Politics and views in the United States

Democrats focus their midterm message on affordability, the White House weighs a ban on U.S. diesel exports, and South Florida election officials defend the security of voting by mail.

Transcript

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

People are stressed the hell out every time they have to go to the grocery store, every time they have to pay the rent or mortgage, and every time they have to put gas in the tank.

That's unacceptable.

Six weeks before the midterms, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries says affordability is at the center of their message.

One new generic poll says Democrats have a dozen-point lead with registered voters.

Politico reports the White House is considering a 90-day ban on exporting diesel to boost domestic supplies.

The White House denies it, saying that could eventually drive gas and jet fuel prices higher.

A federal judge seems highly critical of President Donald Trump's move to bar Politico and two other news organizations from the White House.

The outlets say that violates the First Amendment, and the judge says it might have been done without due process.

Election officials from South Florida's three largest counties are defending the security of voting by mail.

Palm Beach Supervisor of Elections Wendy Sardery-Lank says Florida verifies a voter's identity before sending a ballot.

When you request it, we're checking your name, your address, your date of birth, either your driver's license or Florida ID, or the last four of your social.

So we know who we're sending that ballot to.

Trump has falsely said mail-in voting is rife with fraud, although he has praised and used Florida's system.

A woman testified to the Senate she was wrongly jailed after an automatic license plate reader linked her to a deadly Florida crash.

Lindsay Isaacs told a hearing on Flock cameras she was jailed for two weeks before prosecutors dropped charges.

I came here today because I want you to understand that surveillance technology does not exist in a vacuum.

Information collected by technology can become part of an investigation that affects a real human being.

Police say the technology helps solve crimes while critics raise privacy and accuracy concerns.

Senate Democrats blocked an effort to grant immunity to an assistant, a former health official, Anthony Fauci.

As part of a COVID-19 investigation, Republicans want to question the former aide about allegations of destroying government records.

New Hampshire Democratic Senator Maggie Hassan says that's too partisan.

Compelling someone to testify after they have invoked their Fifth Amendment right is something none of us should take lightly.

We should first more seriously pursue a good-faith bipartisan approach to obtain this information and pursue the work of this committee.

A U.S. citizen is recovering after immigration agents detained him in Evanston, Illinois, in a case of mistaken identity.

Local police say the man suffered injuries to his head, neck, and teeth.

Federal officials say the man resembled a fugitive, resisted, and refused to identify himself.

I'm Joe Ulory for Pacifica Network and Public News Service.

Find our trust indicators at publicnewsservice.org.

Thank you.