I witnessed the Pinochet regime’s fall. It offers hope – and a warning – for the US | Ariel Dorfman

November’s midterms bring parallels with a moment in October 1988. But Pinochet’s exit wasn’t the end of his influence

A malignant, monomaniacal president, deeply unpopular, faces an election that could restrict his power and end his domination of his country.

It is true that, to influence the outcome, he counts on a supine supreme court and his ability to legislate through executive decrees, as well as an onslaught of fake news accusing his opponents of being unpatriotic communists, true that he has colossal financial support from an entrenched oligarchy that has thrived thanks to his rightwing neoliberal policies, true that he has gone out of his way to limit the freedom of those who vote and true that he has absolute command of the armed forces. Continue reading...


https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/oct/06/pinochet-chile-trump-midterms?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Trump claims he’s ‘doing great’ as his approval rating sinks to record low – live

President downplays unfavorable polling as he travels to Nebraska to support Republicans ahead of the US midterm elections


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Ask our reporters your questions about the Iran war and the US midterms



As the supreme court hears oral arguments this morning, it’s worth noting that if the justices side with Boulder or decide that the case is not in their jurisdiction, then it would continue in state court.

But if the fossil fuel industry convinces the justices, the decision could apply not only to the Boulder case, but also to the many other climate cases brought by state and local governments around the US that we mentioned earlier. Continue reading...


https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/oct/05/donald-trump-nebraska-midterms-republicans-white-house-media-latest-news-updates?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

JD Vance flexing Maha connections as he eyes 2028 election

Considered Republican frontrunner for presidential election, Vance is cozying up to the movement – as it splits

JD Vance, widely considered to be the Republican frontrunner for the presidential election in 2028, is aligning himself with the Make America Healthy Again (Maha) movement as some say it is shedding its grassroots supporters in favor of political and corporate interests.

The US vice-president has positioned himself as the inheritor of Make America Great Again (Maga), and attaching himself to Maha, which many in the Trump administration believe helped to win the 2024 election, signals a greater overlap between the two movements as the administration’s popularity plummets amid the war in Iran and rising prices. Continue reading...


https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/04/jd-vance-maha-2028-election?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Democrats' Red-State Strategy Relies on Deception and Dark Money | Opinion

"That is the red-state play Democrats are testing: pretend to be what you are not, and oppose what you profit from."


https://www.newsweek.com/democrats-red-state-strategy-relies-on-deception-and-dark-money-opinion-12518625?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger