The Centrist and Independent Voice

YouTube video by Très American Le government shutdown - c’est quoi ? #etatsunis #usa

Let me ask you this:

What do you think it says about government shutdowns being such a uniquely American thing that immigrants living in the United States have to explain shutdowns to the rest of the world?

#TresAmerican

youtube.com/shorts/RUUWa...

Here is a question that I have for you regarding #WW1 impacting the United States:

How likely is that the impact of the #SpanishAmericanWar was a factor in the initial neutrality of the United States during #WW1, as most Americans still remembered how controversial the Spanish-American War was?

Here is something to consider:

While this is going on, al-Qaeda-affiliated militants known as the JNIM are about to take over the African country of Mali - and you probably have NOT heard about that in the American news media. 🇺🇸🇸🇾🇲🇱🇲🇷🇸🇳🇳🇪🇧🇫

Let that sink in.

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...

Today is #VeteransDay.

Be sure to thank the veterans in your family or amongst your friends.

On this day in 1918, #WorldWarI ended with the Treaty of Versailles.

Take a moment to reflect on the impact of #WorldWarI itself and subsequent conflicts during the 20th and 21st centuries.

YouTube video by Mallen Baker The Battle For Post-Trump MAGA Is In Full Swing

Today, I watched this video explaining how the future of the MAGA movement after Trump.

Who do you think will be the new face of the MAGA movement following Trump?

youtu.be/7n8Yp2B18sU?...

Here is something else to consider:

Unless you are Indigenous, NONE of your ancestors from 600 years ago were even aware that the Americas even EXISTED - let alone felt entitled to live there.

Chart by @pbump.com

No other president has ever done less, longer.

Chart by @pbump.com

If you want some interesting perspective on how #November9 is a day with some VERY complex meanings for Germany, here is #FeliFromGermany explaining why.

#Germany #History 🇩🇪

youtube.com/post/UgkxQS_...

Let me ask you these questions:

1. Could the lack of coverage over this be due to the overall indifference towards sub-Saharan Africa on the part of the U.S.?

2. If so, how would the media have covered this if it occurred in, say, the Balkans, the Levant, the Arabian Peninsula, or South Asia? 🇺🇸🇫🇷🇲🇱

France urges nationals to leave Mali temporarily amid jihadist fuel blockade The French foreign ministry has urged all French nationals in Mali to temporarily leave the country, where a two-month-old fuel blockade by al Qaeda-linked militants has all but paralysed the capital ...

Here is something to consider:

Al-Qaeda - the group behind 9/11 - is on the verge of taking over a sovereign country (Mali) - and so few American news sources are covering (albeit largely due to the admittedly more pertinent #TrumpShutdown and its impacts). 🇺🇸🇫🇷🇲🇱

ground.news/article/mali...

Here is something to consider:

Over a century ago, the United States' relationship with the Muslim world was a secondary concern, since there were BOTH very few de jure independent Muslim-majority states in the world at the time AND very few Muslims within the U.S. itself, given the 1924 Act.

Here is something to consider:

In less than two months, the United States will mark the 5th anniversary of #January6.

In any other country, an incident like that would have been the end of any politician's career.

YouTube video by Elvira Bary Black Presence in Russian Empire

@bayohunter.bsky.social In case you wanted to learn something interesting, here is a clip explaining racism in Russia.

This had me thinking:

Could the levels of racism in Russia be not DESPITE its limited involvement in the colonization of Africa, but BECAUSE of it?

youtube.com/shorts/fnD2p...

@bayohunter.bsky.social

Hello, I am @thecentristvoice.bsky.social, and on #Bsky, I primarily discuss American politics.

How are you?

Here is something to consider about this map:

At the time of its publication, many Americans would refer to the various peoples of the USSR as "Russians"...which COMPLETELY ignored the ethnic diversity that actually existed there (e.g., Ukrainians, Armenians, Tuvans, etc.).

Now look at Ukraine.

Here is something that this image should cause you to consider:

It probably would NOT surprise you that there have been pro-independence sentiments in Kaliningrad, given its distance from the rest of the Russian Federation and proximity to NATO.

That speaks to how large the Russian Federation is.

Today (November 6, 2025), Speaker Emerita #NancyPelosi has announced that she will be retiring next year, and will NOT run for Congress next year.

What are your thoughts?

Do you thank her for her service, or do you think that this is a sign that the Democratic Party needs new leadership?

That Texas gerrymander isn’t looking so smart anymore, now is it?

Oops.

In light of #ZohranMamdami becoming the first Muslim mayor of New York City, I felt it would be worth sharing this article explaining the history of Islam in the United States.

How many of you knew about this history beforehand?

www.pbs.org/opb/historyd...

Very important statistic for how optimistic Americans are feeling and it’s not a good sign.

Last night, #ZohranMamdani had won the New York City mayoral election, slated to take office on January 1, 2026.

In doing so, Mamdami will be the first Muslim mayor of a major U.S. city (in fact, the largest city in the country).

#NYCPolitics

Make no mistake, Trump was absolutely on the ballot last night.

All his endorsed candidates got trounced.

It was a rebuke of him, his policies, his cruelty and his corruption.

It was a rebuke of authoritarianism, of fascism.

Working class Americans want their country back.

Last night, @mikiesherrill.bsky.social and @abigailspanberger.com won the gubernatorial elections for New Jersey and Virginia, respectively.

Here is an interesting observation:

Sherill was born in Alexandria, VA; while Spanberger was born in Red Bank, NJ.

#NJPolitics #VAPolitics #Elections

Live updates: US voters head to the polls in first general election since Trump's return to power One year after Donald Trump retook the presidency, 2025 Election Day includes closely watched races for New York City mayor, New Jersey governor and California's Proposition 50.

BREAKING: Democrat Aftab Pureval wins Cincinnati mayoral election over Cory Bowman, half-brother of Vice President JD Vance.

Follow AP for live updates.

Former Vice President Dick Cheney has died at the age of 84.

He has left behind a VERY complex legacy.

Here is the great irony of Vladimir Putin's #WarAgainstUkraine:

By invading Ukraine, Putin had demonstrated that NATO has a purpose in the post-Cold War political order - to the point that even Sweden and Finland - two historically neutral countries - have recognized the merits of joining NATO.

YouTube video by Johnny Harris Why the US is deporting so many people

This weekend, I watched this video from #JohnnyHarris regarding ICE.

Consider this:

All the money that the government is giving ICE could have been used for housing, the welfare state, etc. - all of which could have been used to make the American Dream more plausible.

youtu.be/aDbtrdfYqBc?...

Here is something to consider regarding U.S.-Russia relations:

Could the U.S.' initial hopes about the post-Soviet Russia embracing Western values be because, since the centers of Russian power (Moscow & St. Petersburg) were geographically located in Europe, Russia was European in thought as well?

You're welcome.

Here is a question:

What were some things that you had discovered about the contributions of Welsh-Americans after you came to the United States? 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🇺🇸