October 18—Jim Jordan has failed in a second attempt to win election as Speaker of the House, with 22 moderate Republicans joining all House democrats in defeating the far-right, election-denier and Trump supporter's leadership bid. With the House unable to transact business without a speaker, a bipartisan group is exploring giving further authority to current interim leader Patrick McHenry.

October 18—The Biden administration has for the first time delivered long-range missiles to Ukraine, and they are being deployed to good effect against Russia's invading forces. The Social Democrat strongly supports U.S. and EU efforts to aid Ukraine in defense of their sovereignty, international law and democracy.

October 16—The Biden administration has made awards totaling seven billions dollars for projects across the country designed to foster regional "hydrogen hubs," creating infrastructure to link hydrogen producers with consumers. The Biden administration sees hydrogen as one of several strategies for reducing the nation's reliance on planet-warming carbon fuels.

October 16—Workers at several Waffle House locations across the Southeast have walked out in support of a petition calling for a $25 minimum wage at the chain and the end to automatic meal deductions. Wages for many Waffle House workers are sub-minimum, supplemented by tips, while the net worth of Waffle House owners is in the billions.

October 16—In a major win for social democracy in Europe, a coalition headed by former EU president Donald Tusk has won Poland's parliamentary elections with an unprecedented 74% of voters participating, ending eight years of nationalist, right-wing rule by the Law and Justice Party. It is anticipated that Tusk's coalition, which along with Tusk's Civic Coalition Party includes the Third Way and New Left groups, will steer Poland back toward the mainstream of European social democracy and end recent backsliding in the realm of democratic governance.

October 16—Republican Jeff Landry gathered more than half of votes cast among a crowded field in the first round of Louisiana's two-stage governor's race on Saturday, avoiding a run-off to replace Democrat John Bel Edwards, who was term-limited out of office. A staunch defender of the fossil fuel industry and a 2020 election denier, Landry campaigned on a get-tough message on crime in a state with the second highest murder rate in the nation and against transition care for transgender minors.

October 12—Gov. Gavin Newsom signed has signed Senate Bill 43, expanding the meaning of "gravely ill" to include those who are unable to provide themselves with basic needs due to mental illness or addiction issues. It is hoped the measure will reduce homelessness in San Francisco specifically, with local governments saying they can not help those who refuse to be helped.

October 12—President Biden has directed federal agencies to both use existing authority and to suggest new measures to restore salmon and other fish populations in the Pacific Northwest. Dam construction and overfishing have caused steep declines in wild fish numbers, in contravention to U.S. treaty oblignations with first nations of the region.

October 11—The Guardian offers a brief description of the three main actors in the House Speaker drama.

October 11—Registered Florida Republicans now outnumber Democrats by over a half-million voters, one of many signs that the Democratic Party needs to rethink its platform and positioning.

October 11—Visiting Mexico, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, facing a crisis caused by a surge of 110,000 foreign migrants to the city since the spring of 2022, urged Latin Americans not to look to New York as a destination, saying that there is simply "no more room" in the city. The Social Democrat supports rational and orderly immigration, in keeping with existing U.S. laws and regulations.

October 11—This piece in The Hill highlights how issues not strictly central to the social democracy project—in this case, crime and abortion—play an outsized role in U.S. elections. The challenge for the American Left is to negotiate these fraught issues in a manner which does not torpedo its odds of establishing governing majorities.

October 10—Over one thousand people have been killed in Israel and Gaza in the latest outbreak of violence in the Middle East. Reuters offers some background.

October 10—Three months after The Supreme Court struck down the Biden administration's first attempt at student debt relief, the administration is convening a group of stakeholders to provide guidance to the Education Department for a new plan.

October 10—After five months of a much publicized strike, members of the Writers Guild of America have ratified a contract with Disney, Netflix and other media giants. The Social Democrat applauds the efforts of unions to improve the lives of their member workers.