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.

Job Interviews and Criminal Accusations

Why a much-cited analogy in the Brett Kavanaugh controversy is problematic.

Kavanaugh is Toast and So is Our Political Climate

We’ll likely never know whether the Supreme Court nominee is a sexual assaulter. But it really doesn’t matter.

Fixing Presidential Succession

We should take Congressional officers out of the line of succession.

Second Impartial Named Witness Denies Knowledge of Kavanaugh Accusation

Christine Blasey Ford put “two teenagers” at the party where she alleges a rape attempt occurred. Neither remembers any such party.

Kavanaugh’s Defenders Aren’t Helping

Prominent supporters of the embattled Supreme Court nominee, including the President, are doing him no favors.

Sunstein’s Muddled Take on Kavanaugh

I’m not the only one confused on what to do about the allegations against President Trump’s nominee to replace Anthony Kennedy.

Kavanaugh Musings

Several days after detailed sexual assault allegations against the Supreme Court nominee, I’m not fully sure what to believe.

Overturning Executive Orders Not as Easy as it Looks

Kevin Drum makes an important point.

Selectively Disobeying Trump’s Orders

Just how far should White House staffers and civil servants go in protecting the public from an erratic president?

Sexism in Women’s Tennis?

Recent controversies over rules enforcement have some crying Foul!

Replacing the Republican Party?

Jennifer Rubin wants to build a new political party from scratch.

What is Labor, Anyway?

Entertainers work for a living, too.

Louis C.K.’s Awkward Comeback

The masturbator-harasser is doing stand-up again.

New Reading Environment?

Social media has altered the way writers and readers interact in odd ways.

We Need Prudent Elder Statesmen

My latest for The National Interest is out.

Should Kavanaugh Confirmation Wait for the Midterms?

Tom Nichols argues it should. I disagree.

Is Trump an Illegitimate President?

Max Boot proclaims “Trump is an illegitimate president whose election is tainted by fraud.”

Does Anything Change After the Manafort and Cohen Convictions?

It’s not obvious that two more felons in the Trump inner circle will have any immediate impact.

Trump Revokes Brennan’s Security Clearance

The former CIA Director has been stripped of his access to classified information after repeatedly criticizing the President.

The Cable Bundle is Dying. We’ll Miss it When it’s Gone.

As much as we hate paying $200 a month for television, the future is likely going to be worse.

Tidal Shift Against Brexit

A new study finds that a majority of the UK population—and of UK Parliamentary seats—support remaining in EU.

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78,000 Transgender Americans Could Be Denied Voting Rights in 2018

A new study claims voter ID laws may disenfranchise the demographic, potentially swinging several Congressional races.

Newspaper Sues Former Reporter to Get His Twitter Account Back

Andy Bitter has taken a new job but his former employer thinks it owns his social media account.

Kissinger: ‘We are in a Very, Very Grave Period for the World’

The 95-year-old elder statesman is slowly shedding his public reticence at the risk of the access on which he has built his fortune.

The Conservative Legal Machine

There’s a reason President Trump’s Supreme Court picks are “normal” in a way his national security and economic teams are not.

Bad Arguments Against Brett Kavanaugh

There are good arguments as to why progressive Senators should vote against his confirmation. Let’s stick to those.

All 12 Thai Soccer Players and Coach Rescued

The Thai SEALs have completed an amazing rescue effort with success.

Army Refutes AP ‘Army Discharging Immigrant Recruits’ Story

The situation isn’t as awful as portrayed by the AP—but it’s still pretty bad.

Mark Zuckerberg World’s Third-Richest Person

The 34-year-old Facebook tycoon is now worth more than 87-year-old Warren Buffet.

Buried in Trump’s Bullshit

The President is generating so much outrage on a daily basis that we’re missing important stories.

Trump’s Shameful Betrayal of Immigrant Soldiers

America promised immigrants who volunteered to serve in our military a fast track to citizenship. Now, we’re throwing them out.

How Can a White Supremacist Have a Security Clearance?

It’s more complicated than one might think.

Protest Shuts Down Statue of Liberty on July 4th

An idiot climbed the monument, wasting police resources and ruining the day for hundreds of visitors.

Anthony Kennedy’s Right to Retire

A thoughtful liberal argues the Justice has “altered and destroyed his legacy” by allowing Donald Trump to appoint his successor.

Trump Declines Request to Lower Flag for Capital Gazette Victims

What was once a rare symbol of national mourning has become so commonplace as to be meaningless.

Darryl Williams Becomes West Point’s First Black Superintendent

A milestone for the nation’s oldest service academy, founded in 1802.

LeBron James Joins the Lakers

The NBA’s best player has moved closer to his business interests, leaving Cleveland devastated a second time.

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Outrage Over Minority Rule

There is a frustration and a growing sense that the American political system is illegitimate.

Anthony Kennedy’s Son Loaned Trump One Billlllllion Dollars

A really weird detail buried in a New York Times story about President Trump’s efforts to get the Justice to retire.

The Annapolis Shooting and the Gun Debate

Jarrod Ramos should have been in jail, let alone allowed to have any weapon more dangerous than a butter knife.

When the Press Becomes the Story

A man with a grudge against the Annapolis Capital Gazette killed five people in the newsroom.

Mike Lee for the Supreme Court?

President Trump is reportedly considering the 47-year-old Utah Senator to replace Anthony Kennedy.

How’s That ‘Living Constitution’ Working Out for You?

Progressive enthusiasm for the notion that our governing framework is dynamic and ought be constantly updated by the judiciary is waning.

The Merrick Garland Precedent and the Kennedy Vacancy

The unconscionable violation of norms in 2016 won’t apply in 2018; it’s a matter of power, not principle.

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Jonathan Franzen is Not Fine with It

The White Male Great American Literary Novelist for the 21st Century is not a fan of modern realities.

Responding to Trump’s Lies: Damned if You Do, Damned if You Don’t

Rebutting the President’s routine prevarications merely spreads them. Is there an alternative?

28-Year-Old Socialist Upsets Veteran Democratic Congressman

Joe Crowley, widely considered in line to replace Nancy Pelosi as party leader in the House, has been defeated.

Supreme Court Upholds Trump Travel Ban

In a 5-4 party-line vote, the High Court declared that the Constitution and Federal Law give the President broad authority over immigration.

Two Women Leave GOP Over Policy GOP Has Espoused 38 Years

A Republican organization dedicated to abortion rights is shutting down after 30 years, eight fewer than the Party has opposed them.

Sammy Davis Jr., Tokenism, and Moving Targets

Was one of the pioneering African-American entertainers a “house Negro”?