The hottest Partisanship Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top U.S. Politics Topics

People Aren't Garbage. Partisan Politics Is

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 12968 implied HN points • 01 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Partisanship
  1. People are not defined by their political choices. Voting can say little about who we are as individuals.
  2. The media often ignores the majority of people who don’t vote, creating a misleading view of public opinion. This exclusion strengthens the divide between those who are politically active and those who are not.
  3. Caring deeply about politics is seen as essential now, and those who aren't invested are looked down upon. This mindset can harm relationships and mischaracterize people.

How America's Accurate Election Polls Were Covered Up

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 11997 implied HN points • 15 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Partisanship
  1. Some polls are seen as biased or not reliable because they're labeled as 'partisan', even if they prove to be more accurate than those deemed 'nonpartisan'. This can affect their credibility.
  2. Wikipedia removed a popular polling aggregator, Real Clear Politics, right before the election, saying it had a bias, but later had to restore it after realizing its accuracy.
  3. There's a concern that mainstream media may manipulate polling data to fit a narrative, which can mislead the public about the actual state of elections.

Both Democrats and Republicans can pass the Ideological Turing Test

Experimental History • 11606 implied HN points • 23 Oct 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Partisanship
  1. Democrats and Republicans misunderstand each other, but both sides can convincingly mimic each other's views. This shows they actually have a better grasp of each other's beliefs than they think.
  2. In a study, both parties struggled to differentiate between real and fake statements from their opponents, suggesting they might not truly know the depth of each other's perspectives.
  3. The findings imply that political disagreements might be REAL differences, not just simple misunderstandings, challenging the idea that better communication could solve everything.

Behold, A Pale Horse Race

Sarah Kendzior’s Newsletter • 5611 implied HN points • 05 Nov 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Partisanship
  1. The Biden administration's lack of accountability for past crimes, continuation of harmful policies, and complicity in various problematic actions is concerning.
  2. Both parties in the U.S. exhibit a form of elite criminal impunity, impacting policies and maintaining grave injustices.
  3. The importance of recognizing and standing against oppression, even in situations where voting or elections may not immediately address the underlying issues.

What Does the Public Actually Think About the Access-Fraud Tradeoff?

Can We Still Govern? • 215 implied HN points • 20 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Partisanship
  1. Most Americans prefer preserving access to benefits even if it allows some fraud — on average they accept about 192 ineligible recipients for every 1,000 eligible people helped (roughly a 1-to-5 ratio).
  2. How a program is described strongly changes opinions: calling it abstract 'welfare' makes people (especially Republicans) much less tolerant of fraud, while naming specific programs like SNAP or unemployment raises willingness to accept some mistakes.
  3. Policymakers often respond to fraud scares by adding verification burdens that shut out eligible people, so officials should discuss tradeoffs openly and emphasize concrete programs and beneficiaries when defending access.
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It's time we learned to love the Lords

Striking 13 • 2316 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Partisanship
  1. The House of Lords, despite being undemocratic, is effective in improving laws and providing scrutiny in ways the Commons can't.
  2. The lack of a majority in the Lords prevents the government from unchecked power, forcing better governance and encouraging consensus-building.
  3. Expertise in the Lords, particularly from crossbenchers, plays a key role in improving legislation and offering valuable insights, highlighting the importance of a balanced approach to democracy.

when "the system" becomes "the enemy"

bad cattitude • 243 implied HN points • 04 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Partisanship
  1. Force, not legal niceties, often decides outcomes — systems and international law only matter when someone has the power and will to enforce them.
  2. When institutions become captured or corrupt, people lose faith and may stop defending the system, which encourages extra‑legal efforts to overturn it and risks authoritarian backlashes.
  3. Sharp unilateral actions reveal the weakness of transnational institutions and can reshape global balance by exposing rivals as unable or unwilling to stop decisive moves.

What Did We Expect Would Happen?

The Honest Broker Newsletter • 2365 implied HN points • 18 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Partisanship
  1. Over the years, science has become very political in the U.S., with both major parties using it to gain power. This shift means scientists and universities are often seen as part of the political fight instead of neutral sources of knowledge.
  2. Democrats have begun to support science more because it helps their wealthy, educated voters, while Republicans have moved away from it, positioning it as elitist. This division creates a big gap in how each side views scientific authority.
  3. Many scientists have chosen sides in these political battles, which hurts the public's trust in science. The original idea that science benefits everyone, regardless of their political views, has been largely forgotten.

The "Ten Years Behind" Theory

I Might Be Wrong • 7 implied HN points • 13 Mar 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Partisanship
  1. Political shifts tend to echo across parties: the dramatic changes that hit one side often show up in the other about ten years later.
  2. The breakup of a shared news culture and the rise of partisan media and talk radio made it easy for more extreme, conspiratorial ideas to spread and become mainstream within a party.
  3. You can’t always see these changes in real time, but stepping back shows a clear cycle driven by new media and generational shifts that move political norms over time.

Hypocrisy Runs Rampant With Iran War

Unmasked • 25 implied HN points • 04 Mar 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Partisanship
  1. The United States and Israel carried out a targeted bombing that killed Iran's leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and the author presents this as a clear positive outcome for the U.S., the Middle East, and Iran's future.
  2. Many on the political left reacted angrily, criticizing the strike and complaining that the Trump administration didn’t notify Congress.
  3. The article argues those objections are partisan hypocrisy, saying critics oppose the action because of who’s in office rather than on consistent principle.

Write-in mailbag

Slow Boring • 2004 implied HN points • 26 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Partisanship
  1. The internet and social media have changed political engagement by fostering 'political hobbyism'.
  2. Participating in internet arguments about politics can be a hobby for some, providing engagement and entertainment.
  3. The current Democratic Party does not have a clear path to secure a 55+ seat majority in the Senate.

2024: The year we bury the culture war

Striking 13 • 2136 implied HN points • 05 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Partisanship
  1. In politics, we need to move towards a quieter, less divisive approach that focuses on policies rather than group conflicts.
  2. The media dynamics have favored sensationalism and polarization, but a shift towards a more transactional government might change that.
  3. Journalists and commentators could face challenges as the political landscape shifts away from identity wars towards policy-driven governance.

American Politics is Bringing Us Down

The Liberal Patriot • 1729 implied HN points • 31 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Partisanship
  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.

It's Time To Stop Blaming Misinformation for Cynicism and Mistrust

Rob Henderson's Newsletter • 4072 implied HN points • 02 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Partisanship
  1. Misinformation doesn't change people's minds as much as we think. Most people don't consume or believe it that much.
  2. The ones who share misinformation are often driven by strong political beliefs, not ignorance. They want to support their views against the opposing party.
  3. Fighting misinformation online might not help restore trust in institutions. Instead, we should focus on the deeper reasons why people lose faith in them.

February 22, 2026

Letters from an American • 30 implied HN points • 23 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Partisanship
  1. The Boundary Waters is a large, fragile wilderness that supports local recreation economies, and copper-sulfide mining nearby risks acid mine drainage that could permanently damage its waters and wildlife.
  2. Republican lawmakers are using the Congressional Review Act in an unprecedented way to try to overturn a 20-year mining moratorium and reopen federal lands to a foreign-owned mining company, a move critics say breaks norms and could set a dangerous precedent for public land protections.
  3. Prominent voices, including Theodore Roosevelt’s descendants and Minnesota leaders, strongly oppose reopening the area and are urging permanent protection, while the Senate vote is narrowly contested and hinges on a few Republican defections.

Does The US Public Have A Different Idea Of What Makes America "Great"?

Phillips’s Newsletter • 155 implied HN points • 08 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Partisanship
  1. Most Americans did not rally behind the Venezuela intervention, with only about 30–40% approving, making it unusually unpopular even after a seemingly successful operation.
  2. Polls show broad skepticism and cross‑party opposition to the U.S. taking control of another country’s government, and many Americans prefer that Venezuelans decide their own future.
  3. The reaction suggests a possible disconnect between using force as a sign of national greatness and the public’s idea of greatness, which leans toward limits on intervention and respect for self‑determination.

Take A Position, Not A Side

Persuasion • 2456 implied HN points • 02 Oct 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Partisanship
  1. Consider taking a position on issues instead of choosing sides
  2. Recognize that there are often more than just two sides to every question
  3. Moving from 'sides' to 'positions' can lead to more constructive conversations and a healthier civic discourse

Further Thoughts on: CROSSPOST: DAN DREZNER: Revenge of the Toddler-in-Chief

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 84 implied HN points • 21 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Partisanship
  1. A president fixated on symbolic details—like map projections and perceived personal slights—is a symptom rather than the root problem.
  2. The deeper scandal is the failure of American guardrails and institutions meant to restrain dangerous or erratic executive behavior.
  3. This pattern points to broader risks of authoritarian or neofascist drift, showing systemic dangers that go beyond any one leader's tantrums.

Of Snakes, Deep Swamps, and Kevin McCarthy’s Bid to Govern From the Middle

Peter Navarro's Taking Back Trump's America • 2338 implied HN points • 01 Jun 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Partisanship
  1. Kevin McCarthy's deal with President Joe Biden may trigger a potential vote to oust him as Speaker.
  2. The deal lacks guarantees for deficit reductions and neglects relief for America's fossil fuel producers.
  3. McCarthy's political sin was agreeing to kick the debt limit can past the 2024 elections, prioritizing his own fortunes over his Party.

ICE is not the Lizardman

a newsletter for infovores. • 91 implied HN points • 26 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Partisanship
  1. Don’t automatically write off odd poll responses as random bad-faith answers; surprising percentages can represent real opinions that matter politically.
  2. Nontrivial shares of people—even inside expected groups—can hold hawkish or conspiratorial views, so small percentages can still equal large, consequential numbers.
  3. Before dismissing a result, check the question wording, pollster credibility, timing, survey method, and whether other sources corroborate it to judge if it’s noise or a real signal.

The Texas Gerrymander Isn’t About Race. It’s About Raw Politics.

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 227 implied HN points • 08 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Partisanship
  1. The Supreme Court put an emergency stay on a lower court’s ruling, making it likely Texas’s new Republican-friendly congressional map will be used in the 2026 midterms.
  2. Although the maps are framed as racial gerrymanders, the central fight is really about raw partisan advantage—how many seats Republicans can win—not primarily about race.
  3. The Court split along ideological lines, highlighting how redistricting fights force judges to balance legal principles against intense political pressure.

The Biden-McCarthy Memorial Weekend Surrender Institutionalizes Stagflation

Peter Navarro's Taking Back Trump's America • 2044 implied HN points • 29 May 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Partisanship
  1. Historians may see Kevin McCarthy's quick surrender to Biden as a footnote in history, not a turning point.
  2. Biden's spending may lead to both demand-pull and cost-push inflation, similar to the stagflation of the 1970s.
  3. McCarthy missed a chance to assert America's energy dominance and combat inflation by caving to Biden's spending plans.

Should I go all in on post-partisanship?

Jeff Giesea • 419 implied HN points • 25 May 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Partisanship
  1. Post-partisanship is all about working together and finding real solutions instead of sticking strictly to one political party's views. It's about being practical and collaborative.
  2. There's a growing fatigue with constant polarization in politics, and many people want to see a shift towards more open-minded discussions and problem-solving between different sides.
  3. Rebranding could help connect better with the idea of post-partisanship, but it's important to think about what that change means for staying true to personal beliefs and identity.

Sunday Strip: Just the Facts Ma'am.

Who is Robert Malone • 39 implied HN points • 08 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Partisanship
  1. Young liberal women report much lower life satisfaction than conservative and moderate women, with only about 12% of liberal women aged 18–40 saying they are completely satisfied versus 37% of conservative women.
  2. Liberal women also show higher rates of mental health diagnoses and greater feelings of loneliness, making them the least happy and loneliest group in the surveys (for example, 56% of white liberal women 18–29 had a diagnosed mental health condition versus 27% of conservative women).
  3. Multiple surveys (the American Family Survey and Pew Research Center) reveal a consistent ideological gap in wellbeing among women, especially in younger age groups.

Narrow decisions, broad goals

Adam's Legal Newsletter • 239 implied HN points • 29 May 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Partisanship
  1. The South Carolina redistricting case was decided 6 to 3, with a majority opinion written by Republican-appointed Justices and a dissent by Democratic-appointed Justices, showing a split along party lines.
  2. The decision-making in cases like _Alexander_ and _Cromartie II_ was influenced by the broader legal context surrounding partisan and racial gerrymandering issues, leading to close calls among the Justices.
  3. Judges tend to apply their ideological views to non-ideological issues when those issues are close, as seen in the standing decisions related to ideological issues in cases like the student loan disputes and _Alexander_.

How Universities Went Off Track

The Honest Broker Newsletter • 2051 implied HN points • 08 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Partisanship
  1. Many people are losing trust in universities, especially conservatives and working-class folks. The political views of university staff are mostly leaning left, making this trust fall even more.
  2. Changes in society are pushing universities to be more politically involved. They need to show how their research benefits society, which can lead to more advocacy instead of just education.
  3. There is pressure within universities to support certain political ideas, which can stifle open discussions. A lot of people feel they can’t speak up if they don’t share the same views as the majority.

Was Jeffrey Epstein a "convicted pedophile"?

Michael Tracey • 108 implied HN points • 19 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Partisanship
  1. Epstein’s only criminal conviction in 2008 was for state prostitution charges, including procuring one person under 18, and plea records show that the underage instance involved a single victim and consensual intercourse on the eve of her 18th birthday.
  2. Media and politicians have repeatedly labeled Epstein a “pedophile” and portrayed a broader pedophilia crisis, but that label is often used without closely examining the underlying legal facts.
  3. Because public discussion frequently ignores the narrow legal record and due process, many people and institutions have been broadly stigmatized for mere association with Epstein, fueling moral panic and partisan attacks.

How Science Must Change

The Honest Broker Newsletter • 1845 implied HN points • 08 Nov 24
🔬 Science Partisanship
  1. Science should focus on serving everyone, regardless of their political beliefs. This means making science accessible and relatable to all citizens.
  2. Many scientists in leadership are becoming too partisan, which creates a divide between science and the public. This partisanship can lead to mistrust and alienation among people with differing views.
  3. To regain trust, the scientific community needs to foster inclusivity and understand the diverse perspectives of the public. This includes recognizing that scientists should work to serve the interests of all Americans.

The Cooperative Competitor

In My Tribe • 531 implied HN points • 26 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Partisanship
  1. People can work together really well when they’re on the same team, but they also compete hard when they’re on opposing teams. This mix is unique to humans.
  2. Political discussions often reflect different views on oppression or civilization. Each side uses language to show belonging to their group while pushing against the other.
  3. Our politics seems too focused on competition right now, which hurts cooperation. We should try to use our words to listen and understand rather than just to pick a side.

Friday Funnies: CPR Alert

Who is Robert Malone • 36 implied HN points • 23 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Partisanship
  1. Federal civil servants in Northern Virginia are blamed for swinging the state to Democrats, and two remedies are proposed: cut federal jobs or relocate federal agencies around the country to break that concentration of influence.
  2. A severe multi-stage winter storm is expected, so people are urged to winterize farms and homes — fill tanks, set up heaters, stock water, food, fuel, batteries, and protect animals and vehicles.
  3. Recent Democratic policies are portrayed as harmful to the state, with concerns about higher taxes, weakened gun rights, permissive immigration and youth medical policies, and a cultural shift dubbed 'Californication' or 'Marxist' influence.

NPR hasn't gotten more liberal. It's become more capital-D Democratic

White Hot Harlots • 239 implied HN points • 22 Apr 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Partisanship
  1. NPR has shifted towards being more aligned with the Democratic party rather than being more traditionally liberal in its coverage.
  2. Commercial networks may avoid certain topics due to financial interests, whereas NPR's funding model allows it to cover a wider range of issues without worrying about ratings.
  3. The dynamics and messaging within the Democratic party have changed, leading to NPR reflecting this shift by emphasizing identity issues and being less critical of establishment Democrats.

Chartbook 346: Against overcorrection. Yellen's Treasury defends the legacy of Democratic fiscal policy.

Chartbook • 815 implied HN points • 17 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Partisanship
  1. When a political party loses, there’s a temptation to rethink past policies. Critics may blame inflation on spending decisions, but the Democrats didn't do as poorly as expected in recent elections.
  2. Inflation feels different depending on your political views. Partisanship affects how people perceive the economy, making it hard to pin down economic sentiment just to inflation rates.
  3. Despite losing to Trump, the Democratic fiscal policies in recent years were effective. Inflation rates have fallen and job numbers have remained strong, suggesting that bold policy decisions can be successful.