politics

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday named Matt Whitaker, a former acting attorney general from his first presidency, as the U.S. ambassador to NATO, the cornerstone Western military alliance whose member countries Trump has criticized for not spending enough money on defense.

Summary

The California House race between Michelle Steel and Derek Tran is the closest in the nation, with Tran leading by 314 votes after nearly 310,000 ballots have been counted.

The outcome will determine the size of the Republican majority in the House and could be the second California seat picked up by Democrats.

Both campaigns are focusing on fixing rejected ballots to increase their chances of winning.

Organizers from Florida, Vermont and Washington discuss the rising exploitation and rollback of protections ahead

Sorry it's a few days late, I just saw this and thought it was really interesting.

Summary

The “Rogansphere,” a sprawling ecosystem of podcasts and online shows led by figures like Joe Rogan, has become a powerful cultural force for younger audiences, functioning as a “Fox News for the young.”

With its mix of anti-establishment rhetoric, distrust of Democrats, and casual conversations blending left-leaning and conservative ideas, it normalizes figures like Donald Trump for a disillusioned, lonely audience—particularly young men.

Democrats risk underestimating its influence, as this ecosystem fosters deep listener loyalty and has contributed to a significant shift in young male voters toward Trump.

Donald Trump’s second term promises to deliver historic threats to US press freedom – directly from the Oval Office.

The president-elect made it clear during the campaign that he had the press in his sights. He told a rally on the eve of the election that he “wouldn’t mind” if an assassin shot the journalists standing in front of him.

Ahead of the election, he also signalled his desire to jail journalists, hunt down their confidential sources, cancel the broadcast licences of major networks and criminalise work to counter disinformation.

Summary

Senate Democrats are rushing to confirm President Biden’s judicial nominees before Republicans take control in January.

Republicans are frustrated, accusing Democrats of pushing through liberal judges. However, critics point out GOP hypocrisy, as they did the same in 2020 to confirm Trump’s judges.

Democrats have confirmed 217 judges so far and aim to confirm 26 more, potentially surpassing Trump’s first-term total and cementing Biden’s judicial impact.

Schumer has vowed to keep the Senate in session as long as needed to finish the confirmations.

Summary

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) confirmed her proposed resolution to ban transgender individuals from using bathrooms that don’t align with their biological sex at the U.S. Capitol is aimed at Rep.-elect Sarah McBride, the first openly transgender member of Congress.

Mace also plans broader legislation for similar bans on federal property and in federally funded schools.

McBride responded by calling for respect and kindness among lawmakers.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) stated Republicans are working on a resolution to address the unprecedented situation while ensuring dignity and respect for all members.

Summary

Chuck Todd argues that Donald Trump is rapidly spending his political capital by prioritizing revenge and culture wars over governance.

His controversial cabinet picks, like Matt Gaetz and Pete Hegseth, signal instability and risk alienating voters who supported him as a rejection of Biden, not an endorsement of Trumpism.

Todd warns that perceived overreach, like aggressive culture war policies or erratic mass deportation plans, could lead to public backlash and erode Trump’s support.

Without delivering stability and results, his presidency could quickly face the same challenges as Biden’s.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Sunday singled out AIPAC as a 'special interest group pushing a wildly unpopular agenda,' starting a new debate about the pro-Israel organization's involvement in the party

The debate has been simmering since AIPAC's United Democracy Project super PAC spent unprecedented sums to unseat two progressive Democrats in their respective primaries over the summer – largely, but not exclusively, bankrolled by donations from Republican megadonors in an election year that was far and away the most expensive in history.

As internal Democratic debate over the party's ills and its future reached fever pitch in recent days, AIPAC was once again catapulted to the center of the matter.

"Weird to have a whole discourse about 'special interest groups' that completely leaves out corporate and industry lobbies – by far the most influential 'groups' in the Democratic Party," Jeremy Slevin, a senior adviser to AIPAC foe Sen. Bernie Sanders, wrote on Sunday.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the most nationally prominent AIPAC critic despite, ironically, being attacked from the left as an apologist for the group earlier this summer, singled out the pro-Israel organization while echoing Slevin's point. "If people want to talk about members of Congress being overly influenced by a special interest group pushing a wildly unpopular agenda that pushes voters away from Democrats then they should be discussing AIPAC," she tweeted in response.

Summary

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a critic of Donald Trump’s diet, was seen sharing McDonald’s and Coke with Trump and others on a flight.

Kennedy, picked to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, has called Trump’s fast food diet “poison” and pushed for healthier food reforms, like cooking McDonald’s fries in beef fat tallow.

The moment sparked online mockery, with some joking it was a “hazing ritual” for his alliance with Trump.

Preserving Social Security and caregiving were decisive factors in their support for Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.

The new legislation, prompted by ProPublica’s reporting, comes after 111 Texas doctors signed a public letter urging that the ban be changed because it “does not allow us as medical professionals to do our jobs.”

Transportation funding is a hot topic in public policy, with debates on how to balance infrastructure needs and budget constraints. Should we prioritize public transit over roadways? How should we fund future projects fairly? Let’s discuss!

https://ace-usa.org/blog/research/research-housing-policy/understanding-the-transportation-funding-debate/