The hottest Congress Substack posts right now

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Top U.S. Politics Topics

US troops are occupying Syria's oil fields. Congress refuses to withdraw them

Geopolitical Economy Report • 737 implied HN points • 12 Dec 23
🌍 World Politics Syria Congress International Law
  1. US military has been illegally occupying Syrian territory since 2014, blocking access to oil and wheat, despite international criticism.
  2. The US Senate voted 13-84 against withdrawing troops from Syria, rejecting a resolution to remove troops not authorized by Congress.
  3. US continues to occupy Syria's oil fields and Iraq, with troops stationed in the region and involvement in conflicts around these areas.

Gaming Election Law

David Friedman’s Substack • 134 implied HN points • 06 Mar 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Supreme Court Presidential Election Congress Election Strategy
  1. There was a hypothetical scenario where Democrats could have strategically prevented Trump from being certified as the President through a complex legal process, but ultimately it was deemed unlikely to happen due to various factors.
  2. If a candidate is disqualified after winning the majority of electoral votes, it could lead to complex and uncertain scenarios such as the House getting involved in the election process and potential power struggles between political parties.
  3. The article also mentions a potential loophole in California's primary system that could have led to a Republican senator in a typically Democratic state, but it was clarified that the scenario was not possible due to the timing of different elections.

Photo of the Day

Photo of the Day • 314 implied HN points • 24 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Civil War Slavery Democracy Congress
  1. The Civil War was a costly conflict that shocked the nation and prompted urgency to end it
  2. Abraham Lincoln pushed for bold action to save American democracy by addressing slavery through constitutional amendments
  3. The survival of American democracy hinged on the decisions made by Congress and the Administration during a tumultuous time
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Top Scientists Misled Congress About Covid Origins, Newly Released Emails And Messages Show

Michael Shellenberger • 1835 implied HN points • 18 Jul 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Congress Emails Cover-up
  1. Top scientists misled Congress about Covid origins by denying lab leak possibilities despite actual concerns
  2. Newly released emails and messages show discrepancies in public statements versus private conversations
  3. Evidence suggests possible cover-up and pressure from 'higher-ups' in shaping scientific narrative

Weekend Update #69. Ukraine Does Better in South Carolina than Expected

Phillips’s Newsletter • 125 implied HN points • 25 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Election Foreign Policy Aid Republican party Congress
  1. South Carolina primary shows divisions in Republican Party over Trump's stance on Ukraine
  2. Ukraine facing challenges with ammunition supply, leading to withdrawals from exposed positions
  3. Ukraine's success in deconstructing Russian air power is hindered by low anti-air ammunition and Russian losses in key aircraft

"You are being misinformed"

The Honest Broker Newsletter • 1707 implied HN points • 21 Jun 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Climate Science Congress Scientific Integrity Misinformation
  1. Misinformation in climate science is a significant issue, especially due to outdated climate scenarios like RCP8.5 and RCP4.5.
  2. Scientific integrity is crucial to uphold in producing accurate information for policy-making.
  3. Financial conflicts of interest can complicate expertise, leading to the perpetuation of misinformation.

Seaplanes Bring Out the Worst in the Potomac Flotilla

CDR Salamander • 1257 implied HN points • 17 Jul 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Military Defense Congress Acquisition National Security
  1. During wartime, aircraft are crucial and seaplanes historically played a role in rescuing flyers in distress.
  2. The ShinMaywa US-2 seaplane is seen as a modern, versatile, and necessary asset for military operations.
  3. Issues in military acquisition systems can hinder the procurement of vital equipment like seaplanes.

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 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.

The weird alliance between Matt Gaetz and the Congressional Progressive Caucus (it's a good thing)

Bad News • 1218 implied HN points • 11 Mar 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Congress Foreign Policy Bipartisanship National Security Military Intervention
  1. Matt Gaetz and the Congressional Progressive Caucus formed an unlikely alliance on war policies.
  2. There was a significant bipartisan effect on voting for war resolutions.
  3. The presence of U.S. troops in Syria impacts the future of the Kurdish autonomous region.

Why the First Impeachment Matters

Can We Still Govern? • 157 implied HN points • 09 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Impeachment Foreign Policy Congress Whistleblowers Accountability
  1. The first impeachment reveals how Trump thinks about public power and governs.
  2. Trump's actions during the first impeachment show he prioritizes personal interests in foreign policy and seeks to usurp Congressional power.
  3. In a second Trump administration, expect evasions of accountability, loyalty to political hacks, and attacks on career officials who do the right thing.

A "Woke Agenda" Burned in Effigy by Missouri Senators

The View from Rural Missouri by Jess Piper • 497 implied HN points • 18 Sep 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Congress Political Events Policies
  1. Missouri Senators burned a 'Woke Agenda' in effigy, causing controversy and sparking discussions about their actions.
  2. The Senators involved have been part of the state's GOP supermajority for years and have supported controversial legislation regarding various issues.
  3. The fiery display sparked concerns about the priorities of lawmakers, with focus on issues such as education funding, healthcare access, and attacks on marginalized communities.

A sword of Damocles over the administrative state

Bruce Fein's Pioneering Lyceum • 117 implied HN points • 19 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Congress Supreme Court Regulation Legislation
  1. The Supreme Court may change the rules for federal rulemaking, impacting how executive branch regulators interpret laws.
  2. Congress needs to take responsibility for writing clear laws to prevent excessive regulatory power.
  3. Requiring Congress to vote on all regulations would increase accountability and reduce the size of the administrative state.

URGENT: Ex-White House advisor Andy Slavitt is refusing to comply with a subpoena over questions about how he tried to censor me and others in 2021

Unreported Truths • 72 implied HN points • 04 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Policy Administration Congress
  1. Former White House advisor Andy Slavitt is refusing to comply with a Congressional subpoena.
  2. Ignoring a Congressional subpoena is a federal crime, but the Biden Administration will not prosecute Slavitt.
  3. Claims of executive privilege are being used to justify Slavitt's refusal to testify, despite past cases ruling against such claims.

5 Lessons The Left Can Learn From Ryan Grim’s New Book, “The Squad: AOC and the Hope of a Political Revolution”

JoeWrote • 23 implied HN points • 07 Mar 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Progressives Congress
  1. The Democrat establishment views progressive politicians as a bigger threat than Republicans, as seen in their actions against The Squad.
  2. Progressive politicians, like The Squad, face a steep learning curve when entering Congress without prior political experience, leading to challenges in navigating the political landscape.
  3. Progressives should not be afraid to lose, as it is important to stand by their principles even in the face of opposition and criticism.

Should the US Congress Audit the Federal Reserve?

QTR’s Fringe Finance • 15 implied HN points • 16 Mar 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Government Legislation Federal Reserve Congress
  1. The Federal Reserve in the US is uniquely designed and operates independently, unlike other central banks worldwide, being neither part of the government's executive branch nor an independent federal agency.
  2. Calls for a full audit of the Federal Reserve have been advocated by various politicians like Ron Paul and Thomas Massie, aiming for transparency in the Fed's operations and financial decisions.
  3. Besides legislative actions, potential reforms for the Federal Reserve may involve the judiciary branch, particularly through cases that could impact the agency's independence, questioning the traditional Chevron doctrine.

Another year is coming to a close without a federal privacy bill

The Exformation Newsletter • 78 implied HN points • 14 Dec 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Legislation Congress Privacy Bipartisanship Enforcement
  1. A federal privacy law remains out of reach of Congress for another year.
  2. Two scenarios for privacy law development: Option A - state-based bills expanding to all states, Option B - federal bill.
  3. Compliance with 50 different state privacy bills is costly and creates additional risks for companies.

How Transparency Changes Everything

OpenTheBooks Substack • 298 implied HN points • 10 Jun 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Government Transparency Spending Congress
  1. Transparency in government spending is crucial in holding politicians accountable and changing how we are governed.
  2. New technologies allow us to bring government spending into the light and make it accessible to the public in real-time.
  3. Citizens play a key role in demanding transparency and responsible spending of tax dollars to bring about positive change.

March 12, 2024 (Tuesday)

Letters from an American • 10 implied HN points • 13 Mar 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Election Investigation Congress Media Legislation
  1. Democratic voters in Georgia and Republican voters in various states have chosen their candidates for the presidential nomination, shaping the upcoming election.
  2. Special Counsel Robert Hur's testimony before the House Judiciary Committee highlighted the Democrats' strategy to counter Republican tactics during investigations.
  3. The hearing regarding President Biden's handling of classified documents showed a contrast between Biden and Trump, with Democrats using media time to emphasize this contrast.

Are They Better Off?

News Items • 255 implied HN points • 21 Feb 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Social Security Policy Making Debt Ceiling Congress
  1. Key Census data may undercount the retirement income of older Americans by hundreds of billions of dollars a year.
  2. America needs to address the unsustainability of the Social Security program through benefit reductions, tax increases, or a combination of both.
  3. Recent data suggests that American retirees, on average, are wealthier than commonly believed, which may impact policy decisions regarding Social Security reform.

BREAKING NEWS: A Trump Attorney’s Shocking Proffer to Prosecutors Opens a Major New Front in the Federal January 6 Investigation: Members of Congress

Proof • 63 implied HN points • 14 Nov 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Investigation Congress White House
  1. A Trump attorney's proffer to prosecutors has opened a new front in the January 6 investigation involving members of Congress.
  2. Details of White House Christmas parties in December 2020 are of significance due to a bombshell report involving Trump attorney Jenna Ellis.
  3. The stakes of the feds' January 6 probe have been changed by a fired traffic-court lawyer hired as a key player in the coup plot.

March 4, 2024

Letters from an American • 10 implied HN points • 05 Mar 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Supreme Court Congress
  1. The Supreme Court ruled that states cannot remove Donald Trump from the 2024 presidential ballot, leading to a unanimous decision.
  2. The court avoided defining the events of January 6, 2021, as an insurrection and went beyond the necessary scope in their ruling.
  3. The court's decision hinted at a larger issue where courts are involving themselves in lawmaking rather than just judicial review.

February 15, 2024

Letters from an American • 11 implied HN points • 16 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Policy Congress Elections Impeachment National Security
  1. House speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) canceled votes & sent House into recess until Feb 28 over national security funding disagreement
  2. Delay in passing national security measures puts critical aid for Ukraine at risk & demonstrates political gridlock
  3. Chaotic environment in the House, with discussions about appropriations delays, Homeland Security secretary impeachment, and escalating power of Trump's base