The Last Word With Lawrence O’Donnell - Aug. 21 | Audio Only

Redistricting and Political Power - Texas Republicans aim to gain five additional seats in the 2026 midterm elections through redrawing congressional districts [2] - The Texas legislature's new congressional map includes fewer minority opportunity districts than the current map, which is already under legal challenge [5] - California is moving to redraw its congressional districts to counter Trump's power play in Texas [5] - Republicans are eyeing states like Indiana and Missouri for redistricting to pick up more congressional seats [5] - The national fight to redraw congressional maps is a method to dilute minority representation on Capitol Hill [5] Voting Rights and Minority Representation - Civil rights groups and Democratic nonprofits have filed lawsuits over the Trump Texas maps [4] - The Texas Tribune reports that Trump's Republican map in Texas could disproportionately impact communities of color by breaking up districts that primarily represented cities and suburbs [5][6] - Congresswoman Gwen Moore calls for the passage of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to restore key provisions of the Voting Rights Act [7] - Redistricting plans in states like Ohio, Missouri, and Indiana could negatively impact African-American representation in Congress [9] - The Supreme Court's stance on partisan gerrymandering makes it difficult to challenge redistricting efforts based on racial discrimination [10] Economic and Social Impact - A Congressional Budget Office report indicates that the bottom 10% of the poorest Americans would lose approximately $1,200 annually, while the top 10% would add about $13,000 annually to their income [13] - Medicaid cuts in President Trump's tax and spending law will disproportionately harm black women and children, worsening health outcomes among black Americans [14] - Americans are paying more for tariff-sensitive staples like coffee, sugar, and bananas [14] Trump's Actions and Authoritarianism - Donald Trump is deploying National Guard troops to Washington DC, which is seen as an effort to seize authority and paint urban cities as chaotic [19] - The State Department is reviewing over 55 million people with valid US visas for violations that could lead to deportation [20] - Trump is conducting a review of the Smithsonian museums with the goal of making them "less woke" [22] - Trump's actions, such as embracing dictators and attempting to rewrite history, are seen as anti-democratic and authoritarian [25][26]