Donald Trump Shrugging Donald Trump Shrugging

More Bad Appointments

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

Trump Advisors Promise A Recession (And Worse) If He Wins

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

Thinking About the Border

Plus some thoughts on mass deportation.

Mental Health Therapy and Insurance

Our fee-for-service system is broken.

Biden’s Catastrophic Debate Performance

A second Trump presidency got much more likely last night.

Do Democrats Have a Better Option Than Biden?

Ezra Klein makes a compelling case.

Biden Administration Overstepped Bounds on Social Media Pressure

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

American Physicians Make a Lot of Money!

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

Biden Energy Subsidies More Popular Than Projected

The projections were way off—in a good way.

Debt Ceiling Deal Reached ‘in Principle’

We almost wrecked the economy . . . for this?

When Does Politics Stop Being Politics?

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

Americans Don’t Live as Long as We Should

We’re falling further behind for many reasons.

SOTU 2023: Normal vs Crazy

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

Tabby Thursday

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

A Thought or Two on Negotiating the Debt Limit

The Biden administration has a point.

Omnibus Bill Has Everything But the Kitchen Sink

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

Kyrsten Sinema Leaving Democratic Party

Because of course she is.

Murdoch Gunning for Trump

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

Calcified Democracy

A deep dive into why our politics are so broken.

Pelosi Attack a Turning Point?

What will it take to end the cycle of violence?

Ben Sasse to Leave Senate to Become Florida President

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

[I'm shocked, shocked I tell you!] [I'm shocked, shocked I tell you!]

Inflation Reduction Act Doesn’t Reduce Inflation?!

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

Build Back Better Than Nothing

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

Democrats Even Madder at Manchin

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

Minority Rule in a Winner-Take-All System

How long can the unsustainable be sustained?

President Joe Biden delivers remarks on Earth Day prior to signing an executive order strengthening the nation’s forests, resilience to extreme weather events, and local economies, Friday, April 22, 2022, at Seward Park in Seattle. (Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz) President Joe Biden delivers remarks on Earth Day prior to signing an executive order strengthening the nation’s forests, resilience to extreme weather events, and local economies, Friday, April 22, 2022, at Seward Park in Seattle. (Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz)

The Messaging is Medium

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

Elections with Foregone Conclusions

Greatest democracy in the world, right?

President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the passing of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Tuesday, August 10, 2021, in the East Room of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz) President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the passing of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Tuesday, August 10, 2021, in the East Room of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz)

Second Guessing Biden’s First Year

Did the President exceed his mandate? Does it matter?

SCOTUS Blocks Federal Vaccine Mandate

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

hand, care, medicine, healthy, health, product, hospital, clinic, nurse, doctor, medical, medic, healthcare, disease, diagnosis, stethoscope, clinical, health care, general practitioner, diagnostic, stetoscope hand, care, medicine, healthy, health, product, hospital, clinic, nurse, doctor, medical, medic, healthcare, disease, diagnosis, stethoscope, clinical, health care, general practitioner, diagnostic, stetoscope

Doctoring Ain’t All it’s Cracked Up to Be

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

Bob Dole, 1923-2021

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

Democrats Frustrated They Can’t Pass Biden’s Build Back Better Bill

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

photo of working, person, military, construction, cutting, team, helmet, build, labor, job, workers, laborer, task, construction worker, sledge hammer photo of working, person, military, construction, cutting, team, helmet, build, labor, job, workers, laborer, task, construction worker, sledge hammer

Infrastructure Bill Passes! Dems in Array?

Three days late, $1.2 billion long.

President Joe Biden drives a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon during a clean cars event, Thursday, August 5, 2021, on the South Lawn Driveway of the White House. President Joe Biden drives a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon during a clean cars event, Thursday, August 5, 2021, on the South Lawn Driveway of the White House.

Biden Settling for Smaller Spending Package

The President seems to have persuaded the progressives in his party to settle for half a loaf.

This Week in Bad Tweets

This time: Senator Marco Rubio.

President Joe Biden observes trainers and apprentices at work at the final assembly station during a tour of Plumbers & Gasfitters Local 5 Training Facility, Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2021, in Lanham, Maryland. (Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz) President Joe Biden observes trainers and apprentices at work at the final assembly station during a tour of Plumbers & Gasfitters Local 5 Training Facility, Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2021, in Lanham, Maryland. (Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz)

Selling the ‘Build Back Better’ Plan

The Catch-22 of passing a massive spending bill in an undemocratic system.

President Joe Biden, joined by Johnson & Johnson CEO Alex Gorsky and Merck CEO Ken Frazier, delivers remarks on COVID-19 vaccine production Wednesday, March 10, 2021, in the South Court Auditorium in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the White House. (Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz) President Joe Biden, joined by Johnson & Johnson CEO Alex Gorsky and Merck CEO Ken Frazier, delivers remarks on COVID-19 vaccine production Wednesday, March 10, 2021, in the South Court Auditorium in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the White House. (Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz)

Biden Orders Feds, Firms to Vaccinate

The President has lost his patience with the unvaccinated.

The 1% are Paying Slightly Less Tax Than They Owe!

An interesting but rather misleading report from a Biden Treasury official.

high-resolution photo of money, business, cash, bank, american, currency, dollar, banking, rich, casino, luck, financial, savings, success, finance, wealth, investment, banknote, save money, dollars, making money, saving money high-resolution photo of money, business, cash, bank, american, currency, dollar, banking, rich, casino, luck, financial, savings, success, finance, wealth, investment, banknote, save money, dollars, making money, saving money

We’re Talking $3.5 Trillion

Is the debate over the cost of the “infrastructure” bill a distraction from its content?

President Joe Biden, joined by Johnson & Johnson CEO Alex Gorsky and Merck CEO Ken Frazier, delivers remarks on COVID-19 vaccine production Wednesday, March 10, 2021, in the South Court Auditorium in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the White House. (Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz) President Joe Biden, joined by Johnson & Johnson CEO Alex Gorsky and Merck CEO Ken Frazier, delivers remarks on COVID-19 vaccine production Wednesday, March 10, 2021, in the South Court Auditorium in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the White House. (Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz)

Vaccine Incentivization: Sticks Better Than Carrots

Making it difficult for refuseniks works better than prizes.

Vaccine Mandates are Popular and (Often) Legal

Despite a rising groundswell of support, the obvious solution to our crisis has not been implemented.

Sinema’s Filibuster Defense

It’s no better than Joe Manchin’s.

The Vaccine Hesitant are Primarily Non-Voters

New polling provides useful insights into the problem.

More on Social Policy and Comparisons

Mostly about how not to do it.

Social Policy and Freedom

Increases in social benefits can increase freedom.

income tax monopoly board income tax monopoly board

Raising Taxes on Other People Very Popular

President Biden’s pollster has made an amazing discovery.

A Specious Comparison of Voting Rules

No, Colorado’s voting regulations are not roughly the same as Georgia’s.