Short-Lived New York City Blackout Brings Back Memories Of Much Bigger Events

Last night New York City experienced what turned out to be a short-lived blackout mostly limited to Manhattan’s West Side, but it brought back memories of much bigger events.

No, Swalwell Won’t Be the Last Democrat to Exit

A silly story for the silly season.

Billionaire Jeffrey Epstein Charged With Sex Trafficking Of Minors

Jeffrey Epstein, a billionaire investor previously charged with sex crimes involving minors, has been charged with sex trafficking involving minors.

Britain’s Ambassador To The U.S.: Trump “Inept,” “Dysfunctional”

In memos to his superiors, the British Ambassador to the United States had an exceedingly frank, and negative, assessment of the current occupant of the White House.

Democrats Clash In First Night Of First Debate

Democrats clashed, to some degree, in last night’s inaugural debate of the 2020 season but they clearly agreed far more than they disagreed.

Alaska Supreme Court Rules Sex Offender Registry Unconstitutional

The Alaska Supreme Court has ruled that the state’s sex offender registry violates due process protections in the state and Federal Constitutions.

Maine Becomes 8th State To Legalize Physician-Assisted Suicide

Maine has become the eighth state to pass a law allowing terminally ill the choice to bring their lives to a dignified end.

Pete Buttigieg Lays Out An Encouraging Foreign Policy Platform

South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg laid out his foreign policy platform in a speech this week. It’s certainly an improvement over the current President.

Democrats Set Lineup For First Debates

The lineups for the first Democratic debate of the 2020 season are set but some candidates are likely to be unhappy.

Elizabeth Warren Continues To Gain On Bernie Sanders

A trio of new polls shows Elizabeth Warren slipping past Bernie Sanders into second place in the race for the 2020 Democratic nomination

Democrats Announce Qualifiers For First Debate

The participants for the two-night opening debate of the 2020 campaign season have been announced, and the candidates who were excluded aren’t happy.

Office of Special Counsel Recommends Kellyanne Conway Be Fired

Presidential adviser Kellyanne Conway stands credibly accused of multiple violations of Federal law. The President will do nothing about it.

Donald Trump And The Triumph Of The Conservative Grifters

At least some conservatives appear to finally be recognizing that their movement has been taken over by grifters and frauds. The only question is, what took them so long?

The Boys Of Pointe du Hoc

Thirty years ago, when the veterans of D-Day were still relatively young and still largely with us, President Reagan delivered one of the finest speeches of his Presidency.

Biden Not Only Democrat Lifting Language for Websites

The original ‘scandal’ was silly. The follow-up is sillier.

Republican Apocalypse … Now?

David Brooks joins the long line of commenters predicting the GOP’s demise.

Illinois Set To Become 11th State To Legalize Marijuana

Further progress for advocates of marijuana legalization from the Land of Lincoln.

National Spelling Bee Ends in 8-Way Tie

Having exhausted their word list and the competitors, the contest ended with octo-champs.

Five Former Priests Arrested In Michigan Child Sex Abuse Investigation

In the latest development in the child sex abuse investigations in the Catholic Church in the United States, five former Priests in Michigan have been arrested on sex abuse charges.

Jimmy Carter’s Rennaissance?

Some 2020 Democratic hopefuls are turning to a surprising source for counsel.

Mnuchin Won’t Comply With Subpoena For Trump Tax Returns

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin has informed Congress that he will not comply with a subpoena seeking the President’s tax returns, meaning that we’re headed for a court battle.

Buttigieg vs Booker

Two youngish Rhodes Scholars turned mayors are getting covered differently.

Biden Jumps To Big Early Lead In South Carolina

More good news for Joe Biden, this time out of South Carolina.

Denver Votes To Decriminalize Psychadelic Mushrooms

In a first of its kind move, voters in Denver have voted to decriminalize psychedelic mushrooms.

Leak Reveals A Decade Of Trump Tax Information, But Nothing Very Illuminating

The New York Times has obtained about ten years worth of Donald Trump’s tax returns from the late eighties to early nineties. They don’t tell us much that we didn’t already know.

California Becomes Latest State To Try To Force Trump To Disclose Tax Returns

California is the latest state to try to force all Presidential candidates, including the President, to release their tax returns as a condition for getting on the ballot. It’s not at all clear that this is permitted under the Constitution.

Democrats Trying to Block Trump from 2020 Ballot

Ballot measures across the country would deny access to those who refuse to release tax returns.

Can The Buttigieg Boomlet Last?

Pete Buttigieg is getting a lot of attention for a relatively unknown candidate. but it’s unclear if it can last.

Democrats Aren’t Buying Cory Booker’s ‘Unity’ Message

Cory Booker’s message of unity isn’t going over well with Democratic voters eager for a fight.

Republicans Resisting Democratic Efforts To Limit Exemptions From Vaccine Laws

As Democrats at the state level seek to limit the ability of parents to decline to vaccinate their children. they are facing resistance from Republican colleagues.

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Lying With Statistics

Are people fleeing blue states to avoid repressive taxes? It depends who you’re asking.

No, the Electoral College Wasn’t About Slavery

Princeton historian Sean Wilentz lays to rest a pernicious idea propagated by . . . Princeton historian Sean Wilentz.

The Filibuster’s Inevitable Demise

Senate Republicans are pushing for the end of minority obstruction—and the Democrats can’t wait.

Could Sanders Be the Democrats’ Trump?

In 2016, a crowded Republican field yielded an unlikely nominee. Could history repeat itself in 2020?

What’s a Freelancer, Anyway?

Labor law has not kept up with our changing economy.

Marijuana Legalization Becoming Consensus Issue Among 2020 Democratic Candidates

Democratic candidates for President are quickly voicing support for marijuana legalization.

House Passes Measures To Strengthen Gun Background Checks

Last week, the House passed two bills to strengthen the laws regarding background checks for guns, but they’re not likely to even make it to the floor of the Senate.

Larry Hogan, Republican Iconoclast, Edges Closer To A Run Against Trump

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan continues to sound like someone seriously considering running against Donald Trump.

ACLU Files Lawsuit Against Trump Over ‘Emergency’ Declaration

The American Civil Liberties Union has joined the list of groups with lawsuits against the President’s declaration of a “national emergency” at the southern border.

Sixteen States, Other Groups, Sue Trump Over Border Wall ‘National Emergency’

The lawsuits against President Trump’s “national emergency” have begun. Except more.

Pope Francis Defrocks Cardinal Theodore McCarrick After Decades Of Abuse

Pope Francis defrocked former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick after decades of allegations of abuse of young boys and seminarians.

U.S. Catholic Bishops Identify Hundreds Of Abusive Priests

Two new reports identify hundreds of Catholic Priests who have been credibly accused of abusing children over the past decades.

House Vote Votes To End U.S. Assistance For Saudi War On Yemen

In a rare display of assertiveness in the foreign policy arena, the House voted yesterday to bar U.S. assistance in Saudi Arabia’s genocidal war on Yemen.

Majority Of Democrats Focused On Electability Rather Than Ideology For 2020

New polling indicates that a solid majority of Democrats are more interested in finding a candidate who can beat Donald Trump in 2020 than they are with finding a candidate that agrees with them on specific issues.

Cory Booker Enters Democratic Presidential Field

New Jersey Senator Cory Booker is the latest entrant into the race for the 2020 Democratic Nomination.

Retirement is Killing Our Infrastructure

Pensions and health care costs for the elderly are crowding out other vital spending.

Pelosi Getting Too Much Credit for Shutdown ‘Win’

The Speaker was dealt a winning hand and played it with the skill of a seasoned pro. But the outcome was all but inevitable.

Supreme Court Agrees To Hear Second Amendment Case

For the first tine in nearly ten years, the Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case involving Second Amendment rights.

Senator Kamala Harris Enters The Race For President

As expected. California Senator Kamala Harris has entered the race for President.

Larry Hogan As A 2020 GOP Challenger To Trump?

Could Maryland Governor Larry Hogan be just the kind of Republican to challenge Trump in 2020?