What’s an Elite College?

How finite is prestige?

The Glittering Eye at 15

Congrats to Dave Schuler on his blogiversary.

Solving The District Of Columbia Problem

There’s only one solution to the D.C. statehood issue. It’s called retrocession.

Trump’s ‘National Emergency’ And The Law

President Trump’s impending decision to declare a national emergency to get funding for his border wall will quickly face serious legal challenges. It may be more vulnerable than the White House suspects.

The Phony Arguments Against Withdrawing From Afghanistan

The arguments against withdrawing American forces from Afghanistan are becoming weaker and weaker.

No, Trump is Not ‘Authoritarian’

The President is an ignoramus and a blowhard and a petulant child but he’s operating within the Constitutional limits of his office.

Retirement is Killing Our Infrastructure

Pensions and health care costs for the elderly are crowding out other vital spending.

Dad’s Stuff is Junk, Grandma’s Stuff is Treasure?

Does trash become treasure with time?

Political Temper Tantrums and the Constitution

The efforts by Speaker Pelosi and President Trump to leverage their institutional powers raise interesting questions.

The U.S. And NATO Should Stay Out Of The Russia-Ukraine Fight

Notwithstanding the temptation to do something, both the United States and NATO need to resist the temptation to get involved in the latest conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Trump Sides With Saudis In Murder Of Jamal Khashoggi

In what has to qualify as one of the most horrifying displays of moral depravity on the international stage, the Trump Administration is saying it doesn’t really care if the Saudi Crown Prince is a murderer or not.

Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report Reveals Widespread Abuse In Catholic Church

A Pennsylvania Grand Jury report reveals decades of abuse by some 300 Catholic Priests impacting more than 1,000 children and 26 of the state’s Roman Catholic Diocese.

Americans Have A Hard Time Telling Fact From Opinion

A new survey shows that Americans are increasingly unable to tell the difference between fact and opinion. That’s a problem.

Madison, Will, and the Ambitions of the GOP

Madison was right about politicians and ambition. He just didn’t see the how it would all play out.

George Will: Vote Democrat in November

The dean of conservative columnists argues that the Republican Congress must be taught a lesson.

The Presidency Of Exhaustion

More than a decade ago, Donald Trump revealed one of his secrets to success. Exhaust your enemies. It explains much of what has happened since he took office.

The Real Tragedy Of Bill Cosby Isn’t About The Fall From Grace Of “America’s Dad”

The tragedy of Bill Cosby lies not in the downfall of a man once known as “America’s Dad,” but in the fact that a man who was, in fact, a sexual predator was allowed to evade justice for far too long.

Once Again, There Are No Good Options In Syria. So Let’s Not Do Anything At All.

The United States can’t do any good in Syria, but we can do a lot of bad.

Central American Migrant Caravan Headed This Way

More than 1200 refugees, mostly from Honduras, are trying to come to the United States. What should we do about it?

NRA’s Post-Parkland Tone Deafness

Personal attacks on teenagers whose friends were murdered is a strategy sure to backfire.

Former Secretary Of Nobel Committee Says Obama’s Peace Prize Was A Mistake

Nine years later, at least one member of the Norwegian Nobel Committee is admitting what seemed at the time a rather obvious fact.

West Virginia Teachers’ Strike Nets 5% Raise

We may about to see a wave of teacher strikes.

South Africa Votes to Confiscate White-Owned Land

Under Nelson Mandela’s leadership, the country made a smooth transition from apartheid. Now it’s going the way of Zimbabwe.

What is the Middle Class and is It Shrinking?

Salary-based definitions distort the conversation. And lifestyle-based definitions are a moving target.

VA Care for All?

Dave Schuler argues the US would have a much better healthcare system if we had modeled it on VA clinics rather than private insurance.

Hyperpartisanship Continues To Ruin Our Political Culture And Our Country, And We’re Letting It Happen

The tragedy in Florida last week revealed once again how hyperpartisanship is destroying our politics and harming the country.

Don’t Bother Searching For A ‘Trump Doctrine,” There Won’t Be One

When it comes to foreign policy, Donald Trump has no over-arching philosophy and little knowledge, so don’t expect anything approaching a coherent doctrine from his Administration.

The State Of The Union Address Is Unnecessary and Irrelevant

Do yourself a favor and skip the State Of The Union Address tonight. You won’t be missing anything important.

Remember Pearl Harbor?

Yesterday was the seventy-sixth anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. For most Americans, though, it was just another day. That’s only natural.

Angela Merkel Wins Fourth Term As German Chancellor, But Voters Also Send A Warning

Angela Merkel was re-elected to a fourth term as German Chancellor as expected, but voters also sent a warning.

Why Negotiations With North Korea Are (Currently) Impossible

Absent significant changes, expecting normal diplomatic relationships with the DPRK is a pipe dream.

Trump Is Unlikely To Ever Be A Popular President

Donald Trump is unlikely to ever be a popular President, but that may not matter.

Trump Continues To Slump In The Polls

With the Administration’s six-month point approaching, Donald Trump continues to lag in the polls.

OTB Caption Contest Winners

The Hasenpfeiffer Hustle Edition OTB Caption ContestTM is now over.

Estimates of the Trade and Welfare Effects of NAFTA?

I am going to construct a complicated mathematical model of the economy, and then I’m going to calibrate it using some actual data, and in the end I will be able to tell everyone how much better or worse off they are given various changes in the economy. And it will be totally and completely true. Trust me, it’s math and therefore science.

OTB Caption Contest Winners

The Humphrey The Camel Edition OTB Caption ContestTM is now over.

French ‘Burkini’ Ban Provokes Backlash

For largely irrational reasons, French police are arresting women on the beach for wearing swimsuits that are compatible with their faith.

ObamaCare Having Predictable Effects on Healthcare Market

We’re further from a public option than we were in 2009. The need for it has become more acute.

Regulatory Capture and the Revolving Door

Top officials of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau have taken jobs in the industry they were regulating.

OTB Caption Contest Winners

The Code Name: Mantis Edition OTB Caption ContestTM is now over.

ObamaCare’s Predicted Effects Coming True

Major carriers are reporting massive losses and demanding major rate hikes to cover the costs imposed by PPACA.

The Quixotic Quest for the Radical Center

Americans don’t trust their government or each other. There’s no reason to hope it’ll get better.

Blog Fatigue

As longtime OTB readers may have noticed, I’m not writing much these days.

The Battle Of The 2016 Narratives

To a large degree, the narrative you believe will govern the 2016 elections depend on which party you want to see win. But what’s the most likely outcome?

Attack on France Is an Attack on the United States

We are legally, morally, and practically obligated to respond. Let’s not do so stupidly.

Hillary Clinton Comes Out Against Trade Bill She Negotiated and Touted

Obama’s first Secretary of State has come out against Obama’s Trans Pacific Partnership.

Reports Of Hillary Clinton’s Impending Political Demise Are Mostly Just Wishful Thinking

Even with a recent negative downturn in the polls, the reports of Hillary Clinton’s impending political demise are largely wishful thinking on the part of conservatives.

Too Much PII

Dave Schuler proposes a “radical idea” to safeguard individual privacy “in the wake of the hacking of Sony and the multiple credit card exploits over the last year or so.”

Clinton Foundation Not Really a Charity

It’s complicated. And probably not a scandal.