In which I try to answer your questions about modern politics.... Daily letters on Substack found here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/ 00:00 – Welcome 01:21 – This week’s story is clear 02:00 – The budget reconciliation bill and public backlash 04:04 – Texas floods and government failure 08:17 – Local mismanagement and heartbreaking loss of life 10:28 – FEMA’s delayed response, Kristi Noem’s spending restrictions 13:08 – Trump’s tariff pause ends 17:26 – Ukraine weapons freeze and White House dysfunction 19:32 – Staffing chaos: Power struggles, vacancies, and strange appointments 23:14 – MAGA has no plan to govern 28:06 – Government power used to punish critics 30:30 – Growing pushback 33:55 – An unraveling administration