Posts by James Joyner

James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is a Professor of Security Studies. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

Biden and Trump Voters Have Different Concerns

After ‘the economy,’ the two diverge wildly on their top priorities.

Republicans Expect and Experience Higher Inflation than Democrats

A weird report might explain a puzzling finding in the polls.

Putin Escalates War Abroad While Purging Enemies at Home

The Russian autocrat is emboldened.

ICJ Orders Israel to Halt Rafah Offensive

The UN body cites violation of the Genocide Convention.

Putin Wants Ceasefire

Alas, on terms Ukraine can’t possibly accept.

Will Trump Leaners Come Home to Biden?

The weirdness of this year’s polling gives the President’s team hope.

lego people crowd lego people crowd

The Great Baby Deficit

Most of the biggest countries in the world have birth rates below replacement level.

Biden May Loosen Ukraine Constraints

There is a strong push inside the administration to allow use of US weapons to strike Russia.

Trump’s Path to 270

It’s depressingly short.

Why the IDF Fights As It Does

A small, conscript-driven military has very different training and doctrine than ours.

ICC Prosecutor Wants to Arrest Netanyahu and Sinwar

Eye-rolling moral equivalence that will lessen respect for international law.

Why Biden Gets No Credit for a Good Economy

Public perception is not aligned with the top level data.

Biden’s Morehouse Speech

After weeks of protest, a solid effort.

Iran’s President and Foreign Minister Killed in Helicopter Crash

A shocking development amidst regional turmoil.

China’s Gray Zone Activities

It’s more than competition but less than war.

high-resolution photo of restaurant, dish, meal, food, produce, seafood, fresh, breakfast, dessert, lunch, cuisine, lime, dinner, tacos, mexican food high-resolution photo of restaurant, dish, meal, food, produce, seafood, fresh, breakfast, dessert, lunch, cuisine, lime, dinner, tacos, mexican food

When is Taco a Sandwich?

It depends.

Scottie Scheffler Arrested on Way to PGA

A truly bizarre spectacle.

Abbott Pardons Man Who Killed BLM Protestor

A gross miscarriage of justice.

Sony Puts AI Companies ‘On Notice’

We’re about to test the limits of existing copyright law.

Brown v. Board at 70

Seven decades after de jure segregation was outlawed, de facto segregation is alive and well.

School District Settles with Teacher Fired for Refusing to Use Preferred Pronouns

We need to put this nonsense to rest, stat.

The Day After in Gaza

The Israeli government has no plan. Its defense minister does.

photo of war, plastic, small, army, green, toy, weapon, military, gun, soldier, combat, tiny, isolated, object, model, troop, miniature, white, figurine, commando, play, man, figure, battle, attack, background, enemy, action, warfare, childhood, army men, grass, action figure photo of war, plastic, small, army, green, toy, weapon, military, gun, soldier, combat, tiny, isolated, object, model, troop, miniature, white, figurine, commando, play, man, figure, battle, attack, background, enemy, action, warfare, childhood, army men, grass, action figure

War, Maturity, and Necessity

Are we avoiding facing hard truths?

Biden Rejects Commission on Presidential Debates

The President wants an alternative schedule and format.

Biden’s China Trade War

He’s ratcheted up what Trump started but also shifted focus.

UN Radically Lowers Gaza Casualty Estimate (Or Maybe Not)

The release of a second set of figures has created a lot of hyperbole.

photo of feedback, satisfaction, customer, client, survey, emoticon, emotion, advertising, alert, attention, banner, business, comment, communication, concept, design, consumer, contact us, emoji, emotional, intelligence, support, emotions, faces, empathy, evaluation, opinion, reaction, red, text, font, line, technology, area, circle, angle, product, graphics, clip art, brand, symbol, graphic design, sign, illustration photo of feedback, satisfaction, customer, client, survey, emoticon, emotion, advertising, alert, attention, banner, business, comment, communication, concept, design, consumer, contact us, emoji, emotional, intelligence, support, emotions, faces, empathy, evaluation, opinion, reaction, red, text, font, line, technology, area, circle, angle, product, graphics, clip art, brand, symbol, graphic design, sign, illustration

Is Political Polling Still Useful?

Compared to any available alternative, yes.

Airlines Using AI For Good

The skies are getting a little friendlier thanks to technology.

Internet advertising Internet advertising

Killing the Ad-Based Web

Its time has passed.

Trump’s Increasingly Unhinged Rallies

Yesterday’s New Jersey speech was something to behold.

Trump Likely Committed $100 Million Tax Fraud

Shady accounting practices from well before he entered politics are coming back to bite him in the ass.

OTB Status Update

Things are looking up.

photo of war, plastic, small, army, green, toy, weapon, military, gun, soldier, combat, tiny, isolated, object, model, troop, miniature, white, figurine, commando, play, man, figure, battle, attack, background, enemy, action, warfare, childhood, army men, grass, action figure photo of war, plastic, small, army, green, toy, weapon, military, gun, soldier, combat, tiny, isolated, object, model, troop, miniature, white, figurine, commando, play, man, figure, battle, attack, background, enemy, action, warfare, childhood, army men, grass, action figure

Real Military Spending

An interesting analysis by The Economist.

Banning Service Fees

California is leading the way on a wildly popular initiative.

US Says Israel Likely Committed War Crimes

A Congressionally-mandated report finds “reasonable” evidence but acknowledges limitations.

US Capitol Rotunda US Capitol Rotunda

Toward a Functional Congress

Democrats are helping the Republican Speaker tame his nihilist wing.

FreedomWorks Shuts Down

MAGA has eaten the Tea Party.

President Joe Biden, Oval Office, 4 April 2024 President Joe Biden, Oval Office, 4 April 2024

Biden Holding Up Israel Arms Shipments

Is Rafah the breaking point?

Randy Travis ‘Gets Voice Back’ Using AI

A technological miracle with obvious potential for abuse.

No End in Sight for Gaza War

There is no obvious better state of the peace acceptable to both parties.

Hamas, Human Shields, and International Law

War crime does pay.

Hamas Accepts Ceasefire That’s Almost Certainly Unacceptable to Israel

Neither side is willing to give up on its war aims just yet.

The Real Star Wars Films

Restored versions of the original movies are now available in 4K. They’re likely not legal.

President Joe Biden talks to reporters as he departs an event with attendees from the U.S. Conference of Mayors Winter Meeting, Friday, January 20, 2023, in the East Room of the White House. President Joe Biden talks to reporters as he departs an event with attendees from the U.S. Conference of Mayors Winter Meeting, Friday, January 20, 2023, in the East Room of the White House.

Stupid Index Tricks

The United States has less press freedom than 54 countries. Or does it?

US Capitol Rotunda US Capitol Rotunda

Congressional Typologies

Grouping House Members by their voting patterns.

President Joe Biden delivers remarks announcing CHIPS and Science Act grants to Intel to expand U.S. semiconductor production, Wednesday, March 20, 2024, at the Intel Ocotillo Campus in Chandler, Arizona. President Joe Biden delivers remarks announcing CHIPS and Science Act grants to Intel to expand U.S. semiconductor production, Wednesday, March 20, 2024, at the Intel Ocotillo Campus in Chandler, Arizona.

Biden: We Welcome Immigrants!

A minor gaffe is overshadowing a more complicated story.

When a Company is Bigger Than its Country

Novo Nordisk is worth more than home country’s Denmark annual GDP.

The ‘Outside Agitator’ Trope

It’s been around for a very long time.