social media, restriction of addictive platform features). Females and higher-educated participants had more positive perceptions regarding the impact of the ban.

#socialmedia; #ban #children #publicopinion #confidence
policy; government; effectiveness

https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/15/6/404?utm_campaign=socsci_2026_june&utm_medium=email&utm_source=001-005-001&utm_term=titlel

The Numbers Are Bad, and the Denial Is Worse

BAYBAY CITY, Leyte, June 27, 2026 — The president’s polling problem is no longer a bump in the road. It is becoming the road.

Donald Trump is sitting in dangerous political territory. Public polling has him in the mid-to-high 30s nationally, with disapproval running much higher. Reuters/Ipsos has him at 34 percent approval. AP-NORC has him around 37 percent. That is not a presidency gliding toward the midterms. That is a presidency dragging an anchor.

The danger for Republicans is not only that Trump is unpopular. They have lived with that before. The deeper danger is that the reasons for his weakness are spreading across several fronts at once.

On the economy, voters are sour. On Iran, voters are unconvinced. On immigration, even one of Trump’s strongest political issues has softened. The president’s base may still cheer the performance, but elections are not won by applause inside the tent. They are won by persuading people outside it to come in.

That is where the problem gets ugly.

The Iran conflict appears to have damaged Trump in exactly the place he could least afford it: among voters who supported him because they believed he would avoid foreign wars and lower costs at home. Instead, voters saw military conflict, uncertainty, higher prices, and then a deal many Americans do not trust. When only about one in four Americans say the war was worth the cost, that is not a foreign policy victory. That is a warning flare.

Republicans also face a grim generic congressional ballot. Democrats are leading by roughly six points in major polling averages. That does not automatically mean a blue wave. District lines matter. Candidate quality matters. Turnout matters. Money matters. But a six-point Democratic edge, paired with a president stuck in the 30s, is exactly the kind of weather report that makes campaign managers start checking the storm cellar.

The public numbers are bad enough. The internal numbers are probably worse, or at least frightening enough that Republicans are already adjusting their behavior. Candidates do not usually run away from a popular president. They run away from a president who might turn their race into a referendum on him.

And that is the central problem for Trump. He has always been larger than his party. When his numbers are strong, that helps Republicans. When his numbers collapse, it pulls the whole party toward the hole.

Trump can claim better numbers. He can point to friendly polls. He can insist the public loves what he is doing. But the broader picture is plain: most Americans disapprove of his performance, many doubt his judgment, and the midterm environment is turning hostile.

This is not the end of the story. Four months is a long time in politics. Democrats can still find a way to blow it, because Democrats have a historic gift for stepping on rakes.

But right now, the president is weak, the public is restless, and Republicans know it.

That is the situation.

Not spin.

Not wishcasting.

The numbers are bad.

#2026MidtermElections #approvalRatings #donaldTrump #PublicOpinion #RepublicanParty #Trump #USPolitics

NC Newsline: Community leaders sound alarm over environmental justice as data centers boom across NC. “Residents across the state are raising concerns about long-term consequences for their communities, Cervania said. These include noise pollution, heat generation, air quality, impacts on backup generators, and effects on public health and quality of life. Around 30 local governments have […]

https://rbfirehose.com/2026/06/25/nc-newsline-community-leaders-sound-alarm-over-environmental-justice-as-data-centers-boom-across-nc/
NC Newsline: Community leaders sound alarm over environmental justice as data centers boom across NC

NC Newsline: Community leaders sound alarm over environmental justice as data centers boom across NC. “Residents across the state are raising concerns about long-term consequences for their c…

ResearchBuzz: Firehose

Texas Tribune: Data centers not welcome: New poll shows most Texans oppose them in their communities. “A majority of Texans oppose the construction of data centers in their community, including nearly two-thirds of Texans living in rural areas, according to a new poll published Tuesday.”

https://rbfirehose.com/2026/06/24/data-centers-not-welcome-new-poll-shows-most-texans-oppose-them-in-their-communities-texas-tribune/
Data centers not welcome: New poll shows most Texans oppose them in their communities (Texas Tribune)

Texas Tribune: Data centers not welcome: New poll shows most Texans oppose them in their communities. “A majority of Texans oppose the construction of data centers in their community, includi…

ResearchBuzz: Firehose

NPR: AI and tech are trying to influence the midterm elections. “Around the country, groups associated with AI and tech are trying to influence elections from Senate races to local offices, even as Americans register increasing discomfort with the technology’s ramifications for jobs, energy bills and society. AI-focused super PACs have already spent $43.3 million on congressional races this […]

https://rbfirehose.com/2026/06/24/npr-ai-and-tech-are-trying-to-influence-the-midterm-elections-2/
NPR: AI and tech are trying to influence the midterm elections

NPR: AI and tech are trying to influence the midterm elections. “Around the country, groups associated with AI and tech are trying to influence elections from Senate races to local offices, e…

ResearchBuzz: Firehose

"Victories by Pro-Palestinian Democrats Show the Party’s Shift on Israel.

Three Democrats who have been outspoken in their criticism of Israel won primaries in New York on Tuesday, signaling their party’s new skepticism of #Israel and its actions":
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/24/us/politics/democrats-israel-new-york-chevalier-lander-valdez.html
"Three Democrats who made criticism of Israel central to their political identities swept to victory."
#politics #HumanRights #Gaza #PublicOpinion

Victories by Pro-Palestinian Democrats Show the Party’s Shift on Israel

Three Democrats who have been outspoken in their criticism of Israel won primaries in New York on Tuesday, signaling their party’s new skepticism of the country and its actions.

The New York Times
"Progressives seeking to remake the Democratic Party in the wake of a second loss to Pres. Donald Trump had a fantastic night on Tuesday. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s endorsed candidates went three-for-three, ousting two incumbent members of Congress, with matching victories further down the ballot in New York":
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/democrats-are-closing-in-on-their-tea-party-moment_n_6a3b52cae4b058c5d1c6213e
copy: @renewedresistance #politics #HumanRights #PublicOpinion
Zohran Mamdani's Clean Sweep Sends A Clear Message To The Establishment

Tuesday night's election results show growing momentum for the party's left wing.

HuffPost
G. Elliott Morris reveals a stark reality: 59% support the Iran war deal, but a majority believes it shouldn't have started, and President Trump's approval is at a historic low. Democrats lead the generic ballot by 7 points, signaling trouble for Republicans. Read the full analysis to understand these trends: https://www.gelliottmorris.com/p/2026-06-24-june-strength-in-numbers-verasight-poll #Politics #PublicOpinion
Poll: Only 18% think U.S. achieved its goals in Iran, as Trump's approval hovers at historic low

59% support the deal to end the war with Iran, but only 18% think the U.S. achieved its goals in the conflict — and a majority says Trump never should have started the war in the first place

Strength In Numbers

I believe that a good blog should do more than ask a question. It should explore the idea, challenge assumptions, and encourage riders to reflect on their own experiences. Humans are remarkably talented at convincing themselves something will be terrifying right up until the moment they do it and realise it wasn’t. Motorcycling seems to amplify that trait.

Learning to ride can feel intimidating. We worry about roundabouts, traffic, gears, tests, and whether we’ll ever feel confident enough to hit the road. Yet many riders discover that the things they feared most turned out to be far easier than expected. The real rewards? Freedom, confidence, and the people you meet along the way.

https://ridetorque.wordpress.com/2026/06/22/the-things-we-fear-most-on-a-motorcycle/

Josh Rogin: "Trump’s favorability in Italy is 7% and his unfavorability is 86%, so his claim that Meloni wanted a photo with him to 'get her numbers up' is 180 degrees wrong. Her fight with Trump helps her at home."
#credibility #PublicOpinion #politics