Politics and views in the United States

Canada retaliates in the trade war, data center opposition becomes a unifying issue nationally and a prosecutor declines to go after Musk on an election bribery case.

Transcript

Welcome to 2026 Talks, where we're following our democracy in historic times.

Canada's counter-tariffs are designed primarily to provide protection for Canadian industry impacted by U.S. tariffs and allow them to compete against U.S. products in the Canadian market.

It's all about fairness.

Canadian Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced counter-tariffs on $20 billion of U.S. goods, including steel, dairy products, appliances, and farm equipment.

Trade talks broke down last week, and President Donald Trump announced 50% tariffs on some Canadian products over the weekend.

Trump called the Canadian Prime Minister, quote, governor, and suggested renaming Lake Ontario as Lake America.

The president is also threatening to demolish D.C.'s Kennedy Center if restoration plans are blocked.

Several polls show him near a personal low, as the Iran war likely keeps gas prices averaging $4 a gallon on Labor Day for the first time in history.

Darlene Graham-Nordone, appointed to the South Carolina Senate seat of her late brother, Lindsey Graham, is narrowly leading a special election there, thanks in part to an endorsement from Trump.

The novice is ahead of hard-right Republican Congressman Ralph Norman.

Saying he wouldn't be able to win a conviction, a Democratic DA in Wisconsin is dropping charges against tech billionaire Elon Musk for promising a million dollars to voters in the 2025 state Supreme Court race.

The Wisconsin Elections Commission had ruled that the Post, framed as a lottery for any voter who signed a petition against activist judges, broke a bribery law statute.

Former public health official and Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed is attempting to do damage control from the remarks of left-wing streamer Hassan Piker.

Piker campaigned with El Sayed during the primary.

He suggested the U.S. deserve 9-11, and that American Jews' support for Israel would worsen anti-Semitism.

El Sayed is now distancing himself from Piker, but he says he stands by his position, criticizing Israel's war in Gaza.

Equal rights to peace, dignity, and self-determination for Palestinian folk.

I'd rather my tax dollars not get spent to take away some people's self-determination that could be used to empower other folks here.

That's not about hating anybody.

The latest of the polls PNS is highlighting ahead of the election show data center opposition is spreading.

Mike Mullen reports on the National Survey from Wisconsin.

The survey from Heatmap News says 75% of respondents either somewhat or strongly oppose the construction of a data center in their community.

Organizer Blaine Halverson with Uniting West Wisconsin says based on neighbors he's talked to, there's genuine fear.

It is something that I think people in their gut know is going to change the basic nature and soul of their community.

Other polling indicates that while the public might recognize certain economic benefits touted by developers, respondents are more worried about environmental and quality of life impacts.

I'm Mike Moen.

In Ohio, a federal judge is temporarily blocking enforcement of a new state rule that voters show proof of citizenship when registering at the DMV.

The judge ruled that the law violates the National Voter Registration Act.

I'm Zamone Perez for Pacifica Network and Public News Service.

Find our trust indicators at publicnewsservice.org.