Russia Really Invades Ukraine

Putin’s forces are in Kyiv.

The Beginning of a Response to the Beginning of an Invasion

The first shoe has dropped.

Putin Invades Ukraine in Defiance of West

The much-anticipated escalation has happened. Now to see how the United States and its allies respond.

Jim Angle, 1946-2022

The veteran journalist and Fox News original is gone at 75.

US Waives Iran Sanctions as Deal Nears

The Biden administration is close to repairing the damage Trump caused.

Ukraine: Advantage Putin? Advantage NATO?

Expert opinion on the standoff differs sharply.

Stupid 2024 Fantasies

The silly season has commenced a mite early.

The free high-resolution photo of landscape, car, vintage, antique, building, transport, truck, vehicle, nostalgia, gas station, quaint, hdr, playground, cars, gasoline, gulf, petrol, service, pumps, automobile make , taken with an IQ3 100MP 03/16 2017 The picture taken with 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 landscape, car, vintage, antique, building, transport, truck, vehicle, nostalgia, gas station, quaint, hdr, playground, cars, gasoline, gulf, petrol, service, pumps, automobile make , taken with an IQ3 100MP 03/16 2017 The picture taken with 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.

Back to $4 Gas

Three dollars and change at the pump. The cost of livin’s high and goin’ up.

Should We All Be in N95 Masks?

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

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.

On the Number of Parties 2: Basic Counting, Part 2

This time: some multi-party examples.

On the Number of Parties 1: Basic Counting, Part 1

Counting is not necessarily as straightforward as it may seem.

Peak Fact-Checking?

Not every argument can be tested on a Pinocchio scale.

A Republic, not a Constitutional Monarchy

Barbados provides an illustration of a frequently misunderstood concept.

US Capitol Rotunda US Capitol Rotunda

Defense Bill Stalled Over Amendments

Every now and again, it’s not Mitch McConnell’s fault.

Is Autocracy Really Winning?

A depressing magazine piece argues it is.

The Latest Example of the Nonhierarchical Nature of US Parties

A minor story that illustrates a far bigger problem in our politics.

Colin Powell, 1937-2021

The trailblazing soldier-statesman has died at 84.

Saving American Democracy

The Politician’s Syllogism rears its ugly head.

Elections in Germany

Speaking of elections.

Tom T. Hall, 1936-2021

The legendary country music singer-songwriter known as “The Storyteller” is gone at 85.

Douthat Misses the Point on Hungary

Hungary is part of a broader global trend, but the real issue isn’t Hungary, it is the Americans who praise Hungary.

Scapegoating Immigrants

Whataboutism about a visit to Whataburger (and other tales of obfuscation).

Who Decides American History?

Legislatures and school boards politicize what our kids are taught.

Dusty Hill, 1949-2021

ZZ Top’s longtime bass player is gone.

Quick Hits

Gotta clear those tabs.

G-7 Approves Corporate Tax Floor

A major first step to solving a longstanding global issue.

Eric Carle, 1929-2021

The author of beloved children’s books is gone at 91.

Conservatives and Critical Race Theory

The latest bogey man is likely not well understood.

DC Statehood and Power Politics

More voice, more votes, more representation.

G. Gordon Liddy, 1930-2021

The Watergate conspirator, author, and talk show host was 90.

It’s the Single-Seat Districts

Our insistence on relying on an 18th Century understanding of electoral systems is our ongoing bane (if one values representative government).

Better Masks? More Masks?

It’s time to up our protection game.

Lame Duckin’

As expected, the Congress has overridden his veto of the NDAA.

Trump’s Legal Team Imploding

We won’t have Sidney Powell to kick around any more.

More Kook Than Coup

A shameful farce continues to unfold.

The Pandemic Continues

Reminders from a perusal of the news.

What’s a Republic?

What meanings might the Founders have had? How should we understand the term?

Eddie Van Halen, 1955-2020

A rock and roll legend is gone too soon.

Trump Saves ‘Stars and Stripes’

The venerable military newspaper lives to print another day.

The Mundanity of Authoritarianism

Some recommended reading.

The Abyss Stares Back

The Republican Party is now the mirror image of the totalitarian propagandists it used to hate.

A Bizarre Convention

The Republicans are putting on quite a show.

Democrats Kick Off Virtual Convention

The official campaign to oust Donald Trump is off to a good start.

Political Culture Eats Institutions For Lunch

Institutional reform is necessary, but we can’t accomplish much in the face of tribalism.

So Much Winning

Policy failures by the US government have neutered US passports for the foreseeable future.

Brent Scowcroft, 1925-2020

The National Security Advisor to Presidents Ford and GHW Bush has died.

Stupidity Was The Other Plague We Mismanaged

Having failed to prevent or contain it, aggressive stupidity is now washing over us.