The hottest U.S. Politics Substack posts right now

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Top U.S. Politics Topics

Classified Report on Hillary Clinton, Loretta Lynch, and James Comey Finally Released

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 8415 implied HN points • 22 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Government Elections Legislation Public Policy Political Commentary
  1. A new report has been released about the FBI's investigation into Hillary Clinton's emails. It reveals some surprising details about how the FBI handled important evidence.
  2. The report mentions that the FBI got thumb drives containing stolen correspondence from government officials, but they didn't fully investigate this serious breach. This raises questions about the FBI's priorities.
  3. There are also claims that Loretta Lynch shared information about the investigation's plans with Clinton's campaign staff. This could have influenced how the investigation was conducted.

Liberalism is the rebellion now

Noahpinion • 29882 implied HN points • 15 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Liberalism Freedom Authoritarianism Social justice
  1. Liberalism, which values individual freedom and dignity, is losing its presence in politics today. People are beginning to feel that discussing freedom is not as popular or important as it used to be.
  2. Societal freedoms are decreasing, with fewer leaders advocating for individual rights. Issues like abortion and freedom of speech are increasingly under threat from both political sides.
  3. In today's world, believing in liberal ideals feels like joining a rebellion against powerful authoritarian influences. People who support freedom and dignity are now faced with many challenges and obstacles.

A No Fear Election for Business

Dana Blankenhorn: Facing the Future • 79 implied HN points • 15 Oct 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections Market Analysis Political strategy Business impact Voter Behavior
  1. The stock market is calm before the upcoming election, even though both candidates are playing on people's fears. It's interesting that business seems more relaxed than voters.
  2. The most likely outcome is a Kamala Harris win with a Republican-controlled Senate, which could lead to a stalemate that won't shake up the markets much. Businesses don't like uncertainty, and a stalemate is somewhat stable.
  3. Even if the Democrats win big, major changes are unlikely. Harris would need to work with Congress, and markets think she may not negotiate as effectively as Biden did. So, if business isn't worried, maybe the general public shouldn't be either.

Why Would Media Report on Public Broadcasting Funding and Ignore their Financial Records?

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 7570 implied HN points • 05 Aug 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Broadcasting Federal Funding Media Coverage
  1. Many public media outlets have significant assets and funds, but their layoffs are reported with a focus on funding cuts rather than their financial health. This raises questions about transparency.
  2. Legacy media often fails to report on the financial strengths of public broadcasting entities, choosing instead to echo their dramatic claims of hardship. This lack of scrutiny can mislead the public.
  3. Despite cuts in federal funding, some public media organizations still have large reserves of money. Addressing their finances more openly could help build trust and understanding with their audience.
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Thoughts on mainstream media

Tao Lin • 1418 implied HN points • 12 Jul 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Media Critique Journalism Public Opinion Political Discourse Corporate Influence
  1. Mainstream media often presents a very simple and one-sided view of the world. This can make complex issues seem less important than they really are.
  2. The content produced by corporate media can feel negative and disheartening. It tends to focus on the tragic aspects of life instead of the positive ones.
  3. Having worked in mainstream media, there is an awareness that the stories told can be limiting and don’t always empower people to see the bigger picture.

The Media is Busted

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 21299 implied HN points • 08 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Media Government Journalism Public Opinion Policy
  1. The media is facing significant trust issues and may be failing in its responsibilities. Many people feel let down by traditional media outlets.
  2. There are concerns about unnecessary spending by government agencies on media partnerships. This has raised questions about accountability and responsible use of taxpayer money.
  3. The legacy media's reputation is suffering, and some believe it's time for a major change or even an end to its current structure. Many are frustrated with how the media has evolved over time.

CROSSPOST: IAN McKELLEN: William Shakespeare (& Other Playwrights) on Thomas More on Immigrants

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 345 implied HN points • 06 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Immigration Law enforcement Civil Rights Executive Power Congress Judiciary Political Rhetoric
  1. Asking people to imagine themselves as immigrants makes the moral stakes of immigration policy clear and breaks down dehumanizing rhetoric.
  2. Using masked raids and similar tactics to treat migrants as less than fully human normalizes state terror and creates a power that can be turned on anyone.
  3. Securing local carve-outs or political deals instead of stopping abusive practices is short-term protection that enables abuse. Those deals won’t save you when the targets change.

Hoax on Hoax? Ex-CIA Official Susan Miller Was Not an Author of Key Intelligence Community Assessment, as Claimed

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 7849 implied HN points • 30 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Intelligence Media Government Elections Controversies
  1. Susan Miller, a former CIA official, claimed to be an author of a key intelligence report but actually wasn't. This raises questions about her credibility.
  2. Media repeatedly introduced Miller as a leading figure in the Russian election interference report, but this information was proven inaccurate. It's strange that she was presented that way when her involvement was minimal.
  3. Miller's recent media appearances include contradictory statements and a lack of clarity about her role and the evidence behind the accusations of Russian interference. This suggests a confusing narrative around an already complicated topic.

Trump's Henchmen Keep Calling Their War Slut President A Peacemaker

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 1844 implied HN points • 08 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy Military Policy Presidential politics Middle East Latin America Human Rights
  1. Top officials are calling him a 'President of Peace,' but that label is largely rhetorical and politically promoted.
  2. The administration has escalated U.S. military involvement worldwide — carrying out airstrikes, arming proxies, and risking interventions in places like Somalia, Yemen, Gaza/Israel, Ukraine, Venezuela, and Iran.
  3. If you oppose war, supporting him because you think he’s making peace is misguided, since his actions contradict his peacemaker claims.

Explaining Russiagate: Why the December 9th, 2016 Meeting Mattered

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 8408 implied HN points • 21 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections Policy Government Campaigns Political parties
  1. The meeting on December 9th, 2016, was crucial because it involved discussions on how to address Russian interference in the election. It's important to understand who was involved in these conversations.
  2. Some people are arguing that documents released about the meeting do not matter. They believe the main point is that there was no cyber manipulation of election results.
  3. Political tensions are high around this topic, with statements being made from both sides. It's a contentious issue that still affects political discussions today.

American Far-right Fairy Tales About Russia

Erik Examines • 1209 implied HN points • 30 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Far-right Foreign Policy Russia Misinformation Demographics Religion
  1. The American far right romanticizes Russia as a defender of white Christian identity, but that image is driven more by macho symbolism and political fantasy than by reality.
  2. Military success depends on training, organization, and practiced skills rather than on tough-guy looks or propaganda, so smaller well-prepared forces can beat larger showy ones.
  3. Russia’s ethnic, religious, and demographic trends—rising Muslim shares, low fertility, and low regular religious practice—undermine the idea that it’s a stable white Christian bastion.

Did Trump Just Take the First Steps Toward Civil War? & Backlash for NYT Essay Speculating on Taylor Swift’s Sexuality

kareem • 8982 implied HN points • 30 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Election Legislation Social Issues Media Critique Cultural analysis
  1. Donald Trump is seen as both a flawed individual and a symbol by his followers.
  2. Historians support Colorado's effort to bar Trump from running, citing the 14th amendment.
  3. Speculating on someone's sexuality without clear evidence can be harmful and irresponsible.

Political Psychology Links, 2/17/2026

In My Tribe • 136 implied HN points • 17 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Ideology Academia Conservatism Progressivism Political Psychology Culture Wars
  1. Conservatives should aim to cultivate a positive, hopeful intellectual vision as their central task. But people often take a perverse pleasure in hating and conflict, which makes combative, pessimistic narratives more popular than constructive ones.
  2. The rise of social justice or 'woke' ideas is tied to mass higher education and changing social values that see human nature as malleable, making large-scale social transformation and activism morally urgent. Those beliefs also operate as a status strategy, turning approved speech and identities into assets supported by media, education, and institutional networks, while simple economic explanations for the phenomenon look weaker.
  3. Behavior genetics shows most heritable psychological variation comes from many small-effect genes under purifying selection and mutation-selection balance. As a result, many individual differences are likely neutral or slightly maladaptive rather than being direct adaptive traits.

SBSQ #29: Will AI terminate democracy? And why did Gallup terminate its approval ratings?

Silver Bulletin • 260 implied HN points • 16 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Polling Public Opinion Democracy Political media Elections Presidency
  1. Gallup stopped its long-running presidential approval polling, likely from a mix of risk-averse business judgment and concern about political or legal pushback.
  2. Public polling is costly but acts as a prestige-building loss leader for Gallup’s consulting business, so ending the series sacrifices visibility to protect perceived commercial and contracting interests.
  3. There’s a broader pattern of independent media and pollsters becoming more responsive to political pressure, which can shrink critical coverage and make organizations more cautious.

From Plato to NATO to MAGA: Marco Rubio’s Myths & the Real "Western Alliance"

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 192 implied HN points • 17 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy Conservatism Populism Political Rhetoric American identity Historical memory
  1. The idea of a continuous "West" stretching from Plato to NATO is mostly a post‑WWII political invention, and mythmaking can inspire good aims but also hide inconvenient truths or enable authoritarian projects.
  2. Cold War actions like the Marshall Plan were not primarily about creating markets for American goods; economic arguments were secondary to strategic, security, and ideological goals aimed at containing the Soviet Union.
  3. The American "city upon a hill" story emphasizes breaking with the Old World, and the U.S. played a decisive rescuing and restructuring role in Europe after WWII, though Britain and other European actors also had important agency in shaping that outcome.

The Economy Can Survive Tariffs, Not Autocracy

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 176 implied HN points • 22 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Executive Power Trade policy Judiciary Economic Policy Congress Markets
  1. A court decision curtailed a president's tariff powers, showing the judiciary can check executive overreach and help protect the balance of power.
  2. Tariffs have distorted markets but so far haven’t wrecked the economy, and investors were calm because there are other, slower routes to raise tariffs that can produce similar effects.
  3. The larger danger is unchecked presidential power and a drift toward autocracy, which could damage democratic institutions and the economy more than tariffs alone.

TGIF: Piddly, Stupid Stuff

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 1905 implied HN points • 05 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Executive Branch National Security Foreign Policy Public Policy Political media Scandals
  1. U.S. forces reportedly struck an alleged Venezuelan drug boat and then hit survivors clinging to the wreckage, and a defense official saying he wasn’t present and calling it ‘the fog of war’ has raised questions about accountability.
  2. The United States Institute of Peace was renamed for Donald Trump, a move that comes off as self-aggrandizing and invites comparisons to past presidential honors.
  3. A weekly news roundup mixes snarky coverage of both trivial and serious stories—celebrity spats, tech vs. human driving, campus disability trends—and has added a new advice column called Tough Love.

Mike Pence: Minnesota Is a Warning. Plus. . .

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 528 implied HN points • 29 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Immigration Local Politics Executive Branch Congress Law enforcement Political violence
  1. The killing in Minneapolis and the federal immigration surge have shifted the national debate, escalating federal involvement and raising the political stakes around ICE funding and local enforcement.
  2. Threats and violent incidents against elected officials are on the rise, so fear is increasingly becoming a routine part of political life and shaping how politicians engage with the public.
  3. Elon Musk’s robotaxi promise looks overhyped as regulatory and business hurdles have stalled the plan, turning a touted future product into a likely pipe dream for now.

Socialism Wins Its American Normandy

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 9923 implied HN points • 25 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections Socialism Governance Political Movements Public Policy
  1. Zohran Mamdani's win in NYC's mayoral primary is seen as a significant moment for socialism in America. It suggests a growing political rivalry between socialist ideas and other viewpoints.
  2. Mamdani has proposed bold changes like rent freezes and free public services. His ideas aim to address economic injustices and make life easier for New Yorkers.
  3. This election marks a shift where younger voters and their parents are more open to socialist views. It's creating a new wave of political thinking that could reshape future elections.

One Year of Land Value Tax Advocacy

Progress and Poverty • 2116 implied HN points • 02 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Tax policy Advocacy Legislation Nonprofit Community Engagement
  1. The Center for Land Economics is pushing for Land Value Tax (LVT) to become a reality today, not in the distant future. They've made significant progress in one year, building partnerships and spreading awareness.
  2. Their efforts include reviving a popular blog on land economics and engaging with elected officials who support LVT. This has helped grow their community and influence discussions on property tax reform.
  3. They’re asking for funding to expand their work, including producing educational materials, conducting research, and attending conferences. This support will help them organize and inspire more advocates for LVT.

"America last."

Today's Edition Newsletter • 8333 implied HN points • 08 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political Analysis Policy Immigration Election Legislation
  1. Senate Republicans blocked funding for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, prioritizing Trump and Putin's interests over America's.
  2. The GOP is being surreptitiously controlled by Vladimir Putin through Trump, as seen through Tucker Carlson's actions.
  3. Immigration actually contributes a lot to the US economy, as reported by the CBO, despite common misconceptions.

CROSSPOST: JOSH MARSHALL: Thinking Clearly About the Global Authoritarian Movement

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 246 implied HN points • 12 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Democracy Authoritarianism Media Political Economy Foreign Policy Civil Society
  1. A global authoritarian movement—anchored by wealthy elites, petro‑states, tech moguls, and right‑wing networks—exists beyond any single politician and aims to weaken democratic accountability.
  2. Small, membership‑funded newsrooms that treat readers as partners in reporting offer a healthier, reality‑based alternative to ad‑driven, outrage‑maximizing media.
  3. Human brains evolved for small social groups struggle inside billion‑person online feeds, producing strong parasocial ties that fuel manipulation and anger, so protecting democracy means repairing the mediasphere and supporting civic information spaces.

The least we can do

Popular Information • 9139 implied HN points • 24 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Tax policy Social programs Legislation Bipartisanship Opinion Pieces
  1. The Child Tax Credit was expanded in 2021, leading to a significant drop in child poverty.
  2. There are efforts to extend and expand the Child Tax Credit again, but face opposition from corporate lobbyists.
  3. The proposed expansion of the Child Tax Credit is tied to extensions of business tax cuts, which are critiqued for benefiting profitable companies.

Elections Have Been Nationalized; Did You See Virginia?

Points And Figures • 746 implied HN points • 20 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections State Politics Campaigns Public Policy Taxation Party Politics
  1. State elections now shape national politics, so what happens in a state like Virginia can affect who controls Washington and national policy.
  2. Democratic control at the state level is portrayed as leading to higher taxes, more regulation, and progressive changes in education, elections, and criminal justice that could raise living costs.
  3. The suggested response is to focus on state-level politics by registering and voting in primaries, supporting and donating to candidates, and working to keep or flip key states to prevent a national shift.

In Spite of Everything, Celebrate this Fourth of July

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 9162 implied HN points • 04 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Independence National Identity Political critique International relations Cultural Commentary
  1. Independence Day is a time to recognize and embrace America's flaws. It's okay to celebrate who we are, even when others criticize us.
  2. The world views America in a negative light right now, which can be frustrating, but it doesn't define our identity.
  3. Celebrating independence means accepting the past and looking forward, despite what others might say about our country.

The Machinery of Terror

The Chris Hedges Report • 821 implied HN points • 11 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Immigration Civil Liberties Law enforcement Authoritarianism Human Rights National Security Criminal Justice
  1. The government is building a repressive machinery—militarized immigration enforcement, mass detentions, and aggressive raids—that is gradually eroding civil liberties.
  2. State terror and fear tactics—kidnappings, brutality, and a culture of denunciation—are used to silence critics, break solidarity, and leave institutions unwilling or unable to hold agents accountable.
  3. Collective, urgent resistance is needed now: organizing protests, legal aid, strikes, community defense, and civil disobedience can disrupt the machinery of repression and protect vulnerable people before freedoms disappear.

Better an Absence of Men Than Imperfect Men

Rob Henderson's Newsletter • 10208 implied HN points • 22 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Communism Genocide History Media Ideology
  1. The film 'Meeting With Pol Pot' shows how Western journalists were deceived by the Khmer Rouge regime, believing they were witnessing a utopia when in reality, there was widespread suffering and death.
  2. Communism often appeals to noble ideas like equality and dignity, but in practice, it leads to extreme violence and oppression, with leaders justifying atrocities as necessary for a 'better' society.
  3. The story serves as a reminder that the worst evils can come from educated and articulate individuals pursuing misguided ideals, rather than purely from hatred or greed.

Assessing Brink Lindsey's "the Permanent Problem"

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 276 implied HN points • 09 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Democracy Public Policy Political theory Economic Policy Social Policy Institutions
  1. Rich modern societies have solved material scarcity but have become so big and impersonal that they undermine people’s ability to flourish, producing crises of inclusion, dynamism, and politics.
  2. The problem isn’t the Enlightenment or capitalism itself, but that markets, bureaucracies, ideologies, and algorithms have grown alien and overpowering, leaving people without human-scale power or meaningful connections.
  3. The proposed fix is twofold: revive technological dynamism in physical sectors to lower costs and pursue an "abundance" agenda, and rebuild intermediary, face-to-face institutions while redistributing power so more people can form meaningful groups and purposeful lives.

Richard Hanania: Why I Changed My Mind. And Why You Should Too.

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 329 implied HN points • 09 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections Political parties Public Policy Trade policy Health Policy Political Opinion
  1. Regretting a past vote and admitting that regret publicly can be uncomfortable, but it’s an important act of accountability.
  2. Specific decisions—like appointing a high-profile vaccine skeptic to a top public health post and announcing aggressive tariffs—made clear earlier support was mistaken and had real, harmful consequences, including market turmoil.
  3. Being willing to change your mind when new evidence appears and explaining why you changed it is valuable and worth encouraging.

What are the checks and balances on the power of Elon Musk?

Noahpinion • 24647 implied HN points • 21 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political Power Oligarchy Public Policy Influence
  1. Elon Musk holds a lot of power in the U.S. political landscape, acting like an influential figure during critical government decisions. His online presence and threats can sway lawmakers, showing the power of private individuals in politics.
  2. Historically, checks and balances were designed for government leaders but not for wealthy private individuals like Musk. This raises concerns about whether the U.S. is becoming an oligarchy, where a few rich people like him have too much influence.
  3. The American people ultimately hold the power over Musk's influence. If enough people oppose his actions and lose trust in him, he could lose his sway in politics, demonstrating the importance of public opinion.

Where Democracy Still Works

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 1850 implied HN points • 04 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Civic engagement Local government Civil Society Education Disaster Response Political polarization
  1. Everyday local civic life — neighbors, schools, churches, and volunteer groups — is where democratic habits are actually practiced, and that sustains the republic when national politics are broken.
  2. People are building practical, local solutions like microschools, community relief funds, volunteer disaster response, and neighborhood microgrids that meet needs faster than distant authorities.
  3. These routine acts of trust and cooperation show democracy can be rebuilt from the ground up and remains alive in communities even as federal institutions struggle.

A Prayer For The Unjust

Slack Tide by Matt Labash • 682 implied HN points • 24 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Opinion Civil Rights Law enforcement Government Political violence Media Leadership
  1. A man named Alex Pretti was killed by federal agents, and the official stories don’t match the video evidence, which fuels public outrage and distrust.
  2. The author strongly criticizes Trump and his allies for lying, promoting harsh tactics, and stoking conflict, naming several figures as examples of dangerous leadership.
  3. The piece closes as a blunt plea for accountability and justice, asking for leaders who abuse power to be stopped and for the country to be saved from them.

Zohran Mamdani's Luxury Beliefs

Rob Henderson's Newsletter • 9810 implied HN points • 25 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Election Socialism Public Policy Political culture Urban Issues
  1. Luxury beliefs are opinions that wealthy people have. They make them look good but can cause real problems for poorer people.
  2. Zohran Mamdani, a young mayoral candidate, has plans like freezing rents and offering free public buses. But these ideas might hurt the people he claims to help, like the working class.
  3. Many working-class voters see Mamdani as out of touch. His proposals sound nice but seem unrealistic, much like a student promising free pizza without knowing who pays for it.

The educated professional class is out of touch with America

Noahpinion • 28294 implied HN points • 10 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections Political parties Voter Demographics Policy Analysis
  1. The educated professional class in America is growing more disconnected from the values and beliefs of the rest of the population. This split affects political views and voting patterns.
  2. Education levels in America have become polarized, with the non-college-educated voters increasingly leaning towards the Republican party. This creates challenges for Democrats, who mostly appeal to college-educated individuals.
  3. Many Americans are reconsidering the value of a college education due to rising costs and minimal benefits. If colleges want to improve enrollment, they need to make their programs more affordable and relevant.