Hope for progress after U.S., Iran hold first shuttle talks in months
Reuters · Sept. 23, 2026
U.S. and Iranian representatives communicated through mediators on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, the first such contact in months. The talks revived the possibility of negotiations over sanctions, Iran’s nuclear program and the wider conflict, although neither side announced a change in its position.
ANMP Insights
44% supported diplomatic negotiations, the most-supported policy option in ANMP’s September Iran survey. (link)
38% supported continued economic sanctions and 36% supported naval action to keep the Strait of Hormuz open; only 13% supported sending U.S. ground troops. (link)
The nuclear-threat argument was most often chosen as the single most convincing case for U.S. action (17%), followed by intelligence warnings (13%). (link)
Trump administration to remove 760,000 Affordable Care Act enrollees over fraud claims
Associated Press · Sept. 22, 2026
Vice President JD Vance and other administration officials said the government would remove roughly 760,000 people from Affordable Care Act exchanges after identifying alleged fraudulent, duplicate or otherwise ineligible enrollments. Vance said the canceled subsidies would save about $2.2 billion; the administration also announced action against brokers it says submitted implausible enrollment applications.
ANMP Insights
65% agreed that Obamacare needs operational changes, and 51% favored either a major overhaul or repeal and replacement. (link)
51% said spending reductions achieved by reducing fraud in safety-net programs should be considered “savings” rather than “cuts,” while just 21% considered them cuts. (link)
In June, 58% said the best path to more affordable healthcare is fixing the system’s underlying problems, compared with 36% who preferred helping patients afford care mainly through coverage, government programs and financial assistance. (link)
A border surge reshaped America. Now, data shows who 4.5 million migrants were and where they went
Associated Press · Sept. 17, 2026
An Associated Press analysis of federal records tracks the destinations of 4.5 million migrants released in the United States after crossing the southern border between October 2018 and July 2025. The data show a geographically and nationally diverse migration wave that reached both traditional immigrant hubs and many smaller communities.
ANMP Insights
70% disagreed that illegal immigration is good for the United States, while 17% agreed. (link)
A January 2025 poll highlighted by ANMP found that 83% favored deporting illegal immigrants convicted of violent offenses, including 65% who strongly favored doing so. (link)
By contrast, only 43% supported deporting all illegal immigrants living in the United States, while 37% opposed; just 33% considered deporting all undocumented immigrants a high priority — evidence that voters distinguish between violent offenders and the broader population here illegally. (link)
A-I:
The maximum theoretical savings would be:
18.4¢ per gallon on gasoline.
A 15-gallon fill-up would save about $2.76.
Someone using 50 gallons per month would save about $9.20 per month.
In practice, economists often note that not every penny of a tax reduction necessarily reaches consumers because fuel prices are influenced by refinery capacity, inventories, seasonal demand, and competition among retailers. The actual pump-price reduction could be somewhat less than the full 18.4¢. That part is a market question rather than a tax question.
For 3 months
The federal government collects about $25 billion annually from the gasoline excise tax. A three-month suspension would therefore reduce revenue by roughly one-quarter of that amount, on the order of $6 billion.
Direct effects:
Slightly lower fuel costs for drivers.
Reduced revenue flowing into the Highway Trust Fund.
Little immediate effect on road construction because most projects are funded and planned years in advance.
For 6 months
A six-month suspension would be roughly double that revenue loss, around $12 billion to $13 billion based on annual gasoline-tax receipts. The Highway Trust Fund already requires transfers from the Treasury's General Fund because spending exceeds fuel-tax revenue.
Direct effects:
Drivers would save more over time.
The Highway Trust Fund deficit would widen.
Congress would likely face pressure either to:
transfer more money from general revenues,
reduce future transportation spending,
borrow more,
or restore the tax.