#libraryofcongress — Public Fediverse posts

Library News

https://barland7.wordpress.com/2026/09/06/library-news-25/

Library News

https://barland7.wordpress.com/2026/09/06/library-news-25/

Library News

https://barland7.wordpress.com/2026/09/06/library-news-25/

Library News

https://barland7.wordpress.com/2026/09/06/library-news-25/

Library News

https://barland7.wordpress.com/2026/09/06/library-news-25/

"Soul Man" is a 1967 song written and composed by #IsaacHayes and #DavidPorter, first successful as a number 2 hit single by #AtlanticRecords #soul duo #SamAndDave, which consisted of #SamuelSamMoore and #DavidDavePrater. In 2019, "Soul Man" was selected for preservation in the #NationalRecordingRegistry as "culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant" by the #LibraryOfCongress.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTWH1Fdkjow

"Soul Man" is a 1967 song written and composed by #IsaacHayes and #DavidPorter, first successful as a number 2 hit single by #AtlanticRecords #soul duo #SamAndDave, which consisted of #SamuelSamMoore and #DavidDavePrater. In 2019, "Soul Man" was selected for preservation in the #NationalRecordingRegistry as "culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant" by the #LibraryOfCongress.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTWH1Fdkjow

"Soul Man" is a 1967 song written and composed by #IsaacHayes and #DavidPorter, first successful as a number 2 hit single by #AtlanticRecords #soul duo #SamAndDave, which consisted of #SamuelSamMoore and #DavidDavePrater. In 2019, "Soul Man" was selected for preservation in the #NationalRecordingRegistry as "culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant" by the #LibraryOfCongress.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTWH1Fdkjow

"Soul Man" is a 1967 song written and composed by #IsaacHayes and #DavidPorter, first successful as a number 2 hit single by #AtlanticRecords #soul duo #SamAndDave, which consisted of #SamuelSamMoore and #DavidDavePrater. In 2019, "Soul Man" was selected for preservation in the #NationalRecordingRegistry as "culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant" by the #LibraryOfCongress.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTWH1Fdkjow

"Soul Man" is a 1967 song written and composed by #IsaacHayes and #DavidPorter, first successful as a number 2 hit single by #AtlanticRecords #soul duo #SamAndDave, which consisted of #SamuelSamMoore and #DavidDavePrater. In 2019, "Soul Man" was selected for preservation in the #NationalRecordingRegistry as "culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant" by the #LibraryOfCongress.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTWH1Fdkjow

Plunder, Mystery, and Intrigue: Visiting the British Museum and the British Library

After leaving the Lake District, I traveled to London by train, for the third part of my trip. This was where I saw the most libraries during my trip. On my last day in London, August 3rd, I visited the British Museum, located in London’s West End, which was overcrowded with tourists. This made viewing the so-called “chronicle of Western collection,” which was acquired through extensive plunder and theft, as American tour guide Rick Steves describes the museum, very uncomfortable. Even so, there were two highlights. The first was the stately and round reading room. English writers Virginia Woolf and Beatrix Potter, Chinese revolutionary Sun Yat-sen, radical thinkers Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin, Black nationalist Marcus Garvey, women’s rights campaigner Sylvia Pankhurst, independence activist Mohandas K. Gandhi, and Irish author Bram Stoker all studied there.

Note: This serves as second part of my series on this blog about my library tourism last year, with the first part, about my attempted and successful library tourism in Edinburgh and Northern England, posted on this blog last week. The series begins, chronologically, with my guest post on Reel Librarians, on February 11th, in a post entitled “Edinburgh and the National Library of Scotland: Library tourism redux.” It will be reposted on here over a month later. There will be one more parts of this series, focusing on my continued library tourism in Belgium coming next week.

Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes, as noted in Doyle’s “The Complete Sherlock Holmes,” studied in the reading room. In the 1893 short story “The Adventure of the Musgrave Ritual” (sometimes abbreviated as “The Musgrave Ritual”), he studied “those branches of science which might make me more efficient” in the reading room. He learned other information from the British Museum in chapter 15 of 1902 novel The Hound of the Baskervilles and “The Tiger of San Pedro” chapter, within a 1917 collection entitled His Last Bow: Some Reminiscences of Sherlock Holmes (sometimes abbreviated as “His Last Bow”). There are mentions of libraries in the short stories “The Five Orange Pips”, “The Adventure of the Engineer’s Thumb”, and “The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet” in the 1892 short story collection The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.

The same is the case for “The Musgrave Ritual,” “The ‘Gloria Scott’”, and “The Reigate Squires” all within the 1893 short story collection The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, and the stories “The Adventures of the Three Students” and “The Adventure of the Golden Pince-Nez” in the 1905 short story collection The Return of Sherlock Holmes. Apart from that, chapter 10 of The Hound of the Baskervilles, chapter 7 of the 1915 novel The Valley of Fear, and the story “The Problem of Thorn Bridge” in the 1927 set of short stories The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes feature libraries as well. Lastly, there’s a mention of a London Library in St. James’s Square and Lomax, who is said to be a “sublibrarian,” in “The Illustrious Client.” This is another short story within The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes.

In an email communication, Nathalie Belkin, an archivist who works for the London Library, told me that Doyle was a library member, joining in 1896 after his friend, and fellow writer, Arthur Griffith, nominated him. According to Belkin, Doyle was an active library user, even serving on the library’s committee. In fact, it is believed that The Illustrious Client, also entitled The Adventure of the Illustrious Client, was written in the library’s main reading room. While the borrowing history from the time has been lost, he was a “well-known fixture” of the library.

Otherwise, Karl Marx formulated ideas on communism, including within Das Kapital (also known as Capital), in the aforementioned reading room within the British Museum. Displays within the room describe it as a place for diverse thought. Many patrons left behind their mark in the visitors log. It was even one of the first places in London to have electric light (in 1879)! The room could, at maximum, hold 302 readers sitting at 38 tables, sitting across from each other, and was heated from underneath. Readers would consult a catalogue of printed books in the room’s center, then fill out a request form. In some ways, this makes this room similar to the Library of Congress’s Reading Room, since books for the British Library could be accessed there until they were moved to their current location in 1997. In fact, 62,000 people came when this reading room opened in 1857. A sign, when looking into the reading room, tells visitors to be quiet, feeding into the common conception of libraries as quiet places, which is not always the case for all libraries anymore.

What Rick Steves didn’t mention is that the historic reading room only re-opened to the public in 2024 after being closed for eleven years. The room was designed by Sydney Smirke, inspired by Rome’s domed Pantheon, and opened in 1857. It first re-opened to visitors in 2000 (after it stopped being an active reading room in 1997), then closed in 2013, when it was used for archival storage. The room, described by some as “legendary,” “stunning,” and an impressive sight for bibliophiles (protagonist and book-defender Elianna Bernstein of Bibliophile Princess would be right at home there) is not technically a library anymore. You can’t borrow any of the 25,000 books, and photography is now permitted (it wasn’t previously). Even so, it is still a marvel to see. You can even go on a twenty-minute tour there and there is currently a plan to completely transform the galleries and reading room.

The second highlight was the Enlightenment Gallery, formerly known as the King’s Library. It once held the British Library’s treasures when it was founded in 1753. Today it holds objects about the Age of Enlightenment, as Rick Steves notes. A display board, when you enter the room, says that it was developed in partnership with the House of Commons Library and the Natural History Museum. The current books on display are being loaned from the House of Commons Library. The aforementioned display notes that those who lent non-book artifacts to the gallery included the British King, the Science Museum in London, King’s College in London, Wellcome Collection, Society of Antiquities of London, Victor and Albert Museum, the Linnean Society of London, and the Royal Asiatic Society (also in London). Of these institutions, most have their own libraries. In fact, the D. Leonard Corgan Library at Kings College, the college’s main library, served as a location in Dan Brown’s controversial novel The Da Vinci Code. The building’s exterior appeared in the 2020 film Enola Holmes, a mystery film about Sherlock Holmes’ teenage sister.

The room itself was originally created, in 1823, to house King George II’s library, hence the original name. It was designed by architect Robert Smirke, known for the British Museum’s main facade and block, along with various clubs and houses within London. Of these, the Inner Temple, for which he did some work on, has a library, which continues to operate to this day, as did Bickley Hall. Smike also completed building restoration of the Bodleian Library’s Upper Reading room, which is part of the “old library.” As for the Enlightenment Gallery, it has a Greek Revival design, with neoclassical decoration. It’s said to be in keeping with the “styles of libraries in grand houses all over Britain” at the time, with claims it has echoes of “ancient wisdom and learning.” In 1998, the British Library moved to a new location across from the current St. Pancras station. The latter is not to be confused with pancreas or the Japanese anime film which centers on libraries and librarians, entitled I Want to Eat Your Pancreas. It is far too easy to call it “pancreas” by mistake, a name that almost stuck with me.

This gallery is where thousands of objects can be viewed and serves as an introduction to the British Museum’s collections. Even so, for me, I visited it at the end of my time at the overcrowded museum. I was inspired to visit this room by one particular scene in the December 2011 anime film, K-On! the Movie, a spinoff from the 2009-2010 anime series, K-On!. It features two episodes with libraries, including one about studying in the library and featuring a student librarian at an information desk. In fact, I rewatched this film before my trip to London, just for this scene. During the film, Yui Hirasawa, Ritsu Tainaka, Mio Akiyama, Azusa Nakano, and Tsumugi Kotobuki bop around London, visiting many sites, including walking through the strangely empty Great Court of the British Museum. They make their way into the gallery. During a short scene, Azusa points out that the Rosetta Stone (she put it on their itinerary) is also a replica. In fact, they used a replica in a school play as the death stone for a Romeo & Juliet play, because the fake tombstone they wanted to use had been misplaced.

The British Museum also has the actual Rosetta Stone in the Egyptian sculpture room, but like Yui, Ritsu, Mio, Azusa, and Tsumugi, I only looked at and touched the replica. The aforementioned gallery likely would have been overcrowded, as the gallery rooms I visited were extremely overcrowded and not suited for visitors. They had inadequate airflow and no overhead fans. As for the film, there were a few other short library scenes in the private all-girls school the protagonists attend, Sakuragaoka High School.

The same day I visited the British Museum, I visited the British Library. It sits across from St. Pancras station, and would be the last library I visited in the U.K. As Rick Steves put it, the British empire built its “greatest monuments out of paper.” The library holds every publication within the U.K. and Northern Ireland, with over 170 million items, such as sacred texts, maps, the Magna Carta, Leonardo Da Vinci’s notebook, plays by William Shakespeare, and lyrics of songs by the Beatles. This library, established by an act of Parliament in July 1972 and opened in July 1973, is one of the biggest in the world. It’s only rivaled by the Library of Congress, Russian State Library in Moscow, or Shanghai Library in China. Many such institutions are the legal deposit libraries for their respective countries. Anyone is open to explore the British Library reading rooms and peruse exhibits. You can get a readers registration pass if you are over 18, allowing you to enter the reading rooms.

When I visited, on August 3rd, the reading rooms for humanities, manuscripts, rare books, music, science, maps, and Asian and African studies, were not open. I even saw rooms reserved for the sole purpose of prayer, and went through the “Treasures of the British Library” exhibit in the St. John Ritblat Gallery. It contained many of the artifacts I noted in the previous paragraph. Perhaps because they have the space, the British Library holds the library collections of the British Museum. Rare books fill the middle of the library in a massive climate-controlled column, allowing the upper floors to only be accessed by stairs or elevators, and affecting the structure of each floor. There was also a fascinating collection of foreign currency, stamps, and other postage from former British colonies, called the Philatelic Collection. It could be easily overlooked, but was fun to look through, especially in the way it was displayed.

Like the British museums I visited during my travels, they asked for a donation, but they were free to enter, without payment or restriction. The number of visitors using the study area made clear that they were open to all, in line with library ethical principles, as did the books in their bookshop, some of which would likely be on banned books lists of in U.S. libraries. In the next part of this series, I’ll talk briefly about the university library I visited in Belgium.

© 2025-2026 Burkely Hermann. All rights reserved.

Sources used

• “About this Reading Room,” Library of Congress, 2025.
• “About Us,” British Library, 2025.
• “About us,” House of Commons Library, 2025.
• “About us,” Royal Asiatic Society, 2025.
• “About us,” Wellcome Collection, 2025.
• “Archives,” London Library, 2025.
• Barker, Sam. “The British Museum’s Secretive Round Reading Room Has Reopened To The Public,” Secret London, 4 Jul. 2024.
• “Bickley,” Wikishire, 13 Jul. 2025.
• “D. Leonard Corgan Library,” Kings College, 2025.
• “Dana Research Centre and Library,” Science Museum, 2025.
• “Everything you ever wanted to know about the Rosetta Stone,” British Museum, 2025.
• Fox, Caroline. “Every Enola Holmes Filming Location (And What Every Place Looks Like Now),” ScreenRant, 26 Oct. 2020.
• Funk, Alex. “The British Museum’s mysterious domed Reading Room has officially reopened to the public,” TimeOut, 3 Jul. 2024.
• Hermann, Burkely. “Librarians and libraries in anime,” Pop Culture Library Review, 2025 (orig. 25 Jul. 2020).
• Hermann, Burkely. “More than a coming-of-age drama: The value of libraries and librarians in “I Want To Eat Your Pancreas”,” Pop Culture Library Review, 8 Jan. 2024.
• Hermann, Burkely. “Recently added titles (March 2025),” Pop Culture Library Review, 2 Apr. 2025.
• Hermann, Burkely. “The fictional library and the value of studying redux,” Pop Culture Library Review, 30 Jul. 2024.
• Hickley, Catherine. “British Museum’s historic Reading Room opens to the public after 11 years,” The Art Newspaper, 3 Jul. 2024.
• “History of The London Library,” London Library, 2025.
• “Library,” Linnean Society of London, 2025.
• “Library & Collections,” Society of Antiquities of London, 2024.
• Mathur, Rhea. “The British Museum’s Reading Room: Past and Present,” gowithyamo, 2 Sept. 2024.
• Moran, Sarah. “The British Museum’s Stunning Domed Reading Room Reopens to Public,” Home Journal, 27 Sept. 2024.
• “National Art Library,” Victor and Albert Museum, 2025.
• “Philatelic Collections: Introduction,” British Library, 29 Mar. 2010.
• Hermann, Burkely. “Remembering “Bibliophile Princess” and its significant fictional depiction of libraries,” Pop Culture Library Review, 14 May 2024.
• “Spaces at the Bodleian Old Library,” Bodleian Library, 2025.
• “Spotlight: the Reading Room,” British Museum, 2025.
• Steves, Rick and Openshaw, Gene. London (24th Edition, US: Avalon Travel, Sept. 2022): 212, 214-215, 236, 238, 240, 244-247, 249.
• “Strand Campus: Self-guided tour,” King’s College, 5 Oct. 2014, p. 8.
•  “The British Library Philatelic Collection,” The Royal Philatelic Society London, Nov. 2005.
• “The Present Buildings,” Inner Temple Library, 2025.
• “Treasures of the British Library,” British Library, 2025.
• “Update on progress with the Masterplan,” British Museum, 19 Dec. 2024.

#AncientEgypt #archives #ArthurConanDoyle #artifacts #BeatrixPotter #Belgium #BibliophilePrincess #BlackPatrons #BlackPeople #BramStoker #BritishLibrary #BritishMuseum #China #ChinesePatrons #colonialism #communism #electricity #EnolaHolmes #HouseOfCommonsLibrary #JapanesePatrons #JenniferSnoekBrown #KOn #KOnTheMovie #KarlMarx #LibraryOfCongress #libraryStereotypes #libraryTourism #LondonLibrary #MarcusGarvey #MohandasKGandhi #quiet #railroads #reading #ReelLibrarians #restrictions #RickSteves #RosettaStone #royalLibraries #royalty #Russia #RussianStateLibrary #ShanghaiLibrary #SherlockHolmes #SunYatSen #SylviaPankhurst #TheBeatles #TheDaVinciCode #TheIllustriousClient #trains #VirginiaWoolf #WhiteLibrarians #WhiteMen #WhitePatrons

Trump Cuts Veteran Employees, Benefits Under False Claims of Fraud – Rolling Stone

Trump Is Turning the Screws on Vets So the Rich Can Get Richer

The president claims his administration’s cuts to the VA and care for veterans is due to fraud — despite a lack of real evidence

November 14, 2025

Donald Trump has long insisted that no one cares about America’s veterans more than him. He continued to do so while delivering a Veterans Day address from Arlington National Cemetery on Tuesday, claiming his first administration fired “thousands” of government employees — “sick people” and “thieves” — who didn’t take care of veterans, only to see them rehired by Joe Biden.

“We got rid of them,” the president said of his new administration. Trump also praised Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought, the Project 2025 architect who is overseeing the administration’s cost-cutting spree. “What a good job he’s doing, cutting, cutting, cutting,” Trump said.

The speech came as the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) was struggling through the longest government shutdown in modern history — during which the Republican Party has wasted no time advancing Project 2025 and stripping veterans of their earned disability payments. Trump’s VA is also cutting 30,000 employees — many of them service-disabled veterans — after initially planning to cut 80,000 of the “sick people,” as Trump calls them, who are somehow defrauding the system. The cuts come as the department is already hemorrhaging medical professionals, and as the Trump administration has imposed strict hiring limits that prevent replacing those who leave.

Along with gutting federal agencies like the VA, Project 2025 calls for narrowing the list of medical conditions eligible for disability compensation, automating claims decisions, and tying future payments to “work incentives.” Its authors frame these proposals as modernization, but the effect would be to de-rate veterans — to downgrade or deny legitimate claims under the guise of efficiency. Veterans with pending applications could lose eligibility altogether, while those already receiving compensation could see their ratings reduced by algorithm. 

This is all by design, and Trump and his administration are building a case against our veterans with lies. Fraud within the system is exceedingly rare. According to the VA inspector general, few VA fraud cases involve veterans themselves, and most of those are isolated, small-dollar offenses.

So, what is this really about? It’s simple. It’s the same thing the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was about, the same thing Trump’s so-called Big Beautiful Bill was about. It’s about dismantling the U.S. government and diverting trillions of dollars away from veterans, the poor, the uninsured, and other less fortunate Americans — all to enrich a handful of well-connected, Trump-aligned billionaires.

Continue/Read Original Article Here: Trump Cuts Veteran Employees, Benefits Under False Claims of Fraud

#2025 #america #billionaires #corruption #cutsVeteransBenefits #departmentOfGovernemntEfficiency #dismantlingGovernment #doge #donaldTrump #education #employees #falseFraudClaims #health #history #libraries #library #libraryOfCongress #musk #opinion #politics #resistance #science #trump #trumpAdministration #unitedStates #va #veterans #veteransAdministration

Midterm Elections 2026: Updates, News, and Projections Monthly Series – November 2025

Editor’s Note: This report is prepared monthly for me by Perplexity Pro, and edited by me. These will be published monthly until the midterms in November, 2026.

U.S. Midterms Monthly Report – November 2025

Latest Monthly Update, November 2025: U.S. Midterms

Political Climate and Voter Sentiment

America is gripped by significant political dissatisfaction: an ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll reports two-thirds of Americans feel the country is “pretty seriously off on the wrong track,” despite a slight improvement from last year’s readings.1 Discontent has political ramifications for both parties: 68% say the Democratic Party is “out of touch,” closely matched by those expressing similar sentiments about Trump (63%) and the GOP (61%).1 Trump’s approval has dropped further in recent NBC polling, reflecting robust engagement—Democrats are surging in state and local contests, while the “No Kings” movement, which opposes perceived executive overreach, has reached 43% support among registered voters, exceeding historical protest benchmarks like the Tea Party and Occupy.2

Recent Election Results and Their Implications

Democrats scored notable victories in major 2025 races, seizing governorships in Virginia (Abigail Spanberger) and New Jersey (Mikie Sherrill), and flipping New York City’s mayoralty with Zoh Mamdani.36 These results, decisively over 56% of the vote in several cases, bolstered party morale and restored a sense of momentum following the party’s painful 2024 defeat. These Democratic wins were credited to coalition-building and capitalizing on Trump’s persistent disapproval ratings in key suburban counties.36

Notably, Democratic messaging on the economy and pragmatic policy approaches proved especially effective, particularly in diverse counties where cost of living is the top concern. Analysts stress, however, that the Democratic coalition remains divided—progressives are ascendant in some urban centers, while moderates perform better in governor’s races and purple suburban districts.6

Midterm Polling and Key Races

Polling shows unprecedented early interest in the midterms, with two-thirds of voters indicating high enthusiasm and current majorities leaning toward Democratic control of Congress.18 However, competitiveness is expected to be fierce, particularly in the Senate, where the GOP map advantage has some analysts calling it “the Republicans’ to lose.”

• Senate: Key races to watch include perennial battlegrounds such as Maine (Republican Susan Collins), Montana, Arizona, and several states with razor-thin margins in recent cycles.12918 Aggregators show GOP seats as slightly favored, but several toss-ups remain.
• House: The slim Republican majority is on the line, with Democrats aiming to flip five seats in California and risk losing recent gains in Texas. District-level redistricting continues to generate controversy and could be decisive in close races.414
• Governorships & State Races: High-profile races, especially in swing states, are likely to be influenced by turnout differentials and reaction to Trump’s policies. The growing split inside the Democratic Party (progressives vs. moderates) may shape primary season strategies.6

Economy, Redistricting, and Policy

Inflation remains a top concern, with over 60% blaming Trump’s administration for ongoing cost increases and tariffs.16 Both parties are being challenged to address affordability, economic insecurity, and public skepticism toward Washington. Redistricting battles continue in several states, notably California and Texas, where partisan maps could be litigated up to Election Day.

Federal Government Shutdown: Day 40

As of November 9, 2025, the federal government shutdown has dragged into its 40th day, setting a new record for the longest shutdown in U.S. history.21232528 This crisis started on October 1 over disputes about healthcare funding and budget priorities, leaving approximately 750,000 federal employees furloughed and causing severe disruptions to essential services.2122 With each passing day, pressure mounts in Washington and across the nation, and the shutdown is poised to become a defining issue in the 2026 midterms as affected Americans demand accountability.

Air Traffic Controllers: Crisis and Cancellations

The shutdown has also unleashed a national air travel crisis. Thousands of air traffic controllers remain unpaid and overworked, leading to increasing absenteeism and severe understaffing at key airports.2932353640 In the first few days of November, over 2,200 flights were canceled in one day, with cumulative cancellations and major delays in major urban hubs, especially New York and Chicago. The FAA has since ordered capacity reductions, and experts warn the crisis could become permanent without urgent reform to pay and working conditions. Voters’ frustration with these disruptions could significantly influence election outcomes.39

Works Cited

1. ABC News. “One year out from Election Day 2026, Tuesday’s results could shape 2026 midterms.” 4 Nov. 2025.
2. NBC News. “Poll: More than 4 in 10 voters support ‘No Kings’ movement.” 7 Nov. 2025.
3. PBS NewsHour. “What the election results signal for next year’s midterms.” 5 Nov. 2025.
4. YouTube. “Results from elections across US on Tuesday could shape 2026.” 2 Nov. 2025.
5. BBC News. “US elections: Four takeaways after Democrats seal key wins.” 5 Nov. 2025.
6. Cook Political Report. “2026 CPR Senate Race ratings.” 16 July 2025.
7. US News & World Report. “Factbox-Six Races to Watch in 2026 US Senate Midterm Election.” 5 Nov. 2025.
8. Cook Political Report. “2026 CPR House Race ratings.” 29 June 2025.
9. Thompson Coburn LLP. “An Early Look at 2026 Senate Midterms.” 8 Sept. 2025.
10. Al Jazeera. “US government shutdown enters 40th day: How is it affecting Americans?” 9 Nov. 2025.
11. CBS News. “Government shutdown live updates as Thune plans Senate vote amid rare Sunday session.” 9 Nov. 2025.
12. PBS NewsHour. “Senate meets for weekend session as government shutdown reaches 40th day.” 9 Nov. 2025.
13. NPR. “The government shutdown is now the longest in U.S. history. See how it compares.” 5 Nov. 2025.
14. USA Facts. “The 2025 government shutdown is the longest in US history.” 4 Nov. 2025.
15. The Star. “Major US air traffic staffing shortages snarl thousands of flights.” 8 Nov. 2025.
16. TradingView. “Major US air traffic staffing shortages snarl flights.” 8 Nov. 2025.
17. iHeart. “Flight Delays Spike Amid Air Traffic Controller Absences During Shutdown.” 3 Nov. 2025.
18. Washington Post. “Flight cancellations ‘only going to get worse,’ transportation secretary says.” 9 Nov. 2025.
19. Airlines.org. “Huge Impact of the Government Shutdown on Airlines and Our Customers.” 8 Nov. 2025.
20. Business Times. “US flight delays, cancellations accelerate as air traffic controller shortages surge during shutdown.” 9 Nov. 2025.

#2025 #2026 #America #DonaldTrump #Education #Health #History #Libraries #Library #LibraryOfCongress #MidtermElections2026 #Midterms2026 #NationalElections #November2026 #Opinion #Politics #Resistance #Science #Technology #Trump #TrumpAdministration #UnitedStates

A demolition – The Washington Post

A demolition

The East Wing, the entrance to the White House for millions of Americans on official tours, the site of offices for every first lady for nearly half a century and the home of calligraphers who prepared thousands of invitations for White House state dinners, disappeared into a pile of rubble yesterday. It had stood for 123 years.

Built during the Theodore Roosevelt administration as an entryway for guests arriving in carriages, and rebuilt during Franklin D. Roosevelt’s presidency, the East Wing met its end under orders from Trump. He dismissed it this week as “a very small building” that was in the way of his planned 90,000-square-foot, $300 million ballroom. With it went the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden and the East Colonnade, which connected the East Wing to the White House and included the president’s theater. “It’s not just a building,” said Laura Schwartz, the White House director of events in the Clinton administration. “It’s the living history.”

Meeting a need

Tearing down the East Wing to make space for the ballroom was an unfortunate necessity, said Gahl Hodges Burt, who was social secretary for three years under President Ronald Reagan. Since the largest spaces in the building have room for 200 seated guests at most, recent administrations have erected enormous tents on the South Lawn for ever larger state dinners.

“Putting up a tent does nothing but make people upset that they’ve come to a state dinner but they never get inside the White House,” Burt said. “The only bathroom facilities for a tent are porta-potties. Setting up a kitchen out there is hugely expensive. When the tent is up, the helicopter can’t land. And the grass dies.” (Ms. Burt was referring to the presidential helicopter, Marine One.)

Michael LaRosa, the press secretary to Jill Biden, lamented the loss but agreed that a ballroom was needed: “The French have the Élysée Palace, and here we are having a lawn party.”

A rich history

During its 123 years, two modern East Wing incidents stand out.

In 2009, in what passed as a scandal at the time, two uninvited guests and aspiring television reality stars, Michaele and Tareq Salahi, slipped into the first state dinner of the Obama administration. They rubbed shoulders with Vice President Joe Biden.

On Sept. 11, 2001, Secret Service agents grabbed Vice President Dick Cheney from his West Wing office and rushed him into a bunker below the East Wing, which had been built as a shelter for Roosevelt during World War II. Cheney headed underground the moment that American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon.

The East Wing never had the political importance or cachet of the West Wing, which houses the Oval Office. But it became prominent, and controversial, when Republicans denounced the expensive new construction, built partly to cover Roosevelt’s new underground shelter, as wasteful.

The first lady’s spot

The personality of the East Wing was always calmer and less intense than that of the testosterone-filled West Wing. Until Thursday, the ground floor housed the White House visitors’ office and the Office of Legislative Affairs, while the second floor was home to the White House Military Office and the offices of the first lady.

Presidents watched the Super Bowl and showed movies before their release in the theater in the colonnade, which was used as a coat check for big events. During holiday parties, a band would often play Christmas carols just outside the East Wing entrance as guests arrived.

Melania Trump visited the East Wing so infrequently during her husband’s first term that her empty office there was converted into a gift-wrapping room. It is unclear how many times she has been there in the second term, or if she had offered any feedback on her husband’s plans.

For more…

• The White House released a list of donors who are helping Trump pay for the $300 million ballroom he wants to build at the White House.
• “The Daily” podcast today is about the demolition.
• On late night, Stephen Colbert talked about the demolition.

Editor’s Note: This post was edited and posted from the email from The Washington Post.

#2025 #America #DonaldTrump #Donors #EastWing #EastWingDestroyed #Education #History #Libraries #Library #LibraryOfCongress #Opinion #Politics #Resistance #Science #TheWashingtonPost #Trump #TrumpAdministration #TrumpSBallroom #UnitedStates #WhiteHouse #WhiteHouseHistory

Can anyone stop Trump’s teardown of the East Wing? – The Washington Post

Can anyone stop Trump’s teardown of the East Wing?

Many preservationists fear the answer is no. A pro-Trump review board is expected to approve the president’s planned 90,000-square-foot ballroom, too.

October 22, 2025 at 2:49 p.m. EDTToday at 2:49 p.m. EDT, 12 min

By Dan Diamond, Paul Schwartzman and Jonathan Edwards

President Donald Trump’s plan to build a White House ballroom has underscored an oft-overlooked aspect of presidential power: No one could stop the president from tearing down much of the East Wing this week.

Photos of construction teams knocking down portions of the East Wing, first revealed by The Washington Post on Monday, have rattled city residents, historians and politicians, many of whom contended that Trump was wrongly tearing apart “The People’s House” to build his long-desired ballroom.

“It’s not his house. It’s your house. And he’s destroying it,” Hillary Clinton, who battled Trump for the presidency in 2016, wrote on social media.

Others contend that Trump’s shifting projections and promises — such as pledging in July that the ballroom wouldn’t “interfere” with the White House, and increasing his estimate of cost and how many people will fit in the building — illustrate the need for more transparency. Conservative commentator Byron York said Trump “needs to tell the public now what he is doing with the East Wing of the White House. And then tell the public why he didn’t tell them before he started doing it.”

https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton/status/1980609785666879553

Rebecca Miller, executive director of the D.C. Preservation League, a nonprofit that advocates for protecting historic sites in Washington, said dozens of concerned citizens from the city and around the country have called and emailed her to express outrage.

Miller said she has had to explain that the White House, because of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, is exempt from the required reviews that other federal agencies must undergo when seeking to alter government property.

“Our hands are tied,” Miller said, adding that normally government officials discuss major projects with preservationists — but not this time. “It’s very frustrating that there’s nothing that the organization can do from a legal or advocacy perspective.”

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, a nonprofit created by Congress to help preserve historic buildings, urged the administration “to pause demolition until plans for the proposed ballroom go through the legally required public review processes,” including a pair of commissions that have reviewed past White House construction.

Polls have shown many Americans are concerned. YouGov polling conducted Tuesday found that 53 percent opposed demolishing part of the East Wing, 23 percent supported it and the remainder were unsure. YouGov also found that 23 percent believed the ballroom will have a positive effect on the White House, 35 percent believed it will have a negative effect, and the remainder were neutral or unsure.

But the project is moving forward. White House officials said Tuesday to expect a full-scale teardown of the East Wing, defending it as a “modernization” of the building. They also touted past renovations, circulating a fact sheet that argued Trump was continuing a “proud presidential legacy” of changing the White House grounds — although the swimming pool, tennis pavilion and other past projects they highlighted pale next to the president’s planned 90,000-square-foot ballroom, which would be nearly twice the footprint of the 55,000-square-foot main sectionof the White House next door. Trump said this week that the ballroom will seat nearly 1,000 people, up from an earlier estimate of about 650.

Editor’s Note: Read the rest of the story, at the below link.

Continue/Read Original Article Here: Can anyone stop Trump’s teardown of the East Wing? – The Washington Post

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Shutdown Update; Senate Votes – GovTrack.us

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Shutdown Update; Senate Votes, Oct. 10, 2025 · by Amy West

Shutdown Update

Still going. 

The Senate voted for a seventh time on the two competing continuing resolutions in front of it to allocate funds to federal agencies (one Democratic, one Republican) and both failed again to reach the Senate’s 60-vote threshold. It’s possible that Republicans are beginning to soften their positions. On X, Igor Bobic posted about Democrats’ ask to extend expiring health care subsidies:

“[Sen.] Tillis says a deal on ACA subsidies wouldn’t be hard once government is funded, with mix of retiring senators & those up for reelection. “You’re telling me you can’t find eight people that could walk the plank?” “As a veteran plank-walker, it’s not near as bad as it seems””

One might reasonably ask why not walk the plank now in order to end the shutdown? However, if Senate Republicans have been asked this kind of question, no one has publicly recorded their responses.

(By the way, in a previous post we incorrectly wrote that these subsidies would affect low-income Americans. But that was wrong: It would affect middle class Americans who get health care through the ACA marketplace exchanges.)

The House remains in recess. Many House Democrats are in D.C. anyway to make a messaging point and to push Speaker Johnson on why Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva hasn’t been sworn in yet. Earlier this year, Republican representatives-elect Patronis (FL-1) and Fine (FL-6) were sworn in immediately after election while the House was in recess. Why won’t Johnson swear her in? Punchbowl takes a stab at answering the question. Maybe it’s not about Epstein files; maybe Johnson is just really committed to this stop-work action he’s making the House take during the shutdown. A few Republican House members are expressing dissatisfaction with Johnson’s strategy.

Continue/Read Original Article Here: Shutdown Update; Senate Votes – GovTrack.us

#2025 #America #DonaldTrump #Education #GOP #GOPShutdown #GovTrack #GovTrackUs #History #Libraries #Library #LibraryOfCongress #Opinion #Politics #RepublicanShutdown #Resistance #Science #SenateVotes #Shutdown2025 #Trump #TrumpAdministration #USSenate #UnitedStates

Midterm Elections 2026: Updates, News, and Projections Monthly Series – October 2025

Midterm Elections 2026: Updates, News and Projections Monthly Series – October 2025

Midterm Elections 2026: Updates, News and Projections Monthly Series – October 2025

Executive Summary

October 2025 has been a pivotal month for the 2026 midterm elections, dominated by an unprecedented mid-decade redistricting battle that could determine House control before a single vote is cast. Democrats are showing surprising strength in special elections while Republicans accelerate gerrymandering efforts across multiple states, creating a complex electoral landscape just over a year from Election Day.

Congressional Redistricting Wars

Texas-California Redistricting Duel

The redistricting battle has escalated into a direct confrontation between the nation’s two most populous states. Texas Republicans have successfully redrawn their congressional map to create five new GOP-leaning seats, targeting Democratic districts in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and along the Gulf Coast. This redistricting effort, undertaken at President Trump’s direct urging, could add up to 12 Republican seats nationally if Democrats fail to counter effectively.

California Democrats have responded with Proposition 50, which will appear on the November 2025 ballot. If approved by voters, this measure would set aside the current nonpartisan commission districts and implement a new Democratic-friendly map designed to gain five House seats. The proposition explicitly returns redistricting to the nonpartisan commission after 2030, positioning this as a temporary Trump-era countermeasure.

Multi-State Redistricting Expansion

The redistricting war has spread beyond Texas and California to multiple states:

Missouri: Governor Mike Kehoe signed a revised congressional map on September 29, making Missouri the third state to embrace mid-decade redistricting. The new map targets competitive districts for Republican advantage.

Utah: The Republican-led legislature passed a revised House map on October 6 that could improve Democratic competitiveness by placing Salt Lake City in a single district rather than splitting it among multiple districts. However, this change resulted from court order, not partisan maneuvering.

Kansas: Republican lawmakers are gathering petition signatures to call a November special session targeting Democratic Rep. Sharice Davids’ suburban Kansas City district.

Indiana: Governor Mike Braun indicates a redistricting session will likely occur as soon as November, following private meetings between Republican legislative leaders and Trump.

Democratic Redistricting Challenges

Democrats face significant legal and structural obstacles in matching Republican redistricting efforts. Of the 15 states with Democratic trifectas, only Maryland and Illinois have clear pathways to redraw lines competitively. Legal hurdles make it “practically impossible” for most blue states to redraw maps before the 2026 midterms, according to redistricting expert Douglas Spencer.

Senate Race Developments

Key Competitive Races

Georgia: Senator Jon Ossoff (D) remains the most vulnerable Democratic incumbent. The Republican field has crystallized around Representatives Buddy Carter and Mike Collins, plus former Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley, after Governor Brian Kemp declined to run. Kemp’s endorsement of Dooley has set up a potentially divisive Republican primary.

North Carolina: The open seat created by Senator Thom Tillis’ retirement decision has emerged as a top Democratic pickup opportunity. Former Governor Roy Cooper’s Senate campaign launched in July has been met by RNC Chairman Michael Whatley’s candidacy, setting up what’s expected to be among the most expensive races of the cycle.

Iowa: Senator Joni Ernst’s surprise retirement announcement triggered immediate activity, with Representative Ashley Hinson jumping into the Republican primary within hours and securing early endorsements from Senate leadership. Multiple Democratic state legislators had already launched campaigns before Ernst’s announcement.

Overall Senate Map

Democrats face a challenging path to Senate majority, needing to defend 13 seats while flipping four Republican-held seats. With Republicans holding 53 seats, the map strongly favors the GOP, with most Republican incumbents running in Trump-won states.

Democratic Special Election Surge

Democrats have demonstrated remarkable strength in special elections throughout 2025, outperforming Vice President Harris’ 2024 results in 42 state legislative and congressional contests. In these races, Democratic candidates improved their performance by more than 15% compared to Harris’ showing in the same districts, even in traditionally conservative regions.

This special election trend historically correlates with midterm performance and suggests Democrats may be positioned to regain House majority despite redistricting disadvantages. However, political analysts caution that Trump’s norm-disrupting influence makes historical patterns less reliable predictors.

Economic and Political Context

Government Shutdown Impact

The ongoing government shutdown has created additional political complications for the 2026 elections. A Reuters/Ipsos poll found Americans blame both parties for the shutdown, with concerns mounting about federal services as a third of the workforce remains on unpaid leave. The Economist/YouGov poll shows the shutdown affecting Trump’s approval ratings, with new second-term lows recorded among key demographic groups.

Trump’s Political Standing

President Trump’s job approval has hit new second-term lows across multiple demographic groups according to October polling. The Economist/YouGov poll reveals particular weakness in economic sentiment, with negative perceptions about the economy persisting despite Republican control of government.

Gubernatorial Race Updates

Thirty-six gubernatorial races are scheduled for 2026, providing additional context for national political trends. Key competitive races are developing in Arizona, where incumbent Governor Katie Hobbs faces challenges from businesswoman Karrin Taylor Robson and Representative Andy Biggs. California’s 2026 gubernatorial race has become entangled with the Proposition 50 redistricting debate, with candidates taking positions on the congressional map initiative.

Projections and Analysis

The October developments suggest a highly competitive 2026 midterm environment shaped by three critical factors: redistricting outcomes, special election momentum, and economic conditions. Republicans’ redistricting advantages could provide a 10-12 seat boost, but Democratic special election performance indicates potential for unexpected gains.

California’s Proposition 50 vote in November 2025 will serve as a crucial indicator of both redistricting success and broader electoral sentiment. If approved, it would largely neutralize Republican redistricting gains and potentially shift House control dynamics.

The combination of redistricting manipulation, Trump’s declining approval, and historical midterm patterns creates an unusually volatile electoral environment where traditional forecasting models may prove inadequate.

Next Report: The November 2025 update will include comprehensive analysis of the California Proposition 50 results, additional state redistricting developments, and updated Senate race polling data.

Works Cited

Berumen, Carlos. “How Many Seats Would Democrats Gain under California’s Mid-Decade Redistricting Plan?” Public Policy Institute of California, 7 Oct. 2025, https://www.ppic.org/blog/how-many-seats-would-democrats-gain-under-californias-mid-decade-redistricting-plan/.

Blake, Aaron. “12 New GOP Seats out of Thin Air? Republicans Are Halfway There.” CNN, 19 Sept. 2025, https://www.cnn.com/2025/09/19/politics/redistricting-2026-midterm-election-gop-analysis.

Breuninger, Kevin. “Key Senate Contests Take Shape Ahead of 2026 Midterm Elections.” CBS News, 28 Aug. 2025, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/key-senate-contests-2026-elections/.

Brownstein, Ronald. “What This Fall’s Elections Can—and Can’t—Teach Us about the Midterms.” Brookings Institution, 1 Oct. 2025, https://www.brookings.edu/articles/what-this-falls-elections-can-and-cant-teach-us-about-the-midterms/.

“California’s Redistricting Sparks Fierce Debate in 2026 Governor’s Race.” CBS News, 7 Oct. 2025, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/california-redistricting-plan-discussion-2026-governors-race/.

Cook, Charlie. “2025-2026 Redistricting Tracker: How Many Seats Could Flip?” Cook Political Report, 28 Sept. 2025, https://www.cookpolitical.com/analysis/house/redistricting/2025-2026-redistricting-tracker-how-many-seats-could-flip-0.

“Democrats Have Excelled in Special Elections – What Does That Mean for the Midterms?” Reuters, 9 Oct. 2025, https://www.reuters.com/world/us/democrats-have-excelled-special-elections-what-does-that-mean-midterms-2025-10-09/.

Gonzalez, Sandra. “How Would the Prop 50 Redistricting Plan Affect Racial and Geographic Representation?” Public Policy Institute of California, 8 Oct. 2025, https://www.ppic.org/blog/how-would-the-prop-50-redistricting-plan-affect-racial-and-geographic-representation/.

Grier, Peter. “Legislature Passes New Map in Utah, Creating 2 More Competitive Seats.” Politico, 6 Oct. 2025, https://www.politico.com/news/2025/10/06/utah-new-map-redistricting-00595076.

Isenstadt, Alex. “Why Democrats Can’t Match Trump’s Gerrymander Push.” Politico, 22 Sept. 2025, https://www.politico.com/news/2025/09/22/why-democrats-cant-match-trumps-gerrymander-push-00572965.

Kessler, Aaron. “More States Are Moving to Redraw US House Districts after Trump Urged It for Partisan Gain.” ABC News, 6 Oct. 2025, https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/states-moving-redraw-us-house-districts-after-trump-126272766.

Levine, Sam. “More States Are Moving to Redraw US House Districts after Trump…” CapRadio, 6 Oct. 2025, https://www.capradio.org/articles/2025/10/06/more-states-are-moving-to-redraw-us-house-districts-after-trump-urged-it-for-partisan-gain/.

Marcus, Ruth. “Opinion | Gerrymander Duelists, Newsom and Trump, Deserve Scorn for Partisan Power Plays.” CalMatters, 8 Oct. 2025, https://calmatters.org/commentary/2025/10/gerrymander-duel-newsom-trump-election/.

McCormick, John. “What Could Happen in the States Entering Redistricting Fights?” NPR, 14 Aug. 2025, https://www.npr.org/2025/08/14/nx-s1-5501537/texas-california-gerrymandering-redistricting.

Reid, Joy. “The Fight to Redraw U.S. House Maps Is Spreading. Here’s Where Things Stand in Missouri and Other States.” PBS NewsHour, 29 Sept. 2025, https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/the-fight-to-redraw-u-s-house-maps-is-spreading-heres-where-things-stand-in-missouri-and-other-states.

“The Shutdown, the 2026 Election, Donald Trump Job Approval, and the Economy: October 4 – 6, 2025 Economist/YouGov Poll.” YouGov, 6 Oct. 2025, https://today.yougov.com/politics/articles/53131-government-shutdown-2026-congressional-election-donald-trump-job-approval-the-economy-october-4-6-2025-economist-yougov-poll.

Thompson Coburn LLP. “An Early Look at 2026 Senate Midterms.” Thompson Coburn LLP, 8 Sept. 2025, https://www.thompsoncoburn.com/insights/an-early-look-at-2026-senate-midterms-102l4ad/.

Wasserman, David. “The War over US Congressional Redistricting: How Is It Playing Out, State by State?” Reuters, 8 Oct. 2025, https://www.reuters.com/world/us/how-war-over-us-congressional-redistricting-is-playing-out-state-by-state-2025-10-08/.

“Who’s to Blame for the Shutdown? All of the Above, Reuters/Ipsos Poll Finds.” Reuters, 9 Oct. 2025, https://www.reuters.com/world/us/whos-blame-shutdown-all-above-reutersipsos-poll-finds-2025-10-09/.

#2025 #2026 #America #DonaldTrump #Education #Health #History #Libraries #Library #LibraryOfCongress #MidtermElections2026 #Midterms2026 #NationalElections #November2026 #Opinion #Politics #Resistance #Science #Technology #Trump #TrumpAdministration #UnitedStates

October 2025 U.S. Midterms Update: Politics, Economy, Shutdown Impact, Fundraising, Redistricting, and Key Races – An UPDATE Report

October 2025 U.S. Midterms Update: Politics, Economy, Shutdown Impact, Fundraising, Redistricting, and Key Races

Political Landscape and Approval Ratings

As of early October 2025, President Trump’s job approval remains steady in the low 40s percentile, with disapproval rates in the mid-50s. Despite the recent government shutdown turmoil, his core support remains loyal, reflecting stable but polarized public opinion. Polling aggregators like RealClearPolitics and the New York Times report a narrow approval range between 39% and 44% over the past several months (RealClearPolitics; New York Times).

This contrasts with broad voter dissatisfaction: a YouGov/Economist poll found 59% believe the country is on the wrong track, while 60% disapprove of Trump’s handling of inflation. Only 26% rate the economy positively. The shutdown and healthcare funding debates risk impacting Trump’s midterm prospects but early trends suggest limited shifts in overall sentiment (YouGov; NPR).

Government Shutdown Fallout

The federal government shutdown began October 1, 2025, after Senate failure to pass funding bills. Approximately 750,000 federal workers face furloughs, and active-duty military pay is affected (CNN Politics; Government Executive).

Key impacts include:

• Reduced national park services raise visitor safety concerns (BBC Travel).
• Social Security and Veterans benefits continue, but new claims processing is delayed (SSA.gov).
• Airport operations face staffing challenges affecting efficiency (NBC News).
• NIH research grants and FOIA requests are on hold (Latham & Watkins).

With partisan stalemates ongoing, messaging battles over the shutdown’s blame are influencing voter perceptions (Politico).

Early Primary Results and Fundraising Reports

Preliminary 2025 special and local election results hint at emerging voter enthusiasm patterns. Fundraising reports through Q3 show Republicans holding a narrow cash advantage overall, although Democratic challengers in key swing districts have posted notable gains. This financial landscape suggests intensifying resource battles ahead of critical nomination contests (270toWin; Sabato’s Crystal Ball).

Legal Challenges and Redistricting Fallout

Ongoing legal disputes over congressional maps affect campaign strategies nationwide. California’s Proposition 50, aiming to create an independent commission to redraw districts, could favor Democrats by reshaping competitive seats. Lawsuits challenging districting plans in Texas and North Carolina add uncertainty, with court outcomes potentially reshaping the 2026 electoral terrain (270toWin; Politico).

Congressional Midterm Outlook

Senate: Democrats face a tough map, needing to swing four seats to gain control. Key battlegrounds like Pennsylvania and Georgia remain highly competitive, with forecasts maintaining a slim Republican edge (270toWin; Cook Political Report).

House: Republicans currently have a moderate edge in retaining the House majority, but redistricting battles such as Proposition 50 introduce uncertainty. Candidate filings and retirements will influence the competitive landscape as campaigns intensify (270toWin; Sabato’s Crystal Ball).

Economic and Social Issues

Inflation and cost-of-living pressures remain top voter concerns, with pessimism on economic growth widespread. The government shutdown heightens doubts about federal government competence and service reliability, likely influencing turnout and party enthusiasm. Social polarization persists around immigration, healthcare, and governance, framing party messaging battles (White House Research; Pew Research Center; Notus.org).

Key Races and Ballot Measures

• California’s Proposition 50 — a key ballot measure aiming to create nonpartisan districting — could shift several House districts in Democrats’ favor (270toWin).
• Highly contested Senate races in swing states such as Pennsylvania and Georgia remain closely watched (Cook Political Report).
• Ongoing primary battles and fundraising developments will shape narratives and resource allocations ahead of 2026 (Sabato’s Crystal Ball).

Charts

Trump Job Approval (2025 Year-to-Date)

Odds for Party Control After 2026 Midterm Elections

Bibliography

• 270toWin. October 7, 2025. “2026 Senate Election Forecast Maps.” https://www.270towin.com/2026-senate-election-predictions/
• BBC Travel. October 3, 2025. “How the US Government Shutdown Can Impact Travel.” https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20251003-how-the-government-shutdown-can-impact-travel
• Cook Political Report. October 7, 2025. “2026 CPR Senate Race Ratings.” https://www.cookpolitical.com/ratings/senate-race-ratings
• CNN Politics. October 7, 2025. “Live Updates: The Latest on the Government Shutdown.” https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/government-shutdown-news-10-06-25
• Government Executive. October 5, 2025. “More Employees Set to Receive Furlough Notices as Shutdown Drags On.” https://www.govexec.com/workforce/2025/10/more-employees-set-receive-furlough-notices-shutdown-drags/408629/
• Latham & Watkins. October 5, 2025. “The 2025 US Government Shutdown: What It Means for Federal Litigation.” https://www.lathamreg.com/2025/10/the-2025-us-government-shutdown-what-it-means-for-federal-litigation/
• New York Times. October 7, 2025. “Trump Job Approval Average.” https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/polls/donald-trump-approval-rating-polls.html
• NPR. October 6, 2025. “The Federal Government Is Shut Down. Here’s What That Means Across the Country.” https://www.npr.org/2025/10/06/g-s1-92192/government-shutdown
• Notus.org. October 6, 2025. “Republicans and Democrats: Immigration, Health Care, Messaging & Shutdown.” https://www.notus.org/congress/republicans-democrats-immigration-health-care-messaging-shutdown
• Pew Research Center. August 13, 2025. “Trump’s Job Approval and Views of His Personal Traits.” https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2025/08/14/trumps-job-approval-and-views-of-his-personal-traits/
• Politico. October 1, 2025. “Republicans and Democrats Ready Their Shutdown Blame Strategies.” https://www.politico.com/news/2025/10/01/government-shutdown-blame-strategies-00589373
• RealClearPolitics. October 5, 2025. “President Trump Job Approval.” https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/approval/donald-trump/approval-rating
• SSA.gov. September 30, 2025. “What the Federal Government Shutdown Means to Your Clients.” https://www.ssa.gov/news/en/advocates/2025-10-01.html
• White House Research. October 2, 2025. “Economic Consequences of a Government Shutdown.” https://www.whitehouse.gov/research/2025/10/economic-consequences-of-a-government-shutdown/
• Sabato’s Crystal Ball. October 7, 2025. “2026 House Ratings.” https://centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/2026-house/
• Sabato’s Crystal Ball. October 7, 2025. “2026 Senate Ratings.” https://centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/2026-senate/

#2025 #America #DonaldTrump #DrWeb #DrWebSDomain #Education #Health #History #Libraries #LibraryOfCongress #Midterms2026 #MonthlyElectionReport #November2026 #Opinion #PerplexityAI #Politics #Resistance #Science #Technology #Trump #TrumpAdministration

MidTerm Elections, 2026, Updates, News, and Projections – Monthly Series – September 2025

MidTerm Elections, 2026, Updates, News, and Projections

This is our first expanded monthly analysis of major U.S. trends, events, and projections, featuring original charts and the most current sources. September 2025 edition.

Overview

As the 2026 November midterms approach, American politics is marked by high tension, shifting alliances, and a polarized public. President Trump’s approval stands at 44.9% with 52.4% disapproval, and satisfaction with the nation’s direction dips to new lows.[1][2][3] Bipartisan anxiety is compounded by economic slowdown, tariff uncertainty, and rising crime concerns.[4][5][6][7][8]

Major Political Developments

• Government Shutdown Showdown: Congressional Democrats, led by Schumer and Jeffries, are locked in a high-stakes standoff with President Trump over funding and Obamacare subsidies, with both sides warning of major chaos if compromise fails. The threat of a funding lapse on October 1 looms large.[9]
• Party Platforms and Internal Fights: The GOP is reorganizing around core issues like tariffs, immigration, and public safety. Democratic divisions surface over strategy and leadership, with members pushing for aggressive negotiation and some eyeing new leadership challenges.[9]
• Presidential Rhetoric: Trump ramps up promises of political retribution and hints at new executive actions, from expanded ICE enforcement to the National Guard deployment in Memphis—sparking local protests and mayoral opposition.[10][11]
• 2026 Congressional Map: Latest projections favor Democrats for the House, though the field is competitive and redistricting adds uncertainty. The Senate map is structurally favorable for the GOP, but several toss-ups remain.[12][13]

Economic Trends & Outlook

• Federal Reserve Action: In September, the Federal Reserve cut rates by 0.25 percentage point, citing slower growth, weaker job gains, and persistent inflation.[14][15]
• Growth and Risks: The U.S. economy is now projected to grow 1.8% in 2025, but new OECD research warns that tariffs could reduce growth to 1.5% next year.[7][8]
• Stock Market: Markets welcomed the Fed cut, with the S&P 500 up 13% year-to-date, but analysts remain wary about labor market softness and business investment limits.[16]
• Public Perception: Economic anxiety is rising—especially on inflation and trade—with confidence numbers slipping and polling showing major disapproval of tariff policy.[4][14]

Social Climate

• Crime and National Unity: Violent incidents in August and September (including the killing of Charlie Kirk and recent shootings) have doubled public concern about crime and sharply increased mentions of national unity as a top problem.[2][17]
• Immigration Enforcement: ICE launched the “Operation Midway Blitz” in Chicago, with Trump threatening further National Guard deployments.[10]
• Health and Culture Wars: The administration’s stance on public health and controversial claims about medication/AQ ties have drawn skepticism from experts.[18]

Key Events Ahead

• Tariff and inflation debates will dominate the fall legislative calendar. Watch for last-minute deals and narratives about economic recovery.[7][14]
• Redistricting and possible retirements will continue to reshape the House battlefield.[12][13]
• Senate toss-ups and new candidate announcements are expected in states like Arizona and Georgia.[12]

MidTerm Charts

President Trump Approval (September 2025)

Odds of Congressional Control (September 2025)

Looking Forward

With historic congressional turnover rates, intense internal party debates, and a volatile international environment, every month brings shifting narratives and fresh surprises. Next month’s update will track the shutdown drama, fresh polling, and campaign announcements.

Article Bibliography

1. Silver, Nate. “Trump Approval Rating: Latest Polls.” Silver Bulletin, 22 Sept. 2025, http://www.natesilver.net/p/trump-approval-ratings-nate-silver-bulletin.
2. “U.S. Mood Subdued as Crime, Unity Concerns Rise.” Gallup News, 21 Sept. 2025, news.gallup.com/poll/695519/mood-subdued-crime-unity-concerns-rise.aspx.
3. “Donald Trump’s Approval Rating.” The Economist, 20 Jan. 2025, http://www.economist.com/interactive/trump-approval-tracker.
4. OECD. “Tariffs Will Hit Slowing U.S. Economy Hard in 2026, OECD Says.” The Wall Street Journal, 23 Sept. 2025, http://www.wsj.com/economy/global/u-s-economy-set-to-slow-less-sharply-this-year-but-tariffs-will-hit-hard-in-2026-oecd-says-50f9dfab.
5. “OECD Says US GDP Growth to Slow Next Year as Tariffs, Lower Immigration Weigh on Economy.” Investopedia, 23 Sept. 2025, http://www.investopedia.com/oecd-says-us-gdp-growth-to-slow-next-year-as-tariffs-lower-immigration-weigh-on-economy-11815148.
6. Federal Reserve. “Federal Reserve issues FOMC statement.” FederalReserve.gov, 17 Sept. 2025, http://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/pressreleases/monetary20250917a.htm.
7. “America’s economy defies gloomy expectations.” The Economist, 14 Sept. 2025, http://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2025/09/14/americas-economy-defies-gloomy-expectations.
8. CNN Business Staff. “The US economy has a new problem: Democracy is under siege.” CNN Business, 22 Sept. 2025, http://www.cnn.com/2025/09/22/business/trump-economy-democracy.
9. Todd, Chuck, et al. “It’s a new world with Trump: Inside Democrats’ shutdown gamble.” CNN Politics, 20 Sept. 2025, http://www.cnn.com/2025/09/20/politics/democrats-government-shutdown-schumer.
10. ABC News Staff. “ABC News Live Prime: September 12, 2025.” ABC News Live, 12 Sept. 2025, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-usSvA3A8S0.
11. PBS News Hour Staff. “September 22, 2025 – PBS News Hour full episode.” PBS News Hour, 22 Sept. 2025, http://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/september-22-2025-pbs-news-hour-full-episode.
12. “2026 Senate Election Forecast Maps.” 270toWin, 23 July 2025, http://www.270towin.com/2026-senate-election-predictions/.
13. “2026 CPR House Race Ratings.” Cook Political Report, 29 June 2025, http://www.cookpolitical.com/ratings/house-race-ratings.
14. CNN Business Staff. “Wall Street got the rate cut it wanted. Can the optimism last?” CNN Business, 22 Sept. 2025, http://www.cnn.com/2025/09/22/economy/stock-market-record-highs-fed-rate-cut.
15. Williams, John C. “Economic Outlook, Balance of Risks and Monetary Policy.” Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, 21 Sept. 2025, http://www.stlouisfed.org/from-the-president/remarks/2025/brookings-institution-economic-outlook-balance-risks-monetary-policy.
16. “Top U.S. & World Headlines — September 23, 2025.” Democracy Now!, 22 Sept. 2025, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hcs8UrZrvIM.
17. “ABC World News Tonight with David Muir Full Broadcast.” ABC News, 22 Sept. 2025, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISibRAqG3BM.
18. ABC News Staff. “ABC News Live Prime: September 12, 2025.” ABC News Live, 12 Sept. 2025, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-usSvA3A8S0.

#2025 #America #Democrats #DonaldTrump #Education #Health #History #Libraries #Library #LibraryOfCongress #MidtermElections2026 #November2026 #Opinion #Politics #Republicans #Resistance #Science #Trump #TrumpAdministration #USCongress #UnitedStates

5 takeways on RFK Jr. and vaccine policy from former CDC director’s Senate testimony – The Washington Post

Democracy Dies in Darkness

Health Health Care Medical Mysteries Science Well+Being

Takeaways from fired CDC director’s Senate testimony

Susan Monarez told the Senate health committee that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pressured her to back changes to the childhood vaccine schedule.

Updated, September 17, 2025 at 3:05 p.m. EDT, 57 minutes ago, 9 min

Key moments from ex-CDC chief’s Senate testimony

By Rachel Roubein, Dan Diamond and Mariana Alfaro

Susan Monarez, who was fired last month as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told senators Wednesday that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pressured her to support changes to the childhood vaccine schedule, subverting the agency’s scientific expertise and endangering public health.

The former CDC chief who served in the position for only 29 days, told the Senate’s health committee that Kennedy told her that “he spoke to the president every day about changing the childhood vaccine schedule” and that she “needed to be on board” with coming changes in September. The recommendations from the CDC call for administering multiple vaccines at key milestones, and potential changes to the schedule have alarmed major medical associations who worry the nation’s vaccine infrastructure may crack.

Monarez’s testimony on Capitol Hill marks her first public appearance since the White House fired her in late August. She told the panel she was fired for “holding the line on scientific integrity,” citing concerns about her ability to continue leading the agency while “preserving evidence-based decision-making.”

Throughout the hearing, some senators critical of Kennedy, who has an extensive history of anti-vaccine advocacy, sought to highlight what they believe is at stake: the potential for infectious diseases to reemerge and erosion of trust in public health.Some Republican senators allied with Kennedy pressed Monarez on the details of her meetings with Kennedy, casting her as out of step with the Trump administration and suggesting she was not trustworthy.

Editor’s Note: Read the rest of the story, at the below link.

Continue/Read Original Article Here: 5 takeways on RFK Jr. and vaccine policy from former CDC director’s Senate testimony – The Washington Post

#2025 #America #CDC #CentersForDiseaseControlAndPrevention #DonaldTrump #FormerDirectorCDC #HealthAndHumanServices #History #JFKJr #JohnFKennedyJr #Libraries #LibraryOfCongress #Politics #Science #SusanMonarez #Trump #USSenate #UnitedStates

5 takeways on RFK Jr. and vaccine policy from former CDC director’s Senate testimony – The Washington Post

Democracy Dies in Darkness

Health Health Care Medical Mysteries Science Well+Being

Takeaways from fired CDC director’s Senate testimony

Susan Monarez told the Senate health committee that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pressured her to back changes to the childhood vaccine schedule.

Updated, September 17, 2025 at 3:05 p.m. EDT, 57 minutes ago, 9 min

Key moments from ex-CDC chief’s Senate testimony

By Rachel Roubein, Dan Diamond and Mariana Alfaro

Susan Monarez, who was fired last month as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told senators Wednesday that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pressured her to support changes to the childhood vaccine schedule, subverting the agency’s scientific expertise and endangering public health.

The former CDC chief who served in the position for only 29 days, told the Senate’s health committee that Kennedy told her that “he spoke to the president every day about changing the childhood vaccine schedule” and that she “needed to be on board” with coming changes in September. The recommendations from the CDC call for administering multiple vaccines at key milestones, and potential changes to the schedule have alarmed major medical associations who worry the nation’s vaccine infrastructure may crack.

Monarez’s testimony on Capitol Hill marks her first public appearance since the White House fired her in late August. She told the panel she was fired for “holding the line on scientific integrity,” citing concerns about her ability to continue leading the agency while “preserving evidence-based decision-making.”

Throughout the hearing, some senators critical of Kennedy, who has an extensive history of anti-vaccine advocacy, sought to highlight what they believe is at stake: the potential for infectious diseases to reemerge and erosion of trust in public health.Some Republican senators allied with Kennedy pressed Monarez on the details of her meetings with Kennedy, casting her as out of step with the Trump administration and suggesting she was not trustworthy.

Editor’s Note: Read the rest of the story, at the below link.

Continue/Read Original Article Here: 5 takeways on RFK Jr. and vaccine policy from former CDC director’s Senate testimony – The Washington Post

#2025 #America #CDC #CentersForDiseaseControlAndPrevention #DonaldTrump #FormerDirectorCDC #HealthAndHumanServices #History #JFKJr #JohnFKennedyJr #Libraries #LibraryOfCongress #Politics #Science #SusanMonarez #Trump #USSenate #UnitedStates

5 takeways on RFK Jr. and vaccine policy from former CDC director’s Senate testimony – The Washington Post

Democracy Dies in Darkness

Health Health Care Medical Mysteries Science Well+Being

Takeaways from fired CDC director’s Senate testimony

Susan Monarez told the Senate health committee that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pressured her to back changes to the childhood vaccine schedule.

Updated, September 17, 2025 at 3:05 p.m. EDT, 57 minutes ago, 9 min

Key moments from ex-CDC chief’s Senate testimony

By Rachel Roubein, Dan Diamond and Mariana Alfaro

Susan Monarez, who was fired last month as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told senators Wednesday that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pressured her to support changes to the childhood vaccine schedule, subverting the agency’s scientific expertise and endangering public health.

The former CDC chief who served in the position for only 29 days, told the Senate’s health committee that Kennedy told her that “he spoke to the president every day about changing the childhood vaccine schedule” and that she “needed to be on board” with coming changes in September. The recommendations from the CDC call for administering multiple vaccines at key milestones, and potential changes to the schedule have alarmed major medical associations who worry the nation’s vaccine infrastructure may crack.

Monarez’s testimony on Capitol Hill marks her first public appearance since the White House fired her in late August. She told the panel she was fired for “holding the line on scientific integrity,” citing concerns about her ability to continue leading the agency while “preserving evidence-based decision-making.”

Throughout the hearing, some senators critical of Kennedy, who has an extensive history of anti-vaccine advocacy, sought to highlight what they believe is at stake: the potential for infectious diseases to reemerge and erosion of trust in public health.Some Republican senators allied with Kennedy pressed Monarez on the details of her meetings with Kennedy, casting her as out of step with the Trump administration and suggesting she was not trustworthy.

Editor’s Note: Read the rest of the story, at the below link.

Continue/Read Original Article Here: 5 takeways on RFK Jr. and vaccine policy from former CDC director’s Senate testimony – The Washington Post

#2025 #America #CDC #CentersForDiseaseControlAndPrevention #DonaldTrump #FormerDirectorCDC #HealthAndHumanServices #History #JFKJr #JohnFKennedyJr #Libraries #LibraryOfCongress #Politics #Science #SusanMonarez #Trump #USSenate #UnitedStates

5 takeways on RFK Jr. and vaccine policy from former CDC director’s Senate testimony – The Washington Post

Democracy Dies in Darkness

Health Health Care Medical Mysteries Science Well+Being

Takeaways from fired CDC director’s Senate testimony

Susan Monarez told the Senate health committee that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pressured her to back changes to the childhood vaccine schedule.

Updated, September 17, 2025 at 3:05 p.m. EDT, 57 minutes ago, 9 min

Key moments from ex-CDC chief’s Senate testimony

By Rachel Roubein, Dan Diamond and Mariana Alfaro

Susan Monarez, who was fired last month as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told senators Wednesday that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pressured her to support changes to the childhood vaccine schedule, subverting the agency’s scientific expertise and endangering public health.

The former CDC chief who served in the position for only 29 days, told the Senate’s health committee that Kennedy told her that “he spoke to the president every day about changing the childhood vaccine schedule” and that she “needed to be on board” with coming changes in September. The recommendations from the CDC call for administering multiple vaccines at key milestones, and potential changes to the schedule have alarmed major medical associations who worry the nation’s vaccine infrastructure may crack.

Monarez’s testimony on Capitol Hill marks her first public appearance since the White House fired her in late August. She told the panel she was fired for “holding the line on scientific integrity,” citing concerns about her ability to continue leading the agency while “preserving evidence-based decision-making.”

Throughout the hearing, some senators critical of Kennedy, who has an extensive history of anti-vaccine advocacy, sought to highlight what they believe is at stake: the potential for infectious diseases to reemerge and erosion of trust in public health.Some Republican senators allied with Kennedy pressed Monarez on the details of her meetings with Kennedy, casting her as out of step with the Trump administration and suggesting she was not trustworthy.

Editor’s Note: Read the rest of the story, at the below link.

Continue/Read Original Article Here: 5 takeways on RFK Jr. and vaccine policy from former CDC director’s Senate testimony – The Washington Post

#2025 #America #CDC #CentersForDiseaseControlAndPrevention #DonaldTrump #FormerDirectorCDC #HealthAndHumanServices #History #JFKJr #JohnFKennedyJr #Libraries #LibraryOfCongress #Politics #Science #SusanMonarez #Trump #USSenate #UnitedStates

5 takeways on RFK Jr. and vaccine policy from former CDC director’s Senate testimony – The Washington Post

Democracy Dies in Darkness

Health Health Care Medical Mysteries Science Well+Being

Takeaways from fired CDC director’s Senate testimony

Susan Monarez told the Senate health committee that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pressured her to back changes to the childhood vaccine schedule.

Updated, September 17, 2025 at 3:05 p.m. EDT, 57 minutes ago, 9 min

Key moments from ex-CDC chief’s Senate testimony

By Rachel Roubein, Dan Diamond and Mariana Alfaro

Susan Monarez, who was fired last month as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told senators Wednesday that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pressured her to support changes to the childhood vaccine schedule, subverting the agency’s scientific expertise and endangering public health.

The former CDC chief who served in the position for only 29 days, told the Senate’s health committee that Kennedy told her that “he spoke to the president every day about changing the childhood vaccine schedule” and that she “needed to be on board” with coming changes in September. The recommendations from the CDC call for administering multiple vaccines at key milestones, and potential changes to the schedule have alarmed major medical associations who worry the nation’s vaccine infrastructure may crack.

Monarez’s testimony on Capitol Hill marks her first public appearance since the White House fired her in late August. She told the panel she was fired for “holding the line on scientific integrity,” citing concerns about her ability to continue leading the agency while “preserving evidence-based decision-making.”

Throughout the hearing, some senators critical of Kennedy, who has an extensive history of anti-vaccine advocacy, sought to highlight what they believe is at stake: the potential for infectious diseases to reemerge and erosion of trust in public health.Some Republican senators allied with Kennedy pressed Monarez on the details of her meetings with Kennedy, casting her as out of step with the Trump administration and suggesting she was not trustworthy.

Editor’s Note: Read the rest of the story, at the below link.

Continue/Read Original Article Here: 5 takeways on RFK Jr. and vaccine policy from former CDC director’s Senate testimony – The Washington Post

#2025 #America #CDC #CentersForDiseaseControlAndPrevention #DonaldTrump #FormerDirectorCDC #HealthAndHumanServices #History #JFKJr #JohnFKennedyJr #Libraries #LibraryOfCongress #Politics #Science #SusanMonarez #Trump #USSenate #UnitedStates

Letters from an American – September 11, 2025 – Heather Cox Richardson

Letters from an American, September 11, 2025

By Heather Cox Richardson, Sep 11, 2025

Twenty-four years ago today, terrorists from the al-Qaeda network used four civilian airplanes as weapons against the United States, crashing two of them into the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers in New York City and a third into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia.

Four years ago, George W. Bush, who was president on that horrific day, spoke in Pennsylvania at a memorial for the passengers of the fourth flight, United Airlines Flight 93, who on September 11, 2001, stormed the cockpit and brought their airplane down in a field, killing everyone on board but denying the terrorists a fourth American trophy.

Former president Bush said: “Twenty years ago, terrorists chose a random group of Americans, on a routine flight, to be collateral damage in a spectacular act of terror. The 33 passengers and 7 crew of Flight 93 could have been any group of citizens selected by fate. In a sense, they stood in for us all.” And, Bush continued, “The terrorists soon discovered that a random group of Americans is an exceptional group of people. Facing an impossible circumstance, they comforted their loved ones by phone, braced each other for action, and defeated the designs of evil.”

Recalling his experience that day, Bush talked of “the America I know.”

“On America’s day of trial and grief, I saw millions of people instinctively grab for a neighbor’s hand and rally to the cause of one another…. At a time when religious bigotry might have flowed freely, I saw Americans reject prejudice and embrace people of Muslim faith…. At a time when nativism could have stirred hatred and violence against people perceived as outsiders, I saw Americans reaffirm their welcome to immigrants and refugees…. At a time when some viewed the rising generation as individualistic and decadent, I saw young people embrace an ethic of service and rise to selfless action.”

Bush celebrated the selfless heroism and care for others shown by those like Welles Crowther, the man in the red bandana, who helped others out of danger before succumbing himself; the airplane passengers who called their loved ones to say goodbye; neighbors; firefighters; law enforcement officers; the men and women who volunteered for military service after the attack.

That day, and our memories of it, show American democracy at its best: ordinary Americans putting in the work, even at its dirtiest and most dangerous, to take care of each other.

Editor’s Note: Read the rest of the story, at the below link.

Continue/Read Original Article Here: (1) September 11, 2025 – by Heather Cox Richardson

#2025 #911 #America #DonaldTrump #Health #HeatherCoxRichardson #History #LettersFromAnAmerican #Libraries #Library #LibraryOfCongress #Politics #PresidentBush #Resistance #Science #September112001 #Substack #Television #Trump #TrumpAdministration #TwinTowers #UnitedStates #WorldTradeCenter

September 2025 U.S. Midterms Update: Deep Dive on Politics, Economy, Redistricting, and Key Races – DrWeb’s Domain UPDATE

September 2025 U.S. Midterms Update: Deep Dive on Politics, Economy, Redistricting, and Key Races

The 2026 midterm elections are shaping up to be highly contested and defined by critical battles over congressional control, redistricting fights initiated by GOP and Democrats, and an economy that voters are closely watching. This monthly report breaks down the latest developments, polling trends, and political analysis ahead of the November 2026 elections. Remember election date is November 3, 2026.

1. Major News Stories: Top 10 Midterm Election Reads

• Democrats launch legal blitz to blunt GOP redistricting advantage (Politico, 9/9) — The long, costly legal push to counteract GOP map changes in critical states.
• The two major forces shaping Trump’s second midterm election (NBC News, 9/2) — Redistricting and the “One Big Beautiful Bill” legislation energize both parties.
• Key Senate contests take shape ahead of 2026 midterm elections (CBS News, 8/28) — Overview of crucial Senate races Democrats must flip to gain majority.
• Democrats lead in House generic ballot polls by 2.3 points (G. Elliott Morris, 7/31) — Poll average indicates a small Democratic edge nationally.
• Will Trump Have to Run From the Economy? (New York Times, 9/4) — Weak job growth and inflation pressures loom large in voter concerns.
• What is Trump’s approval rating? Polls show how Americans feel (USA Today, 9/8) — Recent uptick in approval amid economic uncertainty.
• 2026 Senate Election Interactive Map (270toWin, 7/24) — Track all Senate races and their forecasted outcomes.
• Republicans brace for redistricting ‘catastrophe’ in California (Politico, 9/7) — GOP anxiety as Democrats push new maps to reclaim seats.
• The Framers wanted the House closest to the people. Redistricting… (NPR, 8/27) — Historical context on midcycle redistricting battles.
• Trump Ordered Texas To Gerrymander 5 New Republican-Leaning Congressional Districts (CAP, 8/26) — How Texas GOP aims to expand House majority before election.

2. Deep Dive Analysis: The Redistricting Power Play

This summer, Texas Republicans, urged by President Trump, redrew congressional maps mid-decade to add five new Republican-leaning districts, a rare and controversial move historically uncommon outside court orders. Democrats responded by unveiling competing maps in California and encouraging legal challenges nationwide, sparking a fierce redistricting showdown that will impact dozens of competitive House districts and likely cement a GOP advantage in 2026.

Experts warn these aggressive partisan redraws risk disenfranchising voters and undermining the constitutional principle that the House should closely represent the populace. With control of the House up for grabs, this redistricting race has become the most consequential political battle outside the ballot box heading into next year.

3. Polling and Forecasts

President Trump’s approval rating slightly rebounded from 42% in July to 44% in September, buoyed by gains among independents and moderates. However, economic concerns remain high, with inflation and job growth cited as top voter priorities.

National generic ballot polling shows Democrats leading Republicans by 2.3 points on average, signaling a competitive but Democratic-leaning House race nationally. Senate control remains toss-up territory, with Republicans defending 22 of 35 seats and Democrats defending 13; Democrats need a net gain of four seats to reclaim the chamber.

4. Economic & Social Issues Impacting the Midterms

Economic jitters permeate voter sentiment as weak job numbers and stubborn inflation dominate headlines. August added just 22,000 jobs, raising concerns about a stalling labor market that could drive voter dissatisfaction. Inflation pressures related to tariffs and rising costs threaten to weigh on President Trump’s approval ahead of the elections.

Social issues such as immigration and government spending rank highly in voter priorities, shaping campaign narratives across party lines. The evolving debates on these topics may significantly influence turnout among key demographics.

5. Legislative and Legal Landscape

The legal battle over redistricting is expected to continue well into 2026, with Democrats mounting court challenges against GOP maps in states like Texas. Key legislative efforts around voting rights and election security are also progressing in several states, further complicating the electoral environment.

6. Key Dates & Events to Watch

• Fall 2025: Candidate filing deadlines in several battleground states
• Spring 2026: Primary elections for House and Senate races begin
• Summer 2026: Major party conventions and national conventions
• November 3, 2026: Election Day — Midterm elections for all 435 House seats and 35 Senate seats

7. Expert Voices & Opinions

David Wasserman, election analyst at the Cook Political Report, highlights that redistricting alone could yield a net gain of 4 to 12 seats for Republicans in the House, despite a national environment slightly favorable to Democrats. Political strategists emphasize the importance of battleground states like North Carolina and Texas, where intense contests and primary battles will shape Senate control.

8. Conclusion & What to Watch Next Month

The 2026 midterms are fast becoming a referendum on economic performance and political representation. Redistricting fights will likely decide control of key House districts before voters even cast ballots, while Senate races remain unpredictable with numerous open and contested seats. Voter attention will increasingly focus on economic signals and social issues as campaigns intensify heading into 2026.

Next month’s update will cover early primary results, fundraising reports, and the fallout of ongoing legal challenges over redistricting maps. Stay tuned for in-depth analysis and fresh polling data as the election year approaches.

Sources: Politico, NBC News, CBS News, G. Elliott Morris, New York Times, USA Today, 270toWin, NPR, Cook Political Report as of September 2025. Edited by DrWeb, analysis by Perplexity Pro.

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https://elijax.bandcamp.com/album/autumn-suite-live-at-coolidge-auditorium-washington-dc-10-11-2018

#Autumn #Suite
#violin #piano
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#silentsunday #mood #calm #melancholic

you can use the discount code

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to have a 95% discount valid on everything. It works only on the desktop website, not on the mobile bandcamp app.

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https://elijax.bandcamp.com/album/autumn-suite-live-at-coolidge-auditorium-washington-dc-10-11-2018

#Autumn #Suite
#violin #piano
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you can use the discount code

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https://elijax.bandcamp.com/album/autumn-suite-live-at-coolidge-auditorium-washington-dc-10-11-2018

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you can use the discount code

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use the discount code

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to have a 95% discount valid on everything. It may be combined also with the discount of the entire discography. It works only on the desktop website, not on the mobile bandcamp app.

#music #classical #classicalmusic #violin #piano #libraryofcongress #Coolidge #bernecoli #Corazza #Italy #usa #Washington #dc #kluge #modernclassical #chamber #chambermusic #Bandcamp #bandcampcodes

@classicalmusic

https://elijax.bandcamp.com/album/autumn-suite-live-at-coolidge-auditorium-washington-dc-10-11-2018

#Live #recording of #Autumn #Suite

you can use the discount code

trio

to have a 95% discount valid on everything. It may be combined also with the discount of the entire discography. It works only on the desktop website, not on the mobile bandcamp app.

#music #classical #classicalmusic #violin #piano #live #libraryofcongress #Coolidge #bernecoli #Corazza #Italy #usa #Washington #dc #kluge #modernclassical #chamber #chambermusic #Bandcamp

@classicalmusic

https://elijax.bandcamp.com/album/autumn-suite-live-at-coolidge-auditorium-washington-dc-10-11-2018

#Live #recording of #Autumn #Suite
you can use the discount code
trio
to have a 95% discount valid on everything. It may be combined also with the discount of the entire discography. It works only on the desktop website, not on the mobile bandcamp app.

#music #classical #classicalmusic #violin #piano #live #libraryofcongress #Coolidge #bernecoli #Corazza #Italy #usa #Washington #dc #kluge #modernclassical #chamber #chambermusic #Bandcamp #bandcampcodes

@classicalmusic

https://elijax.bandcamp.com/album/autumn-suite-live-at-coolidge-auditorium-washington-dc-10-11-2018

#Live #recording of #Autumn #Suite

you can use the #discount code

trio

to have a 95% discount valid on everything. It may be combined also with the discount of the entire discography. It works only on the desktop website!

#music #classical #classicalmusic #violin #piano #live #libraryofcongress #Coolidge #bernecoli #Corazza #Italy #usa #Washington #dc #kluge #modernclassical #chamber #chambermusic #Bandcamp #bandcampcodes #composer #contemporary

@classicalmusic

https://elijax.bandcamp.com/album/autumn-suite-live-at-coolidge-auditorium-washington-dc-10-11-2018

#Live #recording of #Autumn #Suite
you can use the discount code

trio

to have a 95% discount valid on everything. It may be combined also with the discount of the entire discography. It works only on the desktop website, not on the mobile bandcamp app.

#music #classical #classicalmusic #violin #piano #live #libraryofcongress #Coolidge #bernecoli #Corazza #Italy #usa #Washington #dc #kluge #modernclassical #chamber #chambermusic #Bandcamp #bandcampcodes
@classicalmusic
https://elijax.bandcamp.com/album/autumn-suite-live-at-coolidge-auditorium-washington-dc-10-11-2018

#Live #recording of #Autumn #Suite

use the discount code

trio

to have a 95% discount valid on everything. It may be combined also with the discount of the entire discography. It works only on the desktop website, not on the mobile bandcamp app.

#music #classical #classicalmusic #violin #piano #live #libraryofcongress #Coolidge #bernecoli #Corazza #Italy #usa #Washington #dc #kluge #modernclassical #chamber #chambermusic #Bandcamp #bandcampcodes

@classicalmusic

https://elijax.bandcamp.com/album/autumn-suite-live-at-coolidge-auditorium-washington-dc-10-11-2018