The Shatterpoint: Simple US Civics
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The Shatterpoint: Simple US Civics
@theshatterpoint.substack.com
Breaking down the confusing stuff: civics, government, and politics into simple language any with 7th grade reading level can follow!

ANTI-NAZI.

FREE RESOURCES 🔗: theshatterpoint.substack.com
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While the Vice President of the United States holds the official title of President of the Senate, the real day-to-day power in the upper chamber lies with the Senate Majority Leader.

*Every article on The Shatterpoint is FREE and written specially for adults who read at a junior high level.
What is The Senate Majority Leader?
The Architect of the Senate
open.substack.com
Reposted by The Shatterpoint: Simple US Civics
BHM 2026. Yesterday's video was too long, so you can find it on my TikTok, as well as theshatterpoint.substack.com.
February 3, 2026 at 4:48 PM
Reconstruction did not fail.

It was deliberately dismantled.

Kicking off our Second Annual BHM with a breakdown of how Black Democracy was strategically destroyed during Reconstruction, paving the way for segregation.

THE SHATTERPOINT IS ALWAYS FREE.
Black History Month Special: Reconstruction Did Not Fail...
It was deliberately dismantled.
open.substack.com
February 2, 2026 at 11:09 PM
The process of lawmaking in the US is designed to be slow, careful, and public.

The entire journey begins with a bill (a formal written proposal for a new law), which can be introduced by any member of the legislative branch (the part of government made up of House of Representatives and Senate).
The Journey of a Bill: How Ideas Become National Law
Understanding the Step-by-Step Path from a Representative’s Desk to the President’s Pen
open.substack.com
January 31, 2026 at 7:06 PM
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I've uploaded 2 #videos to my website about TPS rulings related to Burma, Venezuela, and Haiti. They are too long to post to Skylight, I apologize!

They are totally free to watch, like everything on my website:

jjhastings.com/2026/01/31/t...
TPS Rulings: Burma, Venezuela, Haiti
Visit the post for more.
jjhastings.com
January 31, 2026 at 5:50 PM
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Dance and Sing, Dance and Sing | An original piece by JJ Hastings
January 29, 2026 at 6:14 PM
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ICE Agents Attempt to Breach Ecuadorian Consulate in Minneapolis, Violating the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.
January 28, 2026 at 5:35 PM
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The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
January 27, 2026 at 5:13 PM
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Are you not ashamed, Kevin?
January 27, 2026 at 5:25 PM
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Indiana GOP Wants Return of Firing Squads
January 27, 2026 at 9:36 PM
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My Defense $ slides from this month's free teach-in, which focused on impacts of the Big Beautiful Bill on education, environment, taxes, surveillance and militarization. 2/2

If you want to watch the 8.5 minute video that provides context to the slides, please visit jjhastings.com/2026/01/26/b...
January 27, 2026 at 3:44 AM
Reposted by The Shatterpoint: Simple US Civics
My Defense $ slides from this month's free teach-in, which focused on impacts of the Big Beautiful Bill on education, environment, taxes, surveillance and militarization. 1/2

If you want to watch the 8.5 minute video that provides context to the slides, please visit jjhastings.com/2026/01/26/b...
January 27, 2026 at 3:44 AM
Reposted by The Shatterpoint: Simple US Civics
For those who weren't able to join our full training tonight, I was able to capture my section on the defense spending within the Big Beautiful Bill on my second camera.

Includes slide visuals and full captions, up for free on my website at the link below.
BILLIONS TO THE WAR MACHINE

Breaking down the defense and militarization portion of the Big Beautiful Bill, which was part of a larger free training hosted live on 1/26 that breaks down this part of the Bill, as well as impact on education, environment, and your taxes. This 8.5 minute video has…
BILLIONS TO THE WAR MACHINE
Breaking down the defense and militarization portion of the Big Beautiful Bill, which was part of a larger free training hosted live on 1/26 that breaks down this part of the Bill, as well as impact on education, environment, and your taxes. This 8.5 minute video has been sped up to 1.2 times for ease of listening.
jjhastings.com
January 27, 2026 at 3:27 AM
Reposted by The Shatterpoint: Simple US Civics
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara: "People have had enough. This is the third shooting in less than 3 weeks. The MPD went the entire year last year recovering about 900 guns from the street, arresting hundreds of violent offenders, and we didn't shoot anyone ... this is not sustainable."
January 25, 2026 at 3:47 PM
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We will never forget those of you who are complicit in trying to subjugate our Black brothers and sisters back into chattel slavery. We will never forget that you chose your minimum wage job over dignity, sanctity, and humanity. (3/3)
January 23, 2026 at 5:36 PM
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I do not have the appropriate words for the level of disgust I feel for Park Service employees who are going along with this, while telling themselves, "well, I'm just doing my job..." (2/3)
January 23, 2026 at 5:36 PM
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I do not have the appropriate words for the disgust I feel watching Park Service employees removing historical markers related to slavery from US park spaces. (1/3)
January 23, 2026 at 5:36 PM
The executive branch does not get to establish religion any more than Congress does, and pretending otherwise is either bad-faith hair-splitting or a fundamental misunderstanding of how constitutional law works.

jjhastings.com/2026/01/21/i...
It’s 3 Branches, Not 3 Governments
No, you’re not missing some hidden constitutional gotcha while everyone else is playing 4D chess. The Establishment Clause is a limit on government power as a whole, not a suggestion box that only …
jjhastings.com
January 21, 2026 at 7:26 PM
The United States Congress is responsible for handling thousands of bills every year.

Because there is too much work for every member of Congress to be an expert on every single topic, Congress use a system of smaller groups to work on laws.

These groups are called committees.
Committees, the Engines of Congress
Understanding the Congressional Committee System
open.substack.com
January 21, 2026 at 6:28 PM
Donald Trump is too dumb to understand the 15th Amendment, and the Civil Rights Act.

Don't be like Donald Trump.

Read The Shatterpoint.

*Every article on The Shatterpoint is FREE and written specially for adults who read at a junior high level.
The 15th Amendment: Securing the Right to Vote
The right to vote was not always guaranteed for all Americans. The 15th Amendment was a major step forward, but the fight for true voting equality continues to this day.
open.substack.com
January 14, 2026 at 9:34 PM
While the Vice President of the United States holds the official title of President of the Senate, the real day-to-day power in the upper chamber lies with the Senate Majority Leader.

*Every article on The Shatterpoint is FREE and written specially for adults who read at a junior high level.
What is The Senate Majority Leader?
The Architect of the Senate
open.substack.com
January 14, 2026 at 9:01 PM
The United States government is built on the principle of shared power, but the Speaker of the House of Representatives is one of the most powerful and visible officials in the United States government.
What is the Speaker of the House?
The One with the Most Influence
open.substack.com
January 7, 2026 at 8:57 PM
Articles Coming Soon:

- The Speaker of the House: Their Role and Power
- What is a House Majority Leader?
- What Congress Does by Committee and Why It Matters

Launching in January:
Your Civics Minute, a daily 60 second civics lesson, in easy video format!
January 6, 2026 at 5:34 AM
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TikTok removed multiple of my videos reading verbatim Epstein legal filings and claimed they are "misinformation", and gave me strikes against my account.

Not surprising, just sharing.
December 27, 2025 at 5:10 PM