Politics and views in the United States

Sen. Markwayne Mullin faces a tough grilling in his bid to take over at Homeland Security. Several senators continue to push for a War Powers Resolution on Iran. And Arizona educators want to rein in private school voucher funding.

Transcript

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

I just wonder if someone who applauds violence against their political opponents is the right person to lead an agency that has struggled to accept limits to the proper use of force.

Republican Kentucky Senator Rand Paul says Oklahoma Republican Senator Mark Wayne Mullen has anger issues and not enough self-control to be the next Homeland Security Secretary.

Mullen nearly came to blows with a labor leader during one Senate hearing and said he, completely understood why Paul was violently attacked in 2017.

Mullen's confirmation hearing was tense, with senators from both parties sharply questioning if he has the temperament to lead an agency already under fire for excessive use of force.

Mullen says he would end policies by the last secretary, which slowed disaster aid.

Mullen also says if confirmed, who require ICE agents to get judicial warrants, something Democrats are demanding in bills to reopen DHS?

Mullen says the department's month-long shutdown puts lives at risk.

FBI Director Cash Patel is echoing that, saying even as we're at war with Iran, the shutdown is disrupting joint FBI and Homeland Security terrorism investigations.

So when you bring the powers of the Homeland Security folks, DHS and the FBI together, this is the purpose of it to get after not just the terrorism threat, but the violence and the criminal activity in our cities.

Many Democratic-led cities described as plagued by murders by administration officials, including Patel, have actually been seeing historic reductions and violent crime and murder rates for years.

Amid an extended debate on the strict voter ID Save America Act, Democratic lawmakers referring to themselves as the Senate Six are demanding an Iran war powers resolution get to the floor.

Virginia Democratic Senator Tim Kaine says a lot has changed since the chamber voted down a similar resolution a few weeks ago.

Thirteen American troops have died.

Futures cut off, families bereft and grieving.

We learned yesterday the number of Americans seriously injured in this war now tops 200.

Iran is keeping the Strait of Hormuz all but entirely closed.

Oil prices spiked to more than $110 a barrel after Israel hit an Iranian oil field and Iran attacked a Qatar fuel hub.

Trump has asked various nations, including adversaries like China, to help reopen the Strait but has been rebuffed.

Despite that, the White House says the U.S. may soon attempt regime change in Cuba, either by negotiation or military force.

Polls show a large majority of Americans oppose this and they oppose the Iran war by as much as 3 to 1.

Arizona educators won a ballot measure this fall they say would bring more accountability for parents who get tax credits for homeschooling or private school tuition.

They say the $10,000 vouchers available through the state's Empowerment Scholarship Account Program have been easy to abuse because of a broad definition of education-related expenses.

Ray New York is with the Marana Education Association. 90 percent of Arizona students choose public schools, and of the 10 percent choosing these vouchers, most were already in private schools.

So this is taxpayers funding that private school choice.

I'm Edwin J. Viera for Pacifica Network and Public News Service.

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