Jury’s out on winners and losers in latest shutdown standoff

Congress and President Trump are headed into new territory in their standoff over funding the federal government amid Democratic demands to resolve the immigration status of up to 1 million residents brought here illegally as children. The uncertainty lies in this question: Who will win in the court of public […] Read more »

If Bipartisanship Marks 2018, Americans Would Be Happy

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell voted for bipartisanship at Camp David over the weekend, announcing that “We hope that 2018 will be a year of more bipartisan cooperation,” while President Donald Trump added, “We hope that we’re going to be able to work out an arrangement with the Democrats.” This […] Read more »

Tax Cuts Buoy Republicans, but They’re Swimming Against an Undertow

The sweeping tax overhaul approved by Congress this week hands Republicans a long-sought achievement they believe will bolster their defenses in next year’s midterm campaign, but party officials concede the measure may only mitigate their losses in what is shaping up to be a punishing election year. While the tax […] Read more »

Why Don’t Most Americans Realize They’re Getting Tax Cuts for Christmas?

Have you ever come up with what you think is the perfect Christmas gift—a well-chosen, carefully considered present—only for the recipient to react not just with indifference, but with outright hostility? Donald Trump, Mitch McConnell, and Paul Ryan can sympathize. Most Americans will save money under the tax bill that […] Read more »

Republicans Are Taking Voter Concerns About The Tax Bill Too Literally

In reading coverage of the Republican tax bill, which passed the House on Wednesday and is ready for President Trump’s signature, I was reminded of this famous clip of the 1992 “town hall” presidential debate between Bill Clinton and George W. Bush,1 in which a voter asked the candidates a […] Read more »

Special Election Recap: Alabama Shakes (Up the Senate)

Here are a few things we learned from the dramatic victory of Doug Jones over Roy Moore in the Alabama Senate special election last night: 1. Special election results are often over-interpreted as political harbingers, and this particular election would no doubt have turned out much differently if Republicans hadn’t […] Read more »