Politics and views in the United States

Secretary of State Marco Rubio defends President Donald Trump waiving oil sanctions on Russia; California’s Proposition 3 could be make or break funding for social programs; and a new report outlines the cost of removing Maine’s immigrant workforce.

Transcript

Welcome to 2026 Talks, where we're following our democracy in historic times.

Every country has a complex set of factors that they have to take into account.

Geography is real.

For some countries, it's very difficult to acquire energy from alternative sources.

That's not an excuse, but all of that has to be balanced when you make foreign policy.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is defending President Donald Trump's indefinite waiver on congressionally approved sanctions on Russian oil.

Trump says this will prevent further market volatility amid the Iran war raising global oil prices.

The decision is being met with bipartisan outrage as some feel it keeps money flowing for Russia to continue its war with Ukraine, but others feel it's also aimed at curbing gas prices in the run-up to Election Day.

This comes as Trump says he'll consider a trilateral meeting on arms control with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Affordability is a key issue in the midterms as prices for gas are more than a dollar higher than a year ago, and inflation has risen almost a full percent since 2025.

U.S. Senate candidate Roy Cooper says rural farmers in North Carolina are feeling the heavy toll of this administration's policies.

They will tell you the price of diesel being through the roof because of this war in Iran is making it much more difficult for them to operate.

They are frustrated this administration sabotaged a lot of their trade agreements.

California voters will consider making taxes on the rich permanent this year.

Proposition 3 would tax people making more than $371,000 per year.

Voters approved this tax for the first time in 2014 and re-upped it in 2016, though it's slated to expire in 2031.

Opponents note the state's income taxes are the highest nationwide and say a temporary tax hike shouldn't be a backdoor to a permanent tax increase.

Attorney Karen Getman is an expert on California ballot measures.

We are truly talking about the top 2% of income earners in the state who are impacted by this tax.

The tax has been in effect since 2012.

We are not changing it.

We're not increasing it.

We're just not cutting it.

The current tax brings in up to $15 billion a year to fund education and health care, but the higher taxes are expected to generate around $120 billion for social services.

If Proposition 3 fails to pass, experts say California will have to make billion-dollar cuts to education and health care funding.

A new report shows federal immigration enforcement in Maine costs the state around $3 billion annually.

Data show around 500 people in Maine were arrested by federal immigration agents through early August, though 98% had no criminal conviction.

Julia Trujillo Luengo with Maine's Office of New Americans says the arrest of even one employee has a chilling effect on a workplace.

We're gravely concerned as a state, if this continues, it's going to have devastating consequences, irreparable consequences for our state as a whole.

More than 40% of ICE arrests happened in January when federal agents launched, quote, Operation Catch of the Day.

Maine's State Chamber of Commerce sent a letter to the state's congressional delegation calling for greater oversight of enforcement actions.

Luengo says employers are still struggling with the uncertainty of ICE raids and the inability to plan.

I'm Edwin J. Viera for Pacifica Network and Public News Service.

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