China Gets the Red Carpet

9.25.26

Happy Friday! Welcome back to Common Sense with Ally Sammarco. Let’s break down the latest news.

Trump Rolls Out the Red Carpet for Xi…President Donald Trump welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping to the White House for a high-stakes summit focused on trade, artificial intelligence, Iran and Taiwan. The leaders emphasized keeping U.S.-China relations stable, but major disagreements remain unresolved. Xi pressed Trump on Taiwan and urged the U.S. to oppose Taiwanese independence, while Washington is pushing Beijing to help isolate Iran. The meeting comes as the two countries try to maintain a fragile trade truce while competing over technology and global influence.

Common Sense Takeaway: Trump treats President Xi better than his own wife, kids, staff, Vice President, supporters…the list goes on. I don’t believe Trump pushed Xi hard on much, especially AI regulations or trade. He wants to be him—he admires the power, the control, the way Xi runs his country. His meetings probably look more like a Q&A on how to be a dictator than a “high stakes negotiation.”

Nearly 170,000 Pounds of Meat Recalled Over Fake USDA Labels….Nearly 168,000 pounds of raw beef, pork and goat meat are being recalled after the USDA discovered the products were falsely labeled as having undergone federal inspection. The meat was produced by North Carolina-based Star Meat Delivery and distributed to retailers and restaurants across the country. The recall is classified as Class I, the USDA’s highest-risk category, meaning there is a reasonable probability the products could cause serious illness or death. So far, there have been no confirmed reports of illness or injury.

Common Sense Takeaway: Another day, another recall. Just this week, it’s been applesauce, fettuccine, claims, and now beef, pork, and goat meat. Shopping at a grocery store shouldn’t be a guessing game of what will make you sick and what won’t. We deserve a competent government that cares about science and public health more than wacky woo-woo home remedies.

Democrats Open Up Their Biggest Midterm Lead Yet….With just over a month until the midterms, NBC News’ polling average shows Democrats holding a 52%-43% advantage in the generic congressional ballot—the party’s largest lead of the cycle so far. President Trump’s approval rating has also fallen to 39%, with 59% disapproving. The biggest movement is among independents, who now prefer a Democratic-controlled Congress by 16 points. Frustration over the economy, the war in Iran and immigration enforcement has contributed to the shift.

Common Sense Takeaway: Well I’m not surprised. Between the worst administration in history and a typical swing the other way in the midterms, Democrats should be taking this election all the way to the bank. But, that doesn’t mean we take our foot off the gas. Let’s keep exposing Republicans, encouraging voter registration, and donating to our candidates all the way until we pull in the bank parking lot.

If you’re like me and wondering how you can donate most effectively between now and Election Day without getting a million spam texts, you’ve come to the right place. The answer is not SuperPacs (many are shady and steal your money) and it’s definitely not throwing money at races that don’t really need it.

I highly suggest using OathVote. If you’ve never heard of it, OathVote is a website that divides races into slates based on your specific goals for the midterms. You can donate right through the website and it splits your donation evenly between candidates. Here are some popular goals:

Flipping the US House: Click Here

Flipping the US Senate: Click Here

Blocking Trump’s agenda: Click Here

It’s easy and 100% of the money donated goes to the candidates. My compensation comes from OathVote’s separate marketing budget.

There’s a lot of people out there that will ask for your money. That doesn’t mean you should give to all.

That’s it for today. Thanks for reading Common Sense with Ally Sammarco. See you on Monday. Have a great weekend!

— Ally