have control over the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to significant loss of American lives.
  2. Trump's administration disbanded pandemic response teams and disbanded critical CDC positions in response to the crisis.
  3. Bob Woodward's analysis reveals that Trump's poor response to the pandemic was intentional and marked by inaction and misinformation.

Colorado Farmers Win Their Right To Repair: Week in Repair

Fight to Repair • 19 implied HN points • 28 Apr 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Legislation Antitrust Data security Climate Impact
  1. Colorado became the first state to pass a right to repair law for agricultural equipment. This empowers farmers to access information, parts, and software for repairs, reducing delays and costs.
  2. National and federal momentum is growing for right to repair laws. Federal legislation has gained more bipartisan support, with 8 new sponsors joining the REPAIR Act in the U.S. House of Representatives.
  3. Discarded routers still contain sensitive data, highlighting the need for more efficient data wiping methods. Research shows that a significant portion of discarded electronics can still be functional or in need of minor repairs, urging for mandatory reuse efforts.

What We Mean When We Say...Mass Shooting vs Active Shooting

Jeff-alytics • 19 implied HN points • 25 May 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Gun Violence Mass Shootings
  1. Active shootings and mass shootings are not the same; they have distinct definitions.
  2. Active shootings involve ongoing incidents with intent to kill people, while mass shootings involve multiple victims in a single incident.
  3. It's important to correctly differentiate between active shootings and mass shootings to understand the nuances of gun violence data.

On Populism, the Working Class and Partisan Politics

Symbolic Capital(ism) • 19 implied HN points • 26 Sep 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Populism Working Class Partisan Politics
  1. Many Americans are politically conservative symbolically but operationally progressive, lacking representation from political parties or coalitions.
  2. There is a growing appetite for populism in American politics, evidenced by the success of leaders like Trump and Sanders in recent elections.
  3. The Republican Party is facing a struggle between traditional conservatism and populism, with challenges in aligning economic policies with the desires of their base.

The Great Trumpsby

Anxiety Addiction & Ascension • 19 implied HN points • 03 Apr 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Analysis Comparison Presidential Election Power struggles
  1. Great stories need an arc with struggle and a simple, compelling theme to resonate with all humans.
  2. Themes of tragedy and hope are essential elements in great stories that connect with human experiences.
  3. Analogies drawn between figures like Donald Trump and Jay Gatsby demonstrate the narrative parallels between their rises, falls, and interactions with society.

Can you hear me now? Fatal flaws with public safety radios

School Shooting Data Analysis and Reports • 19 implied HN points • 28 Jun 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Safety Government Contracts Emergency Response Legal Proceedings
  1. Former Broward County Deputy Scot Peterson is on trial for felony child neglect due to his failure to engage a school shooter, marking the first criminal charge for failure to act during a school attack in the US.
  2. Radio system failures pose significant challenges for public safety agencies, affecting communication during critical incidents despite billions spent on system improvements after 9/11.
  3. Motorola dominates emergency telecommunications in the US due to noncompetitive contracts, potentially hindering effective radio system upgrades and leading to incidents with deadly consequences.

Evidence, Implicit Claims, and Warrants

The End(s) of Argument • 19 implied HN points • 20 Jun 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Communication Debate Narrative analysis
  1. Enhancing the reasonableness of a position through argumentation is not about proving a claim, but making it more reasonable.
  2. Evidence is used to support claims by making them substantially more reasonable, reminding of their reasonableness, or providing means to enhance the reasonableness of positions.
  3. Warrants play a crucial role in connecting evidence to claims, ensuring their validity and relevance to the argument.

Chapter 9: Build A Coalition By Being Authentic | Building YIMBYs of NoVA

Cornerstone • 19 implied HN points • 20 Jun 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Activism Coalition building Policy Community Organizing Advocacy
  1. Building successful coalitions requires meeting with others, finding common ground, and staying true to your group's vision and values.
  2. Coalition-building involves reaching out to organizations with shared values and helping them achieve their goals while also maintaining authenticity.
  3. Being part of a coalition may require making sacrifices, but it can be incredibly rewarding and effective in achieving common objectives.

Smoke as Argument: Conspiracy Theory Edition

The End(s) of Argument • 19 implied HN points • 01 Jul 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Conspiracy theory
  1. Smoke can be interpreted in different ways based on existing arguments and beliefs. It can either be viewed as a sign of climate change and health hazards, or as a government plot to harm the population.
  2. The way people perceive smoke is often influenced by their existing beliefs and narratives. For example, in the Midwest, smoke was linked to conspiracy theories about intentional poisoning.
  3. Smoke serves as evidence that can be used to support various arguments - from climate change concerns to government conspiracy theories.

Disability, UBI, and the explanatory power of labour-inclusive capitalism

Wheel’s Substack • 19 implied HN points • 07 May 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Labor Capitalism Disability Ideology
  1. Labour-inclusive capitalism promotes the idea of collaboration between capital and labor for optimal capitalism.
  2. Some perspectives view UBI as exclusionary and ableist due to the focus on labor inclusion and agency.
  3. Labor-inclusive capitalism dominates the ideology of influential members of the Labour party.