Outside the Beltway

Another escalation in the longstanding “shadow war.”

The US is doing better than peer economies.

The President is trying to change perceptions ahead of the election.

When winning is the only acceptable outcome.

The Biden administration had little choice but to act.

Here we go again.

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

A silly workaround to an infuriating problem that won’t go away.

The US Government has reluctantly decided to spell an ally’s name they way they prefer.

It would be an abuse of power.

The Biden Administration wants clean energy but only for some.

A new meme started by Republican leaders is mostly false.

Because of course it was.

NATO has stepped up in a pleasantly surprising way to resist the Ukraine invasion.

Children are starving and it’s partly our fault.

American exceptionalism at its worst. (Plus some history!).

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

Prosecutors want rioters to pay for it.

RussiaGate is back in the news but the story is unlikely to move the needle.

An interesting proposal to improve tax collection.

Rudy Giuliani and a hack tabloid are trying to revive the Burisma story.

A pleasant surprise.

As Election Day draws closer, the President is doubling down on stoking racial resentment.

The Paycheck Protection Program protected some interesting paychecks.

Political considerations overruled warnings from national security and health professionals.

Finally.

…and confusion (and a further market tumble) ensues.

Contrary to the promises of December 2017, the Republican tax cuts are not paying for themselves. Instead, they are helping lead us to trillion-dollar deficits.

There’s no rational explanation for this.

Not surprisingly, there are other phone call transcripts and other communications that further complicate Trump’s position.

As predicted, the Federal Budget Deficit has crossed the threshold back into the world of trillion-dollar deficits. This is all due to the hypocrisy of Republicans and so-called conservatives.

Thanks for nothing, Republicans.

President Trump is delaying implementation of his recently announced tariffs on Chinese goods.

The Federal Budget Deficit rose 27% in July, putting it on course for the $1 trillion by the end of September.

California’s legislature has passed a law purporting to require candidates for President to release copies of their tax returns, but it’s likely to face legal challenges if it becomes law.

The Trump Administration is warning Congress that we will need to raise the debt ceiling by September. Congress should take this as an opportunity to eliminate it entirely.

The Federal Budget Deficit passed the $700 Billion mark with three months still to go in the Fiscal Year.

President Obama wanted to end it but his former VP used it to his advantage.

As expected, the House Ways & Means Committee is suing Treasury Secretary Mnuchin over his refusal to provide the committee with copies of the President’s tax returns.

The Trump Administration unveiled new sanctions against Iran yesterday. They’re unlikely to accomplish the entirely unrealistic goals the President claims to have in mind.

The Justice Department has released a memo attempting to justify the Administration’s refusal to comply with a subpoena for the President;’s tax returns. Their argument is weak to say the least.

While the scope of Federal power has expanded beyond the ken of the Framers, this is not an example.

New York has passed a law that would allow Congress to obtain copies of the President’s New York State tax returns.

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin punted once again on the question of replacing Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill, making clear that any change that does occur won’t happen until after Donald Trump is out of office.

A previously confidential I.R.S. memo contradicts the Administration on the issue of providing copies of the President’s 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.

The Trump Administration is proposing another round of tariffs on even more Chinese goods.

The House Ways and Means Committee voted to issue a subpoena the President’s tax returns, but whether it will ever see them is unclear.

The President is systematically defying Congress. Whatever can be done about that?

The Treasury Secretary is declining to comply with a Congressional request for the President’s tax returns. Whether this is proper is a question that will have to be resolved by the courts.