Can the Republicans hold onto Congess?
Jay Cost has an excellent piece on the subject in this week’s Weekly Standard.
Continue reading →Category Archives: Politics
Why has the left’s mask slipped recently?
In the wake of the Tucson shooting, commenter Occam’s Beard made these remarks: The question is why they’re letting the mask slip now, instead of doing the Walter Cronkite and continuing to hide their true views. Perhaps [they] are doing … Continue reading →
The Giffords shooting and mere words
I’ve got a new article up at PJ entitled, “Politics and the schizophrenic’s language: do mere words have the power to ignite acts such as Saturday’s shooting?” Comment here, comment there, comment wherever you wish.
Continue reading →The new Congress has plans
The House will take up the issue of repeal of HCR. It’s an act of theater, because Obama has veto power and would almost undoubtedly use it. And repeal is doomed in the Senate, anyway. But it’s nevertheless a good … Continue reading →
Is Krauthammer right?
Charles Krauthammer seems to think that the legislative achievements of the last couple of weeks—the tax “cut”[sic] deal , the repeal of DADT, and the approval of START—have changed Obama’s fortunes with the American public, and that the playing field … Continue reading →
Let’s do away with the filibuster, saith the Democrats
This is exactly what I’ve been anticipating, ever since I realized that the Senate would probably remain in Democrat hands. William Jacobson at Legal Insurrection says not to worry. But I’m hardly as sanguine as he on the possibilities for … Continue reading →
Why has the lame duck session “produced” so much?
Ezra Klein and I are asking essentially the same question, although we’re phrasing it a bit differently. He wonders why the lame duck session been so “productive;” I’m not so sure I’d use that particular word. However, we’re in agreement … Continue reading →
The lame duck that wouldn’t die
The WaPo offers this fascinating glimpse into why the lame duck sessions of Congress have continued despite the obvious need to stop them. It turns out that the 20th Amendment (passed in 1933) was intended to do just that when … Continue reading →
The Dream Act dies–for now
It was only a Dream. Depending on the source, articles describing the defeat of the Dream Act refer to the young people involved as either illegal immigrants (correct) or undocumented immigrants (annoying euphemism). The measure, which would have granted citizenship … Continue reading →
Obama: Comeback Kid II?
Bill Clinton did it—at a low political ebb after a Congressional defeat, he returned to the center and won re-election. Charles Krauthammer believes that President Obama has just received concessions via the tax bill that will allow him to do … Continue reading →
Omnibus budget bill: easy come, easy go
It seemed to come out of nowhere, as all these mammoth bills have lately—all two thousand pages of it. For a few days it caused a commotion, but now it has vanished as mysteriously as it came. Or maybe not … Continue reading →
Tax bill stalled
The sticking point at the moment seems to be something to do with tacking on a raise in the estate tax, but you try to figure it out (see also here). It should never have come to this, of course; … Continue reading →