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.
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When Polls Don’t Matter

Wildly unpopular policies in hyperpolarized times.

Electoral College Math Likely to Get Harder for Democrats

The gradual population shift from blue states to red continues.

The free high-resolution photo of hand, man, string, guy, microphone, mouth, talk, product, eye, can, speak, teeth, say, tin, yell, tin can, communicate , taken with an DSLR-A700 03/05 2017 The picture taken with 50.0mm, f/5.0s, 1/20s, ISO 100 The image is released free of copyrights under Creative Commons CC0. You may download, modify, distribute, and use them royalty free for anything you like, even in commercial applications. Attribution is not required. The free high-resolution photo of hand, man, string, guy, microphone, mouth, talk, product, eye, can, speak, teeth, say, tin, yell, tin can, communicate , taken with an DSLR-A700 03/05 2017 The picture taken with 50.0mm, f/5.0s, 1/20s, ISO 100 The image is released free of copyrights under Creative Commons CC0. You may download, modify, distribute, and use them royalty free for anything you like, even in commercial applications. Attribution is not required.

Faculty Lounge Language Redux

Are Democrats triggering voters by pushing the Overton Window on language, thereby subverting norms and creating barriers to participation?

Who Should Regulate the Internet?

Local control over a global enterprise makes no sense.

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Sunday Tabs

Proud Boys Have Nothing to Complain About These Days

What was “extreme” a decade ago is now policy.

Virginia National Guard Airmen assigned to the 192nd Security Forces Squadron, 192nd Mission Support Group, 192nd Wing help to secure the grounds near the U.S. Capitol, Jan. 13, 2021, in Washington, D.C. National Guard Soldiers and Airmen from several states have traveled to Washington to provide support to federal and district authorities leading up to the 59th Presidential Inauguration. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Bryan Myhr) Virginia National Guard Airmen assigned to the 192nd Security Forces Squadron, 192nd Mission Support Group, 192nd Wing help to secure the grounds near the U.S. Capitol, Jan. 13, 2021, in Washington, D.C. National Guard Soldiers and Airmen from several states have traveled to Washington to provide support to federal and district authorities leading up to the 59th Presidential Inauguration. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Bryan Myhr)

Three States Send National Guard to DC

Politicizing the military is legal, but dangerous.

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DC Homeless Encampments Cleared

The cruelty is the point?

caricature of Vladimir Putin caricature of Vladimir Putin

Putin Summit Yields Nothing

The artless deal.

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Trump Center Honors

A weird, unnecessary intervention.

Genocide, War Crimes, and Gaza

There are no satisfying answers.

President Donald Trump thanks the crowd after remarks at the Salute to America Celebration, Thursday, July 3, 2025, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa. President Donald Trump thanks the crowd after remarks at the Salute to America Celebration, Thursday, July 3, 2025, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa.

Bloodshed, Bedlam, Squalor and Worse

Authoritarianism is popular.

A Very Good Week For Putin

The Russian autocrat may be on the verge of getting what he wants.

Two Americas, Redux

Are Red and Blue states even part of the same country anymore?

(12 Nov. 1966) --- Astronaut James A. Lovell is photographed inside his Gemini spacecraft during the Gemini-12 mission. Astronaut Edwin Aldrin is seen in the background and to the left (12 Nov. 1966) --- Astronaut James A. Lovell is photographed inside his Gemini spacecraft during the Gemini-12 mission. Astronaut Edwin Aldrin is seen in the background and to the left

Jim Lovell, 1928-2025

The pioneering astronaut is gone at 97.

President Donald Trump hosts a bilateral dinner for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Monday, July 7, 2025, in the Blue Room. President Donald Trump hosts a bilateral dinner for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Monday, July 7, 2025, in the Blue Room.

Israel To Retake Gaza City

The seemingly inevitable next step.

Federal Grants Must ‘Demonstrably Advance President’s Policy Priorities’

Politicizing scientific inquiry is a bad idea.

Hiroshima Bombing’s 80th Anniversary

The last survivors want us to remember the horrors of nuclear war.

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Ohio River Raised for Veep Kayaking Trip

The optics are not good.

Thursday’s Forum

Donald Trump als Pinocchio bei Pressekonferenz mit langer Nase politik, politiker, nase, lang, reporter, presse, journalist, medien, comedy, auftritt, karikatur, mikrofon, usa, märchen, trump, cnn, show, politics, journalism, media, microphone, stage, satire, fox, performance, lüge, lie, press, humor, nose, komödie, konferenz, conference, puppenspiel, pressekonferenz, politician, caricature, fairytale, long, jester, satirebild, fakenews, zölle, ovaloffice, satirekunst, revealed, pinocchio, bbc, pressebild, pressevertreter, presseclown, lügenbild, pressekarikatur, narr, pressegesicht, pinocchiotrump, aufgedeckt, pressewitz, presseevent, pressconference, pressimage, pressclown, lieimage, satirephoto, pressface, puppetry, satiricalart, pressevent, pressjoke Donald Trump als Pinocchio bei Pressekonferenz mit langer Nase politik, politiker, nase, lang, reporter, presse, journalist, medien, comedy, auftritt, karikatur, mikrofon, usa, märchen, trump, cnn, show, politics, journalism, media, microphone, stage, satire, fox, performance, lüge, lie, press, humor, nose, komödie, konferenz, conference, puppenspiel, pressekonferenz, politician, caricature, fairytale, long, jester, satirebild, fakenews, zölle, ovaloffice, satirekunst, revealed, pinocchio, bbc, pressebild, pressevertreter, presseclown, lügenbild, pressekarikatur, narr, pressegesicht, pinocchiotrump, aufgedeckt, pressewitz, presseevent, pressconference, pressimage, pressclown, lieimage, satirephoto, pressface, puppetry, satiricalart, pressevent, pressjoke

Fact Checking in an Era of Bullshit

One of the big ones has given up.

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Being A Millionaire Ain’t What It Used to Be

Times have changed!

President Donald Trump thanks the crowd after remarks at the Salute to America Celebration, Thursday, July 3, 2025, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa. President Donald Trump thanks the crowd after remarks at the Salute to America Celebration, Thursday, July 3, 2025, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa.

Trump’s Job Approval

It’s down, but relatively steady.

Tom Lehrer, 1928-2025

The mathematician best known for his satirical songs is gone at 97.

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A Bullish View of AI That’s Not So Bullish

It’s likely to be great for the economy, but not for most of the people in it.

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France Recognizes Palestine

Responding to tragedy with farce.

Locking Up The Homeless

A simple solution to a complex problem.

Columbia’s $200 Million ‘Deal’ with Trump Administration

A breaking of the social contract.

Ozzy Osbourne, 1948-2025

The heavy metal legend has passed at 76.

MALCOLM-JAMAL WARNER at 68th Emmy Awards, September 18, 2016 MALCOLM-JAMAL WARNER at 68th Emmy Awards, September 18, 2016

Malcolm-Jamal Warner, 1970-2025

The actor best known for his role on “The Cosby Show” has died at 54.

Rubber Stamp Congress

Things are not operating as Madison intended.

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Why is This News?

A minor scandal involving randos is everywhere.

Debating to Lose

Preaching to the choir only works if the choir is in the audience.

The free high-resolution photo of machine learning, book, algorithm, artificial intelligence, robot, robotics, machine, brain, technology, data, information, automation, idea, digital, system, education, intelligent, reading, innovation, learn, analysis, knowledge, cyborg, toy, gesture, font, electric blue, lego, mecha, fictional character, illustration, art, action figure, figurine, animation, graphics @Mohamed Hassan , taken with an unknown camera 06/01 2023 The picture taken with The image is released free of copyrights under Creative Commons CC0. The free high-resolution photo of machine learning, book, algorithm, artificial intelligence, robot, robotics, machine, brain, technology, data, information, automation, idea, digital, system, education, intelligent, reading, innovation, learn, analysis, knowledge, cyborg, toy, gesture, font, electric blue, lego, mecha, fictional character, illustration, art, action figure, figurine, animation, graphics @Mohamed Hassan , taken with an unknown camera 06/01 2023 The picture taken with The image is released free of copyrights under Creative Commons CC0.

AI is Killing the Web as We Know It

The incentives for creating quality content are diminishing by the day.

NLDA image under Creative Commons license NLDA image under Creative Commons license

No, Congress Didn’t Give Up Its Spending Power

Spinelessness isn’t permanent.

Stephen Colbert’s Late Show Canceled

The end of an era.

PEPFAR Funding Restored

A major unforced error has apparently been reversed.

MAGA Meltdown Over Epstein

Because of course.

Registration Requirement Enabled

As promised.

[Updated x2] Comment Policy Change

A warning of impending change.

A picture of a file with hiv aids treatment written on the spine together with capsules, blood samples, syringe and an ECG chart. A picture of a file with hiv aids treatment written on the spine together with capsules, blood samples, syringe and an ECG chart.

Millions Will Die Unless US Aid Money is Replaced

A dire warning from the UN.

President Donald Trump hosts a bilateral dinner for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Monday, July 7, 2025, in the Blue Room. President Donald Trump hosts a bilateral dinner for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Monday, July 7, 2025, in the Blue Room.

Did Netanyahu Prolong the Gaza War To Save Himself?

A long exposé misses the mark.

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In Defense of Throat Clearing

It’s bad writing, but a necessary evil.

President Donald Trump thanks the crowd after remarks at the Salute to America Celebration, Thursday, July 3, 2025, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa. President Donald Trump thanks the crowd after remarks at the Salute to America Celebration, Thursday, July 3, 2025, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa.

Trump Applies Madman Theory For Real

An unusual diplomatic approach.

SCOTUS Allows Mass Firings, For Now

An odd, impactful ruling.

Musk Announces America Party

An unserious idea from an unserious man.