Category: Politics

Politics

The world’s greatest negotiator can’t get his own party to take him seriously

Republicans have made it very clear that they are going to be the party of Donald Trump. They are going to put Donald Trump’s name and face on everything. They are going to sing his praises. They are going to rope his supporters into their other campaigns because a vote for Republican congressional hopeful John Doe is a vote for Donald Trump, and you can … Continue reading The world’s greatest negotiator can’t get his own party to take him seriously

Perry
Our Long National Nightmare

March 4: Corporations, Congress, and Conspiracies

Prior to the 20th Amendment, the designated day for presidential inaugurations was March 4. This, like much of our Constitutionally-determined election schedule, was based on the realities of travel in a nation where the horse was by far the fastest and most reliable way to get around. Once it was possible for news to travel by telegraph and presidents-elect to travel by train, lawmakers decided … Continue reading March 4: Corporations, Congress, and Conspiracies

Perry
Our Long National Nightmare

Trump probably won’t run in 2024, but that doesn’t mean Senate Republicans were right to acquit him

The United States Senate, in its infinite wisdom, says Donald Trump is not guilty of inciting a riot in January on the grounds that although he absolutely did do that and should be convicted he is no longer in office and therefore, apparently, cannot be. This result, though not unexpected, is going down poorly, in part because the legal consensus is that Trump absolutely could … Continue reading Trump probably won’t run in 2024, but that doesn’t mean Senate Republicans were right to acquit him

Perry
Our Long National Nightmare

Biden wants bipartisan action on student loan debt. But even some moderate Dems say it’s time to be bold.

Charles Schumer, New York’s senior senator and the current Majority Leader, is not exactly what you would call a leftist agitator. Not in good faith, anyway. Schumer is a liberal, almost a liberal in the classic mold: business is okay, labor should be protected, consumers have a right to understand the products they purchase. But now, he’s staking one of the boldest positions in the … Continue reading Biden wants bipartisan action on student loan debt. But even some moderate Dems say it’s time to be bold.

Perry
COVID-19

The World’s Greatest Negotiator has obtained nothing

President Trump signed, late Sunday, an omnibus appropriations bill in which he did not get a single thing he wanted. He demanded changes to the bill – upping stimulus payments from $600 to $2,000 and scrapping a ton of foreign aid chief among them – but caved after just a few days. That he caved was no big surprise. Trump’s demands were political poison. Republicans … Continue reading The World’s Greatest Negotiator has obtained nothing

Perry
Politics

No, that’s not in the COVID bill

Congress has this fondness for consolidated bills. If Senator Armsmoney (R-US) going to vote for some Democratic priority like expanding school lunches, it’s a lot easier to stomach that vote if the bill also includes funding for the creation of a new FBI Minority Crimes Unit. This is the sausage getting made, the room where it happens, etc. – the deals that are required to … Continue reading No, that’s not in the COVID bill

Perry
Our Long National Nightmare

Surprise: Trump supporters are threatening acts of terrorism to overthrow American democracy, who saw that coming?

On Friday, the Supreme Court soundly rejected an attempt by the State of Texas to challenge the election results in four states. The whole thing was blatantly unconstitutional, as the U.S. Constitution lets the states run their own elections, and also hypocritical, since Texas’ position was that it has a vested interest in how other states run their elections despite the fact that the state … Continue reading Surprise: Trump supporters are threatening acts of terrorism to overthrow American democracy, who saw that coming?

Perry
Health in America

Experts warn proposed Trump health rules are “perfectly designed” to bring Biden admin to “a standstill”

The Trump administration wants to require the Department of Health and Human Services to review most of its regulations by 2023 — and automatically void those not assessed in time. A proposed rule would require HHS to analyze within 24 months about 2,400 regulations — rules that affect tens of millions of Americans on everything from Medicare benefits to prescription drug approvals. The move has … Continue reading Experts warn proposed Trump health rules are “perfectly designed” to bring Biden admin to “a standstill”

KHN
Our Long National Nightmare

We now enter the “attempt to overturn Bush v. Gore” phase of the election

Way back in 2000, before coronavirus pandemics and September 11 and The Real Housewives, the Supreme Court of the United States was asked a key question in the now-famous Bush v. Gore case. That question was simply: when does the presidential election end? The court’s narrow ruling was that 3 U.S. Code § 5 sets a hard deadline for the conclusion of the presidential election. Known … Continue reading We now enter the “attempt to overturn Bush v. Gore” phase of the election

Perry
Politics

The big White House-linked bribery-pardon scandal is neither big nor particularly White House-linked

More details have emerged about an alleged White House-linked pardon-bribe scheme investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice earlier this year. It’s both more and less juicy than we initially thought, but most importantly it’s not clear that it ever really got to the White House. Here’s the scheme: Hugh Baras was convicted on tax evasion and Social Security fraud. Baras is, basically, just a … Continue reading The big White House-linked bribery-pardon scandal is neither big nor particularly White House-linked

Perry