In this video, Heather Cox Richardson, from Politics Chat, explains how current political events in the United States and globally fit into a larger picture (0:19). She addresses a whistleblower complaint concerning alleged political interference by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard (1:02). She further elaborates on the concept of an "authoritarian international" (8:20) and how a small group of wealthy, well-connected individuals may be leveraging power for personal gain (9:10).
Richardson highlights how disinformation and the controversial deployment of federal agents (13:51), particularly ICE and Border Patrol, are used to suppress dissent (17:45). She also discusses the proposed Save America Act (34:58), which aims to cut up to 20 million people off voter rolls (35:20) by requiring new voter ID requirements like birth certificates or passports (39:51), potentially disenfranchising many (40:39).
Richardson emphasizes the importance of understanding these issues to push back against attempts to undermine democracy (51:48). She urges viewers to stay organized, communicate with elected officials (53:51), and support local democratic efforts to resist authoritarian tendencies (54:11). She concludes by stressing the urgency of action before the 2026 elections (52:25).
From Politics Chat, February 13, 2026
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Resources:
https://americanpromise.net/
https://redwine.blue/
https://cc4democracy.com/
https://liberalrocks.com/
https://www.commoncause.org/take-action/
https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member