The hottest Public Opinion Substack posts right now

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

At least five interesting things: Will of the Masses edition (#55)

Noahpinion • 17353 implied HN points • 16 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Opinion
  1. Many young Americans are moving away from platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook. They are using social media less, possibly because they prefer real-life interactions or find these platforms unhealthy.
  2. The rise of drones is changing our lives and making us more vulnerable. As drones become more common, people are realizing the potential threats they pose to safety and privacy.
  3. Asian voters are increasingly leaning towards the GOP in elections. Key issues driving this shift include concerns about crime, inflation, and educational opportunities.

The Trump Derangement Index

In My Tribe • 607 implied HN points • 01 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Opinion
  1. Tribalism and affective polarization make people fear and dislike opposing groups, which undermines compromise, trust, and fact-based political debate.
  2. Some progressives reject the idea that polarization is symmetric and instead portray the right as an existential, fascistic threat, while both sides have grown louder and more tribal in their rhetoric.
  3. The Trump Derangement Index is a simple scale that asks who you'd prefer over Trump, showing how people can prefer many non-Trump Republicans yet still favor Trump over most leading Democrats.

The Myth of the $140,000 Poverty Line

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 1358 implied HN points • 30 Nov 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Opinion
  1. The proposal to raise the poverty line to $140,000 rests on flawed assumptions and cherry-picked evidence.
  2. It mixes up the cost of merely participating in modern American life with a proper poverty definition, and that misuse of concepts and data weakens the argument.
  3. There really are affordability problems in the U.S., but redefining poverty this way doesn’t clarify those problems or offer a useful solution.

Giant Electoral Asteroid Strikes America's Intellectual Class, Which Fails to Notice

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 20001 implied HN points • 06 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Opinion
  1. The American intellectual class seems out of touch with the reality of elections. They often seem surprised by the outcomes despite all the past events leading up to them.
  2. There has been a lot of strong messaging against certain political figures, but it hasn't changed public opinion much. This disconnect shows the ineffectiveness of their strategies.
  3. Many people feel that the way news and ideas are spread has created a bubble, leaving critical voices unheard. It's as if they are communicating from a place that doesn't reflect the views of everyday people.

Pardon Me, But This Is Bullshit

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 17954 implied HN points • 05 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Opinion
  1. The idea of pardoning someone like Anthony Fauci suggests there may be unreported wrongdoing. It makes you wonder what crimes might actually be involved.
  2. When officials say they are 'weighing' pardons, it often means they've already made up their minds. They just want to see how the public reacts first.
  3. Criticism from political opponents usually indicates broader problems. It's not just one side that's upset; it could be a sign of bigger issues at play.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

ACX Survey Results 2025

Astral Codex Ten • 14591 implied HN points • 29 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Opinion
  1. The survey showed that people's attitudes about Donald Trump have changed positively, with his favorability ratings increasing over time.
  2. About 4.5% of participants reported experiencing Long COVID, and while new cases are appearing, many seem to improve over time.
  3. Most respondents prefer older architecture over modern styles, and they tend to support softer approaches to punishment for minor crimes like shoplifting.

Mike Huckabee Is A Deranged Armageddon Cultist

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 6733 implied HN points • 18 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Opinion
  1. Mike Huckabee's text to Trump emphasizes a strong religious belief in his role as a servant, suggesting a deep connection between power and faith. This raises questions about the influence of religious fanaticism in politics.
  2. The tensions with Iran are more about power and control than actual threats from nuclear weapons. The U.S. and Israel seek to dominate the region, regardless of Iran's nuclear ambitions.
  3. People can be misled by political figures, but it's important to recognize when you've been fooled. Admitting mistakes is a key step towards understanding the truth and reshaping your beliefs.

65,000 Rape-Related Pregnancies in Anti-Choice States

All in Her Head by Jessica Valenti • 5916 implied HN points • 24 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Opinion
  1. In anti-choice states, there have been 65,000 rape-related pregnancies since abortion bans were passed.
  2. Conservative groups try to downplay the frequency of rape-related pregnancies to push their anti-abortion agenda.
  3. A study revealing the high number of rape-related pregnancies makes it hard for anti-choice groups to hide their extremism.

Begin the Deprogramming: There Was No "Pandemic of the Unvaccinated"

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 18799 implied HN points • 08 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Opinion
  1. The vaccines didn't work as well as promised, and it's important to look at how the public was informed about them. Many people might have been misled about their effectiveness.
  2. There was a lot of pressure from officials to follow strict guidelines, but some of these recommendations may not have been based on solid research.
  3. The narrative that there was a 'pandemic of the unvaccinated' was likely part of a larger campaign, aimed at stirring emotions and turning the public against each other.

In Defense of Terry Moran

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 6746 implied HN points • 12 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Opinion
  1. Media companies need to decide if reporters should have personal opinions or just report the news. It's confusing for journalists when they are expected to be both.
  2. Terry Moran was fired for expressing his view about a political figure on Twitter, which raises questions about how personal social media use affects reporters' jobs.
  3. This situation shows the conflict in today's media. Reporters are told to be public personalities but also face backlash for sharing their thoughts.

The Supreme Danger

The Status Kuo • 10593 implied HN points • 02 Jul 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Opinion
  1. The Supreme Court's recent rulings could have negative real-world consequences.
  2. The Court's decisions show a disregard for established legal principles like precedent and standing.
  3. Public trust in the Court is decreasing due to perceived overreaching and lack of restraint.

Weaponizing Anger, Malignant Narcissism, Logical Chimpanzees

Rob Henderson's Newsletter • 1287 implied HN points • 04 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Opinion
  1. Anger can be used as a powerful tool in politics. It's often leveraged to rally people and gain support for various causes.
  2. Chimpanzees have shown surprising reasoning skills, similar to young children. They can change their decisions based on new and better information.
  3. Research indicates that relationships among gay male couples are generally more stable than those between female couples. In general, women are more likely to end relationships compared to men.

In Election Aftermath, Hollywood Smashes Records for Lack of Self-Awareness

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 18171 implied HN points • 07 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Opinion
  1. Jimmy Kimmel and other Hollywood figures showed a lack of self-awareness after the recent election. They seemed surprised by the outcomes and how others viewed their influence.
  2. Kimmel's emotional response highlighted the disconnect between Hollywood elites and everyday voters. Many people feel misunderstood by the media and entertainment industry.
  3. There's a growing debate about the future of late-night talk shows. Kimmel's remarks suggest that their relevance might be fading as viewers have different expectations today.

Trump’s Voters Will Back an Iran Strike

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 241 implied HN points • 05 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Opinion
  1. MAGA leaders push a noninterventionist line, but many of their voters don't actually share that view.
  2. Recent polls show large support among Trump voters for military action: about half would back action in Iran, 61% of 'MAGA Republicans' favored intervention there, and 65% supported military action in at least one country.
  3. American attitudes toward foreign intervention shift with events, so the political right can be isolationist at times and interventionist at others, surprising its ideologues.

Happy Independence Day, NPR

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 5087 implied HN points • 17 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Opinion
  1. The Senate voted to cut $1.1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which funds NPR and PBS. This means NPR might lose federal support after many years.
  2. The vote is seen as a win for those who believe the government should not fund media, regardless of political views.
  3. While NPR claims this is an attack on press freedom, the reality is that a small part of its budget comes from federal funds, meaning it can still survive without it.

Daily Poll Update - October 2, 2020

COVID Reason • 118 implied HN points • 02 Oct 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Opinion
  1. The daily updates will share the latest averages for polls leading up to the election. This will help people understand the current landscape of voter opinions.
  2. Currently, the national poll shows Harris leading Trump by a small margin. It's close, so every vote will really count.
  3. The updates will continue consistently over the next 30 days as the election approaches. It's a crucial time for voters to stay informed.

2024: Year of the Coverup

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 14560 implied HN points • 28 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Opinion
  1. In 2024, many real stories got ignored while media focused on flashy but fake news events. This trend was called the 'year of the pseudo-event.'
  2. Media elites tried to cover up their incompetence by crafting unrealistic narratives, but this only highlighted their failures.
  3. Important issues were overshadowed by superficial stories, leading to big questions about trust and transparency being left unanswered.

They Voted for Trump, Not for His Immigration Detention Center

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 92 implied HN points • 24 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Opinion
  1. When residents learned federal plans to convert a nearby warehouse into a huge immigration detention center, their political loyalty to the president broke down.
  2. Federal officials planned to buy a 798,000-square-foot warehouse and convert it into a facility with room for about 8,500 detainees as part of a broader mass deportation strategy.
  3. A reliably Republican community pushed back against the project, showing that direct local impacts can outweigh partisan loyalty.

L’affaire Dokoupil: Is Ta-Nehisi Coates deeply ignorant, a bigoted antisemite, or both?

Carolina Curmudgeon • 59 implied HN points • 12 Oct 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Opinion
  1. Ta-Nehisi Coates faced criticism for his views on Israel in a recent book, which some believe are biased and factually incorrect.
  2. Tony Dokoupil, the CBS host who questioned Coates, was admonished by CBS News, sparking a debate about media standards and questioning important figures.
  3. The discussion around Coates' statements raises concerns about the portrayal of Israel, with some arguing that he presents a one-sided narrative that ignores broader context.

Good Riddance, Jasmine Crockett

QTR’s Fringe Finance • 54 implied HN points • 04 Mar 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Opinion
  1. Her loud, spectacle-driven style won viral attention but lost voter confidence. People want representatives who focus on governing and the less glamorous work, not constant performance.
  2. Public gaffes and factual errors—on TV and in public statements—undermined her credibility as a lawyer and congresswoman. Those mistakes made opponents and neutral voters question how carefully she handles facts.
  3. A more conventional, policy-focused challenger appealed to voters and won, showing that elections often reflect long-term impressions rather than single incidents. Blaming procedural issues after the loss came across as an excuse rather than accountability.

On immigration, what Americans want is democratic control

Noahpinion • 16823 implied HN points • 28 Oct 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Opinion
  1. Many Americans want more control over immigration because they feel it should be a democratic process where everyone has a say. They want to choose who comes into the country.
  2. Polls show that while many people support high-skilled immigration and a pathway to citizenship, there is also support for deporting those who are in the country illegally. This shows mixed feelings about immigration.
  3. The recent surge in asylum seekers has frustrated many because it seems to bypass established immigration laws. People want better management of immigration to reflect their democratic choices.

Noam Chomsky Was Right About Epstein

Michael Tracey • 184 implied HN points • 13 Feb 26
🎭️ Culture Public Opinion
  1. A strong public backlash has formed against Noam Chomsky, with many former colleagues disowning him while he is elderly and partly incapacitated, and critics often haven't checked the facts.
  2. The alleged sexual misconduct by Epstein mainly dates to 2005 or earlier, so Chomsky's meetings with him in the 2010s occurred long after those incidents and claims that he ignored ongoing child abuse are misleading.
  3. Chomsky and other academics exchanged intellectual ideas with Epstein, and some innocuous communications are being misread as sinister, prompting overbroad institutional reactions and a moral panic.

The New York Times Comments Section is Hilarious and Depraved

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 12326 implied HN points • 08 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Opinion
  1. Less censorship on social media could lead to a wider spread of misinformation. Some people are worried about what this means for public discourse.
  2. The New York Times comments section shows a divide among readers on the issue of free speech, with many expressing fear over less content moderation.
  3. Critics of social media platforms often focus on their role in political events, showing how media coverage can shape public opinion about these companies.

Backlash: Seek Truth from Facts

Bet On It • 155 implied HN points • 10 Feb 26
🌍 World Politics Public Opinion
  1. The idea that higher immigration inevitably triggers a political backlash that sharply reduces future immigration is speculative and often overstated; real-world outcomes can surprise predictions.
  2. People are overconfident about both the direction and size of political effects: populist victories can happen without high immigration, and when they happen they don’t always lead to big cuts in immigration.
  3. If you truly support open immigration, treat it as a core moral and practical priority and demand strong empirical evidence of massive political blowback before changing course, because many nominal supporters are easily swayed by minor events.

Top Links 970 Worrying about the US labour market. Adorno on sociology & the genocidal logic of permanent security.

Chartbook • 500 implied HN points • 02 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Opinion
  1. Growing worry about the US labour market means politics may shift to caring more about jobs than about prices.
  2. Sociological critique warns that a drive for “permanent security” can create a logic that justifies extreme, even genocidal, measures.
  3. A curated collection of links, images, and readings pulls together analysis and evidence to explore these economic and sociological debates.

Centrism's Anger Problem

The Ruffian • 215 implied HN points • 07 Feb 26
🌍 World Politics Public Opinion
  1. Centrism is an attitude that prizes calm, proportion, competence and evidence-based, practical problem-solving over emotional reactions.
  2. Because centrists avoid strong emotion, they struggle to express or channel public anger and can seem politically impotent when scandals or populist fury take hold.
  3. Focusing on episodic scandals or old revelations can distract from bigger, concrete problems like the economy, housing and public services, and some issues legitimately demand anger.

😱 The stories that teach America to fear the future

Faster, Please! • 548 implied HN points • 07 Jan 26
🎭️ Culture Public Opinion
  1. American culture often frames technological progress as a looming threat, turning innovations into stories about danger instead of opportunity.
  2. Local projects like data centers force trade-offs in people’s minds — some see jobs and investment while others worry about higher bills, environmental harm, and neighborhood change.
  3. The mix of optimism and anxiety fuels NIMBY opposition and bigger fears about AI and automation, making technological progress a political and cultural battleground.

Why Politicians Should Stay Inside the Overton Window (Even When the Cause Is Just)

Bet On It • 105 implied HN points • 17 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Opinion
  1. Politicians who push views far outside what most voters accept can make it harder to achieve real reforms, because opponents can caricature them and coalitions can break down.
  2. There’s a division of labor: writers and activists expand what people can imagine, while elected politicians need to court public opinion and build coalitions to turn ideas into law.
  3. History shows moral urgency matters, but practical, moderate political strategies are often needed to win elections and pass durable reforms.

Goodbye to 2024, America's Craziest Year

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 11962 implied HN points • 31 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Opinion
  1. Many Americans have started ignoring the news because they believe it will be bad. However, there are still many positive things happening that they miss out on.
  2. Access to healthcare has improved so much that even the poorest today can receive better care than some of the richest people did in the past.
  3. 2024 highlighted a spiritual crisis in America where extreme partisan beliefs began to crumble, showing a shift away from political conflicts toward a more hopeful outlook.

Recency Bias

Points And Figures • 799 implied HN points • 16 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Opinion
  1. People overweight recent events and flip opinions quickly, which leads to hot takes and 180-degree swings in judgment.
  2. Media often amplifies mistakes and negative news more than successes, which distorts how well things are actually going.
  3. Upcoming policy changes and investments can change the economic and political picture by election time, so early predictions may be premature.

Could Luigi Mangione Walk Free?

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 755 implied HN points • 16 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Opinion
  1. Luigi Mangione has become a folk hero and even a sex symbol, and that public image could shape how jurors and the public view the case. That popularity might influence the outcome more than the actual evidence.
  2. His lawyer is pushing a pretrial suppression hearing and invoking the exclusionary rule to try to block the backpack evidence found at his arrest. If the court excludes that evidence, the prosecution’s case could be seriously weakened.
  3. Because of the spectacle around the case and legal technicalities, an acquittal could happen not by disproving the charges but through courtroom drama and public fervor. The carnival of American criminal justice can let someone walk free despite troubling facts.

If Paul Krugman Didn't Have Enough Juice at the New York Times, Who Could?

Freddie deBoer • 9560 implied HN points • 17 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Opinion
  1. Heavy editing can take away a writer's unique voice. It's important for writers to maintain their style even when being edited.
  2. Big organizations may see their employees as replaceable, which can affect morale and creativity. This can lead to a competition where everyone fears losing their job.
  3. The pressures of being in an elite institution can change how content is produced. Writers may face strict guidelines that limit creative freedom.

Woke Elvis Resigns

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 11425 implied HN points • 06 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Opinion
  1. Justin Trudeau resigned as Canadian Prime Minister after his approval ratings dropped significantly during his time in office. It marks a big change for someone who was once very popular.
  2. His story serves as a reminder for men about the importance of maintaining respect and connection with the people they lead.
  3. Trudeau's decline in popularity and embarrassing fall from grace will likely be talked about for generations as a cautionary tale.

The signal and the noise

Comment is Freed • 94 implied HN points • 21 Feb 26
📰 News Public Opinion
  1. You can’t fix unclear strategy or a bad product just by improving communications; if leaders aren’t clear about what they want, better messaging won’t change outcomes.
  2. The media environment has fragmented so much that traditional channels no longer reliably deliver attention or credit for policies, and voters often don’t notice or associate actions with the government.
  3. Politicians need to rethink how they reach people instead of simply adding a few social posts to old tactics — new formats and strategies are required to cut through short attention spans and platform limits.

Exxon Presents: Regime Change™

The Rubesletter by Matt Ruby (of Vooza) | Sent every Tuesday • 427 implied HN points • 05 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Opinion
  1. U.S. moves on Venezuela are mostly about oil and profit, with big oil companies and military contractors standing to gain from regime change.
  2. Toppling a dictator can feel like a win, but forced regime change risks major instability and harm to ordinary Venezuelans even if some people celebrate.
  3. Political leaders are likely to wrap resource grabs in patriotic or populist language, normalizing militarized actions and ignoring the hypocrisy of criticizing 'socialism' while seizing foreign assets.

Hate Thy Neighbor: How Progressive D.C. Treats National Guardsmen with Contempt

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 820 implied HN points • 07 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Opinion
  1. National Guardsmen in D.C. have been met with hostility and contempt. For example, Specialist Sarah Beckstrom was reportedly spat at by locals before she was killed in an ambush.
  2. Progressive, well-off D.C. residents have openly expressed resistance to the National Guard and ICE, with calls to “resist” appearing on neighborhood listservs and other local venues.
  3. The city’s strong political uniformity doesn’t fully explain the rancor, and the Guard’s mobilization under presidential orders has intensified local backlash and raised moral questions about how neighbors and service members are treated.

What Has Been Lost In Israel/Gaza

Castalia • 1019 implied HN points • 11 Jun 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Opinion
  1. The narrative of Jewish victimhood is changing, as Israel's actions in the conflict have started to challenge the idea of Jewish innocence and justification. Many are struggling with the moral implications of these actions, feeling a sense of grief and complicity.
  2. Hope for reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians is fading. Past optimism around peace agreements now feels unlikely, as historical grievances on both sides make a peaceful resolution seem more distant.
  3. The international community's role as a mediator is diminishing. Israel feels increasingly isolated and perceived as a pariah state, making diplomatic efforts less effective in the face of ongoing violence.

2024: Frail vs. Flawed

Diane Francis • 739 implied HN points • 01 Jul 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Opinion
  1. Joe Biden showed weaknesses during a debate but seemed fine the next day, leading to questions about his performance. This highlights concerns about the mental fitness of leaders.
  2. Voters are likely to choose between candidates who have their own flaws, no matter how bad they might be. People seem to support their sides regardless of the issues.
  3. The upcoming election seems set to be very competitive and messy, with both candidates having traits that many find concerning. It's shaping up to be a tough race.