The hottest U.S. Politics Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top U.S. Politics Topics

#30: A Plea for Silicon Valley to Enter Politics

Loeber on Substack • 651 implied HN points • 12 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections State Politics Public Policy Campaigns Governance Tax policy Political Economy
  1. California is heading toward serious fiscal strain with big deficits and pension debts, which makes it likely politicians will try to extract more revenue from wealthy tech companies and individuals.
  2. If the state pursues heavy or punitive taxes and bad policy, highly mobile tech workers and firms will relocate, eroding the Bay Area ecosystem, shrinking tax revenue, and weakening America's AI advantage.
  3. The practical defense is for successful technologists to run for and win office at local, state, and federal levels so the industry has direct representation and can help shape smarter policy.

My view on Trump

Disaffected Newsletter • 4076 implied HN points • 03 Apr 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political Opinion Political Leadership Political parties Elections Social Issues
  1. Donald Trump is a narcissist, but the author believes he's less dangerous than many think. He sees Trump as more like a child who needs flattery and doesn't have tyrannical ambitions.
  2. The author views many politicians, including other presidential candidates, as narcissists too. He thinks Trump's boldness makes him stand out, but not necessarily in a unique way.
  3. Despite his concerns about Trump, the author sees him as the better choice compared to Biden. He believes that Biden's actions have caused more harm, leading him to support Trump strategically as the lesser of two evils.

The truth about Elon Musk and anti-Semitism

Popular Information • 13247 implied HN points • 06 Sep 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Social Issues Political speech Corporate Influence Digital Platforms Anti-Semitism
  1. Elon Musk threatened to sue the Anti-Defamation League due to criticism of his handling of Twitter.
  2. Musk reneged on promises to combat hate speech on Twitter and reinstated accounts with anti-Semitic content.
  3. Musk has a history of associating with and amplifying anti-Semitic speech, causing controversy and backlash.

Note on Bill Maher

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 5237 implied HN points • 16 Aug 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Media Commentary Television Public Opinion Culture
  1. The author admitted to cutting their piece short due to needing sleep, which left them feeling upset. It's important to take care of ourselves, but sometimes that affects our work.
  2. An updated version of the article will be sent out, and the author appreciates the readers' understanding. Communication with your audience about changes is key.
  3. Feeling emotional about a work can lead to a better final product, especially if the author is passionate about the topic. Passion can improve writing when it’s channeled correctly.
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What I wrote in The Atlantic about the Clicktatorship

Can We Still Govern? • 314 implied HN points • 04 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Government Digital Media Law Immigration Public Policy Authoritarianism
  1. Governments are treating viral content as more important than factual accuracy, keeping misleading or false claims online because they generate attention.
  2. A social-media-first, 'poster brain' mindset combined with authoritarian tendencies rewards quick, sensational posts over careful truth-telling and fuels conspiracies and information bubbles.
  3. Prioritizing clicks and loyalty over expertise drives out professional civil servants and installs less qualified loyalists, weakening institutions and increasing incompetence and risk.

Substack sent a push alert promoting a Nazi blog

Taylor Lorenz's Newsletter • 6240 implied HN points • 29 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Far-right Media Censorship Free speech Political Extremism
  1. Substack sent a notification promoting a Nazi-themed newsletter, which alarmed many users. Some people were surprised to see such content on a platform they thought was for regular blogs.
  2. The newsletter in question shared extreme views, including Holocaust denial and racially charged opinions. It aimed to attract those interested in white nationalist ideologies.
  3. Users speculated that the notification might have been a way to gain attention or engagement for Substack, which is partly funded by people linked to far-right views.

At least five interesting things: Chaos Blitz edition (#59)

Noahpinion • 15647 implied HN points • 13 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political Analysis Elections Government Policy Political Commentary Public Opinion
  1. Trump's recent actions create a lot of chaos in government, making it hard for institutions like FEMA and scientific research to function properly. There's concern that this unpredictability could harm everyday services.
  2. Despite some claims to the contrary, U.S. economic data is generally reliable and shows that the economy is doing well, with improvements in wages and job opportunities for most Americans.
  3. China is becoming strong in technology by having multiple industries that support each other, which poses a challenge for U.S. companies because they don’t have the same kind of interconnected industrial ecosystem.

Weekend reader comments.

Today's Edition Newsletter • 7665 implied HN points • 13 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Immigration Constitution Election interference
  1. Immigration numbers show slower growth than in previous decades, indicating a need for more immigrants.
  2. Professor Timothy Snyder criticizes those who prioritize fear over the Constitution when it comes to Trump's re-election eligibility.
  3. Trump's shifting defense strategy regarding election interference raises questions about consistency and credibility.

Bedlam, Murder, and Immunity

Bulwark+ • 7802 implied HN points • 10 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Trump presidency
  1. Former President Trump's lawyer argued for presidential immunity even in scenarios like ordering a political rival's assassination.
  2. Threats and violence against political leaders are escalating, posing a risk to U.S. democracy.
  3. Recent events highlight the resurgence of birtherism and discriminatory policies in political discourse.

Term Limits Would Make The DC Swamp Even Worse

Stark Realities with Brian McGlinchey • 428 implied HN points • 19 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Congress Elections Campaign Finance Lobbying Party Politics Institutional Power
  1. Term limits are popular but would likely make Congress worse because they address turnover instead of the underlying concentration of federal power; the real problem is how much power Washington holds, not who holds it.
  2. Shorter tenures would leave more inexperienced lawmakers vulnerable to lobbyists and party control, and fundraising rules that tie committee slots to donations would keep members focused on money even with term limits.
  3. Term limits wouldn’t reduce polarization because most seats are safe and primaries drive outcomes, and predictable exits would fuel the revolving door as former members chase lobbying or private-sector jobs.

And Now, the Narrative Changes

Bulwark+ • 7075 implied HN points • 24 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections Media Partisanship Polling General election
  1. The Republican Party is facing challenges due to a significant portion of voters who do not align with Trump's base.
  2. There's a shifting focus from primary battles to the upcoming general election, where Trump may struggle with moderates and independents.
  3. Biden's reelection campaign could benefit from improving economic optimism among voters, resembling Obama's successful 2012 campaign.

Why Don't I Ever Write About Trump?

Freddie deBoer • 6342 implied HN points • 21 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political Commentary Media Analysis Political Discourse Public Opinion
  1. The writer feels that discussing Trump doesn't help anyone since a lot has already been said about him. There are many voices in the media talking about Trump, making it hard to add anything new.
  2. The writer aims to make a small impact through their writing, but they think writing about Trump wouldn’t change anyone’s mind. They believe the current conversation around him is too overwhelming and saturated.
  3. There's a misconception that not writing about Trump means they have some hidden support for him. The writer clarifies that their choice is based on feeling it's not worth the effort since they've said all that's needed.

Top Links 987 The slow burn of uncertainty. The war of position at Starbucks. News-flow in 1848 & the (nasty) history of "Hammerskins".

Chartbook • 472 implied HN points • 19 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political Economy Economic Policy Labor relations Corporate Power Political Communication
  1. Economic uncertainty can be dramatic without immediately hurting the economy; its negative effects often unfold slowly and are easy for forecasters and investors to misread.
  2. Long-running internal battles at big companies — a "war of position" — can reshape workplace policy, labor relations, and public perception over time.
  3. Looking at historical news flow and the violent history of groups like the Hammerskins shows how media and extremist movements interact, and that past context helps explain today’s political and social tensions.

No Labels makes its choice

Popular Information • 13050 implied HN points • 03 Oct 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Election Campaign Finance Political parties Government regulations Political Candidates
  1. No Labels, a centrist organization, has been supporting Republicans and conservative Democrats for its potential 2024 presidential candidate.
  2. No Labels faced challenges in Arizona when two candidates filed declarations to run in their primary elections.
  3. No Labels has kept its donors secret and could face pressure to disclose them if forced to comply with state laws.

Abortion Bans and Bible Groups

The View from Rural Missouri by Jess Piper • 5553 implied HN points • 25 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Abortion Rural Progressives Organizing Campaigning
  1. Rural communities are important for organizing support, even in conservative areas, because bringing people together creates hope and solidarity.
  2. Engaging with rural spaces in political movements can challenge stereotypes and uplift communities, showing that every signature and vote counts.
  3. Efforts to connect with rural parts of a state, like Missouri, are crucial for overall political success and to ensure representation for all citizens.

James Fishback: The Right-Wing Troll Who Would Be Governor

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 255 implied HN points • 10 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections Campaigns Candidates Extremism Media Racism
  1. A 31-year-old Republican, James Fishback, has become an online right-wing celebrity and is being talked about as a possible future leader of the GOP.
  2. He frequently uses inflammatory rhetoric and flirts with antisemitism, even calling his Black opponent a 'slave'.
  3. His home was the scene of an alleged arson attack during the campaign, which disrupted his plans and is being investigated by police.

The Backwards Populist Narrative on Covid

Richard Hanania's Newsletter • 1487 implied HN points • 10 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Populism Public Opinion Political parties Pandemic Policy Political elites Media influence
  1. The usual right-wing story that elites forced harsh COVID rules on a freedom-loving public is backwards; polls showed most people wanted more and longer restrictions than governments actually implemented.
  2. Many non-pharmaceutical measures like masking, school closures, and lockdowns caused serious harm and were not justified by a proper cost-benefit analysis, especially after vaccines became available.
  3. The pandemic didn’t mainly radicalize people against elites; it helped pull high-profile influencers toward Trump while the general public continued to favor more government control in the name of safety.

Keeping Up Against the Joneses: Balsa’s 2025 Fundraiser

Don't Worry About the Vase • 1075 implied HN points • 23 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Trade Transportation Regulation Economic Policy Labor Advocacy Fundraising
  1. A very small nonprofit is dedicated to researching and pushing for Jones Act and maritime policy reform, and in 2025 it intervened in a Section 301 process, published operational analyses, ran research RFAs, and held dozens of stakeholder conversations.
  2. They’re fundraising with a $200,000 target (and a $50,000 minimum to stay viable) to hire a full-time policy analyst, fund additional studies, and complete a comprehensive Jones Act policy binder.
  3. With more funding they can scale impact by funding more academic studies (~$30k each), hire more analysts, possibly pay senior advisors, and even spin up a 501(c)(4) to enable direct political advocacy and expand into related reform areas.

Note on the FIRE Suit

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 5537 implied HN points • 07 Aug 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Constitutional Rights Immigration Policy Civil Liberties First Amendment
  1. Aliens living in the U.S. have First Amendment rights just like citizens do. This means they can express themselves freely and have certain protections under the law.
  2. Court cases have established that once an alien is in the country legally, they are covered by the Constitution. The rights given by the Constitution apply to all people here, not just citizens.
  3. In the U.S., there is no way for the government to limit free speech based on a person's immigration status. This makes the U.S. different from some other countries where individual rights might be balanced against societal interests.

Why the Trump Coalition Is Cracking Up

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 616 implied HN points • 14 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections Coalitions Voter Demographics Religious politics Party Dynamics Leadership
  1. He’s dominating the world stage, but his authority inside the MAGA movement is quietly eroding.
  2. He built an unusually broad multi-faith conservative coalition, winning big support from evangelicals, Orthodox and observant Jews, many Catholics, and even some Muslim voters.
  3. That diverse coalition’s unity is fragile and now appears to be cracking, which could create domestic political problems even as he remains prominent internationally.

Anti-corporate housing

Erdmann Housing Tracker • 758 implied HN points • 09 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Housing Economic Policy Regulation Federal Agencies Legislation
  1. Large institutional buyers are not the main driver of high housing costs; their market share is small and banning them would cut off investment needed to create millions of rental homes.
  2. Strict mortgage underwriting and federal rules since 2008 have blocked many households from buying and slowed new home construction, creating a persistent supply gap.
  3. Targeting corporate landlords with bans or higher taxes without restoring mortgage access and boosting building capacity risks worsening affordability; solutions should combine looser underwriting, investor capital, and pro-housing zoning reforms.

CBS Loses Its Mind

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 15007 implied HN points • 17 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Media Criticism Political speech International relations Government Accountability
  1. J.D. Vance gave a powerful speech in Europe defending free speech and democracy, warning that the U.S. may not support Europe if it continues to jail people for speech.
  2. CBS responded to Vance's address by airing a segment that appeared to compare defending free speech with dangerous historical events, which sparked a lot of discussion.
  3. The coverage from CBS seemed more like a political statement rather than a straightforward news report, raising questions about media bias.

"The Israel Lobby" after 20 Years

John’s Substack • 18 implied HN points • 15 Mar 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy Lobbying Middle East Political Influence National Security
  1. A 2006 academic essay about the Israel lobby produced intense controversy and had a lasting impact on debates over US foreign policy.
  2. Twenty years later, the argument was revisited to evaluate how the lobby's influence and the surrounding debate have changed.
  3. A recent interview with outspoken commentators shows the issue still generates heated discussion and remains a live topic in public discourse.

UPDATE: The truth about Target 

Popular Information • 11556 implied HN points • 31 Oct 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Legislation Retail Senators Statistics Crime
  1. Target closed stores due to theft, but data showed lower levels of theft in those locations.
  2. Retailers like Target may be using theft to cover up other issues affecting their businesses.
  3. The cost of organized retail crime is a small fraction of total retail losses, with operational errors and employee theft accounting for the majority of shrink.

On Showing Up, and Meeting the Moment

Breaking the News • 5104 implied HN points • 07 Aug 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy Political institutions Civil Rights Social Issues Political Activism
  1. Showing up is really important in both personal life and public issues. It means being present for moments that matter, even when life gets busy.
  2. We are facing a lot of challenges with institutions in our society right now. It's important to defend these institutions as they play a key role in our democracy.
  3. Taking action can range from supporting your community and standing up against unfair practices, to also finding time for yourself and enjoying life amidst the chaos.

Immigration: The Federal Solution

David Friedman’s Substack • 485 implied HN points • 25 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Immigration Federalism Public Policy Law enforcement Border control Criminal Justice Electoral Politics
  1. Federalism offers a practical path: let states choose whether to enforce immigration so some states deport while others tolerate residents, which would show the real costs and benefits of each approach.
  2. Selective non‑enforcement is legally possible and already happens (think marijuana rules and DACA), so the choice to enforce widely is political rather than strictly legal.
  3. Years of de facto non‑enforcement created millions of integrated undocumented residents, so sudden strict enforcement disrupts ordinary families and strengthens the case for changing or repealing enforcement‑heavy laws.

Right-wing influencers earn higher fees for sponsored posts than left-wing counterparts

Taylor Lorenz's Newsletter • 2179 implied HN points • 10 Nov 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political Influence Social media Elections Ideology
  1. Right-wing influencers make more money from sponsored posts than left-wing influencers. This means they can earn big fees for their content and partnerships.
  2. A new type of corporate Democrats is taking money from liberal donors without pushing for real changes. They focus on promoting themselves instead of advocating for true causes.
  3. Influencers on the left face constant attacks from both centrist Democrats and right-wingers, making it hard for them to succeed. This situation creates a lack of meaningful opposition to far-right influence.

How Trump Officials’ Rhetoric Backfired in Minnesota

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 421 implied HN points • 27 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Immigration Law enforcement Federal Government Investigations Media Coverage Public Trust
  1. Top Trump administration officials immediately framed the shooting as a terrorist attack, using words like "assassinate" and "massacre."
  2. Video footage appeared to show Alex Pretti on the ground and surrounded by agents when he was shot, contradicting those initial official claims.
  3. Those rapid, inflammatory statements upset Republicans and former DHS officials and deepened distrust of the administration's immigration crackdown, with critics saying authorities should have let an investigation play out.