… One key question before the Supreme Court is whether there are standards to detect an extreme partisan gerrymander. During oral arguments this year, Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. asked, “How do you determine whether [a particular plan] is constitutional?” In fact, the five federal courts that have struck down […] Read more »
Are The Nationalist Victories Around The World Connected?
A string of recent elections around the world have produced seemingly similar results: nationalist and populist parties, generally on the right, keep getting elected. But is it fair to connect political events in places as varied as Australia, India, the Philippines and the European Union? In this episode of the […] Read more »
Getting Perspective on the Presidency
I tried to do something last week that seems almost impossible to do in this era of constant stimulation, agitation and hot takes: I got some perspective on the president and the presidency. I spent three days last week at the “Presidential Ideas Festival” (aka Prez Fest) hosted by the […] Read more »
Alabama state legislators are wrong about their voters’ opinions on abortion
Alabama’s law banning abortions even in the case of rape and incest has attracted big headlines. But the state is not alone in trying to all but eliminate abortion rights. Since the beginning of the year, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio and Utah have passed similar laws. But most […] Read more »
Here’s the next political truism that Trump might overturn
The 2020 election may test as never before one of the most enduring rules of presidential politics, the straightforward four-word maxim coined by Democratic strategist James Carville in 1992: “It’s the economy, stupid.” Even amid record-low unemployment, robust economic growth and a roaring stock market, President Donald Trump has shown […] Read more »
The radical right’s rise in Europe isn’t fueled by economic grievances
Will populist parties gain ground during this week’s European Parliament elections? Radical right-wing parties are polling well, but how will they fare now that the economy is picking up in Europe? Their success in the elections is a test of the conventional wisdom that economic crisis breeds radical politics. Our […] Read more »