Politics Chat, May 12, 2026

Topics covered in today’s Politics Chat: Trump's wild late-night social media postings, Russia's scaled-down Victory Day parade and Putin's weakening position, gerrymandering, Virginia Supreme Court redistricting reversal, Alabama's unconstitutional map reinstatement, dummy-mander risk in Texas, Fannie Lou Hamer, voter registration and ballot preparation, the One Big Beautiful Bill, post-midterm cuts to Medicaid and SNAP, and the $1 billion White House ballroom security request.Politics Chat is recorded live on YouTube and Facebook every Tuesday and Thursday at 6 pm Maine time (3 PM PT / 6 PM ET).Watch today's recording here: https://www.youtube.com/live/e9qatSWt2xQ?si=LyFi6jceXPGqnqn4Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribeYou can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.socialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe