What We’re Watching - 8/27/25
With so much going on, it is understandable for people to feel news whiplash. To help our partners stay focused and find the signal in the noise, we are happy to share what we are tracking:
The Main Point: Recent moves around military action, voting, and redistricting push the boundaries of federal power over individual and states' rights.
Some Examples:
The domestic deployment of the National Guard in D.C.: We’re continuing to track the federal government’s domestic deployment of the National Guard in DC, especially following similar actions in Los Angeles and amid threats of broader use nationwide. These decisions undermine local control, politicize the military, and set a dangerous precedent for every community in America.
Warnings of an Executive Order ending Vote-by-Mail: Mail-in voting is a secure practice that expands access to the ballot box. Despite there being no evidence of widespread voter fraud, threats to eliminate vote-by-mail risk sowing distrust and making voting less accessible for millions of Americans. Further, the President doesn’t have authority to upend state voting policies.
Gerrymandering in Texas and California: In both Texas and California, elected representatives are attempting to redraw congressional maps in their party’s favor. Gerrymandering weakens representation and reduces one of democracy’s core principles: people should choose their leaders, not the other way around.
Why it matters: These events reflect a pattern of government overreach and point to multiple fronts in which democracy is at risk of erosion, including compromising the ability of voters to vote and have that vote counted.
