Outside the Beltway

It beats the alternative but it ain’t for sissies.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL, except those that hate, steal, murder, and destroy everything that America stands for.

The Pentagon’s couch cushions are huuuuge.

Lack of understanding and poor institutional design=bad political outcomes.

The health agency has been gutted under RFK Jr.’s reign.

A dramatic escalation of the standoff.

We’re not alone in dysfunctional politics.

Can Democrats do anything?

The politics of words.

Are Democrats triggering voters by pushing the Overton Window on language, thereby subverting norms and creating barriers to participation?

The cruelty is the point?

In this case, Noem’s rent-free living.

There are no satisfying answers.

A simple solution to a complex problem.

An odd, impactful ruling.

Both the policy issues but also the way it illustrates the politics of us versus them.

What it tells us about race and the Trump administration.

A case from rural Alabama.

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

But the Trump administration is out to wreck it.

This would include US citizens.

This could be a issue for common ground… if both sides are prepared to give a little

I have questions.

A general conversation and a lot of specifics about RFK. Jr.

Thinking out loud, as one does.

One thread that runs through most explanations for Tuesday’s result.

A different take on our political realignment.

Plus some thoughts on mass deportation.

Hitler comparisons.

Our immigration policy is out of sync with our economy.

They are not like you and me.

Contrary to widespread perception, white men can in fact dance.

This is fascistic rhetoric.

The actor known for “Good Times,” “Roots,” and “The West Wing” is gone at 84.

The skews may offset.

Racism this explicit needs to be directly confronted

Donald Trump fared considerably worse against a cogent opponent.

It’s not 2019 anymore.

From Juiceboxer to arguably the most important media figure on the left.

The soft bigotry of low expectations.

Unpacking J. D. Vance’s bad PR instincts

Why the rent is too damn high.

Cruel punishment is not unusual.

Could Thursday’s match-up shake up the race?

Does Nicholas Kristof make his case?

Why public attitudes are lagging real world performane.

Democratic strategists are complaining that Biden is being too honest.

Public perception is not aligned with the top level data.

An interesting analysis by The Economist.