Outside the Beltway

I find it hard to take.

The State Department will be pressing our closest allies to control their borders.

Some questions to consider as you evaluate congressional leadership.

Why blaming “the Democrats” or even “leadership” ignores a basic fact of American politics.

What the shutdown should have been about.

There are real life consequences.

Majorities gonna majority.

A lot of pain for . . . not much.

Where’s the positive example?

Things will get radically worse if the shutdown doesn’t end soon.

It’s not what you think.

Democrats are digging in.

He’s making a major admission.

The Trumpian Twilight Zone.

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

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

The Pentagon’s couch cushions are huuuuge.

A million dollars a day.

Political scientists, however, are skeptical.

Upcoming milestones that could force a deal.

Next up: our armed forces.

“What are they going to do? Say, ‘Gee, we don’t want to stop drugs pouring in?’”

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

It’s huuuuge.

Millions turned out in support of basic ideals.

Not so much.

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

Congress, Schmongress.

A dramatic escalation of the standoff.

Passing a budget the President can ignore creates a dilemma.

Democratic leadership still keeps playing normal politics in times that are anything but.

Here we go again.

SCOTUS continues to favor the executive over the legislature.

Every general and admiral in a command billet has been called for a last-minute gathering about some unspecified topic.

Things are not operating as Madison intended.

He filibustered nothing for a very long time.

They don’t want to give Trump what he wants, so they’re giving him what he wants.

Democrats are damned if they do and damned if they don’t.

A year-long Continuing Resolution or bust?

Parade of poor governance edition.

Beware the Ides of March.