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.

Are Electric Vehicles Cheaper to Drive?

It depends on how you do the math.

Richard Marcinko, 1940-2021

The Rogue Warrior is gone at 81.

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Pandemic, Trauma, and Identity

There’s something happening here. But what it is ain’t exactly clear.

Should We All Be in N95 Masks?

Why are we still wearing cloth, which was an emergency measure?

Could Trump Face Criminal Charges for January 6 Actions?

The head of the House investigatory committee seems to think so.

Vice President Kamala Harris delivers remarks to the National Congress of American Indians Annual Conference, Tuesday, October 12, 2021 in the South Court Auditorium of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the White House. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson) Vice President Kamala Harris delivers remarks to the National Congress of American Indians Annual Conference, Tuesday, October 12, 2021 in the South Court Auditorium of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the White House. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

Kamala Harris is Frustrated

Apparently, getting her elected President is not a high enough priority in the Biden White House.

Saudi Arabia Building Ballistic Missiles with Chinese Help

Our ostensibly ally is working with our chief adversary against our interests.

President Joe Biden delivers remarks on ending the war in Afghanistan, Tuesday, August 31, 2021, in front of the Cross Hall of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz) President Joe Biden delivers remarks on ending the war in Afghanistan, Tuesday, August 31, 2021, in front of the Cross Hall of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz)

Biden: Yes, I’ll Run Again

With an obvious but important caveat.

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Evidence Isn’t Going to Persuade Anti-vaxers

Hesitancy is a complex phenomenon largely immune to facts.

Chief Medical Advisor to the President Dr. Anthony Fauci participates in a briefing Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021, in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Chandler West) Chief Medical Advisor to the President Dr. Anthony Fauci participates in a briefing Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021, in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Chandler West)

The Fauci Who Stole Christmas

You’re a monster, Dr. Grinch, Your heart’s an empty hole.

House Democrats Retiring in Droves

Twenty-three and counting will not run in 2022.

The free high-resolution photo of street, bicycle, asphalt, vehicle, hat, park bench, homeless, stockholm, packing, baby carriage, drifter, norrm larstrand , taken with an DMC-FS10 01/29 2017 The picture taken with 10.0mm, f/3.8s, 1/640s, ISO 80 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 street, bicycle, asphalt, vehicle, hat, park bench, homeless, stockholm, packing, baby carriage, drifter, norrm larstrand , taken with an DMC-FS10 01/29 2017 The picture taken with 10.0mm, f/3.8s, 1/640s, ISO 80 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.

Omicron Now 73% of US COVID Cases [Or Not?]

That didn’t take long.

The Breyer Patch

The 83-year-old Justice is playing a dangerous game.

Manchin Shoots BBB Dead, Dead, Dead

The West Virginia Senator has taken the football from Charlie Brown and gone home.

Sunday’s Forum

News, Analysis, and Opinion

The continuing calls to abandon objectivity in reporting in favor of a particular agenda.

The Non-ending Joe Manchin Saga

Is the stalwart of Senate bipartisanship interested in governing?

Major Kimberly Bender, Director Air Force Public Affairs , Joint Base San Antonio, Fort Sam Houston, receives the first of two COVID 19 vaccine shots, Brooke Army Medical Center, Joint Base San Antonio, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, 29 Jan 2021. Major Kimberly Bender, Director Air Force Public Affairs , Joint Base San Antonio, Fort Sam Houston, receives the first of two COVID 19 vaccine shots, Brooke Army Medical Center, Joint Base San Antonio, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, 29 Jan 2021.

Military Vaccine Deadlines Pass

Some 98 percent of active service members are now vaccinated. The rest will be discharged.

Biden’s 2024 Deadline

The clock is ticking.

Warren’s Argument for Court Packing

It’s not compelling.

January 6 vs BLM Riots

Shockingly, they’re not remotely equivalent.

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COVID and Reasonable Risk

A lot of America is simply over the pandemic, even if it isn’t over us.

The Divide Within Our Parties is Almost as Wide as that Between Them

Pew’s new typology shows the diversity of both US political parties.

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Doctoring Ain’t All it’s Cracked Up to Be

The rat race of becoming a physician and maintaining one’s license is more intense than popularly understood.

Bryce Young 1st Alabama Quarterback to Win Heisman Trophy

A historic achievement for the first-year starter.

RVA Pro Gun Rally 2020-11 Streets of Richmond, VA RVA Pro Gun Rally 2020-11 Streets of Richmond, VA

Vigilante Politics

We’re likely to see more instances like the Capitol Riot and the Kyle Rittenhouse shootings.

Vaccine Mandates Aren’t Cost-Free

Kids are getting caught in the crossfire of the fight over COVID shots.

Is COVID Being Overhyped?

In the age of vaccines, should we stop worrying about the pandemic?

Beatles ‘Get Back’ Documentary

A long peek at history in the making.

Unilateral Disarmament on Gerrymandering

Democrats and Republicans are playing by different rules.

A Coup Plotted in PowerPoint

They took notes on a criminal fucking conspiracy.

Peak Fact-Checking?

Not every argument can be tested on a Pinocchio scale.

The free high-resolution photo of person, people, girl, boy, child, children, poverty, 2010, afghanistan, afghani , taken with an Canon EOS 5D Mark II 03/14 2017 The picture taken with 50.0mm, f/8.0s, 1/100s, ISO 200 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 person, people, girl, boy, child, children, poverty, 2010, afghanistan, afghani , taken with an Canon EOS 5D Mark II 03/14 2017 The picture taken with 50.0mm, f/8.0s, 1/100s, ISO 200 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.

US Sanctions Compounding Afghan Crisis II

There are no good options, only bad and worse ones.

Thursday’s Forum

Putin, Ukraine, and History

Russia’s leader sees the situation in the former Soviet Republic quite differently than the West.

The Kids Are Not Alright

Do young Democrats really hate Republicans more than vice-versa?

Portrait of a Robert E. Lee astride his horse, Traveller. Lee is bare-headed, wearing a military uniform, sitting very erect with his sword at his proper left side. His proper left hand is on the reins, and his proper right hand hangs down, holding his hat. The horse is in a walking pose with his proper left front hoof raised. On the front of the base is a relief depicting a fighting eagle with wings expanded, surrounded by clusters of oak leaves. On the back of the base is a relief of a garland. Portrait of a Robert E. Lee astride his horse, Traveller. Lee is bare-headed, wearing a military uniform, sitting very erect with his sword at his proper left side. His proper left hand is on the reins, and his proper right hand hangs down, holding his hat. The horse is in a walking pose with his proper left front hoof raised. On the front of the base is a relief depicting a fighting eagle with wings expanded, surrounded by clusters of oak leaves. On the back of the base is a relief of a garland.

Two Confederate Statues Meet Their Fate

Two controversial monuments are gone.

Trump Leads Biden in Meaningless Poll

We’re three short years from the next election.

Military Justice Reform Watered Down

The Pentagon brass have defeated a supermajority coalition in Congress.

Bob Dole, 1923-2021

The longtime Senator and Vice Presidential and Presidential nominee is gone at 98.

Biden and Putin to Talk Ukraine

Russia may invade Ukraine again. The United States would prefer otherwise.

Alabama Beats Georgia, Back to Playoff

An epic but improbable win.

The free high-resolution photo of person, people, girl, boy, child, children, poverty, 2010, afghanistan, afghani , taken with an Canon EOS 5D Mark II 03/14 2017 The picture taken with 50.0mm, f/8.0s, 1/100s, ISO 200 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 person, people, girl, boy, child, children, poverty, 2010, afghanistan, afghani , taken with an Canon EOS 5D Mark II 03/14 2017 The picture taken with 50.0mm, f/8.0s, 1/100s, ISO 200 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.

US Sanctions Compounding Afghan Crisis

Children are starving and it’s partly our fault.

Sunday’s Forum

Democrats Frustrated They Can’t Pass Biden’s Build Back Better Bill

They’re searching for good times. But just wait and see.

Nobody Watches Cable News

A media critic argues we pay outsized attention to the goings-on at Fox, MSNBC, and CNN.

Saturday’s Forum

The Phony-Tough and Crazy-Brave

Violence, masculinity, and American politics.

The Politics of Abortion

What happens if the Supreme Court overturns Roe v Wade?

SCOTUS Could Overturn Roe

Oral arguments on the biggest abortion case in decades will be heard today.