“Illegal” v. “Undocumented”

Wherein I take issue with a charactization made by Tom Nichols and discuss the politics of language.

Has Trump Finally Gone Too Far?

Republicans are aghast that he’s abandoned his principles.

Descending into the Particulars of Cancel Culture

Generalities about an elusive and controversial phenomenon are unhelpful.

Some Thoughts on “Cancel Culture”

Thomas gets the ball rolling, and I take off from there.

More Rogan (but not Just Rogan)

Musings about US politics and culture.

politics outrage shouting politics outrage shouting

The Middle Ain’t Woke

The average American is neither progressive nor all that interested in politics.

Quick Takes

A few notes from the beach.

Elite Private Schools, Race, and Fear of the Woke

Also some ironic positions on capitalism.

This Week’s Dr. Seuss Nonsense

A story that is both unserious and yet emblematic of our age in a serious way.

The Silly ‘Dr. Biden’ Kerfuffle

A silly, sexist WSJ op-ed has generated plenty of attention.

Black is Back

The evolution of America’s racial language continues.

Explaining the Sanders-Warren Flap

Two progressives enter. One progressive leaves.

This Reactionary Moment

Continuing the conversation from James Joyner’s post.

Arizona Revoking Tax Benefits To Nike Likely Unconstitutional

The attempt by Arizona’s Governor to revoke tax benefits granted to Nike in the wake of the “Betsy Ross Flag” controversy is most likely unconstitutional.

Trump Administration Punts Yet Again On Putting Harriet Tubman On The $20 Bill

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin punted once again on the question of replacing Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill, making clear that any change that does occur won’t happen until after Donald Trump is out of office.

Is San Francisco’s Gentrification Such a Bad Thing?

The city by the Bay is rapidly transforming. Should we lament that?

Senator John McCain Dies At 81

Senator John McCain has died at the age of 81,

Jonathan Franzen is Not Fine with It

The White Male Great American Literary Novelist for the 21st Century is not a fan of modern realities.

The Limits of Comedy

Controversies involving Jimmy Kimmel and “The Simpsons” highlight a perennial question.

Fox News Poll Shows Alabama Senate Race Tied, But Skepticism Is Still Called For

A new poll shows Democratic nominee Doug Jones tied with twice-removed former Chief Justice Roy Moore in Alabama’s Senate race, but it’s still too early to be optimistic.

Not So Fast On That Transgender Ban, Joint Chiefs Say

The Joint Chiefs of Staff are making clear that President Trump’s tweets are not official policy. At least not yet.

Democrats Battling Over Party’s Future

After seven years that mostly consisted of losing elections, there’s a battle going on over which direction the party should head.

Ed Gillespie and Ralph Northam Win Primary Battles For Virginia Governor

Republicans and Democrats have picked their candidates for 2017’s Governor’s race, but the biggest name is likely to be one not on the ballot, Donald Trump.

London Attack Leads To Another Incoherent Trump Twitter Tirade

President Trump responded to last night’s terror attacks by taking to Twitter.

Milo Yiannopoulos And The State Of American Conservatism

Milo Yiannopoulos was a troll and a peddler in offensiveness, but the fact that he became a star on the American right was the result of a transformation of American conservatism that has been entirely unhealthy.

There’s Only One Right Side In Trump’s Unjustified War On The News Media

There are two sides in this war between Trump and the media, but only one of them is the right side.

Retired General Michael Flynn Tapped For Trump’s National Security Adviser

A controversial retired General has been tapped to be President-Elect Trump’s top White House foreign policy voice.

Donald Trump: Establishment Candidate

On Tuesday night the Establishment won and won yuge. (From new OTB contributor, Michael Bailey)

Donald Trump Defies Pollsters, Pundits, And The Odds To Become 45th U.S. President

Defying the odds and the polls, Donald Trump triumphed over Hillary Clinton to become the 45th President of the United States.

Donald Trump Shrugging Donald Trump Shrugging

Is Trump About To Flip-Flop On Immigration?

A report over the weekend raises questions about whether or not Donald Trump is changing positions on a central tenet of his campaign.

Clinton Is Crushing Trump Among Younger Voters, And The GOP Is Paying The Price

America’s largest voting bloc is heavily turned off by Donald Trump, and that is posing long-term problems for Republicans in general.

Donald Trump Shrugging Donald Trump Shrugging

Susan Collins Joins Other Republicans In Opposing Trump, But What Took So Long?

More Republican officeholders are distancing themselves from Donald Trump, but it’s time to start wondering what took them so long,

Marines Remove ‘Man’ From Most Job Titles

The Marine Corps has removed the word “man” from nineteen of its military occupation specialty titles, leaving only a handful of iconic instances intact.

Can Americans Unite In Response To Tragedy Anymore?

National tragedies, whether man-made or natural disasters, used to bring Americans together. Now they just seem to pull Americans apart.

Democracy, Demagogues, and Populist Pandering

The rise of Trump and Sanders has resurrected a debate as old as Western civilization.

Transgender Rights And The Sudden Conservative Obsession With Bathrooms

The passage of a new law in North Carolina has revealed an apparent obsession among some on the right with who gets to use which restroom.

Fewer Insults, At Least Some Substance, At Twelfth Republican Debate

Given the stakes headed into the latest version of ‘Super Tuesday,’ last night’s Republican debate was surprisingly subdued.

Ted Cruz Becomes The Target At Trump-Less Debate, Trump Puts On The Donald Trump Show

Without Trump, the seventh Republican debate largely focused on Ted Cruz, who doesn’t seem to have done himself any favors. Donald Trump, meanwhile, will likely not pay any price at all for skipping the last pre-Iowa debate.

Obama’s Lame Duck State Of The Union

President Obama’s final State Of The Union Address was largely a recognition of the fact that his time on the world stage is quickly coming to an end.

Sarah Palin Endorses Donald Trump’s Anti-Muslim Bigotry

Sarah Palin has joined such luminaries as Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter, Laura Ingraham, and former KKK Grand Wizard David Duke in endorsing Donald Trump’s anti-Muslim immigration plan.

What, Exactly, Does Uttering The Words “Radical Islamic Terrorism” Accomplish?

Republicans insist that uttering the words “Radical Islamic Terrorism” is somehow important in the fight against ISIS and other terror networks, but it is entirely unclear what doing so would accomplish.

Cable News Is Basically Now Just The Donald Trump Show

Even taking the fact that he is the Republican frontrunner into account, Donald Trump is getting a disproportionate amount of attention from the political media.

Donald Trump Unleashes Another Insult That His Supporters Most Likely Won’t Care About

Donald Trump is back to hurling insults at his opponents, but it’s unlikely his supporters are going to care.

Syllabus Selection Sexism

International relations prof mostly assign readings by male scholars. Female profs are slightly less likely to do so.

The Trump Hurricane Hits The First GOP Debate

It’s a Donald Trump debate, where the facts are made up and the truth doesn’t matter.

Fear and Paranoia in Academia

I have been reading, mostly in passing, a number of pieces about an alleged new climate on college campuses in which students are raising significant complaints due to difficult or emotionally sensitive material. The latest example did not impress me.

Bobby Jindal’s Utterly Pointless ‘Religious Liberty’ Campaign Stunt

Thwarted by the legislature, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal used his executive power to take action that seems directed more toward evangelicals in Iowa than anything happening in his home state.