Posts by Steven L. Taylor

Steven L. Taylor
About Steven L. Taylor
Steven L. Taylor is a Professor Emeritus of Political Science and former College of Arts and Sciences Dean. His main areas of expertise include parties, elections, and the institutional design of democracies. His most recent book is the co-authored A Different Democracy: American Government in a 31-Country Perspective. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas and his BA from the University of California, Irvine. He has been blogging since 2003 (originally at the now defunct Poliblog). Follow Steven on Twitter and/or BlueSky.

Sunday’s Forum

The image is released free of copyrights under Creative Commons CC0 via pXhere The image is released free of copyrights under Creative Commons CC0 via pXhere

Worst of the Worst Update

Of license plate holders and perfume bottles.

Saturday’s Forum

The Bad Bunny of it All

¡Qué horror!

A Photo for Friday

“Big Mouth”

In Front of Our Noses: Thuggery

By law enforcement.

More Tales from the War Zone

The horror! The horror…

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.

In Front of Our Noses: War Zones!

Hyperbole? Dishonesty? Distraction? Fantasy? Too much cable TV?

On Authoritarianism, Competitive and Otherwise

And why I think future presidents will use the powers that Trump has demonstrated exist.

AG Monday!

This week: the 1968 classic, Planet of the Apes!

In Front of Our Noses: Zip-Tying Citizens Just in Case

The Feds raid an apartment building in Chicago.

Has the Constitution Failed?

The reality is, I can’t say no.

Echoes of Mein Kampf

Stephen Miller’s words at the Kirk memorial.

The Argentine Bailout

Brought to you by the “America First” crowd.

A Photo for Friday

“Breakthrough”

Speaking outside the Capitol after the health care vote. Bernie Sanders in background. Speaking outside the Capitol after the health care vote. Bernie Sanders in background.

An Ill-Conceived Shutdown Strategy

Democratic leadership still keeps playing normal politics in times that are anything but.

In Front of our Noses: He’s a Divider, Not a Uniter (Part the Millionth)

A clip from today’s Very Important Meeting at Quantico.

photo of wood, woman, monument, female, statue, portrait, symbol, balance, astrology, sculpture, art, grace, justice, head, marble, horizontal, large, law, carving, right, fate, character, forward, case law, horoscope, payday, ancient history, zodiac sign, signs of the zodiac, justitia photo of wood, woman, monument, female, statue, portrait, symbol, balance, astrology, sculpture, art, grace, justice, head, marble, horizontal, large, law, carving, right, fate, character, forward, case law, horoscope, payday, ancient history, zodiac sign, signs of the zodiac, justitia

The Meritocracy Report

Trump hires only the best!

AG Monday!

There be whales here.

Monday’s Forum

Who Needs Article I?

SCOTUS continues to favor the executive over the legislature.

How WWII Affects Contemporary Thinking

Some musings on the wrong lessons from a major global event.

Sunday’s Forum

The Free Speech Presidency Rolls Onward

Colombia’s President said the wrong thing and had his visa revoked.

In Front of Our Noses: A Policy of Murder

Blowing up boats because they might have drugs on them is not justifiable, legally or morally.

SaturTabs

Saturday’s Forum

Comey Indicted

Serious abuses of power alongside an almost cartoonish set of behaviors.

A Photo for Friday

“Lunch”

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.

More on Authenticity

More on the conflict of alleged beliefs and who one follows.

Things That Shouldn’t be Hard to Say

Twenty-Second Amendment edition.

Thursday’s Forum

“The President is Authentically Himself” [Updated]

A sad fact about the quality of American leadership and an indictment of Christians who ardently support it.

Wednesday’s Forum

Homan Update

Sounds to me like he admitted to taking the bag of cash.

Tuesday’s Forum

Meanwhile, in North Korea, Dear Leader Want Critics to be Quiet

Escalations of threats against the press.

AG Monday!

Time to search for Spock.