Defense Bill Stalled Over Amendments

Every now and again, it’s not Mitch McConnell’s fault.

Infrastructure Politics

Politicians gonna politician, but still…

Minority Power in the Senate

Senator Romney and the latest edition of the senatorial pro-filibuster op/ed.

photo of working, person, military, construction, cutting, team, helmet, build, labor, job, workers, laborer, task, construction worker, sledge hammer photo of working, person, military, construction, cutting, team, helmet, build, labor, job, workers, laborer, task, construction worker, sledge hammer

Infrastructure Bill Passes! Dems in Array?

Three days late, $1.2 billion long.

photo of view, thinking, zoo, mammal, fauna, primate, chimpanzee, ape, vertebrate, mimic, western gorilla, great ape, common chimpanzee photo of view, thinking, zoo, mammal, fauna, primate, chimpanzee, ape, vertebrate, mimic, western gorilla, great ape, common chimpanzee

Election Results Validate Everyone’s Priors

Too woke! Not woke enough!

Evangelical Politics in the Time of Polarization and Covid

A piece in The Atlantic inspires thoughts.

Red Dog Saloon in Jarbidge. At least we know the Internet is available in Jarbidge. The saloon was closed. The Outdoor Inn was open, but will close down on Halloween. The next day the Red Dog Saloon will be opened for the winter season. Apparently there's not enough staff to run both businesses simultaneously. The owner of these establishments is the cook at the Outdoor Inn and he has lived in Jarbidge his entire life. Red Dog Saloon in Jarbidge. At least we know the Internet is available in Jarbidge. The saloon was closed. The Outdoor Inn was open, but will close down on Halloween. The next day the Red Dog Saloon will be opened for the winter season. Apparently there's not enough staff to run both businesses simultaneously. The owner of these establishments is the cook at the Outdoor Inn and he has lived in Jarbidge his entire life.

‘Let’s Go Brandon’ Isn’t Going Away

A sign of our times.

President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the passing of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Tuesday, August 10, 2021, in the East Room of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz) President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the passing of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Tuesday, August 10, 2021, in the East Room of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz)

President Charlie Brown

Joe Biden has bet his presidency on a caucus that may simply be irreconcilable.

Kyrsten Sinema: Expert Troll

The enigmatic Senator is a world-class attention seeker.

Mort Sahl, 1927-2021

The first modern stand-up comedian has died at 94.

President Joe Biden drives a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon during a clean cars event, Thursday, August 5, 2021, on the South Lawn Driveway of the White House. President Joe Biden drives a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon during a clean cars event, Thursday, August 5, 2021, on the South Lawn Driveway of the White House.

Biden Settling for Smaller Spending Package

The President seems to have persuaded the progressives in his party to settle for half a loaf.

Today in Asked and Answered (Voting Rights Edition)

The Biden administration is not doing enough.

Back to SCOTUS Reform and “Legitimacy”

Doing nothing is still a choice, and the legitimacy crisis is here, like it or not.

Debt Ceiling Thoughts

American exceptionalism at its worst. (Plus some history!).

The Power of Mythology

It does not create better deliberation.

Sinema and Legislation

Instead of complaining, she should use her leverage.

Two Nations, Indivisible

We’re an incredibly divided country but splitting it into two is impossible.

Saving American Democracy

The Politician’s Syllogism rears its ugly head.

Congress Seeks to Stop Congress From Shutting Down Government

A recurring farce that does real damage.

Dems in Disarray, Deal Doubtful

The internecine fight over the budget is coming to a head.

Democrats to Swerve in Game of Debt Chicken

This is no way to run a railroad.

Canada and Single-Seat Plurality Elections

Canada has more parties than the US, but still suffers representation problems due to FPTP elections.

President Joe Biden observes trainers and apprentices at work at the final assembly station during a tour of Plumbers & Gasfitters Local 5 Training Facility, Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2021, in Lanham, Maryland. (Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz) President Joe Biden observes trainers and apprentices at work at the final assembly station during a tour of Plumbers & Gasfitters Local 5 Training Facility, Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2021, in Lanham, Maryland. (Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz)

Selling the ‘Build Back Better’ Plan

The Catch-22 of passing a massive spending bill in an undemocratic system.

Manchin’s ‘Strategic Pause’

More machinations from the mischievous mining mouthpiece.

Republicans Playing Chicken with Debt Ceiling. Again.

They shall not submit to blackmail!

high-resolution photo of money, business, cash, bank, american, currency, dollar, banking, rich, casino, luck, financial, savings, success, finance, wealth, investment, banknote, save money, dollars, making money, saving money high-resolution photo of money, business, cash, bank, american, currency, dollar, banking, rich, casino, luck, financial, savings, success, finance, wealth, investment, banknote, save money, dollars, making money, saving money

We’re Talking $3.5 Trillion

Is the debate over the cost of the “infrastructure” bill a distraction from its content?

Who Decides American History?

Legislatures and school boards politicize what our kids are taught.

The Stupid, Evil Party

It’s not getting any better, folks.

Biden’s Entirely Normal Vacancies

He has nominated only 304 people out 1,200+ that require Senate confirmation.

President Joe Biden takes notes doing a G7 Leaders’ Virtual Meeting Friday, Feb. 19, 2021, in the White House Situation Room. President Joe Biden takes notes doing a G7 Leaders’ Virtual Meeting Friday, Feb. 19, 2021, in the White House Situation Room.

Biden’s ‘Promoting Competition’ Order

The President announced a whopping 72 initiatives to rein in corporate power and lower prices.

SCOTUS Upholds Arizona Voting Rules

A completely unsurprising 6-3 decision.

Kavanaugh’s Bizarre Rationale

Things that make you go Hmmm.

NCAA Approves ‘Name, Image, Likeness’ Rights

College athletes are now free to cash in on their fame.

Florida’s Campus Speech Law

Ron DeSantis and friends are afraid of higher education.

Democrats Increasingly Frustrated with Congress

It turns out a 51-50 Senate majority isn’t enough.

Supreme Court Ends ‘Amateur’ Collegiate Sports

Most NCAA restrictions violate anti-trust law.

Sinema’s Filibuster Defense

It’s no better than Joe Manchin’s.

idea-teamwork-thinking-working-agency-advertisement idea-teamwork-thinking-working-agency-advertisement

Coloradans Need Not Apply

A law seeking to help the state’s workers seems to be having the opposite effect.

Book Review: Kill Switch

Discussing the filibuster.

Negotiating the For the People Act?

Kinda, sorta, maybe, but probably not really.

SBC Picks a New Leader

And linkages to broader US politics.

Unanimous SCOTUS Keeps Immigration Catch-22 in Place

The law and justice are frequently not the same thing.

Manchin Opposes Democracy

Or, at least, he’s willing to kill democracy in order to save it.

ACA Record

Millions have health insurance who otherwise wouldn’t.

Sinema’s Misunderstanding of the Senate (and of Basic Politics)

The post really isn’t about Sinema as much as it about a theory of poltiics.

Texas Democrats Deny Quorum, Delay Elections Bill

A special session looms. (And how this is not like the filibuster in the US Senate).

My Two Cents on a 1/6 Commission

We need what we aren’t going to get.

Bipartisan Commission Dies From Lack of Bipartisanship

The country is in peril.

Infrastructure Negotiations Stall

A bipartisan compromise appears unlikely.

Hamilton on Super-Majorities

Looking to Federalist 22.