The hottest U.S. Politics Substack posts right now

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Top U.S. Politics Topics

Balaji Srinivasan: The Man Who Couldn’t Wait for COVID to Ring In the ‘New Normal’

The New Normal • 3459 implied HN points • 09 Mar 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Covid response Policy Influence
  1. Prior to the COVID lockdowns, discussions about the virus were rational and reassuring, with very few advocating for global adoption of China's lockdown policy.
  2. Balaji Srinivasan made detailed tweets predicting the global response to COVID before many major changes occurred, such as wearing masks, shifting to remote work, and reducing vaccine approval time.
  3. Despite Balaji's accurate predictions, there are questions about his motives and the coordination of global COVID policies, suggesting a potential plan to implement China's response globally.

The Trumpanyahu Administration

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 1932 implied HN points • 01 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Government Elections Foreign Relations Civil Rights Legislation
  1. The relationship between Trump and Netanyahu seems very close, with Netanyahu visiting the White House frequently. It almost feels like he has a special place in the administration.
  2. There's a contrast in how the U.S. addresses free speech—like denying entry to artists for their views—compared to how it interacts with Israel's legal matters. This raises questions about consistency in values.
  3. The U.S. appears willing to intervene in Israel's internal issues, especially around Netanyahu's corruption trial, while being hands-off regarding Israel's actions in conflict. This shows a strong bond between the two governments.

Corruption and COVID: We Are Not ‘All In This Together’

The New Normal • 3439 implied HN points • 23 Feb 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Corruption Government Accountability Justice System
  1. To blame ourselves for decisions made by a few individuals is to submit to their rule.
  2. Calls to 'blame our own governments' may underestimate the chance of seeking justice for policy decisions.
  3. Corruption makes actions criminal if influenced by outside interests; personal responsibility can be used to evade scrutiny.

The Narco-Trafficking Elite Set to Run Venezuela (w/ Maureen Tkacik) | The Chris Hedges Report

The Chris Hedges Report • 186 implied HN points • 08 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy National Security Intelligence Drug policy Corruption Criminal Justice Latin America
  1. There is a long history of U.S. intelligence and anti‑communist exile networks becoming entwined with drug trafficking in Latin America, which helped build enduring narco infrastructures.
  2. Key U.S. political figures and Miami exile networks have personal and political ties to narco‑linked actors, yet they promote militarized policies and back leaders accused of trafficking.
  3. The drug war is often used as a pretext for geopolitical and economic aims, protecting allies who serve those aims while selectively targeting rivals, and some high‑profile indictments (like Venezuela’s) rest on weaker evidence than prosecutions of other traffickers.
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Does child abuse cause homosexuality?

Disaffected Newsletter • 759 implied HN points • 05 May 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Social Issues Mental health Education Public Discourse Cultural Commentary
  1. The discussion explores the link between child abuse and homosexuality. It suggests that there might be connections worth investigating.
  2. Joseph Sciambra, who speaks from personal experience, highlights existing research on this topic. He emphasizes that there's literature supporting his views.
  3. The talk also touches on the behaviors seen in protests and violence at American colleges, linking those to psychological dynamics.

Cancelling "Controversial" Scholars

Glenn’s Substack • 439 implied HN points • 16 Jun 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Free speech Censorship Academia Public Debate International relations
  1. Labeling someone as 'controversial' can shut down meaningful debate. It's important to have open discussions, especially about difficult topics like international conflicts.
  2. Censorship often happens under the guise of protecting moral values, but it can prevent us from understanding the full picture. People need to hear all sides of an argument to make informed decisions.
  3. Understanding the other party's perspective in conflicts is crucial for peace. Instead of dividing ourselves, we should look for ways to engage and resolve issues together.

What Working-Class Voters Wanted

Rob Henderson's Newsletter • 5795 implied HN points • 24 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Voting Trends Political Messaging Cultural Issues Elections Demographics
  1. Many working-class voters were drawn to Trump's message of American greatness and opportunity. They felt inspired by his promises to restore economic strength.
  2. The Democratic Party's focus on cultural issues may have alienated many traditional voters. People without college degrees don't always share the same values as those in elite circles.
  3. Many voters, including people of color, still believe in the American Dream. This belief contrasts with some progressive views that paint America negatively.

Why Blue States Can’t Have Nice Things

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 1567 implied HN points • 29 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy State Governance Local government
  1. Public spaces can be very well-managed without a lot of red tape. For example, a farm in Utah quickly fixed a safety issue on the spot.
  2. In contrast, places like the Los Angeles Zoo face more bureaucracy and delays when dealing with problems. This can make for a frustrating experience.
  3. The difference in management styles shows how some places can prioritize quick action and customer experience, while others get bogged down by rules.

TGIF: Hard Pivot

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 4595 implied HN points • 17 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political Commentary Elections Government Media Public Opinion
  1. Biden warned about the growing influence of wealthy individuals in American politics. He believes this could threaten democracy and everyone's chance to succeed.
  2. He talked about the need for accountability on social media platforms to stop the spread of false information. Biden thinks this is important to protect families and democracy.
  3. The idea of oligarchs controlling politics can be complex, especially when they support causes on different sides. It raises questions about the balance of power in a democracy.

Illegal immigration was never an actual problem

Sex and the State • 104 implied HN points • 24 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Immigration Law enforcement Criminal Justice Civil Rights Executive Branch Government Accountability
  1. ICE agents have escalated violence, even killing people, and face little accountability because of poor vetting, training, and oversight.
  2. Illegal immigration isn't the real problem — immigrants on average commit fewer crimes, create jobs, raise wages, and help counteract the country's shrinking population.
  3. The raids and detentions are self-defeating and clash with American principles; they often target nonviolent people, hurt the native workforce, and suggest other motives are driving policy.

"Beautiful USA", operated from Romania

Conspirador Norteño • 28 implied HN points • 01 Mar 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Misinformation Foreign influence Social media Media Manipulation Political propaganda
  1. Many US-themed Facebook pages are run from outside the United States, with administrators in various countries and only a minority based in the U.S.
  2. They mainly publish AI-generated patriotic images and plagiarized photos, often duplicating content across pages and stuffing posts with hashtags to boost engagement.
  3. Several pages intermittently share right-leaning political content, which suggests the network may be trying to promote conservative views rather than just distribute image spam.

The Logic of Destruction

Thinking about... • 4105 implied HN points • 02 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Government Elections Oligarchy Law Rights Resistance
  1. Democracy relies on people working together to protect their rights and dignity. When a few wealthy individuals try to take control, they undermine the whole system.
  2. The current power struggle isn't about improving the government; it's about causing chaos so the rich can gain even more power. They want to weaken influence from ordinary citizens.
  3. People need to stay engaged and take action to protect their country. Speaking up, protesting, and working together is essential to resist destructive forces targeting democracy.

New Capitalism II: Compositional vs income inequality

Global Inequality and More 3.0 • 1494 implied HN points • 26 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Inequality Capitalism Economics Society Policy
  1. There are different ways to measure inequality, like compositional inequality, which looks at how people earn their money from labor versus capital. This shows us that income can be unequal even if the sources of income are similar for everyone.
  2. The elite class in a capitalist society often makes money from both high wages and investment, and they strongly support capitalist ideas. This creates a different dynamic than what we see in the broader workforce.
  3. Countries with lower inequality usually have less compositional inequality too. This suggests that income distribution and the sources of that income are connected in ways we need to better understand.

Annual Review 2025: What I Got Wrong

Phillips’s Newsletter • 278 implied HN points • 26 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy National Security International relations Defense Policy Intelligence
  1. Don't assume leaders will be constrained by their base; Trump showed he will act on his own judgment, even joining attacks he previously seemed unlikely to support.
  2. Treat public shifts in rhetoric about Russia with skepticism — friendly signals can be deliberate feints, and Trump has stayed aligned with Putin rather than genuinely turning against him.
  3. Rhetoric from European governments isn't enough; unless the UK, France, and others provide tangible support like money or weapons, don't expect them to take decisive, sustained action.

A few takeaways from my friend’s new paper on loneliness

Sex and the State • 35 implied HN points • 17 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Social Policy Housing policy Economic Policy Urban planning Public Health Inequality Family Policy
  1. Intensive parenting, later marriage, and fear of downward mobility are contributing to lower birthrates as people choose to have fewer or no children.
  2. Lonely people are more vulnerable to advertisers, cults, and political manipulation, and screens and social media worsen isolation by replacing real-life social time.
  3. Economic and social sorting — wealthy people clustering in homogeneous enclaves while poorer areas lose social capital — creates a vicious cycle that traps people in poverty and isolation, and it can be eased by mixed-income housing, more public social spaces, and policies that rebuild local civic life.

Thinking of a Very Loose Coalition as an Organism with a Single Heart, Mind, & Will Makes You Stupid

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 146 implied HN points • 14 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Party Politics Congress Governance Political institutions Collective action Public Policy
  1. Treating loose coalitions like Congress or a party as if they have a single heart, mind, and will is a category error that misleads people and damages reasoning.
  2. Political outcomes depend on specific legislators, their incentives, and party discipline; Republicans often enforce a stronger party line that discourages public dissent even when members privately disagree.
  3. Professional identity can be overtaken by partisan pressures, so experts (for example, economists) sometimes conform to party expectations rather than follow independent professional judgment because of career and selective incentives.

How Trump Broke Our Moral Compass

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 343 implied HN points • 10 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Governance Executive Power Immigration National Security Public Opinion Ethics
  1. Leadership rhetoric and actions have normalized cruelty, making extreme measures like extrajudicial violence and harsher rules of engagement seem acceptable.
  2. Widespread public apathy or muted outrage has allowed these outrages to go unchecked and weakened the country's moral standards.
  3. Dehumanizing language and policies toward immigrants and outsiders have produced harsher treatment, canceled citizenship ceremonies, and eroded legal protections.

Anti-Israel Protesters Get Police Protection. Not This Christian Rocker.

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 1321 implied HN points • 18 Aug 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Social Issues Free speech Religious freedom Public Safety
  1. Some concerts are held outdoors due to restrictions or lack of support from authorities, like the one for Sean Feucht in Canada. It shows a difference in treatment between various groups and events.
  2. People gathered from various backgrounds to support Feucht, highlighting a sense of community and shared belief among Christians. This reflects a strong dedication to their faith in challenging situations.
  3. The contrasting reactions of police to different protests reveal a divide in how freedoms are granted, especially between religious expressions and political movements. It raises questions about fairness and protection under the law.

Growing Up MAGA

OK Doomer • 1830 implied HN points • 07 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Politics Culture Racism Education Society
  1. The conversation about race can be challenging, especially when it involves family. It's important to stand up for what's right, even if it leads to awkward moments.
  2. Experiencing racism firsthand can shape one's perspective during their career. It's crucial to recognize and appreciate the diversity in students.
  3. Balancing personal feelings with professional responsibilities can be tough. Sometimes, significant events, like a funeral, might need to take a backseat due to work commitments.

Is There Anyone Trump Can’t Fire?

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 352 implied HN points • 09 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Supreme Court Administrative state Executive Power Constitutional Law Federal Agencies
  1. The Supreme Court may remove the legal limit that keeps presidents from firing officials of independent federal agencies, threatening agency independence.
  2. The case began when Trump tried to oust FTC commissioner Rebecca Slaughter and directly challenges a 90-year-old precedent that allowed removal only for cause.
  3. If the Court overturns that precedent, presidents could replace commissioners for political reasons and fundamentally reshape the administrative state.

EXCLUSIVE: US To Deny Visas To Foreign Officials Who Try To Censor US Social Media Platforms

Michael Shellenberger • 2214 implied HN points • 28 May 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Free speech Censorship Foreign Policy Social media Government Policy
  1. The US is denying visas to foreign officials who try to censor American social media. This means that if someone from another country tries to limit free speech online, they may not be allowed into the US.
  2. This new policy also applies to the families of these officials. So, not only the person who censors but their immediate family could be affected.
  3. The US sees protecting free speech as an important part of its foreign policy. This move is part of a larger effort to fight against what they call the global censorship-industrial complex.

How to learn about politics from two Democratic-leaning women in New York

Global Inequality and More 3.0 • 1268 implied HN points • 14 Aug 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political Philosophy Party Politics Social Issues Economic Policy Inequality
  1. People often don't see themselves as wealthy, even when they clearly are. This can lead to a disconnect between how they view their own status and reality.
  2. Business owners can struggle with changing economic conditions, like tariffs, that impact their ability to succeed. Decisions made by politicians can have a real effect on small businesses.
  3. Not everyone is satisfied with the mainstream political options. Some feel disillusioned with both major parties and are searching for better alternatives.

The Disgraceful Campaign Against a Top FDA Official

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 1521 implied HN points • 31 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Health Regulation Government Trust FDA Political Influence
  1. Dr. Vinay Prasad was appointed to an important role in the FDA aimed at improving public trust in health officials. His scientific background and independence were seen as valuable assets.
  2. One of Prasad's early decisions was to stop recommending Covid-19 vaccinations for young children, reflecting his criticism of government overreach during the pandemic.
  3. Prasad resigned after facing intense pressure from a smear campaign involving various influential figures, which suggests challenges in maintaining integrity in public health leadership.

The politicization of U.S. legal and financial warfare

All-Source Intelligence Fusion • 427 implied HN points • 25 Nov 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy Sanctions Intelligence National Security Counterterrorism Drug policy
  1. The U.S. increasingly uses legal and financial tools—sanctions, terrorist designations, indictments, and bounties—paired with military and diplomatic moves to pressure foreign governments and groups. These actions function as a form of statecraft aimed at crippling or delegitimizing opponents.
  2. The Venezuela examples show those tactics can be politicized and evidence-light: labels like “Cartel of the Suns” and claims about Tren de Aragua rely on contested intelligence, guilty pleas from opponents, and disputed narratives that feed regime-change aims.
  3. There is a long-standing ecosystem—DEA Special Operations, joint operations with foreign intelligence like Mossad, spyware and data firms, and private contractors—that gathers financial and communications intel to enable sanctions and arrests; it is powerful but vulnerable to political pressure, overreach, and reputational blowback.

🚨🚨🚨 Crisis Hits the Democrats

Erick Erickson's Confessions of a Political Junkie • 1918 implied HN points • 08 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Government Political Scandal Election Democratic Party Republican party
  1. Special Counsel report finds Biden violated the law but may evade jail due to mental state.
  2. Democrats facing crisis as Biden's mental fitness for presidency comes under scrutiny.
  3. Possibility of Biden stepping aside increases, leading to potential repercussions with Kamala Harris.

God Bless Texas

AND Magazine • 1808 implied HN points • 25 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Constitutional crisis Border control Supreme Court Federal Government Texas
  1. The crisis regarding access to the Texas-Mexican border has escalated into a direct confrontation between Washington and Austin.
  2. The federal government must operate within the limits set by the Constitution and for the benefit of American citizens, which seems to be disregarded in the current situation.
  3. Texas has chosen to defy what it views as blatantly unconstitutional orders by the President and the Supreme Court.

Matt Gurney: The Johnston report is one of the most depressing things I've ever read

The Line • 3360 implied HN points • 23 May 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Government Security Inquiry Media Accountability
  1. The special rapporteur's report reveals concerning truths about Chinese electoral interference.
  2. Johnston suggests a broken system has hampered the government's ability to combat interference.
  3. The report highlights deficiencies in the government's response to crises and lack of accountability.

EXCLUSIVE: PBS Disappears DEI Department in Wake of Free Press Investigation

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 4029 implied HN points • 11 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Government Policy Media Social Issues Public Affairs
  1. PBS has decided to close its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) department. This happened after an investigation by The Free Press raised questions about the department's role in relation to an executive order.
  2. The CEO of PBS informed staff about the departure of two DEI executives. She mentioned that this move was to ensure compliance with the president's order.
  3. This change at PBS reflects broader tensions and changes in how organizations handle diversity initiatives, especially under political scrutiny.

American Politics is Bringing Us Down

The Liberal Patriot • 1729 implied HN points • 31 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Election Citizenship Partisanship Democracy Activism
  1. Many voters view politics negatively and feel disheartened by the current state of American politics.
  2. Engaging in non-political activities and discussions can provide a refreshing break from partisan divides.
  3. Reinvigorating democracy requires looking beyond partisan politics and working together in various civic roles to address societal challenges.

EMERGENCY POD: Trump to Sell H200s to China

ChinaTalk • 311 implied HN points • 10 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics National Security Technology Policy Trade policy Political strategy
  1. Selling advanced chips to China could hurt U.S. military and economic power. It's like giving your enemy the tools to catch up and compete with you.
  2. The tech industry is pushing back against chip sales to China because it could raise costs and create strong competitors. U.S. companies need to prioritize their own growth instead.
  3. There's a concern that this decision could weaken American leadership in AI and tech. If China gets these chips, they could quickly outpace the U.S. in innovation.