Living in the USA

As Trump’s support collapses, he has lashed out in two directions–sending an unprecedented number of ICE agents to Minneapolis, where one of them murdered Renee Good, and sending the military to Venezuela, where he says he has seized control of the oil industry. Harold Meyerson comments. Also: Twenty Minutes Without Trump: There’s a new TV series about how capitalism came to Communist China: 30 ep...

What is to be done about that ICE agent murdering a woman in Minneapolis, Renée Good, who was a peaceful legal observer trying to drive away from him? Homeland Security Secretary, Kristi Noem called the murder "self defense" – the mayor of Minneapolis, Jacob Frey said that was "bullshit" and to ICE he said, "Get the fuck out of Minneapolis" – and Minnesota Senator Tina Smith said to ICE "Leave us...

The year in politics: Harold Meyerson of The American Prospect comments on Trump’s collapsing support in 2025, and the rise of the resistance—in both the unprecedented national mobilizations culminating in the second No Kings Day, and the Democratic triumph in virtually all elections in 2025. Also: the year in court: David Cole, who stepped down this year as national legal director of the ACLU, re...

In June, Trump sent more than 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to occupy Los Angeles and terrorize the immigrant population. But by the end of July, almost all the Guard and the Marines were gone. Bill Gallegos explains how that happened and what other cities can learn from it. Also: From the archives: The Romans captured and killed Jesus because the revolutionary movement he launched c...

Last week, the Indiana state legislature voted down Trump's redistricting demands that would've created more Republican seats in the House; now, four Republicans have joined the Democrats in forcing a vote on extending Obamacare subsidies, AND, 20 House Republicans are supporting the federal workers union — Trump's grip on the Republican party is slipping — Harold Meyerson comments. Also: Today, F...

In this week's special elections, a Democrat got elected mayor of Miami for the first time in almost 30 years — by a 19-point margin; and, even Trump country in Georgia is not safe from Democratic wins – Harold Meyerson comments. Also: How did we end up with Trump back in the White House? We got here in part because Republicans built a movement over several decades centered on what are called “the...

Trump on Wednesday declared that Democrats who say we are in an affordability crisis are "pulling a con job" – he said prices are "falling across the country, just about everything is down." But the statistics show the opposite, prices have NOT been falling; another key factor of affordability is stagnation of wages – Harold Meyerson comments. On Bob Dylan's earliest recordings "Through the Open W...

Last Friday Marjorie Taylor Greene announced she was quitting after Trump excommunicated her from MAGA, while the same day Trump welcomed Zohran Mamdani to the White House with open arms and high praise. What’s going on with Trump? Harold Meyerson comments - he's editor at large of The American Prospect. Also: Alice Waters, the legendary founder of Chez Panisse in Berkeley, winner of the Nati...

On Wednesday night, Trump signed the bill requiring release of the Epstein Files; something he devoted all of his political power to preventing. What does this mean for Trump, for MAGA, and for the rest of us? Harold Meyerson comments. Also: After almost a year of Trump stonewalling about the Epstein files, Republicans in the House finally took a stand against him. More than a hundred Republi...

Last week ended with the Democrats triumphant after huge wins with voters across the country; then at the start of this week the Republicans were triumphant when eight Senate Democrats caved on the shutdown; but then, since Wednesday, Trump and the Republicans have been reeling since Democrats on the House oversight committee released devastating emails from the Epstein files – Harold Meyerson com...

The blue wave – or "blue tsunami" – this week restored the Democrats' winning coalition: people of color, young people and women. Harold Meyerson on how Tuesday shows us that while "candidate Trump is good for Republican turnout, President Trump is good for Democratic turnout". Also: Greil Marcus comments on the new film about Bruce Springsteen writing the songs for his 1982 album “Nebraska”, star...

Voters can take a stand against Trump’s candidates in next Tuesday’s elections in Virginia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, California, and New York City—and move toward redistricting that favors Democrats. Harold Meyerson of The American Prospect explains. Also: A new art exhibit in Los Angeles, called Monuments , displays 10 decommissioned Confederate monuments alongside the work of 19 artists re...

From the biggest single day of protest in American history – 7 million people demonstrating against Trump – to his worst major poll since he took office in January – it hasn't been a good week for Trump – unless you count the tearing down of the east wing of the White House. Harold Meyerson comments. No Kings Day on Oct. 18 was the largest peaceful protest in American history. Rebecca Solnit...

The Supreme Court vs. The Voting Rights Act: The conservative majority of SCOTUS plans to eliminate 12 Democratic seats in the House, currently held by Black representatives. What are the implications for the 2026 midterms; and, what can the Democrats do to counter this latest gerrymandering nightmare? Harold Meyerson comments. Also: Saturday is the second No Kings Day – it should be the bigg...

Harold Meyerson comments on what remains to be done for genuine peace in Gaza; he also reviews the National Guard deployments to Portland and Chicago, the upcoming elections in California and elsewhere, and Trump's lastest attacks on universities. Also: as the Supreme Court begins its new term, Trump lost six different cases in district courts just last week, ranging from bans on deploying the Nat...

For Senate Democrats this is a big week for defiance. At last they are making popular demands as part of a deal to pass a budget and avoid a government shutdown. But Trump still holds a lot of cards. Harold Meyerson will comment. Also: None of us were prepared for the double whammy of last week’s White House press conference, where Trump made false claims not only about vaccines but also abou...

Trump is trying to stop speech that criticizes him and his administration. Last week began with JD Vance complaining about an article in The Nation that criticized the ideas of Charlie Kirk. Two days after that, ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel. And a few days after that, a protest movement forced ABC to put him back on the air. Bhaskar Sunkara comments on the fight over freedom of speech—he’s president...

With his attacks on late-night comedians, Trump is practicing the "cancel culture" he pledged to eliminate. Harold Meyerson comments. Also: Democrats have been winning big victories in special elections in diverse places across the country. John Nichols comments. Plus: Why fascists fear teachers - starting in L.A. Randi Weingarten, president of the AFT, explains - her new book is "Why Fascists Fea...

Who is the real mainstream of the Democratic party? Bernie Sanders and Zohran Mamdani? Or Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries? Some recent polls might have the answer – Harold Meyerson comments. Also: Trump had four major court decisions against him in a single week last week: on tariffs, defunding Harvard, sending troops to LA, and deporting Venezuelans, different courts and appellate panels said h...

At a time when almost everything seems to be going wrong, Bill McKibben sees one thing that is suddenly going right – a really big thing: solar power, and wind, which now provide cheaper electricity than fossil fuels. Bill’s new book has the wonderful title “Here Comes the Sun” – he says solar is “A Last Chance for the Climate and a Fresh Chance for civilization.” Also: Historian Eric Foner p...

While Labor Unions are more popular than ever in America, a federal appeals court has ruled the NLRB itself is unconstitutional - which, if upheld, means it's up to the states to do what the NLRB did. Harold Meyerson comments. Also: What is Trump’s strategy in deploying the National Guard to LA, then DC, and now probably Chicago and New York? Does he want the military in the streets of blue cities...

The National Guard, still in DC, bolstered by units from southern Red states, remains overwhelmingly unpopular, especially ICE's deportation efforts – Harold Meyerson reports. Also: In The Nation’s interview with Zohran Mamdani, he talks how he won the New York City Democratic primary for mayor, by addressing the city’s affordability crisis—and what the Democrats can learn from his victory. Katrin...

Report from Washington D.C. – where Trump has deployed the National Guard, ICE and FBI agents. He has also federalized the D.C. Police Department​ – this requires them to cooperate with ICE. These operations contrast with Trump's deployment of the National Guard in LA, which, has a "different political topology"– Harold Meyerson comments. Also: Donald Trump is demanding that UCLA pay a $1 bil...

Trump's scheme to maintain control in the House in the midterms? Eliminate Democratic seats in Texas by redistricting. Texas House Democrats have responded by fleeing the state to block the necessary quorum on the proposed district map – now, the FBI might be deployed to arrest those Democrats; but, for what crime? Harold Meyerson comments. Also: Robert Reich says the origin of our troubles with T...

Six million Democrats who voted for Joe Biden in 2020 did not vote in 2024. What’s wrong with them? Pollster and strategist Celinda Lake explains who they are, and what it would take to get them back to the polls in the 2026 midterms – and in 2028. Also: a suggestion for summer reading: M: Son of the Century is a 750-page historical novel about the rise of Mussolini, by Antonio Scurati.&...