As a campaign season in which dozens of progressive candidates endorsed by US Sen. Bernie Sanders prevailed in primaries, the independent Vermont lawmaker urged his supporters across the country to “do all we can to bring out the vote to end Republican control of Congress,” while urging voters to look beyond the goal of reining in President Donald Trump. “If the pundits are correct and…
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Democrats are fired up. Some MAGA voters are questioning whether to show up. And in one of America’s most closely watched congressional battlegrounds, that divide could have enormous implications for the fight over control of the House.The Real News Network traveled to Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley, home to the fiercely contested 7th Congressional District, to speak directly with voters about the issues, frustrations, and political ideas shaping their decisions for the 2026 midterm elections.From Allentown to Bethlehem, we talked with voters across the political spectrum about what motivates them to head to the polls and what might convince others to stay home.In a district where Republican incumbent Ryan Mackenzie faces Democratic challenger Bob Brooks, questions about economic inequality, the cost of living, war and the role of government are taking center stage.We also explore the debate over socialism and progressive economic ideas. While mainstream media’s political commentary often portrays socialism as politically toxic, conversations with voters raise interesting questions about how those ideas are actually being received on the ground.Could voter enthusiasm, political disillusionment, and changing attitudes toward economic policy help shape the outcome of one of the country’s most closely watched House races?Join Taya Graham and Stephen Janis for an on-the-ground look at Pennsylvania’s 7th District, where the battle for Congress is playing out one voter at a time.
Credits:
Production/Post-production: Taya Graham, Stephen Janis
Transcript
A transcript will provided when ready
Are top Democrats actually “shifting” on Israel, or is the PR simply getting more sophisticated?
After the midterms wrap up and the race for the Democratic 2028 nominition for president kicks off in earnest, this will be a central question those concerned with the US role in the genocide in Gaza must grapple with clearly, honestly, and with—it turns out—a high degree of skepticism and media literacy. That’s because the forces committed to keeping the weapons flowing to Israel quickly adjusted their tactics to meet the mood of the public, and the mood of Democrats in particular.
Last year for TRNN, I detailed the three main ways AIPAC Democrats will seek to look critical of Israel while assuring that the pro-Israel status quo remains fundamentally unchanged. Since I wrote that breakdown, a fourth talking point—and one that seems inevitable in retrospect—has emerged as a favorite of liberals who want to seem “tough on Israel,” but don’t want to upset the Israel Lobby. This line, which I documented last April, commits to “ending US aid to Israel” which, despite seeming like a meaningful break or a move left, is a policy that first emerged from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the late US Sen. Lindsey Graham. And, as I noted, it was planned out by far-right think tanks Foundation for Defence of Democracies and Heritage Foundation—specifically designed to blunt the primary argument against support for Israel. Last January, Netanyahu told the Economist that he wants to “taper off” formal US military funding. Pro-Israel lobbying organization J-Street then took this right-wing idea and proceeded to sell the “cut off aid to Israel” line
On Tuesday, family members and witnesses of five people fatally shot by federal immigration agents testified at a public forum organized by congressional Democrats, calling for accountability for the killings. Family members of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, Renee Good, Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, and Ruben Ray Martinez – all killed by ICE agents since 2025 – gave statements, as did a witness in…
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David Sirota explains how consultants profit from massive television-ad purchases, how billionaire-funded super PACs influence the candidates and policies voters are offered, and how the language of “moderation” and “electability” is used to undermine progressive and populist challengers.We examine the consequences of legalized political corruption: Washington’s silence on America’s healthcare crisis, the widening gulf between voters and their representatives, and the 50-year campaign to transform elections into auctions while concentrating power in the presidency.David Sirota is the founder of the investigative news organization The Lever, a former speechwriter for Bernie Sanders, an Oscar-nominated co-creator of the story for the movie Don’t Look Up, and the producer of the podcast series Master Plan.
Additional links/info:
David Sirota and Jared Jacang Maher’s co-authored book, Master Plan: The Hidden Plot to Legalize Corruption in America
The Lever’s website, Instagram, and podcast series, Master plan
Credits:
Production: Stephen Janis, Taya Graham
Written by: Stephen Janis
Studio Production: Cameron Granadino
Post-Production: Stephen Janis, David Hebden
Transcript
The following is a rushed transcript and may contain errors. It will be updated as soon as possible.
Taya Graham:
Hello, my name is Taya Graham and welcome to the Inequality Watch Report, a show that examines government policy and action through the lens of extreme economic inequality, the existential issue of our time. Today, we’re going to discuss a topic that defines who holds power in America and how they keep it despite growing voter dissatisfaction amid a historic wealth imbalance. It’s a story of money, access, and self-enrichment that is at the root of the bad policies and broken institutions we all struggle with daily. And it’s an issue that transcends the nominal state of play in this country
More than a quarter of U.S. voters, including the majority of Democrats, identify as supporters of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), new polling finds as left-wing ideology surges in popularity despite the Trump administration’s attempts to quash it. Quinnipiac University finds that 26 percent of registered voters say they consider themselves supporters of DSA…
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