Scenes outside the Supreme Court and Dirksen as the Judiciary Committee hearings begin for the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett Scenes outside the Supreme Court and Dirksen as the Judiciary Committee hearings begin for the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett

Amy Comey Barrett Defying Expectation

She’s making no one happy.

Stop Conflating Elite Schools with All Schools!

A plea to the mass media and anyone else who is guilty.

Seeing Double on Doubling Down

Resisting gaslighting must be social. It’s crucial for those who oppose Trump’s falsehoods to remind each other, again and again, that 2 + 2 = 4.

President Donald Trump delivers remarks on 'Investing in America', Wednesday, April 30, 2025, in the Cross Hall of the White House. President Donald Trump delivers remarks on 'Investing in America', Wednesday, April 30, 2025, in the Cross Hall of the White House.

Trump: Ending Wars is Hard

Who could have known?

Habemus Papam - Pope Leo XIV Habemus Papam - Pope Leo XIV

Leo XIV: An American Pope

Robert Francis Prevost has been elected to head the Catholic Church

Joseph Nye, 1937-2025

The scholar-statesman best known for coining “soft power” has died at 88.

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The AI Is Taking Our Jobs!

Machines have been eliminating blue collar jobs for decades. Now they’re coming for white collar jobs.

President Trump’s Foreign Policy Approach to Domestic Institutions

The Trump administration treats personally disfavored American institutions the way past administrations treated foreign adversaries. His goal is political submission.

A Musical Observation

Eye of the storm, indeed.

Making America Inhospitable

The targeting of international students.

Brooks Writes a Paragraph…

…and I write a bit more than that.

April 5, 2025 - Rally in downtown Boston, Massachusetts to express outrage at President Trump, his policies and his minions. April 5, 2025 - Rally in downtown Boston, Massachusetts to express outrage at President Trump, his policies and his minions.

The Backlash Has Begun

Nationwide protests yesterday show a growing outrage over Trump 2.0.

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The War on Higher Ed

Elite American universities are surrending at an astonishing pace.

The Big Chilling Effect

Our leaders are afraid to lead.

Trump Testing Legal Limits

The courts will decide whether we have a President or a King.

Trump and the Great Presidents

Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and both Roosevelts pushed the envelope, too!

The Billionaire Class

There are 800 or so of them in the United States alone. Where the hell did they come from?

Hesgeth Flagged as White Nationalist

The man tabbed to lead the Defense Department was deemed an “insider threat.”

“Fox & Friends Weekend” Host for SECDEF

No, I am not kidding.

Elise Stefanik Next UN Ambassador

The MAGA Congresswoman is Trump’s pick.

It’s the Institutions, Stupid

A different take on our political realignment.

How The Nobel Came to Be Prized

In the end there can be only one.

Defining and Discussing Fascism (Part I)

And yes, Trump fits the definitions all too well.

No Kings Act and Judicial Supremacy

Was Marbury v. Madison a mistake?

The Elusive ‘Likely Voter’

Where the science and art of polling intersect.

Post-Affirmative Action College Campuses

More data shows a more complicated picture.

MIT After Affirmative Action

The predicted has happened.

Kamala Harris and Incumbency Curse

The sitting Vice President isn’t getting blamed for the economy.

William Calley, 1943-2024

One of the most notorious war criminals in American history is dead at 80.

The Gender Wars

They’re apparently ongoing. Who knew?

Sunday Tabs

Biden’s Supreme Court Plan

Some interesting, if unworkable, ideas.

The Economy is Better Than it Feels

Why public attitudes are lagging real world performane.

Is Our Problem a Lack of Public Virtue?

Are we betraying the Founders?

Age Inversion in American Politics?

Suddenly, old voters are aligning Democrat and young ones Republican.

If Inflation is Down, Why Are Prices Up?

Shockingly, most people aren’t economists.

Trump and Biden Skipped Opening Day Pitches

A century-old tradition has gone by the wayside.

Daniel Kahneman, 1934-2024

The psychologist who won a Nobel in economics is gone at 90.

The Outrage Machine

Punditry, complexity, and democracy.

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Bowling Aloner

If we’re even bowling at all.

Biden and Trump Are Apparently Old

Stop me if you’ve heard this one . . .

Claudine Gay Resigns as Harvard President

Repeated academic integrity violations led to her forced ouster.

Trump the Supreme Loser

He appointed a third of the Justices but has the worst record before them in modern history.