Outside the Beltway

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

It turns out that mandatory spending is, well, mandatory.

The light at the end of the tunnel is a train.

Political scientists, however, are skeptical.

The downside of our increasing connectivity.

Where are we with my concerns about the Trump administration?

Are you tired of the winning yet?

Nationwide protests yesterday show a growing outrage over Trump 2.0.

Another piece of an appalling cabinet is now in place.

An evil genius controls the key levers of government.

Piling absurdity atop cruelty.

A difference in degree is a difference in kind.

Legions of unpaid drones . . . ? . . . budget cuts.

It is too soon to tell.

Not Gaetz and Hegseth bad, but still, pretty bad.

Elon is on record warning Trump supporters to be prepared for “temporary hardship”

Plus some thoughts on mass deportation.

Our fee-for-service system is broken.

A second Trump presidency got much more likely last night.

Ezra Klein makes a compelling case.

The 5th Circuit upholds a lower court ruling but narrows its scope considerably.

They average more than any other occupation and considerably more than their European counterparts.

The projections were way off—in a good way.

My two cents.

We almost wrecked the economy . . . for this?

When we do it, it’s negotiation. When they do it, it’s hostage taking—and terrorism.

We’re falling further behind for many reasons.

The state of the union is . . . not good.

A little debt ceiling, a little higher ed, and other misc delights.

The Biden administration has a point.

A 4155-page, $1.65 trillion dollar budget deal has been reached.

Because of course she is.

The New York Post and Wall Street Journal are blasting the losing loser.

A deep dive into why our politics are so broken.

What will it take to end the cycle of violence?

The Nebraska Republican got an offer he can’t refuse.

A bill that was never about the thing it’s called doesn’t do that thing.

Joe Manchin has come around on a pared back BBB, surprising just about everyone.

The West Virginia Senator has pulled away the football yet again.

How long can the unsustainable be sustained?

The Democrats have lots of problems. Salesmanship is pretty far down the list.

This time via Senator Rick Scott.

Greatest democracy in the world, right?

Did the President exceed his mandate? Does it matter?

The highest court in the land issued a split decision on President Biden’s COVID policy.

The rat race of becoming a physician and maintaining one’s license is more intense than popularly understood.

The longtime Senator and Vice Presidential and Presidential nominee is gone at 98.

They’re searching for good times. But just wait and see.

Three days late, $1.2 billion long.