The hottest Political elites Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top World Politics Topics

Monopoly Round-Up: Why the Epstein Files Won't Go Away

BIG by Matt Stoller • 29565 implied HN points • 02 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political elites
  1. New Epstein documents link many powerful people to his network and show shameless behavior among elites, but those revelations are producing little legal accountability.
  2. A union mechanic won a heavily outspent Texas special election, signaling strong voter anger and a possible anti‑establishment shift driven by economic frustration.
  3. Regulators and markets are clashing with monopoly power — from accusations against Bezos to drug price moves and big tech deal scrutiny — showing rising public and regulatory pressure on corporate elites.

Thoughts on Elite Versus Populist Libertarianism

Richard Hanania's Newsletter • 4998 implied HN points • 16 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political elites
  1. Libertarianism splits into two tribes: elite libertarians who are idea-driven, socially liberal, and pro-democracy, and populist libertarians who seek mass support through culture-war, conspiratorial, and sometimes authoritarian tactics.
  2. Many people wear libertarianism as a form of vice signaling rather than from a sober understanding of economics, which lets grifters, conspiracy theorists, and hardline cultural agitators dominate the movement.
  3. Being part of the conservative coalition once helped libertarians advance pro-market policies, but the recent populist takeover has broken that bargain, so lasting success now requires persuading intellectual elites and idea-focused audiences.

Will Iran break MAGA?

Silver Bulletin • 486 implied HN points • 11 Mar 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political elites
  1. Republican voters remain largely loyal to Trump and, so far, strongly support the Iran war; surprisingly, self-identified MAGA Republicans are even more pro-war than other GOP voters.
  2. The Republican elite is deeply split: traditional hawks and major donors back military action while prominent MAGA media figures and some lawmakers condemn it, creating an internal party clash.
  3. That elite split could reshape mass opinion over time — as Trump becomes a lame duck and younger or new GOP leaders push isolationism, elite views may trickle down and erode support, especially if the war brings US casualties or higher gas prices.

Chartbook 430 After the thugs.

Chartbook • 4391 implied HN points • 22 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political elites
  1. A powerful, unpredictable figure at the event created a rupture in normal political norms that pressured others into defensive, co‑dependent behavior.
  2. The gathering felt more like a tawdry spectacle of wealth and cronyism, with boastful deals, branded patriotism, and family members hustling in plain sight.
  3. The overall atmosphere left attendees and organizers feeling sick, anxious, and morally uneasy, pushing many toward reluctant compromises to avoid confrontation.

Yes, liberal hypocrisy has an actual face

Unreported Truths • 39 implied HN points • 19 Mar 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political elites
  1. A Princeton history professor openly opposes Donald Trump and generally supports progressive ideas and science, though he admits limits to how progressive he is.
  2. He lives in a university-subsidized house on Edgehill Road and objects to new housing being built close to his home.
  3. Many see this as a clear case of liberal hypocrisy — backing broad progressive policies while fighting local development that would affect his own neighborhood — and others find the contrast ironic.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

Jeffrey Epstein and Our Pre-Revolutionary Moment

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 704 implied HN points • 04 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political elites
  1. The Epstein files mix outlandish, unverified conspiracy claims with more plausible allegations, so it's hard to tell what is true.
  2. Some documents show real connections between powerful people and Epstein, and those revelations are already triggering resignations and police investigations.
  3. The public fury over these disclosures echoes historical pre-revolutionary moments and risks deepening distrust of elites and institutions.

The Backwards Populist Narrative on Covid

Richard Hanania's Newsletter • 1487 implied HN points • 10 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political elites
  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.

Is America Too Dumb For Democracy?

Slack Tide by Matt Labash • 181 implied HN points • 14 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political elites
  1. Anti-intellectualism and a long-standing "cult of ignorance" are woven into American political and cultural life, and that mindset undermines our ability to govern ourselves well.
  2. Credentials or smarts don’t guarantee good judgment, but proudly embracing ignorance is still dangerous and makes public life worse for everyone.
  3. When leaders and voters reward and root for stupidity, democracy becomes fragile; it isn’t lost yet, but it’s in a perilous state.

Elite Resistance to Trump: What Does It Mean?

God's Spies by Thomas Neuburger • 80 implied HN points • 05 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political elites
  1. The powerful will preserve the state's ability to wield extreme power while blaming and limiting the individual who used it.
  2. Agencies and tools like ICE are likely to remain funded and intact, so small reforms or criticisms won't remove the underlying capacity for abuse.
  3. If the rules that enabled these abuses aren't reversed now, they will stay in place for future presidents, and relying on elections alone won't eliminate the danger.

Bill Maher Humiliates Himself In Effort To Defend Climate Change Policies

Unmasked • 39 implied HN points • 15 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political elites
  1. He often plays a contrarian voice on the left, criticizing the Democratic Party and inviting guests from across the political spectrum.
  2. He loudly rejects "woke" ideas and calls out issues like allowing males to compete in women’s sports.
  3. Despite those positions, he displays a self-serving sense of superiority and seems to struggle when defending climate change policy, treating it like a personal obsession.

The System That Produced Dick Cheney Honors Dick Cheney

God's Spies by Thomas Neuburger • 115 implied HN points • 21 Nov 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political elites
  1. Dick Cheney was responsible for many deaths, especially during the Iraq War, which raises questions about how we honor political leaders.
  2. Prominent figures like Kamala Harris attended Cheney's funeral, highlighting the complex relationships within political elites, even when they don't always agree.
  3. The funeral had a bipartisan attendance, showing that elites often support one another to maintain their status and influence in society.

Producers and Parasites

In My Tribe • 759 implied HN points • 01 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political elites
  1. Political elites can be divided into two groups: producers who create goods and services and parasites who rely on those producers for income. This distinction helps understand their political leanings.
  2. Some professions, like lawyers and government workers, can straddle the line between being productive and parasitic. Not all roles in these fields are equally beneficial to society.
  3. There is debate about the Woke movement. Some see them as part of the parasitic group, while others argue that many symbolic professionals also contribute positively to society.

The Last Big Mystery of the New York City Mayoral Election

Michael Tracey • 40 implied HN points • 11 Nov 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political elites
  1. Zohran Mamdani used a smart strategy to win the Democratic nomination by connecting with young progressive voters. This new coalition helped him secure a solid base for his campaign.
  2. He shifted his image from an outsider to a mainstream politician by aligning with political elites and making compromises. This included getting the backing of Governor Kathy Hochul to solidify his position.
  3. There are allegations of a secret deal involving Curtis Sliwa that could have influenced the election outcome. While some claim Sliwa was offered money to drop out, details about this supposed bribery remain unclear.

Our Greatest Existential Threat

Anxiety Addiction & Ascension • 118 implied HN points • 06 Jun 23
🌍 World Politics Political elites
  1. Existential threats are often portrayed as unseen, lurking dangers that terrify us. Popular threats include pandemics, climate change, and alien invasions.
  2. The true existential threat to humanity lies with the power elites who govern us. War, genocide, and other actions by ruling elites have caused more human deaths than major pandemics.
  3. Fear-inducing narratives like climate change are used to distract from the real threat posed by familiar leaders. The greatest danger often comes from those we know rather than unknown external forces.

Links to Consider, 10/23/2024

In My Tribe • 182 implied HN points • 23 Oct 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political elites
  1. American politics has been stuck in a deadlock because both parties are close in power, leading to constant fighting for control. This makes elections contentious and the political environment very tense.
  2. Public-private partnerships can lead to problems like corruption and a focus on global interests over national ones. This disconnect can happen when these partnerships are not accountable to the public.
  3. In India, excessive regulations and government control hinder economic growth and worsen poverty. Many people work informally because the rules are so strict that it limits job opportunities.

URGENT: Donald Trump is on track to win decisively tonight

Unreported Truths • 82 implied HN points • 06 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political elites
  1. Donald Trump is expected to win by a large margin in the upcoming election, possibly carrying all seven swing states. This suggests strong support from ordinary Americans against the political elite.
  2. He's likely to become the first Republican candidate since 2004 to win the popular vote, which shows a significant shift in voter sentiment.
  3. Trump's victory would represent a major rejection of the Democratic Party and the broader American elite, signaling a desire for change in how things are run.

Who are the Elites?

Political Currents by Ross Barkan • 14 implied HN points • 06 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political elites
  1. Elites are individuals who have power and wealth, like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Donald Trump. Even if they claim to be against elites, they still fit into the elite category because of their status.
  2. Kennedy's views, especially about vaccines and public health, make some elites very uncomfortable. He challenges mainstream beliefs that many elites support, which shows a division in elite perspectives.
  3. Many professionals need to think about why someone like Kennedy has followers and the decline of trust in traditional institutions. The situation is complex and not just about misinformation.