14 votes

Weekly US politics news and updates thread - week of March 17

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Tags: politics.usa, usa, recurring.weekly

This thread is posted weekly - please try to post all relevant US political content in here, such as news, updates, opinion articles, etc. Extremely significant events may warrant a separate topic, but almost all should be posted in here.

This is an inherently political thread; please try to avoid antagonistic arguments and bickering matches. Comment threads that devolve into unproductive arguments may be removed so that the overall topic is able to continue.

42 comments

  1. [3]
    Bet
    Link
    I’m the Canadian who was detained by Ice for two weeks. It felt like I had been kidnapped

    I’m the Canadian who was detained by Ice for two weeks. It felt like I had been kidnapped

    There was no explanation, no warning. He led me to a room, took my belongings from my hands and ordered me to put my hands against the wall. A woman immediately began patting me down. The commands came rapid-fire, one after another, too fast to process.

    They took my shoes and pulled out my shoelaces.

    “What are you doing? What is happening?” I asked.

    “You are being detained.”

    “I don’t understand. What does that mean? For how long?”

    “I don’t know.”

    That would be the response to nearly every question I would ask over the next two weeks: “I don’t know.”

    16 votes
    1. Raspcoffee
      Link Parent
      I had read it yesterday and it's so horrible... She only got out due to the media attention and nothing else. There is no rule of law present anymore in that system. None. This just reminds me so...

      I had read it yesterday and it's so horrible... She only got out due to the media attention and nothing else. There is no rule of law present anymore in that system. None.

      We sat in freezing-cold jail cells for hours, waiting for everyone to be processed. Across the room, one of the women suddenly spotted her husband. They had both been detained and were now seeing each other for the first time in weeks.

      The look on her face – pure love, relief and longing – was something I’ll never forget.

      This just reminds me so much of the material I read about concentration camps during history class and I'm just so horrified.

      11 votes
    2. PigeonDubois
      Link Parent
      Far out that was a harrowing read

      Far out that was a harrowing read

      4 votes
  4. [2]
    Bet
    Link
    Democratic Senators Team Up With MAGA To Hand Trump A Censorship Machine .

    Democratic Senators Team Up With MAGA To Hand Trump A Censorship Machine

    At the exact moment when Donald Trump and his MAGA allies are actively dismantling democratic institutions and working to silence critics, a group of Democratic Senators have decided to collaborate with Trump’s supporters to make it easier to censor speech online.

    As reported in The Information (paywalled), several Democratic Senators are teaming up with some of Trump’s strongest Senate allies to repeal Section 230 — the law that both enables content moderation and protects websites from being sued into oblivion for hosting user speech.

    .

    The timing here is what makes this move particularly baffling — and dangerous. At the exact moment when Trump and his allies are systematically dismantling democratic institutions and attempting to silence critics, these Democratic Senators want to hand them an incredibly powerful censorship tool.

    Here’s what repealing Section 230 would actually do: remove the law that explicitly protects websites when they resist government pressure to censor speech.

    Without those protections, the Trump administration would have far more leverage to force platforms to remove content they don’t like — whether that’s criticism of Trump, exposure of corruption, or information about voting rights. It can also allow them to pressure websites to host pro-MAGA or pro-Nazi content that sites might not wish to associate with.

    Think that’s hyperbole? Consider what’s already happening with all of the various attacks on the media and even law firms that have supported Democratic causes.

    Repealing Section 230 entirely would simply give the administration even more power to control online speech. It would give the Trump administration incredible latitude to censor any kind of content they dislike, even if that content would nominally be protected under the First Amendment.

    7 votes
    1. Lyrl
      Link Parent

      Which brings us back to the core question: how could these Democratic Senators support a plan that would simultaneously give Donald Trump unprecedented censorship powers while also consolidating Meta’s control over online speech?

      The evidence suggests they simply don’t understand what they’re doing. Each of these Senators has a documented history of fundamental confusion about Section 230 and how the internet works:

      *Richard Blumenthal has been getting Section 230 wrong since his days as Connecticut’s AG in the early 2000s.

      *Sheldon Whitehouse’s chapter on free speech revealed such profound confusion about Section 230 that it’s hard to believe he’s actually read the law.

      *We’ve already covered Durbin and Klobuchar’s dangerous misunderstandings.

      4 votes
  5. [4]
    nic
    Link
    Wall Street’s recession odds are starting to look like a coin flip as Trump refuses to back down on his trade war

    Wall Street’s recession odds are starting to look like a coin flip as Trump refuses to back down on his trade war

    6 votes
    1. [3]
      nic
      Link Parent
      https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/03/16/trump-has-pummelled-the-us-to-the-edge-of-recession-destroy/ There is an interesting graph that shows the tariffs promised on the campaign trail...

      https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/03/16/trump-has-pummelled-the-us-to-the-edge-of-recession-destroy/

      There is an interesting graph that shows the tariffs promised on the campaign trail versus the announced tariffs, the big thing missing from the chart is reciprocal tariffs.

      5 votes
      1. [2]
        nic
        Link Parent
        Trump Says Both Reciprocal and Sectoral Tariffs Coming April 2 The previous article was probably written just before this came out. Part of me worries that tariff threats are a great way for Trump...

        Trump Says Both Reciprocal and Sectoral Tariffs Coming April 2

        The previous article was probably written just before this came out.

        Part of me worries that tariff threats are a great way for Trump to get the attention that he craves. Trump seems to love the chaotic rollout of tariffs, as a way to force news reporters to write about him and to force heads of states to call him and woo him.

        7 votes
        1. nic
          Link Parent
          Trump’s Unwelcome News to Auto Chiefs: Buckle Up for What’s to Come I guess my fears were founded...

          Trump’s Unwelcome News to Auto Chiefs: Buckle Up for What’s to Come

          I guess my fears were founded...

          To Mr. Trump, tariffs are not merely a negotiating tool. He believes they will make America rich again. And they combine two of his favorite features of the presidency: They are a unilateral power that he can turn on or off on a whim, and they create a begging economy, forcing powerful people to come before him to plead for mercy.

          This account is based on interviews with more than a dozen Trump administration officials and others familiar with the dynamic at the White House over tariffs. They asked for anonymity to discuss private conversations and deliberations.

          7 votes
  6. [10]
    nic
    Link
    What's Trump's endgame with global tariffs? Canadian officials say they have a clearer idea i.e. It's not a negotiation tactic, it's a regressive tax, to increase government revenue.

    What's Trump's endgame with global tariffs? Canadian officials say they have a clearer idea

    The U.S. aims to address its federal spending deficit, which reached $1.83 trillion in the 2024 fiscal year, through tariffs and reduced government spending.

    i.e. It's not a negotiation tactic, it's a regressive tax, to increase government revenue.

    6 votes
    1. [9]
      cfabbro
      Link Parent
      If it was really about increasing government revenue, why would he also be gutting the IRS, which brings in "about 96 percent of the funding that supports the federal government’s operations" and...

      If it was really about increasing government revenue, why would he also be gutting the IRS, which brings in "about 96 percent of the funding that supports the federal government’s operations" and "for every dollar spent by the IRS, the agency returns between $5 and $12"?

      10 votes
      1. boxer_dogs_dance
        Link Parent
        Trump has stated that he wants to end income tax and replace it with tariff revenue. Admittedly, Trump says a lot and much that is contradictory.

        Trump has stated that he wants to end income tax and replace it with tariff revenue. Admittedly, Trump says a lot and much that is contradictory.

        7 votes
      2. [7]
        TheMediumJon
        Link Parent
        Because the IRS nominally collects progressively and could hurt people he doesn't want to hurt in trying to get funds, whereas tariffs are regressive across the board and since there was an...

        Because the IRS nominally collects progressively and could hurt people he doesn't want to hurt in trying to get funds, whereas tariffs are regressive across the board and since there was an exception mechanism last time he could end up adding one for entities he wants to spare?

        5 votes
        1. [6]
          cfabbro
          Link Parent
          Yeah, my question was a bit rhetorical. ;) Tariffs hurt people he doesn't care about (other countries), whereas Taxes hurts those he does (himself and his rich friends).

          Yeah, my question was a bit rhetorical. ;) Tariffs hurt people he doesn't care about (other countries), whereas Taxes hurts those he does (himself and his rich friends).

          6 votes
          1. [5]
            nic
            Link Parent
            Tariff's hurt people he doesn't care about - the poors. It's a sales tax, which is regressive. It does hurt other countries as well, but only because they will feel obliged to implement their own...

            Tariff's hurt people he doesn't care about - the poors. It's a sales tax, which is regressive. It does hurt other countries as well, but only because they will feel obliged to implement their own tariffs.

            12 votes
            1. Promonk
              Link Parent
              Theoretically, they hurt the country they're applied to by lessening demand for their goods as well. In practice, tariffs are usually frowned upon because they don't stimulate trade, they dampen...

              It does hurt other countries as well, but only because they will feel obliged to implement their own tariffs.

              Theoretically, they hurt the country they're applied to by lessening demand for their goods as well. In practice, tariffs are usually frowned upon because they don't stimulate trade, they dampen it.

              I think Trump believes he's addressing trade deficits by cooling demand for imports. Thing is, the money we spend on imports is then used to buy trade goods from other nations, which in turn means those countries now have money to buy from us. The classic economist's view is to judge the health of economies by how much money circulates in exchange, not by how much is held by any one entity. Slapping tariffs on everything doesn't contribute to money moving around, it reduces demand and means less money gets to change hands.

              It's such a boneheaded, simplistic bludgeon to use as a tool on an intricate and unfathomably complex system. It's "number goes up" idiocy taken to the extreme.

              6 votes
            2. [3]
              skybrian
              (edited )
              Link Parent
              I think if major retailers started putting a line item for tariffs on their receipts (like grocery stores do for discounted items) then it might get through even to Republicans that tariffs are a...

              I think if major retailers started putting a line item for tariffs on their receipts (like grocery stores do for discounted items) then it might get through even to Republicans that tariffs are a tax that affects them.

              That’s not a small change to their computer systems, though. I haven’t seen any sign of it, and it would likely take a while.

              2 votes
              1. [2]
                boxer_dogs_dance
                Link Parent
                Even that doesn't capture the tariffs that hit the manufacturing process. Cars in particular have multiple border crossings built in before the vehicle is complete.

                Even that doesn't capture the tariffs that hit the manufacturing process. Cars in particular have multiple border crossings built in before the vehicle is complete.

                4 votes
                1. skybrian
                  Link Parent
                  Yep. Tracking this end-to-end would be a major initiative, like implementing VAT.

                  Yep. Tracking this end-to-end would be a major initiative, like implementing VAT.

                  4 votes
  7. [3]
    Fal
    Link
    Trump up, Dems down in new polls

    Trump up, Dems down in new polls

    More registered voters say the U.S. is heading in the right direction (44%) than at any point since early 2004, though a majority (54%) still say the country is on the wrong track, according to an NBC News poll out this morning.

    4 votes
    1. updawg
      Link Parent
      So yeah, Republicans love Republicans and Democrats hate Democrats. Nothing too unexpected given the past year or so.

      The other side: The Democratic Party reached an all-time low in popularity in NBC polling dating back to 1990.

      • A net 27% of those polled said they have positive views of the party (20% positive and 7% very positive).

      • CNN's latest polling also found that the Democratic party's favorability rating among Americans is now at just 29%, a new low in in the outlet's polling dating back to 1992.

      So yeah, Republicans love Republicans and Democrats hate Democrats. Nothing too unexpected given the past year or so.

      10 votes
    2. nic
      Link Parent
      This is spin. Put another way NBC poll says while 44% of Americans say America is on the right track which is the most since 2004.... 47% Approve of trump which is the second worst poll for a "New...

      This is spin.

      Put another way

      54% see the country as on the wrong track.

      (51%) disapproves of his [Trumps] performance.

      Just 27% of registered voters view the [Democratic] party positively. That includes just 59% of self-identified Democrats.

      NBC poll says while 44% of Americans say America is on the right track which is the most since 2004.... 47% Approve of trump which is the second worst poll for a "New to office" poll at this point in time. The worst poll was... also Trump at 40% in his first term.

      What surprises me is usually more Americans think America is on the wrong track. I guess Democrats are as skeptical as ever, and Republicans are really drinking the cool aid.

      8 votes
  8. [3]
    updawg
    Link
    Trump says he's ending Secret Service protection for Biden's adult children

    Trump says he's ending Secret Service protection for Biden's adult children

    4 votes
    1. [2]
      DefinitelyNotAFae
      Link Parent
      And then announced it on social media as well as where Hunter Biden was and retaliated against the country hosting him. He's hoping they get injured or killed.

      And then announced it on social media as well as where Hunter Biden was and retaliated against the country hosting him.

      He's hoping they get injured or killed.

      7 votes
  9. [3]
    Bet
    Link
    'Segregated facilities' are no longer explicitly banned in federal contracts

    'Segregated facilities' are no longer explicitly banned in federal contracts

    The segregation clause is one of several identified in a public memo issued by the General Services Administration last month, affecting all civil federal agencies. The memo explains that it is making changes prompted by President Trump's executive order on diversity, equity and inclusion, which repealed an executive order signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965 regarding federal contractors and nondiscrimination. The memo also addresses Trump's executive order on gender identity.

    While there are still state and federal laws that outlaw segregation and discrimination that companies need to comply with, legal experts say this change to contracts across the federal government is significant.

    "It's symbolic, but it's incredibly meaningful in its symbolism," says Melissa Murray, a constitutional law professor at New York University. "These provisions that required federal contractors to adhere to and comply with federal civil rights laws and to maintain integrated rather than segregated workplaces were all part of the federal government's efforts to facilitate the settlement that led to integration in the 1950s and 1960s.

    3 votes
  11. [7]
    nic
    Link
    This is why Kamala Harris really lost tldr, mostly Biden was unpopular due to Inflation, Immigration & Afghanistan. Unpopular among low information tick tockers and also among gen alphas who are...

    This is why Kamala Harris really lost

    tldr, mostly Biden was unpopular due to Inflation, Immigration & Afghanistan. Unpopular among low information tick tockers and also among gen alphas who are more conservative than gen z.

    Archive Link: https://archive.ph/kbwom

    2 votes
    1. [2]
      EgoEimi
      Link Parent
      Republicans have figured out how to break Democrats' pluralistic coalition. It was always a tenuous and awkward alliance between liberals and minority moderates and conservatives. But Republicans...

      nonwhite voters who identify as “conservative” or “moderate” have been voting more and more like their white ideological counterparts over the past few elections. So, the electorate is polarizing less on race and more on ideology.

      Republicans have figured out how to break Democrats' pluralistic coalition. It was always a tenuous and awkward alliance between liberals and minority moderates and conservatives. But Republicans have been using immigration and social issues to wedge minority moderates and conservatives away from Democrats.

      4 votes
      1. MimicSquid
        Link Parent
        It'll be interesting to see how minority moderates and conservatives vote in the 2026 elections. After a couple of years of seeing what they can actually get from the Republican Party they may...

        It'll be interesting to see how minority moderates and conservatives vote in the 2026 elections. After a couple of years of seeing what they can actually get from the Republican Party they may have different thoughts about who should be in office.

        2 votes
    2. [4]
      Fal
      Link Parent
      Gen alpha can’t even vote though, no?

      Gen alpha can’t even vote though, no?

      3 votes
      1. [3]
        nic
        Link Parent
        Yeah, I don't know what I was thinking, It's Millenials that are more conservative than their Gen X parents I think?

        Yeah, I don't know what I was thinking, It's Millenials that are more conservative than their Gen X parents I think?

        1 vote
        1. RoyalHenOil
          Link Parent
          Millennials (or Gen Y) are the children of Boomers. Gen Z are the children of Gen X.

          Millennials (or Gen Y) are the children of Boomers. Gen Z are the children of Gen X.

          4 votes
        2. ButteredToast
          Link Parent
          It may just be my perception but I think there’s something of a rift politically even within millennials, with the older half skewing more conservative and the younger half skewing more progressive.

          It may just be my perception but I think there’s something of a rift politically even within millennials, with the older half skewing more conservative and the younger half skewing more progressive.

          1 vote
  12. [2]
    boxer_dogs_dance
    Link
    department of Justice forms an election accountability unit

    department of Justice forms an election accountability unit

    2 votes
    1. Bet
      Link Parent
      The response to that letter, for anyone interested. It is appropriately professionally salty, lol; no fools suffered there.

      [Martin] recently sent a “letter of inquiry” to Georgetown University Law Center’s dean that warned that his office won’t hire the private school’s students if it doesn’t eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

      The response to that letter, for anyone interested. It is appropriately professionally salty, lol; no fools suffered there.

      5 votes
  14. Fal
    Link
    As an aside, this weekly thread has been moved to ~society, but is still in the ~news sidebar and not the ~society sidebar

    As an aside, this weekly thread has been moved to ~society, but is still in the ~news sidebar and not the ~society sidebar

    5 votes