Politics and views in the United States.

Senator Mark Kelly blasts the Pentagon for an 'absurd' investigation, as the White House says a Ukrainian peace deal is within reach. More childcare workers run for political office and experts offer tips for difficult Thanksgiving conversations.

TRANSCRIPT

Welcome to 2025 Talks, where we're following our democracy in historic times.

The whole thing's almost comical.

We basically repeated the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and they're saying that's in violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

It's absurd.

Arizona Democratic Senator Mark Kelly says a new Pentagon investigation of him is a sign that the administration doesn't understand or doesn't care about military justice or the Constitution.

Kelly is a former Navy pilot and astronaut.

He and other Democratic military and intelligence veterans in Congress issued a video telling troops they have to defy "illegal orders."

That's US law, but the video drew the ire of President Trump, who called it seditious and maybe punishable by death.

Others on the video say they're being investigated by the FBI.

Ukraine has agreed to the much-changed outline for a peace deal from the Trump administration.

An initial draft was decried as a Kremlin wish list, but Russia looks likely to reject the version rewritten, with input from Keeve and European allies.

Under pressure from Trump, the Indiana State Senate is now preparing to take up a House redistricting plan.

It's not clear if the new congressional map's more favorable to the GOP will pass, and several lawmakers report swatting attacks and threats of violence over the issue.

Childcare professionals who say that the system is broken are running for office.

Corrine Hendrickson couldn't afford to keep her rural Wisconsin center open, and that's why she's running for state senate. guidelines say families should be able to get child care for about 7 percent of their income.

But Hendrickson calls it heartbreaking that many families have to spend more than twice that.

"We're supposed to be able to live the life that we choose and the government should stay out of our way.

But because our government is not investing, it's actually getting in our way."

The North Dakota State Supreme Court has overturned a lower court ruling and upheld the state's 2023 abortion ban.

Amy Jacobson with Prairie Action N.D. says that means health dangers for patients and legal confusion for physicians.

She says the laws are sometimes intentionally baffling and frightening.

It is illegal to cross states and go and receive care.

And we really want people to know that.

And sometimes intentionally, abortion bans are intended to scare people.

Supporters of the ban say the law protects unborn children and in the courtroom, they argued pro-choice groups relied on hypothetical situations to challenge the statute.

Democracy is unfolding at the dining room table this week, wanted or not.

A poll from the American Psychiatric Association finds Americans are increasingly anxious about this year's holidays.

Psychologist Christine Miles says many family blow ups start with making listening mistakes, not intense ideological clashes.

And that's what makes our family experience so rich.

But it's also what makes it highly conflictual.

But we want to maintain the relationships because, you know, that's what helps us feel grounded and important and connected in this world.

She says we should start from a position of curiosity and suggest we ask ourselves if we would rather prove a point or leave the holidays with our relationships intact.

I'm Zimone Perez for Pacifica Network and Public News Service.

Find our trust indicators at publicnewsservice.org.