Politics Chat

In today’s Politics Chat: Since September 8, Iran-backed Houthi forces have seized much of Yemen's Red Sea coastline, including the port of Mocha, about 50 miles from the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, threatening a second major oil chokepoint alongside the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude jumped to around 106 to 109 dollars a barrel, and diesel hit a record 6 dollars a gallon, up from 3.70 dollars a year ago. CNN reported the United States already has about 100 advisers on the ground assisting Saudi forces against the Houthis. Trump's approval rating has fallen to an average of 32 percent. At a nearly two-hour rally, Trump promised every American adult a 5,000 dollar check if Republicans keep control of Congress, a proposal that would cost about 1.3 trillion dollars and is illegal to offer as an inducement to vote. The national debt has passed 40 trillion dollars. The New York Times reported that Vice President JD Vance opposed escalating the Iran conflict from the start. Elon Musk's website, VoteSafe[dot]org, is collecting personal data for targeted political advertising. Politics Chat is recorded live on YouTube and Facebook every Tuesday and Thursday at 6 pm Maine time (3 PM PT / 6 PM ET). Watch today's recording: https://www.youtube.com/live/MThDbwLkwHs?si=gvG18ovKn18OXf90 Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe You can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hcrichardson Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe

In today’s Politics Chat: Elon Musk is spending up to 100 million dollars on the midterms, including backing ‘Vote Safe,’ a site that reportedly collects extensive personal data unlike the official. In Germany, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party won just over 43 percent in a regional legislative election Sunday, and Musk congratulated them. Four Wall Street Journal reporters detailed allegations that Corey Lewandowski misused Department of Homeland Security contracts to enrich himself and his associates. Energy Secretary Chris Wright suggested there may be no new nuclear agreement with Iran, framing the strategy instead as continuing pressure until Iran cannot build a weapon. Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch announced he will step down at the end of the year. New polling shows Trump is 41 points underwater on the economy compared to October 2024. Many Republicans are reportedly skipping an upcoming midterm convention in Dallas to avoid being seen with Trump. Reports in The Lancet and from Boston University found tens of thousands of people, including children, died because of USAID cuts, which the administration denies. Politics Chat is recorded live on YouTube and Facebook every Tuesday and Thursday at 6 pm Maine time (3 PM PT / 6 PM ET). Watch today's recording: https://www.youtube.com/live/_YybtrlH_UY?si=eYTPUF8woTdohQ3T Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe You can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hcrichardson Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe

In today’s Politics Chat: A federal judge in Boston, Indira Talwani, blocked the Trump administration's new mail-ballot verification system until September 10, and the Justice Department appealed to the Supreme Court after the hearing went poorly. Trump's record on lawsuits seeking state voter rolls now stands at 0 and 23, including losses before judges he appointed himself. House Speaker Mike Johnson is keeping the House out of session as Representative Thomas Massie pushes a bill granting state attorneys general access to Epstein files the Justice Department has withheld. Reports suggest Trump plans to keep the Iran conflict quiet before the midterms, then escalate afterward. Fox News's Maria Bartiromo departed abruptly with no explanation given. In Texas, Tarrant County Republicans stripped polling places after a January 2026 special election flipped a Republican-held seat. A new MIT study found Republicans now vote more in person, meaning mail-voting disruptions would likely hurt Democrats more. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker's state credit rating was upgraded again this week after years of investment in education and growth. Politics Chat is recorded live on YouTube and Facebook every Tuesday and Thursday at 6 pm Maine time (3 PM PT / 6 PM ET). Watch today's recording: https://youtube.com/live/PtftkS31u0Q Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe You can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hcrichardson Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe

In today’s Politics Chat: A federal whistleblower says the U.S. Postal Service rushed a new mail-in ballot verification system that could reject entire batches if even a single barcode fails to scan. Senator Richard Blumenthal wrote to Postmaster General David Steiner demanding answers by Friday. The Supreme Court ruled 5 to 4 that Trump can continue building his White House ballroom, deciding the challengers lacked standing rather than ruling on legality, with Chief Justice John Roberts dissenting and calling the project likely unlawful. Trump announced a deal to develop 17 Venezuelan oil fields holding 65 billion barrels while backing Delcy Rodriguez over Venezuela's elected opposition. Military leaders, including the heads of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, warned an extended readiness alert for more than 50,000 troops is unsustainable. The secretary of the Army resigned after reportedly telling Trump he was alarmed by the loss of senior personnel. Naval Support Activity Bahrain and roughly 15 other U.S. bases sustained heavy damage from Iranian strikes. Representative Thomas Massie read Epstein files into the House record but revealed no new names. Politics Chat is recorded live on YouTube and Facebook every Tuesday and Thursday at 6 pm Maine time (3 PM PT / 6 PM ET). Watch today's recording: https://youtube.com/live/_3DRTVc3fAE?feature=share Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe You can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hcrichardson Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe

In today’s Politics Chat: Trump signed an executive order renaming Lake Ontario "Lake America," a symbolic move with no binding effect abroad. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney walked away from trade talks and imposed retaliatory tariffs effective September 8 targeting Republican districts, pivoting Canada's trade relationship toward the European Union instead. A new Strength in Numbers poll found Trump underwater on every issue including deportations, with 49 percent of Americans strongly disapproving versus 17 percent strongly approving. The national debt has passed 40 trillion dollars. Federal courts, including Trump-appointed judges, have ruled against the administration 23 times in a row over its attempts to obtain state voter rolls, producing a 17 percent false-positive purge rate. Trump's handpicked Kennedy Center board is threatening to demolish the building unless his name is restored to it. The Department of Justice has released only about half the court-ordered Epstein files, with Attorney General Todd Blanche accused of blocking the rest. New reporting found nearly 4.7 billion dollars missing from Trump-linked cryptocurrency schemes. Politics Chat is recorded live on YouTube and Facebook every Tuesday and Thursday at 6 pm Maine time (3 PM PT / 6 PM ET). Watch today's recording: https://youtube.com/live/os5f5VUCroU?feature=share Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe You can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hcrichardson Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe

In today’s Politics Chat: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries met with Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner, sparking Democratic backlash. Trump's tariff war with Canada, launched under emergency powers after courts struck down earlier tariffs, is reworking the post-World War II international order built on free trade and alliances. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has refused further negotiation and is instead building coalitions with the European Union and other middle powers. Canada's retaliatory tariffs are targeting Republican-held states including Maine, Iowa, and Michigan. Six months into the Iran war, Iran has held off the U.S. and Israel and now controls the Strait of Hormuz. The loss of the U.S. base in Bahrain means the U.S. is unlikely to rebuild its regional military presence. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed an executive order blocking new copper-sulfide mining permits near the Boundary Waters. Country music icon Dolly Parton died today in Nashville, at 80. Politics Chat is recorded live on YouTube and Facebook every Tuesday and Thursday at 6 pm Maine time (3 PM PT / 6 PM ET). Watch today's recording: https://www.youtube.com/live/5TdLezlrhX8?si=AjS_K0Wz8XIlekrp Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe You can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hcrichardson Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe

Topics covered in today’s Politics Chat: USS Abraham Lincoln resupply crisis, fabricated polling scandal, Natalie Harp and Trump's inner circle, spheres-of-influence foreign policy, alienating traditional allies, South Korea military exercise cancellation, North Korea and Russia alignment, Iran war, Strait of Hormuz control and transit tolls, rising diesel and food prices, renewable energy imperative, tactical nuclear weapons speculation, declining approval across demographics, Hoover administration parallel, federal workforce versus contractors, food safety failures, state voter roll lawsuits, voter intimidation, redistricting and independent commissions, fact-based media history, presidential self-enrichment Politics Chat is recorded live on YouTube and Facebook every Tuesday and Thursday at 6 pm Maine time (3 PM PT / 6 PM ET). Watch today's recording: https://youtube.com/live/_xi_O1EXPOc?feature=share Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe You can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hcrichardson Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe

Topics covered in today’s Politics Chat: USS Abraham Lincoln resupply crisis, fabricated polling scandal, Natalie Harp and Trump's inner circle, spheres-of-influence foreign policy, alienating traditional allies, South Korea military exercise cancellation, North Korea and Russia alignment, Iran war, Strait of Hormuz control and transit tolls, rising diesel and food prices, renewable energy imperative, tactical nuclear weapons speculation, declining approval across demographics, Hoover administration parallel, federal workforce versus contractors, food safety failures, state voter roll lawsuits, voter intimidation, redistricting and independent commissions, fact-based media history, presidential self-enrichment. Politics Chat is recorded live on YouTube and Facebook every Tuesday and Thursday at 6 pm Maine time (3 PM PT / 6 PM ET). Watch today's recording: https://youtube.com/live/Vo18MtjJ4LU?feature=share Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe You can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hcrichardson Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe

Topics covered in today’s Politics Chat: Kennedy Center takeover, monument and memorial legality, ICE-TSA data sharing and mass arrests, expedited immigration court proceedings, unaccompanied minor legal representation, detention deaths and reporting policy, ICE shock gloves, Haitian temporary protected status revocation, ankle monitoring, Big Bend border wall damage, DHS luxury aircraft purchases, RFK Jr. vaccine schedule changes, MMR vaccine executive order, executive privilege expansion, Corporate Transparency Act repeal and shell company data destruction, Epstein files contempt threat, state-level electoral strategy and redistricting, Watergate-era reform parallel. Politics Chat is recorded live on YouTube and Facebook every Tuesday and Thursday at 6 pm Maine time (3 PM PT / 6 PM ET). Watch today's recording: https://www.youtube.com/live/FRzxaXIXI8g?si=Elg6hOLnWG2heqwP Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe You can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe

Topics covered in today’s Politics Chat: Executive order powers, Greenland oil ambitions, attorney general confirmation and executive privilege, presidential approval decline and health scrutiny, Iran war setbacks and Strait of Hormuz, White House departures, Air Force One decoy incident, border wall damage and military strain, White House renovation spending and park funding diversion, national monument reductions, MAGA realignment unraveling. Politics Chat is recorded live on YouTube and Facebook every Tuesday and Thursday at 6 pm Maine time (3 PM PT / 6 PM ET). Watch today's recording: https://youtube.com/live/Ek3Xru1uUmI?feature=share Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe You can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe

U.S. missile and munitions shortages, Iran war of choice, Strait of Hormuz control and transit fees, freedom of the seas, rising gas and food prices, inflation, Venezuela oil seizure, Trump family government contracts, taxpayer-funded vanity projects, Fauci contempt of Congress vote, pardon limits and self-incrimination, Salem witch trials, weaponized prosecutions, withheld funds to Democratic states, mail-in ballot Supreme Court challenge, Medicaid and SNAP cuts, Watergate-era reforms. Politics Chat is recorded live on YouTube and Facebook every Tuesday and Thursday at 6 pm Maine time (3 PM PT / 6 PM ET). Watch today's recording: https://youtube.com/live/Faf9hUi3bsk?feature=share Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe You can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe

Topics covered in today’s Politics Chat: Party realignment, Capital One money laundering allegation, bank enabling of Epstein trafficking, paid insider-trading access, attorney general confirmation, Justice Department non-prosecution deal, Epstein files litigation, presidential approval decline, Republican infighting, reflecting pool vandalism case, Iran war, data center and AI pushback, Margaret Chase Smith and Bill Cohen dissent precedents, Heritage Foundation and Powell memo history, arts and humanities funding, White House ballroom spending. Politics Chat is recorded live on YouTube and Facebook every Tuesday and Thursday at 6 pm Maine time (3 PM PT / 6 PM ET). Watch today's recording: https://youtube.com/live/1wzFzhtCf6A?feature=share Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe You can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe

Topics covered in today’s Politics Chat: 19th-century political biography collecting, Medicare and Medicaid anniversary, Medicare Part D subsidy elimination, Medicaid payment withholding to states, One Big Beautiful Bill Act Medicaid cuts, Medicare Advantage privatization, Iran war, Strait of Hormuz control, munitions shortages, State Department Africa map error, International Criminal Court targeting, Caribbean and eastern Pacific boat strikes, attorney general confirmation, Justice Department non-prosecution deal, Epstein files litigation, billionaire midterm spending, SAVE Act, mail-in voting Supreme Court challenge, Medicaid-for-children proposal. Politics Chat is recorded live on YouTube and Facebook every Tuesday and Thursday at 6 pm Maine time (3 PM PT / 6 PM ET). Watch today's recording: https://www.youtube.com/live/LG_YlRGTYrQ?si=lcPowX5y3hHVtY6c Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe You can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe

Topics covered in today’s Politics Chat: Trump mental acuity, partisan legitimacy double standard, historic preservation rollbacks, Caribbean and eastern Pacific boat strikes, Iran war of choice, War Powers Act evasion, Venezuela oil extraction, munitions shortages, revised Iran war casualty figures, tariff authority after Supreme Court ruling, tariffs as income tax replacement, wealthy tax cuts, Justice Department weaponization, reflecting pool vandalism case, Epstein files litigation, SAVE Act, food safety and measles outbreaks, 1913 income tax history, evangelical right and reproductive rights alignment. Politics Chat is recorded live on YouTube and Facebook every Tuesday and Thursday at 6 pm Maine time (3 PM PT / 6 PM ET). Watch today's recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQuR2yoUnVI Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe You can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe

Topics covered in today’s Politics Chat: Kentucky Senate vacancy question, Senate succession and special election law, National Historic Preservation Act Section 106 rollback, Chaco Canyon drilling, U.S.–Saudi nuclear power deal, nuclear proliferation concerns, Iran war escalation, Strait of Hormuz control, tanker attacks, rising oil and gasoline prices, U.S. military buildup in the Gulf, Canada tariffs, tariff authority after the Supreme Court ruling, wildfires and climate change, SNAP cuts, Medicaid cuts, ICE arrests and enforcement shootings, IRS funding restoration, billionaire political spending, Senator Andy Kim’s “MediKids” proposal. Politics Chat is recorded live on YouTube and Facebook every Tuesday and Thursday at 6 pm Maine time (3 PM PT / 6 PM ET). Watch today's recordinghttps://youtube.com/live/tqiCcLB-K3k?feature=share Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe You can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe

Maine Senate race, Susan Collins and immigration funding vote, 25th Amendment succession process, Medicaid reimbursement withholding, SNAP cuts and error rates, Iran war supplemental funding, War Powers Act authorization, farm bailout, SAVE Act, ICE and Border Patrol funding, immigration enforcement shootings, cryptocurrency earnings, White House ballroom and reflecting pool spending, defense industry contracts, tariff effects on agriculture, Medicaid-for-children proposal, socialism and communism definitions. Politics Chat is recorded live on YouTube and Facebook every Tuesday and Thursday at 6 pm Maine time (3 PM PT / 6 PM ET). Watch today's recording here: https://youtube.com/live/D0VifU1gEyU?feature=share Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe You can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe

Topics covered in today’s Politics Chat: Waltham clockmaking and industrial time, U.S.–Iran war, Strait of Hormuz control and rising fuel prices, U.S.–Iran memorandum of understanding, Strategic Petroleum Reserve drawdown, threatened strikes on Iranian infrastructure, immigration sweeps and enforcement shootings, foodborne illness outbreak, CDC tracking cuts, wildfire smoke and air quality, climate policy reversals, White House reflecting pool damage, defense supplemental spending package, SAVE Act funding, Senate Judiciary Committee vacancy, Senate Republican leadership absences, director of national intelligence nomination, attorney general confirmation, Epstein files, presidential approval decline, prime-time election speech and network coverage, Maine Senate race. Politics Chat is recorded live on YouTube and Facebook every Tuesday and Thursday at 6 pm Maine time (3 PM PT / 6 PM ET). Watch today's recording here: https://youtube.com/live/CEa2Rj6fV58?feature=share Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe You can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe

Topics covered in today’s Politics Chat: U.S.–Iran memorandum of understanding withdrawal, Strait of Hormuz control, Iranian port blockade, cargo transit fees, War Powers Act notification, ICE appropriation, immigration enforcement shootings, traffic stop suspension, detention facility conditions and court access, Maine Senate race, Senate Judiciary Committee vacancy, Senate Republican leadership absences, attorney general confirmation, International Criminal Court withdrawal push, Caribbean and eastern Pacific boat strikes, SAVE Act, state voter roll collection, 2020 election claims, director of national intelligence nomination, Trump IRS settlement ruling, Epstein files litigation, preemptive pardons, federal contracting irregularities, Trump family financial dealings, Motor Voter Act history, Margaret Chase Smith and Senate succession precedent. Politics Chat is recorded live on YouTube and Facebook every Tuesday and Thursday at 6 pm Maine time (3 PM PT / 6 PM ET). Watch today's recording here: https://youtube.com/live/Nvc0cvDTGb4?feature=share Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe You can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe

Topics covered in today’s Politics Chat: Maine Senate race, Mitch McConnell health uncertainty, Iran war escalation, Strait of Hormuz fallout and rising inflation, NATO summit realignment, ICE raids resurgence, immigration enforcement shooting, Trump family corruption, Spain trade cutoff, Trump mental fitness, Epstein files litigation, Todd Blanche attorney general confirmation, Greenland acquisition push, left-wing terrorism summit, Latin American spheres of influence, Venezuela intervention, communism rhetoric, voter roll purges, Department of Government Efficiency shutdown, contaminated baby formula, food safety regulation. Politics Chat is recorded live on YouTube and Facebook every Tuesday and Thursday at 6 pm Maine time (3 PM PT / 6 PM ET). Watch today's recording here: https://youtube.com/live/7kglw8jevNE Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe You can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe

Topics covered in today’s Politics Chat: Maine Senate race, anti-establishment messaging, party realignment, Graham Platner nomination, concentration of wealth, the American dream, work ethic versus job category, Democratic bench depth, “prairie populism,” urban democratic socialism, rural infrastructure gaps, Susan Collins’ record, Kavanaugh confirmation vote, appropriations clawbacks, Trump meme coin losses, renewed Iran bombing, Strait of Hormuz fallout, NATO summit, Greenland and Canada annexation talk, Mitch McConnell health questions, neo-Nazi march. Politics Chat is recorded live on YouTube and Facebook every Tuesday and Thursday at 6 pm Maine time (3 PM PT / 6 PM ET). Watch today's recording here: https://www.youtube.com/live/nkDRcv1pzT4?si=g1F4s3eed_qcq2Tf Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe You can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe