Posts by Doug Mataconis

Doug Mataconis
About Doug Mataconis
Doug Mataconis held a B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University and J.D. from George Mason University School of Law. He joined the staff of OTB in May 2010 and contributed a staggering 16,483 posts before his retirement in January 2020. He passed far too young in July 2021.

It’s Official, Trump’s Policy Toward North Korea Is A Failure

WIth North Korea’s end of the year deadline for progress on talks quickly approaching, it is clear that the Trump Administration’s policies with regard to the DPRK have failed.

Another Republican Helps Spread Putin’s Ukraine Conspiracy Theories

Ted Cruz is the latest Republican Senator to repeat discredited Kremlin-backed conspiracy theories about Ukrainian interference in the 2016 election.

Open Forum

Where you can’t be off topic because there IS no topic.

Carroll Spinney, The Man Behind Big Bird, Dies At 85

A sad day for those of us who grew up watching Big Bird, Kermit, and the rest of the Muppets.

House Judiciary Committee Releases Impeachment Report

The House Judiciary Committee moved one step closer to impeachment.

Conservatives Continue To Lead In Pre-Election British Polling

With just days to go before the election, Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party appears headed for a win that should allow him to finish Brexit.

Duncan Hunter Jr. To Resign Early Next Year

California Congressman Duncan Hunter Jr. will remain in office for the rest of 2019 notwithstanding his guilty plea.

Saudi Air Force Trainee Kills Three At Florida Naval Base

Questions linger after a shooting leaves three people and the shooter dead in an incident at one of the nation’s largest Naval facilities.

Nikki Haley’s Revisionist History

With her eyes on her political future in a GOP dominated by Trumpism, Nikki Haley is attempting to rewrite the history of one of the most significant events of her time as Governor of South Carolina.

Open Forum

Where you can’t be off topic because there IS no topic.

Republicans Afraid To Speak Out Against Trump Are As Bad The Trump Cultists

Those Republicans who recognize how bad President Trump is for he nation but are afraid to speak out against him are as bad as the true believers of Cult45.

November Job Growth Beats Expectations

November saw much higher jobs growth than economic analysts were expecting, but it could just be a statistical blip.

George Zimmerman Files Bizarre, Conspiracy Theory Laden, Lawsuit

George Zimmerman has filed a bizarre conspiracy theory-laden lawsuit against Trayvon Martin’s family, prosecutors, and others.

House To Move Forward On Articles Of Impeachment

In the wake of yesterday’s hearing, the House of Representatives is taking the inevitable next step.

Majority Supports Life In Prison Over Death Penalty, Poll Finds

A new poll finds that a strong majority of Americans support life in prison instead of the death penalty.

Impeachment Hearings Go To Law School

Yesterday’s hearing before the House Judiciary Committee did a good job of explaining how the facts of the Ukraine scandal meet the Constitution’s definition of impeachable offenses.

Open Forum

Where you can’t be off topic because there IS no topic.

The Democratic Field Is Becoming Less Diverse, Who’s To Blame?

With Kamala Harris”s exit from the race, some are raising questions about why minority candidates have failed to break through in a party that has a very diverse base.

Trump’s Brain Dead North Korea Policy

With the clock ticking down to the end of the year and a deadline imposed by the DPRK on talks with the U.S., the Trump Administration’s North Korea policy is in a shambles.

The GOP Is Now The Party Of Putin

Much like the President they obsequiously defend, Republicans have become useful idiots in Russia’s war on Western liberal democracy.

House Judiciary Committee Opens Impeachment Hearings

The impeachment inquiry moves to the House judiciary Committee this morning.

House Intelligence Committee Releases Impeachment Inquiry Report

The House Intelligence Committee has released its report resulting from its investigation of the Ukraine scandal.

Kamala Harris Drops Out of Presidential Race

Kamala Harris, whose campaign has been floundering for months, is out of the race for the Democratic Presidential Nomination.

Trump Fine With Letting His Foolish Trade War Continue Past 2020 Election

President Trump said this morning that he’s fine with letting his trade war with the rest of the world continue all the way to the 2020 election.

Supreme Court Hears Gun Rights Case But Likely Won’t Rule On Merits

For the first time in nearly a decade, the Supreme Court heard a significant Second Amendment case, but it is unlikely to rule on the merits of the case.

Economic Warning Signs Starting To Become Apparent

A key economic statistic that rarely gets widespread public attention is showing that the manufacturing sector has been in recession for four months now.

Duncan Hunter To Plead Guilty To Embezzlement

Later today, California Congressman Duncan Hunter, Jr. will plead guilty to charges of embezzling up to $250,000 from his campaign’s bank account.

Open Forum

Where you can’t be off topic because there IS no topic.

Comet From Another Star System Headed Our Way

Comet 2I/Borisov originated from an unknown star system and has made its way from the cold dark of interstellar space into our neck of the woods.

You Bet Republicans Would Break The “Garland Rule” To Fill A SCOTUS Seat

Anyone who doubts that Republicans would fill a Supreme Court vacancy in 2020 is being incredibly naive.

White House Rejects Invitation To Participate In Impeachment Hearings

After arguing for a month about an “unfair” impeachment process, the WHite House is saying ‘no thanks’ to an invitation to participate in the next round of impeachment hearings.

Montana Governor Steve Bullock Drops Out Of Presidential Race

And another one gone, another one gone, another one bites the dust.

Joe Sestak Drops Out Of Race Nobody Knew He Was In

Former Congressman Joe Sestak (Who?) is ending his bid for the Democratic Presidential nomination.

Brokered Convention Fantasies: 2020 Edition

It’s time to start speculating about a brokered convention again,even though it probably isn’t going to happen.

Open Forum

Where you can’t be off topic because there IS no topic.

The Wheels Are Coming Off Of Kamala Harris’s Campaign

Kamala Harris’s once-promising campaign is nearing the end whether the candidate or her supporters wish to admit it or not.

Brexit And Scottish Independence

If the United Kingdom does go through with Brexit, it could lead to an existential crisis for the United Kingdom itself.

Poll Finds Republicans Think Trump Is A Better President Than Lincoln

Further evidence that the Republican Party has turned into a cult of personalty built around Donald Trump.

E.T. Returns In XFinity Ad

A sequel to E.T. The Extraterrestrial of sorts, premiered yesterday.

Polls Show Tories Headed For Big Victory In British Elections

Boris Johnson and the Conservative Party are on course for a big win in December 12th’s General Election.

William Ruckelshaus, Who Balked At ‘Saturday Night Massacre,” Dies at 87

A Justice Department official who had the courage to stand up to the President has died at the age of 87.

Giuliani Sought Contracts With Ukrainian Government

The vultures keep circling above the head of “America’s Mayor.”

Obama May Intervene In Democratic Race

Former President Obama has been largely quiet about the race for the Democratic nomination, but that may not last.

Democrats Growing Skeptical Of ‘Medicare For All’

Even as candidates like Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders continue to base their campaigns on it, Democrats appear to be growing skeptical of ‘Medicare For All.’

Open Forum

Where you can’t be off topic because there IS no topic.

Happy Thanksgiving From Outside The Beltway!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving From WKRP

It’s still the best Thanksgiving television episode ever.

Nearly Four Decades Later, The Butterball Hotline Survives

The Butterball Turkey Hotline still thrives even in the era of the Internet.

Thinking About Arguing About Politics Over Thanksgiving Dinner? Don’t

Given the times we live in, you may be tempted to argue about politics tomorrow. Here’s my advice — don’t do it.

Trump Puts Jared Kushner In Charge Of His Border Wall

President Trump has put his son-in-law in charge of building the border wall.