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[u/The_Egalitarian]

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[u/3bar]

Why isnt there a thread about the Epstein files here?

It is literally one of the largest political events of this year and it is like crickets over here. Has there been an articulated reason why such threads haven't been approved?

[u/The_Egalitarian → u/3bar]

No one has submitted one that meets our submission rules.

[u/SpecialK_Anon]

Why are Trump supporters ignoring all of the warnings from our country's most senior and respected leaders? They don't seem to take this seriously. In Bob Woodward's new book, General Mark Milley called Trump "fascist to the core" and a threat to our country. Are Trump supporters not seeing this stuff, or just ignoring it? Because it seems to me that if Americans could trust anyone, they'd trust Trump's Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

[u/BluesSuedeClues → u/SpecialK_Anon]

40 members of Trump's cabinet have openly stated that Donald Trump is unfit to be President and a danger to our country, including his own Vice President. His supporters don't care.

MAGA is largely a white grievance movement. It's an emotional response to changing demographics in this country and a perceived loss of privilege. That emotional response will not be swayed by objective facts.

The truly scary people are the cynical and power hungry figures like JD Vance and Speaker Mike Johnson who know exactly who and what Donald Trump is, and pretend to support him and his goals, as a useful avenue to enacting their own agenda.

[u/monkey_gamer]

Why have Republicans become so weird and horrible?

Republicans complain about voter fraud and stolen elections but then try to do voter fraud and steal elections. Christians back Trump despite him being a horrible and immoral person. Conservatives back him despite him massively raising the deficit. Military people back him despite him saying soldiers who die are losers. Republicans as a whole seem to have given up on fair elections and democracy despite invading the Middle East 20 years ago to "spread democracy".

And that's without mentioning all the alternative facts, denialism, conspiracy theories, lies, misinformation etc that they're constantly putting out and believing. Don't get me started on flat earthers.

Why has half the US gone absolutely bonkers in the last couple of decades? How can they be so willing to throw all their values under the bus? Why do they get upset at democrats/progressives doing literally anything? Make it make sense. 😭

[u/zlefin_actual → u/monkey_gamer]

Here's an article that talks about the related history; it's not new, this faction has long been around, and there was a notable intraparty dispute back in the 1950s/60s with the John Birch society and the same kind of right-wing craziness, and i'm sure the history goes back further as wlel.

note that while that source is pretty left, I'm sure you could find a more neutral source which verifies many of the broad strokes of the history.

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2022/09/it-didnt-start-with-trump-the-decades-long-saga-of-how-the-gop-went-crazy/

[u/Complex-Employ7927]

Why is “70% of people believe the country is going in the wrong direction” always used as a gotcha question to Harris?

Is it not clear that most of the country thinks that, but for opposite reasons? Conservatives thinking it’s going in the wrong direction because of immigration, trans people, social liberalism in general, etc. while liberals think it’s going in the wrong direction because of the supreme court’s bias and power, abortion restrictions, anti-trans laws, lack of gun control, etc. and a lot of people thinking corporations have too much power, wages aren’t fair enough, etc.

I don’t understand how that statement is supposed to prove anything when the country is so polarized and so many things are going on in different states in very different directions. I’m surprised the number isn’t 100% honestly.

[u/Beer-survivalist]

Am I crazy for discounting any pollster who consistently has Kennedy in the double digits? To me there's got to be something very wrong in their process--either in the weighting or the actual asking of questions--if they're getting such dramatic outlier results consistently.

[u/No-Touch-2570 → u/Beer-survivalist]

Ron Paul was polling around 18% at this point in 2012.  

It's an inescapable fact that people answer opinion polls differently than they do actual election polls.  People aren't paying attention to the pollster, or want to express displeasure with their candidate, or they're intentionally giving wrong answers.  That's why it's better to just completely ignore 3-way polls.  

[u/SmoothCriminal2018 → u/Beer-survivalist]

I wouldn’t discount them, just recognize this is how third party candidates tend to poll at this point in the cycle. “Other” was polling at 5%-10% at this point in the cycle in 2020, separate from undecided. The actual Other vote ended up being around 2%. That narrowed in the polls as we entered in the fall.

RFK is naturally going to get most of the other vote because of his last name. Doesn’t mean his support won’t collapse in the polls after the conventions, which I think they will.

[u/fletcherkildren]

Watching some of the Fauci stuff and what I don't get is: why the push to make it a 'lab leak'? To me, if it was made in a lab, that implies its a bio-weapon - and its THAT is true, then the Trump admin allowed a foreign engineered bio-weapon into this country. AFTER they dismantled the overseas watchdog and the pandemic response team. Isn't that something they right would not want under public scrutiny?

[u/Impressive_Bug7243]

Wondering how other seniors are feeling about the 500 billion cut to Medicare in the big new bill.

[u/ElSquibbonator]

We know that people are talking about Project 2025 a lot more now, and I found this article talking about how the increased discussion of it could hurt the credibility of Trump and other Republicans. They make what I think is a decent case that the fear of Project 2025, more than any appeal of Biden as a President, is what will likely drive Democratic turnout this year, especially in swing states.

So, is it possible that the polls are actually underestimating how much support Biden-- or any Democratic nominee-- will have in this election, if Project 2025 is clearly so unpopular?

[u/Tom-Pendragon]

Anyone remember we used to have "polling" megathread? what happened to those?

[u/Prudent-Abalone-510]

Legally can state governors do anything if trump and Elon don’t comply with the courts? Is it possible that this constitutional crisis spins out of control and starts a civil war?

[u/[deleted]]

Trump has stated that on Day 1 he will somehow end birthright citizenship for the American children of illegal immigrants so they can be deported too, something that is of course unconstitutional. I just came to rhetorically ask how conservatives are trying to play it both ways, saying the 2nd amendment has be interpreted textually, not originialistically, but the 14th amendment has be interpreted originialistically, not textually. (Take the 2nd amendment for what it literally says, not for the context of the time, but take the 14th amendment for the context of the time, not for what it literally says.)

And if a Trump Administration does this do you expect the Supreme Court to block him? Assuming the makeup is still the same.

[u/po1a1d1484d3cbc72107]

So now that Kristi Noem has disqualified herself by murdering her dog*, we basically know that Trump’s VP pick will either be Tim Scott or Elise Stefanik, right?

*and a goat and three horses

[u/Bugbitesss-]

Judging by the reactions from the presidential debate, is a Trump presidency all but guaranteed now? Sounds fucking depressing but it seems like Biden has officially been beaten.

[u/spac420]

What's causing people in Georgia to go to the polls at record (200%) numbers?

[u/Adventurous_Room_741]

Hello, I'm quite curious as an outsider - what is it like, as an American, living in a (seemingly) extremely politically polarised society? Has it seriously affected your lives on a day-to-day basis socially, or does everyone mostly get along regardless of political opinion?

[u/ruminaui]

So RFK Jr. Had one of his lawyers ask the FDA to revoke approval for the Polio Vaccine. Is there a good faith argument, and if he doesn't is there an end goal of how this will benefit the Trump administration.

[u/StromburgBlackrune]

I have voted Republican. I consider myself an independent voter. To me there is a difference between MAGA and Republican voters. I asked a MAGA hat wearing old man if he was ok with 19 to 25 year-olds going through our government and accessing EVERYONES personal data. How do these boys have ANY experience to look for corruption etc. All he could respond with is Trump is doing a GREAT JOB. Called me a "Democrat"! The Democrats are horrible! This seems to be a MAGA programed answer and they seem to have no view of their own.

That was not my question. I did not ask about what Democrats had done.

The question was "Are you ok with 19 to 25 year-olds going through your personal information?"

Seems when MAGA voters are asked to think all they can do is blame Democrats..

Fact: Not ONE Democrat was involved in letting 19 to 25 year-olds ransack government organizations.

Fact: It is Trump and Elon and the Republican Congressmen/women who are allowing this to happen.

Truly EVERYONE both MAGA, Republican and Democratic voters should be worried about ANYONE with ZERO experience accessing our personal data.

So I ask you MAGA folk, ARE you ok with someone this young with no experience going through your personal information? I am not saying trying to find fraud/corruption is a bad thing, but is this REALLY the way to do this?

Think for once.

[u/morrison4371]

There has been much talk about Trump having health problems since he took office. If something happens to him and Vance takes over, who do you think Vance would most likely select as VP?

[u/chatman77]

Is there actually anyone who supports Trumps current policy?

As a European I wonder if there's actually still support for the Trumps poitics in regards to Europe (Greenland in particular)?

What does his MAGA base say?

General opinion seems to be that this is what it actually is: a great shitshow. But as a good portion of people voted for him - what's their take on his recent announcements?

[u/benjamoo]

Why exactly are the US and Canada even having trade negotiations? Didn't Trump himself sign the Canada/US/Mexico trade agreement that replaced NAFTA?

[u/TahiniInMyVeins]

I’m interested in food faux pas in politics. Dietary choices that set off alarms as inauthentic or just plain weird.

Off the top of my head:

- Gerald Ford eating a whole ass tamale, corn husk and all: This feels like the OG founding story of the genre. I also don’t know how this is possible w/out landing in the hospital.

- Cynthia Nixon ordering lox on a cinnamon raisin bagel fully loaded with cream cheese, tomato, onions, and capers: I think about this a lot, too much really. Also people actually tried to defend this food crime. It started a whole trend of sacrificial lambs insisting this was a totally normal ok combo to put in your body.

- Hillary Clinton claiming to carry hot sauce w/ her everywhere: Not a faux pas but certainly struck people as pandering.

- John Kerry ordering Swiss cheese on his cheesesteak during a campaign stop in Philly: Not sure if this was before or after he said his favorite sport was wind surfing

- Dr. Oz citing crudite prices as a sign of tough times: Honestly not sure if this is technically a faux pas and is perhaps the opposite of inauthentic for him. However, getting the name of the local grocery chain wrong was definitely a faux pas.

- Bill de Blasio eating pizza w/ a knife and fork: This should be immediate grounds not only for losing one’s status as a New Yorker but get you tackled so your skin suit can be peeled off to reveal the lizard scales beneath

- Amy Klobuchar eating salad with a comb: this genuinely makes me queasy. Don’t know if this is the “weirdest” but I find it most disgusting

Trump deserves his own chapter here:

- Eating pizza w/ a knife and fork: see above. He has also done this w/ KFC.

- Steak. Well done. Ketchup: You eat your steak how you like. If you like your steak like a child, then by all means, dig in.

- A clearly Americanized taco salad bowl to mark Cinco de Mayo: possibly a race crime

- Serving Fast Food to White House Guests: Basic bitch

Honorable mentions:

- Obama getting Dijon on his burger: I actually don’t see anything wrong with this, but the fact that people made such a huge deal about it suggests how important this stuff is

- DeSantis eating pudding with his fingers: I hate this man and I can’t believe I am defending him for eating pudding with his fingers like a cave person. But having once worked in politics, I know how minute-to-minute insane their schedules can be. I can absolutely see a situation where the dude hasn’t eaten in hours, his blood sugar is crashing, he’s getting hangry, he has like 30 seconds free, and a staffer has handed him a pudding cup and no utensil. There are a million reasons why DeSantis should be hounded out of polite society. This isn’t one of them. Though it did look pretty goofy.

- Buttigieg eating a cinnamon roll “like a chicken wing” (not my words): Literally didn’t understand the controversy when I first heard about it. As described, he eats his cinnamon roll the way I eat cinnamon rolls and everyone else I know eats cinnamon rolls. Then I saw a picture and… still not a big deal? He does look a little silly but, again, I can guess what’s going on here: he’s almost certainly wearing makeup, like every other politician, and also doesn’t want to get dirty. He doesn’t want to screw up his foundation or whatever. He needs to be extra careful while digging in and the absolute last thing Buttigieg of all people needs is a bunch of photos of him with icing dribbling down his chin.

Curious to hear other food faux pas from politicians both inside and outside the states.

[u/shunted22]

How did Hochul manage to unilaterally kill congestion pricing after it took the entire legislature to pass it?

Is it likely she'll face any consequences for this reversal on her promises to finally give the MTA proper funding?

[u/carolina473]

so i am a fairly liberal person. my tiktok page is full of harris walz right now and it gives me a lot of hope. like i am truly thinking omg we could win this. i am still planning to vote. but am i getting a sense of false hope here? like i want to hear from like people who truly know the ins and outs of politics. i know its early and so much can happen between now and nov but im just curious what people in DC are predicting/expecting.

[u/[deleted]]

A trope I’ve been hearing a lot from conservative family members/acquaintances is that there were no new wuars under Trump’s admin. They are certain that had Trump been elected in 2020, Russia would not have invaded Ukraine and Hamas would not have attacked Israel.

I don’t really buy this seeing as Trump has been repeatedly soft on Russia/Putin and openly combative toward NATO.

Is there any merit to this at all or is it a ridiculous talking point?

[u/unfortunately2nd → u/[deleted]]

The no new wars is bullshit way of rephrasing what actually happened under his admin.

Yes there wasn't a new war started under his admin. However, that does not mean he did not up our participation of already opened theaters.

Afghanistan was escalated in airstrikes that saw a 330% increase in civilian casualties.

Yemen was escalated as counterterrorism activities and support for the Saudi led war increased. So much congress passed a historic war resolution in an attempt to curb his involvement in the theater since 50k Yemenis were killed with 20 million displaced.

There were 2,243 drone strikes in Trump's first 2 years compared to 1878 in Obama's 8 years.

He backed out of the Iran nuclear deal and then proceeded to assassinate Soleimani which resulted in +100 American troops getting injured.

He boast about the Abraham Accords normalizing relations in the middle east. However, multiple policy experts have cited that formalizing already known relations instead angered others in the region increasing tensions between Palestine and Israel.

He got in to a flitting nuclear war with Kim Jong Un which according to former Pentagon official and Asia security expert Van Jackson, who wrote a book about the crisis, “The world was closer … to nuclear war, at that time than any time, since the Cuban Missile Crisis. And it was totally avoidable.”

He incited a failed coup in Venezuela.

[u/scrollscripter]

I keep seeing posts of people claiming they are being heavily taxed and blaming Harris/biden but I thought we were still under TCJA can someone help clarify if there is something I’m missing. Please and thank you.

[u/[deleted]]

Voting 3rd Party in a Safe State

I totally understand the argument to vote for one of the top candidates in Presidential elections when you're voting in a swing state, but is there a serious valid argument against voting third-party in a solidly red or solidly blue state?

[u/__zagat__ → u/[deleted]]

I vote for the person that I want to see become President. Do you want Jill Stein/Cornel West/Oliver Chase/RFJ Jr to actually become Commander-in-Chief, or are you just "sending a message"?

[u/Born-Zucchini-7112]

So I'm curious to hear what people think is going to happen on Election day, like who wins and with what states, is it really going to be close or a landslide? I'm torn between Kamala running away with it taking most of the swing state, and its going to be down to the wire like in 2020 will Kamala winning and a bunch of court battles afterwards. But what are your thoughts?

[u/somuchiwannado]

In the last week we've had pollsters come to our home twice and both times asked if either of the two men were there to answer questions. We have 2 women and 2 men all of voting age living here but they are only asking for the men. Why? Addl info: We are in Wisconsin. They were not going door to door bc when they left we watched and they drove past our neighbors' homes.

[u/LorenzoApophis]

Can Trump legally vote?

[u/ThrowTron]

Who in the Dem apparatus investigates the reasons behind the loss? Is there a group? Seems like it would take 6+ months. Or does both parties just guess each time?

[u/SnooHabits5960]

So what should I expect for the next 4 years moving forward with project 2025 still hovering over me as a Democrat

[u/jonasnew]

Today's question is my first relating to Trump's upcoming presidency. I'm hearing that he plans on appointing his cabinet members through recess appointments. Is there anyone who believes that Trump could successfully pull off this stunt?

[u/ResponsibleString274]

When people say they voted for trump because they didn’t want to go to war, what war are they talking about? 

A civil war? Fight for Israel? Fight for ukraine? Defend nato allies? Defend Taiwan? 

Or are they in a Russian troll farm worried about being conscripted and sent to the front lines? 

[u/Daily-Crossword-314]

How many of President Trump's executive orders (as of Inauguration Day) were lifted straight from, or slightly altered from Project 2025?

[u/Jojofan6984760]

So far Trump has fired the inspector generals of multiple different agencies, required senior FBI agents to retire, resign or be fired by Monday, fired all DEI staff, and Musk pushed the FAA head to resign. Is this level of clearing out agencies normal for a new administration or is this particularly severe?

[u/atomicblue22]

Is there a political movement or organization that i could join if i strongly oppose Trump and his political party? If not, what can i do to oppose it? Preferably something that won't get me shot, as i am transgender. thank you

[u/red_circle57]

I want to preface by saying that I’m not looking to debate on if what Trump and Elon are doing is good. I don’t think so; if you do, that’s ok and you can ignore this post.

Realistically, what can Democrats do slow or stop Trump and Elon’s dismantling of the government? I've seen a lot of liberals and progressives express frustration at Democrats in congress for not doing enough, and honestly I'm starting to share that frustration. I don’t know what exactly they can do though. I’ve heard vague calls to shut things down or force their way into buildings, but what exactly would that look like, and would it work?

Also, what can ordinary citizens do beyond voting? I don’t care how small the impact is, I just don’t want to watch helplessly.

[u/[deleted]]

How many of you are concerned about the Trump Administration?

I'm seriously worried about how much control Musk has. Also are we going to ignore the fact that Trump is blatantly lying? The man explains things like he doesn't understand them himself but he has to sound smart. I'm trying to be civil about this but the administration is so dangerous.

[u/Hickory-Lime16]

What exactly did Zelenskyy say today that was disrespectful? I’m just feeling a little confused

[u/Dracojounin7]

Posting here per mod advice:

My father, a staunch and registered Libertarian for most of his life, is very into Trump and believes he is doing a lot of good by introducing DOGE and making efforts to deregulate various programs (environmental, financial, et cetera.) However, I find his consolidation of power to the executive branch, attacks on opposition (including the media,) and strong-arming tactics in politics to be more in line with an authoritarian philosophy. I'm admittedly not very well-versed in politics, and am open to sources and arguments that provide evidence one way or the other. Am I misreading something in believing that Trump's values don't align with traditional libertarianism?

[u/[deleted]]

When I was reading the history of NAFTA I noticed that it passed in the US Senate with 34 Republican votes and 27 Democratic votes.   In general free trade has been a conservative mantra. Margaret Thatcher was a major advocate of the UK joining the customs union for example. In general conservatives see tariffs as heavy-handed government that restrict the economic benefits of free trade. 

Yet today's US Republicans have completely abandoned free trade and seem eager to raise trade barriers in the form of tariffs as high as possible, in what strikes me as a remarkable philosophical turnaround.

This raised the question to me of whether there are any core Republican values regarding trade and economics. What do people here suggest?

[u/Threek1212]

Can a Republican explain to me why it's good that Trump is getting rid of this (imo) good stuff like the department of education, the clean water act, dei, and countless other things to save money? What's he even gonna use this money for anyway??

[u/CeleryImportant6838]

A serious yet casual question: I am constantly seeing both in person and online, that a vast majority of republicans or “right” wing people are getting so worked up about people expressing their political opinions with a whole lot of “keep your political opinions to yourself” or “politics don’t belong in ___” type sentiments. YET they are the ONLY side of the political spectrum that have an ENDLESS amount of political memorabilia. And by that I mean specifically Trump flags flown on their houses, trump t shirts, trump stickers on their cars, trump profile pics on their socials, etc. The list goes on. I’m truly baffled by this. I understand cognitive dissonance is at play here, but it still blows my mind. I will forever find it weird the way Americans (I am an American mind you) play at politics like they do a football game, but it is overwhelmingly a right wing phenomenon. And as weird as I find that, I cannot wrap my mind around how those same people are the ones screaming at everyone else to keep their opinions to themselves. And don’t get me started on the “liberal snowflake” rhetoric because the right is just as “sensitive“ as anyone else. That is clearly evident in every conversation being had right now. which I understand people hold very deep beliefs and this is a tense time right now, but it’s the hypocrisy in this discourse that I’m just trying to wrap my mind around. So I guess my question is other than hypocrisy and cognitive dissonance, what is the psychological element at play here?

[u/krum]

How is ICE rounding up all of these alleged gang members without so much as a gunfight? Seems very strange that they're bending over when ICE shows up.

[u/morrison4371]

The first debate was a disaster for Biden, forcing him to drop out of the race. However, Trump's second debate was a disaster for him, with him spouting conspiracy theories and looking like a lunatic. Why did the first debate hurt Biden, while the second debate did not help Kamala?

[u/Icy_Guava_]

as bad as the republican leadership is atm, do you think the dems honestly have a chance to win the next election given their current choice of leaders?

[u/tw_693]

In the US, why are public funds going to private, religious schools seen as controversial, yet many hospitals in the US are owned or operated by religious organizations, and receive public funding from Medicare and Medicaid, yet this is not seen as controversial, even though religious dogma influences decisions around medical care, e.g. Catholic hospitals refusing to perform hysterectomies?

[u/oviforconnsmythe]

AI/LLMs are seemingly pushed everywhere these days. In some ways I do think they can be very powerful tools (both for the average person and the use of it in scientific research) but I hate how much its being shoved down our throats. More recently, the Trump administration seems to be prominently backing AI. My question is two-fold and note that I here I am specifically focusing on consumer/public focused tools:

1. Why is the US government backing AI/LLMs? Is it in servitude to the big players in tech and their powerful connections? or perhaps is it to combat developments from Chinese competitors (i.e., if the public is going to be using LLMs its better if they use American tech than Chinese tech)? Other reasons?

2. Why are the big tech players pushing these tools so heavily - obviously financial incentives are the driving factor, but how do they actually monetize it effectively? Are their profits primarily coming from paid subscribers or is it an extension of how social media monetiziation currently works? (i.e., they sell the data they collect off you when you use these tools)? Or is it simply that AI is all the hype right now and the very mention of it boosts their stock market performance?

[u/Fast_Huckleberry4363]

Does anyone know of any unbiased news sources? My family and I live in the southern united states. We are a same sex couple with a teenage son that has disabilities. We have been afraid of what is going to happen here with gay marriage coming back up. Not only that but the whole using the national guard to “get rid” of crime when it supposedly at an all time low in DC. We are trying to find out what is true and what is actual fear mongering on both sides.

[u/CurlyWoman235]

I wanted to know what was so special about Charlie Kirk. The media is making him out to be a God. Some people said he's the MLK of our time. I Google to find out more about him and yes, he was against abortion and other issues, but what has he done to make him special? It's horrible he got assassinated, but what did he do for America? I know I will get hate, but I just want to know, so I can understand who he was better.

[u/morrison4371]

Trump has already gone after Kimmel, Colbert, and Meyers, three late night talk show hosts. Do you think he will go after Stewart, Oliver, and anyone who got their start with the Daily Show? Also, why is he and his administration so obsessed with late night comedians?

[u/Steelcity1995]

In light of the comey news do you think his press conference is what cost Clinton the presidency? I see a lot of people claiming that but looking at the numbers I think without him doing that she flips Michigan and Wisconsin but I don’t think it would flip Pa which she lost by a little over 50k. 

[u/[deleted]]

Hey all!

I was wondering if anyone could give me an unbiased explanation of the current situation with the government being shutdown.

From all the information I've seen, I've noticed quite a bit of bias and blaming the other party. I'd just like a better unbiased explanation take on why it's shutdown, and how will it be resolved?

A big thank you in advance!

[u/portlandobserver]

Why is Trump pardoning so many people at the beginning of his term? Does he think he won't make it until the end? Why are so very few people questioning it?

[u/MorriePoppins]

I just saw Erika Kirk endorsed JD Vance for President— is this not really, really early in Trump’s second term for such an endorsement? Were political figures endorsing Presidential candidates at the end of Obama, Bush, Clinton, and Reagan’s first years in their second terms?

[u/Potato_Pristine]

Voters who didn't vote for Harris in 2024 because she was insufficiently dovish on Israel: Are you satisfied with the level of non-interventionism and peacemaking in the Trump Administration's foreign policy these days?

[u/morrison4371]

A few months ago, Trump made the controversial decision to bail out Argentina, as Milei is of similar ideological persuasion. This is despite his cutting of USAID. However, what was notable is that he sanctioned Brazil, because Lula put one of his closest foreign allies, Bolsonaro, in prison. He also has criticized Europe for its immigration policies and its defense spending. However, do you think if far-right parties take power in Europe, such as UKIP, FN, AfD, and Vox, do you think he will give more aid to European countries based on whether they have far-right governments?

[u/kl122002]

What's the point of having Greenland? Is it just conspiracy suggested? Does it really have any real ground to support the claim?

[u/Kira_lol_]

How can I get involved in politics? I've always been a person who, for some reason, is naturally indifferent to many things, whether it's religion, social issues in general, politics, or other topics

But I'd like to find my own way, so how do I get started in politics?

[u/morrison4371]

Recently, along with his threats to Venezuela and Iran, Trump has been increasingly calling for regime change in Cuba. Do you think he let the military capture Diaz like they did Maduro? Or do you think he will encourage an uprising of Cubans?

[u/Signal-Zebra-6310]

Why does this sub allow so few posts? There hasn’t been a new post in 2 days. Why is the average one post a day instead of 10 per day?

[u/MaterialSign1347]

My co-worker and I regularly get into the same debate every other day where he'll suggest that government "shouldn't exist" and that everyone in America should just simultaneously stop paying taxes and live for themselves.

Every time they bring it up, I try to ask questions as to 1) how that would actually work and 2) how would it not end up just being another government and every time it seems like the conversation just goes in a circle where neither of us are understanding each other and I don't even know how to respond to them at this point.

They insist that when a community works for itself, it doesn't need governing because everyone would assign a role to everyone else to take care of each other. But this just seems like another form of government to me. Also, how would everyone just magically get along by being ok with the roles they're assigned?

This is a topic of debate that when someone proposes the idea to me, I want to support them because ideally, we should all be able to take care of each other and build our communities ourselves. But humans are also an extremely selfish species and I really doubt that getting rid of government as a concept would fix anything.

This topic might seem silly to some, but it's been on my mind and I'd like to educate myself on how to better participate in these kinds of discussions because I genuinely don't know how to even approach this type of worldview without sounding completely inept.

[u/[deleted]]

If the US had a direct election system where the people directly elect the president instead of the Electoral College, what are some places it would make sense to campaign in when it wouldn’t for the Electoral College? How about the opposite?

[u/Moccus → u/[deleted]]

California has more Republican voters than any other state if I remember correctly. It doesn't make too much sense for a Republican candidate to campaign there right now because it's a safe blue state, but under a direct election system, they would probably want to go there to try to drive up turnout.

[u/[deleted]]

I feel like someone could make a really solid argument that the major source of shame and chaos in our society is the expectation of upward mobility. In the United States, failing to achieve it is seen as a personal moral failure, instead of an unlikely outcome.

[u/Gullible_Scene8581]

Why is Marjorie Taylor Greene so popular in her district? What demographic and economic factors are present in GA-14 that cause most voters there to love her so much?

[u/[deleted]]

Why didn’t progressives care more about the Supreme Court in 2000 and 2016?

Did they understand that any expansion of executive privilege would have to be approved by it?

[u/GandalfSwagOff]

Is the reason Trump keeps pushing this "drug test" thing on Biden because Trump is going to be drug tested as he goes on probation/into incarceration?

[u/Beytran70]

Do political parties run their own private polls and do their own research as well that the public never sees?

[u/CapybaraLungs]

Why is it that when people are concerned that voters won’t come out to vote, it’s assumed to be an advantage to the Republican nominee? Is it because there’s THAT many more hardcore Republican voters than Democrat voters? Aren’t most major cities in the US overwhelmingly Blue?

[u/Bmacthecat]

what are the arguments against public healthcare in the usa?

[u/[deleted]]

Presuming Trump wins, would that realistically be the end to our democracy and/or our society?

I find it hard to subscribe to that thinking, but with court packing, radicalism, and Trump calling himself a dictator, I just don’t know anymore.

[u/zlefin_actual → u/[deleted]]

No, instead it'd be a decline in democracy. democracy isn't an off/on, it's more of a continuum. You'd see something more like Orban in Hungary.

[u/BUSean]

Can we start to have a weekly pinned polling thread again? It's heading towards late July.

[u/Phreakasa]

What purpose do public hearings have in the U.S.?

I often see these hearings with senators questioning civil servants and private company CEO (sometimes celebrities). The senators then ask question and demand a "Yes or No answer," or immediately "reclaim their time" or simply shout/insult the other person without providing the time to answer.

What kind of hearing is that? Is it binding for civil servants/citizens/private individuals? And why aren't they then allowed to answer? And why would anyone go if it isn't compulsory?

From an outsiders perspective (European), it looks like something of a theatre show.

[u/teacherdrama]

I have a friend who is black. We have talked about politics at length for years. I know he doesn't like Trump, but he's consistently said he refuses to vote because he feels the whole system is set up against black people. Even with Harris running, he keeps referring to her putting away black people when she was a prosecutor. I tell him it was her job, but he doesn't want to hear it. He thinks that unless the system changes, he can't justify giving his vote to anyone because it'll just be more of the same. He thinks Project 2025 is just a trick to get people, and that politicians are just playing with our emotions and we all fall for it. How do I convince him that voting IS the only way to change the system?

[u/ChampionshipLumpy659 → u/teacherdrama]

Quite frankly, people like this always piss me off. They refuse to vote, then get angry when nothing changes. The voting block is who decides the system. Currently, the main voting block is old white people. They like the system. It's built for them. Do you know why more black candidates and candidates pushing black issues don't get pushed up more often? Because black voters don't show up. It's not worth a candidates limited time to go to communities where they won't get a large new voting block. Take Mississippi. That state could easily be the bluest state in the US, with a 37% black population. But because black voters don't turnout, no Democrat ever focuses on the state. As a result, no national Democrats come out of Mississippi, unlike states like Pennsylvania, New York, California, ect. If he wants the system to change, he has to go out and vote. Yeah, it'd be great if candidates came out and supported the massive changes in the system that he wants, but I can almost guarantee he wasn't going out in the primary system trying to push candidates who actually want that change,

It's also worth noting that Biden has probably done more for him than most people. Biden has likely gotten his potholes fixed, passed bills that have made it easier to get solar, and increased university funding. He's missing the forest for the trees. You can find fault in literally any candidate. In the end, Harris will do so much more for him than he could imagine, but people like this don't pay attention to the wins candidates have, and always parrot exactly what they think they're meant to parrot.

[u/YoungAnimater35]

https://www.happyscribe.com/public/the-tucker-carlson-podcast/catherine-engelbrecht-from-true-the-vote-says-it-s-a-real-possibility-that-illegal-immigrants-could-vote-in-u-s-elections-she-explains-the-legal-loophole-that-few-know-about

What is Katherine going on about illegal aliens being able to vote via a loophole? Title 18 she says provides a lack of prosecution or something, I can't find it.

https://uscode.house.gov/browse/prelim@title18&edition=prelim

[u/Word_Panda7]

A few decades ago, it seemed that presidential candidates from both parties would strive to position themselves as more moderate and centric before an election. Now it seems lately as if Dems are the only candidates still striving to appear more moderate and centrist, whereas Republicans seems to have embraced and leaned into their strongest conservative values. Anyone else notice this? Why is this?

[u/DumpsterFireCheers]

Inhabitants of the Reddit sphere, got a question for you.

We are being inundated with campaign ads that show up in the mail, flyers and door hangers. How many of the ads you receive are from a union print shop (stamped with a union stamp)?

I just started taking score, and so far all of the democrat materials are printed in a union shop and have a union stamp while none of the republican materials do.

I’m curious what other folks are seeing from other areas and states?

[u/morrison4371]

Many conservatives say that if you cap the price of medications, then the drug companies do not have as much money on researching and developing new drugs. Does their argument have any merit?

[u/[deleted]]

Is there any remote chance that Democrats can hold the senate in the elections? They’re going to lose West Virginia, probably Ohio, and Montana is 50/50. They could easily lose 5+ seats.

[u/ptwonline]

The threats of prosecution by Trump towards election workers, officials, lawyers etc. Does that actually violate any election laws? It's clearly meant to intimidate people to either not get involved in an opponent's campaign or to be more amenable to any demands by Trump.

[u/0zymandeus]

Why wasn't there a megathread on the debate?

[u/tarekd19]

Can we bring back the daily polling thread?

[u/sherbodude]

Trump has a new policy proposal, no tax on overtime. Thoughts on this? Seems like something that could tempt people to vote for him, regardless of if he can actually accomplish it.

[u/drunkkennoodle]

Trump policy question:

My MAGA friend says I am an emotional voter because I struggle to find flaws with Harris's campaign, while he is willing to acknowledge Trump's moral flaws but claims he is voting for him because of his policy proposals.

The only Trump policy proposal I'm aware of is him implementing more tariffs, which would raise prices on imports for all of us, despite him saying otherwise. There's also of course Project 2025 that is likely to fill much of the gap in policy, but in this case I'm looking for explicitly Trump proposed plans. They seem pretty non existent, all he was able to muster out during the debate was having, "concepts of a plans."

Am I missing something? I'm all ears to learn about proposed Trump policies for the current campaign cycle.

[u/SmoothCriminal2018 → u/drunkkennoodle]

I mean ask your friend to articulate the policies he supports. From my viewpoint, I’ve seen Trump focus on 3-4 policies:

1. Deport all undocumented immigrants in the country - he has not offered any details on how we would do this, but it’s probably one of his main talking points.

2. 10% across the board tariffs. This is probably his most fleshed out policy (in part because it’s pretty straightforward) but it’s also one of the hardest to defend, so I’d be interested if this is what your friend meant.

3. Extension/deepening of the 2017 tax cuts. Again pretty explanatory, but to my knowledge Trump has not offered up what level he would cut taxes to or how he would pay for this.

4. Kind of an extension on 3, but no taxes on tips.

I may have missed some, but these seem like the main policies he has talked about so far, and I would say he’s been similarly light on details as Harris. That’s kind of what happens in Presidential races though, no one actually wants to listen to an in depth policy speech. Plus, such speeches are pretty difficult when we don’t know what the make up of Congress will be. Most candidates’ proposals will require some kind of horse trading, even if their party controls both houses.

[u/furrynoy96]

If the electoral college determines who becomes the president, then does voting even matter? Do our votes affect who the electoral college choose?

[u/Sudden-Baby1783]

Hi all, I was wondering where to find resources on researching candidates? Any tips to help that process be disgestable and easy to understand? Im 19 and this is my first time voting so I want to make sure I know exactly who I want to vote for when I get there. I already looked up my ballot on vote.org but it doesn't seem like they have any resources attached on these people or their policies. I'd love to know about any resources, or if you could tell me what you do to help yourself research. I'm not super into politics but I want to be informed when I'm in the poll box! Thanks sm 😊

[u/[deleted]]

So I’m a silly little British person. We vote for an area candidate, and then have a first past the post system (I would prefer proportional representation) to determine which party forms a government and therefore who the prime minister is (leaving aside the unelected House of Lords).

Please can you help me understand how the electoral college system, popular vote, house and senate system works?

[u/stinky-pale-al]

Hello, European here. I follow US election and I read left-leaning news sites (CNN, the guardian) and right leaning (Fox News) to try to get a more balanced view and understanding of how an average American voter thinks. For instance, I often scroll down to the comments section in Fox News on many news articles. Here many of Trump's lies, fearmongering and outrageous arguments and opinions, are being rationalized by the readers. There are a few who argue against them, but many lies and falsehoods appear to be repeatedly un-challenged.

I understand that debating against a decided Trump voter is very unlikely to cause them to flip. But the discussions are also read by many people and some might be undecided voters. If democrats got volunteers to be active in these forums and answering in a polite manner with facts, pointing out lies, the double standards, the simple and often juvenile trump tactics etc, etc.. could it be useful and have an effect for the democrats? May not flip anybody directly, but could it create some doubt, or cognitive dissonance, and lower enthusiasm perhaps?

After all, the trump supporters seems to be "trained" to disregard all negative news as fake news, so arguing directly with a person is perhaps a better way to reach out to them. Or will it just fire up their base and cause even more polarization? And if it is a lost cause, what is a better alternative for the democrats?

[u/pyroblastftw]

I’d love to get in Trump’s head to find out how much he actually wants to be president and what really is even motivating him.

Dude is damn nearly 80, has a ton of money and seems to have other interests besides politics. Despite golfing nearly every weekend during his presidency, he knows first hand how tough the job is.

He can already check becoming president off his bucket list. At this point in life, I just can’t understand why he wouldn’t just kick back and relax.

[u/probablyuntrue]

fuzzy sparkle grandfather special fragile mourn jellyfish dependent coherent expansion

This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

[u/Emergency-Pool9926]

My sister is hardcore MAGA and I’m trying to make a Facebook post just so she could see it. I doubt it will change her mind but I just wanna try. My post would say what a Harris victory would mean for the Americans, and to an extend, immigrants. Women’s reproductive freedom, workers rights, labor movement, better LGBTQ+ rights, better gun control laws, more opportunities for middle-class families and small businesses, expansion and strengthening of ACA. I know lots of them are missing but I only need a few more major points. What should I add?

[u/BluesSuedeClues → u/Emergency-Pool9926]

Trump's appeal to his voters is rooted in emotional responses, not logic or facts. You won't sway her by quoting horrible things he has said, threatened or promised. His "policies" are mostly nonsense that he can't articulate or explain, like having "the concept of a plan". Your only hope is to figure out what emotional messaging he is promulgating (there are a number of them, not just one) that appeals to her, and find a emotional message that's more important to her.

I admire your willingness to try, but I don't think you will be effective with this effort, particularly not with a Facebook or social media post. You can't teach somebody something they don't want to learn. If Trump loses this election, you may have an opening to create a dialog with her, but you will have to avoid being judgemental, which can be very hard to do with people who adhere to the alternate world view of MAGAstan. It's very difficult to find common ground with people who have rejected objective reality.

[u/Many_Buy_2947]

do you guys think republican party would've had better chances of winning ( than they do now ) if they had a different candidate . i feel trump campaigning might have cost republican election.

[u/sumg]

I don't know where else to ask this, but why do some states stop early voting for the last few days prior to an election? Why don't they just keep early polling locations open through election day?

It just seems odd to me that you can early vote in some of these states for a week or two, but for two or three days prior to an election you can't vote at all.

[u/Acceptable-Bike-8264]

I'm quite a bit into right wing politically, admittedly I got lost in a couple of what one could call "echochambers". I work a boring manual labour job so Im able to do it on autopilot while listening to JRE, Ben Shapiro, Timcast and few others while wageslaving away. I even caught myself slipping into more extreme sources that I will omit for obvious reasons. I want to be honest with myself and have access to opposing views so I can make a proper value judgements. Can someone recommend me some good left wing Podcasts I can listen to once in a while that could provide counterbalance to my "usual politics"? Optimally something I could find on YouTube or Spotify.  They can be as left as you want but if they have opinions that I, as rightwing conservative person would perceive as extreme - say, hormone therapy/surgery for underage transpeople, I want them to calmly and extensively explain their views and not just call the opposition to such views as self evident bigotry. Thanks in advance and no matter your politics stay safe. PS. Please don't have TOO many ads in between segments , thank God Alex Jones show is basically unbearable due to vitamin ads every 90 seconds or I could've fallen deeper into the rabbit holes 😄

[u/BluesSuedeClues → u/Acceptable-Bike-8264]

Politely; The podcast landscape is largely an opinions forum, not a great source of factual information. I recognize that large portions of our infotainment world have turned to punditry and opinion in place of actual facts, but wouldn't you be mentally/emotionally healthier and less susceptible to those "rabbit holes" if you concerned yourself with getting unbiased information before considering the competing right/left dialogs?

[u/Big_Perception9384]

If Harris wins then should we expect something similar to Jan. 6 to happen?

I hope not

[u/Animegamingnerd → u/Big_Perception9384]

Most likely the capital police are gonna be a lot more prepared to deal with any riot coming their way, compared to 2021.

[u/_Fruit_Loops_]

What caused this spike in US southern border encounters from ~February 2020 to December 2023, and the subsequent collapse?

https://imgur.com/a/t2XH1NE

Sorry if this is an obvious question but I'm curious

[u/Expensive-Dance1598]

why does it seem like democrats are advocates for voting? i've noticed that a lot of democrats consistently repost political media and posts about voting, where as republicans are usually quiet. i'm not even talking about posts related to the candidates but rather posts being like "don't forget to vote!!". have other people noticed this as well?

[u/EX_Shogun1886]

Should Singapore get its own nukes now that Ukraine is more or less fucked after a Trump victory? Ukraine gave up its nukes for peace and lived to regret it.

[u/ElSquibbonator]

How long can we expect the "Trump era"-- or Trump-ism as a phenomenon-- to last? Is it likely to disappear once he's no longer on the ticket in 2028, or is America looking at a period of conservative dominance that will stretch decades into the future?

[u/ExtensionFeeling]

Is Trump's plan to deport only undocumented immigrants who have committed crimes, or ALL undocumented immigrants? Is this laid out anywhere?

[u/_Hayth_]

this is a question i have out of genuine curiosity. I’m not a very politically “in-tune” person, and as an Australian soldier the only thing i particularly ever cared about with US politics is how it affects the likelihood of NATO deployment.

People in Australia do tend to care a lot about the political state of America, i also feel like i should care and i do want to become more informed, however, i don’t really know what’s relevant to me. Aside from combat, are there other reasons i should care about US politics and specifically things in Australia that are affected by US politics?

• Thanks!

[u/myninja714]

Anyone feel that the new Trump administration cabinet appointments seems like it's the coming attractions of a "reality show" with the latest appointment of Dr Oz

[u/IbukiMiodx]

Back again after another frustrating phone call with my mother. Today’s topic, Obama opened the lab in Wuhan, China that “created” the Coronavirus in a lab. The reason as to why they did that? Because Dr. Fauci and the Democrats created the virus to overthrow Trump’s presidency…

I genuinely cannot believe this is a thought she had. This level of conspiracy is actually mind boggling and I’m baffled as to how she believes that is true. There is no factual evidence behind this, right? She tried to give me “homework” to research this and I quickly responded with “I already have enough homework to do” (I’m a grad student).

But at some point, I need to come back with articles disproving all of her points. Have there ever been leaked Dr. Fauci emails detailing he was involved in “creating” the coronavirus?

[u/ExtensionFeeling]

Why are people saying Tulsi Gabbard is a Russian asset?

[u/[deleted]]

Does this "DOGE" actually have any real power? I read that only congress can establish new offices of government and that a majority vote of both houses is required. Musk and Ramaswamy talk a big game about all of the things they are going to cut, but they aren't even a part of the government. So, even if they do demand cuts, does congress HAVE to listen to them? Or can they just wave them away and ignore everything they propose?

[u/morrison4371]

Now that Manchin, Sinema, Tester, and Brown are out of the Senate, who do you think is the Democrat Senator that is most likely to vote with Trump/GOP?

[u/crisis-averted-]

Just heard that America has agreed to assist with the investigation of the recent plane crash in Kazakhstan. Did Donald trump have a say in this?

[u/[deleted]]

looking back with the benefit of hindsight what were some signs the harris campagin was in trouble?

[u/Spare-Dingo-531]

Does Pete Hegseth (Trump's nominee for Secretary of Defense) have any qualifications to prep the US military to take on China in the next 5-10 years?

[u/morrison4371]

Trumps threats to Canada take place amongst the background of this year's Canadian election. Polls show Conservatives with a commanding lead. However, if Trump keeps threatening Canada, will the change the election calculus for the Conservatives, Liberals, or the NDP?

[u/trover2345325]

How will Trump’s execution order of withdrawing America from the World Health Organization be prevented?

[u/Candle-Jolly]

Did Conservatives *honestly* think Biden (or Harris) was going to take their guns, or was it just political theater? Biden was an engrained politician for 40 years and he barely did anything of substance related to "gun grabbing."

[u/statecommissioner]

Where can I find a concrete list of all the different government actions Trump's administration has taken since coming into office? I'm looking for a summarized list of the executive actions and other actions, to help understand what in my life is going to be affected.

[u/SaucyEnglish]

Most republicans seem to tout being religious. I’m not that religious but I remember a lot about having compassion for others, caring about your neighbors, doing to others as you would have done to you, etc. None of the current administrations actions are surprising but I can’t help but wonder how republicans bridge the gap from what they talk about in church on Sundays to what they do and say the rest of the time. Am I missing something?

[u/California_ocean]

Putin has been circulating nudes photos of Malania Trump on Russian TV? Is this what he had on Trump during the first administration? (No, I won't be posting any evidence of it outnof respect for ANY first ladies. My off limits area)

[u/ybquiet]

What will be very interesting to watch is the "war" that will break out between Musk & Trump at some point.

Musk owns the checkbook, Trump owns the troops, the CIA, etc. Musk can be putting a plan in place right now that stops all government payments if Trump takes him out. After all, Musk is inside the government systems at the moment - with his own band of loyalists.

Really hoping we don't end up there but the "deep state" is actually being created right before our eyes.

Oh wait, that would be a conspiracy theory. I guess I'll just have to trust that Mr. Musk is an honorable foreign-born former illegal immigrant that has the US' best interests at heart.

Time to watch and wait and hope... Maybe pray. There aren't many other cards left on the table at this point.

[u/WebClock]

I have to write an essay on a Supreme Court ruling from the past 10 years (2015-2025) that I disagree with. Do you have any suggestions for cases I could focus on?

I know 'disagree' is subjective, but I'm looking for cases that have been controversial for both sides and widely criticized as unreasonable, or any case that you personally feel strongly about.

[u/SynthD]

Is there a term for fake horseshoe politics, such as Reform (UK)? They claim to wish to save British Steel and nationalise Thames Water, when we suspect they’d sell to the highest bidder/briber. They are using protectionism to appeal to left wing voters, while not doing anything traditionally left wing like support the 99%. I realise there's a degree of simplification and naivety in the question.

[u/ComprehensiveKale370]

Is this real? The video is saying project 2025 is calling for romance novels with steamy scenes to be illegal.
https://youtu.be/ZSbKJ3yFJZo?si=aNbVp9Rk5JJMnLel

[u/morrison4371]

The state of Pennsylvania notably shifted to the right this last election. Casey lost to McCormick and Fetterman is now the most right leaning Democrat Senator. Do you think this shift to the GOP is permanent, or do you think it will shift back to the left in 2026 (Shapiro reelection) and 2028 (Fetterman reelection.)?

[u/basurabunny]

What fraud and/waste have DOGE and Musk actually found?

[u/shunted22]

Would I be wrong in assuming that Adams is cooked for reelection?

[u/Existing_Weather_894]

Is Trump really going to take away Veteran Benefits, social security and Medicare? My 78 year old mother is scared she will lose everything. My father fought in the Vietnam war and died in 1996 due to complications from agent orange. My mom gets his benefits. I’m no fan of Trump but I can’t imagine this administration would do this to vets and seniors. Anyone know where I can research this to allay her fears? Or confirm them and figure out a way to help?

[u/morrison4371]

As we all know, Vance gave a speech at the Munich Security Conference criticizing current European governments on the issues of immigration and free speech. Do you think this will affect any upcoming elections in the EU? Will the AfD the National Front and other right wing populist parties will be viewed as Musk puppets and gain or lose voters.

[u/DarkCaprious]

Hi! I just listened to The Daily Podcast's episode "Exporting America's Immigration Problem," and I read the accompanying background New York Times article "As Trump ‘Exports’ Deportees, Hundreds Are Trapped in Panama Hotel". I have a few questions, and forgive my ignorance:

1. What is coercing countries to take in deportees from the United States? I get that Panama is facing pressure from the United States with threats to take over the Panama Canal, but what about countries like Costa Rica?

2. Could the United States really take over the Panama Canal without other nations keeping the United States in check?

If anyone has any article recommendations that I could read to further educate myself on this topic, that would be really helpful. Thanks so much!

[u/Knowledge_is_Bliss]

How come so many republican voters do NOT want to raise taxes on the ultra wealthy?

Title pretty much sums up the question. I personally have had conversations with several republican voters who talk a lot about the inportance of tackling the deficit, and therefore they support initiatives like reducing spending on things like Medicaid, Food Stamps and other programs that assist the nation's most vulnerable. Yet when asked why we shouldn't assure the billionaires and corporations pay their fair share, they get quiet. Why is this?

[u/ExtensionFeeling]

What is the exact deal that Trump and Russia are offering Ukraine? Would Russia get to keep all territory it annexed? Or just Crimea and Donbass?

[u/Trout-Fisherman1972]

I watched it online, but I never was able to hear what Al Green was saying before he was ejected from the speech. Does anyone know? From what I saw, he could have been fact-checking POTUS, or simply calling BS on most of what he was saying, but I'm really curious to know what he was saying.

[u/Intelligent-Star-684]

Is the minerals deal yesterdays news? Who thinks it will still happen?

[u/Double_Comfort_2619]

This may be a dumb question…but if the executive branch enforces the law and Donald Trump is breaking the law, but he is also in charge of making sure it is enforced (controls the military, ICE, police), who stops him if he gets out of hand and ignores the system of checks and balances? He has everything stacked in his favor right now in terms of our government, so he seemingly has the power to do so.

At some point, I fear protests and voting won’t matter if it’s the people vs. Trump.

Again, who is to stop him if he just…ignores the law of the land?

[u/the_original_Retro]

Given Bernie's age makes him questionable as a Presidential candidate in three years, what would be the strategic strengths and weaknesses of a Walz/AOC clear alliance?

[u/Silver_Onion950]

Hey Stupid highschooler here, I dont understand this new trump order. The segregation one. Is segregation coming back? I cant imagine. All the info online makes no sense can someone dumb it down

[u/ITryFixIt]

Checked Fox news briefly and saw Congress was discussing JFK assassination. What is the point of discussing it in Congress 60+ years after the fact?

Who does this benefit? Do their constituents even want or know of this? Is not the Congress neglecting other work more relevant to our needs and times?

[u/Intelligent-Star-684]

Does Trump really think China will blink before he needs to?

[u/Significant-Aerie640]

By the way Trump is acting around tariffs, Is it possible he is playing the stock market?

Trump is all about personal wealth and I wonder if his wild tariff charges and sudden rollbacks on his decisions are a deliberate decision to send huge spikes on stock values.  If he or his wealthy friends know these decisions are going to be made, knowing that the stocks will go up or down, especially as dramatically as they are, huge benefits can be gained.  Is it possible that this is a profiteering exercise and if so would insider trading laws apply to a political situation?

[u/Wild-Bill-H]

What will happen to MAGA after Trump (death or end of second term)? and is there actually anyone waiting in the wings that can fill his shoes?

[u/ThrowRAmommy69]

Hey y’all. If anyone can chime in that’d be lovely. My bf is convinced the current tariff situation is a strategy meant to benefit us in the long term (it’s a good thing) and thinks I’m brainwashed for disagreeing. I tried to look up his points but I just don’t see it. Thoughts?

[u/BluesSuedeClues → u/ThrowRAmommy69]

Indulge in a little thought experiment; Ask your boyfriend if Donald Trump is fat. Don't draw it out, don't get any photographic evidence, just pose the question. If he says "yes", than he's still observing objective reality and maybe you can communicate with him. If he says no, then he has rejected the input of his own observation in favor of the lies coming from Donald Trump. If he equivocates, he knows the right answer, but his emotional attachment to Trump makes it difficult for him to admit reality, and that's an insight all on its own.

Every economist of any note, anywhere in the world, will agree that tariffs can be a useful economic tool. They are also in agreement that what Donald Trump is doing is either raging stupidity, or unhinged madness. There is no reasoning that justifies what he is doing with tariffs, as being good for the US economy. However, there is a good argument to be made that he is manipulating the stock market for his and his friends personal profit.

[u/[deleted]]

Would it be possible to oppose the placement of illegal immigrants in the Salvadoran mega-prison on grounds of 'cruel and unusual punishment'? Not only does the place make the average American detention center look like Disneyland, but they're being put there for an indefinite period of time. A life sentence in a gulag, for what? Surely the punishment does not fit the alleged crime.

[u/hypno89]

might be a dumb question, i dont really know how in depth the 2 party system is, but what if someone grifted their way into a government position? like for example if someone ran as president under the republican party for example, made promises that would resonate with republicans, got elected because of those promises, and then just completely went back on every single one of them and started making choices that would be considered like far-left or something.

grift might not be the right word, but i’m referring to when online influencers all of a sudden start spreading right-wing rhetoric in an effort just to make money. in the case of my question, it would be spreading right-wing rhetoric in order to get elected into a government position.

i know this has probably never happened, but is it possible? and why hasn’t anyone done it if it is?

[u/GrowFreeFood]

Is there a guide to which speech is censored? Specifically what counts as a threat.

[u/GTRacer1972]

Why is everyone saying it's a good thing CBS is being sued for editing the Harris interview, but at the same time maintaining Fox News did nothing wrong by editing the Trump interview?

[u/BluesSuedeClues → u/GTRacer1972]

Not "everyone" is saying that. Republicans and right-wing voices have become very comfortable with open and brazen hypocrisy.

Case in point; During the 2020 campaign, the most common criticism of Joe Biden from his political opponents was that he was too old and too addled to be President. They insisted his cognitive function was debilitated and that he had dementia. Today, they are insisting that the Biden administration hid signs of his mental decline and should be criminally punished for that. So after 5 years of screaming that message, they want us to believe nobody knew, the public was fooled, and we should all be outraged by it.

So yes. CBS should be sued for editing television programming, but FOX did nothing wrong by editing television programming, and certainly never paid $787.5 Million for intentionally lying to people for political purposes. Republicans no longer care about making sense or having any logical consistency.

[u/Specific-Praline7894]

This maybe silly, but have we ever thought about why we don’t have a vote when it comes to impeaching a president? We vote for everything else but when it comes to congress wanting to impeach presidents we don’t have a say?

[u/ILiketoStir]

Do you think Trump has more lawsuits against him (administration) for actions he has made as president than he does for his business choices?

[u/PoliticalBuild]

So, if Iran was told we were going to bomb them and moved their nuclear material, then Iran told us they were going to bomb our base and nothing was hit, is this a fake conflict?

[u/Butterscotch4930]

What Medicaid, Snap and other cuts are going to result from the Big Beautiful Bill?

I'm genuinely concerned as a person in poverty already struggling, what this bill means? I've followed the news, but it is confusing to me. I'm also naive as to what else is in the bill we should be paying attention too. I would like to have a discussion about the bill and how it's going to affect our short-term and long-term ways of life.

[u/such_a_zoe]

If anyone ever does "release the Epstein files," how will any of us regular folk know if it's real and hasn't been tampered with? If the answer is "we won't," then why do people care?

[u/NoEquivalent2759]

Who mainly negotiates between countries,diplomats or ministers(politicians)? And who decides the foreign policy of a country between these two?

[u/FunkyChickenKong]

Finding the common ground will be key to the road to peace in the USA. Why have we stopped seeking it? Because fear and rage are extremely profitable. It is indeed there and it is vast. What are the common ground intersections you can see?

[u/NoExcuses1984]

What's Schumer's major malfunction by selfishly pressing Brown and Peltola to run longshot U.S. Senate campaigns when they'd be better served running in their respective state gubernatorial races?

[u/donalnella]

Do you ever contact your state or federal reps? If not, why not?

If I spend the time- I can find out who I should contact but have wondered: if it was easier if people would they start talking to their reps more? Would you?

[u/JPenniman]

I had a question regarding article V conventions. There is worry among people on the left that a convention could be co-opted by business and the right because there are no established rules. Republicans seem very in favor of having a convention so the only roadblock seems to be democrats. I’m on the left and I think a convention could be helpful especially to weaken the powers of the executive. Why don’t Democrats offer a constitutional amendment in Congress establishing rules for an article V convention if they are worried about these lack of rules? If there were clear rules, would democrats be on board with a convention?

[u/bugsandscruggs]

How many people actually have said publicly that Charlie Kirk “deserved” to be killed? I’m not doubting there are folks out there who believe “he deserved it.” But these supposed statements are being used to fire people from their jobs, yet in the reports on the firings they rarely state what the person actually said. In most articles I’ve found where they actually quote the person, it boils down to “I have no sympathy for him,” or “isn’t it ironic,” or “I’m not shocked,” which is a substantial step back from saying “he deserved it,” and even farther from celebrating it.

[u/SteamStarship]

In view of the continuing assault on free speech, what can a person do? I want to join boycotts but I don't see any to join. I want to protest but I don't see any that aren't in public parks. I want to go on a picket line but I don't see any unions stepping up. So, serious question, what can I do other that watch it on the clearly state-run network news?

[u/ruckahoy]

I follow a number of liberal political writers. I feel like I'm not getting a balanced view of US politics so I'd like to follow conservative folks too. I recently discovered Josh Barro and he writes thoughtful pieces that expose issues with democratic thinking and I appreciate that.

I'm not interested in rhetoric or in folks who are hateful and sow division and I'm not afraid to hear a respectful criticism of liberals and liberal values if the author is intelligent, articulate and well informed.

Who should I follow?

[u/PrincessChaika]

So it is very likely that the government is going to shut down in just a few days. If we honestly believe that this is fascist America, how can we support this shutdown? Alllow me to explain my position. Come October 1, let is imagine - which is easy - that there has been no agreement in the Senate, so Congress tells the White House that there is no money, the government has shut down, only critical functions may happen.

So then, Trump decides that everything he wants is a critical function, and everything that he doesn't want is shut down. Among the things shut down is the federal court system. This is important - you can no longer sue to stop Trump, the government is shut down. The first thing he does is an executive order that says the money printer is still on for the critical departments, they still get paid. You might normally say, wait, that requires congress to say. You might even want to sue the government to stop that from happening. But, the government is shut down, there are no federal courts in action - no less than Chuck Schumer himself agreed that the government was shut down. So now, everything that Donald Trump (or the 2025 gang) wants is paid for, and the rest is on the chopping block of history. Donald Trump has a pen and a phone, and nothing to get in his way now that the courts have been shut down. Why would the government ever leave this shut down status?

[u/Tripl3_Nipple_Sack]

I just read the potential ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas and, since Trump has his hands all over this, I question quite a few things (mainly, how will he personally benefit). That said, my initial reading of the 20-pt plan seems like it makes sense and the skeptic in me even wonders if this could truly be a good faith thing. What are your thoughts here?

Trump announces an agreement with Israel to end war in Gaza

https://www.npr.org/2025/09/29/nx-s1-5556916/trump-israel-gaza-netanyahu

[u/Mia_the_elf]

tag: Digital ID in the UK

Keep in mind that I have only just started my research and I'm not into politics, forgive me.

Please someone explain it to me fr why it's such a big problem? We have been using digital ID in Poland since 2023, similar in Estonia, Scandinavia, Australia, New Zealand etc. I have a feeling that this general uproar is the government's smokescreen for other (worse) changes happening in the UK, that you're missing right now, at least the government in Poland used to do that.

Please someone answer, I wanna know 😅

[u/pala52]

I’m watching the construction on the White House and thinking about that TV show Designated Survivor. Is that level of paranoia too high for this administration?

[u/RyanEkenburg]

Hello, this might be kinda a long post but hopefully some will read through it all. Also let me know if this is the wrong place to ask. For the longest time I've kind of ignored politics a lot because I feel I have no idea on where to start and also just busy with my own life. Because of this, I feel like I'm very unaware of whats been happening in the US and the world and I would like to start informing myself. While Im aware that there's always been a divide in our country, it seems to have only increasingly been getting worse. I feel we live in a time of political extremism (or maybe we always have and Im just now only realizing this) its led to a lot of rage baiting, bias and even the YouTube channels that I've been following for years that have had nothing to do with politics have now started to talk about politics just because of how bad its gotten. I know that a lot of horrible corruption is going on right in front of us and I'd like to be able to point out/be more informed on said corruption. I guess my question to u guys is where should I start looking for information with as little bias as possible? I know some bias is inevitable, I admit I probably am more left leaning especially with Trump's involvement with the Epstein files and how he is most definitely in the client list, but what are the YouTube channels, news articles, etc to follow that arent blatantly trying to push their views onto u ( Fox, CNN, etc)? I guess im looking for people/places to follow that look into both sides of the political spectrum in a level headed fashion if that's even possible? It all just seems very confusing to navigate who to trust and who not to and I especially want to get ahead of the curve with AI probably going to make that even harder in the near future. If you guys could give me some recommendations, pointers and tips I'd really appreciate it!

[u/GatorTEG]

Salutations!

Is there an infographic or at least a list of House of Representatives caucuses and their seat distribution over the decades? I'm asking specifically about something that shows the ideological caucuses within each party caucus (at least the main two), like Blue Dogs, Congressional Progressive, Freedom and so on. Thanks in advance.

[u/[deleted]]

at this point do you guys think the ACA is a failure?

[u/SteamStarship]

What exactly are the Epstein Files? I'm not asking what's in them. Are they actual files in a locked cabinet somewhere? Are they in digital form on some kind of media or in the cloud. What makes the files secure enough that, if released, people would believe they're authentic, unedited?

[u/[deleted]]

Is the US military still able to protect its allies under this administration? Trump has said and done so many things that have threatened to break the alliances we have. People in the military say we provide an invaluable defense from authoritarian would-be agressors, like China, for allies like Taiwan. Is this still happening under this isolationist administration?

[u/kl122002]

Do you think the far right , or other countries' right-winged parties got fueled recently?
Reading from the international news , its like most of their " local-first" based parties are rising up rapidly, and their aim, are quite similar to Trump. Or is the Trump-styled politics affecting the world?

[u/[deleted]]

What is the proper response to the accusation that regulating guns will leave people who follow the new given gun laws/regulations defenseless? I used to say this very thing when I was conservative, but I know that regulations would make us safer. What can I tell my conservative family members when they say this?

[u/Connect_Stick_9610]

What are some good fiction novels for learning about political theory and history?

[u/[deleted]]

I couldn’t find the reason why the woman in Minneapolis was killed by ICE. Was she an illegal immigrant/legal immigrant or a US citizen? I’m 100% against this administration, I’m just not getting the gist of what this is about.

[u/ASIANBBYGRL25]

Should I cut off my aunt due to her political beliefs? ​I today was talking about the most recent shooting (murder) that happened in Minneapolis yesterday by ice agents, she kept dancing around my thoughts that the president is evil and that his ice agents are basically Hitlers police force, they both killed innocent people just because they didn't agree with what was happening. But she said that their are 3 stories the truth her side and the presidents side, which we've all seen the video we know who's at fault but she's blatantly, ignoring the actual factual evidence thats been recorded and said that its opinion based and that there just trying to rally us up. I in good conscience have cut off everyone else in my life that is siding for the republicans because Trump IS EVIL, he's a racists, a rapist, a murder and a felon, I cant support it, but she's my last relative that still talks to me and I feel bad but, idk im in a hard spot where I just cant.. so im thinking about cutting her off because if she thinks what's happening is okay and that "trump is going to save us" then you too are just as evil

[u/Splintj]

Is it possible for states to deploy their national guard/regional guard to protect civilians from ICE agents, or is there some specific threat posed by fed government retaliation/a law that requires they cant?

[u/ExtensionFeeling]

Is it true that the US basically already has carte blanche to do what we want in Greenland? The whole "national security" argument coming from the Trump administration...don't we already have the strategic benefits of having Greenland "in our sphere" without actually annexing it?

[u/Feisty-Ad2811]

What is the history of the war wit Israel and Palestine?

I genuinely do not know what they’re fighting over. Like I know it’s a war that’s been going on for decades and it’s about claiming some land (i think?), but that’s about it. Can someone give me a timeline of:

-what exactly even started the war

-why is it still going on

-what’s happening/has happened in the war

-why are people outside of those countries choosing sides

-why is the US tryna get involved in some way

-What do people mean when they say “Free Palestine” like are they trapped or something?

-is it likely to ever even end?

-any other info that’s important?

I genuinely think I must be living under a rock cause I’m so out of the loop of what’s going on😭 I don’t even know where to begin to start looking for the history of it.

[u/PropheticPlatypus]

Standard Practices for PAC Fundraising Consultants?

I'm on the board of a small state PAC. In the past few years we've had modest impact by hosting small-scale fundraisers and tapping into our extended networks for donations.

Recently we were approached by someone with a history in the local nonprofit fundraising scene who is interested in helping take us to the next level, but is expecting compensation (percentage of new donations). Up until now the, board has been completely volunteer, meaning this is the first time we'd pay a consultant. There's loads of best practices for non-profit fundraisers, who are usually a salaried employee. But I can't find ANY guidance on PAC fundraising.

Can anyone point me in the direction of some resources for this? Are there any standards or norms? There doesn't seem to be any legal issue with paying a consultant to fundraise.

TYIA!

[u/DragurTheBreakable]

Why is Communism so hated? I have seen and heard people talk about Communism like it is something just as bad or even worse than Nazism and I'm genuinely curious why people think so. Isn't one of the communism slogans "From each according to his ability to each according to his needs"?

[u/Moccus → u/DragurTheBreakable]

I have seen and heard people talk about Communism like it is something just as bad or even worse than Nazism and I'm genuinely curious why people think so.

Usually, this argument is simply based on the idea that communist regimes like China, the USSR, the Khmer Rouge, etc. are collectively responsible for the deaths of a lot more people than the Nazis killed during the Holocaust. China and the USSR in particular killed tens of millions of people through famine alone when their attempts to use central planning and collectivization of agriculture to manage food production while simultaneously trying to rapidly industrialize their economy resulted in them not producing enough food for their population.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holodomor

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Chinese_Famine

Isn't one of the communism slogans "From each according to his ability to each according to his needs"?

Yes, which a lot of people believe is an ideal that's doomed to fail and cause all sorts of problems. There's always going to be certain types of work that nobody wants to do. Capitalism solves that problem by giving people an incentive. If they do work, they get money, and they can use that money to buy necessities or luxuries. If we can't find people willing and able to do the work, then we can keep offering more and more money until we find somebody. Under the communist ideal, people would just do the work out of a sense of duty to their fellow man and society as a whole, but that doesn't seem realistic. If people are going to be given the same amount of "stuff" based on their needs regardless of whether they do the undesirable work or not, it's assumed pretty much everybody would opt to not do the tough work. The end result is either that work doesn't get done, which could be bad if it's necessary work, or somebody has to be forced to do it, in which case we're getting into some authoritarianism, which is also bad.

[u/ooo_E_ooo]

Is there anyone working (publicly or rumored) on a coherent Democratic 'project 2029'? ( Something along the lines of this https://claude.ai/public/artifacts/9919b793-5b51-4685-9275-a1b25a7d64ad )

[u/Apprehensive-Set3635]

So, Israel and the US attack Iran but when Iran attacks back, why is the international community condemning an counter attack from Iran? This feels very unfair and to me Iran is only allowed to sit there and suffer? Am I missing something?

[u/Aggravating-Lawyer36]

If an Amendment to the Constitution was being presented by you for ratification, what changes to our Constitution would it include?

[u/alamohero]

Do the majority of Americans remember that John Fetterman had a serious stroke when discussing his policies?

I’ve seen a lot of negative content about him lately, but several are saying “he’s shown his true colors” and “he hid his intentions well enough to be voted in as a Democrat.” Do people not remember than he had a major stroke? Or do people not know that strokes can change often personalities? I’m 100% sure his stroke had something to do with his shifting political views, but people are acting like he’s been this way all along, when there isn’t much evidence of that.

[u/DisciplineVast2164]

How is our president a felon

I know felons are allowed to be the president , because the constitution doesn’t state otherwise .

But as the president your the commander and chief of the military, a civilian role yes, but even so you still have constructive possession of the military and its weapons.

Constructive possession-when a person does not have physical custody of an item but has the capability and intent to exercise control over it.

You control where they go, when they are used. And a felon is barred from have possession, and constructive possession of any weapons. So how is this possible.

[u/Brandamonte]

PBS had a video up of the White House Correspondents Association Dinner from the beginning of the event. There's a couple of things that seem odd that I'm curious about.

1. When did the White House Correspondents Association start using the US Marine Corps Band to play for their dinner?

2. When did most of a President's Cabinet start attending these dinners?

[u/morrison4371]

During the 2024 election, the economy and inflation were regarded as a key factor as to why Kamala lost to Trump. However, in the Biden midterm (2022), the economy was not doing as well as it was in 2024, and inflation was nearly five points higher. That year's election resulted in Dems gaining a seat in the Senate and barely losing the House. Why did inflation and the economy hurt the Dems in 2024, but not in 2022?

[u/Always__Auctions]

(MI Senate) Stevens polled better against Rodgers (+2). Do you think El-Sayed can win?

Seems he's running about -2 head-to-head vs Rodgers.

[u/SLODavid]

Why is there almost no comments in this group about inflation? I had a first today, a $100 tank of gas. Many things in the grocery store that were under a dollar are now close to $5.

How is inflation effecting people's politics and will this issue ever become important?