America's Democracy: A House Divided

A recent survey shows that a huge number of Americans, 76% to be exact, think democracy is in big trouble. This worry isn't just coming from one side of the political spectrum. A large majority of Democrats, Independents, and even more than half of Republicans share this concern. On top of that, most people see politically motivated violence as a serious problem. This comes at a time when the country is deeply divided, especially during President Trump's second term. Many people are not happy with how political leaders are doing their jobs. Trump's approval rating is quite low, and not many Democrats are pleased with how their party is handling things in Congress. Republicans, on the other hand, seem more satisfied with their party's performance. Right now, Senate Republicans are trying to pass a big tax and spending bill. But it's not easy. There are a lot of disagreements, even within their own party. Democrats are against the bill, and some Republicans are not happy with the proposed cuts to Medicaid. The bill affects many areas, like taxes, defense, and immigration. It's not clear if the House will easily agree to the Senate's version of the bill. Meanwhile, the U. S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is shutting down and merging with the State Department. A recent study says that USAID has saved over 90 million lives in the last 20 years. But the Trump administration has been cutting foreign aid and doesn't have a clear plan for the future of USAID's programs. This could lead to big cuts in health programs in low-income countries and possibly millions of preventable deaths by 2030. In other news, Zohran Mamdani, a New York City mayoral candidate, faced a lot of challenges during his campaign. He focused on making the city more affordable, but he also had to deal with false claims about his identity and beliefs. Despite these attacks, Mamdani won the most votes in the Democratic primary. He now talks about what his victory means for his party and how he plans to put his policies into action. Lastly, cancer survivors share some advice on how to support loved ones going through cancer treatment. They say that being there and listening is often the best thing to do. It's important to avoid giving unsolicited advice or sharing irrelevant stories. Even after treatment, survivors need continued support.