Outside the Beltway

Looking at some historical data.

The numbers aren’t real. Not yet, anyway.

A low bar has been cleared.

The 2020 loser has doubled down on losing.

President Biden is being pressured to face the music after the midterms.

The Justice Department is looking to inoculate itself against charges of partisanship.

What should be the bar? Can it ever be reached?

The President flubbed a softball question. Oh noes!

The race is returning to expectation.

Three-and-a-half years and almost 6 million tax dollars have produced nothing.

A dramatic if likely symbolic move.

And a reminder of the role of political parties.

The term that kicks off today could undermine our entire system of government.

Makin’ his way the only way he knows how, that’s just a little bit more than the law will allow.

Roberts may not like it, but SCOTUS is political and does have a legitimacy problem.

I warned you all, my predictions are notoriously wrong.

The President delivered a rousing stump speech from Independence Hall.

Why would the Trump team release a document that casts them in such a bad light?

Thoughts on the scenarios.

“Moderate” is up, “Liberal” is down, and “Conservative” is static. What does it mean?

“Declassification, even by the President, must follow established procedures.” (Trump Administration 2018)

While enormous, the commander-in-chief’s control over state secrets is not absolute.

That’s some catch, that Catch-22.

Some quick hits.

It’s complicated, hard to prove, and politically fraught.

Hardball politics or dirty pool?

Can American democracy survive its information bubbles?

She’s almost certainly going to lose her House seat. Can she get a promotion?

Columnists write bad columns apologizing for bad columns.

He failed to fulfill his oath.

Despite every precaution, the 79-year-old leader of the free world is infected.

What should conservatives who can’t support the party of Trump do?

Meeting with people who are essentially couplotters should be disqualifying.

See is paying the price for her defense of democracy.

Another comment on the American presidency and its critics.

The pressure and expectations of a king, but with considerably less power.

This will just reinforce minority rule in the US.

Shameless (but not surprising).

Basically: Trump is a liar or delusional (perhaps both?).

Are you going to believe this index or your own lyin’ eyes?

Much ado about a perfectly normal phenomenon.

A recurring genre about presidents.

The first round produced two very different candidates.

Ezra Klein discusses the dynamics of American conservatism in historical perspective. Plus, he helps illustrate a key problem that we have in thinking about American politics (IMHO).

More on primaries with a foray into Madison and the general politics of power-seekers and incentives.

The 45th President was a psychopath.

The role of American political institutions.

POLITICO has obtained what purports to be the 1st draft of the opinion.

Added historical context to ongoing conversations about American democracy.